Adios Comedy Zone, Mint Condition coming

Tony Rock performed at the Comedy Zone last year. Photo courtesy the Comedy Zone

First, the good news:
Mint Condition will perform at Amos’ Southend on Jan. 25. Showtime is 8 p.m. Tickets go on sale on Monday at Charlottevibe.com. Advance tickets are $30.

Now, the bad news:
The Comedy Zone uptown closed after its New Year’s Eve show. Its lease ended, and co-owner Brian Heffron says he’s looking for a new spot. Right now, however, he’s opening five other Comedy Zones in other states, and hasn’t had time to focus on Charlotte. He has looked at several buildings, and says there’s a possibility the club may not be uptown because property is so expensive.

Boo! The Comedy Zone is a strong addition to uptown, and gives uptown partiers an alternative to bars and restaurants. It complements the performing arts facilities, and helps draw people uptown who wouldn’t normally come here. Plus, it’s so easy to leave the Comedy Zone and have drinks at a nearby bar.

My favorite show at the Comedy Zone uptown was Dave Chappelle back in April 2004.

What was your favorite show there? Post your replies below.

Partying in Ballantyne

I don’t understand Ballantyne partiers.

Saturday, I bar-hopped between Village Bistro, Vesuvio Pizzeria and Villa Antonio.

Village Bistro is the place to sit and talk with friends. I understand that, but I don’t understand the people who want to dance.

At Vesuvio, DJ E-Luv mixed current stuff such as DJ Unk’s “Walk It Out,” Jay-Z’s “Show Me What You Got” along with the Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive.” Yet only 20 or so people danced.

At Villa Antonio, a woman basically let one song play, and then she played another. Think of a house party, pre-iPod. And people paid $5 for that. Everyone was dancing and having fun, but I still don’t understand why more people gravitated to the place with the skill-less DJ.

It's not just Ballantyne. People will pay good money to hear average DJs spin the same stuff they hear on the radio for free at places such as Brick and Barrel, Phil's Deli and Connolley's, but won't support DJs who really know how to spin. What's the deal? Post your replies below.

Savion Glover Coming

This is for the person who asked about the Savion show.
Savion Glover will be here February 5 at 8 p.m. at the Belk Theater at Blumenthal Performing Arts Center.

www.blumenthalcenter.org

See you at the show.

Spitting dirt and burning rubber

Okay, actually I almost bit the dirt and didn't burn much rubber, but I had fun on my two laps around the Toyota AMA Arenacross track (click for video). Can you see me? I'm still glowing.

I took off on the 110 CC dirt bike with the throttle wide open (OK, I was in second gear). As a I drove around the dirt track I imagined myself racing a merciless clock, going head-to-head with the dozens of real arenacross racers waiting for me to finish my little "TV" stunt so they could practice for tonight's big race. I hit the first turn with my hand steady on the throttle. I went over a little jump and then hit the whoop-t-loops (a series of small jumps).

My coach, Slim Jim of Greensboro told me earlier to keep the throttle steady and not go to fast because the jumps are so close together. It sounded good until I got on the jumps. I couldn’t keep the throttle steady. My crazy butt kept trying to sit after each jump instead of standing on the foot pegs. The back of the bike kept pitching me forward. But I made it over without crashing after nearly careening into one bunker.

I scooted through a tight turn and faced a mammoth jump. I took the first jump easily. (Ok, I drove over it). The second jump was a problem. I didn't give the bike enough gas; it stalled. Now you know why I’m glad Adam gave me a small bike: I was a second away from sliding back down the hill. I held the front brake, and tried to figure out how to re-start the bike. It wasn't an electric start. I had to kick-start it. Earlier, I’d asked a rider to start it for me because I thought kick-starts were some kind of ancient relic in bike museums. I swung the start lever out and stomped on it. The bike roared back to life. (OK, it started.) I took off down the hill, scooted around the second tight corner and back to the start gate.

Then I rode the track again.

The good folks at Toyota AMA and Ricky Hendricks Motorsports hooked me up with a couple of spins around the track. As many of you know by now, I ride a sport bike and I've ridden a dirt bike a few times. The problem was, I've only ridden dirt bikes on asphalt, which doesn't move unless you're in the "Matrix" or drunk.

On Friday, I was neither.

