Dear Hip-Hop: No Mo' No Homo, Plz

As an unapologetic feminist, I have a love-hate relationship with hip-hop. While I love a great deal of both mainstream and underground hip-hop, I am often uncomfortable with the violent, misogynistic and homophobic themes in some (though not all) of the music I listen to. 

But as the acceptability of hip-hop's glorification of gang violence and ho-slapping seems to be on the decline, the obnoxious and despicable homophobic theme seems to be on the rise, and this is no more evident than in the increased popularization of the phrase "no homo". 

For those unfamiliar with "no homo," Unofficial MamaPop vlogger boyfriend Jay Smooth of Ill Doctrine has a brief primer:

Whether the intent behind using "no homo" is to engage in "clever" word play or to use that wordplay as an excuse for being a homophobic douche canoe, this "no homo" business really has to stop. Nevertheless, it is leaking more and more into the mainstream. Lil' Wayne has gotten to the point where every other lyric he utters has a "no homo," and now even MamaPop's nemesis Kanye West is using "no homo" to assure us that, despite his obsession with Marc Jacobs, he is totes not gay.

 I wear tight, pink letterman sweaters—no homo!

To illustrate the ridiculous heights to which "no homo" has risen in hip-hop, here is a video segment from my favorite internet show, Infomania:

Homophobia is the last "acceptable" form of discriminatory language in the hip-hop world, and the prevalence of "no homo" only further exacerbates that problem. But what can be done?

Well, if there's anything I've learned from following hip-hop trends, the only sure-fire way for "no homo" to become uncool is for it to be adopted by clueless white dudes with a desperate need to sound cool and urban. Therefore, I implore all of you backwards-visor-sporting, New-Jersey-Nets-jersey-wearing suburban posers (which I'm sure describes a significant portion of our readership): please, get on this "no homo" shit, now. Wear the hell out of it, throw it around like so many beaded necklaces at Mardi Gras, so that it may quickly, mercifully, fall out of fashion. 

Comments

[Darcey]

Awesome post. I sent this to my hip-hop loving little sister, just as I did with the earlier post on the Wanda Sykes/Hilary Duff PSAs on "That's Gay" -- I really hope that she starts to understand why slurs like this are not acceptable in our vocab.

[iambellaluna]

Why is it that Hip-Hop rapper-types always have to over assert the fact that they are manly men? They womanize, have lots of money, and spout that they are not gay. It's like they are overcompensating for something...

[mstiegirl23]

I have an internet crush on Jay Smooth.

[rebecca]

mstiegirl, you and me BOTH.

I have to say, I had wondered about Lil Wayne myself. Pants below the butt is THE clear indicator of "I am up for bottoms!" in prison...and also tacky.

[Katya]

WITH YOU, ladies. I'd join the MamaPop staff *just* so that Jay Smooth could be my unofficial MamaPop vlogger boyfriend.