User:LHK428/LGBT representations in hip hop music

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LGBTQ+ representations in hip hop music have existed since the birth of the genre despite blatant discrimination. Hip hop has long been portrayed as one of the least LGBT-friendly genres of music, with a significant body of the genre containing homophobic views and anti-gay lyrics. Attitudes towards homosexuality in hip hop culture have historically been negative. Slang that uses homosexuality as a punchline like "sus", "no homo", and "pause" can be heard in hip hop lyrics from the industry’s biggest stars. However, since the early 2000s there has been a flourishing community of LGBTQ+ hip hop artists, activists and performers breaking barriers in the mainstream music industry.

Labels such as homo hop or queer hip hop group all artists identifying as members of the LGBTQ+ community into a subgenre of hip hop based solely on their sexuality. These subgenre labels are not marked by any specific production style, as artists within it may simultaneously be associated with virtually any other subgenre of hip hop, or may also make music that falls outside the subgenre entirely. Rather, the terms are defined by a direct engagement with LGBT culture in elements such as the lyrical themes or the artist's visual identity and presentation.

Artists who have been labelled as part of the genre have, however, varied in their acceptance of the terminology. Some have supported the identification of a distinct phenomenon of "LGBTQ+ hip hop" as an important tool for promoting LGBTQ+ visibility in popular music, while others have criticized it for essentially ghettoizing their music as a "niche" interest that circumscribed their appeal to mainstream music fans.

Many artists have contributed to the increased visibility and social acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community's presence in hip hop music, most notably Frank Ocean, who penned an open letter addressing his sexuality in 2012. Artists such as Mykki Blanco, Big Freedia, Le1f, Tyler, the Creator, Backxwash and Cakes da Killa are also at the forefront of creating a more inclusive representation of bodies in the hip hop genre.[original research?] There has also been an increased presence of LGBTQ+ allies in the mainstream hip hop community, such as Jay-Z, Murs, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis.

Origins (1970s)
Hip-Hop was developed in the late 1970s following the popularity of disco. Disco music, which contains origins within Black American culture, had an impact on hip-hop from samples to early hip-hop fashion. The disco scene which was derived from disco music was known for its vibrant nightlife that was considered a haven for those in the LGBTQ+ community, particularly LGBTQ+ youth of color.

Despite these origins, early hip-hop artists expressed anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments and epithets common of the time in their music. Sugarhill Gang's 1979 song "Rapper’s Delight", the first hip hop record to become a top 40 hit, referred to fictional character Superman as a "fairy" for wearing a skin-tight garment.

1980s-1990s
During what was considered third-wave feminism, there was an infusion of Black feminist thought into hip-hop by way of Black women in the genre who emphasized issues of race, gender, and sexuality. This included Black LGBTQ+ musicians like Meshell Ndegeocello whose 1993 Plantation Lullabies is considered an example of the evolving attitudes and politics of the hip hop generation, specifically from younger Black feminists. According to Andreana Clay, “Ndegeocello's lyrics are a product of early Black feminism, radical lesbian feminism, and hip-hop feminism.”

In her music, Ndegocello has addressed sexuality and Blackness as a Black bisexual woman, garnering a following from LGBTQ+ feminists of color. Her musical content and appearance also drew criticism from certain listeners and radio stations who refused to play her music. The ideas of Black queer and lesbian feminism influenced hip hop during a moment when politics surrounding sexuality, gender, and race were shifting.

Although more radical queer politics were influencing more mainstream areas of music and society, discrimination remained and LGBTQ+ artists continued to face marginalization and barriers in airtime and commercial success.