Monday, March 2, 2009

GSA Monday Topic: Kanye West has a new definition for "That's So Gay!"



I found this on the amazing towleroad website!

Kanye West, in his interview with Details magazine:

"Titles are very important. I like to embody titles, y'know, or words that have negative connotations, and explain why that's good. Take the word gay—like, in hip-hop, that's a negative thing, right? But in the past two, three years, all the gay people I've encountered have been, like, really, really, extremely dope. Y'know, I haven't, like, gone to a gay bar, nor do I ever plan to. But where I would talk to a gay person—the conversation would be mostly around, like, art or design—it'd be really dope. From a design standpoint, kids'll say, 'Dude, those pants are gay.' But if it's, like, good, good, good fashion-level, design-level stuff, where it's on a higher level than the average commercial design stuff, it's, like, gay people that do that. I think that should be said as a compliment. Like, 'Dude, that's so good it's almost . . . gay.'"

Adds Details: "West's friends and professional adjuncts, who quietly pass in and out of his loft throughout the day, start cracking up, and he leaves his chair for a bit of stand-up: 'Dude, that's so good it's almost gay!' 'Dude, you pay real attention to detail—that's almost, like, gay!' 'You had a whole conversation with that girl without bringing up sex? That was, like, gay!'"


How cool is this guy?

With the power of Kanye West behind us, can we change "that's so gay" from being a slam to being a compliment of the highest order? If "dope" can change meanings so dramatically, why not "gay?"


Can we make "gay" dope? What do you think?

4 comments:

fairyhedgehog said...

Let's go for it! I'm happy to use it like that. It's a friendlier way to challenge the old use than complaining. I can just see it now:

Idiot person: "That's so gay!"
Me: "I didn't think it was that good. Now (this other really cool thing), that's so good it's gay."

Sarah Laurenson said...

I believe that is the way these things are changed. Take it back. Change the meaning. I really like what he said. It's funny that it's coming back to the stereotype of the fashion designer.

Rita said...

Hahahahahaha. This cracked me up. That IS how it should be.

Actually, that is how it already is in our household. But I won't say more here. And, true, we are relying on stereotypes to turn this thing around. Gotta start somewhere!

fairyhedgehog said...

I've now posted on this with a link to you.