African American LGBTQ+ Intersectional Dynamics in Some Contemporary Rap, R&B and Pop Music
Résumé
This paper addressed several elements to be found in the hip hop culture as regards the performativity of black masculinity/-ies by African American LGBTQ+ artists and the antinormative aspects that result from said performances. It also focused on the emancipative parts of these queer artists. With the examples of rappers Kevin Abstract, Lil Nas X and Franck Ocean, as well as singer/performer Todrick Hall, I explored the queer intersectional aspects in US hip hop music and probed the LGBTQ+ dynamics that have only quite recently come into the spotlight. Through their music videos and onstage performances and the very content of their lyrics, I sought to analyze the impact of their messages on viewers/audiences. In this respect, the interpretation of YouTube “Reaction” videos allowed to understand the reception of these messages by people of the African American/Latinx communities. These performances and responses were addressed as phenomena, namely as objects reflecting the emancipative goals of the performers in their decisive relation to their audiences.