When I first read this, I immediately thought that I have no reference ‘homohop’ — then, I wondered how this genre of music is being defined. Is it hip hop music produced by queer individuals? This is a huge category of music. I’m sure all of us have heard a song that was produced with the involvement of at least one queer individuals (I’m looking at you, Lance Bass). Then I thought that maybe it was songs that had queer themes? Again, a large musical category. Queer topics pop up in pop music all the time, even if they are unbeknownst to the majority of the listeners. Maybe it’s music performed by queer individuals? I’m willing to bet that many more musical artists than are willing to admit it, fall into that ‘queer’ category (you can put your hand down now, Drake). So then what is ‘homohop’?? Using my extreme deductive reasoning skills, it seems to me that it’s hip hop music performed by openly queer individuals with explicitly queer themes. A genre and market share that is going to have a hard time surviving in a substantially (and ironically) homophobic industry. However, it’s a somewhat surprising development in the music industry and I’ll be interested to see the way it develops and to see who actually identifies with it.
Written with little care for traditional grammar or punctuation, this piece is one individuals voluntary attempt to give a history of queer hip-hop music (homohop?).
“so you think queer hip hop is rather new? wrong. the earliest gay hip hop actually goes back to 1982 – to a crew called age of consent – very outspoken, very d.i.y. – maybe the precursors of indie-hop? thankfully, their music has been unearthed again: it’s a good history lesson, at least. for getting an earful of their sound, watching some vids and getting more information i refer you to their website.
2 years later we have the first recording of gay hip hop. straight out of san francisco came the track gay type thang by jon sugar. again we’re lucky: the music and more information is available online – so you can download the really fun oldschool track for your aural pleasure here.”
This was very interesting. I’m glad you included the description because I was able to get much more out of the video. As you imply, this video takes an interesting position in the dichotomy and polarization created between gay and straight, queer and hegemonic, etc. I also thought it was interesting that this video blurred the lines between the ideas of masculine and feminine beauty. This video points out that the two are not mutually exclusive; in fact, as I believe anyway, the two are relative to both each other and to the person being looked at. The same thing can be said of the concept of perfection. Although perfection seems to be a very definite and defined state of being, it’s relative to whoever is imagining said perfection. What I’m struggling with, is whether perfection (in this case, physical perfection) is actually realizable and whether someone can truly identify or, for that matter, disidentify with it. I do not have the answer, but this video was a nice visual representation of these seemingly abstract concepts.
This is a project from my last year’s Gender and Sexuality in Art class. I thought to include it here because it speaks to the destabilization of which bodies matter, which are claimed as ideal and conforming. Speaking to much of what we have read throughout the course, there is often a polarization of the gay and straight worlds, hegemonic expression and “deviant” expression. I sought to question whether or not the attainment of physical “perfection” is an escape from the physical, a transcendence, or the ultimate confinement, reducing one to the body and one’s visual self. As an individual who identifies as genderqueer, hegemony, while it surely informs my expression and desires to a point, (to what extent?…perhaps a future post will cover) is more of a sparring partner than a space I wish to occupy. That is not to say I go day in and day out with a hostility towards hegemonic masculinity. On the contrary, I rather disidentify with it than reject it fully. I attempt to provide an alternative space, and genderqueer seems to be the most fitting label I have in the dynamic and ever-changing process of identify formation and realization. There is a part two to this project, which approaches the theme with a very different assortment of visuals and content. More to come…
This is an interesting piece. I appreciate the context in which it is portrayed, but I admire it’s universality. I feel that we are all performing on one level or another. There is a certain Sociological school of though that believes in the concept of, what they call, ‘Deep Acting’. This is the idea that we are ‘acting’ or playing different roles all of our lives. Even when we are completely alone, on the most subconscious role, we are acting the way we think we should act, filling the role we think we should fill. This idea is interesting when it is juxtaposed with the concept of identity. The combination implies that (a) identity is something that we choose on a subconscious level, and (b) that our identities are subject to change as readily as we change our environments. It’s an interesting thought.
I had to laugh while reading this. I have seen this happen countless times! But I wonder if it not this behavior being normalized that has allowed this phenomenon to grow, but rather the normalization of the sexualization of women in general. Women are accepted as and even expected to be sexual and sexualized in these situations, i.e. bars and clubs. This becomes very apparent if you consider a heterosexual male doing the same thing with another heterosexual male for female attention. This scenario seems ridiculous. Why is that not the case for the same scenario with two women? Perhaps the ‘barsexual’ is just the trendiest manifestation of hegemonic-supported sense of heightened female sexuality? This brings about the idea that maybe the ‘male gaze’ is not the goal of the ever-strategic barsexual. Maybe, just maybe, the barsexual is the sexual-sideshow creation of this 21st century pseudo-feminist mentality. Conveniently, hegemonic heteronormative society has equated heightened female sexuality with the concept of feminism. Is the barsexual a harmless slut or a delusion one, thinking she’s actually a contemporary ‘girl-power’ feminist by displaying her heightened and freed sexuality for everyone to see? Damn you, Katy Perry. Damn you.
Now, an entire week after Halloween, I can’t help but resurrect the zombie that is the “bar-sexual”. Two years after Katy Perry’s “I kissed a girl and I liked It”, straight identified women are still kissing each other in bars in order to invite the male gaze. In lieu of all the attention…
I applaud you for your honesty. It isn’t easy to open up in such a public setting. Your quest to understand your “many identities” is admirable and something that more people should try to do. This opening blog post is interesting to me because it seems that you are turning the process of disidentification inward, and by doing so, are somewhat second guessing your convictions about your body image and abstinence. It’s not necessary to be so critical of yourself. Our perception of ourself and our multiple intersecting identities changes over time, if not day to day. Focus on what you positively identify with and make that a priority.
So I am in my twenties and have yet slept with a woman. People often ask me how do I know I am a lesbian if I have not slept with a woman yet? Well, I just know. When I am around women…I just feel more alive. It is like electricity is running through my veins, and I don’t felt that when I am…
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