OUT: What made you want to get into hip-hop? Were you worried about how historically homophobic the genre has been and do you think that's changing?
ROB.B: For me the allure of rap music was in the escape from the real world. Coming from humble beginnings and my father's less-than-conventional career path dealing narcotics, pop music's polish never translated to my realities. I could never relate to the bubble-gum, happy-go-lucky music that often saturated radio, so ironically hip-hop became a safe haven for me, encouraging the notion that I could somehow Cinderella myself and those around me.
Being well-versed in the history of hip-hop, I was well aware of the strong presence of homophobia and hyper-masculinity that had become synonymous with the genre. It was clear from jump, the odds were stacked against my favor, and I could immediately be pegged as an easy target. Naturally, I took this into consideration, however my affinity for the music outweighed any hesitation I had, and I carried through with the decision to follow my heart on what some would consider a suicide mission. After all why would any openly LGBT artists wanting to make it make it any harder for themselves? Especially in an industry that isn't the most embracive of our community. Yet here I am ready to subject myself to a sport of wits where I am automatically considered to be less of a contender solely based on my sexuality, but there lies the beauty of my plight. The roots of hip-hop were founded on creating an outlet for the underdog by allowing the artist to use their voice as a vessel to reach out to the people who share their common adversities. And by those graces I knew I had to sacrifice my pride and any fear of scrutiny, and help pave a lane in an unwelcome territory.
I feel like the immediate reaction to me will be apprehensive and there will be a backlash in an attempt to "Iggy" me out. At that point I will have to prove myself worthy of playing what I believe is a key role in the genre's progression and longevity. I feel as though rap is currently at a crossroads in its identity, and in order for rap to remain a staple in culture it has to evolve or be left behind by the ever-changing climate of society. But in the midst of it all, this has created the perfect storm for an artist such as myself to rise. Right now I see so many promising LGBT acts on the come-up like Young M.A, Siya, and Mykki Blanco, and of course there is Frank Ocean spearheading the movement of making urban LGBT artists more visible. I love the opportunity to contribute my perspective.
READER COMMENTS (