jay >/= npr

touch on the little campfire that came out of sach o's post on the best of 08 so far (ohword). you got a top 5 yet?

j-mass

I think the denial of some folks is quite baffling. How could any male dominated field (sports, music, etc) exist without any of the people being gay?

And if you knew about it what would be the big deal really? If they aren't hitting on you NOW, if you knew about that part of their persona, what would change?

I'll have to check out this book. The Supahead nonsense was an easy read, I wish someone would right a less soapy, dramatic version of the inside story of hiphop and I'm sorry, gay rappers is a part of the story too.

The imagery, the over the top bravado, all that screams to me insecurity, that you have to PROVE you are a man.

You shouldn't have to prove it, you should be comfortable in the fact that you are and keep it moving.

nice reflection on some nonsense. people have been looking for the gay rapper for a decade plus.

1. who cares?
2. how could there possibly only be one...?

On top again Jay. Honestly, who cares? I like how people say "the" gay rapper. Really? There's only one? Wow....

I think you should talk about the new Nas: N****r. I got into a heated debate over the weekend about this album. I just don't see how a retailer can have it on the shelves. I mean, the images I've seen for the cover art is just Nas sitting in a throne type chair with the N word in bold letters (not sure if it's the official cover art though). Now, I don't have a problem with the title of the album, Nas is a legend and can make whatever statement he wants in whichever way he sees fit. But, I can't see walking into a Best Buy or Target and seeing that album sitting on the shelves. Maybe it's just me though

Mike, I might be just you.

The Gay Rapper is... those who are afraid of the the gay rapper. lol I don't care about that subject.

My request... you're thoughts on Nas' new album and NY Oil's response to it.

the nas album will probably have a cover for the cover. the album title probably won't be visible to a bypassing shopper. as far as the album title itself...if anyone has the creative liscence to name an album that, it's nas. i just hope it has enough social commentary to live up to the hype. the "be a n****r too" joint was kind of dissapointing. i mean. it's a hot record and all but it doesn't say much regarding racial issues.

jay, you should address the whole "hipster" rap issue. you know, the whole fiasco with jay electronica, the cool kids, and mazzi from s.o.u.l. purpose. just blaze said his peace. idk how i feel about it, to be honest. more expert perspective would be appreciated.

Skeptical as I am, I'm still surprised how this gossip item has taken on a life of its own: http://groups.google.com/group/rec.music.hip-hop/search?q=gay+rapper&start=1090&sa=N&scoring=d&

Even 13 years ago, I was tired of this counter-productive witch-hunt.

@ juS

You know, I'd never even considered a cover for the cover. Guess it'd have to have that though. Totally right about Nas being one who can take license to name an album that. There are very few, if any, other artists today who could truly get away with it.

Another tepid gimmick from the staged fight maven.

OP! doesn't matter anymore. he changed the album name.

http://nahright.com/news/2008/05/19/nas-reneges-changes-album-title/

Damn it. I retract my last statement. Seems like Nas is now having second thoughts and will now name the album just "Nas".

Being neither gay nor in hip-hop, I don’t have much of a clue about what it’s like for people who are. But I’ve always thought it weird that hip-hop did so much to rail against the discrimination, prejudice and violence suffered by people on account of their race or social class, whilst keeping its own little prejudice about sexuality going.

Well, with the revelation that apparently the pressure to change the name got to him, you should discuss that.

As an artist, especially being Nas, I think we can all agree on the fact that he has the liberty to call it what he wants. But, he also needs to sell the album and Def Jam as well as Nas understand that. Did he shy away from controversy? Did he decide he'd rather just call it Nas? Or,did he sellout in order to sell out?

I think you guys are being too deep about this.

I'm sure the record company didn't want him to put it out. So to squash the beef, maybe he decided to call it "untitled".

Either way, EVERYONE still knows what the album was originally called.

True words spoken.

Very well said. I caught that documentary a few years back and found it very insightful. I could not BELIEVE how the popular hip hop artists were reacting to his questions on homosexuality.

THERE ARE NO HOMOS IN HIP HOP!

Homos in music and art, that'll be the day.

I stan for Jay all day!
Always on point!
Speaks the truth!
Very Obama-esque.

Me likey!

The Gay Rapper! Commercial Hip-Hop is designed, orchestrated, manipulated, basically ran by people defined as gay. This is why I don't understand why that industry would have issues with it. People like Busta and other idiots who are homophobic should be sent running. Jay, it is time people realize that being gay IS normal. The ancient Greek society had no word for "gay" or "homosexual". They truly understood the meaning of, "Doing me."

What does he mean when he says Busta Rhymes was "running for the border?" What is he talking about? If any one knows and could shed some light on that it would be greatly appreciated.

true, true, true...

Jay is absolutely correct on this. How could it possibly matter, except in this weird, rarefied make-believe world that capitalism has stolen from its roots, painted on minstrel make-up and sold back to us as "Hip Hop™"?

Hip hops ROOTS didn't have this cartoony quality and binary orthodoxy. Now that the money is drained out of it and the vultures are moving on, perhaps the community will reclaim what has always been its own and reshape it into something more real, organic and based in love- as opposed to the little homunculus of its own greedy face that corporatism twisted the Kultcha into?

just a thought.

oh, and it's eminem.