“Same Love”: Hip hop confronts its homophobia

With so many hip-hop artists at best avoiding the topic of gay rights, or worst still attacking gays and lesbians in their songs, one rapper easily stands out for his outspoken approval of the issue. The rapper Macklemore climbed over the taboo subject and the music charts this year with “Same Love”, a song in support of legalizing gay marriage.

The Washington native was inspired by his two gay uncles and gay godfather to make a personal record on this issue. Macklemore and producer Ryan Lewis create moving lyrics against homophobia, using anecdotes and references to history to prove the urgency for change.

The same fight that led people to walk outs and sit-ins,”

he raps, relating to the human rights issue other groups have faced for many centuries.

The musician is also aware of the bullying that taunts gays:

When kids are walking ‘round the hallway plagued by pain in their heart/ A world so hateful some would rather die than be who they are.”

Featured on the track is an openly gay artist, Mary Lambert, whose voice radiates across the hook. She sings:

I can’t change/ Even if I tried/ Even if I wanted to/ My love, my love, my love/ She keeps me warm.”

Sure other artists in the mainstream music scene, such as Lady Gaga and Katy Perry, have sung empowering messages to erase people’s insecurities and teach them to accept themselves. But no artist has been as explicit as Macklemore in promoting gay rights through lyrics and has received this much popularity in the mainstream media endorsing it. His views on gay marriage couldn’t be clearer when he recites:

No freedom till we're equal, damn right I support it.”

The emotional music video has so far garnered over 90 million views on YouTube and won the “Best Video with a Social Message” award at this year’s MTV Video Music Awards. It chronicles a gay man’s life, from facing bullying in his teenage years to him accepting who he is and finding love as an adult. The video’s popularity can be attributed to audience’s ability to connect with the struggles of a gay character.

Music plays a large role in popular culture and consumes a part of young adults’ lives. Still getting considerable airplay on radio and music channels in the UK, Macklemore’s song has the potential to change public discourse on the issue.

“Same Love” shows his anger at other rappers for using gay slurs, and rightfully so. Eminem has been criticized over the years for his homophobic remarks; his latest single “Rap God” shamefully shows there is no progression in his views. He rants:

“And now I should be able to break a mother******* table over the back of a couple faggots and crack it in half…You fags think it’s all a game."

These lyrics will be heard on the radio, making it uncomfortable for those being targeted to hear. It also sends the wrong message to his audience, who can falsely assume it is okay to belt out crude remarks.

Macklemore understands the offensive nature of these kinds of verses and his song demonstrates his disappointment with the hip-hop world:

If I was gay, I would think hip-hop hates me
Have you read the YouTube comments lately?

Man, that’s gay’ gets dropped on the daily
We become so numb to what we’re saying.”

So while “Same Love” climbed up the charts this summer, it is unfortunate that “Rap God” is also getting that same high appraisal now. Renowned publications, such as Time magazine should listen carefully to the content of the song before calling it “divine”. It is unfortunate that the public will demand songs with such hurtful lyrics, but media outlets can perhaps provide an alternate view and change public perception with their reviews.

Angry people have criticized Macklemore for representing a community he is not a part of. Hopefully more gay artists’ thoughts on the subject will soon reflect in their songs. But until then, more powerful records like “Same Love” are needed to alleviate the hatred, and it would be beneficial for any artist to advocate that. Besides, a straight man rhyming about the issue can help bridge the gap between the two communities.

Although they may not yet have rapped about it, artists such as Jay-Z and Kanye West have publicly announced their support for gay rights. When these respected hip-hop artists talk openly about an issue, it can have enormous sway on altering discourse among their fans.

Despite the high sales of insensitive songs like “Rap God”, gay friendliness has generally increased over the years, especially among the younger generations. UK joined neighboring countries in legalizing gay marriage in July 2013 and Ireland has recently announced a plan to hold a gay-marriage referendum in 2015.

Macklemore has made a breakthrough not least because it is simply a masterpiece of hip hop music, together with heartfelt, challenging and inspiring words. He ends “Same Love” with an anthem to keep fighting for equality, which will hopefully be echoed by other artists:

We press play, don’t press pause
Progress, march on
And a certificate on paper isn’t gonna solve it all
But it’s a damn good place to start.”

By Nilay Tuncok