East Coast out hip hop has Bryn't and the South out hip hop crown was unclaimed until now. A new contender hailing from Florida has stepped forward going by the name of Sissy Rich. More info after the jump:
Orlando, FL - Sissy Rich is one rapper who is not hiding in hip hop. He's sayin' it loud - he's gay and he's proud. And to his burgeoning fan base, fueled by his YouTube postings and iTunes downloads, he is emerging as a hero of sorts. Unabashedly announcing himself as the "World's First Gay Rapper," Sissy Rich is the bold new face of what he calls 'homo hip hop.' With lyrics that echo the hype and bravado of everyday rap, Sissy Rich doesn't rap gay though. He just is gay, and proud about it - and therein lies his power.
The 21-year-old is defiantly unapologetic about who he is and his lifestyle. His winning appeal is the fact that he is proving that talent is genderless. With the mainstream release of his new digital single, "Party (I Just Wanna)" Sissy Rich is inviting everyone, gay and straight to the festivities! "Party (I Just Wanna)" is a bangin', boisterous, and bodacious celebration of life, riddled with his spitfire flow!
It was a freestyle video submission on WorldStarHipHop.com that first brought Sissy Rich to the masses. The video post yielded him more than 100,000 fans on his Facebook fan page, more than 170,000 followers on Twitter and over one million views on his YouTube channel, all within two months !
His viral notoriety even garnered rap queen Trina's attention. The raptress was so impressed with his style and delivery, she allowed her artist, Nisha Rockstarr, on the remix of his single, "I'm a Different Breed."
My mission and goal is to prove to the world that the rap game isn't just made for heterosexuals and that talent is talent regardless of who and how you love!" asserts Sissy Rich. "I'm keeping it real with my name, yes - they call me 'sissy' and yes - I'm gonna be rich! But it shouldn't matter about race or sexuality. Music is for everybody!"
A native of Miami, now residing between Atlanta, GA and Orlando, FL, Sissy Rich, like so many same gender loving individuals, suffered shame, discrimination and abuse while growing up. He was ridiculed in school and almost didn't finish high school. With the support of his mother, he transferred locations several times before successfully securing his degree with honors.
"So many of us are in pain," reveals Sissy Rich. "I am bombarded with Facebook messages and tweets of support literally from around the world. I never realized I was a voice for so many. They listen to my music and thank me for being brave enough to honor who I am! But this is just the beginning! I am a Gay Rapper for real! It is not a marketing ploy or just the name of new CD! I am a Gay Rapper and I'm plan to blow up the hip hop game! It is our time!"
In a show of commitment, Sissy Rich has pledged to donate 40% of the proceeds from the sale of the single to The Center - The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Community Center of Central Florida. The Center, located in Orlando, FL, will celebrate 35 years as an organizing force within the LGBT community. It is a crucial source for information, education, advocacy and support and offers a variety of support and social programs including AA, AL-Anon, NA, HIV+ and transgender support groups along with counseling for individuals and couples. Over 30 various social/support groups meet at The Center each month, of which seven are 12 Step programs. The Center serves more than 15,000 individuals a year through its doors and over 8,000 a month online.
"In the hip hop world, it takes both extraordinary talent and confidence to succeed...Sissy Rich possesses both and The Center is honored to be the recipient of his generosity," states Randy Stephens, executive director of The Center. "We applaud Sissy Rich in his gallant effort to bring attention to our community and cause."
So what do I think? Sissy has Nicki Minajed his competition on the buzz front. His facebook numbers and youtube hits thanks to WSHH, as well as a co-signing from Trina make him a bankable brand with the potential to go urban mainstream (106th and Park, Hot 97, Power 105, Shade 45 etc./ LGBT indie cult movies) with the right team. His production and southern stank flow is fresh and accessible to males and females straight and otherwise and from his youtube videos he seems to have an unapologetically fab yet a hard edge to call bs when he sees it; a consistency that is a win in the longer term. I'm about to download the mixtape. Here's hoping that his biz acumen and impact cause the veterans of the genre to breathe new life into their future projects. I'll be following Sissy Rich's journey, will you?
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