Khalil Amani Straight Stuntin with DJ Kayslay!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009 at 4:40AM 
So I had a really great time in New York, albeit, I didn’t meet any of my gay rappers. New York’s a big cities divided by boroughs (what we call counties in my neck of the woods). Everybody’s all over the place—from The Bronx, to Queens, Brooklyn to New Jersey. (Shout-out to Bone Intell for trying to hook up. I was really looking forward to meeting Bone, Sonny, Lester, Swanny, King Jabbar, Baron, Shorty Roc, Medino and errybody. Shit!) There’s always next time.
I stayed at this old hotel right smack-dab in the heart of Times Square, since I wasn’t sure where any of the events I’d be attending were.
I went to New York as DJ Kayslay’s guest for his three-day weekend “Straight Stuntin Magazine” party. Having written the very controversial article, “Why Gay Hip-hop/Rap?” for his magazine and planning on writing more articles, I thought it would be nice to personally meet my new employer, DJ Kayslay—and some of these very bootylicious phat-bottom video vixens/models—all while repping this gay hip-hop shyt.
I attended Kayslay’s Saturday night boat ride on the Hudson River, where the models and rap stars were abundant. Surprisingly, my best friend David Solomon and I were the first two people to show up (I think we got the time wrong) and shortly thereafter DJ Kayslay and video vixen Cubana Lust (she’s the chick with the panther? tattooed across her ass) came along, where we officially greeted one another and he introduced us to Ms Lust, a very nice young lady.
The weather was great and the boat was filled to the rim with flesh for our eyes’ consumption. I got a chance to meet many of the models who are featured in the magazine and several of them knew me on sight! I thought that was quite thrilling to be recognized and congratulated on the gay hip-hop article. The beautiful model Lia Cha said, “I know exactly who you are ‘cause I am truly a fan of your article in Straight Stuntin. That shit was fire!”
I got a chance to meet reality star/R&B crooner Ray J (for the second time), and rappers Papoose and Cam’ron. Make no mistake about it! I introduced myself as the “Spiritual Advisor to Gay Hip-hop” for shock value. Lol! A stunned Ray J, even though he was bent on that alcohol sobered up for a quick second to say, “Cool! Alright man! Do ya thang!” Papoose was real cool and knew who I was (I presume based on his closeness to Kayslay). There were just so many people that I met and shared what I stand for and it was all love. There were at least two people who were “in the life.” They really expressed appreciation for reppin’ gay hip-hop.
All-in-all, it was an honor and a great experience for me personally and another step for the Movement. Thank you Kayslay.
We are like the dog, which ate the crumbs that fell from the master’s table—the meek that shall inherit the earth—the tail which shall become the head. Our fight is righteous.
DJ Kayslay—an interesting character to say the least. One part businessman. One part showman. One part pimpin’. And one part visionary/icon. I’ll deal with the latter.
I was hoping to have a sit-down with Kayslay and chop it up regarding gays doing hip-hop. That didn’t happen. So, I was left to just observe, make mental notes, formulate some opinions and try to understand why he let me write for his magazine and why I’m at this function (all the while being distracted by bodacious women and alcohol... poor me!)
Tru’ dat! DJ Kayslay comes across as somewhat of a homophobe, but I think there’s a method to his madness. He recently commented that rappers need something unique to break into the game and said, “Be the first fucking gay rapper!” And then a recent video appeared on Worldstarhiphop where he is calling the NFL gay and must’ve been started by a gay person.
Personally, I think Kayslay is wrestling with the fact that he understands hip-hop and that it must be transcendent—allow for other voices to be heard, while at the same time he wrestles with a genre that one must always exert maleness, heterosexualism.
We, on this side on the coin (those of you who are openly gay or gay-friendly supporters like me) can easily point the finger at the “Kayslays of the world.” Effin’ homophobe! But if we, for a moment, take the time to look at it from the heterosexual perspective—from the perspective of a major hip-hop figure who has everything to lose and nothing to gain—when we do this we can put in context Kayslay’s words versus his actions and no truer words have ever been spoken than “Actions speak louder than words!” I say, “Fuck the theatrics/shock-value of video/radio and focus on what the man has done and will do for our Movement!” Honestly, I think Kayslay is intentionally bringing up the gay dissing on radio—intentionally playing the “Devil’s Advocate” and will flip-the-script on the hip-hop world!
