Sizzla Takes Aim At US Embassy Over LGBTQ Support: “Keep Your Visa!”

Declaring that a visa was not important to his career, as he was a superstar long before he received one, Sizzla Kalonji has rebuked the United States for allowing female spaces to be invaded by men and its Embassy in Jamaica for ‘daring’ to fly the LGBTQ flag.

During his performance at an event in Half Way Tree on the weekend, the August Town native voiced objection to the promotion of any LGBTQ-related material in Jamaican schools and declared that any elevation of groups or persons in institutions of learning must be reserved for national heroes.

“B-ttyman nuh do one ting fi Jamaica, suh dem nuh have no rights bout yah.   Look at Marcus Garvey and Nanny.  And dem still don’t waa put Marcus Garvey and Nanny in schools, but oonu waa put b-tty man in schools.  It caa work!” Sizzla said.

“B-ttyman f-ck off!  And lef Jamaica!  An keep yuh visa tuh!  An mi si oonu a promote b-ttyman flag up a American embassy.  Mi nuh too waan guh up deh.  Suh if mi nuh get no visa fi guh a America a nu no problem,” he added.

Sizzla also took aim at what he says is an overt push to promote transgenderism, which would be to the detriment of little girls where males are being let into female spaces in some countries, and urged the Government of Jamaica not to follow suit.

“Hear yah nuh: mi si dem a try some likkle ting up a America weh dem a talk bout transgender an dem ting deh enuh.  An have di boys dem going to di girls dem bathroom,” he stated.

“And some little baby girl going to school, dem very innocent about a lot of things and they get so terrified seeing the boys come into their bathrooms.  Suh wi nuh want di Jamaica government legalize dem ting deh inna Jamaica.  Yuh hear weh mi seh?” he added. 

Sizzla’s expression of disapproval comes amidst a diplomatic row between the United States and Jamaica which reportedly began brewing after the Andrew Holness administration refused to accredit the same-sex spouse of an American diplomat.

On Monday, Radio Jamaica reported that the dispute between the countries was “threatening to sour diplomatic relations between the two traditional allies”.

Earlier this year, the United States government had written to Government of Jamaica, seeking “approval for the married partner of a diplomat about to be posted to Jamaica and who is in a same-sex relationship to be given diplomatic immunity and all the privileges of a diplomat”.

According to Radio Jamaica, it is “believed the Jamaican government did not respond to the request in a timely manner”, which prompted the US to send another diplomatic note demanding a response. 

However, the Holness administration rejected the request.    

“A senior government source told Radio Jamaica News that an approval of the request would mean Jamaica recognises same-sex marriages, which is illegal in this country,” the radio station reported.

As a consequence, the “US then responded rejecting a request from the Jamaican government to extend the stay of Jamaica’s ambassador to the US, Audrey Marks, and Consul General Oliver Mair and another unnamed Jamaican diploma and serving notice that “the trio must leave immediately after their five-year diplomatic visa expires”, Radio Jamaica quoted a source as saying.

Sizzla is not the first Jamaican musician to “tell off” the US Embassy. 

In October 2019, Foota Hype, in a loud broadside, in responding to attacks from the LGBTQ community, had declared that he was ready for a spiritual battle between himself and LGBTQ activists, this after gay activists tagged the US and UK embassies and called on them s to revoke his visas, following an anti-gay post that he had made.

The Dark Knight producer had claimed his critics might be operating within the United States Embassy and the UK High Commission, who might want to revoke his visas.