The relationship between hip hop and homosexuality is problematic at best. Yes, there are openly queer MCs, male, female and transgender. But it’s a lot easier to find MCs dissing “faggots.” Beefs have been had between artists who accuse each other of being queer. And let’s not even talk about certain artists who live their lives in open closets.
So it was interesting to see noted MC Fat Joe talking about gays in hip hop in a recent interview. (Although the video is listed as “Fat Joe Thinks the Gay Mafia Controls Hip Hop,” I think that’s a reductionist view of this interview.)
Joe puts it out simply by stating, “I’m pretty sure I’ve done songs with gay rappers.” He goes on to say, “Niggas is gay. There’s millions of gay people in the world. Girls too . . . I’m a fan of ‘Yo, I’m gay. The fuck.’ Like, 2011 you gotta hide that you’re gay? Like, you know what I’m saying, like, be real, like ‘Yo I’m gay, what the fuck.’ If you gay you gay. Like that’s your preference, you know? Fuck it if the people don’t like it.”
Gawker posted this very quote on its website, declaring in the headline, “With One Interview, Fat Joe Makes Hip Hop Safe for Gays.” I don’t know about that, but this is definitely a step in a very interesting and enlightening direction.
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