After much industry hype, fan outrage and even skepticism and concern from the LGBT community, California-based rapper Lil B has released his controversially titled new album, “I’m Gay.”
When the artist announced the album title earlier this spring, he drew mixed and vocal reactions from fans, critics and the LGBT community alike. GLAAD feared the title was a gimmick, while on the other end of the spectrum some fans sent Lil B death threats in protest.
But despite the media buildup, MTV reports that this week’s abrupt album release (announced without fanfare via Twitter on Wednesday night) may prove anticlimactic for anyone expecting the record’s content to match its title in terms of controversy.
Revised to read “I’m Gay (I’m Happy),” the album title is the sole nod to homosexuality on a record that, far from grappling with the issues raised in anticipation of its release, focuses instead on racial profiling, stereotypes, media persecution and self-acceptance.
Lil B has said that the title was intended to dissolve barriers and show the music community and the public at large that words are insignificant: “Don’t let a word make you discriminate upon another human,” he said in a recent appearance on RapFix Live. And indeed, now that the mystery surrounding his latest album is put to rest, it seems that status-quo-shuffling word play may have been the rapper’s only design all along.
“I’m very gay,” Lil B said in April while promoting his upcoming album; “but I love women. I’m not attracted to men in any way…but yes I am gay, I’m so happy. I’m a gay, heterosexual male.”
