Berkeley, California-based rapper Lil B unveiled the cover art that will accompany his provocatively titled new album yesterday, according to reports from MTV News.
Lil B, who elected to call his new album “I’m Gay” despite criticism and backlash from other rap artists, fans and members of GLAAD, told MTV News that he hopes the album title will eventually help remove the social significance and negativity associated with the word “gay” and ultimately contribute to global acceptance.
“I really seen that the hip-hop community is being very close-minded and very hateful, very violent,” he said, noting that his album title and cover art are intended to help change that trend.
The album cover, created by the artist Uncle Grumpy, is based on a 1970’s-era Ernie Barnes painting entitled “Sugar Shack” and depicts a club scene that Lil B re-purposed in order to depict the stages people move through in order to achieve what he calls “mental freedom.”
Other artists, including Marvin Gaye and members of the rap group Camp Lo, have referenced the Barnes painting in past works.
In reference to the album cover design, Lil B told MTV reporters that “you see it’s the three sides of the slavery, mental slavery and mental freedom at the ending where everybody is happy.”
No surprise of the backlash from his own community. Gotta love how once oppressed people turn the tables and show their intolerance towards others.
It’s a process, from slavery to mental freedom, not there yet but on its way.