“I AM QUITE TASTY!”
Who gives a shit what the world is ready for? Polite-asking-time is over.
So says German hip-hop artist Ash MO, who loves rapping dick jokes, shouting out to “ya’all daddies” and wants to be the gay Beyonce of rap! Interview by Marc Andrews.
DNA: Guten Tag! You’re a gay German hip-hop artist who raps in English. Explain.
Ash MO: Servus! Well, who doesn’t think of Germany first when they hear “gay English rap music”? [Laughs].
You described yourself as a “caramel Kraut”. Sure! I still find that term quite funny because, in my experience, the question of my identity triggers a lot of opinions from people. Eighty per cent of the time when I refer to myself as black people tend to say, “Well, you’re not really black, you’re more…” and then they start to monologue on what they think my identity is. Caramel comes up frequently, which I can’t blame them for because I am quite tasty, but quite German, too.
You recently announced that you want to be the male Beyoncé of rap.
Damn right, I do. Why would I strive to be some lame ass rapper dude if Beyoncé exists? I’d gladly be Nicki Minaj as well, don’t get me wrong, just not one of those rapper dudes. Lazy ass clowns!
Have you sent any of your music to Jay-Z to listen to?
I might send him a video to watch, though. You may call me “Becky with the chest hair”. [Jay-Z admitted cheating on Beyoncé with his lyric, “Becky with the good hair.”]
Does “MO” in your name stand for modus operandi?
Yes, but more importantly I feel like you are low key scolding me for my beautifully filthy mind. I forgive you though. Let’s make-out some time. [Giggles].
Fatherfucking Hollywood is your debut single with plenty of spicy language.
Yeah, we actually released it on German Father’s Day, so while ya’ll gave your daddies gift cards, I gave your daddy a legit bop and major appreciation. Just saying! The song itself started as a bit of a joke, though. Don’t get me wrong, I take my innuendo very seriously, I consider myself the Van Gogh of dick jokes, but Fatherfucking Hollywood originated from me wanting to see how many filthy movie puns I could cram into one song. The answer is – a legally questionable amount!
The world has finally integrated gay pop, is it ready to do the same for gay rap?
Who gives a shit what the world is ready for?
Polite-asking-time is over. Our queer asses are here and we’re gonna do our thing with or without the world’s approval. The queer and gay rap scene may be comparatively small but we got some dope ass artists in it. We need to be done asking for it to be our turn and just make it our turn. The music industry may not be our best friend but where there’s a gay, there’s a way.
What other subjects do you rap about? Stories of people who get overlooked or ostracized by our society and the hip-hop mainstream. I’m really annoyed with the way we keep treating our trans sisters, brothers and non-binary and gender nonconforming siblings, for example. Even in the LGBTQIA+ community we have a lot of soul searching and evolving to do. For the next couple of songs I’m releasing, I’m focusing on my appreciation for the menses because, let’s face it, macho men don’t get objectified enough in rap music at the moment and it’s just not fair. So, to all my macho ass, tough ass dudes out there, I got you, my loves! Now drop it low and shake that ass like it’s Christmas, you filthy little sluts.
Do you also sing?
Like a nightingale. Every time I hit a note, a fairy cums somewhere. I don’t even use autotune. Eat your heart out, Kanye. I have a couple of songs coming up that feature singing. So better hold on to ya’lls daddies ’cos I’ll be the siren to their Odysseus.
What do your parents think of your rapping career?
Let’s just say white people over 60 are not my main demo. My father asked me a couple of days ago, “So are you still doing that hip-hop shit?” which I love, because in my mind that gives me the tiniest bit of street-cred back. I’m only a -7 on the Gangster Scale now.
Have you ever been subjected to homophobia? My craziest experience was a dude following my ex and I home, yelling at us, calling us faggots and telling us he was gonna stab us. I’m pretty sure he didn’t mean with his dick. To this day, I’m really ashamed of myself for not bodying that fucker. All of us need to call out assholery whenever possible.
How would your friends describe you?
A trashy bitch probably. My nickname ain’t Trashmaster Ash for no reason. I swear to God, I have really good ideas sometimes. Just somehow never when there are people around. I don’t care, though, who needs a good reputation when you got vodka?
What’s your message to the readers of DNA?
I love ya’ll cuties, let’s kiki and let’s make hiphop gay again together. It’s about damn time we started some shit and have a trashy ass time doing it. Can’t wait to meet ya’ll soon. Yeah, ya’ll better invite me to Australian pride, because I do throw down.
I sing like a nightingale. Every time I hit a note, a fairy cums somewhere…