Friday, April 8, 2011

TGIF!!!

So, I’m sure most of you have heard by now that popular NYC deejay Mister Cee was arrested last week for public lewdness and indecent exposure. He allegedly was receiving oral sex from another man while in a car. It’s also been mentioned that he was arrested twice in the past on charges of solicitation.

As I listened to the details on Power 105. 1 last week, I knew this should be a blog topic. Not because he’s a married man soliciting sex on the street, but because homosexuality and hip hop seem to be two words that are rarely found in the same sentence.

Now, I’m not saying Mister Cee is gay. But what if he is? Does that downplay or negate his skills as a talented deejay? Would Jay-Z be less dope if he came out tomorrow? I know he’s in the “no slander zone,” but that’s a real question.

Should we care? Or is it just shocking to us that the musical art form most of us love - that has always represented empowerment and defiance in the black community - is now entering a new arena?

After all, we claim hip hop as our own. And it’s no secret that homophobia in our community is rampant. So when we see the two collide, we’re taken back. It’s believed you can’t be “hard” or “thuggish” in hip hop – and be gay too. But does hip hop have to be hard – or straight - to be “real?” We claim to listen to hip for its realness, the beats…and the message. So if our favorite artist or deejay is gay, do we not like the beats anymore? Is the message tainted? Or do we have a problem with it because we can no longer relate to the artist we bob our heads to?

One 105.1 listener said he has no problem with anyone being gay, but mentioned that “Lollipop” would have a very different meaning for him if he found out tomorrow that Weezy is gay – therefore he wouldn’t feel comfortable singing along because he can't relate.

And I get that. I try to be conscious of who I listen to with my music. Most of us make our music about us, our experiences, our struggles. Hip-hop has always been conveyed as an expression of personal pride spewing from the mouths of street story tellers. Because of this, most people try to listen to artists that they feel personally connected with.

Now, all of that is now possibly redefined in the atmosphere of a homosexual hip-hop artist. And the question I ask you is why? Why would a person’s sexual orientation have anything to do with their beats, their message, or their character? Our favorite rapper can’t be gay, but he can all women bitches and hoes? He can’t be gay, but he can spew the “N” word 15 times in a verse? We seem to care less about misogynistic rap, or the overuse of the “N” word…but if you’re gay, that’s cause for outrage.

When it comes to things we take personally, like our love for music, and hip hop in particular, there exists a very strong stereotype about gay men: homosexual men are weak.

It’s not true, but that’s the belief.

Power 105’s Charlamagne said in reference to the Mister Cee incident (when he wasn’t cracking jokes) that “the hip hop community, and black culture in general, is homophobic for no good reason; and this wouldn’t even be an issue if he could be who he was, comfortably, without people judging him.” Being a lesbian in hip hop may not be a big deal, but what about being a gay man? There may be gay men in hip hop hiding in plain sight, wanting to come out, but who never will – for fear that they’ll be clowned, not taken seriously, shunned or judged.

So what say you? Is there room for homosexuality in hip hop? Do you think you could appreciate a gay rapper - even if you consider yourself heterosexual? – or so long as he doesn’t bring his sexuality into his rhymes?

We all use music in some way – whether to enlighten us, inspire us, help us escape, or get us hype for the club. So does it matter what an emcee’s sexual orientation is if he can you help you achieve all those things in hip hop? For some, it doesn’t matter…but for others, being 100% comfortable with homosexuality does not blend together with their love of hip hop. Keep it real…where do you stand?

-b

23 comments:

Stef said...

FIRST BITCHES!!! YESS!!!!

Anthony Otero said...

first bitches

Anthony Otero said...

good job (damn word verification)

Stef said...

LOL!! Yay, I beat you!

There's room for homosexuality and hip hop, but I must admit, it'll be hard for straight men to take a gay rapper seriously. They just don't see gay men as "real" men - which is silly - but true. No man is gonna wanna say his favorite rapper is gay. No way.

