Jonny “The Gay Pimp” McGovern and Adam Joseph are leaders in a new crop of revolutionary gay artists. With their outrageous tunes and music videos, they are ushering in a new genre of club hits to our nation’s dancefloors. Dubbed “faggot music”, the colorful beats celebrate the “F” word and encourage fans to reclaim their inner faggot. Many in the community—especially those under-30—are doing just that.
But there are some in the community who oppose the word “faggot” in popular music. They argue it’s irresponsible of these artists to encourage gay youth to embrace the historically-derogatory word. The opposition has been vocal online for some time, initially targeting Jonny “The Gay Pimp” McGovern and his “Gays Gone Wild” album. But the finger wagging shifted to Adam Joseph when his “Faggoty Attention” video skyrocketed to the top of Logo’s “Click List” music countdown show.
Love them or hate them, these sparkly young artists are making people re-think the power of the “F” word.
What exactly is faggot music?
McGovern: I like to think of it as dirtygayUndergroundfagpop. We are making pop songs but dealing with gay specific topics.
What do you say to people (gay and straight) who oppose the use of the word faggot in your music?
Joseph: You can run away from the word but it’s not going to make it disappear.
Why is it important that the community embrace the f word?
McGovern: When I was a teenager dealing with coming out, the idea of being a “fag” was terrifying. But as I came out and came into my own I realized all of those “faggy” things that I was afraid of being are what made me truly myself.
Joseph: I refuse to give the word Faggot any type of negative connotation. I’m using it to empower or fem-power.
Is being gay a big part of who you are?
Joseph: If by being gay you mean having sex with men, then yes. If by being gay you mean going to gay bars and vogue battling, yes. If you mean going to the gym and trying to act like I’m straight, then no.
McGovern: In NYC we get to live in a fantastic bubble where you can truly be yourself with out any apologies. That’s not to say homophobia doesn’t exist here, it does! We all remember a few years ago when Kevin Aviance was gay bashed in the East Village. Still, the nightlife culture that we come out of has always really pushed you to be as faggity and bold as you can be.
What are you queens hoping to change?
McGovern: I’d like for it to be easier for people, especially gay youth, to access pop music that shows being gay for what it is: cool, fun, powerful and sexy! That says you can be as faggy as you wanna be and don’t let nobody tell you different.
Jonny, your album “The East Village Mix Tape” really launched the Faggot Music genre. Of all the hot tracks, which was your favorite?
McGovern: It’s hard to choose just one. I love all of them.
How do you feel about Adam Joseph releasing the latest faggot anthem, FAGGOTY ATTENTION? Is he now your competition?
McGovern: Not at all. A.Jo is my lil gay hummingbird.
Joseph: The title of the song was Jonny’s idea. I ran with it. I wanted a dance song that I could play in the clubs and I thought the scene needed another track that showed being gay as fun and something to be confident about.
Tell us about the next Jonny McGovern album, KEEP IT FAGGITY.
McGovern: “Keep it Faggity” is subtitled “The Gay Pimp Remix Project”. I love remixes that completely re-imagine a pop track for club consumption. It’s a way to reinterpret and breathe new life into a song. Adam and I went back into the studio and totally reproduced and re-imagined some of my fave cuts from GAYS GONE WILD for the late night club scene. I also took my fave unreleased remixes of “Soccer Practice” and “Lookin Cute” and included them and there is also a rare track I did with the legendary DJ Junior Vasquez called ” Run to the Dance Floor” which I wanted to see the light of day. Plus I unearthed a live acoustic recording of “Lookin Cute” which ends the set as a bonus track. It’s a great record to party to.
In the East Village world you and Adam portray in your records, life is a non stop party of sex, drugs, and dance floors. Mainstream isn’t giving much respect to partiers these days. Look at Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, Amy Winehouse…
McGovern: They are giving them millions of dollars and tons of publicity though.
Joseph: The mainstream is obsessed with people who party hard. It seems like in America that it is the most important news for some reason. I like to party but it’s not my first priority any more. I’m way to busy working on all this music!
What’s next for you guys?
McGovern: Tons of stuff!! I will be making more videos from Gays Gone Wild. “Bossy Bottom” and “Girl, I Fucked Yer Boyfriend” are next. I will be producing “The East Village Mixtape 2” this summer. And I have a new line of tee shirts!
Joseph: I’m working on my next full length soul/R&B album. I’m also about to release a soulful house remix and video for the song “You’re Mine” off of my first album.
How can the community support faggoty music?
Joseph: Buy it, Spread the word, respect it.
McGovern: And stop hating on us. We’re doing a good thing for the community.
When it’s all over, what do you hope people will remember you for?
McGovern: That I made the world a gayer place!
Joseph: I hope people will say I made songs that made them laugh and cry; beats that made them move; and I had a look that made them cream.
Jonny McGovern’s Keep It Faggity: The Gay Pimp Remix Project is available via iTunes, and Adam Joseph’s Faggoty Attention is available via CD Baby.
