Mary J. Blige and Melissa Etheridge Raise $3.9 million for No on Prop 8

Photos by Becky Sapp/BEI

Another update to the fight against California's toxic Proposition 8, the November ballot initiative that would enshrine discrimination in the state constitution and rescind marriage equality for gays and lesbians. Hip hop legend Mary J. Blige headlined a fundraiser with Melissa Etheridge that raised some $3.9 million for NoOnProp8 to mount "new and hard-hitting" television spots in the final weeks of The campaign.

Last night's event was held at the Beverly Hills home of billionaire Democrat and supermarket magnet Ron Burkle. IN Los Angeles editor Karen Ocamb had a front row seat at the fundraiser: "The mostly gay 200 or so casually dressed party-goers strolled past the long pool behind the mansion to a huge backyard with a concert stage. They paid $1,000 each for a three-song concert by rocker Melissa Etheridge and three jump-in-your-seat, tear-your-heart-out-songs from Mary J. Blige, strutting the stage in killer high heels and a serious body-clinging dress."

Blige—an outspoken gay rights supporter—was "actually at the end of her tour and made a special effort" to attend the fundraiser. Other prominent guests included San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom,  Rob & Michele Reiner, actor David Hyde Pierce, and, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who updated the outreach efforts to the Latino community. A few more photos ...

   

What a joy to see Mary J. Blige headlining such an event. The black community in general and hip-hop in particular are stereotyped as being homophobic and against issues such as hate crimes and marriage equality. Every time Mary J takes the microphone to support gay rights, she is influencing another fan. In May, Blige, Madonna, Sharon Stone and Sean Combs raised $10 million for AIDS research. Too bad so many others in black Hollywood are much too busy to help out. Maybe Queen Latifah and Alicia Keys have more important issues on their agenda.

Oh and the usual crickets from the online black gay gossip and hip hop community. Maybe they're too busy, too. 

Donate here and/or here to fight Proposition 8.

No on Prop 8 Campaign Raises $3.9M [Bilerico]

Did You Read ...
Madonna, Diddy, Mary J. Blige Raise $10M for AIDS [R20]
Mary J Blige On Gays and Hip Hop to "The Advocate" [R20]
"Noah's Arc" Cast Urges "No" on Proposition 8 [R20]
"The Advocate" Names Common One of the "Coolest Straight People" [R20]
Hip Hop Teen Idol Lil Romeo:"Gay is Okay" [R20]
"Taking the Homophobia Out of Hip-Hop [R20]
Busta: Gays Better Not "Touch It" [R20]
Ja Rule: MTV "Promoting Homosexuality" [R20]
First Look: Common for the Gap [R20]
Busta's Homophobic VIBE [R20]
Ne-Yo: "You're Nobody Until They Say You're Gay" [R20]
Shemar Moore: "I'm Not Gay" [R20]
Rodney Chester of "Noah's Arc": "I'm Still NOT Gay" [R20]
R&B Singer Tyrese Will Ban ALL MEN [R20]
Kanye Responds to Gay Rumors [R20]
Has-Been Rapper Beanie Sigel Demands Kanye and Pharrell "Come Out" of the Closet [R20]
Kanye Responds to Gay Rumors [R20]
R & B Singer Amerie Against Homophobia [R20]
John Legend & Cornel West vs Homophobia [R20]
Kanye on Gay Bashing [R20]
Kanye: "My Own Homophobia" [R20]
Hip-Hop and Homophobia [R20]
Pharrell Sets the Record, umm, Straight [R20]

Comments

[Derrick from Philly]

Wonderful! We got some friends in the Hip Hop Community. Now, if we get Usher to do a Vote NO on Prop 8 Benefit, I'll loose 30 pounds...I'll try.

[Allen H]

BRAVO MARY! Show these people how a true QUEEN holds her head high.

[TONY DR]

Rod, if you expect the black gossip queens like Jawn Murray or those tired gay hip hop bloggers to step up to the plate, you will be waiting quite a long time, my friend.

[True]

She is an amazing woman. She has been a supporter for the gay community for so long. It makes me appreciate an artist more when they have love for something that is such a big part of my life. I am 28 and I have never been in love. I have cared about people but never had that deep connection with another man. I hope when it happens I will be able to take his hand in marriage.
I never thought my being gay was wrong I thought it was a gift from God (I still believe it). It saddens me to see people who believe I should not have the right to get married because it destroys families..... Well lets be honest the value of family went down the toilet long before gays arrived. Breeders are constantly getting married for all the wrong reasons and having children they do not want. If there are same sex couples who really love each other we should be allowed the right to be a family. Thanks Mary and Melissa for all the support.

[Jeff Summers]

I love Mary. I wished MTV or BET would report on news like this.

[Albert]

True, your comments today and yesterday have impressed me. I am glad you have taken the time to join the community here.

I am also hopeful that MTV and maybe BET will talk about Mary J Blige opposing this measuring. It is up to the young people to help vote NO ON PROP 8.

[Jose S]

I am not a huge Mary J Blige fan but appreciate that she is lending her celebrity to such a strong cause. We need more straight allies such as her in this.

Don't even get me started on these tired black gay bloggers. They publish a megapost on Beyonce or some tired azz boy but say nothing on attempts to take our rights away. And come on this blog and criticize.

[M. Mark]

Black Hollywod is still very closeted. You know, Will Smith will go bankrupt if he doesn't make another 20 million pay check.

