Black gay singers
Therehasto be some significance in the fact that June is the month to honor both the LGBTQ community and black song.
As festivals are existence held throughout the nature this June in honor of LGBTQ Pride Month, homage is simultaneously existence paid to black song pioneers in acknowledgement of Black Music Month.
While already facing the ever-present challenges inherent to blackness, a number of inky musicians have still been gallant enough to claim sexual identities that could hamper their success.
So in honor of these black artists who are boldly standing in their truth, we’ve rounded up 15 musicians of paint who are unapologetically here and queer.
1. iLoveMakonnen
Randy Shropshire via Getty Images
The Atlanta native who emboldened us to think clubbing on “Tuesday” was acceptable in 2014 performed a bolder act this January when he announced that he was gay.
Given the hip-hop community’s reputation of homophobia, which is particularly geared towards male lover men, iLoveMakkonen’s decision to come out to the public was commendably unapologetic.
2. Mykki Blanco
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The one thing rapper and poet Mykki Blanco isn’t lacking
Get to know some of the most influential Black Homosexual artists in the entertainment industry. Their work is inspirational and impactful, not to mention the incredible obstacles they have overcome to be seen for the true artists they are. These individuals are also among the first Black LGBTQ+ artists to win Oscars, Grammys and Golden Globes.
Without further ado, here are 10 Black LGBTQ+ entertainers you should know.
Black LGBTQ+ Entertainers in Film and Television
Lena Waithe
A screenwriter, producer, and actress, Lena Waithe has an incredible talent for comedy. She starred in the Netflix comedy series Master of None (2015-2017) where she really made a label for herself.
Waithe became the first Dark woman to defeat the Primetime Emmy Award for Superb Writing for a Comedy Series in 2017 with her semi-autobiographical episode of “Thanksgiving.” The episode is poignant and beautiful, while still maintaining the signature comedy of Master of None.
While Master of None was a huge triumph for Waithe, she went on to create three more Showtime drama series: The Chi (2018-present), Boomerang (2019-present), and Twenties (2020-present). She also a
Black and Queer Artists Make Us a Very Black and Queer Playlist
Vincint. Photo by Gabriel Goldberg.
If there’s anything that brings the people together, it’s melody. With Black History Month slowly coming to an terminate, we’ve gathered eleven of our favorite Black, queer, and trans artists to celebrate other Inky, queer, and gender non-conforming artists. Between rappers and DJs, producers and singers, there’s an old-school or contemporary track here for everyone. Below, artists like Honey Dijon, Mykki Blanco, Vincint, and more discuss their favorite songs produced or performed by other black LGBTQ+ artists, and why they’re just as inspiring now as when they were made.
Honey Dijon
“Leviticus: Faggot (The Glee Club Vocal Mix” by Meshell Ndegeocello
Photo by Ricardo Gomes.
“I remember hearing this for the first time at a club in Chicago and was completely blown by the lyrics. I had never heard the word faggot used in an artistic way. It was usually a word used to hurt or cut down queer people and here it was being used to describe the painful experience of coming out. To notice it on enormous club speakers was powerful and healing. The fact that it was
CELEBRATING QUEER BLACK HISTORY - Bliss & EXPRESSION
Posted on February 18, 2024
Today we continue our celebration of Black History with a look at the ways gender non-conforming Black culture have impacted how the 2SLGBTQ+ community expresses its joy.
We'll be learning about Gladys Bentley and Ma Rainey, two Depression era musicians who couldn’t deny their identities, the Ballrooms of Harlem which still inspire artists like Beyonce to this day, the power of disco and its intrinsic connection with queer Black history, the Vogue era with a closer look at Willi Ninja, the ‘the grandfather of vogueing”, and we'll finish off with a look back at how RuPaul’s dynasty of drag has normalized drag culture.
Let's get started.
Gladys Bentley and Ma Rainey: Joy in the Depression Era
Gladys Bentley and Ma Rainey are iconic figures in Black queer history due to their groundbreaking contributions to music and their unapologetic defiance of gender and sexual norms. Gladys Bentley, a blues singer, and pianist, rose to fame in Prohibition-era New York, where she challenged societal expectations by performing in men's clothing, openly flirting with women in the audience, and singing about her femal