Gay Is the New Black

[Hook]
Gay is the new black
Gay is the new black
Gay is the new black
Let me explain that
[x2]

[Verse 1]
Follow this yellow brick road
On a journey that's concerning
A real uncertainty
Higher learning like Remy
I'm aiming at what's unnerving me
Wired to pay attention to cultural fires lurking
We're trying to find them and call them out
Marco Polo, it works for me

Times are changing and everything's rearranging
On sexuality, thugs and gangbanging culture's complaining
That gay is the new black
We giving the people's due
It's the only fight that is right
For the people that's red and blue
Now now now

I got issues with this
So pardon my diction
I'm about to stir up some friction
People, stop look and listen
We're doing some reminiscing
On a hunt for conviction
I could show you a little something
If you down for the mission, let's go
And examine the statements people been saying
'Cause if gay is the new black
Then we best get to explaining
How we even got to this juncture
Making this statement stick
Has worked better than acupuncture
Follow me, keep your wits
But before we go any further
It's time for some full disclosure
That "gay is the new black"
Used to have my anger spill over
But nowadays I believe in it
Actually, I concede it
But not for the reasons that you might think I do, younguns
Deep 'cause it's

[Hook]
Gay is the new black
Gay is the new black
Gay is the new black
Let me explain that
[x2]

[Verse 2]
Let's start plucking this row of dominoes
And jump into -- we yelling out "Geronimo"
Homie, I don't know where to begin
Hmm, yeah, now I know
Let's start with the reason others believe in
"Gay is the new black" -- imago Dei sin

How many of you heard of Bayar Rustin?
Was huge in civil rights and shaping Dr. King's discussions
Responsible for that march on Washington in '63
And what's possibly the most famous speech in "I Have a Dream"
He was clearly behind the scenes and proud to be gay, it seems
And his contribution was critical to changing racist themes
So many people would say that because that Bayar was gay
And his role in civil rights that impacted one MLK
Is worthy enough, but nah, that wouldn't be what I'm saying
Yeah, gay is the new black, but I say it for different reasons

The Civil Rights Act that promised things were really changing
Four years after that, Dr. King's assassination
Five years after that, an FBI operation
That exposed for his hatred of blacks across the whole nation
Nine years after the Civil Rights Act, documentation
I'm rambling, trying to get you off Ambien, so I'm saying
This country really never apologized for the damage and
No international court of punishment and no plans for them
Just move on like it never happened, ignore the drama
Act like everybody's heart changed, ignore the drama
It was clear they were tired of hearing our little saga
While on the low, the gays were gaining a lot of honor
'Cause some of them that were gay had money they could devour
But something else in the culture has shifted that gave them power

[Hook]
Gay is the new black
Gay is the new black
Gay is the new black
Let me explain that
[x2]

[Verse 3]
And black people, we started rapping the consequences of actions
We made it cool in describing how we felt about what happened
The world, through other music, was easily entertained
And the record labels would force us to glorify all that pain
And shame eventually became a household name
It was ominous, was synonymous with drugs and with gangs
And eventually all that stuff became the same old same
As America saw our problems were too big to be changed

They moved on but felt the guilt and the culture had started shifting
And feeling bad for the people we marginalize as different
As culture started the focus on the evils of the church
For our history and complicity, it no longer worked to abstain
'Cause all the hurt as gay people, they would complain
And describing themselves as victims, it was destined to change
And it did
You see these campaigns, corporations and all
Will cancel their all-star games for bathroom laws
Even today, saying "That's so gay" we say is wrong
But that never happened to us, they kinda cheered this along
The NFL and NBA, all the money the blacks they made for them
Never punished cities for wicked and blatant racism
Corporations never defended us like they do gays
It's wild to see the love that they have, this is the new phase
We did all the work and they benefit, that's a fact
And in that sense, yeah, I say "Gay is the new black"

[Outro]
Do you see
Do you see
Do you see what I see?