Lil B's I'm Gay (I'm Happy): a rap revolution? | reviews, news & interviews
Lil B's I'm Gay (I'm Happy): a rap revolution?
Lil B's I'm Gay (I'm Happy): a rap revolution?
The strangest rapper in the US makes a sudden break for the mainstream
Friday, 01 July 2011
Lil B: 'Whatever he does next is going to be one of the most fascinating tales in modern music'
It's not often you can call pop music revolutionary, but this record is - in more ways than one. Bringing together techniques of engagement that have been honed by Radiohead, Lady Gaga, Lil Wayne and... um... Justin Bieber, the 21-year-old Berkley, California rapper Lil B appears to be on the verge of becoming the first bona fide internet-birthed superstar. I'm Gay (I'm Happy) appeared on iTunes yesterday, announced with a single tweet, with no prior warning whatsoever bar an announcement of its provocative title a couple of months back. It has seemingly no standard record company support behind it, yet it is instantly huge news.
It's not often you can call pop music revolutionary, but this record is - in more ways than one. Bringing together techniques of engagement that have been honed by Radiohead, Lady Gaga, Lil Wayne and... um... Justin Bieber, the 21-year-old Berkley, California rapper Lil B appears to be on the verge of becoming the first bona fide internet-birthed superstar. I'm Gay (I'm Happy) appeared on iTunes yesterday, announced with a single tweet, with no prior warning whatsoever bar an announcement of its provocative title a couple of months back. It has seemingly no standard record company support behind it, yet it is instantly huge news.
This very modern connection to fans has actually fostered good, old-fashioned idolisation
Share this article
Add comment
The future of Arts Journalism
You can stop theartsdesk.com closing!
We urgently need financing to survive. Our fundraising drive has thus far raised £33,000 but we need to reach £100,000 or we will be forced to close. Please contribute here: https://gofund.me/c3f6033d
And if you can forward this information to anyone who might assist, we’d be grateful.
Subscribe to theartsdesk.com
Thank you for continuing to read our work on theartsdesk.com. For unlimited access to every article in its entirety, including our archive of more than 15,000 pieces, we're asking for £5 per month or £40 per year. We feel it's a very good deal, and hope you do too.
To take a subscription now simply click here.
And if you're looking for that extra gift for a friend or family member, why not treat them to a theartsdesk.com gift subscription?
more New music
Bob Dylan, Royal Albert Hall review - cracked ritual from rock elder
A glorious mixture of mask and authenticity
Album: Linkin Park - From Zero
California metal icons mark new era with captivating eighth album
Rachel Chinouriri, Queen Margaret Union, Glasgow review - a formidable and genre-hopping talent
The singer lifted elements from throughout pop history during an exciting set
Album: Jon Batiste - Beethoven Blues
Beethoven's hits reimagined by the American musical celebrity
Album: Silkroad Ensemble with Rhiannon Giddens - American Railroad
American railroad history retold in a song cycle
Interview: Roy Haynes, Jazz Drumming Giant (1925-2024)
The jazz legend reminisces, from Satchmo to Metheny
Album: Dolly Parton & Family - Smoky Mountain DNA - Family, Faith & Fables
Forlorn hope, and a beautiful expression of family, from the American heartland
Amyl and the Sniffers, O2 Academy, Birmingham review - rowdy Aussies let loose
Melbourne pub rockers set Sunday evening alight
Album: Tomorrow X Together - The Star Chapter: Sanctuary
From heavenly pop to reggaeton heat, TXT's musical universe knows no bounds
Music Reissues Weekly: The Yardbirds - The Ultimate Live at the BBC
New ways to see this most significant of British bands
Le Vent du Nord, Cecil Sharp House review - five extraordinary musicians
Joie de vivre, thanks to a bracing wind from Canada
Album: Garfunkel & Garfunkel: Father and Son
Art for Art's sake
Comments
...
...