Lil B’s “I’m Gay” rap album has placed him under fire and attracted death threats for the title. However, the Berkley-based rapper says he is trying to “push less separation” in the community.

Gangsta rappers and those in the hip hop world are known for their free-styling, rites of passage lyrical-killing talents, and disrespect of women, you name it.

For some, it goes with the territory, and is for entertainment only. But for others, a life of living large and degrading women and LGBT is a way of life.

With such a sensitive topic that incites violence and steamy arguments, why would Lil B title his album “I’m Gay?”

Is it his coming out ceremony, and he’s been hiding his lack of man-hood underneath the menagerie of tattoos and dark sun shades?

Not so, says the “Illusions of Grandeur” rapper; he wants to change the psyche of gender-bending and set the record straight.

“I got major love for the gay and lesbian community, and I just want to push less separation and that’s why I’m doing it,” he said according to MTV.

A spokesperson for GLAAD said that while Lil B’s intentions may be good, some may confuse his “I’m Gay” rap album title as a gimmick to sell records. They are cautiously optimistic about his intentions as an ally.

“B” insists that he is straight, is a lover of women, and has no interest in men. He is trying to help foster an environment where rappers and the hip hop community can co-exist with LGBT without having to resort to vile means to boast their manhood.

Who appointed Lil B the acting spokesperson for the hip hop community as a change agent for social relations?

Perhaps he should focus on what type of artist he wants to become instead of making degrading music one minute and holding a how to get along 101 class the other.

Will you buy Lil B’s “Im’ Gay” album? Do you think his messages are mixed and offensive?

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The music video for Kanye West’s single Monster has been banned by MTV. The television network made the decision to pull the video in response to an outcry over the way women are being portrayed in the footage.

At the forefront of the outrage are two activists Sharon Haywood and Melinda Tankard Reist, who created a petition asking MTV and Universal Music Group to stop promoting the video, and in the process managed to get over 1,600 signatures.

“The mainstreaming of videos like this increases desensitized and callous attitudes toward violence against women,” said Reist, one of the campaign’s originators. “Young people are seeing images and absorbing harmful messages which glamorize misogyny and brutalize women.”

Adding, “Women are reduced to sex-doll like playthings. So great is the level of desensitization that the barbaric treatment of women and girls is seen as normal and to be expected. We decided to run this campaign because we wanted to challenge the status quo.”

Their work isn’t completely done though, pointed out Reist, who said that they are determined to continue their campaign until Universal Music Group responds to the petition.

Monster collaborators Jay-Z, Rick Ross, and Nicki Minaj appear in the video alongside West.

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Posted: Tuesday – November 9, 2010

Recently, pop princess Rihanna sat down with MTV News to discuss her work with breakthrough female emcee Nicki Minaj, who’s much hyped-over debut album Pink Friday hits stores on November 23. According to Rihanna, the female-only collaboration occurred not once but twice — first on her 2009 album Rated R and again on her latest effort Loud, which also hits stores later this month.

“We did work together on music for [Loud] as well as [for] Rated R. It was the end of the album, but she was sending me these incredible songs,” Rihanna told MTV News of her work with Minaj.

“I wanted some up-tempo stuff from her that was kind of gangsta, but she sent me these ballads and they were beautiful and I couldn’t believe that it was a female MC writing these songs. She’s really talented and I want to work with her again.”

Currently, Minaj appears on Raining Men, a single that was recently leaked off Loud and features the self-proclaimed Black Barbie rapping in an adopted Caribbean accent. As for Rihanna’s work on Minaj’s Pink Friday, the Barbados-born beauty kept mum about the details.

“We also worked together on her album. I can’t say…actually, the reason I can’t tell you is because I don’t know the official title of the song. It might be Too Fly, I’m not sure if that’s the confirmed [title],” the pop star said. However, following the interview MTV confirmed that the track is simply called Fly.

Currently, Loud, which is scheduled for release on November 16, already has two popular singles to its name — Only Girl (In the World) and What’s My Name.

