"No Homo" - Masculinity, Homophobia, and Hip-Hop Culture

A brief exploration into the history of "No Homo" and how it manifests out of a larger homophobia present in hip-hop culture. Artists and reporters such as Keith Boykin, Kanye West, SuChin Pak, and Sean Paul examine the impact of culture, gender, and sexuality in the artwork of Hip-hop.

Edited and compiled by Evan W. Lauteria. Clips taken from "The Advocate's Hip Hop and Homophobia", illDoctrine.com's "A Beginner's Guide to 'No Homo'", and a Hot 97FM interview with Cam'ron.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• No
• Homo
• Masculinity
• Homophobia
• Hip-Hop
• Hip
• Hop
• Black
• Gay
• LGBT
• LGBTQ
• Rapper
• Camron
• Cam'ron
• Kanye

[woodyfly]

Black people have an exaggerated need to prove themselves to be manly (perhaps as a result of slavery). This is obviously the WRONG way to do it. If anything, they're further proving that to be black, it means to be powerful physically and not mentally. This is what the black youth is picking up nowadays, they think to be accepted socially as a black male, they have to do what these "rappers" do. Any black man who is effeminate in any way = HOMO. RIP blacks, you destroy urselves.

[UMANEDAKIDD19]

IM STRAIGHT AND I HATE THAT NO HOMO AND PAUSE SHYT

[unknownunknownknow]

You mean Rap doesn't like Homo's ??? .. I am a heavy metal fan .. switching musical styles .. I now totally respect Hip Hop and Rap

[GuidoOnWeels]

I wanna suck massive cock, no homo though

[unisol06]

The more important thing to me is understanding that this is not a HIp Hop issue as the commenter said. it is just that Hip Hop has one of the biggest microphones in the world.

[unisol06]

Most times when people say No Homo its as a joking term. That example when he commented on "playing with my ball", no one really thinks that guy is gay.ITS just a silly childish joke to jab someone over.

In addition i think people have to realize that you cannot as a straight man have you sexuality built on your adoration for and your ability to please a woman and just feel nothing when someone calls you homosexual.Its wrong to lash out in violence but it is natural to be defensive over it.

[Jay2300Cee]

SAYING "No Homo" ain't gonna save you after you've said some gay ass shit

[ubermensch826]

@woodyfly DAS RACIST

[djnoreg]

@MrLeebo123 paki? r u serious?

[TruthOverFact]

I'm an avid user of the good old "no homo". I speak for myslf when I say that it is far from a phobia or a reinforcement... its just funny as hell. Homos are funny...

[luigee78]

@woodyfly

In some ironic way, you may have a point. Homophobia is so huge among blacks that real gay or bisexual black men feel they need to hide it at all costs...so they go out and get "girlfriends" or even get married in an effort to hide their true sexuality...However, they eventually end up cheating on the side with other men (DownLow) and for some reason don't protect themselves, get diseases and then spread it to their wives. HIV is devastating black america as a result.