Jamaican reggae star Beenie Man has backtracked a little on past remarks and issued a statement offering his apologies for past homophobic lyrics. Beenie, like a number of stars from the dancehall scene, has been accused of inciting violence against the gay community through his lyrics - as a result his gigs and radio shows that play his music have become targets of the gay rights movement of late.
In a statement released on Monday by Beenie Man's record label Virgin, he said: "It has come to my attention that certain lyrics and recordings I have made in the past may have caused distress and outrage among people whose identities and lifestyles are different from my own. While my lyrics are very personal, I do not write them with the intent of purposefully hurting or maligning others, and I offer my sincerest apologies to those who might have been offended, threatened or hurt by my songs. As a human being, I renounce violence towards other human beings in every way, and pledge henceforth to uphold these values as I move forward in my career as an artist."