Frenetic Posted August 18, 2005 Report Share Posted August 18, 2005 "NEW YORK - Kanye West says "gay" has become an antonym to hip-hop — and that it needs to be stopped. Cell Phones Shoes Laptops Clothing Digital Cameras Home & Dorm During an interview for an MTV special, the 27-year-old rapper launched into a discussion about hip-hop and homosexuality while talking about "Hey Mama," a song on his upcoming album, "Late Registration." West says that when he was young, people would call him a "mama's boy." "And what happened was, it made me kind of homophobic, 'cause it's like I would go back and question myself," West says on the show, "All Eyes on Kanye West," set to air Thursday night (10:30 p.m. ET). West says he changed his ways, though, when he learned one of his cousins was gay. "It was kind of like a turning point when I was like, `Yo, this is my cousin. I love him and I've been discriminating against gays.'" West says hip-hop was always about "speaking your mind and about breaking down barriers, but everyone in hip-hop discriminates against gay people." He adds that in slang, gay is "the opposite, the exact opposite word of hip-hop." Kanye's message: "Not just hip-hop, but America just discriminates. And I wanna just, to come on TV and just tell my rappers, just tell my friends, `Yo, stop it.'" West, whose debut disc "The College Dropout" won a Grammy for best rap album, will see his second record in stores on Aug. 30." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpinJack AJ Posted August 19, 2005 Report Share Posted August 19, 2005 Nice point. One of my friends gets really bent outta shape if anyone says something like "That's gay." He retaliates like "what's that supposed to mean?" Then goes on "you are using that in a negative, offensive way...is what i am offensive to you?" I think he over reacts, but i also know how he has 2 feel that the word has been so bastardized from it's real meaning...being transformed in 2 a general negative word. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schnazz Posted August 19, 2005 Report Share Posted August 19, 2005 It's good to see Kanye making that statement. It's messed up how it's now ok to trash homosexuality. It always kills me how being anti-gay is fine, but being a sexist, racist, etc... is wrong. It's all wrong. As for "That's gay!" That pisses me to no end. It's bigotry, no two ways about it. It doesn't matter that it's now a mainstream phrase. Just because the majority of people think homosexuality's wrong, doesn't mean that it actually is. Nor does it mean that it's ok to hate. Words and subtle actions are important. If you continually hear bad things about yourself, you'll start thinking your a bad person. And if you (you in general, not AJ) think that it's actually wrong to be gay, try reversing the rolls for a bit. Did you choose to like people of the opposite sex? Did you choose to be attracted to any of the people you're attracted to? Did you choose who you love? No, no one does. It's just part of who we are. How would you like it if people where constanty putting out the idea that you had to sleep with members of the same sex, and couldn't sleep with members of the opposite sex? I'm willing to bet that you wouldn't be too happy with that situation. Ok, I'm done ranting now. Sorry to go off. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Amor Posted August 19, 2005 Report Share Posted August 19, 2005 It's good to see Kanye making that statement. It's messed up how it's now ok to trash homosexuality. It always kills me how being anti-gay is fine, but being a sexist, racist, etc... is wrong. It's all wrong. As for "That's gay!" That pisses me to no end. It's bigotry, no two ways about it. It doesn't matter that it's now a mainstream phrase. Just because the majority of people think homosexuality's wrong, doesn't mean that it actually is. Nor does it mean that it's ok to hate. Words and subtle actions are important. If you continually hear bad things about yourself, you'll start thinking your a bad person. And if you (you in general, not AJ) think that it's actually wrong to be gay, try reversing the rolls for a bit. Did you choose to like people of the opposite sex? Did you choose to be attracted to any of the people you're attracted to? Did you choose who you love? No, no one does. It's just part of who we are. How would you like it if people where constanty putting out the idea that you had to sleep with members of the same sex, and couldn't sleep with members of the opposite sex? I'm willing to bet that you wouldn't be too happy with that situation. Ok, I'm done ranting now. Sorry to go off. :) ← :iagree: Yeah good 2 see Kanye make a stand. 2 many ppl are like afraid 2 say something about it. It is sad when ppl say "that is gay" and not even have a second thought about it. Even some rappers use it in their songs and not even think about what they are saying. Thats what Will is saying in Lost and Found that rappers are just saying stuff and not realizing what the impact it is going to have which is teaching hate. Thats why bigotry ain't never going away if we allow sayings like this to be ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigted Posted August 19, 2005 Report Share Posted August 19, 2005 (edited) Kanye West has a MTV special? Damn he might outsell 50 Cent now, a lot of people watch that show, it's kinda messed up they didn't do one for Will when his album dropped, if they sat down to interview him the album could be selling better right now. I'm gonna have to peep out the re-run 'cause I was watching the "Bobby Brown Show" last night. Edited August 19, 2005 by bigted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scyhigh99 Posted August 19, 2005 Report Share Posted August 19, 2005 (edited) Props to Kanye for standing up against gay-bashing, of course. :dope: But just a