By Alexis Nava-Martinez
Music artists like Prince, Little Richard and Boy George all have a feminine side to them that is well known. It’s also a fact that hip-hop isn’t the most accepting genre for men who do not portray the conventional definition of masculinity. Usually, it’s the pop artists that push gender lines with fashion, until now.
Recently in the hip-hop game, artists such as Lil’ B, Lil’ Wayne and Kanye West have thrown away their baggy jeans, along with the hard core image attached to the rap genre, and opted for wearing kilts, women’s earrings and leggings.
In the beginning, rappers were encouraged to portray a “thuggish” image. If rappers pushed the fashion line, they were questioned about their sexuality. But in this generation, society is more opened minded. Hip hop artists are blurring the stereotypes that they created and the public perceives them to be.
Rap stars who wear their pants below their knees, stack up six gold chains and rap about violence are a dying breed. Today’s hip-hop’s artists are gearing towards becoming moguls, trendsetters and individual thinkers. Each hip-hop artist is developing their own “swagger” — a term was coined by rap artist Jay-Z back in 2001 on his “Blueprint” album — which essentially means confidence that is a reflection of clothing and attitude.
“When I first heard the albums ‘Late Registration’ and ‘Speakerboxxx/The Love Below’ by Outkast, that’s when I decided to pick up the pen and paper,” said local Deland rapper Rob Monroe, 20, who has been in the rap game for nearly four years.
Monroe looked up and paused, “Everything about the ‘Late Registration’ album changed my view on hip-hop music. Every track and sample that he used was something that I’ve never even heard of. I felt as if that album spoke to me.”
Recently Kanye West has collaborated with Jay-Z and put out an album called “Watch the Throne.” West has been seen wearing a leather kilt during their tour promoting the album.
“That doesn’t surprise me at all. Kanye West pushes fashion boundaries, or any boundaries as a matter of fact. He’s ambiguous,” said Monroe.
Mario Jaime, 21, lives in Deltona and recently attended the “Watch the Throne” concert in Ft. Lauderdale.
“When I first heard about the kilt I thought Kanye is going way too far. It seems like he’s giving a nod to a pharaoh’s style of dress with the look, especially considering the regal theme of the album and tour title. It’s definitely an outfit that has people watching,” said Jaime.
Perhaps West hasn’t been a victim of the backlash within the hip-hop community to the fashion trend because he is known to be a fan of true haute courture. Earlier this year he was spotted front row in Milan during fashion week.
Another artist pushing gender lines is up-and=coming California rapper, Lil’ B, who put out a mixtape titled “I’m Gay (I’m Happy).”
“That was genius! His absolute lack of fear when it comes to challenging the status quo makes him fearless mentally and makes him express himself with no censorship,” said Monroe.
Because of Lil’ B’s decision to put out a mixtape with that title, he was receiving death threats via twitter.
“Lil B’s ultimate intention and preference for the word ‘gay’ was its “one who is happy” definition. So basically he was being attacked for being happy,” pointed out Jaime.
The third rapper pushing gender boundaries when it comes to fashion is New Orleans’ Lil’ Wayne. At the 2011 MTV VMA’s, Lil’ Wayne gave a performance wearing tight leopard pants. Monroe laughed as he thought back to the day he was sitting on his couch watching the VMA’s and saw Lil’ Wayne in those pants.
“It’s just a phase he’s in. One day he’s into baggy clothes and the next day he’s dressing like a skater. He’s like Madonna, always reinventing himself,” said Monroe.
They might be a small group, but these three rappers are paving the way for a new breed of hip-hop artists. They are also changing society’s view of rappers . All three have made it clear to the media that they are not gay, but even if they were, hip-hop needs to change its homophobic views.
In a 2005 interview with MTV, Kanye West admitted to homophobia in his teen years, but that all changed when he discovered his cousin was gay: “Everyone in hip-hop discriminates against gay people. Not just hip-hop, but America and I want to just come on TV and tell my rappers, my friends, ‘Yo, stop it.’”
As Jaime said, “Music is an expression and an art form. If you do it well, you can wear lipstick for all I care.”