Beenie Man addresses gay rights critics, insists he respects homosexuals

Internationally acclaimed Dancehall superstar, Beenie Man has publicly confirmed his stance regarding gay and lesbian critics who have continuously criticized him throughout his prestigious career.

In a video posted via the official YouTube page of Rototom Sunsplash, the self-professed 'King of the Dancehall' issued a statement regarding the flack he’s received from gay and lesbian rights groups while explaining his personal stance regarding those communities. Citing recent problems while trying to secure work, Beenie Man made it perfectly clear that he has no personal issues with homosexuals.

“Let me make this clear and straight. I have nothing against no one. I respect each and every human being, regardless of which race, regardless of which religious belief you have, and regardless of which sexual preference you are, including gays and lesbians,” he said.

According to Beenie Man, the growing tension between himself and the gay/lesbian community stems from songs he did dating back to the early 1990s, when he first became a household name.

“Do not fight against me for some songs I did 20 years ago,”he said.

“There is no one in this world is the same as they were 20 years ago, I know I am not. I was a kid and I come from Waterhouse, which is a small community. I never know what the world is like and what the world is all about. But now I know that people live in this world that live their life differently from my life. I still have to respect and love human beings.”

Beenie Man isn’t the first artiste this year to publicly address this issue as Reggae superstar, Sizzla Kalonji rubbished claims of promoting violence against homosexuals in his songs.

Beenie Man was one of several Jamaican artistes to sign the Reggae Compassionate Act in 2007, an agreement created to dissuade entertainers from using homophobic lyrics in their music.