Lil B releases "I'm Gay" album with "I'm Happy" clarification
Sat. July 2, 2011 6:24 AM by GoPride.com News Staff
Los Angeles, CA -
Last April, Berkley, Calif.-born Brandon McCartney, the 23-year-old rapper better known as Lil B, made headlines and created controversy when he announced his new album would be titled "I'm Gay." That album dropped on June 29 without mention of homosexuality.
"I'm gonna do the most controversial thing in hip-hop," Lil B told the crowd at Coachella. "Ya'll heard it first. And I'mma just show you that words don't mean s--t. I'mma make an album called 'I'm Gay,' right."
At the time, fans, the music industry and gay rights advocates, including GLAAD, were left wondering if the announcement was merely a publicity stunt or a declaration.
Lil B responded, telling MTV, ""I got major love for the gay and lesbian community, and I just want to push less separation and that's why I'm doing it.I hope GLAAD sees that I'm taking initial steps to break barriers."
The rapper, who is heterosexual, said he began receiving death threats after the announcement.
Lil B told CNN in May, "I hope that I can turn some of my fans that might be homophobic or supporters that might be homophobic and say, ‘You know what, we're all one people. This is love.' It's just respect, and I did that to bring people together and bring more love and to spark the minds of people and not let words and judgments and stereotypes stop you from loving."
But when the album dropped this week, Lil B clarified the "I'm Gay" album title with an 'I'm Happy' in parentheses and there is no mention of homosexuality.
Lupe Fiasco took to his site and said, "Let me make something abundantly clear, the title ‘I'm Gay (I'm Happy)' I think is absolute genius. Those two words together side by side in almost any format in the society we live in can be a cultural and social death sentence.
"The word ‘gay' referring to homosexuality in the minds of the ‘guilty,' as well call them here, sent shockwaves throughout our hip-hop community. Making Lil B the target of attack and ridicule. But Lil B's ultimate intention and preference for the word ‘gay' was its ‘one who is happy' definition. So basically my lil homey was being attacked for being happy."
Lil B's new album is available as a free download from his site.
"I'm gonna do the most controversial thing in hip-hop," Lil B told the crowd at Coachella. "Ya'll heard it first. And I'mma just show you that words don't mean s--t. I'mma make an album called 'I'm Gay,' right."
At the time, fans, the music industry and gay rights advocates, including GLAAD, were left wondering if the announcement was merely a publicity stunt or a declaration.
Lil B responded, telling MTV, ""I got major love for the gay and lesbian community, and I just want to push less separation and that's why I'm doing it.I hope GLAAD sees that I'm taking initial steps to break barriers."
The rapper, who is heterosexual, said he began receiving death threats after the announcement.
Lil B told CNN in May, "I hope that I can turn some of my fans that might be homophobic or supporters that might be homophobic and say, ‘You know what, we're all one people. This is love.' It's just respect, and I did that to bring people together and bring more love and to spark the minds of people and not let words and judgments and stereotypes stop you from loving."
But when the album dropped this week, Lil B clarified the "I'm Gay" album title with an 'I'm Happy' in parentheses and there is no mention of homosexuality.
Lupe Fiasco took to his site and said, "Let me make something abundantly clear, the title ‘I'm Gay (I'm Happy)' I think is absolute genius. Those two words together side by side in almost any format in the society we live in can be a cultural and social death sentence.
"The word ‘gay' referring to homosexuality in the minds of the ‘guilty,' as well call them here, sent shockwaves throughout our hip-hop community. Making Lil B the target of attack and ridicule. But Lil B's ultimate intention and preference for the word ‘gay' was its ‘one who is happy' definition. So basically my lil homey was being attacked for being happy."
Lil B's new album is available as a free download from his site.