Capleton's management team says they were not bothered about the protests by gay rights' lobbyists at a club in New York last weekend. It was reported last week that protests were held for the removal of dancehall artiste Capleton from a concert at the BB King Club.

The demonstrations came on the heels of a rally by gay rights lobbyists for the withdrawal of reggae artiste Queen Ifrica from a concert in New York recently.

But last night, Capleton's Manager, Claudette Kemp, told THE STAR that despite the gay lobbyists' effort, the artiste was unperturbed and was focused on more important things.

"We have more important issues to deal with, it's foolishness and we are ignoring them, we are not going there," she told THE STAR.

Capleton was scheduled to perform at the BB King Club and Grill, in New York last Wednesday night. On the day of the event, the Jamaica Anti-Homophobia Stand (JAHS) issued a release calling for the cancellation of the artiste's performance.

"The protest calls for the cancellation and condemns the promotion of and profiting from anti-gay hateful music here in NYC where LGBT lives and rights are valued."

The release also stated, "Jamaican reggae performer Capleton is known for his songs that call for LGBT people to be killed and makes comments from the stage calling for LGBT people to be killed. Capleton signed the Reggae Compasionate Act agreement (an agreement to not promote hatred and violence) in the middle of 2007 and broke the agreement on 12/24/07.

But, despite their efforts, their protest, outside the club was in vain, THE STAR contacted the BB King Club and Grill and was informed by a member of the club's management team, that Capleton did indeed perform that night.

second protest

THE STAR spoke with the President of the Caribbean Alliance for Equality, Jason Latty-Travis, who was also present at the protest and he told THE STAR that although disappointed that Capleton's performance was not cancelled, that was not the main object of their protest.

"We protested because we wanted the world to know that people like Capleton are causing the death of innocent Jamaicans, our main aim was to let people know what his lyrics are and how they are contributing to the disenfranchisement of gays in Jamaica."

This is the second protest that was held by members of the gay community against a Jamaican entertainer.

Recently, members of the gay community staged a protest outside the Amazura Concert Hall in Queens, New York, for the removal of reggae artiste Queen Ifrica from the 'Invasion of the Queens' concert, which was hosted at the club.

The day after the protest at Amazura, another protest was allegedly staged by members of the gay community at the Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania. Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller received an honourary degree from the institution.