Music This article is more than 8 years old

Rapper Wale on Frank Ocean and Sam Smith: 'If a dude was gay, he’d get a Grammy'

This article is more than 8 years old

During a radio interview, the Washington DC rapper claimed the two artists owe their success to their sexuality

Rapper Wale has claimed the Grammy award-winning artists Frank Ocean and Sam Smith owe their success to their sexuality, during a recent interview.

On 21 October, the Washington DC rapper was a guest on Power 105.1 FM’s radio show, The Breakfast Club, where his hour-long interview covered depression, his career and his support for Black Lives Matter. A recent VH1 discussion about homosexuality in hip-hop was also discussed. When host Angela Yee asked Wale about whether gay artists can be successful in hip-hop, Wale was supportive at first, but went on to suggest that their sexuality would work to their advantage.

“If a dude was gay, man, he’d get a Grammy,” Wale said. “They’re gonna make fun of them. They’re gonna throw their Twitter jokes … but in the next three years there’s probably gonna be a dude who’s not even gay that’s just like ‘Man, this is my last resort’ … But nah, I would sign a gay rapper if he was dope. ‘Go ahead man, go do that thing, go do them Versace fashion shows.’

“People are probably going to go bad on me for saying this, but it’s an advantage to be gay in this country right now, that’s just the fact of the matter,” he said.

Referencing R&B singer Frank Ocean, Wale said that while the artist had a lot of talent, he still “got pushed to the moon” during his album as a result of his bisexuality. “He got the Grammy joint, everything … People look at it like you a hero, you a pioneer.”

Adding that he thought homophobia was “corny”, the rapper went on to discuss Sam Smith, suggesting that fellow artists such as Tank and Miguel are unable to achieve the same levels of success.

“He’s talented enough to do it. I’m just saying there’s several other people with the same level of ability.”

When Yee asked whether he thought Smith’s success was as a result of his race rather than sexuality, Wale responded: “I think it’s both, I think it’s a double whammy. Gay and white right now is pushed to the moon.”

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