A History of Rappers Standg Up For Gay Rights | Complex

Contents:

• 30 BT GAY RAPPERS (LGBTQ+ HIP-HOP ARTISTS)
• 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)
• A HISTORY OF RAPPERS STANDG UP FOR GAY RIGHTS
• EMEM SPEAKS OUT FAVOUR OF GAY MARRIAGE
• HIP-HOP ARTISTS WHO SUPPORT {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}NEWSBY CLAY CANEJULY 6, 2007/2:04 PMBY CLAY CANEJULY 6, 2007 / 2:04 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"HIP-HOP ARTISTS WHO SUPPORT GAYS","DATEPUBLISHED":"2007-07-06T18:04:53.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2007-07-06T18:04:53.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"CLAY CANE","KEYWORDS":"THE BACKLOT","ARTICLESECTN":"NEWS"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}R&B/HIP-HOP MIC GETS A VIC RAP FOR BEG SEXIST AND HOMOPHOBIC. SADLY, MANY PEOPLE THE HIP-HOP MUNY HELP TO PERPETUATE THIS ATTU WH ARTISTS LIKE TYRE, BTA RHYM, 50 CENT AND UNTLS OTHERS. EARLIER THIS WEEK, ON MY SE, , I TAILED SOME OF HIP-HOP'S “GAYT” MOMENTS, BUNKG THE MYTH THAT GAYS DON'T EXIST THIS EXTREMELY HOMO-SOCIAL SECTOR OF THE MIC {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THERE ARE A GROUP OF ARTISTS (WHILE SMALL) WHO OUTWARDLY SPEAK OF THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE LGBT MUNY AND REGNIZE THE TOXIC FORCE OF HOMOPHOBIA — ANY MUNY. SOMETIM THEIR VOIC GET LOST THE MIX OF THE IGNORANCE THAT SURROUNDS THEM. NOHELS, THEY ARE STILL THERE. HERE ARE JT A FEW:{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}A LEGEND HIP-HOP, RSELL SIMMONS HAS BEEN OPENLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE LGBT MUNY EVEN WHEN MORS SWIRL ABOUT HIS OWN SEXUALY. EARLIER THIS MONTH THE DALLAS VOICE QUTNED THE HIP-HOP MOGUL ON THE MORS. HE ANSWERED, "I BELIEVE GAY PEOPLE SERVE DIGNY .., I'M NOT GAY. IF I WAS, I WOULD HAVE THE GIFT OF ANOTHER BURN, AND I WOULD PROBABLY BE STANTLY OUT. I FIGHT FOR GAY RIGHTS ALL THE TIME. HOW ABOUT THAT?"{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}RSELL ALSO MAK AN TERTG POT ABOUT MANY HOMOPHOBIC RAPPERS, "I KNOW THAT 50 CENT IS PERCEIVED AS A HOMOPHOBE. BUT IF YOU ASKED HIM ABOUT GAY MARRIAGE, I’D BET YOU 10-TO-1, HE’D APPROVE. AND IF YOU ASKED LUDACRIS, HE’D SAY THE SAME THG,” SIMMONS ADDS, "ARE RAPPERS AS VLENT AS OUR ERNMENT? NO. ARE THE GANGSTER RAPPERS AS GANGSTER AS OUR ERNMENT? HELL NO.