Homophobic Singer Capleton Tour Canceled

A Jamaican reggae star's U.S. tour was canceled recently after several gay activists raised concerns about his homophobic lyrics.

Renegade Productions, which was in charge of Capleton's West Coast tour, announced the cancellation on its website.

Another artist, Cocoa Tea, was scheduled to tour with him. The tour was set to begin on Monday at the Ragga Muffins festivals in Long Beach and Oakland, Calif., but Capleton was removed from the lineup.

Earlier, people and groups in two other California cities, Humboldt and San Luis Obispo, lobbied to halt Capleton's appearances, according to reporter Michael Petrelis.

Capleton was one of the artists who agreed to the Reggae Compassionate Act in 2007, in which he pledged to renounce and condemn violence against LGBT people. However, he has yet to stop performing songs with violent or homophobic language.

"We thank the venues and promoters who denied Capleton a platform after learning about his history of violent lyrics," said Rashad Robinson, senior director of programs for the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. "But at the end of the day promoters need to become better educated about the talent they are elevating. GLAAD will continue to speak out and take a stand against artists who promote violence against our community."