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Mirror Boiyz don't like to get it twisted. Spitting out their uncompromising, powerful lyrics, the duo is one of the few openly gay hip hop acts that uses big beats and rap to talk about issues that often directly resonate with gays whether it is about online dating or America's Next Top Model.

Wesleyan University students Chris and Joe first got together to make music after seeing a Destiny's Child performance. Both have always been hip hop fans and they feel this style fits them best. "We could have easily made some sort of indie-pop album, but I don't think it would have the same effect," Joe tells Arjan.

"Recently, 50 Cent said that gays could never be a part of the rap game because they aren't aggressive enough. I guess we want to prove him wrong. If we're not aggressive enough, we can at least be sassy enough."

In their music Mirror Boiyz not only tackle gay issues, but also pop culture topics such as America's Next Top Model. Joe explains that the song "Don't Get It Twisted" was inspired by model contestant Ebony Taylor from Season 5 of the popular television show. Lyrical diversity is important to the group because when there is too much focus on gay issues "there comes a point where queer activism becomes straight-bashing, and that's not cool," he says.

One of the songs that speaks directly to a hot button issue in the gay community is the sexually explicit "IRL" that deals with the dangers of online sexual encounters. "[Thousands] of gay men log onto sites looking for a quick release. This topic is rarely discussed in the mainstream culture."

Visit Mirror Boiyz' MySpace page for more music and information about the group. A big thank you to Mirror Boiyz for making some tunes available to readers!

Stream or Download Mirror Boiyz "Don't Get It Twisted"
Stream or Download "Mirror Boiyz "IRL" [Explicit - NSFW]