British gay rapper hits America
QBoy's bid to make it big across the pond will begin with the USA's first major gay hip-hop tour this spring.
The gay rap artist will be flying the flag for Britain on the HomoRevolution Tour, which will take in the south-western states of America.
It has been organised by rapper DeadLee, who recently recorded a track with QBoy.
The tour will be filmed as part of a reality TV show to be shown on MTV's LOGO channel.
Immediately afterwards, QBoy will join the "Pick Up The Mic College Tour" which will be travelling all over the USA.
Pick Up The Mic was a revolutionary film by director Alex Hinton that documented the growing homo-hop scene.
He told Pink News:
"I'm really looking forward to the "Pick Up The Mic" tour, although it's daunting! And spending time with other gay rappers; I like to be around them."
In particular, he looks forward to performing and touring with Johnny Dangerous and Melange Lavonne: "They're the other naughty little rappers. We sit at the back and misbehave."
U.S. fans and friends have been pestering the up-and-coming artist to visit them soon.
"I keep telling them I'm coming, and now I really am. It will be great to finally meet the U.S. fans in person."
QBoy's main concern, however, is with funding this opportunity of a lifetime:
"I fly out in five weeks time and I'm hoping to find some sponsorship. I'm also organising a fundraiser night with live music, and I'll ask people to donate towards the tour. Other than that, I'm really excited."
This month QBoy can be seen presenting a schools programme for Channel 4 in which he talks to children who have come out while still at school.
Coming Out To Class is one of a series of programmes in the channel's Gay Week which starts on February 26th.
"I am happy that this programme has been made as I hope it will shed light on a much ignored issue," he said.
"Homophobia may be banned from our workplaces, but unfortunately it is still rife in the playground.
"I hope the film not only breaks down the average teenager's residual homophobia, but also instills some degree of confidence in those teens currently at school who associate with being LGBTQ, especially those being bullied as I was."
Comments
Erm, the white comment - a
Erm, the white comment - a little weird, don't you think? Possibly seen as a little ignorant not to mention boarding on racist. A person's colour or racial make up should not determine what they can or can't do with their lives, or dictate what they enjoy or like, especially as a job. Heard of equal opportunities? Hip-Hop is not a 'black only' club. Particually in the UK, which is where I am from, as the black British population pecentage is much smaller compared to the US, it is only natural that more of the UK's rappers are going to be white (I'm actually Hispanic btw). Further more, as your response suggests that as a white person I can't or shouldn't do hip-hop (or that it's concerning for you) - it also suggests that black people can't do classical music, for example, which is a rediculous idea of course. Can you imagine telling a black violin player that he or she cannot play that instrument, especially classically because it derives musically from white culture? Of course not, you would never dare make such a comment, but it seems perfectly fisable for you to say white people, in 2007 cannot make hip-hop. I rest my case.
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