Popping culture: Queer hip hop hits Pitchfork

Pitchfork Media, the website every music journalist (and every unfortunate hipster worth his salt) is reading, posted a great article about the burgeoning queer hip-hop community in New York and throughout the rest of the United States.

But this is no story about Cazwell or Chicago-based Big Dipper. Forget Big Freedia’s sissy bounce anthems (but not really, that queen makes some kickass jamz). This is about The House of Ladosha, Mykki Blanco and Zebra Katz. These aren’t just a bunch of party anthems — this is intelligent hip hop.

It’s nice to see some “mainstream” press recognizing — and, arguably, understanding — the significance and role of queers in hip hop: from innovators to behind-the-scene movers, often misrepresented and maligned by a culture that works with them.

Check out Zebra Katz’s “Ima Read,” a record that would work for underground hip-hop nerds, queens looking for a new record to walk/werk to and more.

Journalist, writer, blogger, producer.

Keep Reading

Crystal LaBeija, Divine

Gays, we need to get meaner

Billy Porter and Jordan Firstman went viral for spewing hate. In their defence, who said queer people have to be nice?

‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Season 18, Episode 12 power ranking: We can’t be ranked

Which queen goes home after the makeover challenge?

‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Season 18, Episode 12 recap: Metamorpho, sis

The makeover challenge sees two queens land in the bottom two for the first time

‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Season 18, Episode 11 power ranking: Toasted and roasted

The winner of this week’s “Toast of Alyssa Edwards” does it by surprising us all