Lil B: I’m Gay (I’m Happy)

Lil B’s announcement in April that his new joint would be titled I’m Gay lit the Interwebs up and inspired a fair share of reactive antagonism within hip-hop’s machismo set. The rapper has since amended the title with the frivolous parenthetical (I’m Happy), but you’ve still gotta hand it to him for taking such a bold stand on behalf of a continuously marginalized population. Sorta. For its comparative lyrical smarts (this is the dude who penned “Ellen Degeneres,” after all), it’s hard to tell just what message the BasedGod means to send with his controversial communiqué. I’m Gay is host to some musically gripping moments. Like Drake, Lil B cloaks a subpar flow in a maze of hypnotic, airy arrangements (“Unchain Me” is bliss). But for all the album’s thrills, face value ain’t an option with that title, and whether B means to advocate or provoke, he ends up stuck in between. (3 out of 5 stars)