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irTIfE byl ContentHearByl-cZqgyJ bqbBYQ"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH ivtvgj byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd jslZfG gnILss byle__preamble">By </span><a class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM ByleLk-gEnFiw iUEiRd ggMZaT cXqSTL eErqIx byle__name-lk button" href="/ntributors/andrew-marantz">Andrew Marantz</a></span></span></p></div><time data-ttid="ContentHearPublishDate" dateTime="2012-04-13T06:47:24-04:00" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ContentHearPublishDate-eIBicG iUEiRd kYZrFA kEBrdf">April 13, 2012</time></div></div></div></div></div></hear></div><div data-attribute-verso-pattern="article-body" class="ArticlePageContentBackGround-cNiFNN kbAoLA article-body__ntent"><div class="ActnBarWrapperContent-lasBkU cAHp"><div 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bookmark mobile"><span class="ActnBarSendaryButtonPrimaryIn-isbvyN cAwccV bookmark-button-in"><svg class="in in-bookmark" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>Save this story</tle><path class="in-bookmark-fill" d="M20 23.9508L12.5 19.7312L5 23.9508V2.95081H14V3.93211H6V22.1845L12.5 18.5536L19 22.1845V8.83866H20V23.9508Z"></path><path class="in-bookmark-fill" d="M23 3H20V0H19V3H16V4H19V7H20V4H23V3Z"></path></svg></span><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ActnBarButtonText-bYXYuh iUEiRd bkefvo gkccfO">Save this story</span></button></div></div></div><div class="LightboxWrapper-dxsWBV hhylRt"><div class="ArticlePageChunksContent-etcMtP bwyLBj"><div data-ttid="ArticlePageChunks" class="ArticlePageChunks-fLyCVG gBDqlf"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bDyAMU body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><div class="GenericCalloutWrapper-tojWn iHBnEl llout--has-top-borr set-embedd-le" data-ttid="GenericCallout"><figure class="AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed"><div class="AssetEmbedAssetContaer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-ntaer"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO KhjZz AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset rponsive-image rponsive-image--expandable"><noscript><img alt="The Dumb Brilliance of Lil B" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src=" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w, 1920w, 2240w" siz="100vw"/></noscript></picture></span></div></figure></div><p>Lil B is the strangt rapper alive. He has none of the trappgs of mastream succs—no Vio Mic Awards, no Fallon appearanc, no rerd al—but he is a celebry on the Inter, where he has more than a hundred MySpace acunts, <a data-offer-url="!/LILBTHEBASEDGOD" class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"!/LILBTHEBASEDGOD"}" href="!/LILBTHEBASEDGOD" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">four hundred thoand Twter followers</a>, and <a href=">sixty ln YouTube views</a>. Jt Bieber gleefully transms Lil B’s mem; Diddy, <a href=">actg as his hype man at a South by Southwt performance</a>, did Lil B’s signature “okg dance.” Pchfork found his most recent album, “I’m Gay,” “<a href=">pecially pellg</a>.” Last year, he released <a data-offer-url=" class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">a mixtape wh six hundred seventy six tracks</a>, cludg “Am I Even a Rapper Anymore?,” “Cash My Ty Pants,” “I Sex Myself,” and “Sherbert Flerbert.” He is twenty-two years old and claims to have released “over two thoand songs,” which is plsible, pendg on what the fn of “song” is.</p><div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--article-mid-ntent" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--article-mid-ntent nsumer-marketg-un__slot---ntent"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><p class="paywall">One of his songs is lled “I’m Miley Cys,” and go like this: “I’m Miley Cys / I’m Miley Cys / Cys / Cys / I’m Miley Cys.” Another song, lled “Mel Gibson,” go like this: “I look like Mel Gibson / I’m Mel Gibson… Oh my god, I’m Mel Gibson.” He has a song lled “Ellen DeGener,” which go like this: “Ellen DeGener / Ellen DeGener / Ellen DeGener / Ellen DeGener.” There is one lled “Jt Bieber,” one lled “Paris Hilton,” one lled “Bill Clton,” and one lled “Dr. Phil,” which barely mentns Dr. Phil. In <a href=">a 2011 vio terview</a>, the Vice reporter Ryan Duffy asked, wh regard to this phylum of Lil B’s mic, “What the fuck is that about?” “It’s some celebri that I jt thk are jt funny,” Lil B rpond. By the end of the terview, Lil B had e up wh a new song. It went like this: “I’m Ryan Duffy / I’m Ryan Duffy.”</p><p class="paywall">Last month, N.Y.U.’s stunt-n program board announced an unscripted lecture by Lil B, to take place on April 11th. Tickets sold out wh ten mut. “It’s gonna be a real progrsive talk,” <a data-offer-url=" class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Lil B praged</a>, “and when everybody leav, their liv will be changed.” The mood at the dorium on Wednday night was Obama--2008 exultant. One stunt wore a chef’s hat, an alln to Lil B’s “okg mic,” which is self a satire of rap’s lnizatn of e alers. Anx for Lil B to appear, the crowd chanted one of his stage nam, Based God. Lil B is hardly the first rapper to claim stat as a y, but he did “based” (or “#based”), an adjective he f vaguely, and which to scribe his mic, his liftyle, and himself.