Promoting Queerness and Combating Hatred with Shuzzr

Building a career as an entertainment publicist was not always Shuzzr’s goal, in fact it was the furthest thing on his mind as everyday was a battle for survival. Growing up a gay man in Jamaica, he has experienced the worst of homophobia, hatred, and oppression. However, Shuzzr never let that stop him for seeking a life of authenticity, success, and ultimately freedom.

Shuzzr got his start in PR by accident; his friend and musician Gaza Kim confided in him about an alleged assault, and being a good friend, he tried to help her navigate the viral media storm that followed. Guiding her through the public admission of the alleged assault to combating the narrative that was being portrayed in the media about Kim, Shuzzr found that he was not only savvy at the task, but that he thoroughly enjoyed the challenge.

Now, after 10 years in the industry, Shuzzr is taking a moment to step into the spotlight and talk about his own experiences navigating through troubled waters on the island paradise. As a queer man who represents musicians in the raggae-dancehall genre, he still combats stereotypes, homophobia, stigma, and shame, however, he doesn’t let that stop him from providing much needed representation.

In this heart-felt and raw interview, Shuzzr not only demands more representation in the industry for LGBTQ folks, he breaks down exactly what the daily struggle looks like and how it’s not that far away from the homeland he fled from. In order to save his own life, he must continue to be a voice for those who are too afraid to speak.

What does a career in the PR industry entail?
A public relations career in this specific genre/industry is not different from any other elsewhere. As a publicist, my job is to promote my clients to various media outlets; from writing press releases and drafting pitches to establishing strategies to help with promotion and image. The overall goal is to get editors, blogs, magazines, and appropriate outlets to feature my clients. It’s all bout ensuring my client(s) look good in the public landscape and maintain it while aiding in other promotional endeavors.

Given the industry is somewhat smaller and informal, it is highly competitive and a lack of professionalism is more evident. I must acknowledge that I was lucky to have a partner based in NYC who was able to guide me. This career path is driven on access to who matters in media and making things happen. So, knowing the who’s who everywhere and having access to them is one of the keys to having a successful career. 

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How has your work changed since we’ve seen the world-wide impacts of the coronavirus?
With the impact of COVID-19 on all sectors, there is now more than ever a need for public relations practitioners. With social distancing, quarantine, or stay at home orders in effect, the internet has become the only way in which we’re able to interact. We can see daily the pros and cons of putting yourself just bare out there to the world with no strategic planning or messaging. Its has led us as publicists to be more creative in our approach towards clients and executing their desires and capitalizing on opportunities from media engagement failures. However, given the high traffic on the internet because of COVID-19, most acts have sought the need to refuse our (publicist) tailored and strategic service as they think they now can do it on their own. More failures than successes.

Can you tell me about growing up in Jamaica and what it’s like being a queer person there?
Growing up in Jamaica was a challenging, fun, and a self-rewarding experience. I grew up in a typical Jamaican household; from being forced to attend church and learning Christian values to growing up financially stable, somewhat, and surviving in a society which constantly enforced and redefined masculinity, life was interesting. I went to a typical primary school and then off to high school, but ‘growing up,’ as it suggests, meant finding yourself. From a tender age, I knew, and I could say others as well, that I did not align with the stereotypical attributes or definition of what was deemed ‘manly,’ or masculine. It more lends to either I was a spoiled kid who had effeminate traits or as the society called a sissy, batty man*, gay, fish and the list goes on.

*The term batty man is derived from the word meaning buttocks or anus, and therefore is used as a derogatory term for bottoms or men who have sex with other men.

I had to contend with these stereotypes and learn how to not just adapt for survival. Yes, it was life or death as even displaying feminine traits or tendencies by a male in Jamaica warranted such. So, even if the individual weren’t queer at all, the retribution could be deadly.

Curiosity over the years, I guess, got the best of me as with education, the ability to access different perspective through the internet, and find people just like myself was a comfort, but dangerous. I have had many close encounters where my life was threatened and almost lost due to my queerness. I have lost friends and loved ones just the same. I had to publicly adapt and try to imitate the perceived perception of what masculinity is or was. That meant engaging in heterosexual activities, always. However, as my queerness grew, I had to seek out others who I could identify with and explore.

Navigating your queerness in a society that was and probably still is the most homophobic place on earth doesn’t even underscore the struggle each child, young man, or woman has to own and deal with in the face of other social challenges like poverty. I have been attacked, chased, bullied, gotten into fights, lost out on opportunities because of my queerness. There aren’t many social programs or structures at home, or otherwise, to foster such diversity. I must say, however, advocacy groups such as Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals & Gays (JFLAG), Jamaica Aids Support (JAS), USAID programs, and the individuals that work there helped and continue to help many others find their identify and fight for protections, seek remedies, and provide aid to the disenfranchised minority.

