The Art of Provoking Conversation
A Strange Loop has made a lot of noise since its much-anticipated opening on Broadway in April and being nominated for the 2022 Tony Award for best musical. The show is about a Black queer man writing a musical about a Black queer man. The night I saw the show, after the curtain call was over and the lights of the theater had gone up, it took me several minutes before I could get out of my seat.
What I had just witnessed was breathtaking and I needed a few moments to recover mentally and emotionally. I remarked to my friend who joined me that evening that it was like watching and hearing all the things that Black gay men talk about with Black gay men but not in front of other people. That was part of the beauty and catharsis for me.
On the way out of the theater a woman stopped to ask my opinion of the show. I told her I thought it was fantastic and that I hoped that everyone I know sees it. She said that she also enjoyed the show and that it gave her homework. I asked what she meant by that, and she explained that there were words and references to the Black, gay, and/or Black gay experience that she wasn’t familiar with and that she wanted to learn more to get a better understanding. In that moment, I knew that this piece of art had done its job. I also knew that she was a real art lover, committed to exploring.
The poet Gwendolyn Brooks famously said, “Art urges voyages—and it is easier to stay at home.” This spring, Jerrod Carmichael crafted a brilliantly vulnerable and honest standup routine that aired as the HBO special Rothaniel. In it, Carmichael invites the world in and opens up about being same-gender-loving publicly for the first time. He talks about his journey and embracing of his whole self as an African American same-gender-loving man from the South, and the difficulty he’s still experiencing navigating his relationship with his family after sharing his truth.
I’ve spoken to many friends who were deeply moved by the special because it was so relatable to their own lives and their paths seeking to accept themselves, and to find acceptance from their families and communities. The family theme is one that was touched on in Jay-Z’s song “Smile” from his 2017 album 4:44 where he rapped about his mom. “Mama had four kids, but she’s a lesbian. Had to pretend so long that she’s a thespian. Had to hide in the closet, so she medicate. Society shame and the pain was too much to take. Cried tears of joy when you fell in love. Don’t matter to me if it’s a him or her. I just wanna see you smile through all the hate. Marie Antoinette, baby, let ‘em eat cake.”
While mainstream hip-hop is an artistic genre often criticized for its history of amplifying misogyny and homophobia, again this year the most anticipated rap album runs counter to that idea. On May 13, Pulitzer Prize-winning rap artist Kendrick Lamar released his first studio album in five years, Mr Morales and the Big Stepper. On the track “Auntie Diaries,” Lamar talks about his evolving understanding of gender identity, transphobia, and homophobia through his lens as a straight man seeing how his gay and trans family members were treated by others. In one verse he raps, “I’m old enough to understand now,” and goes on later to profess, “My auntie was a man now, we cool with it. The history had trickled down and made us ign’ant. My favorite cousin said he’s returning the favor. And following my auntie with the same behavior.”
Not all his fans will be pleased about his song devoted to acceptance and loving his family members as they are and for who they are, but it will stir thoughts and conversations that may not otherwise be had. Some fans will listen to the song and appreciate the sentiment but not fully support his language and storytelling. That too leaves room for discussion. Art nor artists aren’t meant to have all the answers.
Art—be it theater, film, television, music, or visual—advances critical conversations. And creators are here to help spark questions for us as individuals and as a society. ▼
Clarence J. Fluker is a public affairs and social impact strategist. Since 2008, he’s also been a contributing writer for Swerv, a lifestyle periodical celebrating African American LGBTQ+ culture and community. Follow him on Twitter: @CJFluker or Instagram: @Mr_CJFluker