</p><p class="paywall">A whe kid wh a wispy goatee, wearg a purple N.Y.U. hoodie, sat the seat ont of me, typg on his phone. Over his shoulr, I saw him tweet a msage to Lil B: “@LILBTHEBASEDGOD you n fuck my bch, she even said so herself. 4th row #nyu #lecture.” The tweeter turned out to be <a data-offer-url="!/tylerkochanski" class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"!/tylerkochanski"}" href="!/tylerkochanski" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Tyler Kochanski</a>, a sophomore om Bloomfield, New Jersey. In real life, he was stg the fifth row, unacpanied. I asked him why he wrote msag to the Based God. “Jt to do ,” he said. “When you’re feelg reckls, you jt repeat the thgs he says, whether ’s te or not.” (Girliend-swappg is ed one of Lil B’s recurrg them, albe one that he seems to dulge only wh the aspiratnal world of his mic.) “There’s no one else like him,” Kochanski said. “He don’t re what anyone thks.”</p><p class="paywall">“If I uld terject,” said Mchell Wang, a hman a Polo pullover, “I thk you n’t view him as a tradnal artist. He’s sort of the vanguard of hip-hop, that he’s parodyg what’s out there.”</p><div class="Contaer-bkChBi byNLHx"></div><p class="paywall">A red curta parted and Lil B appeared, sg and pumpg his fist triumphantly. He wore a tennis-ball-green T-shirt, a quilted srf, a jewelled bdi, and a gold grill. <a href=">He spoke for eighty mut</a>, startg many sentenc and fishg few of them. He punctuated his speech wh expletiv, like “I’m <em>tell’</em> you” and “Hey bh,” as , “Let’s stop ackg—who here knows what hydrlic ackg is? HEY BRUH.” He gave shout-outs to Mt Romney, ant loni, archects, and his future children, and enuraged everyone to wear seatbelts. Then he hand out pi of his self-help book, “Tak’ Over by Imposg the Posive!,” which he referred to as “my first book.” (Sample sentence: “We e our manners out there and when we bump to somebody we say ‘scuzze me’ and that’s what’s Tak’ Over.”) When we were leavg the lecture, a passg stunt asked who Lil B was. “He’s the Andy Warhol of rap,” a fan explaed, though he might have chosen Andy Kfman stead. Another girl, rryg a skateboard, spoke to a cell phone: “The people there were so transcennt. All different rac, all different cultur, jt—based.”</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-1 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p class="paywall">When hip-hop was vented, the late seventi, the m.c.’s job was to keep a crowd entertaed between rerds. As hip-hop evolved, m.c.s earned top billg over d.j.s, and rappers beme poets of urban stggle. But the domance of the lyril rapper waned <a href=">durg the reign of Jay-Z</a>, who uld sp as fluidly as any of his ntemporari but brazenly dumbed down his rhym orr to sell rerds. In a song lled “Ignorant Sh,” Jay-Z riffs reflexively on this Fstian barga: “I make ‘Big Pimp’ ’ or ‘Give It To Me,’ one of those, y’all hail me as the greatt wrer of the twenty-first century. I make some thought-provokg sh, y’all qutn whether he fall’ off.” That this is a largely unherald track om one of Jay-Z’s least acclaimed albums only prov his pot: we don’t want wry pastich of ignorant sh; we jt want ignorant sh.</p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><asi class="PersistentAsiWrapper-VGrR daRVRt persistent-asi" style="posn:absolute;top:to;height:to" data-ttid="PersistentAsiWrapper"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="fiw7lo"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></asi></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="lvphao"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bDyAMU body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p class="paywall">Lil B is a fount of ignorant sh. He om the Berkeley projects and is a product of Northern California hyphy culture, which “dumb” is a form of high praise; and he produc so much sh, most of so transcenntly dumb, that has e to seem like a form of culture jammg, as if his entire output were sandwiched between sre quot. (Regardg the most repugnant parts of his persona, particularly the misogyny, one n only hope this is the se.) Pop culture is obvly superficial; rather than tellg so, Lil B performs superficialy. His songs about celebri are, like Warhol’s Marilyn Monroe prts, a ment on the mechanizatn of celebry. Unlike Drake and Madonna, whose self-pyg <a href=">medatns on fame</a> often sound like humblebrags, Lil B mak himself impossible to take serly. Most rappers claim to be “real”; Lil B claims to be Ellen DeGener.</p><p class="paywall">A Lil B song is not an easy thg to enjoy. As wh Ryan Trert’s termable vios, Jam Fran’s mpy meos on “General Hospal,” and Joe Gould’s unrealized op, the fact that Lil B is dog this work is more tertg than the work self. (He played a sold-out show at The New Mm last night; the b lled him a “rapper/rap nstctnist.”) Most of his songs are etyl—real etyl, the kd that are actually improvised—and when he fails to thk of a clever rhyme, which is often, he revels the awkward silence, or shouts an ngo phrase, like “<a href=">hundred thoand dollars</a>.” Even his flow is jarrg: he stubbornly ref to stay the pocket, missg downbeats and eptg non-verbal tics.