“Love & Hip Hop” Features Black Gay Couple

Milan Christopher has a unique pedigree in the world of hip hop: he is Motown founder Berry Gordy’s nephew — and he is gay.

“For so long black gay characters could not stand on their own. They would often be tokenized and cast alongside their good girlfriend for fashion tips and giggles.” Drew-Shane Daniels, founder and editor in chief of Mused magazine tell the LA Times. “Or they would push the myth of being the scary ‘down-low’ brother with AIDS.”

“Miles and Milan’s appearance on the show normalizes sexuality between two black men,” Daniels continued. “We are dimensional, exist and function in real life. It’s great to see more nuanced characters.”

More than 3.6-million viewers tuned in to the show’s premiere last month and saw Christopher and Brock given equal billing as their straight counterparts. They have arguments, share tender kisses and have morning bed talk like any couple, but for many viewers it was the first time they’d seen this display from two black men.

VH1 adds this overview of the season ahead:
This season of “Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood” will explore one of the most complex relationships in franchise history. Miles, a west coast rapper, who was raised with church values bravely faces his truth, when he realizes he’s in love with Milan, an openly gay man. The struggle becomes complicated for Miles because his best friend and childhood sweetheart, Amber, is still in love with him. The season follows Miles and Milan’s difficult and emotional journey as they deal with the stigmas often associated with intimate relationships between black men in the music industry.

This season of “Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood” will explore one of the most complex relationships in franchise history. Miles, a west coast rapper, who was raised with church values bravely faces his truth, when he realizes he’s in love with Milan, an openly gay man. The struggle becomes complicated for Miles because his best friend and childhood sweetheart, Amber, is still in love with him. The season follows Miles and Milan’s difficult and emotional journey as they deal with the stigmas often associated with intimate relationships between black men in the music industry.

In an interview with VH1, Miles admitted that his storyline was a particular unique one and that he is being “courageous” by revealing his bisexuality on national TV while pursuing a rap career, “I said yes to join reality TV because I felt like my story was pretty unique. I thought I was being courageous and taking a stance in this Hip Hop game and not being afraid of who I am and my issues that I deal with. The cameras are capturing a man that has to make extremely difficult decisions dealing with his own personal issues and still learning who he is and trying to figure out who he is.”

With Hip Hop not being open arms about homosexuality, the aspiring rapper says that he wants fans to accept him and admits that he is extremely nervous about what would come once the show airs, “I know how I want to be seen, but to be honest I don’t know how people are going to judge me. Hopefully they don’t judge me too much. Opening my life to the world is extremely nerve-wracking. It makes me nervous, frustrated, I get anxiety from this sh*t but it is what it is and I’m happy I’m doing it.”

While there is a Milan Christopher sex tape floating around, the special “Love and Hip Hop: Out in Hip Hop” and the season premiere of “Love in Hop Hop: Hollywood” willbe showing this evening, Monday, October 19, 2015. Please check the VH1 schedule for local times in your area.

Happy Viewing!

(h/t Mstarz

Tags: gays on tv, Love & Hip Hop, Milan Christopher, VH1