Hip-hop was born out of poverty—out of powerlessness—out of voicelessness. When N.W.A. came on the scene, no one asked, “Why gangsta rap?” And if they did, it didn’t matter. Gangsta rap didn’t give a fuck about what mainstream America (or other genres of rap) thought about its misogynistic and gangster lyrics. When “Freaknic rap” (as rapped by the likes of Two-Live Crew) came on the scene, there wasn’t a backlash from within the hip-hop community over the way they portrayed women. The government may have had problems with what they were rapping about but they couldn’t stop that Freedom of Speech train they were riding.
A so-called rap expert appeared on the Tyra Banks Show and said that gay rap would never be acceptable in the mainstream rap world because rap is based on “street cred.” Is he saying that a homo rapper does not have street credibility? And just what is street credibility? In its present incantation, “street cred” has to do with your reputation in the ghetto as a gang banger, drug dealer, thug, hustler, predicate felon, pimp, stick-up man, murderer, head bussa, battle rapper or a miscreant with a police record to validate your persona. 50 Cent raps, “I know niggas from your ‘hood—You have no history!—Never poke nothin’!—Never pop nothin’—nigga stop frontin’!” 50 Cent destroyed Ja Rule with verses like this, claiming that his street credibility was fabricated, thus nullifying Ja’s gangsta and reputation in the ‘hood. People like 50 Cent further create the illusion that a rapper must have validation from the streets. But that’s not how rappers viewed each other in the advent of hip-hop. Street cred/gangsta rap is a sub-genre of rap!
Street cred was birth with the advent of gangsta rap. When rap first hit the airwaves, people weren’t thinking, “Is this dude from the streets?” We were just happy to hear something new out of our community! We didn’t question the street cred of Sugar Hill Gang, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Kurtis Blow, Fat Boys, Run DMC, Whodini, LL Cool J, Kool Moe Dee, Slick Rick, Doug E. Fresh, Big Daddy Kane, Beastie Boys, Eric B. & Rakim, BDP, Heavy D, Fresh Prince & DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt-N-Pepa, Queen Latifah, Mc Lyte, Leaders of the New School, and even MC Hammer (who made street cred an issue by changing up his dance act for a thugged-out album called The Funky Headhunter, which exposed him as a fake gangster).
Again, street cred came to the fore with the advent of gangsta rap acts like NWA, Tupac, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Ice-T, DJ Quik, Biggie, Jay-Z, etc. The “street credibility” argument is the most bogus reason for keeping gays/lesbians out of mainstream hip-hop! If it were truly all about street cred, please explain how we got polka-dotted Kwame, suave Special Ed, super high-top fade Kid & Play, aesthetically challenged Biz Markie, backwards pants-wearing prepubescent Kriss Kross, college graduate Young MC, fake Jamaican accent rapping Snow, underwear modeling Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, lip-syncing C&C Music Factory, Latin Adonis Gerardo “Rrrrrrrico Suave,” Snoop’s certified rap son Lil Bow Wow, born into the rap game Lil Romeo and MC Hammer dancing impresario Vanilla Ice? Fuck STREET CREDIBILITY!!!!!!!!!! Bring back STREET TALENT!!!!!!!!!!
It’s okay to call black women “bitches & hoes,” but don’t let those gay people tell their stories! It’s okay for the ‘hood man to rap about his days as a D-boy/snowman (drug dealer) and all of the criminality of “trapping,” but those gay rappers gotta go? Its okay for rappers to tell us how they are fucking the be-Jesus out of our daughters, but don’t let those fags rap about man love! It’s okay to slide credit cards up black women’s ass-cracks ala Nelly, but don’t be rapping about a man suckin’ another man’s dick and liking it! It doesn’t matter that Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg had visions of homosexual sex with rapper Uncle Luke (Skyywalker) when they rapped, “Gap teeth in your mouth, so my dick’s got to fit… Luke’s bendin’ over so Luke’s gettin’ fucked…” You can rap about homosexual sex if it’s meant to degrade, dehumanize and emasculate a person—this is acceptable homoerotic poetry. It’s acceptable that we bounce to the lyrics of the bling-bling materialistic nature of mainstream rappers who floss diamonds that our brothers in Africa dug up from the earth in an effort to support their starving families, but goddamnit, those fucking homos got no business in hip-hop! Damn we’re some ignorant cusses!
