The Outliers

Lesbian hip-hoppers like Yo Majesty are looking for an alternate route to success.

by A.D. Amorosi

Gail Kamenish IN THE CLUB? Yo Majesty is a rarity — they make raunchy lesbian Christian hip-hop.

It's hard enough being a woman in hip-hop.

The misogynistic lyrics from the male MCs. The objectifying audiences who keep coming back for more.

Being a lesbian in hip-hop? That's double trouble, a minority within a minority.

"It's not acceptable in the hip-hop community to be gay, lesbian, bi and be 'out' about it," says Camilo "Humpty" Arenivar, the L.A.-based owner and editor of outhiphop.com.

She makes a fascinating point: For the straight men who are into hip-hop, lesbians strip away all fantasy. "It takes away the availability of the artist when you find out they are gay. Plus there's always rampant animosity toward people who are not heterosexual."

There are plenty of success stories with the femme continuum of out hip-hop. With Feloni as the godmother of rap's lesbian movement, several acts have made themselves bravely known to all audiences — God-Des & She, Mélange Lavonne and Bryn Mawr's thought-provoking 3xLadyCrew.

"There's a dangerous stigma attached to being gay in rap," says 3xLC's DJ Nikki. "Either you aren't 'man enough' to be a rapper, since there's an idea that exists that hip-hop is about proving your manhood. Or as a lesbian MC, you're not 'woman' enough to represent the struggle of womanhood."

But for Nikki and poetess/rapper SITY, representing that struggle shows a love of the game. "It's hard, absolutely," says SITY. "But this is where the fun is. I get to tear down some walls, assumptions and rearrange what is normal and possible."

This is what fuels 3xLC's passions. "It's the reason why God blessed me with the passion for art and of words as liberation," says Nikki.

Few represent the intersection of passion, God and liberation better than Yo Majesty. The Tampa, Fla.-based duo — leader/MC Shunda K and singer Jwl B — rewrite rap's male-chauvinist standards.

Though Shunda started Yo Majesty in 1998, their full-length debut, Futuristically Speaking: Never Be Afraid was released only in October 2008. Their sound is grizzled '80s electro with hints of crunk and deep, jeepy beats. The lyrics are either defiantly hyper-sexual or speak lovingly of the Godly good.

At present, though, Shunda isn't talking much about the good — at least regarding Jwl. Before press releases went out that Jwl would not finish this tour due to personal reasons, Shunda K was on the warpath.

Ask her whether Yo Majesty gains a lioness' share of notoriety for being raunchy, being lesbian or being Christian and she sounds irked. Not at me. Lots of stuff: "We have a harder time than most," she laughs before talking about the year Yo broke big, 2006, with gigs at SXSW and Coachella.

"In the indie world I felt like we got treated as property. We got little money or gain for our services. Hell, we only got one meal a day at some of these festivals but we'd be there all day. Damn, that was real slavery shit. We had to wait to the end of the gigs to get paid after everyone got paid before us. And we'd just get what was left over." The hip-hop realm hasn't been much better to her Majesty. Too much of a bling bling thing. And that ain't Yo. "Not yet. Even though I'm the best there is, I still have to struggle."

HALF OFF DEPOT

Why live life at full price?

Shunda's struggle led her to work with several new producers and record solo works like the forthcoming The Most Wanted Cause So Many Niggas Fronted and Next, a mix-tape of Outkast instrumentals featuring K's lyrics about male/female relationships, and respecting and loving your kids. But nothing compares to the strife she's been through with Jwl. Shunda claims that fame made Jwl a nasty person.

"She's jealous and envious of me. She makes threats to me and my wife. Jwl and I never got along — but we had respect for each other."

"The thrill is gone," says K with a sigh. "All I want people to know is, throughout the music, that God loves you no matter who you are." That's hard to portray when there's no love between band members. Every night, between rough, sexy songs like "Club Action" and "Kryptonite Pussy," Shunda K spreads that word of the Lord. "That's how real things are for me."

Realer still for Shunda K is being a lesbian hip-hop artist. "That's easy. I have faith. Loving women is my desire."

Being raised by her prejudiced grandmother, Shunda grew up aware that to some "religious" people, homosexuality is an abomination. "But my mother's gay and I know what she went through. She stayed strong. So should I."

Shunda K may have been afraid. But hell wasn't in the picture. That's why the serious side of Yo Majesty — like the holy rolling "Break Bread" — is as much a part of Shunda K as is the naughty "Booty Klap."

"Look, I've been having these feelings since I was 2 or 3 years old. I don't know another way to feel. When I was playing house with my sister I was the daddy. I didn't want to be the girl with the girls. I wanted to be the man. I knew who I was. And I know that this was who I was born to be."

(a_amorosi@citypaper.net)

Yo Majesty, The Floacist and Sgt. Sass play Sun., Jan. 25, 8 p.m., $8, M Room, 15 W. Girard Ave., 215-739-5577, themanhattanroom.com.