Gay rapper Qboy has put a homo spin
on hip-hop, as well as vocalising his views on HIV
Words David G Taylor
Don’t you think urban music is an odd choice for a gay man, given the
homophobia
associated with the genre?
No. I find this question offensive. I don’t understand why being a gay
man means you have to like or
dislike certain arts and cultures. Being gay is about who you are attracted
to, not what music you listen to. I also don’t see why
hip-hop should be considered any more homophobic than any other culture. Within
any culture, you will get bigoted and open-minded people. The church is far
more homophobic than hip-hop but I don’t see anyone rushing to close
them down.
So you don’t think hip-hop’s homophobic image is deserved?
I think it is one partly created and fuelled by the media, to help them keep
a negative spin on black culture and to help them sell more issues of their
magazines and papers. Assuming every single rapper, singer, poet, DJ, graffiti
artist, b-boy, fly girl and listener all share the same views and are all
homophobic is ridiculous. There are so many positive and conscious hip-hop
artists out there but the media won’t put the spotlight on them because
we live in a world where fear equals consumption and that means big money
for those is power.
Given how upfront you are about your sexuality, how have you been
received by the hip-hop community as a whole?
I am complimented on my moxie. On the fact I have been brave enough to do
what I want, in spite of what people think I should or shouldn’t be
doing. I also get a lot of praise for the amount of hard work I’ve put
in and the success I’ve achieved given that I’m an independent
artist doing everything myself.
Has hip-hop ever dealt with the issue of HIV?
Yes, my favourite artists ever, and a prime example of positive hip-hop, rap
group Salt-N-Pepa. They have worked with and supported many Aids charities.
Their frank and informative song Let’s Talk About Sex was re-written
with even more informative lyrics and called Let’s Talk About Aids,
complete with a new music video and released with a US news documentary, becoming
a tool to help educate kids in schools. Another track, Positive, by Spearhead
leader Michael Franti deals with waiting for your test results and all that
goes through your mind during that time.
On your track Intro D-F you confront homophobes who think that being
HIV positive is reserved only for gays. Do you think that attitude still exists?
It does, but not as much as 20 years ago. Clearly from the high rising rates
of STIs in heterosexuals, I think some straight people still assume they are
protected from being infected by anything because they are straight.
What have you got coming up in 2006?
I’m releasing my new single A Deal With God followed by an album. Then
I’ll be attending the European premiere screening of a homo-hop documentary
I’m in, Pick Up The Mic, at the London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival.
Then I start filming a documentary with Channel 4, looking at why kids are
coming out younger than ever before. Then we have the second annual PeaceOUT
UK homo-hop festival to plan.
Isn’t A Deal With God an anti-bullying single?
That track is based upon my experiences of being bullied at school because
of my sexuality. That was a difficult time for me. I became very isolated
and insular, very unhappy. I felt it was important to keep writing about honest
things and this was something I needed to explore. Not only in a cathartic
way, but also to help others. This is why I teamed up with School’s
Out to help promote it and each other. The choice of sample kept floating
around in my head. I pulled out Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill and
realised not only was it a brilliant song, but also that her chorus fitted
my story so well: ‘If
I only could, I’d make a deal with God and get him to swap our places.’
That is what the bullied person is saying to the bully.
What message would you give to kids being bullied because of their
sexuality?
It is incredibly difficult in this day and age to have any sort of faith in
yourself or confidence, regardless of your sexuality, because of the way advertising
constantly feeds into your fears. However, if you can find some pride in who
you are, then you may find you have won half the battle. Bullies normally
go for people who they consider to be weak, but being gay is something to
be proud of. So hold your head up high and learn to love you, sod what they
think.
• www.qboy.co.uk
