Mykki Blanco
American musical and performance artist and activist
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mykki Blanco (born April 2, 1986) is an American rapper, performance artist, writer, poet and activist. He[a] has collaborated musically with artists including Madonna, Charli XCX, Blood Orange, Michael Stipe, Kanye West, Teyana Taylor, Big Freedia, and Devendra Banhart.
.jpg)
Mykki Blanco | |
|---|---|
Blanco in 2023 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | April 2, 1986[1] |
| Education | |
| Genres | |
| Occupation | Rapper |
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Labels |
|
| Website | mykkiblan |
Early life
Blanco was born in Orange County, California. As a child, he lived in San Mateo County, California, near his paternal grandparents, before moving to Raleigh, North Carolina.[3] He attended Enloe High School.[4]
At the age of 15, Blanco won an Indies Spirit Award for the performance collective he founded, Paint In Consciousness Experimental Theater, in Raleigh.[5][6]
At the age of 16, Blanco ran away from home before moving to New York City. He then spent time in California,[7] 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.[8] He also briefly attended Parsons School of Design in New York City.[6] In 2024, Blanco graduated with a masters degree in Fine Arts from The Art Institut Gender Natur (FHNW) at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland.[9]
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.[8][3]
Blanco has contributed essays to several publications, including The Queer Bible and We Can Do Better Than This. He has also written for magazines such as Vogue and Them. [10][11] In 2018, he served as a guest editor for Dazed magazine.[12]
In 2012, Blanco made his musical debut with an EP, Mykki Blanco & the Mutant Angels.[13]
In November 2012, Blanco released the mixtape Cosmic Angel: The Illuminati Prince/ss.[14] The mixtape was produced by Brenmar, Flosstradamus, Gobby, Le1f, Boody, Matrixxman, and Sinden.[7][15] He makes an appearance in the album Junto by Basement Jaxx.
In 2013, Blanco released his second EP Betty Rubble: The Initiation.[13] May 2014 saw the release of the Spring/Summer 2014 EP,[16] followed by his second mixtape Gay Dog Food in October.[17] Gay Dog Food features a spoken word track with Kathleen Hanna, and contributions from Cities Aviv, Cakes Da Killa, and more.[17]
Blanco's debut album, Mykki, was released on September 16, 2016.[18]
Blanco's ad-libs appeared on Teyana Taylor's song "WTP", from her June 2018 album K.T.S.E.; he also has writing and production credits on the track.[19]
In 2018, Blanco collaborated with Kanye West on the track "Bye Bye Baby" for West's scrapped album Yandhi; the track was later leaked.[20]
Blanco released Broken Hearts & Beauty Sleep through Transgressive Records in June 2021.[21]
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.[22] His influences include Lil' Kim, GG Allin, Jean Cocteau, Kathleen Hanna, Lauryn Hill, Rihanna, Marilyn Manson, and Anaïs Nin.[6][23] He is also inspired by the riot grrrl movement and queercore, namely the director Bruce LaBruce and the drag queen Vaginal Davis.[8][24]
Blanco has been called one of hip-hop's queer pioneers; although he struggled to identify with the label of "gay rap" or "queer rap", he has begrudgingly "accepted it".[25][26] Blanco also disagrees with those who portray him 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."[25] Blanco has often described himself in terms of other artists, saying that he's not a "Marilyn Manson" or even a rapper, but rather says he wants to be Yoko Ono.[26] In fact, his album Mykki was originally going to be named Michael in reference to Michael Jackson.[27] Blanco, along with Rosie O'Donnell and Anderson Cooper, presented Madonna with the GLAAD Advocate for Change award on May 5, 2019, in Manhattan.[28]
