Mykki Blanco

Mykki Blanco (born April 2, 1986) is an American rapper, performance artist, writer, poet and activist. They have collaborated musically with artists including Madonna, Charli XCX, Blood Orange, Michael Stipe, Kanye West, Teyana Taylor, Big Freedia, and Devendra Banhart.

Early life Blanco was born in Orange County, California. As a child, they lived in San Mateo County, California, near their paternal grandparents, before moving to Raleigh, North Carolina. They attended Enloe High School.

At the age of 15, Blanco won an Indies Spirit Award for the performance collective they founded, Paint In Consciousness Experimental Theater, in Raleigh.

At the age of 16, Blanco ran away from home before moving to New York City. They then spent time in California, 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. They also briefly attended Parsons School of Design in New York City.

Career Blanco's book of poetry, From the Silence of Duchamp to the Noise of Boys, was published on OHWOW's imprint on June 17, 2011. In 2018, they served as a guest editor for Dazed magazine.

In 2012, Blanco made their musical debut with an EP, Mykki Blanco & the Mutant Angels.

In November 2012, Blanco released the mixtape Cosmic Angel: The Illuminati Prince/ss. The mixtape was produced by Brenmar, Flosstradamus, Gobby, Le1f, Boody, Matrixxman, and Sinden. They make an appearance in the album Junto by Basement Jaxx.

In 2013, Blanco released their second EP Betty Rubble: The Initiation. followed by their second mixtape Gay Dog Food in October. Gay Dog Food features a spoken word track with Kathleen Hanna, and contributions from Cities Aviv, Cakes Da Killa, and more.

Blanco's ad-libs appeared on Teyana Taylor's song "WTP", from her June 2018 album K.T.S.E.; they also have writing and production credits on the track.

In 2018, Blanco collaborated with Kanye West on the track "Bye Bye Baby" for West's scrapped album Yandhi; the track was later leaked.

Blanco released Broken Hearts & Beauty Sleep through Transgressive Records in June 2021.

Artistry

The 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. Their influences include Lil' Kim, GG Allin, Jean Cocteau, Kathleen Hanna, Lauryn Hill, Rihanna, Marilyn Manson, and Anaïs Nin. They are also inspired by the riot grrrl movement and queercore, namely the director Bruce LaBruce and the drag queen Vaginal Davis.

Blanco has been called one of hip-hop's queer pioneers; although they struggled to identify with the label of "gay rap" or "queer rap", they have begrudgingly "accepted it". Blanco also disagrees with those who portray them as a drag artist, saying "You can't tag me as the rapping transvestite. I never vogued in my life. I'm from a punk and Riot Grrrl background." Blanco, along with Rosie O'Donnell and Anderson Cooper, presented Madonna with the GLAAD Advocate for Change award on May 5, 2019, in Manhattan.

Blanco has also tried to bring their "persona" closer and closer to his non-artist self, having to repeatedly say through interviews and alike that they are indeed transfeminine, and that the aesthetic evolution of the Mykki Blanco persona over the years is the aesthetic evolution of their entire self, rather than just a "drag performance". Blanco initially worried that being HIV positive would be detrimental to their career, saying of the decision to make finally that information public, "I did it for myself. At a certain point, my real life has to be more important than this career".

Blanco is transgender. Blanco has used different gender pronouns throughout their career. As of 2021, Blanco uses they/them pronouns.

Discography Studio albums Title Album details MykkiReleased: September 16, 2016 Label: Dogfood Music Group, Studio !K7 Formats: Streaming, digital download Broken Hearts and Beauty Sleep Released: June 18, 2021 Label: Transgressive Formats: Streaming, digital download, CD Stay Close to MusicRelease date: October 14, 2022 Label: Transgressive Formats: Streaming, digital download, CDCafe Paradiso

Extended plays Title EP details Mykki Blanco & the Mutant AngelsReleased: May 15, 2012 Label: UNO Formats: Digital download Betty Rubble: The InitiationReleased: May 21, 2013 Label: UNO Formats: Digital download Spring/Summer 2014Released: June 20, 2014 Label: UNO Formats: Streaming, digital download Postcards from ItaliaReleased: September 22, 2023 Label: Transgressive Formats: Streaming, digital download

Mixtapes Title Mixtape details Cosmic Angel: The Illuminati Prince/ssReleased: November 9, 2012 Label: UNO Formats: Digital download Gay Dog FoodReleased: October 28, 2014 Label: UNO, Ormolycka Formats: Digital download

Singles As lead artist

As a featured artist

Music videos Song Year Director "Join My Militia" 2012 Mitch Moore "Head Is a Stone" Nick Hooker "Wavvy" Francesco Carrozzini "Haze.Boogie.Life" Danny Sangra "Kingpinning" 2013 Clarence Fuller "Feeling Special" Danny Sangra "The Initiation" Ninian Doff "She Gutta" 2014 Jude MC "High School Never Ends" (feat. Woodkid) 2016 Matt Lambert "My Sex" (Brooke Candy feat. Pussy Riot, MNDR and Mykki Blanco) 2018 Pastelae