Adam with Live Nation hooked me up with a small 110 CC bike. Initially, I complained, but once I got on the dirt I realized A-Dawg knew what he was doing.

For those of you who don’t know, arenacross is like motorcross in an arena, which means everything is tighter.

Slim Jim and Bald Jim, two professional arenacross riders from N.C., were in charge of giving me instructions on how to survive. The only thing I wanted to know was how to do the jumps.

You know what they said: “Don’t jump.” I asked if it was because I was a woman. They said it was because I didn't know what I was doing.

They were right.

I know you guys want to see me in action. Hit up Charlotte.com on Saturday and see me do my thing.

Rock, paper, Edward Scissorhands

I was excited about seeing "Edward Scissorhands" until Observer theater critic Julie Coppens told me the production at Blumenthal's Belk Theater was a dance performance instead of a play. After spending what felt like eternity at "The Nutcracker" in December, I wasn't in the mood to sit through more dancing. Plus, I'll be seeing Savion Glover in February, so I needed a break. J-Cop suggested I go anyway, saying "Edward Scissorhands" was a production she'd been looking forward to most this year. Plus, she assured me it'd be nothing like "The Nutcracker."



I took her advice, and didn't regret it. I haven't seen the movie, and I definitely didn't know what to expect from the performance. The production was done in such a way that you don't need to know the movie to understand or appreciate the performance. The story of a misfit who is tolerated and ultimately rejected is portrayed through jazzy dance numbers that are often humorous.



That's right, "Edward Scissorhands" is a love story. Don't all misfit stories seem to revolve around love? I wouldn't mind a story about a misfit who doesn't get the girl because he's a misfit. That'd be keeping it real.



Anyway, the production made me want to rent the movie so I can see how it compared to the Belk show. Did you see the production? If so, did you like it? And how did it compare to the movie? Post your reply below.

A sad day for lesbians

I'm heading out shortly for happy hour and I'll be pouring out a little beer for my homies -- the Charlotte Sting.

In today's business section, we reported that the professional team will be disbanding and the players will be shipped to other franchises. It's a loss for the city, but it's an even bigger loss for lesbians in the Carolinas.

I know -- the WNBA doesn't like to talk about the lesbian factor. But it's no secret that WNBA games are gathering places for lesbians. Yes, the games show us the best in basketball, where we actually see teamwork and it's not all about the personalities and high-flying dunks.

But for me the games were more than that. In a city like Charlotte, where lesbians -- especially middle-class black ones -- tend to be closeted or cocooners, Sting games were places to get my flirt on and simply socialize with like-minded women.

The games drew a mix of women: some were single lesbians, others were couples, and some had children. It was a mix of lipstick and baby butches.

I'm one of the slackers who never made it to a game at Bobcats Arena, but I fondly remember the days at the Charlotte Coliseum. Halftime was the best. We'd walk around the concourse and I would typically run into someone from Columbia, S.C., or Raleigh. We'd hug, catch up and promise to stay in touch. At the next game, we'd do it all over again.

Almost as big as the games were the after-parties, which drew a mix women. Today, I have a close network of friends, but I feel for the young women and newcomers who are dying for a place to meet other women. They lost one of the best lesbian assets.

Big parties in '07

Another year is gone and the city's party scene is chugging along. Last year, didn't give us many new clubs. In fact, we seemed to lose more spots than we gained. Here are some of the big parties and shows in '07.

