Kanye West Speaks Out Against Homophobia in HipHop

As a middle-aged gay Hiphop fan (oops – forgot to add white), it is heartening to learn that a top new artist has spoken out about the homophobia that is rampant in R&B and rap. Kanye West, whose first disk, “College Dropout,” was among the smartest and most original debuts in recent memory, is the first big star in Hiphop to have the guts to call homophobia for what it is: bigotry.

I saw the story in the LA Times this morning but start here at Pam’s House Blend:

Kanye West says “gay” has become an antonym to hip-hop — and that it needs to be stopped. [He says he came to terms with his own homophobia] when he learned one of his cousins was gay. “It was kind of like a turning point when I was like, `Yo, this is my cousin. I love him and I’ve been discriminating against gays.'”

West says hip-hop was always about “speaking your mind and about breaking down barriers, but everyone in hip-hop discriminates against gay people.” He adds that in slang, gay is “the opposite, the exact opposite word of hip-hop.” Kanye’s message: “Not just hip-hop, but America just discriminates. And I wanna just, to come on TV and just tell my rappers, just tell my friends, `Yo, stop it.'”

Pam adds:

Gay people, especially queer folks of color, need to come out. It’s the only way to effect change, and it’s the last thing the AmTaliban wants us to do — they want all of us back in the closet, tightly padlocked, in an “ex-gay” camp, or six feet under.

The MTV special “All Eyes on Kanye West” aired last night, but knowing MTV it’ll show again and again – so check it out.

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3 thoughts on “Kanye West Speaks Out Against Homophobia in HipHop”

  1. Yo I with ya bro. I know who you are talking about but it does’nt matter. It does not matter to me what he is on the inside but what he does for people on the outside. This man is a great man and he has done so much for me and alot of other males who was or shall I say has gotting in trouble with the law. A person sexual prefferance has nothing to do with helping a person get to a place in life where its needed. To be honest, Man it’s been a pleasure to have met him. I thank him, my wife thank him, and my kids as well. Lord only knows where I might have been if it wasn’t for him. I will not say a name but I just won’t you to know that he is a family to all that has ran into him.

  2. It’s funny because a lot of rappers themselves are “gay”.I see rappers portray this hardcore,gangsta lifestyle but they are the same one’s being exposed by the people for their dirty little secrets.Kanye I commend you for speaking out about what has been needed to be addressed for a long time.We as black people are doing exactly what they did to us back in the day.Discriminating.We take away from the confidence and pride of others to make ourselves feel better.Though I don’t condone two men having sex I can’t judge them on a right or wrong level.I can judge them on a personal preference level and say “Illlllll,that’s nasty”.That’s about it.I mean what are we gonna do shoot em all.NO!so just let them live their life and continue living yours and rappers remeber.Gay people buy your records too.Keep on dissing them and they won’t buy your records.Well except for tony yayo.They same he’s self gay.Something about a double jointed back and sucking his own d*ck.anyhow let’s’ just enjoy the music and enjoy life peace out.

  3. Yo whudup, juss wanted to let ya’ll know that im completely with you on this one Kanye. Juss because some one is gay doesnt mean that they don’t deserve the same treatment as everyone else, because in the end, we’re all human and that’s what really matters. So i definately feel that dicrimination against gays should stop immediately. In schools people are always taught to be different, or unique, not to follow the crowd, be a leader not a follower, is this not the same thing? Gays if anything, are unique and deserve just as much respecet as any straight person, and that goes for lesians as well. It’s funny how people don’t seem to mind lesbians yet as soon as they hear gay it’s disgusting and they want nothing to do with it. Every one should be treated and looked at equally no matter what size, colour, race, religion, or sexuality.

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