Personally, I don’t believe that rap music was ever intended to include gays and lesbians, just as it was not intended to include a parachute-pants wearing brotha from Oaktown (Hammer) or some silly white Jew-boys from the Bronx (Beastie Boys). But something wonderful happened—rap evolved! Those early South Bronx rappers didn’t foresee a Beastie Boys, a Third Bass, a Vanilla Ice, a Bubba Sparxxx, a Paul Wall or an Eminem (who is arguably one of the best to ever spit on wax!) This is the essence of hip-hop!
It doesn’t matter what the naysayers of gay hip-hop say! There are already gay and lesbian mainstream rappers! They just haven’t come out the closet yet! We know who some of them are! It’s just a shame that our homophobic culture will not allow them to be who they are while making music. Music is transcendent! And I still believe that hip-hop is transcendent.
Great points about rap music evolving. But like all revolutions, there would not be a need for a revolution if there were not overwhelming majorities of the rap/hip hop status quo resisting these insurgents. That is why it is a revolution, and revolutions are such due to the large amount of resistance their ideas bring. The mere concept of “out” gays and Lesbians (and transgenders) rapping and doing hip hop is offensive to the status quo. So be it.
The musical revolution and evolution of rap (to include variations never before conceived of) continues.
Hip Hop like most other powerful creative mediums, has always evolved. You should check out Jeff Chang’s interview with me and Juba Kalamka in “Total Chaos: The Arts and Aesthetics of Hip Hop” (some academic arguments that will further bolster your work). Gays have always been a part of Hip Hop, there was just no emphasis on the sexuality and a much less tolerable society. Gay rap artists will continue to make music for whoever will listen if they feel passionate that it’s their medium. Where true talent exists, people will recognize… eventually. It’s only a matter of time. It’s still a pretty “new” movement, relatively speaking, having jumped off in the late 90s in places like the Bay, NYC, Houston, and UK. Now it’s so much bigger… only a matter of time. I don’t waste my time trying to convince cats who can’t splinter a nursery rhyme …
I commend you bringing up the points that you’ve made in this blog. Personally, I used to wonder if my music would be accepted. Then I thought about how not only hip-hop has evolved, but music period… think about when Ray Charles came to create R&B… some folks raved about it, other folks rebuked it… Think about when rock n roll started… parents went crazy knowing their kids were out dancing to that sinful music…. and now we have rap music… some of it’s degrading, some of it has a powerful message, but all music is a form of story-telling… it’s amazing how people will watch a sitcom or a movie based on or including gay & lesbian characters, but they see gay & lesbian hip-hop as unacceptable… pretty hypocritical if you ask me!!! i’m gonna keep doin my music reguardless and keep these blogs coming!!
Good points. The queer community has been part of and innovators of many art forms among other things. The fact that our “minority” is invisible makes it seem like Homo Hop or Gay Hip Hop is a new thing, as if gays have never been a part. Sports, film, music, Hollywood – we’ve been there, we’re still there.
I’ve been spitting poetry and labeled hip hop by some for over a decade or 2 as an out gay person. I just recently, in the last few years started becoming aware of LGBT hip hop artists and homo hop, about what Tim’m and the Deep Dick Collective and all those cats have been doing. Is it a collective unconscious that all these artists appear around the same time, a response to a void in hip hop or is it just about time?
Most LGBT folks can relate to Hip Hop because it’s a voice for the voiceless, the powerless – like you said. As a queer artist, I get lifted every time I hear or see my various reflection on Logo, on the radio. Thanks for your support as an ally, keep the great blogs coming.
Another great blog! Keep ‘em coming. I believe Hip Hop is ready to evolve and include us. It has no choice…
excelent!
Short and sweet – The question was “Why Gay Hip-Hop?” and was answered in the first paragraph. Collectively, we [gay artists] don’t give a fuck! As a whole, we have developed that same mandatory “dont-give-a-fuck” attitude (as in our everyday lives) demonstrated by most rap artists and deviants in general. When enough people are detached from society’s norms and are linked together in the spirt of dunciation it creates a wayward subculture. Hence hip-hop/rap music, and now the budding art form labeled “gay” hip-hop music. Enough said.
-Bry’Nt
da site finally gets da fuck back up and its being overrun by fuckin homo ass niggas. look at dese niggas names thuggie taylor. what da fuck is a thuggie. u homo niggas is off da fuckin hook. nobody dont give a fuck bout ur shit nigga. dats all homo dreams. shit aint reality. u heard me i said nobody dont give a fuck bout ur shit nigga. dats all homo dreams. shit aint reality.
unless ur name is baby and lil wayne dat homo shit is neva gonna be wuts up. u homo niggas is crazy.
oh shit. a niggas photo is up now. dats wut it is.
yo u see dis niggas new photo. son u was betta off wit da otha one cause u look like u just smoked some crack and sucked some dick with ur rainbow tshirt on. nigga look as happy as a priest in disney world and shit.
