Bash’d, a two-person gay hip-hop opera, written and performed by Edmonton’s Chris Craddock and Nathan Cuckow, grew out of a spike in gay bashings in Alberta, Canada. These bashings took place in 2005 and coincided with former Alberta premier Ralph Klein’s last-ditch battle to stop gay marriage in the province.
Klein’s reign is one for the history books now, the bashings are mere statistics in the hate-crime folder and same-sex marriages have been legal in Alberta since July, 2005, but ever since it premiered in Edmonton in October, 2006, Bash’d has been unstoppable. (more…)
Minneapolis, MN - The Homorevolution Tour involves a group of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender hip-hop artists who travel the country spreading their message of equality and reality.
The Homorevolution Tour, or Homorev, as the artists involved call it, is still breaking new ground in Minnesota and all around the country. It is the first city-to-city tour of GLBT hip-hop artists. Minneapolis was the tour’s last stop, for now. The organizers, like creator Camilo Arenivar and Midwest tour manager Bigg Nugg said that they are taking this tour in spurts because the artists are essentially funding their own tour. (more…)
Traditional hip-hop lyrics about guns, women and homophobia are about to face a new competitor in the race for young Americans’ hearts and minds.
Princeton religious professor Cornel West has released an album designed to counter rap’s negative image, with major names like KRS-One and Levert participating.
“We need to respectfully challenge [rappers] on the issues of misogyny and homophobia,” says West. “You can hear that on the album, too. Quit bashing gay brothers and lesbian sisters. Quit this domestic violence.” (more…)
Vinnie Paz, the vocal half of Philadelphia’s Jedi Mind Tricks, is notorious in the underground hip-hop universe for his dark lyrics and concise rhymes that speak directly to what’s going on in his head.
JMT’s most recent record, “Servants in Heaven, Kings in Hell,” spans the vast landscape of Vinnie’s thoughts - including suicide and war - and fits perfectly with producer Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind’s array of vivid beats and melodies. (more…)
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:
- 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 …
- 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. (more…)
