Lil’ Kim insists her camp never authorized a performance at this year’s Atlanta Black Gay Pride, where she appeared last year, but that a random fellow pretending to be her rep agreed to a $15,000 fee to get her to perform. But is it all just a scheme by the pint-sized rapper to get out of an event that Nicki Minaj, the sometimes bisexual incoming queen b, would be headlining.
As you might be aware, these two ladies don’t get along, since Kim insists she’s always and forever the reigning queen of hip-hop, and Nicki doesn’t exactly see it that way.
Mario Harris, CEO of Wassup N ATL [which booked Pride’s performers], told Georgia Voice he has never had this kind of problem with booking talent. He said a contract was signed with a man named Tone and money was paid for Lil Kim to perform Saturday. Harris said they are currently in talks with Lil Kim’s assistant to try to somehow make sure she appears at Black Gay Pride as promised to customers. “We’ve got to pay whatever to make this happen,” he said. “We’ve never had an artist not show up. We’re in limbo trying to talk to Lil Kim. And I really feel personally she’s trying to shake us for money.” Harris also theorized that Lil Kim didn’t want to be the “opening act” for red-hot artist Nicki Minaj who is scheduled to play at 3 a.m. at the Freight Depot as part of Traxx’s events for this weekend.
And play she did:
But Kim did show up at ABGP — to party with the gay boys, lesbian ladies, and trans fans, but not perform. (That’s her, barely recognizable anymore, with papi B. Scott. The Real L Word‘s Mikey and Whitney were there too.)
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
And then we realize how stupid all of these contract negotiations and rap feuds are when we hear about the double homicide — twentysomething-year-olds Calvin Streater and Samuel Blizzard were shot dead — while in town for Atlanta Black Gay Pride.
[GAVoice, AJC; photo via KidduNot]
CJ
A black gay pride?
which is it…is race supposed to not matter or is it supposed to matter? Because the same people asking us to be color blind are the first to have a Black only network, a black only Pride, and a Miss Black America pageant with black only contestants. So much for unity, eh?
nineinchnail
Imagine the uproar if there was a white-only gay pride?
Michelle
Perfect way to promote equality: a Pride parade that’s restricted to one race. There’s logic for you.
Join us next year for the Chicano lesbians 18-24 year old Pride parade for left handed LGBT members….you know, to promote all of us being one.
LuisCO
@nineinchnail: Oh please. They can’t have a white naked guy on this site in the model section with out the perenial 15 posts demanding why there aren’t more black models featured. I’m Latino btw, but I know when people take their martyr card and make discrimination out of it, and a black gay pride sounds like nothing to bring our community together, only serves to seperate us more.
Rob from ATL
@CJ:
I am from Atlanta, and I am white. I can explain this in two ways:
A. Black gays are generally ignored by the “official” gay rights movement (meaning the moneyed lobbying centers that cater to upper class gay white professionals) so having an event to express their side of the coin is a response to their exclusion, not them excluding themselves
B. I don’t know any black people telling anyone to be “colorblind”, I only hear white liberals saying that. To stop being a racist society, we can’t ignore race. We have to do the opposite. We have to acknowledge that the color of your skin determines many, not all, but many of the things that affect you in growing up. Also, “black” is not merely a description of the color of a persons skin, but a social ranking. That is why “black pride” is acceptable, along with “gay pride.” Being black, along with being queer, makes you a social outcast that comes with many disadvantages. So when someone says they are “proud to be black” or “proud to be gay”, they aren’t finding pride in some minor biological thing they had no control over. It is a response to the shame you are told to feel and experience for being black, or being gay.
Jeffree
No one is restricted from Black Pride events based in their race. I have been to three & am not African-American & I felt very welcomed.
Don’t forget that some Black people date people of other races/ ethnicities, and of course they attend too.
nineinchnail
@LuisCO: Whats your point?
