"I Know Atheists Who Love Gospel Music"

"I know atheists who love gospel music."

Lord Chris, 56, is now on Tijuana's XRCN (1470 AM) as of February. "We are the only English-speaking show on that station."

Heard Sundays from 7 to 8 p.m., The Reggae Show features Chris and other DJs, including AJ, Cosmo, and Suspect, who each do a shift a month.

Born and raised in San Diego, Lord Chris has never been to Jamaica.

"In Russia and all over Europe there are people who know more about American jazz music than most Americans."

Chris has hosted reggae radio shows on college stations (KSDS, KCR, KSDT), AM stations (KCEO and KMJC), and on 92.5 FM. "I've been playing reggae music off and on for 30 years in this town."

Lord Chris said sponsors -- including Trade Roots -- allow him to buy the time from XRCN.

Reggae Makossa, the 91X Sunday-night reggae show that has been hosted by Makeda Dread for 22 years, will not play any songs by artists like Buju Banton or Beenie Man that advocate killing gay men.

"I don't play anything anti-Semitic or homophobic," said Makeda.

"We will play modern dancehall music, and some of it may be controversial," said Lord Chris. "It's not up to us to make judgments. There may be a saucy tune here and there. We play the current top ten in Jamaica with appropriate radio edits."

Chris says he will comply "with standard FCC guidelines." Defamatory, according to the FCC, is obscene words alluding to excretory or reproductive functions. A phrase like Beenie Man's "I'm dreaming of a new Jamaica / come to execute all the gays" is acceptable to the FCC.

Lord Chris says, "We will not go out of our way to promote violence or gay bashing."