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1. Every single article that's written about the homophobia that exists in hip-hop from now until the end of time will have to mention Lil B and the fact that he called one of his albums, I'm Gay.
It's no secret that hip-hop is perceived as homophobic. Rappers have gotten better about limiting the number of "anti-gay slurs" (word to Kobe Bryant) that they use in their lyrics, but just take a listen to any of the hundreds of diss records that have been created throughout the history of hip-hop and you're bound to hear a few words and phrases that clearly exhibit the homophobia that still exists. But now that Lil B has titled his next album, I'm Gay, writers and columnists can no longer simply dismiss every rapper as homophobic. They'll have to mention the Based God and take a look at hip-hop from another angle, which will help give the game a better name in the mainstream media.
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2. Even if Lil B ends up changing the album title or doesn't create an album called I'm Gay, the conversation that this news has generated amongst hip-hop fans has already been remarkable.
Just like the fans who follow them, rappers can be fickle. So we wouldn't be surprised to see Lil B's next album drop with a different title altogether. That's just how the game goes. But even if Lil B does change the name, he's already created enough conversation in the last few days to make the point that he wanted to make. So even if it doesn't end up written across the cover of his next album, it's already done its job.
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3. The album title proves that Lil B recognizes the power and influence that he has over a whole lot of young people right now.
Lil B didn't have to come out at Coachella and announce that his next album was going to be called I'm Gay. In fact, there was really no precedent for it. It's not like people have been clamoring to know what his next project was going to be called. But Lil B has obviously started to recognize that people care what he says, thinks and does. So he took his opportunity at Coachella to do more than just run around the stage screaming "Swag!" More power to him for doing it.
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4. I'm Gay shows that hip-hop music and the rappers who create it are finally progressing and opening up their minds.
One year ago, five years ago, 20 years ago, a rap album called I'm Gay wouldn't fly—especially from a young, up-and-coming MC trying to make a name for himself. He would have been booed off stage, dissed by other rappers, and ultimately kicked out of the game one way or another. We don't expect Lil B to get love from every rapper and every rap fan out there, but so far, it feels like people have accepted his idea to call his next album I'm Gay and been open to the idea. That speaks volumes about how far along the hip-hop community is right now.
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5. Though it has served a social purpose, Lil B's latest announcement has also undoubtedly worked as a publicity stunt that's made him infinitely more interesting as a character in the hip-hop community.
Let's face it: Lil B is going to milk I'm Gay for all its worth. So while it served a purpose and made a statement and helped hip-hop look good, he's also using it to generate extra publicity for himself. After all, we wouldn't still be talking about Lil B or his album title if he'd called it, say, I'm Swag. But there's nothing wrong with that, because the stunt has made Lil B a much more interesting person. Even if you're not familiar with his music, you know what he stands for now and you know that he's not afraid to take risks both with his music and with the things that he says. It's made us more excited to see what else he has in store for the future and it's great for hip-hop as a whole.
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