Gay black singers
Think about how many mainstream hits from the last few years you can easily recall.
Now, how many can you name that were created by openly black LGBTQ+ artists?
Sadly, that number is likely much smaller.
This stark difference highlights the ongoing struggle for true representation and public presence in the music industry. Black LGBTQIA+ artists propose unique sounds and stories that should be at the forefront of widespread music – not relegated to the sidelines.
Yet even with this imbalance, groundbreaking queer musicians are out there rewriting the rules. These artists aren't just shaping the future of music, they are inspiring activism, fostering community, and embodying the transformative authority that music holds. They are taking matters into their own hands, demonstrating the world just how vibrant and vital their voices are.
It is moment to not only back the brilliant black lgbtq+ singers who have carved and are carving their path today but labor actively to dismantle systemic biases so that the next generation of artists can take center stage without boundaries.
It's not enough to simply admire their talent – we must also become active in their support. That me
We have finally made it into the funky harmony y’all! It’s the years of disco and electronic music and black homosexual musicians were into it! If you watched Netflix’s series The Get Down, you know that queer folks were hugely instrumental in the spread of disco. We see it in the 70s with Sylvester and RuPaul takes over for him in the 80s and 90s as the genre changes. Over in the UK, Labi Siffre was playing with reggae sounds. Black queer women musicians were using this period of time to unearth back into their blues and Americana roots to come up with some gorgeous soundscapes as well. Me’shell Ndegeocello (heart eye emoji), Tracy Chapman, Gaye Adegbalola and others were leaning into that older sound and making it fresh again, and this second, their queerness wasn’t implied, it was outright. Gender non-conforming musicians have always had music in the mainstream, but what’s exciting about this time is that people were able to be out during their careers. Black queer babes growing up during this time got to spot someone with the equal identity as them who looked like them acquire fame and acclaim. Voice matters y’all. These artists normalized being out, and t
Black and Queer Artists Build Us a Very Inky 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 end, we’ve gathered eleven of our favorite Inky, queer, and trans artists to celebrate other Dark, queer, and trans 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 ebony 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 think of hearing this for the first time at a club in Chicago and was completely blown by the lyrics. I had never heard the pos faggot used in an artistic way. It was usually a word used to hurt or lower queer people and here it was being used to describe the painful experience of coming out. To hear it on huge club speakers was powerful and healing. The fact that it was c
Get to know some of the most influential Black Queer 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 call for herself.
Waithe became the first Ebony woman to conquer 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 achievement 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 app
Therehasto be some significance in the evidence that June is the month to honor both the LGBTQ community and black music.
As festivals are organism held throughout the world this June in honor of LGBTQ Pride Month, homage is simultaneously being paid to black music pioneers in acknowledgement of Black Music Month.
While already facing the ever-present challenges inherent to blackness, a number of black musicians contain 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 authenticity, we’ve rounded up 15 musicians of color 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 gay men, iLoveMakkonen’s decision to come out to the public was commendably unapologetic.
2. Mykki Blanco
Santiago Felipe via Getty Images
The one thing rapper and poet Mykki Blanco isn’t lacking