For the first time in the history of HipHopLinguistics.Com, we have received hate mail. Well, not really hate mail … just a couple kids clowning on the contents of our hip-hop news section. In the month of September, I linked to two articles about the homosexual hip-hop movement:

1. QUEER HIP HOP SHOWCASED IN NEW FILM - About a new documentary called “Pick Up the Mic,” which follows MCs, producers and fans of America’s rapidly growing gay hip-hop movement, and …
2. London to host gay hip hop festival - About London’s upcoming gay hip hop festival, PeaceOUT, which will take place in October.

Ever since these articles have been posted, I have received a handful of emails criticizing us for acknowledging the homosexual hip-hop movement from people who believe there is no place in hip-hop for homosexuals.  

Some think they’re “too corny” for such a hard core and masculine art form. Others think all they’ll talk about is being gay. And even a couple of y’all stupid cats fear that they will turn our children gay, I guess by infecting them with the apparently-contagious gay virus or something.

I’m sorry, but I gotta take just a minute to rant about all those ignorant muthafuckas … I can’t believe that even a small fraction of the hip-hop generation, which is composed of members from all races, ethnicities and social classes, is still stuck in the old-school frame of mind that some people do not deserve basic civil rights and acceptance. Look around for a minute … our generation is the first to have been raised in post-Civil Rights Movement America. As far as I’m concerned, the lessons our parents and grandparents learned in that period don’t just apply to whatever groups we decide to accept at the moment, but to everyone.

How can we be in favor of a certain type of civil rights but not another? People go around quoting Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. while verbally, and sometimes physically, bashing gay cats they run into on the block. Like they can’t even see the hypocrisy in that. I believe that, due to our positioning on the time line of current American and world history, we have been given the opportunity to use the lessons of the past to gain and spread a raised level of consciousness: One that looks beyond race, or ethnicity, or social status … or even sexual preference.

Hip-Hop is rapidly evolving into a forum for people of all types to represent their individual lifestyles, views and beliefs to the world. Anybody and everybody should take advantage of that, whether you’re trying to make your voice heard or listen to what others have to say. As long as gay rappers are saying something real, I’m willing to listen and support. If y’all don’t like it, then go to somebody else’s website.

So support multicultural hip-hop and check out http://www.gayhiphop.com/ for some of the upcoming gay hip-hop acts in your area. You never know … you just might dig some of it. Peace.