T.O.K.’s Craigy T Says He Stands Behind ‘Chi Chi Man’ Song

In the wake of Roshaun ‘Bay C’ Clarke of Dancehall quartet T.O.K.’s statement that the group had “made a decision to not perform” their Chi Chi Man hit song, in order not to “offend” any of their fans,” one member of the group has seemingly distanced himself from that announcement.

In the aftermath of the statement Bay C reportedly made in Barbados following a performance at Reggae On The Beach in St Michael, on May 1, which was published by Loop, the group was harshly criticized by some Barbadians for not standing their ground. 

The article had also claimed that T.O.K. had cut ties with Chi Chi Man and that the group was “setting an example for their peers, by omitting divisive songs, such as Chi Chi Man from their performances.”

The backlash from their Jamaican compatriots was particularly severe, as, in a barrage of comments, they questioned the group members’ sexuality, and demanded that TOK explain whether they had themselves become “chi-chi men.”

A chi-chi man is a Jamaican pejorative term for homosexuals.

On Monday, Craigy T took to Instagram, where he sought to extricate himself from the imbroglio, by affirming his heterosexuality in a video clip stating that he stood by the words of the 2001 song.  

“Mi stand up behind di lyrics pon di paper.  Mi bun dem and mi nuh leff a ash nor a vapour”.  When mi talk mi talk STRAIGHT!” Craigy T captioned the post in relation to the Tony Kelly-produced song.

“Mi si a article come out recently sayin TOK respects all sexual orientations.  Now, my name is Craig Patrick Anthony Thompson, seen.  When mi talk, mi talk fi myself.  Mi family is of di age now weh dem can decide wedda dem want falla my lead or chart dem own path,” he stated. 

“As for me, I don’t respect all sexual orientations.  My respect is not contingent on anybody sexual orientation.  As a matter of fact, I would prefer not to know sexual orientations.  When me a meet an greet people my brain nuh wonda who dem a sleep wid, or who dem love. A nuh suh my brain work.  Don’t come mix mi up inna oonu ting…Di only person inna dis world weh me interested inna dem sexual orientation a my own an mi wife own.  Mi just want oonu get dat straight.  Done talk,” he added in the now-deleted post.

In response to the post, veteran music selector and anti-LGBT campaigner Foota Hype, said he was unimpressed with the statement from Craigy T.

“This not explaining anything,” Foota said, while another man added: “Why make chi chi man song in the first place? If yah want di song to be taken down from yah catalog so yah want homosexuals and straight people to unite yah smoking crack yah not standing on wat you guys believe in just for the money huh sad 🤦🏾‍♂️🤦🏾‍♂️🤦🏾‍♂️ was a big fan up until now”.

As the rebuke continued another man added: “Sell out unuh soul fi visa, unuh move n gweh”, while another commented: “Fish Group tok”.

In Barbados, some commenters said the group had perhaps made the decision because they were strapped for cash, while others pointed out that TOK’s move was unnecessary, as LGBTQ members themselves dance to, and sing the Chi-Chi man song all the time, without issue.

“I gay and I still listen to this song 🤣🤣🤣 I can’t stand this sensitive generation 😐,” one man said in response to the article on Loop Barbados’ Instagram page, while another added: “But the “chi chi” man dem self does sing the songs whole heartedly 🤦🏽‍♀️.”

“Stupzzz…them does be dancing and singing harder than we😂😂,” another noted while one woman added: “But why? I’ve been to many events where the gay boys sing this song an laugh bad”.

The response from Jamaicans on Loop Jamaica was rife with mocking of TOK with some commenters even claiming they  would download and save the song before it is removed from all platforms.

“Wonder if chi chi man a spar wid dem inna dem cyar?” one woman jeered, while another added: “Haha one a them a goodly chi chi man 😂😂😂”.

“Unity? Now, yuh promoting unity. Are you saying that which you were against, you’re now endorsing?” one woman questioned. 

“Gwaan a foreign go live and stop sing every song to. Ppl like nuh mek we culture look soft. Fire and brimstone. MOVE!!!!!” was the declaration from another.  

Others contended that TOK was contradicting themselves as they were still singing songs about killing other people.

“But they still sing all the other badman/kill regular people songs. Music is just words, the irony!!!!” maro_alex said.

“The things Jamaicans are willing to do for money. They will endorse something they do not believe in and sacrifice their morals for the paper. By the way, TOK not even relevant so they are seeking relevance now. Bible cyaa wrong enu. “The love of money is the ROOT of all evil’,” one woman rebuked.

 Others said that TOK had in one fell swoop, had destroyed any thought of a big musical comeback.

“Dropping you dignity, worthless. Cruff behavior, that won’t make you stronger, weaker,” was the scathing remark from Romeo.

“Them just doing it to get support from that community because they are not as popular anymore.  Disgraceful.  I hope everybody do them like budwiser lol 😆 😂,” one commenter said.

“But a could a wah this? 😮 Cut ties with your biggest chune, even now it hit Pon TikTok, watch mi delete every t.o.k chune except that one from my playlist kmft, no one stand for anything these days. If y’all think this is gonna give y’all a come back, think again,” one man declared.