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}REGARDLS OF THE RAPPERS POLICS DO NOT TAKE AWAY THE DAMAGE HATEFUL MIC DO TO EVERY MUNY, BUT I WOULD AGREE THAT PRINT BH IS MORE "GANGSTA'" THAN 50 {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}GRAMMY-WNER AND RAPPER/ACTRS EVE OUTWARDLY SUPPORTS THE GAY AND LBIAN MUNY. IN MY MAY 2007 TERVIEW WH EVE I ASKED IF SHE WAS FORTABLE WH HER STRONG GAY AND LBIAN FAN BASE BEG A HIP-HOP ARTIST. EVE RPOND, "WHY EXCLU? FIRST OF ALL, THE GAYS, WHEN THEY LOVE YOU, THEY LOVE YOU. THEY ARE VERY LOYAL. I HAVE A HUGE GAY MEN FAN BASE - I LOVE THEM."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN ADDN, I QUIZZED HER ON IF SHE THOUGHT AN OPENLY GAY RAPPER ULD EVER BE SUCCSFUL HIP-HIP, "NO. ESPECIALLY IF ’S A MAN, ONLY BEE THERE’S A LOT OF ONT’ HIP-HOP. A LOT OF THE PERSONAS AND PERCEPTNS OF HIP-HOP IS PRETENDG TO HAVE MORE, BE MORE. A LOT OF THE STORI THE RAPPERS TALK ABOUT - THEY’RE PRETENDG." JT LIKE RSELL SIMMONS, EVE HAS HER OWN LBIAN MORS, BUT THAT HASN’T STOPPED HER OM SUPPORTG THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}DTY’S CHILD HAS A HISTORY OF A GAY FAN BASE, BUT NOT MUCH OF A HISTORY OF DIRECTLY REACHG OUT TO THE GAY MUNY — AT LEAST NOT UNTIL THE GIRL GROUP BEME SOLO ARTISTS. KELLY ROWLAND OF DTY'S CHILD, WHO HAS A NEW SOLO RERD MS. KELLY, WHICH H STOR THIS WEEK, OPENED ABOUT UP THE PERCEIVED HOMOPHOBIA HIP-HOP/R&B TO THE EDGE. "ALL I N THK ABOUT ARE PEOPLE LIKE KANYE WHO MA THE MENT ABOUT THE GAY MUNY SUPPORTG HIM AND NOT THKG ANYTHG OF BEE PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE, LIKE I SAY. IT DON’T MATTER IF YOU ARE GAY, STRAIGHT, OR WHATEVER -- MIC IS MIC." KELLY STRS, "I DON’T GET WHY HAS TO BE SEPARATED, OR WHY PEOPLE HAVE TO BE SEPARATED."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ABOVE ALL, NO ONE SAID BETTER THAN KANYE WT 2005 DURG AN TERVIEW WH MTV. HE ADMTED TO HIS OWN HOMOPHOBIA WHEN HE WAS A CHILD, BUT WHEN HE DISVERED HIS WAS GAY HE REALIZED HOW HATEFUL HE WAS BEG. IN RELATN TO HIP-HOP KANYE EXPLAED, "EVERYONE HIP-HOP DISCRIMAT AGAST GAY PEOPLE. NOT JT HIP-HOP, BUT AMERI JT DISCRIMAT. AND I WANNA JT, TO E ON TV AND JT TELL MY RAPPERS, JT TELL MY IENDS, 'YO, STOP .'"{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}MANY THOUGHT KANYE WOULD EXPERIENCE EXTREME BACKLASH FOR HIS MENTS, BUT LTLE TO NO BACKLASH OCCURRED AND WAS THE MOST PROGRSIVE STATEMENT OM ANYONE HIP-HOP FOR OVER FIFTEEN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}MAYBE THIS IS A SIGN THAT ’S NO LONGER QUE SO MARKETABLE TO BE HOMOPHOBIC. WOULD EMEM HAVE THE SAME SUCCS 2007 WH HOMOPHOBIC LYRICS AS HE DID 2000? I WOULD LIKE TO THK THGS ARE CHANGG AND ALTHOUGH FEW, THE ARTISTS ABOVE ARE GREAT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS
• HIP-HOP GO FOR GAY MARRIAGE
• EMEM SUPPORTS GAY MARRIAGE