Ya’ll don’t mind the stalker. He’s my biggest fan! He just sucked my dick THREE TIMES (POSTING!) … and I still didn’t cum! lol! Go read my blog about him…”Glock DeNiro, Hip-Hop’s Black-faced Minstrel: A Jolson Revisited!” This white guy is in love with hip-hop culture and wishes he were black.
Glock DeNiro said, “yo u see dis niggas new photo. son u was betta off wit da otha one cause u look like u just smoked some crack and sucked some dick…”
How would you know how someone looks after smoking crack and sucking dick? I gues you’ve been there done that! I think you’re telling on yourself!!!
I’d rather post my picture than dick-ride a white guy who’s rich, famous and I could never be! And look who’s holding a dick in their hands (gun=phallus=penis),,,YOU WIGGA!
I’m still waiting for Glock to “destroy” Khalil and run him up outta here! He’s still promoting gay hip hop and Glock is still on the defense! And what ever happen to your “secret weapon” …somebody named 44 Pacino? Khalil killed his ass soon as he opened his mouf! lol!
The very fact that you gotta call in the troops says you’re getting your ass stomped out by khalil. Glock! Do yourself a favor, stay in your own lane ’cause you stay losin’ over here!
looks like khalil could go on and on and on and on with “why gay hip hop parts 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, …” Glock you prolly better just do you…lol!
Hey man. I seen you on myspace and you sent me a message so I had to check out your blog. And this here is some interesting stuff. Alot of people degrade homosexuals in music lyrics, but everyone gets degraded. Women, race.. it doesn’t matter. As long as theres something or someone that people don’t like, they’re getting talked about. This is called a hater. And we all know society is filled with haters. Myself, I gets my respect. I am a bi emcee/rapper/producer that’s been doing this for a little minute now. I just recently came out of the closet and find that alot of people in everyday society are gay, bi or whatever. They homo.I came out to defend someone else because they were getting mistreated. i didn’t have to come out because ppl didn’t know. But since I came out, I noticed something. Half of the industry is gay man. Just cuz someone puts on a front and denies it, doesn’t mean they are. They just make it harder for the rest of us to get our respect. I have my credentials, I’m a masculine guy and I’m cool. I am no faggot, no bitch, but it’s crazy. The only reason homo’s aren’t accepted in hip hop is because people are ignorant. And that’s that. And the other reason is because no one is putting enough effort into what they believe. If we can get a solid rapper that can take a stand, then we might just have a chance. If not, all is lost. But I feel we’re on the verge of getting the equality we deserve. And I think it’s going to be either me, or one of my masculine comrades to make that change. Obama said it…. ” it’s time for a change”.. and it is. And dr king said it… “don’t not judge me by the color of my skin, but by the content of my character”…….so I guess Ima say this. Don’t judge me by my sexuality, but my character. And I have a good character as well as skills on the mic. So let’s see what happens in the near future.
P.S. : FUCK THE HATERS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- J. NIGHT
yo u hear dis dude son. dis nigga said hes bi but he aint a faggot. nigga let da glockster set it strait. if u takin a dick in da ass u a homo. if u fuckin a nigga u a homo. dont get it twisted. u heard me. i said if u takin a dick in da ass u a homo. if u fuckin a nigga u a homo. dont get it twisted
ass crack daddy i know its hard fo u faggot niggas but stay off mines son. dat aint me. do ya thing. and since u so fuckin worried we about to finish it up and punish u homos niggas. ill run da rest of u off like i did dat bitch unecc. u heard me. i said ill run da rest of u off like i did dat bitch unecc.
ass crack daddy i know its hard fo u faggot niggas but stay off mines son. dat aint me. do ya thing. and since u so fuckin worried we about to finish it up and punish u homos niggas. ill run da rest of u off like i did dat bitch unecc.
