Recent controversy with New York radio station Hot 97 and long time DJ Mister Cee, have drawn attention to the ongoing discussion of Hip Hop versus homosexuality.
On Sept. 11, Mr. Cee made a brief and shocking announcement of his resignation from his 20 year position saying, “I’ve been thinking about this for a long time, and I don’t want to put this station through more than what they’ve been through.” According to claims on Twitter and other social networking sites, Mr. Cee was recorded soliciting sexual favors from male cross-dressing internet personality Bimbo Winehouse, who thought it would be nice to make a vlog exposing Mr. Cee, and posting it for the world to see.
To make matters worse, this is not Mr. Cee’s first offense. Back in 2011, Cee ended up in court, pleading guilty for loitering while engaging a male prostitute. Earlier this year he was arrested after pursuing a male prostitute. It is no question that Mr. Cee’s run-ins with the law could have been a burden for the publicity of his radio station, but after such a long run why would Mr. Cee let this drive him away from what he devoted two decades of his life to.
According to society Hip Hop and homosexuality do not mix. The Hip Hop world has always had this hard, stagnate, strictly heterosexual motif.
Whether intentional or unintentional, rap artists are constantly throwing around derogatory and discouraging terms and phrases against being homosexual. So, it is understandable that Mr. Cee would not feel comfortable continuing to work within this industry.
Not to mention, his being outed in such a public and humiliating way. Maybe Cee was running from ridicule that he knew would come, or even seeking refuge from the criticism he had already encountered on Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook.
It is unfortunate that Hip Hop and Homosexuality cannot peacefully coexist, especially since the two worlds intermingle a lot more than most members would even expect. However, the efforts of celebrities like Macklemore, Frank Ocean, Jennifer Hudson, and A$AP Rocky are slowly but surely working to unite the Hip Hop world and the LGBT population.
Macklemore released his single “Same Love” advocating gay-marriage rights, and just before releasing his debut album Channel Orange, Frank Ocean opened up about being bisexual.
Jennifer Hudson and A$AP Rocky have made smaller, yet significant efforts like singing or speaking on behalf of the LGBT community.
The increase in support has even begun a trickle down effect. Not only are members of the Hip Hop industry trying to bridge the gap, but now founders of the It Gets Better Project Dan Savage and John Shore have created another movement, the Not All Like That Project (see notalllikethat.org) to encourage Christians to join in the fight against homosexual discrimination.
In Mr. Cee’s case, it is unfortunate that his sexual orientation would cause such an uproar in his professional life, aside from his risky business endeavors of course.
If celebrities continue to use their “powers” to help the LGBT community, it is not hard to imagine that in the near future the Hip Hop community will be more accepting of those who have alternative sexual preferences.
There is no telling how long it will take for the rest of the world to jump on the bandwagon, but as the saying goes Rome was not built in a day.
Until this day comes, it is important that recording artists, music moguls, and anyone who has any sort of involvement in the Hip Hop industry be conscious of what they are contributing to: Hip Hop vs. Homosexuality or Hip Hop for Homosexuality.
— Email Danielle at [email protected] and follow The A&T Register @TheATRegister
- Danielle Spottsville, Contributor