Since same-sex marriage was legalized in the United States in 2013, thus cementing the acceptance of the minority group into the human tapestry of the country, there has been a snowball effect in the integration of men and women. gay women in various areas of American life. However, despite the statement of acceptance in US law, gay members of some communities still find it difficult to be publicly gay; especially in politics and hip-hop. Nevertheless, the integration of gay people into these communities has been slow, so much so that we have a list of famous gay rappers.
Change, they say, is constant and hip-hop, which is primarily a macho industry, is now seeing a revolution of talent who are openly gay. Some of them are budding artists who have let their sexuality become part of their identity as they grew in the industry, while others have found the courage to come forward after years. seniority in the industry. Be that as it may, the relationship between hip-hop and the gay community is increasingly evolving and tending to be totally accepted.
In this list, we document a few rappers who are leading the battle for acceptance and normalization of minority groups in hip-hop. Check out our list of famous rappers who are gay.
1. Frank Ocean
It’s perhaps impossible to talk about gay rappers and queer influences in hip-hop without mentioning Frank Ocean. The rapper, who is also an acclaimed singer, producer and photographer, is one of the most famous names in the gay hip-hop community and one of the biggest names in hip-hop.
He came out as a gay entertainer in quintessential dramatic fashion in a 2012 Tumblr post, announcing his sexuality to the world. He received support from different sections of hip-hop, including giants Jay Z and Beyoncé.
Frank Ocean has released two albums to critical acclaim and resounding commercial success, proving to budding queer artists that their sexuality is not a barrier. It also received several Grammy nominations, including a win for Best Urban Contemporary Album from Canal Orange. Besides the Grammys, the lone rapper has several other major awards under his belt.
2. Young MA – Famous rappers who are also gay
As the battle rages between the majors, Katorah Marrero, popularly known as Young MA, is one of the country’s top female rappers. The rapper has been nominated for BET and MTV awards as Artist of the Year and has been featured in prestigious publications such as The New York Times and Vogue Magazine. Her sexuality, which is clearly gay, hasn’t stopped her from appearing in global advertising campaigns for major international brands such as Beats by Dre, Pandora and Google Pixel 2.
In 2018, she was featured in a Forbes magazine 30 under 30 list. If there is an example of what an aspiring rapper can achieve regardless of their sexuality, provided they have the talent, one only has to take a look at Young MA’s career to get the message across. , and she still has a lot of milestones to hit. to reach.
3. Mykki Blanco – (Michael David Quattlebaum Jr.)
One of the major issues for the gay community regardless of their industry is HIV/AIDS. While the disease only sees an overall decrease in stigma, being HIV-positive and gay in the world of hip-hop is basically playing life in hard mode. But Mykki Blanco chose to live his truth and he is one of the big names in the industry. The California-born rapper had a rocky start to life and, he says, was considering quitting music, but the support he’s witnessed since becoming an HIV-positive gay man kept him going.
He currently has a studio album, Mykki, to his name which was released in 2016. He has also released several other EPs and mixtapes. His second album is slated for release in 2019. With the track he blazed, he easily earned a spot on our list of famous rappers who are also gay.
4. iLove Makonnen (Makonnen Sheran)
The list of famous rappers might still be heavily skewed towards heterosexual rappers, but in a few years, when the big names like Jay Z, Eminem or Kanye West have retired, the tapestry of hip-hop musicians will be racially and heterogeneous. sexual and one of the rappers who will lead this charge is iLoveMakonnen. The American rapper had risen to prominence since remixing his song into Canadian rap legend Drake. Since then, his name has been on the lips of many hip-hop fans. He has worked with prominent producers such as Metro Boomin, Mike Will Made It and 808 Mafia. He is currently signed to Warner Bros. Records.
5. Kevin Abstract (Clifford Simpson)
When Frank Ocean came out in 2012, the general belief was that it would inspire other artists to live their truth and use their voice to quell the industry stigma. It was a move that was meant to have effects that would show up 5-10 years after it happened, but surprisingly had an immediate impact. Multi-talented rapper and video director Kevin Abstract credits Frank Ocean for inspiring him. The rapper imbued his music with a gay man, hoping to let his truth do what Frank Ocean did for him after he wrote the Tumblr post. He has two studio albums to his name, MTV1987 and American Boyfriend: A Suburban Love Story. He is also a member of a small band, Brockhampton.
6. Azealia Banks – Famous rappers who are also gay
Azealia Banks might be most famous for her often controversial views and behaviors on social media, but the outspoken rapper, singer and actress has helped create a narrative where LGBT artists make the news for things other than their sexuality, allowing the integration of gay artists as people with a normal life who deal with their regular problems and challenges. Azealia has two mixtapes to her name and a studio album released in 2014. She is currently signed to Interscope Records.
7. Queen Pen – (Lynise Walters)
Before the Supreme Court made life easier for gay people, some had to endure the hardship of living in the shadows, both in their community as people and in their profession as musicians, especially hip-hop. Lynise Walters, nicknamed Queen Pen, has been a professional rapper since 1994.
She has several charting singles to her name, which earned her Soul Train nominations. She previously released a song called “Girlfriend” which caused controversy within the hip-hop community due to its outspoken lesbian themes. The controversy forced her on a three-year hiatus before returning to release an album in 2001.
Queen Pen is also a writer who has published two novels – Situations: A Collection of Short Stories and Flower: A Novel.
8. Big Freedia (Freddie Ross)
You probably won’t find a bolder rapper than Big Freedia. His inclusion on our list of famous rappers who are also gay is a no-brainer.
The New Orleans-based rapper is credited as the Queen of Bounce Music, a popular hip-hop genre in New Orleans. She has made herself a figurehead of the genre. She has performed on various top platforms, such as Last Call with Carson Daly and Jimmy Kimmel Live!. She has five studio albums to her name, with a most recent album, Third Room Bounce EP released in 2018. She was also featured on Drake’s Nice For What Track.
9. Deadlee (Joseph Thomas Lee)
Deadlee is one of the leading voices in the gay hip-hop community who uses his music to challenge gay stigma and discrimination in the industry and around the world. The rapper whose career began in 2000 is also married. A controversial rapper who is quick to call his rappers whom he considers homophobic, he has made the news on major outlets including CNN, The Guardian and Rolling Stone. He has two albums to his name, 7 Deadlee Sins and Assault With A Deadlee Gun.
10. Zebra Katz (Ojay Morgan)
Zebra Katz started her career in the early 2010s with a single, Ima Read. Ojay is a songwriter and rapper who shot to mainstream fame when a snippet of his song, Ima Read was used as the soundtrack at Paris Fashion Week. Although he has yet to release an album, he has several projects under his belt, including two mixtapes, four EPs and three singles.
A name of honor on this list of famous rappersQueen Latifah, who is also gay, is known for her long-term relationships with women, although she has never publicly admitted that she is gay. Her last relationship, which was with Jeannette Jenkins, lasted eight years and she was spotted dating a new lady, Eboni Nichols. The rap and movie icon may not have come to terms with his sexuality yet, but his lifestyle has been an inspiration to the LGBT community.
