Cam’s back (pause). It’s been fun kids, but let’s now retire to the parlor or the deli or wherever it is that they house an endless supply of Arizona Iced Tea. Who doesn’t love the ignorance of youth? I’m game: sure, I made it to Wesbter Hall, to Santo’s, but sorry Odd Future, your use of ‘fag’ and every other homophobic slur is being confiscated. Cam’ron, Harlem’s God gorgon — we assume he’s referencing Ninja Man the real Don Gargon and not the mythological ladies with deadly eyes — is putting out 30 tracks in 30 days as part of his UNLostFiles, and has only needed three days to remind us who the queen of gay slurs is. Where Nas donned the scars of slaves to take back the n-word, to strip it of its hatred and infuse it with power, Cam issues several “fag(gots)” in his newest release, “Murder 1”. Where Tyler the Creator and Hodgy Beats do grade-school taunts, Cam reminds us that there’s more to life than wearing Supreme hoodies and calling B.O.B. a faggot. There’s mink, Chanel ski hats, calling out Jigga for wearing open-toed sandals with jeans, and dropping Karl Lagerfeld references:
Open toe sandals with chancletas with jeans on
How's the king of New York rocking sandals with jeans and he 42 years old?
(Got to Love It” from Killa Season)You eat Louis, shit Gucci, breathe Chanel
Karl Lagerfeld acting like Gargamel
(“Soap Opera” from Purple Haze)
I remember a queer theory class on Eliot or Hemingway, and with the authors long dead and unable to clarify, we unearthed plenty of “gay” themes and hints swimming in and out of the text. It had something to do with admiring a matadors' physique – I took poor notes. Point being, if we studied Cam’s lyrics – hating on women, spewing fashion advice – we’d be hard pressed to draw up a hetero character, no? Pause? Pause. Not saying, just saying. The streets would blow themselves up, but at least it’s good to know one of the few rappers qualified to employ such vitriolic speech is back up to the plate — no matter which side — and taking back those words so carelessly discharged by the younger, irresponsible and unlearned crews.