</p><p class="paywall">But is all part of the act. Jt as Koong was an excellent draftsman, Lil B is pable of rappg petently. In “<a data-offer-url=" class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">The Age of Informatn</a>,” a heartfelt display of lyril skill, he sounds like Tupac, if Tupac had lived to see Twter: “I’m on puters profely/Searchg on the Inter for answers, give to me/It’s like I’m married/I’m watchg the bloggers heavily.” In 1994, David Foster Wallace <a href=">wrote, a private letter</a>, about “the rmatn-flood and data-triage I expect’d be an even bigger part of US life 15 years hence.” He was right, as we now know. An Inter browser is a fire hydrant of rmatn, and we spend our days dog data triage. That is the topic of the performance art piece that is Lil B’s life. As B himself once said onstage, “Everythg, man. The Inter. This sh is crazy.”</p><p class="paywall"><em>Photograph by Lus Alvarado-Farrar/Far Fetched Future.</em></p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="2l5men"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 PaywallInleBarrierWhWrapperGrid-fyrGfS kLQIUk grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="body body__le-barrier article__body"><div class="ntaer ntaer--body"><div class="ntaer--body-ner"><asi class="PaywallInleBarrierWrapper-iBnuqk lfXXa-D" data-ttid="PaywallInleBarrierWrapper"><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--paywall-le-barrier" role="prentatn" aria-live="pole" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--paywall-le-barrier"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></asi></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ContentWrapperGrid-fvkmBv brYtrA grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="body body__ntaer"><div class="ntaer ntaer--body"><div class="ntaer--body-ner"></div></div></div></div></div></div></article><div class="ContentFooterWrapper-jVNdRG dTJkpP ArticlePageContentFooterGrid-ccsXYy eMZRHU article-body__footer"><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="ContributorsWrapper-eNpWFu GWFsc ntributors" data-ttid="Contributors"><div class="ContributorBWrapper-bnVHbt gMon"><div class="ContributorBAvatar-bIGTqf eMWbvj"><a href="/ntributors/andrew-marantz"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa rponsive-image"><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></picture></span></a></div><div class="ContributorBContent-ubQdr jZTSSi"><div class="ContributorBHear-ledood XOIEx"></div><div class="ContributorBB-fBolsO giFhKz"><a href="/ntributors/andrew-marantz">Andrew Marantz</a> is a staff wrer at The New Yorker and the thor of “<a href=">Antisocial: Onle Extremists, Techno-Utopians, and the Hijackg of the Amerin Conversatn</a>.”</div><div class="ContributorBFooter-brqDlv ezUmSv"></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"></div></div></div><div data-ttid="ContentFooterBottom" class="ContentFooterBottom-jwWZfC kcbyiW"><div class="ContentFooterNewsletterContentWrapper-bmjtna kixtae"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div data-ttid="NewsletterSubscribeFormWrapper" class="NewsletterSubscribeFormWrapper-fCqqkN jKSBhE newsletter-subscribe-form ContentFooterNewsletterForm-hKeYwa liPqcf"><div data-ttid="NewsletterSubscribeFormHedDekWrapper" class="NewsletterSubscribeFormHedDekWrapper-fpMElW eglIBL"><h3 class="NewsletterSubscribeFormDangeroHed-kRwWjt kbxOa-D newsletter-subscribe-form__hed ContentFooterNewsletterForm-hKeYwa liPqcf">Gogs On</h3><div class="NewsletterSubscribeFormDek-kXonvc cKOhTM newsletter-subscribe-form__k">What we’re watchg, listeng to, and dog this week, onle, N.Y.C., and beyond. 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target="_self"><div class="SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ iIjKeM summary-em__hed" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">The Transn</div></a><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb USLvL summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz jMoLpX"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="The Transn" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SummaryItemDek-CRfsi iUEiRd jxOIpm cPtisA summary-em__k">Lyndon Johnson and the events Dallas.</div><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY cgDBtc summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH dSEWiO byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd jslZfG gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Robert A. 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All the years later, why has the se bee a e?</div><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY cgDBtc summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH dSEWiO byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd jslZfG gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Nathan Heller</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff ewgXAt summary-em summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below-sktop-only summary-em--layout-posn-image-right summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center 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rapper lil b gay

