deadlee, a gay, blaxican rapper, was featured on cnn video today (oh, what a refreshing change!), interviewing in los angeles with ted rowlands. rowlands' questions are in bold.

Hip-hop homophobia (3:52)

[Eminem] had a song called "Criminal" where he says, 'do I hate fags? The answer is yes'…I work with gay youth, and they’re always listening to his music, and it just bothered me. these kids are supporting [his music], buying his stuff, but he’s talking crap about us. I said, you know...I’m going to be out with my music and give an alternative to young gay kids or anyone with an open mind, and you know, let them decide, and you know, there will be open gay artists out there with their own story to tell...

the whole basis i think of hip-hop from the get-go was your struggle, about being real, whoever you were, you know. For early artists there was the black struggle, about being poor. Today I think gay people are the ones really struggling…I just decided to tell my story

you say that hip-hop and other music actually is the same thing, it’s about honesty and the artist’s interpretation of honesty. Well if one artist is honestly homophobic, is it just that person’s opinion and shouldn’t that person also be honest?

you know,i think an artist has a responsibility, too…i mean, there’s the deal like I said, that song with eminem, 'do I hate fags the answer’s yes'--if he had said the same thing, 'do I hate blacks, the answer’s yes,' 'do i hate hispanics, the answer’s yes,' i think eminem would be dead today. i think he’s trying to pick on the people he thinks are weak and can’t defend themselves. and i’m kind of stepping up to the game, and all kinds of homo-rappers saying we’re not weak, we can go head-to-head with you in the rap game, and even in a political stance and say, you know, we’re here and you can’t be picking on us. it’s so easy for people to say i hate gays. it’s like the one group of people that it’s still okay to hate ion

within a song they’re calling each other the “f” word. what’s your take on that, where is it coming from, and why is it wrong?

they don’t know the power in the word.  i mean that word is thrown around so on the playgrounds you know little kids are being called faggot. they’re getting beat up because they might be a … you know, think they’re a little sissy, or whatever. you know, i don’t think they really understand the power in those words.

the “f” word should be on par with the “n” word. is that accurate? and do you think it’s a long way to go before you get there?

i been using the “n” word in my stuff. and the reason why i’m doing it is because I’m trying to take the power away, just like i think early black rappers used “n” word in their music and it’s kind of taking the power of that word and so i know a lot of gay rap artists will use that word, but i think we can do it because we are gay and i think that’s our right we can use that word just like the blacks can use the “n” word I think we can do it.

i have been doing research on black masculinities in the caribbean and latin america, and how they are altered through diaspora. i have read those who've criticized the conflation of the "black struggle" with the "gay struggle." i've also seen pictures of two iranian youths being hung for having been labeled "homosexual."

this guy is highly intelligent. and i'm not typing that because i believe most rappers to be unintelligent (god, i hate that my field always has me posting disclaimers for complimenting one group over another--take me out to the bhabha pasture and shoot me, for god's sake). he just is, okay, you crazy postcolonialists? he's making a bold, theoretical statement in a highly homophobic business and community. he is reclaiming language, naming, and empowerment. yeah, the interviewer is a bit of an idiot, but you'll have this.

from gaypac. the lyrics are blunt and brutal, sex tied to violence and submission to it:

ain't been in pussy since the day of my birth
freak of the industry, breaking the curse
strapped with my 9, suicidal like curt
do as I say or you faggots get hurt
get on your knees, pretend you're in church
gonna blow your brains out, send ya home in a hearse...

gangstas line up for their kicks
don't know what I don't know, but I do know dick.
dissing faggots blindly,
i'm doing you the same
unless you change the rules in this fucked up rap game
realest nigga out there, 50 cent, you lookin tame
homothug for life, G-A-Y-N-G-bang
crucified for the truth, like jesus I will hang
when the faggots strike, i will take the blame
sunday bloody sunday, they killing in my name
spell it, D-E-A-D-L-E-E, for all the years of shame

check him out:

http://vivirlatino.com/2006/07/13/blaxican-gay-rapper-in-your-face.php

http://www.myspace.com/deadleeofficial