A petition demanding the removal of a homophobic song by Guadeloupean artist Admiral T from streaming platforms has garnered over 10,000 signatures, with activists urging Universal Music France to take action. Admiral T, known for his controversial history regarding LGBTphobic "murder music," is at the centre of this campaign due to a track titled "Gwadada," released in 2004 as part of his album Mozaïk Kréyòl.
The song "Gwadada" has been criticised for its derogatory portrayal of homosexuals, describing them as one of the problems afflicting Creole society. It also references other societal issues in Guadeloupe, including "easy girls" and sensational news stories. One translated lyric explicitly states, "There are plenty of faggots these days, lots of young guys acting like faggots, because there’s money to be made acting like faggots." Such language is characteristic of what is known as "murder music," a term for homophobic songs that often contain calls for violence against gay people.
Currently, the track remains accessible on various streaming services, including Deezer, Spotify, Disc Jockey Music, Qobuz, and YouTube. Activists behind the anonymous petition, hosted on the All-Out platform, demand that Universal Music France, which holds the rights to the song, removes it from its catalogue. The petition aims to reach 20,000 supporters, highlighting that the record company has distributed the song for over two decades, facilitating ongoing royalties for Admiral T from the controversial music.
A Caribbean academic, speaking anonymously due to the strong fanbase Admiral T commands in the region, expressed disappointment, stating to "Erasing 76 Crimes," “In our democracies, it seems unthinkable in 2025 that an artist can continue to enjoy the money generated by listening to a homophobic song, when this is not the first scandal to splatter the West Indian dancehall scene, in terms of homophobia. Even if this remains the case in countries such as Jamaica, in France and particularly in the Antilles, in Guadeloupe, ‘murder music’ must stop making money and being economically profitable for artists.”
The controversy highlights ongoing tensions within the Caribbean diaspora and LGBT+ communities regarding the presence and impact of homophobic content in music. Universal Music France's response to the petition and the future availability of Admiral T's controversial song remain to be seen.
Source: Noah Wire Services