Im Gay, an Album by Lil B. Released 29 June 2011 on BasedWorld (talog no. n/a; Lossls Digal). Genr: Wt Coast Hip Hop, Consc Hip Hop, Cloud Rap. Rated #436 the bt albums of 2011.

Contents:

RAPPER LIL B ON 'I'M GAY': 'WE'RE ALL ONE PEOPLE'

Rapper Lil B said he is receivg ath threats bee of his cisn to tle his next album I’m Gay. "People been htg me up like, 'I'm gonna bash your head ,' 'you f----t,' 'I'm gonna kill you,'" said the rapper. Lil B said he is heterosexual but “gay” the sense of happy. He sists that the album name is not a gimmick, a pot raised by officials wh the Gay and Lbian Alliance Agast Defamatn, who said they hoped his album reprented “a scere attempt to be an ally.” * rapper lil b gay *

At this year's Coachella Mic and Arts Ftival, Lil B announced he would name one of his future albums "I'm Gay. In ont of thoands of ncert-goers at April's Coachella Mic and Arts Ftival, the 21-year-old rap artist announced that he would name one of his future albums "I'm Gay. " "I thk that (announcement) was so much bigger than he was, " said Terrance Dean, a former MTV executive and the openly gay thor of the book "Hidg Hip-Hop.

CAN HIP-HOP HANDLE 'I'M GAY?'

But the artist, who announced that his next album will be lled "I'm Gay", still has a long way to go. * rapper lil b gay *

" While advot the LGBT muny like Dean feel that Lil B is scere, others like Lloyd "Gyant" Dwiddie, a BET blogger of the year who is openly gay, aren't so sure. I hope that I n turn some of my fans that might be homophobic or supporters that might be homophobic and say, "You know what, we're all one people.

Lil B: Maly, a lot of them are on Twter, sayg that they're gog to kill me for beg gay, and they're gog to kill me for beg homosexual even though I'm not homosexual. He released an album entled I'm Gay, even though he is heterosexual, to support the LGBT muny.

"People been htg me up like, 'I'm gonna bash your head , ' 'you f----t, ' 'I'm gonna kill you, '" said the B said he is heterosexual but “gay” the sense of happy.

LIL B IS GAY, VERIFIED

The cisn of the avowedly heterosexual rapper Lil B to name his new album I'm Gay has thkg about the history of the tersectn between gay culture and hip-hop. * rapper lil b gay *

He sists that the album name is not a gimmick, a pot raised by officials wh the Gay and Lbian Alliance Agast Defamatn, who said they hoped his album reprented “a scere attempt to be an ally. ”The rapper said, "I got major love for the gay and lbian muny, and I jt want to ph ls separatn and that's why I'm dog .

LIL B, I’M GAY

This past Wednday, Lil B released his anticipated album I'm Gay on iTun. The project shows a more ser, trospective si of Based God over soulful productn... * rapper lil b gay *

Rapper Lil’ B ma headl at the Coachella mic ftival over the weekend after he announced that the tle of his upg album will be "I’m Gay.

" Now, as more mastream artists attract attentn for embracg the dtry’s gay fans, Lil’ B may be the first well-known rapper to openly urt them. Amid the homophobic and transphonic backlash that followed, Kenyon Farrow wrote that homophobia’s bee a bad bs mol for hip-hop: "No one n afford to have already dwdlg rporate sponsors pulled. Lil B, the prolific, Inter-obssed Bay Area rapper, announced at Coachella that he would ll his next album I'm Gay – a provotn that extends past the fort zon of many rap fans.