Think, for a moment, about a cause that you stood up for that had nothing to do with you personally. What are you advocating for that is totally removed from your everyday existence? In this context, one can see that, indeed, Kayslay putting gay hip-hop in his magazine is historical and cutting-edge despite his seemingly homophobia.
As a straight man who was steeped in religious studies, it was a cold slap in my face when I realized that my own homophobia was rooted in a lie—that indeed, I had been religiously brainwashed to see homosexuality as sin. But that summer of ’96 when I stumbled upon the fraud of homosexuality as sin, I found myself at a crossroads—much like what Kayslay is probably experiencing today. My Christian upbringing—my Hebrew Israelite faith—all of that shyt was challenged by my research! My research had led me to the conclusion that the polemic (argument) against homosexuality in the Bible was a religious hoax. Shortly thereafter, I wrote my third book and penned a chapter called “Homosexuality: The Great Sin of Sodom?” where I deconstructed the bogus argument and became an advocate for gay rights. And then ten years later I found this wonderful Movement called “Homo-hop” (Through Deadlee’s interview at Allhiphop) and was naturally drawn to it out of my love for hip-hop and truth.
In the process of advocating on behalf of gay people, I had to deal with family and friends questioning my sexuality and even some gay rappers that feel I’m “bandwagon jumping,” as though there’s a ton of money to be made with gay rappers. (SMH)
The idea of straight black men standing up for our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters is quite problematic for many straight folk who are quick to label you as gay. It is this burden, which people like Kayslay must deal with when connecting themselves to our Movement—the same burden which many white people had to deal with during the Civil Rights Era when choosing to stand up for righteousness and lock arms with black struggle. “What will people think of me?” A very human response to going against the grain.
If Kayslay never does another thing to further our cause, he’s still done more than the Puffys and Russell Simmons of the world who have the power and money to search out a few gay rappers and put them on!
Kanye West is a vocal proponent of gay rights, but what has he done in hip-hop to further the cause of gay rappers or gays doing hip-hop, besides given a few speeches? In this regard, DJ Kayslay exceeds Kanye because he advocates for a gay rapper to enter mainstream and is allowing our voice to have an impact on his readership. Straight Stuntin Magazine might not be The Source or XXL—yet, but if I have anything to do with it I will help bring the magazine into hip-hop respectability—not just for gay folk, but for women, Latinos, the Krip-hop Nation and all other marginalized voices within the body of hip-hop. This is my pledge.
Reader Comments (4)
Man that was great, and like Lia said "ya article was fire!" Funny that as a gay man I see that issue too when I am trying to get my straight patnas to listen to these CDs when I hear them. I think you and Kayslay are doing positive things that will help get this Out Hip-Hop Movement where it needs to be! I think with all the press,music,shows, and different personalities, within a year there will be a homo-hop rapper signed to a major label if not a major label giving someone some capital to start a whole independent label for this genre!Thank you Mr.Amani you are a beacon of light!!!
i see you KA keep doing you my dude, and we gone link when you hit ny again my dude.
Keep on doin' what u doin', man, and tellin the truth. It's an honor to read your work.
Great blog Khalil...
When I first herd of the "Spiritual Advisor to Gay Hip Hop" I was taken back a bit. Admittedly I really didn’t know what thoughts to formulate just from the title so my curiosity drove me to find out more about you.
In reading your blogs I have come to believe you are a true advocate for the genre. As you stated there is not much money involved in gay hip hop. Most of the artist put in more money than they make and make the music for the love of making the music. I would also assume that you do indeed get quite a few people that believe that you are a closet homosexual yourself. I do not know many straight people that would put themselves up to that kind of scrutiny.
Taking the specifics of your plight out of the discussion... I believe it is very fulfilling to be apart of any movement that would change the worlds idea of what a human being is. I have always believed that anytime you label something you are creating a preconceived notion of what that "thing" is. Black, Jew, Lesbian, politician ect ect ect Most people hear these labels and automatically formulate what they believe the person to be and lump them into a collective category. You are a part of breaking down this thought process and making people reevaluate what they believe a gay person making hip hop music is. I think this brings us one step closer to being human beings and individuals rather than conforming or being subjected to being a label.
You are to the point and have a very logical thought process to making your point that leaves very little room for debate. I am very grateful to have a voice advocating this genre from a straight prospective as well as from your religious background.
Change will never come from silence. Thank you for the time and effort you put forth as an advocate.
Stay safe and have fun... Much love... HH