Furious Jamaicans and reggae fans are calling for an apology from iTunes A&R manager Kirk Bonin after he asked to be disassociated from all Jamaican artists.

The shocking comments came after managers of reggae superstar Buju Banton approached Mr Bonin to playlist his new single “Magic City”.  Mr Bonin sent an email to Banton’s record company Gargamel Music Inc, which said: “Please remove me from any [mailing] list having to do with this artist or any Jamaican artist actually.”

Tracii McGregor, Vice President of the New York based Gargamel Records, told the Voice newspaper that it is “scary that some one in such a position would be prepared to make such a statement”.

She continued: “He has undermined the tremendous relationship that Jamaican artists and the reggae music-buying public have had with Apple for years.”

But Mr Bonin defended his actions to the Voice newspaper by saying he was expressing his personal views and not those of iTunes.

“I am personally offended by his homophobic lyrics. Unfortunately I had a friend who was murdered in a homophobic attack some years ago. His lyrics personally and spiritually upset me and when I come to work in the mornings and I see those emails they bring back painful memories.”

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