LIL B: GAY OR GIMMICK?

#LoveWs - LGBTQ support om rappers varyg gre of tensy— much like the rappers themselv. Some of the guys kicked off their reers lettg everyone know they were down wh the LGBTQ e om the get-go. Others took years to acknowledge or even embrace the margalized populatn. It’s a topic that didn’t eva even rap legends like Biggie Smalls. It turned out his support was more personal when was revealed 2011 that one of his bt iends was openly gay and that the ceased rapper never had a problem wh wh a Supreme Court lg that brought marriage equaly to the USA, not everyone is down for the e for even voicg support. Check out this set of rappers who still managed to enjoy the us of succs even wh, as 50 Cent lik to put , "gay stuff." — Jon Rey(Photos om left: Frazer Harrison/Getty Imag for C... - One love. * rapper lil b gay *

GLAAD qutned his motiv – was this a prank, or a stealth macho move ak to other rappers' e of the phrase "no homo?

" Lil B's rponse – surprisgly ser and empathetic – was to exprs "major love for the gay and lbian muny, " spe apparent ath threats.

This isn't the first time gay culture and hip-hop have e to ntact, but sce Lil B is a rapper right on the ge of the mastream, and he's puttg himself the middle of the genre's long-term nflict over homosexualy, Ann Powers wrote to Tavia Nyong'o, profsor of performance studi at NYU and blogger at Hear is Queer to talk about where his cisn might take the bate.