[Bryan Watkins]

I expect nothing less from Mary j Blige! Mary J turned her life around and is all about love.,She has been preaching against homophobia and talking about true black Christian love and compassion.

I was in that other comment thread on Will Smith. Please, don't even go there. Jawn Murray is he token negro queen and Sandra Rose is the toke negro lesbo. Both are more intereste din premieres and junkets than spreading truth.

The gay hip hop bloggers are a joke. With the exception of Clay Cane who is out and has relevance, on't even waste keyboard strokes discussing them. Seriously.

[305]

I love Mary and all that she does.

[Samuel]

This is very impressive. I knew that Mary J Blige was gay friendly but was not aware she was putting so much on the line.

I was reading the comments on the Will Smith article on the madams. Whatever. The gay black bloggers are mostly into straight gossip or worship divas or Bouncy or do this stupid wannabe music/entertainment industry stuff. I'm glad you have managed to do it all, Rod but they clearly have very little relevance outsuide their circle. Another commenter noted that one 'gay hip hop blogger' was posting items on Busta Rhymes on his music blog. I think that speaks for itself.

Oh yea, they're only blogging about the 'music industry' itself. LOL This is music industry related and has a socila conscious.

[Thomas M]

Queen Latifah and Alicia Keys are too busy hanging out with their girlfriends.

[Darren W]

Watch out, Thomas. All the closeted church queens will rush over here to defend Latifah and Will.

[True]

LOL I also notice how none of the bloggers posted anything on the new Labelle album (Except Rod... I am still awaiting your review). Most of the blogs only go crazy over Britney Beyonce and Rihanna. I think it is so sad. I love music and news but I love real music that is from the soul and that is exactly what Mary and Labelle give. Patti has not sang this freely in years. Moist of the bloggers only care about messy stuff. They do not have Rod's swagger

[CARLOS CS]

What is especially troubling is that straight and gay white celebrities are fighting against this...and the few black celebrities and women of course. And straight.

I applaud Mary J Blige a thousand times for leading the way in our community on this fight. Sadly, it will be a very lonely fight.

Rod, I have emailed you offline about these so-called black "gay hip hop bloggers" and their silence and hypocrisy on important issues facing our community. If I'm not mistaken, the same blogger I emailed you about didn't link to you on any of your posts cited above on homophobia and hip hop. As Bryan suggested above, they are not relevant and a waste of bandwidth. They are more interested in music samples and pretending they know the "industry."

Clay Cane's blog is self indulgent and too ghetto but at least he is published in many publications and knows what he is talking about. And relevant.

[Samuel]

OOPS. I MEANT "SOCIAL CONSCIENCE", LOL

[Ten in My Timz]

I think it will be a cold day in hell when we see any black celebrity with a hint of rumor try to do something for our community.

[Redondo Beach]

This is why Mary J Blige is the Queen of Hip Hop Soul. She is innovative and a leader.

[Delbert]

Eh. I'm not the biggest Mary J Blige, she is a little too ghetto for me, but I love her personal story and she is an inspiration. You go girl.

[Will]

Delbert, what do yoiu Mary J Blige is GHETTO?

I don't think so, if she were, she would not be supporting this campaign. Bad word choice.

[Not the only one]

Rod may have the most read black gay blog but he is definitely not the only black gay blogger writing about important issues facing the black gay community. Venture beyond this url and you may discover other black gay bloggers who don't represent the "messy" bloggers being referred to on this thread.

[Delbert]

Okay, ghetto was a bad word choice. My mistake.

[Samuel]

@ "Not the Only One". Okay I will bite. Who are you referring to?

I do venture 'round the web and read many other bloggers. I've just been consistently disapponted that so many of the gay black bloggers are so focused on entertainment and never discuss issues that are important to our community. Most are even sleeping on the important gay-related stories regarding blacks in film and music.

But if you have suggestions, I'm all for it.

[Greg G]

---->They are not relevant and a waste of bandwidth. They are more interested in music samples and pretending they know the "industry.

Ouch. But that pretty much sums of most of the blogospshere. The quantity dilutes the quality. But it is a sad day the Hollywood Reporter is praising Mary J Blige for fighting Prop 8 and the hip hop queens are out to lunch. Sad but expected.

[CARLOS CS]

Not the Only One....I wasn't indicting the entire black gay cyber community. There are many blogs that I enjoy.

Clay Cane is self congratulatory but he has an opinion and numerous platforms....he has industry knowledge and is good writer. I often disagree with Taylor Siluwe's tone...but he is very passionate about gay black men and our rights. Darian Aaron is probably the best up and coming black gay blogger...he just promotes and publicizes movies too much, but that is my opinion. And Mad Professah does not get enough credit...he is really involved in Proposition 8.

What I was talking about are the D listers who come on this blog and bitch and moan and complain about Rod's topics. It's always the blogers who are more interested in Noah's Arc, Beyonce, Rihanna and reality shows. I think they are just trying to get hits. But look at those previous topics linked above on gays and hip hop. Most of these so-called bloggers slept on all those. And this is not even a hip hop blog or one that is targeting younger people.

I understand that many black gay bloggers feel Rod and/or Pam Spaulding get all the credit...but it is obvious who is trying to lead rather than follow. I am sure many bloggers resent that.....but many of then come across as haterz. The other day there was one so called "hip hop blogger" who argued up and down in the comments that Will Smith gossip was "irrelevant" and "who cares" and all that....I checked their blog and they linked the Will Smith story at a large white gay gossip blog.