*Rapper Baby Boy, who sings "The Way I Live," performs at NV Lounge on January 13. Show co-sponsored by 96.1, The Beat.
*Gnarls Barkley and Red Hot Chili Peppers per
form at Bobcats Arena on Jan. 23.
*Reggae greats Beres Hammond and Marcia Griffiths perform at the Neighborhood Theatre on Feb. 2.
*The Bartenders Ball goes home. The popular boozefest, sponsored by Elevate Magazine and Entertainment and RockHouse Events, returns to the Adam's Mark, now the Blake Hotel. Feb. 18.
*12th Annual HRC Carolinas Gala
at the Charlotte Convention Center on Feb. 24.
*The CIAA tournament brings Boyz II Men, parties and more parties to Charlotte, Feb. 26 - March 3 at the Bobcats Arena. (CIAA party promoters, please e-mail me your events as a Word document.)
*9th Annual ACC Tournament Party, sponsored by Charlotte Sports Connection and Elevate, will be at theDilworth Neighborhood Grille on March 16.
*Mardi Gras party Buckhead Saloon sponsored by Elevate. March 17.
*Rich & Bennett’s 7th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Pub Crawl. Ten bars uptown on March 17.
*DJ/producer John Digweed performs at the Forum on March 29.
Charlotte's 12th Annual Taste of the Nation will be on April 18 at Wachovia Atrium.
*MerleFest turns 25 this year. April 26-29 at Wilkes Community College in Wilksboro.
*Socialympics III, sponsored by Lazyday.com, on July 14. Midtown Sundries Lake Norman.
*Charlotte Outdoor Adventure Festival sponsored by Elevate, at Latta Park on May 12.
*Charlotte Shout will be September 7 - 30. Blues, Brews and BBQ is September 21 - 22 (and they promise more barbecue for you to buy and eat). Culinary Arts Experience is Sept. 28-29.
*Charlotte Oktoberfest 2007 is Sept. 29 and will likely be at Memorial Stadium. I hope they have more food venues this time.
*Rich & Bennett’s 7th Annual Halloween Pub Crawl
Ten bars in uptown on October 27.
*The Santa Bar Crawl will be Dec. 1 in uptown, sponsored by Elevate and Lazyday.com.
*Rich & Bennett’s New Years Bash 2008 at Hawthorne's on December 31.

Do you have a major party this year? If so post it below.

"24" is back!

I can't wait. The new season of "24" arrives Jan. 14 for a two-night premiere. I'm doing my list of the top 10 things I've learned from watching "24."

Any suggestions? Post your reply below. Also, I'm looking for my "24" partner Conrad. If you're out there drop me an e-mail.

Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays party people. I'm out of here until '07.
The New Year's Eve parties are listed on www.charlotte.com/entertainment.
If you take any good pictures of you and your friends send them to me next week. Have a fun and safe holiday.

Clubbing in black and white

My post about Onyx catering to African American professionals generated so much discussion about segregation in nightclubs that I wanted to address a couple of issues.

Several readers called me racist (they often do) because I was excited about Onyx coming to Charlotte.

I’m not racist. I’m observant.

I have always advocated that people get outside of their box and party with people of all races and styles. I have complained about the lack of hip-hop clubs uptown and the lack of black faces hanging out in uptown bars and clubs. In the last couple of years that has changed. Uptown clubs have more diverse clientele. We have two hip-hop clubs, V-Lounge and Crush. And Time lounge has a night for nearly every ethnic group. (It was the only way for them to stay open, but that’s another column about “going black.”)

The difference is white partiers are typically made to feel as welcome as black partiers at black clubs. However, I receive countless e-mails and have had conversations with professional black men who have been subject to selective enforcement of dress codes or membership rules at other clubs. I also hear from people who say DJs will stop playing hip-hop if a club draws too many black people.

Most uptown clubs cater to white partiers who are age 21 and up, and have at least a college degree and are typically professional.
The other issue I will address is why blacks prefer to go to predominately black clubs. (Same reason whites aren’t bumrushing the V-Lounge, but that makes too much sense).

We all party differently and have different music.

I’ll use Onyx as an example since it sparked this discussion.
They blasted hardcore hip-hop on Saturday. I had heard some of the songs on the radio and I’d never heard of a few of the tunes.
Neither the Men’s Club nor Uptown Cabaret will play that kind of hip-hop.

The dancers at Onyx performed differently than the ones at Men’s Club. Men’s Club dancers, and the ones at other predominately white strip clubs, are more seductive and do a lot of snaky undulating because that is what appeals to the clientele they want to attract. The ones at Onyx, and other black clubs, tend to be more acrobatic and do more pole work because that is what appeals to their clientele.

If you don’t believe me go to the Men’s Club or even Uptown Cabaret (which is a good compromise between a white and a black strip club) and then hang out at Onyx or Champagne for a night. If strip clubs aren’t your thing, try spending a night hanging out at Tempo nightclub and then spend a night partying at Grand Central.

It’s different.

My desire is that people of all races feel welcome at all clubs and that this city offers partiers a healthy mix of clubs and bars. I also want partiers to be willing to experience different places.

The same way we sample new restaurants and try food we don’t usually eat, we ought to be willing to try new clubs and party with people we wouldn’t usually hang out with.

It’s not as scary as you might think.

