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Beenie Man's PR denies apology

London - UK - 4 August 2004

Within 24 hours of Virgin Records issuing a supposed apology from
Jamaican reggae singer Beenie Man over his incitements to murder gay
people, Clyde McKenzie, head of public relations for Beenie Man's
management company Shocking Vibes, told Radio Jamaica that the
statement was "not an apology", that it was initiated by Virgin
Records not by Beenie Man, and that Beenie Man reserved his right to
continue criticising "the homosexual lifestyle", of which he did not
approve.
Radio Jamaica (RJR, 94FM), Tuesday evening 6.45pm, 3 August 2004

Brett Lock of OutRage!, who was also part of the interview, said:
"Despite being asked several times, Clyde McKenzie strenuously denied
that the statement was an apology to gay people or for homophobic
lyrics. He insisted it was just a general condemnation of violence,"
said Mr Lock.

"The so-called apology seems to be nothing more than a PR stunt dreamt
up by Virgin Records to stave off protests against Beenie Man in the
lucrative European and North American markets. But in Jamaica - where
an apology would do the most good - Beenie Man's PR machine is pulling
out all the stops to disassociate him from the Virgin Records
statement," said Mr Lock.