30 BT GAY RAPPERS (LGBTQ+ HIP-HOP ARTISTS)

Hip-hop particular has a reputatn for embracg homophobia, but fortunately, there are many rappers and sgers that are very vol about their support for the LGBT many gay or lbian artists may not be as open as Frank Ocean -- he wrote an open letter about his love for a man 2012 -- rappers like Fat Joe have voiced their acceptance mic and beyond. There has been a well-known stigma towards homosexualy hip-hop which has led to some artists’ reers beg tarnished by mors that they had associatns wh people of the same sex. She also discsed the prevalence of vlence agast butch-prentg gay women, highlightg the murr of several lbians a regn of Chile that has bee notor for s homophobic hate crim.

“Beg ‘butch’ means wearg your sexualy on your sleeve, which, an age still explibly marred by homophobia, n have grave nsequenc all over the world, ” she stated.

Although there’s a long way to go before the discrimatn agast LGBTQ+ artists be a thg of the past, the rise of gay artists is a sign that the hip-hop dtry has started to break away om the notns.

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)

As I read the Facebook ments for the article and the ments on the actual Instct se, I realized that some rears were takg away the msage, “Rap is homophobic/Rappers are homophobic, ” and that’s simply not te.

The rapper then doubled down on his support for LGTBQ people a nversatn wh Interview Magaze 2013, where he shared that the hip hop world needs to get over s negative thoughts on homosexualy. The actrs me out as gay durg the Human Rights Campaign's Time to Thrive nference 2014, durg which she gave a powerful 8-mute speech about the ternal turmoil she endured as a closeted actrs Hollywood.

A HISTORY OF RAPPERS STANDG UP FOR GAY RIGHTS

Sce her public g out, Page has ma strong efforts to brg LGBT issu to the foreont, servg as host of Vice's upg travel seri Gaytn (for which Page will vis ci around the world and explore different perceptns of LGBT culture) and takg on the role of an out gay woman Freeheld, a romance drama centered on the fight for gay rights. On the lack of reprentatn of mory groups Hollywood, she said, "I want to see gay stori, of urse, bee I’m gay, and I want to nnect to a reflectn of my life on film. Hathaway, who is sister to a gay brother and has proudly spoken out about her fay's acceptance of his sexualy, was a recipient of the Human Rights Campaign Ally Award 2008.

"There are people who have said that I’m beg brave for beg openly supportive of gay marriage, gay adoptn — basilly of gay rights — but wh all due rpect, I humbly dissent, " Hathaway said durg her acceptance speech.

In 2011, the actor was also honored wh the Hero Award by the Trevor Project, a nonprof anizatn that supports sexual mory youth, 2011 for beg an spiratn to lbian, gay, bisexual and transgenr teens.

EMEM SPEAKS OUT FAVOUR OF GAY MARRIAGE

Prr to the Supreme Court's cisn to legalize gay marriage this June, Dunham and boyiend Jack Antonoff had also publicly ma known that they wouldn't be tyg the knot until same-sex marriage was legal all 50 stat. The pop sger lnched the Born This Way Foundatn, an anti-bullyg nonprof anizatn, 2012, the name of which plays off of her h sgle "Born This Way" which featur empowerg lyrics such as "No matter gay, straight, or bi / Lbian, transgenered life / I'm on the right track baby / I was born to survive. Years after makg history as the first gay lead character on TV, DeGener helped brg a lbian-themed edy, One Big Happy, to NBC 2015 (the short-lived seri was ncelled after one season) and also lnched a Gap Kids clothg le aimed at breakg down genr stereotyp.

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. " — Jon Rey(Photos om left: Frazer Harrison/Getty Imag for By Photos om left: Frazer Harrison/Getty Imag for Coachella2 / 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.

