Have you noticed a movement on the part of the urban community to become more accepting of the Homesexual culture?  We’re even seeing advertising campaigns now designed to get young people to dump the use of gay slurs deemed offensive.  Highbrid Nation’s sister organization Highbrid Media recently teamed up with the Ad Council to promote their new “Think B4 You Speak” Public Service campaign.

While I’m not gay and don’t necessarily agree with the lifestyle I am an African American and as such understand what it means to be be discriminated on.  To that end Homophobia has no place in our society especially when acted upon in the form of hate.  Former NBA player Magic Johnson agrees.  He’s enlisted the influence of several emcees to help combat homophobia.

A HIV+ individual himself, Magic Johnson is trying to recruit rappers to speak against stereotypes about AIDS and HIV as well as homophobia.  In an interview with The Huffington Post, the former NBA player described hip hop as a potential catalyst for change in thinking.

“What we’re trying to do is reach out to the Hip Hop community because they have power — power with their voice, power with that mic in their hand and power with the lyrics that they sing…. I have a lot of friends in [the Hip Hop] industry and so what we’re trying to do is rally them to get behind the cause, deliver the message to these young people that HIV and AIDS is big and it’s not going anywhere.”

“We’re going to name everybody in a little while because it’s more than one person. We’ve got about five or six people that we’re talking to.”

With Hip Hop’s now pan-global influence Johnson believes that rappers effect change.  Johnson has also turned to his fellow athletes as well saying “We need a little bit of everybody, so that’s what we’re working on now.”
That’s all well and good but is Johnson the one to lead this charge?  What exactly is he saying by launching a campaign?  I could understand if it was prejudice against those living with HIV/ AIDS?  Is he claiming he’s gay?  Did I miss something? Or am I in even questioning his orientation or intention buying into the exact sterotype he’s trying to eliminate?  Hip Hop has clearly become more accepting of Homosexuality as more and more artists and to a greater extent executives, stylists and support members have come out of the closet.  He’s on the right track but I’m curious to see how this goes.