LGBTQ
With If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power, Halsey Crafts Her Own Mythology
When Halsey shared the artwork for her fourth studio album, If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power, the inspiration was clear: seated on a throne, confidently exposed with a child in her arms, she is the regal image of the Madonna. Halsey (who goes by the pronouns “she/they”) has always seemed fascinated by the stories that make up humanity, from the mythic to the biblical and fantastical. If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power is the next chapter in her own tale. This marks the fourth studio album for Halsey, who is on the cusp of turning 27 — her debut LP, Badlands, shot the singer into the spotlight when she was just 20 years old. Her bracing honesty and electronic production helped her cultivate a dedicated following of young adults, many of whom have grown with her in the years since that deb...
Up Yours! The Black, Queer, and Feminist Artists That Revolutionized Punk
Consequence’s Punk Week continues with an essay on the “outsider” artists who have succeeded in and revolutionized the genre, despite the odds being stacked against them. Keep checking back throughout the week for interviews, lists, editorials and videos — it’s all things punk, all the time. Flip through the annals of punk history, and consider the bands often cited as icons: The Clash, Sex Pistols, X, Black Flag, Fugazi, Ramones, Green Day, Rancid, blink-182. These artists certainly deserve their lofty status and every plaudit thrown their way, although you might notice that these acts (largely) feature lineups dominated by straight, white, cisgender men. On the surface, this seems counterintuitive. Punk is often positioned as a reaction against the mainstream, a way to include marginaliz...
DaBaby Retracts Apology for Homophobic Rant
DaBaby has retracted his apology to the LGBTQ+ community which he made in response to the growing controversy over his homophobic rant at last month’s Rolling Loud Festival. Amidst public outcry, the rapper posted the apology to Instagram on August 2nd. “Social media moves so fast that people want to demolish you before you even have the opportunity to grow, educate, and learn from your mistakes,” DaBaby wrote. “As a man who has had to make his own way from very difficult circumstances, having people I know publicly working against me– knowing that what I needed was education on these topics and guidance– has been challenging. I appreciate the many people who came to me with kindness, who reached out to me privately to offer wisdom, education, and resources. That’s what I needed and it was...
Miley Cyrus Offers To Counsel DaBaby After Homophobic Rant
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Kevin Mazur / Getty DaBaby is currently a target of intense criticism after delivering a homophobic rant at Rolling Loud Miami and then doubling down on his ill-advised stances before finally apologizing. While the cancellation is still going strong, Miley Cyrus is offering to counsel the rapper from a kind place instead of one fueled by vitriol. Cyrus, 28, posted a lengthy message as a screenshot to her Instagram post offering to lend an ear and guidance to DaBaby, adding that she’s aware that he’s on everyone’s cancel list at the moment. From Instagram: As a proud and loyal member of the LGBTQIA+ community, much of my life has been dedicated to encouraging love, acceptance, and open mindedness,” she wrote. “The internet can fuel a lot of hate & ange...
A Nonprofit Has Planned a Rave in Ukraine for LGBTQ Rights—Outside the President’s Office
July 30th will be an interesting day for Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. According to the Kyiv Post, a nonprofit called UkrainePride plans to host a rave event outside of the president’s office called Rave Pride. Serving as a protest for the country’s LGBTQ+ community in a similar vein as Kyiv Pride’s annual Equality March—and hosted by some of the Kyiv Pride members who split from the group—the event hopes to grab the attention of the country’s authorities and make Ukraine a safer place for the country’s queer community. As it currently stands, the only anti-discrimination measures in Ukraine’s Criminal Code contain no terminology relating to sexual orientation, and therefore don’t address attacks on LGBTQ+ people. Con...
Song of the Week: Lil Nas X Proves He Can’t Be Locked in With “Industry Baby”
Song of the Week breaks down and talks about the song we just can’t get out of our head each week. Find these songs and more on our Spotify Top Songs playlist. For our favorite new songs from emerging artists, check out our Spotify New Sounds playlist. This week, Lil Nas X proves once again that in spite of controversy or haters, he will always break free. Lil Nas X is very good at his job. He’s one of the most fearlessly fun pop stars in recent years, remarkably adept at wielding social media to his advantage, and creates on an unrestrained wavelength as young, Black member of the queer community. While his extremely online persona is often what catches attention, he manages to back it all up by dropping bops along the way, and his latest effort with Jack Harlow is no different. “Industry...