A woman can say that, because it will be less taboo - or she can even say her favorite rapper is a lesbian. No one cares if Nicki Minaj is gay, but if Drake came out tomorrow, he might lose alot of followers - and not just adoring teenage girls.

Tiswana said...

Queen Latifah needs to come out already. It's no longer a secret.

Sillouette said...

Hi All!!! :) Happy Friday!!

People are free to be whomever they want to be and express them selves in any form they desire,gay or not. It's your life you do what you want with it. If a entertainer is gay is doesnt make them any less talented than the next talented person. I see that as being judgemental, In my opinion. I would still listen to their music. It doesnt matter to me.

Courtney said...

@Tiswana,

everyone knows she's gay, she's just biding her time :)

But no one would think Mr. Cee was gay, so I think when it's people we would NEVER think is gay, then it takes us by surprise.

BatMan said...

Stef was first!!! WOW! LOL

BatMan said...

I agree with what Sillouette said!!!

BatMan said...

@Tiswana - Yes the Queen mind as well come out. Its no secret..

She played that role in Set it Off all too well. She dhould have won a dam oscar!! LOL

Sillouette said...

@ Batman

Yeeaaaahhh she did play that role real good in "Set It Off"... It was real natural.. LOL She loved her some "Ursula" in that movie....lmao!!!! For Real... LOL

Mystery said...

It really doesnt matter and shouldn't take away from an idviduals talent.

Whether Mr Cee is or not shouldnt take away from him being a great DJ. What's sad is that he will have a hard time defending himelf being that his arrest made the Daily News. Individuals will more likely to belive it, even it was not true since its a major news source. He would have a better chance definding himself against one of theose gossip magazines

Mystery said...

THe F**k up thing with the Mr Cee situation is that if he is a Married man and creepin on the Down low, its sad because he is putting his wife in a bad predicament.
He mind as well pack up and move to Atlanta!! Down lox Capital!!!!

Dee said...

In the words of Wendy Williams, Mr. Cee – How you doing?

Stef said...

Are Batman and Mystery the same people? "mind as well"?? LOL!

MIGHT as well.... LOL!

Jay said...

There is ALREADY homosexuality in hip hop - we just don't know who they are. That being said, it shouldn't matter if an artist is gay or not. SO long as the music is good, and sends a real message, I don't care. I agree with Brooke that we care about the wrong thing. Disrespecting women in music, or using the N word is more deplorable to me than the rapper's sexual orientation. I don't listen to alot of stuff...and I get the point about being able to relate, but good music is good music - no matter who's putting it out.

Mr.Thomas said...

Jay Is right!!!!

Geeque said...

I wonder how Big Daddy Kane feels about the situation.

The Cable Guy said...

The real issue is why is a grown man getting head in a car? He's too old for that shit.

And why is he NOT getting head from his WIFE?

This is why (black) women are afraid of us now - shit like this. He has a wife, is playing "straight" and then gets caught with a dude in a car. No wonder they think every other guy is on the DL.

If you're a good dj, then cool. But don't bring anyone else down with your shit. His wife is probably mortified now, if she didn't know that is. Maybe she did, maybe she didn't, but if you gay, just be gay. If you're good at what you do, that will speak for itself.

Sillouette said...

@ The Cable Guy

I totally agree with you...I feel real bad for his wife..and if she isn't mortified, she should be.. I would.. lol

The Cable Guy said...

Who knows what their situation is, but come on dawg, head in a car? I don't care who he was getting head from, male or female, take that shit somewhere else.

Anonymous said...

Everybody talkin all this it shouldn't't matter stuff...but the truth is it ain't gon fly w/ males in rap...period.

Anonymous said...

C'mon man...for the most part portraying an image of being hard (no pun intended) and spitting lyrics of superiority over other rappers but you place your lips on another man's d*#k or vice-versa and not to mention the whole bent over thing. THAT WON'T CUT IT SON! As a heterosexual (women-loving african-american male) I can't sign on to a rapper, good or not, trying to sell me on his image of whatever, knowing he goes down on other men, or allows another man to suck his d*^k. IT DON'T MATCH!

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