Odd Future’s Syd The Kid Talks Sexuality, Suspected Lesbians in Rap

West Coast rap collective Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, better known as Odd Future, has angered the LGBT community on a number of occasions thanks to their front man, Tyler, The Creator. But unbeknownst to most, the group’s sole female member, Syd The Kyd, is a proud lesbian who recently came out to the public in The Internet’s “Cocaine” video, in which she goes on a date with a girl at a carnival. And in a recent Odd Future cover story for LA Weekly, Syd explains why she chose to come out as well her thoughts on suspected lesbians in hip-hop.

In the article, Syd explains that she was inspired to come out in the video because of her lack of lesbian mentors and idols, saying she wanted to be a source of inspiration for other lesbians.

“I decided to do it because I wish I had someone like that [an openly gay female artist] while I was coming up. People write on my Tumblr just thanking me for making the video, saying that I really inspire them, and they want to be like me,” said Syd. “But I wasn’t always this way, this comfortable with myself, and I remember what that was like. So I figure, f–k it. Everyday people aren’t given this opportunity and I realize that. And I didn’t at first. I thought I was just lucky to be along for the ride.”

While discussing lesbianism in hip-hop, Syd also made mention of several women in the genre whom she believes are hiding their sexuality from the public.

“There’s Alicia Keys, who’s married to Swizz Beatz — we know that s–t ain’t real,” she said. “You got Queen Latifah kissing Common in movies. Missy Elliott saying she don’t wanna hang with b—-es. You know she loves her some b—-es.”

Colorful language aside, it’s promising to see Syd feels free to open up her life and her sexuality to the public in a genre that has historically discriminated against the LGBT community. Perhaps, along with the help of other hip-hop emcees like Kanye West, Nicki Minaj and Russell Simmons, hip-hop will include more openly gay and bisexual mainstream artists. Below, let’s explore some suspected lesbians in hip-hop.

–nicholas robinson