The xx’s Romy Combines Two Covers with “You’re Not Alone in the Rhythm of the Night”: Stream
The xx broke out with indie rock so sparse it sounded black and white, but their last album I See You (2017) introduced bright neon techniques cribbed from hip-hop and EDM. Now, co-founder Romy has combined the approaches with “You’re Not Alone in the Rhythm of the Night,” a simple acoustic performance that remixes two songs together. Built from parts of Olive’s “You’re Not Alone” and Corona’s “The Rhythm of the Night,” Romy’s new cover is a stirring statement to those feeling lost and afraid. She recorded the track for Apple Music’s Home Session for Pride, and in a press release she said she chose these tunes because they remind her of “when I was about 17 and started going to Gay bars in London.” She explained, “I’ve combined two songs into this cover, Olive – ‘You’re Not Alone...
Ashibah and Saffron Stone Deliver Inclusive, Club-Ready Single “On the Line”
Egyptian-Danish tech house producer Ashibah is back with her third offering of the year, collaborating with young UK producer Saffron Stone. Out today via Sonny Fodera’s Solotoko imprint, “On the Line” is a monster addition to the venerated London label. As a rising LGBTQ woman with a rich cultural heritage, Ashibah is defining her own unique style. Not only is she known for her sultry brand of tech house, but she is also making a name for herself by incorporating her own vocals and delivering inclusive messages via her music. Ashibah is not afraid to speak up for what she believes in, a notion made evident by the refrain, “Don’t break the rules, define them,” in her new single. This powerful verse conjures the house music exuberance...
Atlanta’s First LGBTQ+ EDM Festival Planned for Fall 2021
GAYDM is celebrating Pride Month with the launch of Atlanta’s first LGBTQ+ EDM festival, One Love. The inaugural event on September 11th, 2021 will feature 11 hours of music across three stages at the Cellairis Amphitheatre, where 25 of the top LGBTQ+ DJs on the scene will perform. Already announced in the first phase of the lineup are Danny Tenaglia, Citizen Jane, Samantha Ronson, Dave Audé, and Pagano, among others. The One Love music festival comes in collaboration with GAGA (Gay Georgia) and Lost-n-Found Youth. Both organizations work tirelessly to serve the LGBTQ+ in Georgia, promoting safe environments and assisting homeless youth. Proceeds from the fest will benefit these two nonprofits. “One Love”, the first LGBTQ+ EDM festival in Atlanta is c...
Wreckno’s Stunning Debut EP “PANSY” Has Arrived
Detroit-based queer rapper, producer, and DJ Wreckno has already made a name for himself with a slew of singles, like his mammoth GRiZ collaboration “Medusa,” which served as the anthem for Pride Month 2020. One year later, Wreckno’s debut EP has arrived in celebration of Pride Month 2021, and even further solidifies the musician’s status as one of electronic music’s brightest rising stars. PANSY wonderfully illustrates the essence of Wreckno in full—at times deep and pensive, but always unapologetic and overtly sexual. “Honey Drip” already debuted with a racy music video to emphasize the nature of what PANSY would entail, and the rest of the EP doesn’t disappoint in that regard. Track titles like “FREAKNIK” ...
Loki Confirmed to Be Marvel’s First Openly Bisexual Character in Latest Disney+ Episode
Before Loki even premiered on Disney+, a promo clip revealed Tom Hiddleston’s character is gender fluid. Now, in the latest episode of the limited series, the Asgardian’s sexual orientation has also been addressed: Loki is officially the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first openly bisexual character. Loki’s gender fluidity, something that’s canon in both Norse mythology and Marvel Comics history, was casually confirmed in a shot of a Time Variance Authority dossier on the time-displaced villain. His bisexuality, however, was a bit more explicitly stated. In Episode 3 of the show, which debuted today, Loki has a discussion with the antagonistic female variant of himself (Sophia Di Martino). When Loki mentions that he’s technically an Asgardian prince, his trickster counterpart asks if he’d eve...
Top Salt Lake City Nightclub Responds to Allegations of Homophobic Incident That Led to “Traumatic Brain Injury”
A leading Salt Lake City nightclub is under fire after an alleged assault that one attendee says sent her to the hospital with a “traumatic brain injury.” The incident took place at Sky SLC, which hosted an event on June 6th that was sponsored by the Utah Pride Center. The attendee, Jenny Fu, alleges that a bartender directed homophobic comments toward three of her friends, who are queer. After Fu objected to the language, she claims the bartender proceeded to call the club’s security guards in to “intimidate” her before she was forcibly removed. According to Fu, who believes she was singled out in part for her Asian heritage, four security guards assaulted her near the club’s entrance, where they “threw and shoved [her] to the cement.” ...
