[caption id="attachment_48361" align="aligncenter" width="605" caption="Adair Lion says, "What up, hip-hop?""][/caption]

You've got to watch "Ben," a new video from rapper Adair Lion. With blunt language, he shows love for gay people and gay parents, and he challenges anti-gay religious and cultural views. He even calls out Lil' Wayne and Kanye West for not supporting gay rights.

This song would be valuable even if it weren't very good. There just aren't enough straight rappers making these positive arguments.

But as a bonus, "Ben" is pretty damn catchy. It's built around Michael Jackson's old hit of the same name, and there's a laid-back beat that's perfect for head bobbing. Plus, the lyrics explain how Lion's own life turned him into an ally. Like I said about K'Naan and Nelly Furtado, a specific story makes a message more effective.

Now, I realize I'm not this song's target audience. I already know that gay people are awesome, and Lion may have trouble reaching listeners who haven't figured that out. But I'm really glad he's trying. Maybe someone will groove to this record and then realize it's telling the truth.

Mark Blankenship tweets as @IAmBlankenship. He recently freaked about the queer, Jewish punk band The Shondes.