Terrance Dean’s Book: Hip Hop is Gay
May 12, 2008
A book entitled Hiding in Hip-Hop: Confessions of a Down Low Brother in the Entertainment Industry, by former MTV producer Terrance Dean is set to go on sale tomorrow, and I’m not sure if I’m as excited as everyone else. It doesn’t seem to name names, and is more of an awareness tool about the industry. While the press alludes to scandalicious details, it seems more like a book that says “there are gays in the entertainment industry,” which is, you know, redundant. A quote from Dean in a recent article in the Guardian:
Leading hip hop artists such as Eminem, DMX and Ice Cube have all been targeted by gay activists for using homophobic lyrics. One of Eminem’s songs famously included the line: ‘Hate fags? The answer’s yes.’ In his book Dean describes a world in which hip hop stars and executives often berate and denigrate homosexuals, and the use of the word ‘faggot’ is common place. He says that too often he let such abuse pass by, and writing a memoir was a way of making up for that. ‘I am a part of this culture. I was getting by, saying it’s OK when those things are said. But then I realised they are actually talking about me too,’ Dean said.
We’ll either be pummeled with headlines about this book or it will be a footnote, but it will be a historical piece about a culture that is very ‘out’ about their homophobia. Buy it at amazon.
UPDATE: A lot of interest for this post–everyone wants to know the names that aren’t named. Listen to an interview with Terrance Dean on the Wendy WIlliams radio show, you’ll see how much doesn’t get said. “It wasn’t about naming names, it was about telling my story,” is as far as it goes. Not that I want to know or anything…
–Stinky Pinky
who in the hell wants to read the book if there aren’t any names being named
right? it’s a marketing ploy. i’m sure this guy’s memoir’s are an important document but they shouldn’t call it a “tell all.”
Well it sounds to like he is just making stuff up to get attention. This gay mess is so old. People are going to think what they want rather it is true or not. This Terrance Dean guy needs to seek God and stop trying to ruin other peoples lives. What is the point of outting people. That is for them to ask for forgiveness.
actually, he talks a lot about his faith in the book and radio interview. the more i think about it, the more it could be a safety issue. if he had named names, he might be fearing for his life.
okay, me personally, don’t know why people would be so shocked by a book like this! about time someone came out with this book and told something even if he don’t name names. Just take a look at the old soul train dancer alot of the men out dance the women and remember, these were the days when the black movement was in full effect, and the men on soul train could out dance the women anytime and alot of it wasn’t notice but them dudes were paris burning then.
this book is not worth reading. Even his story is kind of confusing because the book does not flow at all.
And again he does not name anyone and to be honest unless you are in the hiphop world meaning behind the scenes and or an artist yourself, you will never ever be able to guess most of the people. The ones that I have guessed are LL Cool J, Usher, Will Smith and Dwayne Martin, Eddie Murphy and Johnny Gill and possible Quincy Jones but that’s a big possibly.
I figued these people out. Let me know what you think…Eli-LL Cool J..Craig-Fredro Starr..Lucas-Will SMith…Kareem-Duane Martin…Daisy-Tisha Campbell..Lisa-Tichina Arnold…Sheena-QueenLatifah
Ella-Nell Carter…Lenny-Fonzi Thornton(CHIC).. Flynn-Tyson Beckford…Galvin-Johnny Gill…
who is the duo that terrance talks about in the book?
idk if eli is cool j……….it says he has a clothing line, if it werent for that i would think he was eli 2
Ezekiel-Russell Simmons can’t forget HIm. Do the research people. Got A few more names but I can’t give em all away……………………….
this book is hard to follow, i mean maybe if he had given out some names like your girl karrine(superhead) it would be more interesting.why buy the book if you have to play guessing games.
nice to see we have some investigators on it, i guess it just goes to show how important it is to be out of the closet and helping others do the same.
now im reading this book…cant put it down..tryn to figure out most of the names..i got bill cosby…but some of em are hard..ne1 know ne more names(besides the1 listed above) im thnkn john singleton tht workd with spike lee but he lives in la..idk if he lived n ny…let me kno…(dymondprinceces@yahoo.com)
OK so I need to know who people think who Charles is and Fritz, and Asia…! This book is good but its like MAN i need to know who these ppl are.! LOL
It is nothing new as the law of averages dictates that there will be gay rappers/soul stars/producers and naming them is neither here nor there. However, the principal and ‘hip-hopracy’ is important. Asking God for help is irrelevant as there is no concrete evidence that he/she exists what needs to happen is HONESTY – If those who believe in a creator ask themselves who created Gay people then i am sure they will reach a logical conclusion. If God is everywhere then I am sure he attends Gay parties also and what of it? The bible was written by MAN not GOD – Lets save God from religion. As for the book if it offends then don’t buy it – As for Gays if you do not want to acknowledge then fine I am sure they will not care as they are too busy getting on with it. PEACE …
would like to know who the people in the book are to.
The rapper Terrance Dean refers to in his book as ‘Mario’, is DMX!
For another good read that gives a different point of view of this subject matter check out A Step Into Deliverance by Toni Pugh. It’s an autobiography and a real page turner.
I understand why he didn’t name names because he has respect for them and know it would effect there life if he was to do so.He didn’t write the book for a get rich scheme.He’s finally comfortable in his skin and wants the world to know how hard it was hiding.To the people he wrote about,they shouldn’t be
mad because he chose there reputation over making a whole lot more money if he’d of used there “real” names.
[...] media pranks, Kanye’s sexuality has been at the top of many gossip pantries. Even TPR’s post about Terrance Dean’s book Hiding in Hip Hop, that went up ages ago, is still getting major [...]
I believe that its high time that we have this kind of material be made available to the public. Name or no name are not important, what matters is the inside info that he would be sharing with the stereotype so called “society”. Newsflash, homophibia is so gay and if our so called hiphop stars where comfortable with their sexuality they wouldnt be composing gay hate songs.
The stigma in south africa has improved as i have noticed more guys being receptive towards us.Thank you Terrence!
hi my name is erica jordan im 22 years old and im straight and i love gays all over the world and i don’t like when people in general like… (like men it urks me when they know that hey treat people equal as anyone you would conversate with men dont that gays are the ones that fshion is here!!!! so stop the name calling when you the one wearing it love erica jordan
it’s no secret about these people!
It Is What It Is!
this book sucks
This book was hard to read and took me forever to finally finish. I didn’t like it at all. The guessing game is distracting as the story line is ghetto typical struggle. The black males listed need psychiatric help. Sisters and women please date outside of this culture and let them have and kill one another only