Leviticus: Faggot

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"Leviticus: Faggot"
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Cover art for commercial international releases
Single by Meshell Ndegeocello
from the album Peace Beyond Passion
B-side"Deuteronomy: Niggerman"[1]
Released1996 (1996)
GenreNeo soul
Length6:08
LabelMaverick
SongwriterMeshell Ndegeocello[2]
ProducerDavid Gamson[3]
Meshell Ndegeocello singles chronology
"Who Is He and What Is He to You"
(1996)
"Leviticus: Faggot"
(1996)
"Never Miss the Water"
(1996)
Music video
"Leviticus: Faggot"[dead link] at VH1.com

"Leviticus: Faggot" is a song written[2] and performed by Meshell Ndegeocello, issued as the second single from her second studio album Peace Beyond Passion. The song peaked at number 15 on the Billboard dance chart.[4]

Music video

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The official music video for the song was directed by Kevin Bray.[5] The beginning of the video depicts a young man who is thrown out of his house for being gay, and the video concludes with the man (presumably) committing suicide.[6]

Controversy

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Because of the subject matter, the use of the word "faggot" being used so prominently in the song, and presumably[7] the same-sex relations depicted in the video, many music video stations refused to air it without edits. The Box aired the video in its entirety, while MTV aired it but omitted a clip of the male protagonist showing the razor blade he later uses to commit suicide.[6] BET would not air the video at all, with then-music director Gregg Diggs stating that the network's decision not to air it was strictly because of the use of the word "faggot" and not because of "anything sexual".[7] Ndegeocello declared Diggs' explanation "a crock of bull"[7] and further stated that networks that edited the video or did not air the video missed the point that the song and video were making.[6][7]

Chart positions

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Chart (1996)[2] Peak
position
US Dance Music/Club Play Singles (Billboard) 15

References

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