By- DeoVonte “Deo” Means

On last week, Chicago was “blessed” with the announcement that Yusaf Mack would be headlining one of our New Year’s Day parties on Friday January 1st at Coup De Tat. Now admittedly, I am a fan of New Year’s parties. It gives you the opportunity to put on nice clothes, get wasted offa champagne and still have a couple days following to recover from your hangover. In fairness, I would also have to say that High Society tends to do a very good job for their NYE parties when it comes to attention to detail. With this in mind, I found it shocking, if not offensive, that Yusaf Mack is not only headlining but labeled as “the homie” for a Chicago urban LGBT party. Allow me to explain. Yusaf “the homie” Mack, gained infamy a few months back when bloggers first released the video of this straight man living on the DL, engaged in what many would label as the most scummiest act of our community. He was filmed and partook in a gay porn scene with two additional actors in which we were all stunned to see him performing fellatio on two dudes at the same time and being anally penetrated while begging his fellow cast mates to go deeper and harder. Of course MONEY was a motive for this decision, but when it first hit mainstream attention, he vehemently denied being a part of our community or having any knowledge of what transpired that night. Yusaf went as far as to make accusations that we as a community are the kind to drug, rape and pay someone normally unwilling to partake in sexual favors. This, he argued, is what he was victim of. Almost immediately, those of us whom are experienced and vested within the urban LGBT community saw the fallacy in his story. We found it extremely difficult to fathom that someone with the documented sexual skill-set that Yusaf portrayed on film could blame it on the alcohol, drugs or anything else! In fact, that type of sexual prowess only comes from someone practiced, experienced and willing. When Yusafs initial alibi could no longer withstand the scrutiny of the gays, public and media; within days he flipped his story, admitted to being homosexual and immediately embarked upon paid appearances in the gay community as some sort of gay celebrity; the first being his “coming out” party in L.A.

Here is my plight- whether corporate, retail or just everyday hood; most of us wake up daily and live our truth no matter what consequences or judgments comes from this reality. For the most part, we’ve done this for years! Yusaf not only denied and labeled us as a community as “drugging” him; but he was also unwilling to admit his truth until he had no other choice and saw a way to turn the scandal into a lucrative endeavor. Yusaf did not take the brave route of Michael Sam or others by admitting his truth and using his platform as a professional boxer to speak out against homophobia and other issues within the community. Instead, he went directly to the THIRSTY, urban LGBT club community and began to generate an income off the very people he once denied. I was just as dumbfounded as everyone else to realize pornstars are now headlining our major events and being promoted as celebrities. But if this is indeed the case, could you not reach for an XL or someone of that caliber? At least XL lives in his truth and celebrates who he is and what he does!

The promoters label their party as FAB and a “meet & greet” for the “homie”, but as an out gay man there is NOTHING Yusaf can “greet” or speak to me about. He’s not fab! He didn’t even embrace his sexuality until he saw there was an avenue to gain financially! Last time I checked, he STILL has 10 kids whom he needs to focus his energy on mending those bonds and establishing a working relationship. Didn’t his daughter go public and state she wish he was dead? So you’re promoting this brand to me as FAB but his own kids don’t even respect him? As a community, we are now paying and celebrating a man that denied us. I understand forgiveness and acceptance, but he has yet to make any reconciliatory motion or contribution to any LGBT charity. He has not attached himself to any cause that afflict us a community EXCEPT being screwed on film. In fact, he has not had much to say publically unless it was a paid club appearance! Yes, he’s cute, has nice “cakes” and can take dick in the booty WELL; but this is not reason enough for me to celebrate him! There are thousands of others out there with the same skill-set and an impressive resume as well. While the promoters promote him as “the homie” and bill him as the featured guest; what contribution has Yusaf made to our community to date? He doesn’t even have the strategy enough to do a few interviews with the LGBT media, explain his plight and try to create a bond with us. This is nothing more than a DL man which was pressed for cash, got caught in the act and now attempting to profit off the scandal because he has no other options. I will NOT prick my finger and drink of the “punch” that gives him the status of “headliner” all because he’s attractive. As gate keepers of our community, these promoters should be first in line when it comes to maintaining the integrity of our nightlife and community. How far have we fallen High Society…Is this the best you could do for New Years?

In conclusion, I’m not here to throw salt on the High Society brand. I’m here to challenge the mindset of and speak out for my community. I’m sure the party will be filled with the young kids of Chicago whom decide to throw on a polo shirt for New Years and rush to the door before the free cut-off to smile in a pic with a society rejected DL man. Im sure FB will also be flooded with these cheap photo-op’s the next day as if Oprah was in the building! But my call to action is, when we will embrace our own and stop allowing outsiders or those not vested to exploit us? What has this man done in the community that makes him a paid headliner? What about this man garners me to spend 15 or 20 bucks to party and chat with him? How is he benefitting the community as a whole? What can he even tell me about being a part of the LGBT community or even a man for that matter! He is a coward that was chased out of the boxing community and couldn’t even admit to being gay until he had no choice! Maybe he’s planning on doing a part II porn scene once the promoters stop featuring him as a headliner. But as of now, it’s a chop in my book and that’s no shade. Yusaf is not ANYONE that I, nor my peers, would rush out to see, and he most DEFINETLY is not an appropriate New Year’s headliner. If I wanted to see Yusaf all I got to do is log into Myvidster and I can gain access to the deepest parts of his butt-hole. I’m sure I will be labeled a hater or bitter, but I stand firmly behind my convictions. If you need proof of what I’m saying, just tap me on the shoulder the next time you see a Muslim group endorse or hire Donald Trump as a paid event headliner!…cheers and happy holidays….Deo

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