message at those threatening kill him: "It's just a bunch of talk.'' The singer flew into Bermuda's airport amid reports gay activists were lying in wait for him.

But the 19-year-old appeared unmoved by the swirl of controversy surrounding his visit.

He even scoffed at Wednesday's Royal Gazette headline "Bermudians `threaten' to kill singer.'' "Talk is just cheap,'' he said, after glowering a few moments at the newspaper.

Banton has hit the headlines through his chart-topping song "Boom Bye Bye'' which calls for the killing of homosexuals.

And last night a woman rang The Royal Gazette to threaten action against Banton and his entourage.

"I'm part of the gay community. These guys are coming in tonight and we've got something for them,'' she said.

"We've got something for these fools,'' she said before hanging up.

But last night the star -- who will perform tomorrow night -- received a rapturous reception from fans and well-wishers.

They cheered as he stepped out in the airport concourse, calling out "hello, Buju''.

And he responded by shaking hands and posing for photographs.

It had been a long wait for the fans.

Flight AA1444 was due in from New York at 7.20 p.m., arriving 10 minutes late.

But it was not until 8.30 p.m. that Banton and his fellow musicians appeared.

Banton came dressed in purple -- with baggy jeans and a baseball-style hat.

There was no sign of the bodyguard he was said to have been accompanied by.

Speaking in a thick Jamaican accent, he said he was looking forward to giving his fans a night of reggae to remember.

Banton did not reveal the songs he would be performing, and whether they included "Boom, Bye Bue''.

But recently he has not been performing this song.

Recently the singer was named the best new artist at both the Tamika Reggae Awards and the Caribbean Music Awards.

Banton will be performing tomorrow night at St. David's cricket field.

His media agent Ms Jill Bascome said the show, featuring a line-up of Bermudian artistes, would kick off at 8 p.m.

Banton's arrival here has been clouded in controversy, with gay rights activists calling for him to be banned from the Island.

Labour Minister the Hon. Irving Pearman, however, refused to bow to pressure.

The Royal Gazette learned there had been death threats made on the singer.

And his Jamaican agent, Penthouse Jamaica, believed local gay rights activists had been behind them.

But the Bermuda Human Rights Alliance -- which represents the local gay community -- yesterday denied responsibility.

And Mr. Donovan Germaine, owner of Banton's record company/management firm Penthouse Records, said he was unaware of the death threats.

Speaking from Jamaica, he also denied reports Banton would be accompanied by a bodyguard to Bermuda.

He said Banton had no worries about the trip to Bermuda. "He said nothing about this. He was looking forward to coming to Bermuda to perform.'' Mr. Germaine said reports of the death threats had been "news to everybody''.

And Banton was unaware of them.

Mr. Germaine added Banton had not been performing "Boom, Bye, Bye'', which he wrote two years ago.

"It was a one-off situation. He was 17-years-old. He's made an explanation for it and we should have gone past it.'' FACING THE MUSIC -- Buju Banton was unmoved by death threats last night.