It was a “joke”! Cassper Nyovest denies being homophobic
Cassper Nyovest has again been accused of homophobia, a claim which he has denied, insisting that he was just ‘joking’.
Twitter user Matthew Whitehead (@mattyyonce) took to social media on Wednesday to reveal that he had bumped into Nyovest and was disappointed and humiliated by the interaction.
“So I met @CassperNyovest the other day and after our encounter he said ‘no homo’,” tweeted Whitehead. He added: “This is the guy who performed at gay pride. A hyper masculine statement to reaffirm his hetero status.”
To bolster the homophobia claim, Whitehead’s friend, @MON_DEEE, tweeted a screengrab of a 2012 post by Nyovest. In it, the star appeared to ridicule openly-bisexual American R&B artist Frank Ocean for including a male love interest in a music video.
As the issue flared up on Twitter, Nyovest posted a video on Thursday to address the “very serious matter” and to state: “I am not homophobic. I have no problems with gay, bisexual people, white, black. I don’t have a problem with anybody. I love everyone.”
“I performed at the gay Pride in support of queer people so I don’t understand how I could be seen as homophobic,” he said.
Nyovest claimed he had met a “very, very drunk” Whitehead a few days earlier in Johannesburg. The rapper said his ‘no homo’ remark had been a joke in response to a comment made by Whitehead that, “I want it in there.”
“I would like to apologise if I offended him”, he said, restating that he has no problem with anyone’s sexuality.
As for the 2012 tweet, Nyovest insisted that it was meant to be a joke. “I guess it was distasteful,” he admitted and apologised “if that offends anybody.”
Whitehead then posted a video of part of their interaction. In it he tells Nyovest that he wants him to “please give me some” Cîroc vodka. Nyovest appeared to view this as having a sexual connotation and then apparently replied with the ‘no homo’ comment off-camera.
“I accept your apology, but I’m disappointed by how you have twisted the events and how you’ve made me seem to be some alcoholic and sexual deviant hitting on people when I clearly said ‘give me some’ after you suggested I should consume Ciroc…” said Whitehead.
@MON_DEEE then clarified the matter perfectly to Nyovest and others who don’t see anything homophobic about making ‘jokes’ about people’s sexuality:
“Homophobia comes in many forms it’s the giggles, the finger pointing, the small pejorative comments ‘moffie” ‘siesbotie’ ‘stabane’ and ‘no homo’. These may seem minor to someone who has not experienced it but these are the things that cause LGBTI+ people to kill themselves.”
Nyovest also faced accusations of homophobia ahead of his performance at Johannesburg Pride in 2017.
So I met @CassperNyovest the other day and after our encounter he said “no homo”. This is the guy who performed at gay pride. A hyper masculine statement to reaffirm his hetero status. After that he’s goons giggled- very humiliating @MON_DEEE
— madam evodia (@mattyyonce) November 21, 2018
Here is the video – notice how he has twisted my words into some sexual connotation when I clearly ask for the Ciroc he suggested pic.twitter.com/j6s3DWWT5L
— madam evodia (@mattyyonce) November 22, 2018
Just to clear something for the LGBT community. Keale rata blind!!! Tse baya ke maka!!! ?? pic.twitter.com/9mDchUts8I
— R.M Phoolo (@CassperNyovest) November 22, 2018
Homophobia comes in many forms it’s the giggles ,the finger pointing , the small pejorative comments” moffie” ‘siesbotie” “stabane” and “no homo”.These may seem minor to someone who has not experienced it but these are the things that cause LGBTI+ people to kill themselves.
— A GAY SUPERHERO. (@MON_DEEE) November 21, 2018
Oh yuck !
He dedicates so much time to speaking about his skin and his album, talk about taking time out…