In a previous interview with MTV, Rihanna also confirmed that the new album will be much more upbeat than Rated R. “A lot has, I won’t say changed, but a lot has evolved since then,” she said. “A lot of growing up, a lot of responsibility in terms of taking control of my business and stuff like that.”

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Posted: Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Drake doesn’t even have a debut album and he is almost a household name, almost but the 23-year-old rapper is on the porch ringing the bell. All of Drake’s accomplishments in the last year, have come basically from his mixtape “So Far Gone.” Drake even made this years “MTV Hottest MCs In The Game” list. Now the Canadian rapper’s mixtape has made MTV’s mixtape daily “Mixtape of the Year.”

Songs like “Best I Ever Had” and “Successful” began picking up radio airplay, Drake began getting offers from just about every major label. Yet he elected to stay with Lil Wayne’s team and inked with their Young Money label, with distribution by the Universal powerhouse, which quickly released an altered version of the mixtape as an EP — and which has led to Drake receiving two Grammy nominations for “Best I Ever Had,” a song that was originally released on a mixtape! From the Net to the streets to the Grammy red carpet: Hands down, this is our mixtape of the year.

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Posted: Saturday – December 5, 2009

Drizzy Drake, Young Money’s resident all-star and now a Grammy nominated rapper, is relinquishing more details on his highly anticipated debut. As previously reported, Drake had the world up in arms waiting for him to release Thank Me Later on Valentine’s Day of 2010. Now unfortunately for stans of Young Money’s Young Angel, that alleged February 14 release date is no more.

In a brief interview with MTV News he told the network that the release date had been changed to March. Remaining skimp on details he shared saying,

“Well I’m making great progress on it. I’m hoping for March now. It’s just pulling everybody together.”

Drakkardanoir also mentioned that he had lineup of people he hoped to work with including the famed soul jazz band featuring vocalist Sade Adu, Sade. Moving back into the standard Hip-Hop references, he dished on upcoming features on the album with Jeezy, Kanye and of course, his brother Wayne.

“I had a wish list for my managers of everybody I wanted involved that stem beyond hip-hop. I’m trying to pull it all together. I’m really trying to work with Sade, Lil Wayne will be on it. Young Jeezy, Jay-Z, Kanye will be doing work on it. It’s in the family.”

If Drizzy really does get that Sade feature, you can officially list that man as my hero.

Be on the lookout for Thank Me Later in March of next year.

Posted: Wednesday – July 8, 2009

Hip-Hop mogul Sean “P. Diddy” Combs may make a possible appearance in court in regards to a case involving MTV and its hit reality show, Making the Band.

The case, which was scheduled to go to mediation this month, stems from efforts to sue MTV Networks by Soneet Kapila, a trustee in former boy band creator Lou Pearlman’s ongoing bankruptcy case.

The talent manager, who’s Trans Continental Records introduced The Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC, made headlines in 2006 after reports surfaced of him admitted to running a $300 million Ponzi scheme.

Pearlman ultimately pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy, money laundering, and making false statements during a bankruptcy proceeding.

He is currently serving up to 25 years in a federal prison.

Soneet Kapila sued MTV in August 2008 in U.S. bankruptcy court in Orlando over the channel’s role in joint venture with Pearlman’s television production company, also named Trans Continental, to create Making the Band.

The show, which premiered in 1999, featured the boy band O-Town.

The group later signed to Trans Continental Records at the end of the first season, only to split in late 2003.

MTV shifted the focus of Making the Band for its second season, as it dumped the Trans Continental production company for the Hip-Hop/R&B centered Making the Band 2 with P. Diddy and his Bad Boy Entertainment.

Trans Continental and Kapila disputed the action in a 66-page complaint, claiming that the production company was slowly squeezed out of its joint venture with MTV, as the music channel reneged on promises to share profits from advertising revenue, spin-offs and other related projects.

If the case heads to trial, Combs will likely be a witness. MTV’s legal drama comes as it gears up for a new season of Making the Band.

The first of the show’s new episodes will premiere at 10 p.m. July 27 on MTV.

Source: Allhiphop.com