In the late rapper Pimp C’s voice, “News alert!” Your favorite rapper is gay. News alert again, no one cares. It’s 2022, and being a part of the LGBTQA+ community is no longer a shocking revelation. In fact, unless you’re living under a conservative boulder in the middle south of America, the entire concept of being true to oneself, including one’s sexuality, should be normalized by now — especially with Gen Zers taking charge.
The only way such a revelation would be such a headline is if the person living in their truth has been deceptive up to that point. Some call it being “downlow.”
In the case of Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) rapper Isaiah Rashad, who was the victim of revenge porn and sexuality shaming when a video of him engaging in intimate activities with the same sex surfaced across social media, a few fans are arguing his closeted sexuality coupled with pretending to be an aggressive, heterosexual rapper and 30-year-old father to children with women was a downright malicious fabrication of who he is and insight to his shady character. That ain’t P, that’s tough.
While the criticism runs rapid from closed-minded individuals that are giving the situation more clout than it deserves, paid sponsors of hip hop are releasing monolithic toned headlines claiming a widespread support from the industry and fans. In turn, it’s playing out as a groupthink agenda from both sides to mold people’s independent thoughts.
Whatever your personal beliefs about men being gay, Black males being gay, or rappers being gay, in the words of Bobby Brown, it’s their “prerogative.” Rashad is not the first and certainly won’t be the last to partake in fluidity and open thinking. As long as no one is being coerced and underage individuals and animals are not involved, who Isaiah Rashad loves and sleeps with is none of our business. Period.
It’s bad enough that people have to deal with childhood trauma, the world as it stands today, and our everyday inner being, placing pressure on someone because of their sexual preference, or any protected class under the civil rights laws, can lead to severe issues pertaining to mental health.
Rashad has delivered good music, but the majority of music listeners have hardly taken notice. Now, that there’s some controversy, people are posing as if they have been following and supporting the “From the Garden” artist, not even knowing that the Chattanooga, Tennessee native was missing in action for years while he dealt with substance abuse issues.
Do we care if a n—a gay or bisexual? No. Should those, in this case male rappers, who are gay and bisexual go around lying, pretending, sleeping with women unprotected, and not sharing that information with their partners continue in their deceptive ways? No. And no, we didn’t watch the video.