Blanco has also tried to bring his "persona" closer and closer to his non-artist self, having to repeatedly say through interviews and alike that he is indeed transfeminine, and that the aesthetic evolution of the Mykki Blanco persona over the years is the aesthetic evolution of his entire self, rather than just a "drag performance".[27]
Personal life
In June 2015, Blanco revealed via his Facebook page that he has been HIV positive since 2011.[29][30] Blanco initially worried that being HIV positive would be detrimental to his 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".[31]
Blanco is transgender.[32] Blanco has used different gender pronouns throughout his career.[29] As of 2026, Blanco uses he/him pronouns.[33]
Discography
Studio albums
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Mykki |
|
| Broken Hearts and Beauty Sleep[34] |
|
| Stay Close to Music |
|
Extended plays
| Title | EP details |
|---|---|
| Mykki Blanco & the Mutant Angels |
|
| Betty Rubble: The Initiation |
|
| Spring/Summer 2014 |
|
| Postcards from Italia |
|
Mixtapes
| Title | Mixtape details |
|---|---|
| Cosmic Angel: The Illuminati Prince/ss |
|
| Gay Dog Food |
|
Singles
As lead artist
| Song | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Head Is a Stone" | 2012 | Mykki Blanco & the Mutant Angels |
| "Join My Militia" | ||
| "Wavvy" | Cosmic Angel: The Illuminati Prince/ss | |
| "Haze.Boogie.Life" | 2013 | |
| "Kingpinning (Ice Cold)" | ||
| "Feeling Special" | Betty Rubble: The Initiation | |
| "The Initiation" | ||
| "She Gutta" | 2014 | Spring/Summer 2014 |
| "Wish You Would" (featuring Princess Nokia) | ||
| "Runny Mascara" | Gay Good Food | |
| "New Feelings" | 2015 | |
| "Self Destruction" | ||
| "High School Never Ends" | 2016 | Mykki |
| "The Plug Won't" | ||
| "Loner" (featuring Jean Deaux) | ||
| "I'm in a Mood" | 2017 | |
| "You Will Find It" (featuring FaltyDL and Devendra Banhart) |
2020 | Non-album single |
| "Free Ride" | 2021 | Broken Hearts and Beauty Sleep |
| "Love Me" (featuring Jamila Woods and Jay Cue) | ||
| "Summer Fling" (featuring Kari Faux) | ||
| "It's Not My Choice" (featuring Blood Orange) | ||
| "Family Ties" (featuring Michael Stipe) |
2022 | Stay Close to Music |
| "Your Love Was a Gift" (with Diana Gordon and Sam Buck) | ||
| "French Lessons" (with Kelsey Lu) | ||
| "Steps" (with Saul Williams and MNEK) | ||
| "Pink Diamond Bezel" | ||
| "Holidays In The Sun" | 2023 | Postcards from Italia |
As a featured artist
| Title | Year | Other artist(s) | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Ring Around The Moon" | 2013 | Sinden | Ring Around The Moon |
| "Unclassified" | 2014 | Etnik | Unclassified EP |
| "Buffalo" | Basement Jaxx | Junto | |
| "Femmebot" | 2017 | Charli XCX, Dorian Electra | Pop 2 |
| "WTP" | 2018 | Teyana Taylor | K.T.S.E. |
| "My Sex" | Brooke Candy, Pussy Riot, MNDR | Non-album single | |
| "Play" | 2019 | J-E-T-S, Machinedrum, Jimmy Edgar | ZOOSPA |
| "Collide" | 2020 | Shea Couleé, GESS | Non-album single |
Music videos
| Song | Year | Director |
|---|---|---|
| "Join My Militia" | 2012 | Mitch Moore[35] |
| "Head Is a Stone" | Nick Hooker[36] | |
| "Wavvy" | Francesco Carrozzini[37] | |
| "Haze.Boogie.Life" | Danny Sangra[38] | |
| "Kingpinning" | 2013 | Clarence Fuller[39] |
| "Feeling Special" | Danny Sangra[40] | |
| "The Initiation" | Ninian Doff[41] | |
| "She Gutta" | 2014 | Jude MC[42] |
| "High School Never Ends" (feat. Woodkid) | 2016 | Matt Lambert |
| "My Sex" (Brooke Candy feat. Pussy Riot, MNDR and Mykki Blanco) | 2018 | Pastelae |
Bibliography
- From the Silence of Duchamp to the Noise of Boys (2011)