few thoughts of mine on using the word "gay" as slang... I do not particularly like when people use "gay" as slang for bad, or uncool, or anything generally negative. However, I get even more frustrated when people assume that others who use the word in this fashion are being hateful or are homophobic. The fact is, "gay" has become a colloquialism, and there are plenty of people who have simply had this word engrained in their informal speech. Especially in certain regions (such as here in the Boston area), where it's really part of the local vernacular... A friend of mine was recently accused of being a gay-basher on an online forum because he used "gay" as slang. Of course, it was a speech & debate forum, and he had joined only as a joke, immediately starting a thread about how much he hated this activity (ie: "hello, I'm new here, and speech & debate is gay). But ANYways, the point is, he claimed that these people were being presumptious, didn't understand the concept of conversational language, and were fabricating controversy. I agreed. To an extent. My take is: sure, many people who use "gay" as slang aren't trying to imply anything about homosexuality, and it's probably ignorant to assume they are, but these people should probably make a point to try to delete this expression from their speech (I have), knowing the origins of it are hateful and that it could easily send the wrong messages. It's not a matter of malice for alot of people; it's a matter of learning to have more tact in their word choice. How's THAT for a highly unnecessary rant?? :thud: This is what I do when I'm bored. :davidblaine: Edited August 19, 2005 by scyhigh99 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WesSyde Posted August 19, 2005 Report Share Posted August 19, 2005 well i use "gay" all the time to mean something i dislike. it's just part of my speech. i use it, my friends use it, we don't hate gays. nobody gives us a hard time about it and i don't personally have gay friends. although i sometimes think differently about gay people i don't hate them. i think it's wrong like Scy said for people to assume that you're being homophobic. i use it all the time that's just part of slang these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schnazz Posted August 19, 2005 Report Share Posted August 19, 2005 But ANYways, the point is, he claimed that these people were being presumptious, didn't understand the concept of conversational language, and were fabricating controversy. I gotta disagree with this. Anti-homosexuality is very prevelent, so what am I supposed to think when someone says "That's gay!" ? A large number of people (probably vast majority) who say "That's gay!" actually think that it's bad to be gay. So when I hear a derogatory phrase against homosexuality, I rightfully think that the person making that derogatory statement is in the wrong and anti-homosexuality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenetic Posted August 19, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2005 I'm wiith schnazz on this one.. The gay community is much like the black community or the Jews when they had their worst time. That would be like in the 60's saying "Hey! That's Nig*g*er!" when meaning that's boring or like whatever u use gay for. The whole discussion reminds me of the islam-hating going on right now.. It's like.. "we don't hate muslim.. but i don't want them in my country". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scyhigh99 Posted August 19, 2005 Report Share Posted August 19, 2005 The whole discussion reminds me of the islam-hating going on right now.. It's like.. "we don't hate muslim.. but i don't want them in my country". ← It's not like that at all (MaxFly-style bolding). You can't compare that statement in quotes with 90% of slang usage of gay. What you gave is an example of territorialism, mixed with blatant racism. I'm talking about pure colloquial language that has nothing to do with homosexuality. ANYways, I can see what you're saying, Schnazz, but I respectfully disagree with your disagreement (smooth wording). Of course, anti-homosexuality does exist, and it's a problem that needs to be addressed in our society, but for you to assume that people who use the word "gay" as slang fall into this category, isn't really fair... Again, I wanna emphasize that I make a conscious effort not to use "gay," because I realize what it can imply to some people, etc. And I think other people should just stop using the word, too-- even tho it can be difficult when its so a part of your normal vocabulary. But it needs to made clear that for at least some people-- and I don't know the percentages or ratios, Schnazz, maybe you've encountered more people who are truely anti-homosexual than I have-- it really is just a matter of poor word choice, and they don't deserved to be labeled as bad people for this. Aaaaaaaaaaaand, done. :dope: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Posted August 19, 2005 Report Share Posted August 19, 2005 this whole thread is gay....i must now go hug a tree sorry...had to be done..:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scyhigh99 Posted August 20, 2005 Report Share Posted August 20, 2005 this whole thread is gay....i must now go hug a tree sorry...had to be done..:) ← :3-laugh3: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schnazz Posted August 20, 2005 Report Share Posted August 20, 2005 this whole thread is gay....i must now go hug a tree sorry...had to be done..:) ← "Again, I wanna emphasize that I make a conscious effort not to use "gay," because I realize what it can imply to some people, etc." I wasn't trying to aim any hate your way. :) But I do find the need to use this smiley: :daveuidiot: :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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