LOS ANGELES -- A gay and lesbian group wants the House of Blues to cancel Monday's scheduled concert at its West Hollywood location by a reggae star who has recorded songs calling for violence against gays.
A letter from the head of the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center to Los Angeles-based House of Blues' chief executive Greg Trojan states the group is "shocked and disgusted" about the upcoming appearance of singer Capleton, whose Jamaican-dialect lyrics have called for burning and shooting gays.
Capleton -- whose appearance at a House of Blues venue in Chicago on Thursday sparked similar protest -- has told news outlets he no longer performs the songs in question.
Those songs include "Bun Out Di Chi Chi," which translates to "burn out the gay man." His hit "Whoa" includes the line, "Sadomite and batty man mi shot up," which translates to "Sodomite and queer man, I shot up."
A representative for the House of Blues could not be reached immediately to comment on the upcoming concert or the call for it to be canceled.
In the letter sent Wednesday, the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center's chief executive, Lorri Jean, accuses House of Blues of valuing profit over the company's stated mission of celebrating diversity and promoting "racial and spiritual harmony through love, peace, truth, righteousness and non- violence."
"What's especially appalling is that the House of Blues would host a performance by this dangerous hate monger in a city such as West Hollywood -- a city known for its large gay population," Jean wrote.