10 PRO-LGBTQ {MARG:12PX TO 0;}@MEDIA (M-WIDTH:980PX){{MAX-WIDTH:50%;}}{FONT:NORMAL 400 1.4REM/1.5 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;MARG:12PX TO 0;}@MEDIA (M-WIDTH:980PX){{MAX-WIDTH:50%;}}ONE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;OVERFLOW-X:HIDN;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;-WEBK-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;-MS-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;BOX-SHADOW:0 4PX 8PX 0 RGBA(0,0,0,0.08);MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;}{WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:NTA;}{WIDTH:1800PX;HEIGHT:1014PX;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:18PX 24PX;DISPLAY:GRID;GRID-GAP:18PX;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}{LOR:#0A0A0A;}{FONT:NORMAL 700 2.0REM/1.25 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#0A0A0A;}1 / {LOR:#0A0A0A;} A{FONT:HER;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} STRONG, B{FONT-WEIGHT:BOLR;}{FONT:NORMAL 400 1.4REM/1.5 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#0A0A0A;} A{FONT:HER;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} STRONG, B{FONT-WEIGHT:BOLR;}#LOVEWS - LGBTQ SUPPORT OM RAPPERS VARYG GRE OF TENSY— MUCH LIKE THE RAPPERS THEMSELV. SOME OF THE GUYS KICKED OFF THEIR REERS LETTG EVERYONE KNOW THEY WERE DOWN WH THE LGBTQ E OM THE GET-GO. OTHERS TOOK YEARS TO ACKNOWLEDGE OR EVEN EMBRACE THE MARGALIZED POPULATN. IT’S A TOPIC THAT DIDN’T EVA EVEN RAP LEGENDS LIKE BIGGIE SMALLS. IT TURNED OUT HIS SUPPORT WAS MORE PERSONAL WHEN WAS REVEALED 2011 THAT ONE OF HIS BT IENDS WAS OPENLY GAY AND THAT THE CEASED RAPPER NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WH WH A SUPREME COURT LG THAT BROUGHT MARRIAGE EQUALY TO THE USA, NOT EVERYONE IS DOWN FOR THE E FOR EVEN VOICG SUPPORT. CHECK OUT THIS SET OF RAPPERS WHO STILL MANAGED TO ENJOY THE US OF SUCCS EVEN WH, AS 50 CENT LIK TO PUT , "GAY STUFF." — JON REY(PHOTOS OM LEFT: FRAZER HARRISON/GETTY IMAG FOR C...{LOR:#818181;FONT-WEIGHT:400;}{FONT:NORMAL 600 1.4REM/1.2 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:#818181;FONT-WEIGHT:400;}PHOTO BY {LOR:HER;FONT:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;}{LOR:HER;FONT:HER;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;}PHOTOS OM LEFT: FRAZER HARRISON/GETTY IMAG FOR {WIDTH:1800PX;HEIGHT:1073PX;}2 / 11NICKI MAJ - NEVER ONE TO STEER AWAY OM NTROVERSY, EVEN NICKI’S BARS OOZED LGBTQ SUPPORT — HER MALE ALTER EGO WAS A GAY MAN NAMED ROMAN ZOLANSKI. BACK 2010, NICKI VOICED GREAT AMBNS BRIDGG THE GAP BETWEEN HER GAY FANS AND HIP HOP BY MG OVER A HYPOTHETIL TOUR WH LIL WAYNE, "NORMALLY, WAYNE PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE GAY GUYS G TO SEE HIS SHOWS MUCH," SHE TOLD OUT, "BUT THEY'RE FELY A BIG PART OF MY MOVEMENT, AND I HOPE THEY'D STILL E OUT AND SEE ME."(PHOTO: ETHAN MILLER/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:1800PX;HEIGHT:1254PX;}3 / 11LIL B - THE BERKELEY RAPPER MA SOME SOCIAL MEDIA WAV 2011 WHEN HE TLED HIS ALBUM I’M GAY (I’M HAPPY) SOLIDARY WH THE LGBTQ MUNY. EVEN AFTER RECEIVG ATH THREATS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, HE STUCK TO HIS GUNS A CNN TERVIEW: “I HOPE THAT I N TURN SOME OF MY FANS THAT MIGHT BE HOMOPHOBIC OR SUPPORTERS THAT MIGHT BE HOMOPHOBIC AND SAY, ‘YOU KNOW WHAT? WE’RE ALL ONE PEOPLE. THIS IS LOVE.’” (PHOTO: FRAZER HARRISON/GETTY IMAG FOR COACHELLA){WIDTH:1213PX;HEIGHT:1800PX;}4 / 11A$AP ROCKY - THIS HARLEM NATIVE AND PLATUM-SELLG ARTIST IS A STANDOUT EXAMPLE OF HOW NEW HIP HOP ARTISTS ARE MORE OPEN TO EMBRACG THE LGBTQ MUNY. WH A$AP ROCKY, ME OM PURE OBSERVATN WH REGARDS TO HIS OWN LOVE FOR FASHN, “I ED TO BE HOMOPHOBIC, BUT THAT’S F**KED UP," HE TOLD PCHFORK. "I HAD TO LOOK THE MIRROR AND SAY, ‘ALL THE SIGNERS I’M WEARG ARE GAY.’” (PHOTO: TIM P. WHBY/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:1800PX;HEIGHT:1381PX;}5 / 11MACKLEMORE - WHILE "THRIFT SHOP" WAS THE SEATTLE RAPPER’S CLAIM TO FAME, WAS ACTUALLY "SAME LOVE," HIS MARRIAGE EQUALY ANTHEM, THAT PROPELLED THE RAPPER TO BEE A MOUTHPIECE FOR LGBTQ EQUALY HIP HOP. THE POPULAR SONG WAS ACTUALLY BORN OUT OF PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, "I GREW UP WH TWO GAY UNCL ON CAPOL HILL. I WAS ALWAYS AROUND A MUNY OF GAY PEOPLE, AS A HIP HOP ARTIST, 'S STILL A TABOO ISSUE," MACKLEMORE SAID AN TERVIEW WH MIC FOR MARRIAGE EQUALY. "THAT IS CRAZY TO ME. THERE'S SO MUCH FEAR, AND SO MUCH OF DAT BACK TO RELIGN. I THK THAT WE HAVE EVOLVED AS A SOCIETY, AND THIS IS OUR