Taking the Homophobia Out of Hip-Hop: A Progress Report

Solving the lingering problem of homophobia in hip-hop is inextricably linked to solving the larger problem of homophobia in society. In what may be a turning point, there currently appears to be a newfound, unprecedented opening up of discussion on gay issues in the black community.

In 2005 Minister Louis Farrakhan of the Nation of Islam, a leader with a history of anti-gay rhetoric dating back to the 1980s, invited a gay and lesbian advocacy group to help convene the 10-year commemoration of the Million Man March.

Another African American leader, Reverend Al Sharpton, has recently called for more tolerance towards gays. One of the few 2004 presidential candidates who supported gay marriage, Sharpton also recently announced the launch of an initiative to fight "latent homophobia" in the black community.

Congressman Charles Rangel, Democrat of New York, notes how times have changed. In an August 2005 interview with The Village Voice he said, "The devastating effect AIDS is having on congregations has led to a greater sensitivity," Rangel says. "Now you don't hear the same level of anti-gay rhetoric.

In 2006, forums for finding constructive solutions to hip-hop's homophobia continue to expand.

More and more universities, organizations and cities are sponsoring international hip-hop conferences. These multi-cultural events bring in hip-hop artists from all over the world. The conferences provide a constructive, educational and non-threatening atmosphere for hip-hop enthusiasts of all social, economic, cultural and ethnic backgrounds to meet, mix and learn from each other.

Such events are now more than ever likely to include GLBT rappers and lecturers in their programs. Thus they provide a forum for gay-tolerant and gay-intolerant hip-hop camps to meet and learn from each other, and to hash out issues. Conferences are also an opportunity for GLBT hip-hop artists to represent themselves, and present their own “street creds” to the world hip-hop community.

A certain mutual ambivalence still hovers over the relationship between gays and gangstas in the hip–hop music industry. Yet no one can doubt that today there are more queer artists, performers, producers, songwriters, and key backstage figures in hip-hop than ever before.

One way gays can help bring about further change is to look in our own back yard. There is now a stellar array of upcoming, sensationally talented gay independent rap artists out there. They are part of the burgeoning, dynamic LGBT hip-hop movement, known also as “Homo-Hop”.

In LGBT rap, gay listeners will find lyrics that are not only non-homophobic, but openly gay and proudly so. In addition to lyrics than can be homoerotic and hot, gay rap lyrics offer listeners socially conscious subject matter on all sorts of gay-related themes, including gay marriage, gay sex, gay romance, AIDS, anti-gay discrimination, gay/straight issues and coming out. That's a heck of a lot more than is currently being offered to gays by mainstream hetero hip-hop.

Music executives may offer more than just politically correct lip service when they can detect a record buying interest from the GLBT community for GLBT rap artists. With enough support from fans and a more-tolerant music industry, gays may soon be able to integrate with the hip-hop industry in ways that only five years ago would've been impossible.

More and more openly gay rappers have begun appearing in urban magazine articles, on MTV, hip-hop radio and other mainstream media sources. Homo hip-hop comes in all shapes, races and sexes. Listeners can choose from among such rising stars as Tori Fixx, Baron, ButtaflySoul, Dutchboy, Scott Free, soce, Johnny Dangerous; artists from the Deep Dick Collective and from Phat Family; as well as lesbian rappers like God-dess and F to M transgender rappers like Katastrophe.

Readers who are interested in learning more about gay rappers should check out new documentary film by director Alex Hilton, Pick up the Mic. Recently screened at The Toronto Film Festival, Pick up the Mic follows the lives, careers, struggles and triumphs of the queer Hip Hop community.

Change is in the air. Pop music is always looking for the next big thing. One day in the not too distant future, the world may even have its first platinum-selling gay rap messiah.