50-Cent, who once bragged about being damn near un-killable, has shuffled back from multiple hateful statements and tweets he’s made about queer people, after being challenged by LGBT activists and bloggers. Black queer activists have for years organized against homophobic lyrics in hip-hop and in Jamaican dancehall music, causing artists to lose concert dates and endorsements. (Of course, Eminem hasn’t paid the same price as black artists; he dared to share a stage with Elton John a decade ago as “proof” he loves the gays and all was forgiven.) Even Funkmaster Flex and Charlamagne tha God, while trading on-air jibes, have been careful to insist that they don’t discriminate against anyone’s sexual preferences (set aside the fact that a beef over Cee’s sexuality is in and of itself homo- and transphobic). No one can afford to have already dwindling corporate sponsors pulled. These days, pissing off any audience that seems to be buying music, like them or not, does not make good business sense.
—Kenyon Farrow, the Brooklyn-based writer-activist and former executive director at Queers for Economic Justice, sees 50 Cent’s defense of Mister Cee after his blowjob scandal as both a moral and business decision [via]
James
I think most white gays don’t listen to hip hop music,but black gays do and I think he doesn’t want people to stop buying his music.
The sane Francis
No secret. We’ve gained *enough* of a voice/acceptance/visibility where now many of these homophobes think twice before being homophobic publicly, and try to basically play the PC line and/or learn to be tolerant, because they know there will be hell to pay if they aren’t. That’s not necessarily a good thing, though. Because the whole “I’m not going to say nothing bad about it” strategy isn’t getting at the heart of the real issues in the hip-hop community when it comes to homophobia, because that is something bad going on. But, really, the amount of INSECURITY that the hip-hop community has towards anything gay-related is really almost laughable, since these guys play themselves off as such thugs.
A lot of it also is because most of these men are DL anyway, and they don’t want their covers blown. So, in their eyes, best to keep quiet than let the cat out the bag.
reason
@James: Whites are the biggest consumers of hip hop, and that includes gays. Look at any rap concert or venture onto any college campus. If you are a old timer your view makes since, out of touch with society, but old timers of all races are not likely to listen to rap. I personally wouldn’t be into listening to stuff that degrades anyone gays, straights, women, or otherwise.
TheRealAdam
@reason: I seriously doubt most white gays listen to rap music. And since whites are the majority in this country, it would make sense that they are the largest consumers of all music genres, hip hop included.
TwlightoftheDogs
The Real:
White gays do not need to listen to hip hop in order to make 50 Cent sensitive to the fact that those whites who do are likely to have a problem with homophobia.
However, that being said, Queerty gets it wrong- I think its about the fact that he’s getting older and the same shit he was saying a few years ago as he’s a guy with a lot of money now and has met a lot more people is starting to wear thin for him. He’s probably still a phobe, but being exposed to a wider number of people makes it harder, unless one is a total Christianist, to maintain the intensity.
:)
I’m a white gay that listens to hip-hop.
I’m a fan of Mister Cee. I would like it if he came out, but I’m not going to hold him to a higher standard just because he’s black. Let’s face it, there are plenty of famous people of all races who are in the closet. He should come out but I would be empathetic if he doesn’t, I haven’t lived his life and can’t know his inner dialog.
Obviously, getting head in public was a bad choice but it made sense to him at the time. He’s probably paranoid about being seen with gay-looking men so he goes for discreet encounters. He’s savvy enough not to bring a trick back to his place so car sex was the best choice (all be it a bad one). Maybe next time maybe try a no-tell. I’m guessing he was more worried about being caught by a fan with a cameraphone than by the police.
I listen because I like the music. I’m not convinced that white musicians are as a whole less homophobic. Hip-hop songs have more words in them and discuss different topics than say rock music. It’s a different medium. Just because some rappers say fag in a song or on twitter doesn’t mean that hip-hop as a whole is homophobic.
Should rappers stop writing homophobic lyrics? Of course. Can hip-hop do better than it’s doing? Obviously it can, but we don’t need to make enemies. Some rappers are better than others and you can’t hold them all responsible for what some of them say.
As for 50, he’s ok as a rapper, better as a businessman. He’s right on this issue, but I don’t trust him because he’s a Republican.
reason
@TheRealAdam: I don’t know what century you are living in.
alan brickman
so much stupid on this site….
zeb
so much fatness and stupidness going on in alan brickman’s brain….. so much ugly….. such a waste of time of words of space…..
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Unfortunately lotsa businesses hate the Gay lifestyle, but damm they love those Gay dollars…….
jamienoir
You’re asking if a man who named himself after money is only motivated by money? Is this a trick question?
Lefty
Didn’t Eminem actually say after he performed with Elton John that he didn’t know he was gay or something?
The inference being I suppose that if he’d known he wouldn’t have performed with him.
They’re supposed to be friends now though aren’t they? I think Reg gave Marshall some advice on drugs and fame and looking like a school dinner lady…