Mykki Blanco

Mykki Blanco first emerged in 2010 as a character in a video art project, but the persona grew to encompass a vibrant talent that knew no bounds. In addition to poetry, performance art, social commentary, and activism, Blanco is also known for rapping and creating fun, audacious music that pulls inspiration from Yoko Ono, Bikini Kill, and mainstream pop alike. Frequent EPs, singles, and mixtapes throughout the first half of the 2010s have led to the increasingly personal studio full-length albums Mykki (2016), Broken Hearts and Beauty Sleep (2021), and Stay Close to Music (2022).
Blanco, who identifies as transfeminine, grew up bouncing between San Mateo, California and Raleigh, North Carolina before moving to New York City at the age of 16. After a stint at the Art Institute of Chicago, they moved back to N.Y.C. and began to write, publishing a book of poems, From the Silence of Duchamp to the Noise of Boys, in 2011. Looking to bring some art to the mainstream, Blanco began to perform crushing industrial rock under the name No Fear, and glamorous riot grrrl rap under the name Mykki Blanco.
In 2012, Mykki made a grand entrance with the Mykki Blanco & the Mutant Angels EP, featuring cuts like “Join My Militia (Nas Gave Me a Perm)” and “Gay Dog.” Dubbed “Hip-Hop’s New Queen” by Elle magazine’s blog, Blanco joined Death Grips on tour, opening for the avant-hip-hop group on its late 2012 tour of America. The mixtape Cosmic Angel: The Illuminati Prince/ss arrived at the end of the year, while the EP Betty Rubble: The Initiation followed in 2013.
In January 2015, Blanco formed the DOGFOOD Music Group label in partnership with !K7. Their initial release was Mykki Blanco Presents C-Ore, a compilation issued in September 2015. Blanco next issued a Woodkid-produced single, “High School Never Ends,” in May 2016, which preceded their September 2016 debut album, Mykki. After signing to Transgressive Records, Blanco began working on their sophomore album. Broken Hearts and Beauty Sleep arrived in 2021, featuring production by FaltyDL and appearances from Blood Orange, Big Freedia, and Kari Faux. Continuing to work with FaltyDL, Blanco quickly returned the next year with Stay Close to Music, a set with an eye-popping roster of collaborators including Michael Stipe, Saul Williams, ANOHNI, and Kelsey Lu. ~ David Jeffries