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News, Reviews & Commentary on Gay and Bisexual Men in Entertainment and the Media

Ja Rule's Complex comments


Complex Magazine, a magazine for "men" (presumably, straight men) has an online interview with Ja Rule, in which they ask the rapper about his take on possible congressional hearings on the need to tone down the misogyny and homophobia in hip-hop lyrics. His take? If anything, Congress should be holding hearings on the media's promotion of homosexuality....

Ja Rule: There's a f***ing black kid right now about to get 25 years for having a fight with some white kids over hanging the nooses over the white tree, lets get to that. Let's get into sh*t like that, because that's what's tearing up America, not me calling a woman a b*tch or a hoe on my rap songs. And if it is, then we need to go step to Paramount, and f****ng MGM, and all of these other motherf**kers that's making all of these movies and we need to go step to MTV and Viacom, and lets talk about all these f***ing shows that they have on MTV that is promoting homosexuality, that my kids can't watch this sh*t. Dating shows that's showing two guys or two girls in mid afternoon. Let's talk about sh*t like that! If that's not f***ing up America, I don't know what is. There's a lot of issues we can address besides hip-hop, but they want to put everything on us like we're the problem. But see, and this is going to be a shameless f***ing plug, but I said, "when everyone wants to point the finger, and ask why there's so much corruption, they only need to look in the mirror." It starts with themselves.

To me, Ja Rule's comments look a lot like "blaming the victim," and I get really peeved when anyone says that LGBT visibility is what's "f***ing up America." However, I suppose you could argue that there is a double-standard involved. He personally (and idiotically) finds same-sex content on television objectionable and yet there are no congressional hearings, while people outside the hip hop community personally find hip-hop misogyny and homophobia objectionable ... and politicians respond to their concerns.

Ergh. I guess I'm still forming an opinion on this one. What do others think?

Note: Hat tip to AfterElton.com reader Mikey G. for starting a forum topic on this subject.

Jon's picture

Why are we giving him so much credit?

There HAVE been Congressional hearings against homosexuality. The "protect marriage" hearings done in Congress during 2003, 2004, etc. were thinly veiled gay-bashing sessions. Just because there have been no specific hearings on same-sex content does not mean that gays have somehow not faced heat in Congress.

And how is gay content comparable to rap and hip-hop music that has often used homophobic slurs and called for violence against gays? Unless there is gay content which is racist or which calls for violence against blacks, then I don't see the comparison.

Ja Rule is a bigot, and we too often give bigots the benefit of the doubt. I still remember how many gays said we should not criticize Isaiah Washington because some white gays are racist.

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JBE's picture

Jon, Thank You

for summarizing so well what I thought was so ludicrous (pardon the pun) about Ja Rule's so-called double standard.

Exhibit A - TV Dating Games for Young Gays & Lesbians

Positive, life-affirming, programming for people who are usually not given a voice.

Exhibit B - Rap/Hip-Hop Lyrics (Not all but some)

Slurs and put-downs that have violent undertones directed against more vulnerable members of our society (women and GLBT) in order to boost some straight guys masculinity (advice to all men, "real" men pick on people of their own size and power).

Skill-testing question:  Which one should society worry about? (don't think too hard).

I am surprised that Ja Rule being African-American would find Exhibit A so disturbing.  I remember growing up in the 60's how invisible blacks were on TV.  You would think he would have some sympathy.  Then again maybe he thinks homosexuality is a "choice" (do not get me started on that one).

Cheers

JBE 

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sharkgrrrl's picture

dayum

i was ready to come in here and f***ing definitely start talking about this f***ing s**t but Jon you f***ing beat me to it and f***ing said it better
John's picture

why are so many rappers

why are so many rappers homophobic?  You'd think artists in the music industry would by now realize how loyal we are and would try to form a bond with us because gays stick by artists when everyone else is over them (case in point, the only Britney fans left right now I have encountered are gay).  
Mikey G.'s picture

I gets a hat tip.

This is my first hat tip. I'm going to cherish it forever.

:P

And yeah, I do sort of see your point...sort of. Though I think that saying gay couples on MTV and homophobic/sexist/misogynistic lyrics in Hip Hop are the same thing is a bit ehhh.

Touchy subject, I guess.

syrus's picture

It should come as a surprise

It should come as a surprise to no one BUT Ja Rule is a closeted self-hating homosexual. That's what makes his comments even more sad.