Is the rap community ready for an openly gay artist?

[kixot]

I'm sure this isn't news to many but I was just e-mailed this video clip of a rap artist who is openly gay. Having listened to a lot of rap in the past (though it's not my music of choice) and even rap's jamaican cousin, dance hall, I'm aware of a strong homophobic tendency of these musicial styles. Though I'm sure it's mostly a stance, just an attempt to look "hard" (and, apparently, gay men are not considered "tough" enough to have any "street cred") the message is still fairly anti-gay.

So, my question is this, can the rap community stomach an openly gay rap artist? He will most likely NOT be in the usual MTV rotation (who knows, maybe) but he will be out there.

For those of you who would like to know what I'm talking about here I'm including a link and instructions below.

Open WindowsMediaPlayer
Go to file -> open
Paste the URL below and click OK.

http://deaddrunkenspaniards.com/in_da_club.wmv

I'll remove the file in an hour so as to not kill my bandwidth, so save it locally if you want.

[number9]

1. I'm not being rude but

isn't the whole idea behind rap to denigrate women, denigrate men, denigrate society, enigrate gays, denigrate everyone except one's mother? I am obviously not a fan, but just based on the little I've heard, is there room for a gay rapper?

[jmm]

3. Depends on what artists you listen to.

Sure there are some artists that denigrate women, but then there are artists like KRS ONE who I heard say a while ago that he thinks this nations needs a female president. And there are artists that denigrate society but then groups like Black Eyed Peas come out with songs like their new single Where Is The Love.

Every genre of music has performers who want to denigrate something.

[number9]

6. I understand what you mean, but

other forms of music seem to be the opposite - the few are the ones that denigrate other people. It seems to me that rap primarily exists to express anger or disgust at others. Maybe it's changing and I haven't kept up with it?

[jmm]

9. Negativity always gets the most attention.

Here's the beginning of the lyrics to Rapper's Delight. It's widely considered to be the first rap single.

i said a hip hop the hippie the hippie
to the hip hip hop, a you dont stop
the rock it to the bang bang boogie say up jumped the boogie
to the rhythm of the boogie, the beat
now what you hear is not a test--i'm rappin to the beat
and me, the groove, and my friends are gonna try to move your feet
see i am wonder mike and i like to say hello
to the black, to the white, the red, and the brown, the purple and yellow
but first i gotta bang bang the boogie to the boogie
say up jump the boogie to the bang bang boogie
let's rock, you dont stop
rock the riddle that will make your body rock
well so far youve heard my voice but i brought two friends along
and next on the mike is my man hank
come on, hank, sing that song

They weren't rapping about denigrating people. Only years later when acts like NWA became popular did rap get the image of primarily existing to express anger or disgust.

[number9]

10. This will show my age

I liked Grandmaster Flash, but didn't really listen to anything much in that genre since.

Good choice for an example!

[RememberJohn]

12. "Where Is The Love" is SUCH a liberal song!

[kixot]

4. In many ways, yes.

Although to those within the rap mindframe the music reflects a social cynicism and skepticism, social commentary, as well as a vengeful attitude towards economic oppression and self-preservation. To those on the outside looking in there's appears to be little but denigration but keep in mind that it's only a reference-frame issue and that there are often very positive messages in rap lyrics meant to uplift and encourage downtrodden, poverty-stricken inner city kids.

[Moochy]

7. gay rapper? not 50 cents

Not all rap is denigrating, but alot of pop-rap has violence and drama, which sells albums to the few teens who arent using Peer to Peer filesharing program like Gnutella or WinMX.

BTW that clip is "In the Club" by 50 Cents, the Detroit rapper who is on eminems label, shady aftermath. And i dont know how to tell ya but ... um the rainbow dancer is probably gay, but he's just lip synching and shakin his money maker.

The real 50 cents is probably not gay...

"Hey Em...You know you my favorite white boy, right?"

of course he does say that in the song ;-)

[kixot]

8. Ahhhhhhh

Ok, well, I guess I feel pretty stupid right about now. I thought the dancer was the artist. Thanks for the heads up.

[JackDragna]

11. You are grossly uninformed

There is a lot of rap music out there that is positive and calls for social change. It's one of the few mediums poor blacks have to express their frustration with society. Want to know why so much anti-gay, anti-woman rap gets attention? Because white people buy it.

[jmm]

2. I think so but not on a major label.

I can't get the link to work so I won't comment on that specific artist but I believe an openly gay rapper could potentially gain an audience but I think it will be a while before a major label wants to touch one.

[kixot]

5. If, you want, PM me your e-mail address

And I'll just e-mail you the file. You may be more successful in viewing it that way.

[Sirius_on]

13. There was an article about this a few weeks ago

Apparently there is a gay rapper out that is trying to make it big. I thought you were going to have a link to him. I cant remember his name either.

[Sirius_on]

14. Here he is

http://www.thegayrapper.com/

What a name for a website. I guess that tells it perfectly.