What kind of protections exist for queer folks in the Caribbean?
There aren’t really any protections in the Caribbean for queer folks. Most of the islands have laws that prohibit homosexual acts punishable up to five years with hard labor; a society or culture that police gender & sexuality, with everyone holding each other accountable. Research will show how these societies has justified said policing with or through the existence archaic English laws about homosexuality and acts which are outdated and go against universal human rights norms and continue to infringe on civil liberties. 

So, through culture reinforcement, social tools such as music, art, education, science, religion, and laws which strictly prohibit such, no explicit protection is embedded or guaranteed in the fabric of society. As a result,  it has led to the death, abuse, displacement, bullying, and ongoing suffering of queer folks with no social structure to provide support to these individuals. Over the years, with the support of international agencies and allies, there has been major strides to providing representation and provide aid to queer folks but still no major legal or social framework to provide protection and remedies.

What would you want to see done differently for the LGBTQ community in those areas of the world?
Firstly, access to more local & international endeavors to help develop individuals who identify as such. For instance, more interviews like these, internships, jobs, collaborations, outreach etc., to not just change the behavior of society but provide support, growth, and development.

In addition, a more robust effort from all stakeholders through a combined coordinated effort to not just repeal laws which infringe on individual rights and liberties. Also, implement and foster more inclusiveness through all social programs and policies backed by an aggressive social thrust to not just recognize and elevate those who identify as such. 

We must remove the stigma, taboo around expression, sexuality, and gender, and foster respect and tolerance at all levels of society. 

Related article: Anti-Queer Puerto Rico Governor Steps Down 

How did you find the courage to come out in a public way?
I look at this question probably more differently from others. Anyone can muster up the courage to share their truth but really, how do you find the courage to continue living in your truth? For myself it was a matter of survival and finding inner peace. I was probably at the height of my career working in the industry, representing some of the industry heavyweights.

However, it dawned on me that I was not truly happy, and I started to weigh the pros and cons of coming to terms publicly, bringing my whole life full-circle around who I am. Long term, it was the best move to make as it was a weapon that could be used against me. I had to make the decision whether I wanted to continue holding myself hostage or break free and let the chips fall where they may. Though I made this decision from a more comfortable position, i.e. living here in New York, it was still hard as I had to face not just myself but family, colleagues, and friends. I’m still struggling with my own truth and coming to terms with who I am but honestly, who am I? Life will tell.

Can you talk about some of the backlash you received when you came out publicly?
When I decided to share my truth, I received, and still receive, backlash. From cyber bullying, death threats, being backlisted in the industry, losing clients, and having family distance themselves just to name a few. I am an only child who grew up within the church with a large extended family. With 11 uncles and aunts and countless cousins all distancing themselves, prior to my public revelation but even more after, was a lonely road to travel. Seeing Jamaicans, my place of birth, discussing you on every social media and news outlet publicly and privately ripping your whole life to pieces and spewing nothing but hate towards you was overwhelming. I received many words of encouragement, don’t get me wrong, but it was a public roasting to my detriment at the time, yet here I stand still fighting.

In what ways have you been able to make changes to queer representation in the Dancehall genre?
My constant presence as a queer individual despite all, to still have what can be considered as a successful public relations career in reggae-dancehall music, which to date still can be considered ‘the most homophobic genre’ in the world, is in itself not just change but constant change.

I might not have shattered the glass ceiling, but I have stuck a huge blow in it. When I started out, you could not publicly see individuals identify as queer in media and entertainment landscape in Jamaica or the Caribbean. Here we are 5-6 years later, not only have there been an increase in advocacy for queer rights but also more representation in the said space and less retaliation and specifically homophobic music. So, I guess my bravery, the legacy of my dear friend Dexter Pottinger, and others, we have and continue to see more queer folks visibly working in the industry. From artists emerging to the forefront, to music producers, media and entertainment professionals, etc., the diversity is as profound as the Jamaican motto ‘Out of Many, One People.’*

*This Jamaican motto is a tribute to the unity of many cultural minorities inhabiting one nation.

What kind of impact do LGBTQ artists have on the reggae-dancehall community, and vice versa?
Well first, there really aren’t any LGBTQ artists in reggae-dancehall. However, I think  there are artists in said space who have slowly begun to move beyond the sexual/gender stereotypes that exist and are slowly express themselves through their art. With more acts, especially females, namely Diana King, Tifa, Ishawna, Jada Kingdom, Shauna Chin, and others pioneering change and fostering tolerance and growth, we can see the advancements. LGBTQ artists however who do try to express themselves are not given the support or are welcomed and are chastised, threaten, shamed, and bullied out the industry. You must remember that reggae-dancehall music is built on a specific ideology and receives it popularity through such. 

This specific genre, which reinforces capitalism, male-driven, and ‘traditional lifestyle values’ not only speaks against homosexuality/queerness but polices it and demand that society does the same. The values which this genre perpetuates doesn’t foster any room for tolerance whatsoever. So, when LGBTQ artists come to the forefront, they are ridiculed and blocked out.

Here is the sweet irony: amongst it all, many of the practitioners and lovers or supporters of reggae-dancehall are privately queer.