Lil B "I'm Gay"

A few months ago when rapper Lil B announced that he was going to call his forth coming album "I'm Gay" he began receiving around the clock death threats. The death threats were enough to make him change the album cover and put a subtitle under "I'm Gay" (which says I'm Happy) but they weren't enough to make him change the actual album title. Lil B (also known as The BasedGod) was adamant about keeping the name of the album, for several reasons, for starters it was to draw attention to himself, and of course once a person starts receiving death threats thats going to get some attention, it was the most major-press publicity Lil B got, so from that end the album title worked. The other however won't be changed quiet as easy, Lil B wanted to highlight a concern for many in the Hip-Hop community, and that is the homophobia. There is no question that homophobia is a concern in the hip-hop community, and by shinning a light on it Lil B was hoping to at least start a conversation about how to start healing the homophobic wounds. Lil B himself it should be mentioned is himself straight.

The album itself is very good, to be completely honest before this album I wasn't too familiar with Lil B's work before this album, however I've decided to take a look back after listening to this album. Lil B for those unfamiliar with his work is a conscience rapper, his music delivers a message, something really cool about B's lyrics however is that he is not so heavy handed, he has his point of views, delivers it, but its not so over the top where there is no fun to be had. B mixes his conscienceness with a fun and eccentric side.

Lil B has a good flow which has a unique sound, and works well with his lyrical content. The majority of the album is produced by BigBoyTraks, and it is very quality production, its a good mix of indie and alternative rap production and major label rap production, which wouldn't sound like it should work, and yet does.

The album doesn't really miss at all, each of the 12 tracks is very quality, "Trapped in Prison" is a very quality opening song, the two tracks that follow are great, "Game" and "Open Thunder Eternal Slumber". The only song I had any kind of issue with at all is "Gon Be Okay" which kind of sounded like a song from a couple of years ago with the Obama opening and lyrical content about Change, but even so, its still a really good song, thats just a minor complaint. From start to finish this is a great album, if it took a shocking album title and some death threats to finally get some mainstream attention I would say it was worth it, and its Mainstream Hip-Hops gain to have Lil B officially on the Hip-Hop Map, and if he enlightens people at the same time then we are all better for it.