TIME TO CREATE THE CHANGE THAT IS RIGHT." (PHOTO: JONATHAN LEIBSON/GETTY IMAG FOR PEPSI){MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG-BOTTOM:54PX;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:NONE;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;} + .E1IATVX90{DISPLAY:NONE;}(:EMPTY){DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;}(:EMPTY) + .E1IATVX90{DISPLAY:BLOCK;}{BACKGROUND-LOR:#0A0A0A;LOR:#FAFAFA;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;-WEBK-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MOZ-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MS-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;PADDG:2PX 5PX;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;PADDG:3PX 5PX 4PX 5PX;LOR:#C4FF2C;BACKGROUND-LOR:#000000;LOR:#FFFFFF;DISPLAY:BLOCK;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}{FONT:NORMAL 600 1.4REM/1.2 "SOEHNE",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;BACKGROUND-LOR:#0A0A0A;LOR:#FAFAFA;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;-WEBK-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MOZ-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;-MS-LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;LETTER-SPACG:NORMAL;PADDG:2PX 5PX;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;PADDG:3PX 5PX 4PX 5PX;LOR:#C4FF2C;BACKGROUND-LOR:#000000;LOR:#FFFFFF;DISPLAY:BLOCK;TEXT-ALIGN:CENTER;}{WIDTH:1380PX;HEIGHT:1800PX;}6 / 11FAT JOE - THE NYC RAPPER JOED THE NVERSATN OF LGBTQ ACCEPTANCE HIP HOP WH AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO VLADTV THAT HE’S WORKED ON SONGS WH GAY RAPPERS, “IN 2011 YOU GOTTA HI THAT YOU GAY? BE REAL! ‘YO, I’M GAY. WHAT THE F**K!’ IF YOU GAY, YOU GAY. THAT’S YOUR PREFERENCE. F**K IF THE PEOPLE DON’T LIKE .” (PHOTO: ROB FOLDY/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:1680PX;HEIGHT:1800PX;}7 / 11KANYE WT - KANYE WT'S OUTSPOKEN LGBTQ SUPPORT DAT BACK TO 2005, WHEN HE TOLD SWAY ON MTV ABOUT HIS PERSONAL NNECTN TO THE LGBTQ MUNY, “I WOULD E THE WORD ‘F*G’ AND ALWAYS LOOK DOWN UPON GAYS. BUT THEN MY TOLD ME THAT ANOTHER ONE OF MY S WAS GAY, AND I LOVED HIM. HE'S ONE OF MY FAVORE S. AND AT THAT POT WAS KD OF LIKE A TURNG POT WHEN I WAS LIKE, ‘YO, THIS MY , I LOVE HIM AND I BEEN DISCRIMATG AGAST GAYS." SCE THEN, RANTS AND CRAZS ASI, KANYE HAS BEEN A QUIET BUT NSISTENT LGBTQ ALLY. (PHOTO: EZRA SHAW/GETTY IMAG){WIDTH:1800PX;HEIGHT:1239PX;}8 / 11QUEEN LATIFAH - WHILE KEEPG TOTALLY MUM ABOUT HER OWN PERSONAL LIFE (WHICH HAS ALWAYS LEFT PEOPLE SPECULATG ABOUT HER OWN SEXUALY), THE RAPPER OM NEWARK, N.J., HAS BEEN STEADILY MAKG MOV TOWARDS OUTRIGHT LGBTQ SUPPORT. DURG THE 2014 GRAMMY AWARDS, SHE OFFICIATED A MASS WEDDG OF SAME-SEX UPL. EARLIER THIS YEAR, WHEN ASKED ABOUT MARRIAGE EQUALY BY PEOPLE, SHE STATED, "WHO YOU CHOOSE TO MARRY IS REALLY UP TO YOU AND ’S NOT SOMETHG YOU SHOULD BE JUDGED ON. I DON’T FD BEG GAY OR LBIAN TO BE A CHARACTER FLAW. COUPL SHOULD BE PROTECTED UNR THE LAWS OF THIS UNTRY, PERD. IT ACTUALLY ANGERS ME. IT’S NOT UNUAL SO LET’S BE ADULTS AND LET’S MOVE FORWARD." (PHOTO: FRAZER HARRISON/GETTY IMAG FOR AFI){WIDTH:1259PX;HEIGHT:1800PX;}9 / 11EMEM - THGS BETWEEN THE DETRO NATIVE AND THE LGBTQ MUNY HAVE BEEN GHT WH NTROVERSY SCE HIS BUT THE LATE '90S, BUT 2013, EMEM TOLD ROLLG STONE, “THE REAL ME STG HERE RIGHT NOW TALKG TO YOU HAS NO ISSU WH GAY, STRAIGHT, TRANSGENR, AT ALL. I'M GLAD WE LIVE A TIME WHERE 'S REALLY STARTG TO FEEL LIKE PEOPLE N LIVE THEIR LIV AND EXPRS THEMSELV.”  (PHOTO: KEVORK DJANSEZIAN/GETTY IMAG FOR MTV){WIDTH:1249PX;HEIGHT:1800PX;}10 / 11JAY Z - GOOD OL' HOV ALWAYS SIS WH REASON, AND HE DID JT THAT 2012 RIGHT AFTER PRINT OBAMA VOLIZED HIS SUPPORT FOR MARRIAGE EQUALY. MR. CARTER SPOKE TO CNN AND DROPPED A LTLE B OF TTH ABOUT THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO DISCRIMATE: “IT’S NO DIFFERENT THAN DISCRIMATG AGAST BLACKS. IT’S DISCRIMATN PLA AND SIMPLE. I THK 'S THE RIGHT THG TO DO, SO WHETHER STS HIM VOT OR NOT — AGA, ’S NOT ABOUT VOT. IT’S ABOUT PEOPLE. IT’S THE RIGHT THG TO DO AS A HUMAN BEG.” (PHOTO: THEO WARGO/GETTY IMAG FOR GLOBAL CIZEN FTIVAL){WIDTH:1800PX;HEIGHT:1304PX;}11 / 11THE GAME - BACK 2011, GAME TOLD VLADTV, “I DON’T HAVE A PROBLEM WH GAY PEOPLE. BEYONCé SHOULDA SAID, ‘WHO SHOULD N THE WORLD?’ GAYS. BEE THEY’RE EVERYWHERE AND RIGHTLY SO.” DON’T GET TWISTED, GAME’S SUPPORT FOR THE LGBTQ MUNY IS ACTUALLY ONLY RERVED FOR THOSE THAT ARE OUT OF THE CLOSET. HIS PROBLEM IS “WH PEOPLE WHO ARE PRETENDG NOT TO BE GAY.” (PHOTO: STT DULSON/GETTY IMAG)