Onyx's not the Men's Club

I expected Onyx, formerly Rick’s Cabaret, to be a black version of the Men’s Club.

After interviewing the company spokesman, I envisioned Onyx as a place where I’d see black men wearing collared shirts, slacks or at least fitted jeans and nice shoes.

When I arrived about midnight Saturday, the line stretching down the side of the building told me Onyx was no Men’s Club. Men waiting to get inside wore oversized jeans and shirts, ball caps and track jackets.

I thought the men wearing athletic gear would be turned away because they weren’t wearing the proper clothes for an upscale club, but once inside, I realized these men made up the bulk of clientele.

I don’t know how folks party in Houston (home of Rick’s first Onyx club), but the Charlotte crowd wasn’t upscale on Saturday, the finale of a three-night grand opening party. It was the same crowd I’ve seen at Champagne and Peaches and Cream, but at a nicer venue and with better-looking dancers.

Let me clarify: I don’t have a problem with the oversized-jeans and ball-caps crowd. I don’t have a problem with Champagne or Peaches and Cream. But if I’m supposed to be going to an upscale club for professionals, I don’t expect to see patrons who look like they stepped out of a Lil Jon video. Yeeayah!

This crowd tends to be fun, lively and willing to spend money on
dancers and alcohol, but it will also keep the doctors and lawyers away.

With that said, Saturday’s crowd was 70 percent men and 30 percent women (not including the dancers). The manager said the club had about 65 dancers there that weekend. Sitting in the audience, you couldn’t turn around without seeing somebody getting a private dance, and there was also at least one dancer on stage. They ranged from looking so skinny that a bucket of Bojangles would only get them to a size 2 to looking so overweight that Jenny Craig would run away screaming.

The women hailed from a variety of ethnic backgrounds, including white.

Our favorite dancer was Black Ice. She had ebony skin, a fiery red mohawk, a ripped body and a feather getup that was far more creative than the G-strings most women wore. It’s a nice club and a fun crowd, but black professionals will have to be willing to get out of their element if they plan to hang there.

Here’s my question: Am I stereotyping Charlotte’s black professionals? Are most of them willing to party with the white T-shirt crowd whether it’s at a strip club or any other night spot?

Post your replies below.

Also, on Wednesday I will address the uproar I caused when I announced the arrival of Onyx. Several blog readers were upset that Onyx explicitly caters to African-Americans.

This anonymous quote is indicative of several posts: "You are such a hypocrite. If a club that ‘caters to’ white people was opening, you’d be first in line to call that racist. Yet this you celebrate because it is geared towards blacks."

I’ll say this now: Unless a club calls itself a hip-hop club, an urban club, a Latin club or a club for any other ethnic minority, the assumption is that the club caters to white people. But let’s talk about this on Wednesday afternoon.

TJ on the Ice

We spanked some Checker booty!
Okay, spanked might be strong, but myself Stacey Simms, co-host of Charlotte ’s Morning News, Sharon Thorsland, WBT Sports Reporter, Molly Grantham, WBTV Channel 3 reporter, Tara Servatius, Creative Loafing beat four Checkers.

We cheated a little. Sometimes we held the goalie, other times we moved the goal and at one point Molly actually threw the puck into the net, but hey we won. Plus, none of us got hurt. Wahoo!

We took on the city's professional team in what was billed as Chicks vs. Checks. In interviews the Checkers threatened to take us out. I was scared. Adam Nightingale already had a black eye and busted lip. That didn't bode well for us.

But Daymen Rycroft didn't even respect us enough to take off his sun glasses. I didn't like him.

The first period slow, but by the second period we started body checking the guys. But then they cornered Molly and pinned her against the board. I don't think they were going for the puck.

Keith flew around like a madman and between he and Molly, we got the five goals we needed to win.

See the video online.

Bring on A.I.

We're in the midst of a perfect nightlife storm. There's talk that Allen Iverson might be coming to the Charlotte Bobcats, and a new upscale gentleman's club that caters to African Americans is opening this weekend. Can life get any better?

I’ll start with A.I.

In Tuesday's Observer, Tom Sorensen wrote a column saying Iverson would give Charlotteans a reason to care about the woefully boring Bobcats. I hope Iverson comes here because he will spice up our nightlife.