well glock or whatever ur name is. i ain’t gettin ran off. i ain’t gettin beat up. i ain’t gettin shot or pop’d or none of that shit b. so if u think im a little weak ass pussy like bitch, then you have a sad fate coming to you. what do you do? rap? produce? sing? i do all three and i rap battle. i’m not no faggot and i damn sure ain’t no fucking bitch. so go get your mind str8 before you come at me and say some bullsiht. niggaz are always afraid of whats different. thats just ignorance. so until you can stop being ignorant, along with the rest of society.. then don’t come at me. white folks use to say the same shit about us blacks before they got their proper due. and then i look at the media. we influenced just about all aspects of it now and control most of tv publications, movies, MUSIC, as well as other aspects of society. whether or not you, or society wants to admit it, we are here. we are here and were here to stay. they best thing that you and them can do is be acceptble of it and keep on movin. because were not gonna change. and you sound ignorant as hell right now, because youre so stuck in your ways that all you did when you did decide to type a message was make yourself look like a fool. because its already known that I’m bi. doggy i been in war. in iraq and in the streets. i did hustle. i am bi. i did and continue to have sex with some of the most beautiful women. so vefore you come at me with a half assed response, take a look in the mirror and evualte urself. evaluate ur friends. shit…………. u prolly got some homies thats bi or gay. but because of ignorant people like you. or should i say the ignorant actions you are showing, is why society isn’t open to change. my dude. its the fucking year of 2008 about to be 2009; and regardless of if you want change or not, it’s coming. it’s coming in the form of a black president. it’s coming in form of how the music is transforming before our eyes. and other various aspects of life. ima tell u this. u might stop ME, which I highly doubt, but you sir cannot stop us all. thats the beauty of fighting for a cause. theres more than one person backing you up. and i know if i can survive fighting on the front lines and defending our freedom in the bias military, and surviving povery and numerous clashes with death…. this is a walk in the park. and at that note…… you can kiss my entire black ass. because i dont really care about what you say or think. you will not become a deterrance on my road to excellence. i’m not even gonna let u think you’ve gotten the victory, because you’ve only made my walk for equality a stronger one. have a good day and i hope you rethink your actions and words. godbless
Damn Glock! This cat’s comments were BIGGER THAN YOUR ENTIRE BLOG! LOL! yOU JUST STAY LOSING!
You haven’t run anybody off this site! That’s your warped cracked-out mind fucking with you and DMX! Unecc is about her business and will appear in due time! If anything, I ran your boy 44 mag or whatever his name is up outta here! Ain’t seen hide nor hair of his ass! lol!
aiight j nightgown lets get it in son cause da glockster is back on his b.i. yes nigga if u was to come to harlem on some outright homo shit ud get beat da fuck up and possibly stabbed or popped cause we dont really dig dat homo shit.
dis nigga said he rap produce and sing and i believe him. he rap his homo ass mouth around anotha nigga dick – sing when he gettin back shots – and produce nothing but moe hiv to make other niggas and bitches sick since u claiming bi. nigga stick to a side cuz we dont need u polluting da pussy population wit ya poisn dick. u heard me bitch nigga. i said nigga stick to a side cuz we dont need u polluting da pussy population wit ya poisn dick.
so what u been in iraq nigga. i say send all dese homo ass niggas to iraq. u bitch niggas will probably fight harder when ur lover get blown da fuck up. faggot niggas runnin into da thick of things cryin and shit. ha ha ha. do what u want with da otha homo dudes nigga. just leave the pussy to niggas who appreaciate it. feel me.
and den u got da nerve to say godless at da end of dat bullshit. ur actions dont have shit to do with god homey. may u choke on a load of man glue u faggot ass faggot. u heard me. i said and den u got da nerve to say godless at da end of dat bullshit. ur actions dont have shit to do with god homey.
and bitch nigga khalil dont be mad cause i ran dat bitch off. bitch was wack anyway and ugly as fuck to top it off. we dont need no ugly ass lesbian bitches on da site. u heard me. i said we dont need no ugly ass lesbian bitches on da site. stay da fuck outta here.
and dont stress 44 pacino nigga cause he puttin in dat work on da mixtape champ. ull see in a minute nigga.
Man I was born in the BX and raised in BK. LOL I know mad people in harlem and all over the city. I was just there a few days ago. It’s crazy cuz I hang out wit a lot of the blood niggas over there and they get down too. And I know they got my back if something were to pop off. So man get a life. You’re a joke. I’ not even gonna waste anymore time with you. LOSER. LMAO
J Night! Don’t worry about Glock… he’s my BOY-TOY. I can push this white boy’s buttons at will. If you notice, he comments more over here than writing on his own blog. That’s what happens when you’re ignorant and you give a nigga a computer! Glock is a giant in ignorance. This wigga some much wants to be part of the hip-hop scene. …A real loser with a capital L! Iowa is boring aS FUCK! LOL