HIP-HOP ARTISTS WHO SUPPORT {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}NEWSBY CLAY CANEJULY 6, 2007/2:04 PMBY CLAY CANEJULY 6, 2007 / 2:04 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"HIP-HOP ARTISTS WHO SUPPORT GAYS","DATEPUBLISHED":"2007-07-06T18:04:53.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2007-07-06T18:04:53.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"CLAY CANE","KEYWORDS":"THE BACKLOT","ARTICLESECTN":"NEWS"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}R&B/HIP-HOP MIC GETS A VIC RAP FOR BEG SEXIST AND HOMOPHOBIC. SADLY, MANY PEOPLE THE HIP-HOP MUNY HELP TO PERPETUATE THIS ATTU WH ARTISTS LIKE TYRE, BTA RHYM, 50 CENT AND UNTLS OTHERS. EARLIER THIS WEEK, ON MY SE, , I TAILED SOME OF HIP-HOP'S “GAYT” MOMENTS, BUNKG THE MYTH THAT GAYS DON'T EXIST THIS EXTREMELY HOMO-SOCIAL SECTOR OF THE MIC {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THERE ARE A GROUP OF ARTISTS (WHILE SMALL) WHO OUTWARDLY SPEAK OF THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE LGBT MUNY AND REGNIZE THE TOXIC FORCE OF HOMOPHOBIA — ANY MUNY. SOMETIM THEIR VOIC GET LOST THE MIX OF THE IGNORANCE THAT SURROUNDS THEM. NOHELS, THEY ARE STILL THERE. HERE ARE JT A FEW:{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}A LEGEND HIP-HOP, RSELL SIMMONS HAS BEEN OPENLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE LGBT MUNY EVEN WHEN MORS SWIRL ABOUT HIS OWN SEXUALY. EARLIER THIS MONTH THE DALLAS VOICE QUTNED THE HIP-HOP MOGUL ON THE MORS. HE ANSWERED, "I BELIEVE GAY PEOPLE SERVE DIGNY .., I'M NOT GAY. IF I WAS, I WOULD HAVE THE GIFT OF ANOTHER BURN, AND I WOULD PROBABLY BE STANTLY OUT. I FIGHT FOR GAY RIGHTS ALL THE TIME. HOW ABOUT THAT?"{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}RSELL ALSO MAK AN TERTG POT ABOUT MANY HOMOPHOBIC RAPPERS, "I KNOW THAT 50 CENT IS PERCEIVED AS A HOMOPHOBE. BUT IF YOU ASKED HIM ABOUT GAY MARRIAGE, I’D BET YOU 10-TO-1, HE’D APPROVE. AND IF YOU ASKED LUDACRIS, HE’D SAY THE SAME THG,” SIMMONS ADDS, "ARE RAPPERS AS VLENT AS OUR ERNMENT? NO. ARE THE GANGSTER RAPPERS AS GANGSTER AS OUR ERNMENT? HELL NO.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}REGARDLS OF THE RAPPERS POLICS DO NOT TAKE AWAY THE DAMAGE HATEFUL MIC DO TO EVERY MUNY, BUT I WOULD AGREE THAT PRINT BH IS MORE "GANGSTA'" THAN 50 {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}GRAMMY-WNER AND RAPPER/ACTRS EVE OUTWARDLY SUPPORTS THE GAY AND LBIAN MUNY. IN MY MAY 2007 TERVIEW WH EVE I ASKED IF SHE WAS FORTABLE WH HER STRONG GAY AND LBIAN FAN BASE BEG A HIP-HOP ARTIST. EVE RPOND, "WHY EXCLU? FIRST OF ALL, THE GAYS, WHEN THEY LOVE YOU, THEY LOVE YOU. THEY ARE VERY LOYAL. I HAVE A HUGE GAY MEN FAN BASE - I LOVE THEM."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN ADDN, I QUIZZED HER ON IF SHE THOUGHT AN OPENLY GAY RAPPER ULD EVER BE SUCCSFUL HIP-HIP, "NO. ESPECIALLY IF ’S A MAN, ONLY BEE THERE’S A LOT OF ONT’ HIP-HOP. A LOT OF THE PERSONAS AND PERCEPTNS OF HIP-HOP IS PRETENDG TO HAVE MORE, BE MORE. A LOT OF THE STORI THE RAPPERS TALK ABOUT - THEY’RE PRETENDG." JT LIKE RSELL SIMMONS, EVE HAS HER OWN LBIAN MORS, BUT THAT HASN’T STOPPED HER OM SUPPORTG THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}DTY’S CHILD HAS A HISTORY OF A GAY FAN BASE, BUT NOT MUCH OF A HISTORY OF DIRECTLY REACHG OUT TO THE GAY MUNY — AT LEAST NOT UNTIL THE GIRL GROUP BEME SOLO ARTISTS. KELLY ROWLAND OF DTY'S CHILD, WHO HAS A NEW SOLO RERD MS. KELLY, WHICH H STOR THIS WEEK, OPENED ABOUT UP THE PERCEIVED HOMOPHOBIA HIP-HOP/R&B TO THE EDGE. "ALL I N THK ABOUT ARE PEOPLE LIKE KANYE WHO MA THE MENT ABOUT THE GAY MUNY SUPPORTG HIM AND NOT THKG ANYTHG OF BEE PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE, LIKE I SAY. IT DON’T MATTER IF YOU ARE GAY, STRAIGHT, OR WHATEVER -- MIC IS MIC." KELLY STRS, "I DON’T GET WHY HAS TO BE SEPARATED, OR WHY PEOPLE HAVE TO BE SEPARATED."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ABOVE ALL, NO ONE SAID BETTER THAN KANYE WT 2005 DURG AN TERVIEW WH MTV. HE ADMTED TO HIS OWN HOMOPHOBIA WHEN HE WAS A CHILD, BUT WHEN HE DISVERED HIS WAS GAY HE REALIZED HOW HATEFUL HE WAS BEG. IN RELATN TO HIP-HOP KANYE EXPLAED, "EVERYONE HIP-HOP DISCRIMAT AGAST GAY PEOPLE. NOT JT HIP-HOP, BUT AMERI JT DISCRIMAT. AND I WANNA JT, TO E ON TV AND JT TELL MY RAPPERS, JT TELL MY IENDS, 'YO, STOP .'"{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}MANY THOUGHT KANYE WOULD EXPERIENCE EXTREME BACKLASH FOR HIS MENTS, BUT LTLE TO NO BACKLASH OCCURRED AND WAS THE MOST PROGRSIVE STATEMENT OM ANYONE HIP-HOP FOR OVER FIFTEEN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}MAYBE THIS IS A SIGN THAT ’S NO LONGER QUE SO MARKETABLE TO BE HOMOPHOBIC. WOULD EMEM HAVE THE SAME SUCCS 2007 WH HOMOPHOBIC LYRICS AS HE DID 2000? I WOULD LIKE TO THK THGS ARE CHANGG AND ALTHOUGH FEW, THE ARTISTS ABOVE ARE GREAT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

