By Pia Guerrero, Co-Founder/Editor

I’m no fan of Rick Ross. His incessant sexist and misogynistic rhymes make it impossible to enjoy his smoky voice and smooth melodies. Nevertheless, Ross has garnered fame and fortune by riding on his Teflon Don persona. So much so he’s on the cover of the latest ‘Sexy Issue’ of Vibe magazine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While some feel that featuring a bare chested fat man on ‘The Sexy Issue’ cover of a popular magazine is progress, others disagree.

On Concrete Loop, commentator Dozeki exclaims,

No kudos to [Vibe] because their just perpetuating male egotism by portraying fat…ross as a “boss” type unconventional sex symbol. As has been done for years.

Since when has a MALE rapper ever HAD TO BE conventionally attractive in order to be considered sexy, it’s a double standard.

And I am a man saying this.

For decades fat and obese men in hip-hop, from The Fat Boys to Notorious B.I.G., have enjoyed considerable success not only in spite of their size–but because of it. Fat women on the other hand are held to a much different standard across all genres of music. Adele, for example, has one of the most amazing voices of our time. Yet the industry only shows her face on the cover of magazines–her body missing and invisible, a part of her that doesn’t deserve to be seen.

That said, many hip-hop blogs have been flooded with vile comments that reflect the overt hatred for fat people regardless of their gender.

On Concrete Loop, one commenter notes, “his tits are huge he must be a double d and that man is nowhere near sexy.

And another asks, “why is one nipple closer to the ground than the other one? some things do not need to be put on display and I’ll be damned if this is not one of them.”

And even Kiss My Black Ads whose work I admire commented,  “Most disturbing; At some point they had to lift and hold up his boobs to tattoo them mugs… WFT!?”

In the Vibe interview that goes with Ross’ cover, Angela Yee asks,

“Have you ever messed with a girl that you were embarrassed about and you hoped no one finds out?”

Ross: I be sliding through the ‘hood, I can’t lie. I love extravagant exotic women, but I come from the ‘hood at the same time. So if I’m in my Chevy riding through the ‘hood and you see one of those ghetto girls in a hot pink shirt, you’re just like ‘Hey, put your number in this.’ I’m still in touch with the ‘hood like that.

Angela Yee: You’re giving back to the community.

Ross: I still give back. I can’t even front….[but] I can’t sleep the whole night with a chick. Before sunrise, shorty, you got to go.

Want to know what’s really disturbing? The fact that folks are disgusted by his body and not his words or those of Vibe magazine itself.