(AllHipHop News) Queens rapper 50 Cent has faced backlash for perceived anti-gay remarks throughout his career. He has used the word “f****t” in his songs, and in a 2012 interview with Vibe 50 said, “We need organizations for straight men in the case you’ve been on the elevator and somebody decides they want to grab your little buns.”
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He also caught heat in 2010 for tweeting soon after a rash of publicized gay teen suicides, “If you a man and your over 25 and you don’t eat p***y just kill your self damn it. The world will be a better place. Lol.’ Then earlier this year, the G-Unit leader was criticized for suggested Diddy, Rick Ross, and Steve Stoute were gay because they were photographed hugging each other.
50 later denied ever being homophobic. He explained using the word “f****t” in music to The Wrap, “I don’t have homophobia. I never did… I would use the terminology that would be going around. You’ve got people that would call some people a redneck, or some people n***a. It’s the term of that time or that period. They’re not necessarily racist, but they’ve heard those terms used around them, and they use them.”
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The Animal Ambition album creator’s evolution on the subject has earned him praise from one well-known LGBT advocate. Cyndi Lauper recently championed 50 Cent’s support for the gay community. Lauper tapped 50 to appear at her 4th annual “Home For The Holidays” benefit concert over the weekend. The pop music icon spoke with Buzzfeed last week about including the rapper in the show.
Buzzfeed reports:
Asked about sharing the stage with 50 Cent, who once suggested on Twitter that gay men should “just kill your self damn it,” [event speaker Daniella] Carter welcomed him. “A lot of LGBT youth come from urban backgrounds,” she said. Carter said they want to see a “black heterosexual male showing that he supports us,” and prove that “masculinity is not attached to sexual identity.”
This weekend’s concert includes Patty Griffin, Salt-N-Pepa, and a raft of other musical icons. But asked who is most surprising to have join her on stage, Lauper said, “50, god bless him — he’s a good guy.”
“People evolve,” Lauper went on. “That is what you have to leave yourself open for. You change the world when you change your mind.”
Not everyone backed 50 taking part in the “Home For The Holidays” concert. Radio personality Star chided the media mogul for his decision to perform at the charity event for homeless LGBT youth.
“50 and G-unit are headlining some f**king gay-lesbian concert,” said Star during his show in October. “The f**kery that G-Unit is now doing.”
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