Luxury
@CJ:
CJ, I’m sorry but you sound so ignorant and naive.. You sound like one of those people who complain about BET with the argument ” If we had White entertainment television, it’d be considered racist” not realizing that that’s what the rest of the networks are. If you’ve ever been to Black Gay Pride you would know that it’s not “Black only” as you put it, but it is an event where Black’s incorporate and celebrate their culture while celebrating and being prideful of their (homo, bi-)sexuality and EVERYONE is welcome.
Lamar
I don’t have a problem with black gay prides, a lot of black gays feel marginalized in the white gay community, in gay clubs generally music that Caucasians typically listen to more than black men are played e.g. techno, trance. A lot of white gays discriminate against blacks too because the media portrays them stereotypically as being homophobic. The reason for a gay pride in the first place is to allow people to be who they are for once instead of having to go along with mainstream society to feel accepted same principle in black gay prides.
In regards to the whole ‘people are always complaining about the lack of black models on morning goods’ well they sorta have a point, supposed 90% of the models were black and the rest white would that not cause even more uproar? Thought so too.
The reasons behind a white only parade would for very different reasons, whites are embraced by the gay culture and blacks are often not so let’s not try to pretend that a white only parade wouldn’t simply attract white neo-nazi’s. Black people are simply not represented enough in society hence the need for Miss Black America for example. The same logic causes gays to make channels dedicated to gay programming like Logo for example, it isn’t heterosexism because most shows don’t center specifically on gays they might just feature one gay character.
By the way the whole left handed analogy is just stupid, how many times have you heard gays discriminated against lefties. Please.
Ryan
@CJ: I am White and my boyfriend is black , and i been to one of the black Pride and their are whites . black, Latino’s, Asians it’s not only open to Blacks . and Rob from ATL is Right in everything he says , i personally think Being a gay black guy does not count as much as being a gay white guy. and the whole black network comment from you C.J is so stupid have you turned on the t.v . mostly all the channels have what on them? all white or mostly white assembled shows , so what, if there is a network out of almost the majority of networks that caters to African Americans. if they don’t create things like that for themselves , i feel they wont be Represented . lets face the facts we still live in a very Racist society although it is not bad as it once was. How can you complain about Unity when Gay African Americans do not get that Same Unity in the Gay Community.
jason
Blacks are self-segregating just like the gay community. In other words, they choose to segregate themselves.
As for Nicki Minaj and Lil Kim, what the hell have they done for the gay community? Zippo, that’s what. I am sick and tired of female pop singers who walk around like strippers, claim to be bisexual, and suddenly we’re fawning all over them.
Why on earth should we gays be a party to this nonsense? We in the gay community are just as retarded as them.
Mark ATL
Atlanta and especially its gay community trails 15 to 20 years behind the culture of the nation. Racism among its residents, especially its gay residents, is deep and kept behind the scenes. The prevailing sentiment in Atlanta is to create a positive brand, a better-than-everyone attitude, at all times and at every opportunity. This attempt at branding themselves as something they are not has resulted in self-delusion among its residents and corporations.
Kev C
@Lamar: “A lot of white gays discriminate against blacks too because the media portrays them stereotypically as being homophobic.”
I see. So the media is to blame for portraying black people as homophobic? Oh wait, it’s the Bullshit hotline. It’s for you!
r
@Lamar:
there re more white people than black people in western countries. there ill be more white models naturally.
r
@r:
lol@the truth being censored.
r
@jason:
“Blacks are self-segregating just like the gay community. In other words, they choose to segregate themselves.”
Blacks I can understand. Gay ppl? no there are still places (like most?) to avoid getting harmed or hurt.
SouLKid
Its obvious the people complaining here dont even know what ‘Black Gay Pride’ is about, which makes it even more important for its existence.
Luxury
Queerty is the fu*king worst. I can’t take all the willful ignorance. I get so embarrassed when I come into posts like. I hope people don’t think we all think like this.
Bryce
There already is a ‘white’ BET. It is called EVERYTHING ON TV! There are so few minorities portrayed in media and that is reflected in the GLBT community leadership. Therefore, a black gay pride event is one of the few times that GLBT of color can stand up and be recognized for existing.
