Young M.A is a pioneer when it comes to LGBTQ+ artists in the rap game. Around 2020 and following that first wave of unapologetic acts, Lil Nas X made history as the first gay rapper to go diamond with his smash single “Old Town Road.” This reflected two things: first, rappers no longer needed to hide their sexuality, and second, gay artists could compete in the same space as the heterosexual big dogs. That moment, in part, set the tone for a decade that soon marked the rise of other LGBTQ+ artists such as Azealia Banks, Young M.A, and Tyler, The Creator. And by the time the 2010s had officially rolled around, things really started to shift.įrank Ocean, who raps but isn’t considered a “rapper,” came out via an open letter on Tumblr in 2012. A few years later, a Chicago-bred duo named the Freaky Boiz (composed of Prince Charming P and TTGoitIt) would go viral on YouTube and eventually appear on The Breakfast Club, a small win toward mainstream acceptance within the genre. But even then, other rappers weren’t receptive to the inclusion of LGBTQ+ artists, causing Kanye West to speak out against homophobia in rap in a 2005 interview with MTV. And soon after, Cazwell found mainstream success by merging pop and rap into records that lived consistently on Billboard’s dance charts. In the early 2000s, Caushun emerged as one of the first openly gay artists to sign a major record deal. Queen Latifah, who started her career in the 1980s, and Da Brat, who rose to fame in the 1990s, are both deemed legends today, but didn’t come out officially until recently, long after they found pioneering success. Being part of the LGBTQ+ community and being a rapper were two separate worlds for most of hip-hop’s history. As artists, outlets, and fans continue to celebrate the heights reached in rap over the last five decades, this momentous occasion also highlights the changes made since 1973. Hip-hop turns 50 this year, which is fitting for its place as the biggest genre in the world.
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