LOGO Responds To Kanye West Music Licensing Controversy

[Walter Cronkite]

Despite published reports, MTV’s Network Logo - a channel that targets the gay community, has been able to acquire music licensing from Def Jam for their new TV show “Noah’s Arc” and other future projects.

Logo responded to allegations that the channel had been denied use of Def Jam music because the label did not want to be associated with gay programming.

It was reported that the MTV Network was trying to clear music from Kanye West for "Noah's Arc," a comedy-drama about a gay black screenwriter and his friends in Santa Monica trying to carve out livings in the movie business.

In response to the published reports, Logo issued the following statement: "The issue of licensing Kanye West's music for Noah's Arc was a misunderstanding, and we have in fact been able to acquire music from Island Def Jam for this show. We are huge fans and supporters of Kanye West, and we look forward to working with the Island Def Jam Music Group on Noah's Arc and other future projects."

The statement comes after a storm of controversy surrounding the comments West made on his MTV special “All Eyes On Kanye West” earlier this year.

During the interview, Kanye discussed with MTV’s Sway how he felt homophobia was viewed in the music industry.

"When I was in high school I got called 'fag' a lot because of the way I walked and other little things," explained West. "And what happened was, it made me kinda homophobic, cause it's like I would go back and question myself, my own feelings."

West went on to reveal that after realizing his cousin was gay. The experience proved to be a turning point in his life.

“It was kinda of like a turning point when I was like, 'Yo, this is my cousin. I love him and I've been discriminating against gays.' Not just in Hip-Hop. Not just Hip-Hop, but America just discriminates," West said. "And I wanna just get on TV and tell my rappers, tell my friends, 'Yo, stop it."

Logo is the latest cable television channel aimed at gays and lesbians, whose annual buying power this year is estimated at more than $600 billion, according to Witeck-Combs Communications, a Washington, D.C. marketing firm specializing in the gay marketplace.

Source: allhiphop.com