Pamputtae brings dancehall to Toronto Pride — despite the anti-LGBTQ backlash

Performing at Toronto’s Pride festivities this weekend was never in question for Jamaican musician Pamputtae. 

“Honestly, it was never a difficult decision, because I’m an entertainer and don’t limit my music. I sing for everyone. God loves everyone and doesn’t pick and choose,” said the dancehall and reggae artist (real name Eveana Henry), one of the headliners at the 2023 Pride festival.

The decision, however, didn’t sit well with parts of her community back home.

When Pamputtae announced the concert date on Instagram back on April 4, some dancehall fans, as well as Jamaican artists and media outlets, criticized her for taking part in an LGBTQ-focused event. One Instagram poster called it an “abomination.”

Dancehall became popular in Kingston, Jamaica, in the late ’70s, stemming from the same regions where reggae developed decades earlier. A more electronic-based music, dancehall has achieved success through the work of artists like Vybz Kartel, Sean Paul, Mavado, Buju Banton and Lady Saw. 

But dancehall has been criticized for promoting homophobic violence in its lyrics, to the point where Canadian LGBTQ activists created a campaign called Stop Murder Music, which called on venues and sponsors to stop supporting Jamaican dancehall artists who incited violence toward gay people.

In 2009, dancehall musician Elephant Man was dropped from Toronto’s Caribana Festival because of one of his songs.

Homophobia and Jamaican pride

In 2012, Grammy-winning artist Beenie Man apologized for singing hateful lyrics about the gay community during the early 2000s.

In recent years, many dancehall artists have reworked songs with anti-LGBTQ sentiments, or removed them from their catalogues. 

Although some artists have made efforts toward inclusivity, an invitation to perform at Pride events has become a controversial topic for Caribbean entertainers.

LGBTQ rights in Jamaica are very limited, with laws prohibiting same-sex marriage, changes to gender identity and sodomy. As a result of this discrimination, some islanders have chosen to leave the country.

When dancehall artist Spice performed at the 2022 Toronto Pride festival, Andrew Campbell, who introduced her that day, called it a “political statement.” 

For her part, Pamputtae says she avoids paying attention to the negative feedback.

“Spice and I are two real dancehall artists,” she said. “From back [in the day], we’ve been getting backlash from even our own people.”

A recognizable voice in dancehall

Pamputtae’s rise to fame began in 2006. Her intro on DJ Tony Matterhorn’s song Goodas Fi Dem demonstrated a vibrant voice that would become instantly recognizable to dancehall listeners. 

After recording a second intro for Matterhorn, she signed with a label. Since then, her music has garnered millions of streams, and her top songs include It Good, Come Out, Handfull and Sticky Whine. 

Last October, Pamputtae was featured on a remix of rapper Nicki Minaj and Skeng’s Likke Miss with The Fine Nine. The six-minute song reached the top of the charts on both U.S. and Caribbean radio.

One of the most requested songs in Pamputtae’s live setlist is Single Mother, which was released in 2018. It details the experience of single parenting and the hardship she faced after having her first child at just 15 years of age. 

WATCH | The music video for Pamputtae’s Single Mother: 

“People see the glitter, gold and celebrity lifestyle, and don’t know I was once there in a corner,” she said, emphasizing that she reached success after being raised by a single mother herself.

“Who feels it, knows it. That song makes me cry.”

After supporting herself through music while raising two kids, she founded the Pamputtae Single Mother Foundation in Jamaica, which provides advice and resources. Her eldest son even helps her prepare some donations.

WATCH | Pamputttae takes about her song Single Mother and her foundation:

The three-day music event to complement Toronto Pride will begin on June 23, with Pamputtae set to perform on Saturday night. The artist, who is no stranger to performing in Canada, is looking forward to introducing the Pride crowd to her music. 

As it is, many LGBTQ members have already reached out to her through her social media pages.

“They’re all on my Instagram and TikTok,” she said. “They’re sending me what songs to sing — honestly, I get so much love.”

Pamputtae believes that spreading love has caused this immense support. 

“What you put out most of the time is what you get back,” she said. “If you put out love in the atmosphere, it’s going to come back at you. Kindness is going to come back at you.”

Her philosophy is, “either you love [the music] or you hate it, but at the end of the day, you can’t break me. If Pride calls me again, I’m going to work… I’m an entertainer.”