Zubz ‘Get Out’…is it hate speech?
The Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA) has made a ruling that has shocked heads everywhere. Apparently Zubz’s track ‘Get Out’ from his latest album Headphone Music in a Parallel Universe, is considered hate speech.
Now the ruling is quite extensive so it’s available on it’s own page on this blog. Just look to the right and click on ‘ZUBZ RULING’.
Spliff interviewed Zubz a couple of weeks ago about the complaint that was laid by the Freedom Front (FF+). This is what he had to say:
Zubz interview (PLEASE NOTE: When dowloading this audio clip, right click on the link and save it. You will need to change it from a jpg file to a mp3 file.)
Africasgateway.com reported this on the lastest developments:
Rapper Zubz has publicly apologised for causing offence with his racist lyrics, but he doesn’t regret writing the song, which was labelled “hate speech”.
“Understand I’m gonna get this panga to your neck / Take what is mine today and I’ll rob you tomorrow / Take my time it’s payback / Tell my people [to] fight / And tell the oppressor get out,” he raps on his video, which was flighted by the SABC.
His apology follows a Broadcasting Complaints Commission ban on the song and his music video.
The ruling came after the Freedom Front Plus laid a complaint with the BCCSA.
The party claimed that the Zimbabwean-born rapper’s song amounted to hate speech.
The BCCSA said this week that the song threatens violence, and advised that it be banned from being broadcast on radio or television.
In response, Zubz said: “I want to apologise to everyone who was offended by the song. I did not in any way mean to hurt anybody. I don’t regret making the song though, and I know which message I wanted to spread. Our nation is so culturally sensitive and that has taught me to be sensitive.”
Pieter Mulder of the Freedom Front Plus was happy with the outcome: “This is reverse racism and there is no doubt in my mind about that. I am happy that this kind of hate speech can be taken off our televisions.”
The BCCSA tribunal judgment stated: “Its dominant effect is that of militancy and violent threats.”
While the song can now no longer be broadcast, the commercial distribution of the DVD, or other recordings of the song, are not limited by the order
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