MURS, "ANIMAL STYLE" | from LOVE & ROCKETS VOL. 1 | produced by EMBASSY

via youtube.com

Take that homophobia! Rapper Murs breaks barriers in his latest video 'Animal Style', going as far as playing the role of a gay boy, kissing a man on camera, and sporting a "Legalize Gay" T-shirt (calling for the repeal of California's ban on same-sex marriage Prop 8).
This shouldn't be a big deal, but let's face it, it still is.
Murs says: "Animal Style is a song I did for many reasons. The first was to be an advocate for people close to me who are out, and those who have yet to come out. It's also a love song, which is nothing new for me. But with this one I wanted to challenge the listener to ask themselves: Is the love shared by two people of the same gender, really that different than the love I have for my partner of the opposite sex? And finally, I just felt it was crucial for some of us in the hip hop community to speak up on the issues of teen suicide, bullying, and the overall anti-homosexual sentiment that exist within hip hop culture. I felt so strongly about these issues and this song that I had to do a video that would command some attention, even if it makes some viewers uncomfortable. Even if it came at the cost of my own comfort."
With this video + Odd Future's Frank Ocean's coming out + various rappers agreeing with US President Barack Obama's support of gay marriage (Jay-Z, Will Smith), or speaking out against homophobia (50 Cent), it seems to be the firm beginning of a new day for hip-hop when it comes to these topics. via Afro-Punk