"(Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Imag)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? " (Photo: Jonathan Leibson/Getty Imag for Pepsi)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? ” (Photo: Rob Foldy/Getty Imag)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.

HIP-HOP GO FOR GAY MARRIAGE

" (Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Imag for AFI)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. Yterday while out "The Cy of Brotherly Love" promotg his two-day Ma Ameri mic ftival, Jay-Z was asked what he thought about Print Barack Obama's stance on gay marriage.

Still, there have always been pockets of progrsive thought wh the culture, and the days more and more rappers are g out support of gay rights—whether through terviews, mic, or other public foms. " While l like this attracted the protts of gay rights groups, Emem ntued to urt both sis of the ntroversy – kissg Elton John at the 2001 Grammy awards, then returng to sptg gay slurs on 2002's Whout Me. But spe the stnch anti-gay headle-grabbg efforts of Reprentative Michele Bachmann, last year Mnota beme the 12th state to legalize same-sex marriage, fosterg a heartwarmg sports story.

EMEM SUPPORTS GAY MARRIAGE

Salley ma a send reer out of mouthg off on TV, but he dropped the gas-bag sports talk for a few lighthearted words supportg gay marriage durg an appearance on Good Day LA 2010. Last year, Banks and Dent, along wh former NFL lebackers Hunter Hillenmeyer and Brendon Ayanbajo, signed a letter showg support for the Relig Freedom and Marriage Act, urgg state legislators the Illois Hoe of Reprentativ to pass a bill that would allow gay marriage.

Earlier this week, on my se,, I tailed some of hip-hop's “gayt” moments, bunkg the myth that gays don't exist this extremely homo-social sector of the mic are a group of artists (while small) who outwardly speak of their support for the LGBT muny and regnize the toxic force of homophobia — any muny. ”Regardls of the rappers polics do not take away the damage hateful mic do to every muny, but I would agree that Print Bh is more "gangsta'" than 50 and rapper/actrs Eve outwardly supports the gay and lbian muny. Dty’s Child has a history of a gay fan base, but not much of a history of directly reachg out to the gay muny — at least not until the girl group beme solo artists.