May 1, 2024
‘It feels like it’s been a new trend, new swag, a new style. Paint your nails, use a bag, wear a dress. I wonder if in my era, if it would be accepted like that if it was a trend.’
Bronx-bred recording artist Fat Joe went on a mini-rant last week when he spoke about the “femininity” taking place in hip-hop from male rappers. His beef isn’t with rappers being gay. He stated that he has an issue with the ones who paint their nails, wear dresses, and claim to be straight.
Joe appeared on his Instagram Live on April 26 to discuss his beef with some current rappers. While talking about the difference between how rappers carry themselves today and how they did during his era, he pointed out a stark contrast.
“Listen, guys, don’t misplace my words for the LBGT,” he stated. “If you’re gay and you love to be gay, that’s your shit. That don’t got nothing to do with me. I got a best friend, a brother who’s gay. I don’t give a f**k. But this femininity — this thing that’s going on in boxing — you know the shit we see, and he’s saying he’s a girl (referencing a boxer, Ryan Garcia, who accused his opponent, Devin Haney, of committing a “hate crime.” In a social media post, he stated that he identifies “as a woman.”) Come on man. You f**king around!”
Joe, who is known for his commentary and viewpoint when he speaks on his Instagram, continued by saying that “we’ve come a long way accepting everybody for who they are,” but he says that being gay has been around for some time, and he doesn’t have a problem with that. Yet, he feels that current rappers who identify as straight but are “painting their nails or they walking with Birkin bags.” He doesn’t know if this is a trend and wonders if it would have been accepted during his formative years in the hip-hop scene.
“It feels like it’s been a new trend, new swag, a new style. Paint your nails, use a bag, wear a dress. I wonder if in my era, if it would be accepted like that if it was a trend. It would blow my mind to see what rapper would do that. I’m just saying, in my era, I don’t think we would have seen that.”