Prolific rapper says he is straight but supports gay and lbian rights * rapper lil b gay *

This would all strike me as an isolated stunt – claimg that you're g "gay" as "happy, " as Lil B did, sounds kd of like somethg my gra-schooler would do. Big Freedia, queen of the New Orleans "sissy bounce" scene, released her first EP and is brgg her "go homo" anthems natnwi on a succsful tour. And the Pacific Northwt llective Rabow Noise ed a Youtube stir wh s jamm' cut, "Imma Homo.

" Hip-hop, long assumed by most to be a stronghold of homophobia, sudnly seems a lot more fluid. In mash-up culture, straight kids appropriatg gay culture isn't weird: what's weird is the ia that we n keep them separate the first place.

LIL B RECEIV THREATS FOR ‘I’M GAY’ ALBUM TLE

From Tyler, the Creator to Lil Nas X, hip-hop has never had so many stars who intify as gay or bisexual. Is this a blip or a turng pot? * rapper lil b gay *

Unrground artists like Hanifah Walidah, Deadlee, Deep Dickollective, God-D, Cazwell, and basilly all the artists featured the excellent 2006 film Pick up the Mic: The Evolutn of Homohop. Smalls pots to hip-hop's roots a multiracial 1980s scene that ma space for people like the gay Asian visual artist Mart Wong, who brought graffi artists together wh the downtown gallery scene and was associated wh the semal film Wild Style.

And a polics of rpectabily has llud wh the closet to enforce historil visibily upon lbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenred folk, cludg Bentley herself.

But was we move om the era of the closet to what I thk of as an era of queer nvivialy, there will be many more exampl of genr like sissy bounce and artists like Lil B who are unaaid to acknowledge a black culture where straight and gay n share space, sp rhym and tra dance mov. Where hip-hop seems to brg a specific and sometim disturbg flair to good-old Amerin homophobia is s expectatns of an unbreakable masculy ground ghetto-centric ials of toughns.

LIL B RELEAS ‘I’M GAY’ ALBUM WHOUT WARNG, LUPE FIAS SAYS TLE IS ‘GENI’

For too many, "gettg punked" is the absolute anthis of such manhood, such that homosexualy is not so much an inty as a specter that mt be vlently expelled om onelf, one's neighborhood, one's mic, and one's world.

Ubiquo homophobic humor about "sissi" like Amerin Idol risg star Jab Lk — whose recently surfaced mugshot produced hostile ter mentary that he might be "happy" wh some jail time — e about bee of a failure to addrs the problems openly and serly.

CHIGO RAPPER KG LIL JAY ADDRS “GAY” CLAIMS AFTER VIO OF MALE INMATE ALLEGEDLY STG ON HIS LAP GO VIRAL

As the great civil rights lear (and gay man) Bayard Rt once said, "The bravt are the most tenr; the lovg are the darg. Viral vios like Rabow Noise's "Imma Homo, " for stance, e the power of the first person to joyoly fang hip-hop's "no homo" tag. At his Coachella performance, Lil B, spired as ual, announced that, bee "words don't mean sh, " he is gog to make a rerd lled I'm Gay.

Words, of urse, mean lots of thgs, which B is not unaware of, and he quickly clarified that he lov women, but that gay also means happy.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* RAPPER LIL B GAY

Rapper Lil B on 'I'm Gay': 'We're all one people' .

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