Mykki Blanco

Mykki Blanco

Mykki Blanco in 2014
Background information
Birth name Michael Quattlebaum Jr.
Genres Alternative hip hop, hip hop
Occupation(s) Rapper
Instruments Vocals
Labels UNO
Website MykkiBlancoWorld

Michael Quattlebaum Jr., better known by his stage name Mykki Blanco, is an American rapper, performance artist, and poet.

Early life

His father was an IT specialist before becoming a psychic. His mother, Deborah Butler, was a paralegal at the North Carolina Patent and Trademark Office. His father's side is African-American Jewish.[1] Quattlebaum's parents divorced when he was two years old.[2] As a child, he lived in San Mateo County, California, near his paternal grandparents, before moving to Raleigh, North Carolina.[3] At the age of 15, Quattlebaum won an Indies Spirit Award for the performance collective he founded, Paint In Consciousness Experimental Theater, in Raleigh.[4][5]

When Quattlebaum was 16, he ran away from home, before moving to New York City. He then spent time in California,[6] before winning a full scholarship to attend the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, but dropped out of college after two semesters in 2006.[2] He also briefly attended Parsons The New School for Design in New York City.[5]

Michael began cross dressing during his time in New York City as a teen, marking the beginning of a his gender identity shift.[7]

Career

Quattlebaum's book of poetry From the Silence of Duchamp to the Noise of Boys was published on OHWOW's imprint on June 17, 2011.[2][3]

In 2012, Mykki made her debut with the Mykki Blanco and the Mutant Angels EP. [8] Then in November 2012, Blanco released the mixtape Cosmic Angel: The Illuminati Prince/ss.[9] The mixtape was produced by Brenmar, Flosstradamus, Gobby, Le1f, Matrixxman, and Sinden.[6][10] He makes an appearance in the album Junto by Basement Jaxx.

In 2013, she dropped her second EP Betty Rubble: The Initiation. [8] May 2014 saw the release of the Spring / Summer 2014 EP,[11] followed by her second mixtape Gay Dog Food in October.[12] Gay Dog Food features a spoken word track with Kathleen Hanna, and contributions from Cities Aviv, Cakes Da Killa, and more. [12]

Mykki Blanco's debut album Michael is due in spring 2015. [12]

Artistry

Quattlebaum's persona Mykki Blanco began as a teenage girl character for a YouTube video in 2010, but evolved into a musical and performance art piece. Blanco's name is inspired by Lil' Kim's alter ego Kimmy Blanco.[13] Her influences consist of Lil' Kim, GG Allin, Jean Cocteau, Kathleen Hanna, Lauryn Hill, Rihanna, Marilyn Manson and Anaïs Nin.[5][14] She is also inspired by the riot grrrl movement and queercore, namely the director Bruce LaBruce and the drag queen Vaginal Davis.[2] [15]

Mykki has been called one of hip hop’s queer pioneers, but it should be noted that the label of “gay rap” or “queer rap” is not something that she necessarily identifies with.[16] The same can be said about the references to Mykki as a drag artist, according to how she describes herself, “You can't tag me as the rapping transvestite. I never vogued in my life. I'm from a punk and Riot Grrrl background.”[16] Mykki herself articulates her identity as transgendered and ―multi-gendered.[7][16]

Discography

Studio albums

Extended plays

Mixtapes

Singles

Song Year Album
"Head Is a Stone" 2012 Mykki Blanco & the Mutant Angels
"Wavvy" Cosmic Angel: The Illuminati Prince/ss

Music videos

Song Year Director
"Join My Militia" 2012 Mitch Moore[18]
"Head Is a Stone" Nick Hooker[19]
"Wavvy" Francesco Carrozzini[20]
"Haze.Boogie.Life" Danny Sangra[21]
"Kingpinning" 2013 Clarence Fuller[22]
"Feeling Special" Danny Sangra[23]
"The Initiation" Ninian Doff[24]
"She Gutta" 2014 Jude MC[25]

Published works

References

  1. ↑ Schulman, Michael. "From Runaway Teenager to Hip-Hop Queen". http://www.nytimes.com/''. The New York Times Company.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Sauers, Jenna (10 April 2013). "The Making of Mykki Blanco". The Village Voice. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Chapman, Alex. "The Multiplicities of Mykki Blanco". Interview. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  4. ↑ Hornburg, Mark. "Michael Quattlebaum". Indy Week. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Schulman, Michael (17 July 2012). "The Evolution of Michael Quattlebaum Jr., a k a Mykki Blanco". The New York Times. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "The Come Up". XXL. 10 April 2013. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Chapman, Alex. "The Multiplicities of Mykki Blanco". www.interviewmagazine.com. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "The Wind Up Series of After-Hours Events Presents Performance by Mykki Blanco" (PDF). thejewishmuseum.org. The Jewish Museum. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
  9. ↑ Battan, Carrie (16 November 2012). "Mykki Blanco: Cosmic Angel: The Illuminati Prince/ss". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  10. ↑ Battan, Carrie (9 November 2012). "Listen to Mykki Blanco's New Cosmic Angel: Illuminati Prince/ss Mixtape". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  11. ↑ Minsker, Evan. "Mykki Blanco Shares "She Gutta" Video, Releases New EP, Announces Tour". http://pitchfork.com/''. Pitchfork Media Inc. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Camp, Zoe. "Mykki Blanco Releases Gay Dog Food Mixtape". pitchfork.com. Pitchfork Media, Inc. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
  13. ↑ "New World Order - Mykki Blanco". Clash. 21 January 2013. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  14. ↑ Empire, Kitty (3 February 2013). "Mykki Blanco - review". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  15. ↑ 12/02/2013 (2013-02-12). "Mykki Blanco | This is not Queer Rap | Music | New sounds, behind the scenes interviews, playlists | District MTV UK". Districtmtv.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-08-18.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 Moa, Johnsson. "Werkin’ girls: a critical viewing of femininity constructions in contemporary rap" (PDF). http://www.diva-portal.org/''. Sodertorns University. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
  17. ↑ "Twitter / MykkiBlanco: The debut album from rapper". Twitter.com. Retrieved 2013-08-18.
  18. ↑ Chapman, Alex. "Exclusie Video Premiere: 'Join My Militia,' Mykki Blanco". Interview. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  19. ↑ Catarinella, Alex (23 July 2012). "Backstage Pass: Mykki Blanco". Elle. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  20. ↑ Michelson, Noah (24 August 2012). "Transgender Rapper Mykki Blanco Premieres 'Wavvy' Video". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  21. ↑ Friedlander, Emilie (12 October 2012). "Video: Mykki Blanco, "Haze.Boogie.Life"". The Fader. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  22. ↑ Zeichner, Naomi (25 January 2013). "Video: Mykki Blanco, "Kingpinning" (Prod. by Brenmar)". The Fader. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  23. ↑ Hogan, Marc (18 April 2013). "Watch Mykki Blanco's Noir-Nodding 'Feeling Special' Video". SPIN. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
  24. ↑ Battan, Carrie (5 June 2013). "Video: Mykki Blanco: "The Initiation"". Pitchfork. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  25. ↑ Minsker, Evan (28 May 2014). "Mykki Blanco Shares "She Gutta" Music Video, Releases New EP, Announces Tour". Pitchfork. Retrieved 11 October 2014.

External links