We've got the Bobcats and the Panthers here, but -- as Sorensen wrote -- none of the Bobcats are stars. And the Panthers' biggest star, Steve Smith, doesn’t party. Iverson brings star power. An A.I./Nelly party easily draws a thousand people here. If Iverson played here, we could draw even more celebrity athletes and hip-hop artists to our nightclubs.

That point brings me to my excitement about Rick's Cabaret becoming Club Onyx on Old Pineville Road. The Charlotte location will be the first outside of Texas. It's about time a city this size has an upscale gentleman's club for African Americans. Champagne and Peaches and Cream are fine when I’m in a roughneck mood. However, when I want more posh atmosphere, I have to go to the Men's Club, and their dancers haven't impressed me lately.

Rick's spokesman Allan Priaulx says the original Onyx in Houston draws professional athletes and rappers. I'm hoping the Charlotte location will do the same.

A.I. combined with Onyx could give our nightlife a good adrenaline rush.
What do you think? Will A.I. enhance our nightlife? Post your replies below.

Lordy, lordy look who's 40! And partying?

Last weekend, I went on a mission to find the best places for the 40 and up crowd. I discovered Mickey & Mooch in Lake Norman and Claiborne's on Beatties Ford Road. I also revisited favorites such as the Excelsior Club and a couple of my co-workers scouted Blue and Rodi. In Friday's E&T, I've listed about a dozen places for the 40 and up crowd, but I'm sure there are places I've missed.

If you are at least 40, please post your favorite place to hang and what makes that club, bar or restaurant special.

Invasion of the yuppies

An article in the local section of today's Observer details how young, educated professionals between the ages of 25-34 are moving to Charlotte in droves. Apparently, a study released by the Metro Atlanta Chamber revealed that we are second behind Las Vegas for the largest increase of young and educated people from 1999-2000.
We didn't need a study to tell us that. Anyone who lives here knows Charlotte is a Mecca for yuppies. I'm more curious about how all of these young, educated professionals are changing our culture, especially our nightlife. When I was an intern here in the early '90s and a young reporter in the mid-'90s, Charlotte's nightlife had some edge to it. The places to hang out ranged from seedy and dangerous to dark and alternative. Park Elevator was the place to be if you liked dance music. The Pterodactyl was popular with the Goth crowd. When Mythos opened on Sixth Street in uptown, it was edgy, too, because it catered to gays, lesbians, straight, Goth and anyone who wasn't too scared to get outside of their box.
Today, our nightlife is polished, almost wholesome.
Park Elevator and Pterodactyl are gone. Mythos became the Forum, which is as mainstream as Jay-Z.
Most of the dance clubs and pubs are concentrated in uptown. Condos and office buildings are gobbling up property and giving the uptown a pristine sheen. All of the dance clubs are glam, except BAR Charlotte (thank goodness for their sticky floors and that tacky bull). The pubs feel so safe; I could bring my grandmother out to party. All of the sports bars feel the same. Every lounge that opens in either uptown or elsewhere wants to be the next Tutto Mondo, and every neighborhood bar wants to be Thomas Street Tavern. On top of all that, we're on track to ban smoking in bars and restaurants.
Safety is good, but a little edge and a lot of diversity makes partying more interesting. Along with all the young professionals who make our economy grow, I hope the city can figure out a way to get more artists, musicians, authors and straight-up weirdoes such as Lil' Shiva, K.C. and the entire CarnEvil crew to funk this city up.
What do you think? Are all of the yuppies moving here making Charlotte's nightlife boring? Post your replies below.

Turmoil at the Spot

The club at Central and Pecan (formerly the Steeple and now the Spot) has had three owners since the last year or so. Soon, it will be looking for a fourth.

According to building owner Jimmy Margiotis, the current tenants weren't paying their rent -- so after they do the court thing, he'll be looking for new tenants for the location.

All of this shook out rather recently. Saturday's burlesque show was hastily moved to the Visulite Theatre.

Microphone Monday's, a hip-hop open mike, has moved to Fire & Ice, which is across the street from the Spot. Tonight is first night for Microphone Monday in the new home (which might also be temporary, more on that in another blog). Doors open at 9:30 p.m. It's free for ladies until midnight. It's $3 and $5 for men. Wolly Vinyl will host.

Here's the lineup:
Silent Hill
The One Kemist
Charles Herron

Open Mic Follows

Were you a regular at the Spot? If so, why don't you think it succeeded? And what would be a good concept for that location to complement the Penguin, Thomas Street Tavern and Dish. Post your replies below.

