Deadlee and the growth of 'homo-hop'

Echo Park resident Joseph Lee doesn't necessarily look like the leader of a musical movement. Blanketed in thug-like tattoos, a menacing goatee and often photographed in bandanna and Tupac Shakur tee, Lee could easily pass for a long-lost member of Cypress Hill. Yet under the sobriquet Deadlee, Lee is arguably Los Angeles' most prominent gay rapper, having helped organized the first national "homo-hop tour."

In spite of frequent censure from the greater hip-hop community, a vibrant gay hip-hop subculture has evolved -- both locally and nationally -- with the clear-cut goals of defying bigotry and realizing self-expression. Los Angeles has emerged as one of the community's central hubs, a development culminating with this weekend's Street Cred 101, to be held at Santa Monica's Highways Performance Space & Gallery.

The event bills itself as an "attempt to debunk the notion that a gay rapper can't achieve mainstream success."

Deadlee has been rapping since 2000, when he began recording his debut, "Deadlee Sin," an effort that initially featured braggadocio about bedding women and partying.

"It was fake," the Denver-raised rapper said. "My producer reminded me that hip-hop was about telling your story and your truths. So I spoke about all sorts of stuff, suicidal thoughts, coming out; it was just my story."

With his 2004 sophomore effort, "Assault With a Deadlee Weapon," Deadlee began to develop significant cult buzz, sparking a 15-city tour that earned notice from leading hip-hop website Allhiphop.com -- along with a barrage of vitriolic comments from readers.

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--Jeff Weiss

Photo: Deadlee. Credit: Matthew Scott Drake