Boycott Threatened at

Beluschi & Aykroyd-Owned

House of Blues

Clubs owned by the popular entertainers schedule singer who calls for killing gay people

Gay activists are planning protests and a boycott of the Chicago House of Blues nightclub if it goes forward with a scheduled performance by reggae singer Capleton on Thursday, September 23. Jamaican-born Capleton openly calls for killing Lesbian and Gay people in a number of his most prominent songs, and hails from a country widely seen as particularly vicious towards gay people.

In June, Jamaica's most prominent gay rights campaigner, Brian Williamson, was found murdered in a manner that would suggest that it was a hate crime. Gay sex is punishable by up to ten years of hard labor according to the nation's statutes.

One of Capleton's most frequently performed songs is called ""Bun Out Di Chi Chi" which, translated from the Jamaican patois, means "Burn Out The Queer" ("Chi Chi" is pejorative slang for gay people). The song calls for its listeners to "Bun out ah chi chi, Blood out ah chi chi ("Burn out a queer, Blood out a queer). "Blood out" is a particularly violent, graphic expression meaning to chop, cut, stab and shoot.

The Chicago Anti-Bashing Network, the organizer of the protests in this city, has recently confirmed that prominent entertainers Jim Belushi and Dan Aykroyd are sole owners of the House of Blues nightclub chain. CABN is calling upon Belushi and Aykroyd to not besmirch their reputations by playing host to an entertainer who promotes killing any group of people. Belushi can be contacted through his website at the following URL: http://www.jimbelushi.ws/emailform.htm (Aykroyd does not have a public website).

Numerous attempts to call, email and visit with House of Blues management about the Capleton incident have gone unanswered. Protesters plan a picket of the club at 7 pm this Thursday, September 23 at 329 N. Dearborn Street, Chicago (just north of the Chicago River). If the performance goes forward that evening, all people who oppose hate violence are asked to boycott the House of Blues chain from that day forward.

Capleton also has performances scheduled at the House of Blues in West Hollywood, CA (October 4th) and New Orleans (October 11th).

House of Blues® Sunset Strip

8430 Sunset Blvd.

West Hollywood, CA 90069

t :: 323.848.5100

http://www.hob.com/venues/clubvenues/sunsetstrip/



Jack Gannon

House of Blues Publicity

6255 Sunset Blvd. 16th Floor

Hollywood, CA 90028

323.769.4705

media.inquiries@hob.com