Lamar
Kev C: “I see. So the media is to blame for portraying black people as homophobic? Oh wait, it’s the Bullshit hotline. It’s for you!” –
The media is to blame for portraying blacks as homophobic, how many times have you seen the media portray black churches that accept gays, they do exist but most people are blissfully unaware because they only get exposed to the black homophobes on the media or the occasional black celebrity that is tolerant of gays but this does not accurately reflect reality. Of course, in the black community tolerance of homophobia is not as widespread but there are hundreds of thousands of blacks who are tolerant of us.
R:there re more white people than black people in western countries. there ill be more white models naturally. –
I am aware of that but black models are certainly not that rare but looking at the site you’d think so so it’s a choice deliberately not to feature them that often rather than lack of black models.
jason
The only way to assert yourselves is to invade the mainstream. Don’t let the mainstream get away with segregating you. You were born into the mainstream, and thus reserve the right to assert yourselves in it.
Don’t be intimidated by racists or homophobes.
Kev C
@Lamar: The media doesn’t show black churches that are accepting of gays because such churches are rare. Most black churches and street preachers that I’ve heard openly preach against homosexuality. Some condemn gays, while others are pro-conversion. I’ve never heard any that preach tolerance and support of gays.
concernedcitizen
Some of you guys are so hypocritical and phony I swear…
So let me see if I can get this straight you come to a primarily “Queer” blog (not all inclusive) hence the name “queerty” which has obviously a gay slant and then complain about “black pride” not being unifying…
Um by that logic, then you shouldn’t be coming to Queerty because it isn’t practicing hetero/homo solidarity either…
Just because something is primarily targeted toward a specific audience for ex. queerty primarily catering to LGBT doesn’t mean it is heterophobic and just because something is primarily targeted toward black LGBT doesn’t make it racist…
Grow up!!!!!!
Bilal Shelby
It’s not that we’re trying to separate ourselves. It’s a cultural thing. The gay community is dominated by white men. When you think of famous gay men (famous like household name famous) not many black names come to mind. Black Pride is an event to connect with other african american gay people.
B
The crap on this forumn is hilarious. THE WHOLE POINT OF BLACK PRIDE IS FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS
1. for members of the black community to openly accept the lgbt community, whatever race
2. a celebration for the lgbt community in the hip hop r&b community (because not everyone likes techno and crappy house music)
3. for other gays to experience a celebration in the black lgbt community.
It’s not “I wanna celebrate pride but just with black people”.
It’s about sharing and celebrating your culture with others straight, whatever race.
B
@nineinchnail:
It’s not black only. white people are completely welcome to go.
its about black gay culture.
Marcus M
Can I just cut the tension and say that I freaking love Nicki Minaj!?
Black Pegasus
LOL
I’m just speechless at the woeful ignorance displayed (and Hidden)
within these comments… But oh well, this is Queerty…
Anyhoo, I enjoyed my BLACK GAY PRIDE Weekend…Hope yours
was safe as well…
**Toodles**
johnosahon
I find the people complaining about gay black pride HILARIOUS, why are there gay events then? what is the point of celebrating gay pride, you don’t see heterosexuals celebrating straight pride.
J.
@Black Pegasus: STFU. You even sound like a nelly queen that I would ignore at a bar….
harman/kardon
@J: No one cares who you ignore. The reality is that most people are actually ignoring you.
J.
@harman/kardon: If they are fat and ugly then by all means…
(Both of which you and Pegasus probably are)
Klarth
off topic, I first encountered B Scott on Tyra. Mom was watching it, and it was that ep about fashion disasters. Remember, Scott was going around critiquing people?
At first we thought Scott was a lean cis woman, but we caught on after a bit. Then I felt kind of silly.
So, I don’t know anything about this person. Is “he” or “she” appropriate? Also, he kinda cute. Not my taste, but werk it!
Anyway, time has not been kind of Lil Kim, I see.
She mad b/c Nicki may have jacked her swagga. IDK.
Also, I’m sorry to hear about the homicides…*shakes head*