Nipsey Hussle & DeRay Mckesson Debate Representation Of Gay Black Men

(AllHipHop News) Los Angeles rhymer Nipsey Hussle found himself in the middle of an online firestorm following a caption he posted on Instagram. The newly signed Atlantic Records rapper expressed his views about the perception of black men in the media, but his comment about gay men offended some social media users.

Nipsey wrote on IG:

Demonstration speaks louder than Conversation. They gone feed us every image of our men and boys but this one. No hyper violent…No h### sexual…No abandoners….JUS STRONG BLAC MEN AND YOUNG Men. RESPECT TO MY BIG HOMIE @bigu1 for Leading with love and intelligence. GOD IS WITH US WHO CAN GO AGAINST US

That statement led to some backlash over the perceived suggestion that homosexuals are weak as well as being on par with violent men and absentee fathers. Nipsey ended up going back and forth on Twitter with social activist DeRay Mckesson, who is openly gay.

DeRay posted:

.@NipseyHussle’s homophobia is more common than one would hope. In his comments are the idea that to be a gay black man means that one cannot be strong — that strength is elusive to gay black men. How does who I love change my ability to wield and/or challenge power? To many, gay black men are tools, not peers. It’s how homophobia folks can still buy the clothes of gay designers, etc. They are tools, objects to be used for a purpose. But they are not peers, people equally worthy of respect. I’m speaking on this today because I remember being a kid and being surrounded by people who tried to convince us that homophobia was really just love repackaged — that they were just trying to prepare us for the real world, where we’d need to be strong. Homophobia kills, too. I’ve stood in the streets fighting for people who don’t see me as a whole person. And I know that I continue to fight for people with whom I disagree. But I also know that we will never build a community of justice that’s rooted in ideas that kill people. So, let us think about masculinity of men as more than the pathway(s) of the penis. And let us unpack and overcome the homophobia that continues to quietly harm so many. Check your friends and family as they say and do homophobic things. And check-in on your friends.

Nipsey then replied:

I used my “platform” to publicize an example of the less represented image of our Men and Boys and “The mainstream media” in the form of anti homophobia gets offended? You know that reinforces my original point bro?

The two exchange more tweets over the topic with DeRay adding:

You listed three qualities as equally negative — violent, gay, & abandoner — and as the opposite of strong. What made you assume everyone in the picture was straight? Are you saying that to be against homophobia is to succumb to “the mainstream media”?

Nipsey responded:

I listed 3 quality’s OVER represented in the mainstream media’s narrative of what a Blac man is…point out the 1st lie? 2.i never assumed they were all strait I NOTED THAT THEY WERNT being FRAMED by the MEDIA-(me being the media in this case) as gay. 3. I have no opinion about what a persons sexual preference is that’s they GOD GIVEN right and I’m not God. Now if we can’t AGREE THAT LIFE IMITATES ART and the balanced representation of OUR PEOPLE IS IMPORTANT THEN we will agree to disagree and wish each other the best

DeRay stated:

I’ve never thought that gay black men were *overrepresented* in the media. But the original point is that gay is not a bad thing, not synonymous with violent/abandoner and not the opposite of strong.

Nipsey concluded:

I don’t look down on gay people I love all Gods children foreal. I take issue with the larger agenda.and I’m VERY WELL INFORMED contrary to my appearance. And my conclusion is there’s AN AGENDA…we can go fact for fact and get u some understanding if you’d like. If not God bless.

DeRay added a final comment on the exchange: