Lil B is not afraid to push the limits of convention for the sake of publicity; but his latest controversy-inducing move is likely to top the charts. The MC has confirmed rumors that his upcoming album will be titled I’m Gay – and while the release date and final track list are as yet unknown, the title alone has sparked reactions from the hip-hop community and LGBT activists alike.
In an interview with The Invasion, a show on SiriusXM’s Hip-Hop Nation, the rapper explained that the purported title was not a joke. At last weekend’s Coachella Music Festival, he went a bit further: “So many people be worried about what people mean and definitions of words and s—t,” he said. “Now I like women, I love women, you feel me. But within yourselves, no matter what you do, it doesn’t matter, it’s like live life. You’ve only got one life to live. Be happy.”
GLAAD has already issued a response to Lil B’s comments, stating that “as a lyricist, Lil B knows that words matter” and that “slurs have the power to fuel intolerance.” The statement, released on Monday, went on to say that GLAAD hopes “that Lil B’s album title is not just a gimmick, and is really a sincere attempt to be an ally. He has the platform and the voice. We hope he uses it in a positive way.”
Lil B has said that he is not afraid of the responsibility that comes with his new album title. “This is gonna change the world,” he said. “It’s gonna make the world think. It’s bigger than me, and the message is gonna keep people talking. And that’s what music is about.”
