[flv:https://www.queerty.com/media/ToriFixx_Woof.mp3 https://www.queerty.com/media/torifixx.jpg 300 200]
Kanye West isn’t the only hip-hop artist whose musical plans were derailed by heartache this year. Tori Fixx, the “godfather of gay hip-hop” had planned to focus his new album “Couture” on the politics of gay relationships, but found himself channeling those issues through the lens of a recent break-up. Of course, while the hip-hop world debates the merits of West’s auto-tuning, precious few are talking about Fixx. The problem? Gay hip-hop skeeves everyone out.
Fixx tells the Washington Blade:
“Sadly, even with credible lyrics and beats, gay rappers like Fixx are unlikely to get much love from DJs at gay clubs.
“The DJs who are receptive to hip-hop are usually kind of receptive to more Top 40, anything that’s on the radio and that’s about it – nothing underground, nothing off the beaten path,” Fixx says.
The hip-hop industry remains fairly averse to gay artists, ignoring them until Ja Rule or Trick Trick or some other desperate rapper tries to draw attention to himself by trashing gay people.
“It’s sad because this is the only way we make it onto web sites like AllHipHop.com, or into many publications, including a lot of gay and lesbian publications that never would have interviewed us,” Fixx says.”
For our money, hip-hop is the cultural medium we swim in, as pervasive and influential as jazz was in the 20s, but rather than embracing pansexuality and diversity as Harlem did then, modern hip-hop does seem pretty stuck on its machismo, perhaps because all the jewelry, fur and fashion could be seen as pretty fey in the wrong light. This is changing a little. Kanye West for example, wrote on his blog this week in praise of RuPaul’s Obama imitation, “I actually feel Ru-Paul is pretty genius… This photo reminds me of some Dave Chapell work.” But for the most part, gay hip-hop stars like Tori Fixx get ignored by both the hip-hop and gay community. Which is a shame, since he’s really good.
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.
If this sort of thing interest’s you, check out hip-hop writer Toure’s 2003 piece in the NYTimes, “Gay Rappers, Too Real For Hip-Hop?” It’s a great read.
dgz
ew. i think it’s more that song that skeeves people out.
i love gay hip-hop in theory, but i think the practice needs perfecting…
did he seriously shout-out to otters? and use the tired “wave your hands in the air like you just don’t care?” in the same song? wow.
trey
yeah…i applaud his being an out emcee, but this track definitely needs some work.
jack
well, i don’t even want to admit how much i enjoyed this because it spoke of my world. now, i suppose that doesn’t make it killer hip hop, but then, i am put off by the vast majority of what passes for hip hop.
what the hell, i am collecting social security, what would i know?
Google
ÐšÐ¾Ð½ÐºÑƒÑ€Ñ Ð´Ð»Ñ Ð±Ð»Ð¾Ð³Ð³ÐµÑ€Ð¾Ð² от DRUGREVENUE Ñ Ð¿Ñ€Ð¸Ð·Ð¾Ð²Ñ‹Ð¼ фондом в 3000 долларов, Ñпешите
Eric
The thing about the album that track comes from (Couture), is that it is so diverse, if you don’t like that song, there is probably only one other at the most that sounds like it.
Preview it: http://cdbaby.com/cd/torifixx6
I applaud Queerty for featuring Tori Fixx, who has been working hard for gay hip hop for many years with only sporadic attention.
Thanks Queerty for posting this!
julian
Gay hip hop is awesome. But that was -not- Tori Fixx’s best work.