Bry'Nt Brings Gay Hip Hop Out of the DL

From sites like OutHipHop.com and GayHipHop.com to Terrance Dean's much-hyped autobiography "Hiding in Hip Hop", the once-secret world of gay hip-hop has moved from an underground genre to the mainstream. Rappers who once crept on the down low are now proudly into the spotlight - and among the hottest new rappers taking the stage is Bry'Nt, who is about to release his first full-length EP, "Bry'Nt Park".

"My music was changing; I started writing more true-to-life experiences instead of hypothetical stuff," said Bry'Nt. "A friend heard one of the songs, and encouraged me to do it like that, saying, 'There are a million and one straight rappers, so you really stand out.' The combination of those things had me step to the front. I had seen gay rappers before, but I felt I could really take it far if I decided to be out. I thought I was good enough to go far."

Tired of the way traditional hip-hop portrays gays and their lifestyle, Bry'Nt wanted to show a realistic one. Although he doesn't feel like a rapper's sexual orientation should define them or put them in a separate category, he wanted his music to be more "rainbow-friendly." By breaking down these stereotypes and barriers, Bry'Nt believes gay rappers will one day get the respect they deserve.

He has gone far toward keeping it real. In his single "Hello Goodbye", Bry'Nt raps about a guy for whom he had feelings and spent "mad time together" with for a year, until things got bad. Where other gay hip-hop artists might keep their business on the DL, Bry'Nt is unabashed, rapping, "Found out about the time you let Nick play with your dick/ Fucked around with Tommy and thought he could keep a secret/ I even knew how you was coppin' feels on Will/ laid in bed with Greg and having sex with Lex..." Bry'Nt doesn't let this betrayal punk him; the chorus rings out, "Every time I see your number on my phone I just want to press ignore/pretend I'm not home."

His lyrics may cause a sensation, but Bry'Nt is no novelty act; his chops are real, and his music spans the standard topics of mainstream hip-hop: Sex and love, dealing with a partner's infidelity, life in the hood, and popping a cap in someone's ass.

"When people first hear me and they don't pay attention to my lyrics, they can't tell I'm a gay rapper," said Bry'Nt. "I like that I can still blend in, but stand out. I hang with the best but I have a different story to tell."

Bry'Nt began his solo career in 2008 with his two mix tapes, "Porn Star" and "Porn Star II: The Director's Cut". He is set to deliver his first EP, "Bry'Nt Park," this summer. Bry'Nt even has his own brand of condoms.

The Hartford, Conn., native has opened for Fantasia, RuPaul, DJ Class and other acts. He performed at "Inferno DR 2010" in the Dominican Republic last September. And Bry'Nt is also hard at work on the set of "Finding Me: Truth," the highly-anticipated sequel to "Finding Me" in which he stars as Omar. The series is due out this spring.

Although he is only in his 20s, Bry'Nt is a seasoned player in the rap game. He started writing raps when he was 11-years-old, and he was in Third Degree by the time he was 15. Bry'Nt struck out as a solo artist while in college.

"I never thought we would be going this long," he admitted. "I did put out mix tapes to have stuff for friends to listen to, and before you know it the streets and Internet took to it. Three years later I am releasing an album, just showing my skills and telling a story, really tapping into my life in depth."

Bry'Nt further discussed his career.

"I finished a song yesterday called 'So Fly', where I'm telling teenagers advice about the past and what we did wrong," he said. "It's the story of a friend who got HIV because the things he was doing were real negative. The hook goes, 'You feel like a butterfly with wet wings/but you can still fly when water dries.' It's an uplifting song about trying to be the best person you can be. The partying iced-out street life can only get you to one place - and that's not usually a good place."

Another new song is "Keep the Streets", a tale of a friend who got Bry'Nt involved in stealing, hustling, and doing other things for money and the negative outcomes of these behaviors. "Some people learn lessons later in life, but lucky for me I learned early on," said Bry'Nt. "When I got involved with this and saw these things pile up so fast, I had to snap out of it. I thought, 'This is not the route I need to be going on.' By the time I was 18, I was back on the right path."

Another song he recently wrote is "Time is Up", an R&B tune about being in a relationship with a person who is never where they say they're going to be. "I'm looking at the clock, and he's still not here," explained Bry'Nt. "I don't consider myself a vocalist, but in this I try to do some singing, and it's not bad."

If you haven't discovered Bry'Nt on Facebook, Myspace, or Bandcamp, try looking in your own neighborhood. For the past three years, he has been touring the Pride circuit, doing shows from Canada to his most recent gig at Queens College earlier this month. He has also been recording a new video, "With Us You Can't" starring Solomon. He finally said enough, and told his manager not to book him any shows for Sizzle Miami or Pride, so he could sit down and finish his album.

Bry'Nt has had luck in churning out one great song after the other. He credits most of his success to coming out, and being true to himself. And Bry'Nt shares his advice with other aspiring gay hip-hop artists.

"The first thing I would say is let go of fear: it will prevent you from doing what you want to do. As soon as I said I was going to do this and be brave about it, things started happening," said Bry'Nt. "People will respect you when you're fearless. And never give up. I never thought I would be doing international shows as an indie gay artist, but I never give up and always work hard. You have to go to the studio once or twice a week, write every day, rap for whoever you can - that's work for a rapper. Get in on the Internet; that's your biggest friend. All the social networking sites help spread the word, because one person seeing your work soon becomes a hundred."

Bry'Nt gives props to all the artists who have worked with him and who have earned his respect. These include Solomon, Twizza, Chaos, Johnny Dangerous, and producer Ashley Breathe. "All the ones I really love are on my second mix tape," said Bry'Nt. "The underground movement is slowly progressing, and I'm excited to be right in the middle of it all."