Club closings

If you've been out and about lately, I'm sure you've noticed some clubs have closed and others are under renovation.

Here's the haps on two spots:

*710 lounge in Gateway Village is closed. No word on what's going to happen there next. Former 710 manager Will Carper is now a manager at CANS Canteen. He promises the food there is going to improve. I hope so.

*Gilda's in NoDa is closed. It will re-open as Giovanni's Bar & Lounge on Dec. 7. New owner John "Giovanni" Koutsoupias plans to turn the lounge into something similar to Tutto Mondo, Sunset Club and Loft 1523. Yes, I'm scratching my head, too -- since that was the same concept for Gilda's. The previous owners brought uptown glam to NoDa, but it didn't do as well as expected. Giovanni, as most people call him, says he can make it happen.

"I'm taking that concept and putting it on steroids," he said.

He's adding furniture, revamping the drink menu to add signature martinis, and changing the music to appeal to a more upscale crowd. Expect theme nights: Wednesday will be cigar night, Thursday will be poker or alternative night, Friday will be ladies night, and Saturday will be a different theme party each week.

No New Year's fireworks

I've just learned that there won't be any fireworks uptown this New Year's Eve. Apparently, last year's setup in Polk Park wasn't all that good, and all the construction uptown means there are no safe places from which to launch the fireworks.

The fireworks production has been progressively scaled down each year, but this is definitely a blow to New Year's revelers in Charlotte. I guess all the partiers will be watching the ball drop in New York.

What do you think about not having fireworks uptown this year? Post your replies below.

Panthers Skinned!

What's up Panther fans! I know you all thought I was crazy predicting the Redskins would beat the Panthers, but we did it baby. We did it. No, we didn't win 30-0 as my scalp predicted, but we went home with the big W!
Panther fans take solace in this: you party way better than Skins fans. I tailgated at Sunday's game, and I don't know if the Orange E section was a bad spot or what, but Skins tailgates were boring. No, diehard fans with turntables and booming speakers, no live bands and only one crew with a TV set up in the rear of their SUV.
Panther fans, you might have lost the game, but you won the battle of the tailgate.
Don't forget to swing by Madison's uptown tonight. I'll be bartending with V101.9's Chirl Girl. All tips go to the Dignity U Wear charity. You can contribute to a good cause, try my special Redskins' concoction and join me in a round of:
"Hail to the Redskins, hail victory, braves on the warpath, fight for old D.C. ...."

R we ready for a gay rapper?

On Sunday, Cazwell showed me why it's going to be a long time before an openly gay rapper goes mainstream.

Before his show at the Forum on Sunday, I watched a couple of his videos on YouTube, and I thought he had crossover potential. He looked and acted like a skinnier Eminem, with sarcastic lyrics, a dry delivery and a hip-hop look. In other words, other than the boys in the video and the fact that I knew he was gay, Cazwell didn't act like a queen. Furthermore, he rapped over house beats instead of hip-hop beats, which added freshness to his style.

In person, though, Cazwell discarded his rougher edge and stepped onstage shirtless (he needs to visit the gym) and wearing satin-y black pants. He looked like a queen. If you're going to be a rapper, it's tough to tiptoe between thuggish and tiara, especially if you don't have strong lyrics.

I love the idea of artists taking rap music and creating a sound that reflects their lifestyle, and if Cazwell's goal was to only appeal to a gay crowd, then he would be fine. During an interview, however, Cazwell said he wants to cross over into the mainstream and get radio airplay. He needs to seriously butch up, completely queen out or totally step up his rap game so his appearance won't matter.

Cazwell makes me wonder what will it take to get an openly gay rapper airplay on MTV and BET, and on Power 98 and 96.1 The Beat.

My guess is the person will spew "I'll kill you" lyrics like 50 Cent, or be a super-queen like RuPaul.

But my preference would be to see the emergence of an openly gay who's intellectual -- in the vein of Common, Talib Kweli or Mos Def -- or a pop rapper like Sean Combs. He cranks out hits that make it on the radio and MTV's TRL. In interviews, this gay rapper talks about his male lover, and at the Grammys, he's sitting next to his man.

What do you think? Will we ever see an openly gay rapper? Post your replies below. NO profanity.