GRAMMY WINNING reggae artiste Kabaka Pyramid accused of being anti-Semitic

According to the European website www.diepresse.com, it has been reported that in private Instagram conversations, Kabaka Pyramid expressed views regarding Jews and Israelis.

The Jamaican musician and Reggae Grammy winner Kabaka Pyramid is currently on a European tour. But performances in Germany and Austria will not take place as planned: organizers in Munich, Innsbruck and Vienna have canceled the planned concerts due to accusations of anti-Semitism. In private Instagram chats and reposts, the artiste, whose real name is Keron Salmon, is said to have spread “lies, disinformation and anti-Semitic remarks about Jews and Israelis.” This is reported by the initiatives “Artists Against Antisemitism” and the “Concerned Reggae Collective.” They approached organizers with statements, collected screenshots and an appeal.

Yesterday, Tuesday, the Innsbruck platform Mobile Cultural Initiatives (PMK) canceled the planned concert with a lengthy statement. Salmon’s postings and messages were intended to “raise the possibility of a supposed Jewish world conspiracy and trivialize atrocities in the Middle East conflict.” More than 30 cultural associations are behind the PMK. According to managing director David Prieth, the majority of the seven-member board decided to cancel the concert. “It’s about a fundamentally anti-Semitic attitude,” Prieth explained the cultural association’s decision to the “Presse.” In the screenshots, Kabaka Pyramid writes, for example, that “rich Jews own America.”

Vienna Flucc also cancels concert

On Wednesday morning, the organizer Barracuda also canceled the concert scheduled for today, Wednesday, at the Vienna Flucc. “In view of the criticism we received and published about the artiste’s statements and content spread via social media, we have decided, after many conversations and discussions, to cancel the performance,” says a statement on the Barracuda website.

In a statement from the artist, which the PMK obtained by telephone and published on its website, Kabaka Pyramid denies the statement, suggests a “Jewish world conspiracy” and trivializes the crimes of Hamas .

However, the open letter from “Artistes Against Antisemitism” and “Concerned Reggae Collective” is accompanied by an assessment from the Research and Information Center for Antisemitism North Rhine-Westphalia (RIAS NRW) from January 2024, which paints a different picture. Kabaka Pyramid’s statements show “that supposedly harmless motives of ‘criticism of Israel’ appear in combination with openly anti-Semitic ideas,” according to RIAS NRW.

RIAS NRW stated, “Kabaka Pyramid’s statements indicate that what may appear as harmless ‘criticism of Israel’ is intertwined with overtly anti-Semitic notions.”

In response, Kabaka Pyramid provided a statement to the Jamaica Observer via his publicist Ronnie Tomlinson.

The statement reads: “I, Kabaka Pyramid, have a long history of sharing conscious messages, social commentary and universal love through my music and actions for over a decade. Assumptions derived from story posts and private DM conversations taken out of context should not be misconstrued as a public statement of a political position or opinion. I want to clarify that I am not anti-Semitic or against any race or group. I denounce all forms of violence and terrorism against innocent individuals around the world. My song World love reflects my position on this issue, among many others,” said Kabaka Pyramid.

The statement continues: “I stand for all people, regardless of race, nationality or ethnicity, advocating for love and unity. My commitment lies in advocating for truth and justice, opposing the mistreatment of marginalized communities globally. Throughout my career I have maintained this position and will continue to do so…

“I want to emphasize that the historical context of oppression in Europe makes this topic particularly sensitive, but our shows in other countries in the region remain unaffected, with promoters showing understanding and cooperation. Our assessment of the situation is supported by the agents, venues and promoters we work with. My team and I are working hard to achieve our goal and we are available to dialogue with the people involved at a very delicate moment.”

The tour, which began earlier this month in the UK, will wind through France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland and Spain. It’s scheduled to wrap up on November 2 in France, before the artiste begins dates in North America.

Kabaka Pyramid said: “Our 22 city/show European tour has started beautifully, we are grateful to the people of Dortmund, Germany for the incredible event last Friday and look forward to continuing this tour in the great tradition and reggae music message, love. With these three cancellations my feelings right now are with the fans who have been waiting to see us perform and who so appreciate the message we have been championing from the beginning.