BY: DM
Published 34 seconds ago
Rapper Young Thug can’t seem to escape controversy. He’s now under fire for remarks about gay men during a “Perspektives with Bank” podcast interview, sparking strong reactions from the LGBTQIA+ community.
His comment came during an already turbulent period in his life. In May 2022, Atlanta News First reported that he and dozens of associates faced racketeering and gang charges tied to his YSL (Young Stoner Life) collective. By late 2023, he accepted a plea deal, admitted guilt to racketeering, and received a 40-year sentence with credit for time served. He walked free after serving only a few months.
The rapper also dealt with leaked jailhouse phone calls and public drama with former collaborator Gunna, who pleaded guilty to related charges. Thug addressed both issues in the same podcast. However, it was the rapper’s remarks about gay men that really set netizens off. Here is a look at what he said.
Young Thug can’t look at gay men “the same.”
He told host Big Bank that he has “nothing against gay people” and even employs gay associates. Still, he admitted he feels betrayed if a friend presents as straight and later comes out.
“I feel like once you break a rule from your manhood, once you rat or once you turn gay,” Thug said. “If I look at you, if I meet you and you gay, it’s like, ‘Okay.’ If I meet you and you portraying that you a man and you’re not gay — I don’t got nothing against gay people. You know what I’m saying? If you’re portraying a certain thing… I can’t look at you the same.”
The rapper further insisted he isn’t homophobic. “I ain’t mad at you for being gay, so what… I don’t want the [LGBTQIA+] to even think that I’m against them,” he added.
Thug’s comments triggered an immediate backlash online. Fans and social media users criticized his wording as insensitive and homophobic. Many argued that bringing up sexuality felt unnecessary in a conversation about loyalty.
Some listeners, however, didn’t see the remarks as outright bigotry. DJ Akademiks told TMZ he believes Thug was speaking from a street-cred perspective, where deception equals betrayal. Akademiks noted that Thug has long lived by a “gangsta street code.” He suggested Thug’s frustration stemmed from feeling misled by people he trusted. From that angle, the comments were about loyalty and authenticity, not hatred. Still, even Akademiks admitted the remarks were uncalled for.
Young Thug once played with gender norms.
Thug’s comments were shocking to many, as the rapper has never shied away from non-traditional gender norms. He famously wore a dress on his 2016 “Jeffery” mixtape cover, and he has frequently addressed rumors about his own sexuality.
“I like everything that people say,” he told The Guardian. “No matter what they say. You gay, you a punk. You got a nice girlfriend, you’re ugly, you can’t rap, you’re the hardest.”
These past incidents give context to the new remarks. Thug’s style and persona have always blurred lines of gender and sexuality in hip-hop, even as he vehemently asserts his heterosexual identity.
How do you feel about Young Thug comparing someone coming out to “ratting?”
