FEBR UARY 2023 ISSUE#029
MYKAL'S MUSIC BEING AUTHENTICALLY BLACK, TALENTED, & UNAPOLOGETICALLY GAY IN TODAY’S MUSIC INDUSTRY
TAMARA S. LEIGH, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
CONTENTS BLAQUE/OUT MAGAZINE IS A MONTHLY DIGITAL PUBLICATION CENTERED FIRMLY IN BLACK & BROWN QUEER QULTURE. BLAQUE/OUT FEATURES WRITERS, ARTISTS, PHOTOGRAPHERS, CREATIVES AND INFLUENCERS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. WE ARE WORDS. WE ARE ART. WE ARE FASHION. WE ARE CULTURE. WE ARE MUSIC. WE ARE PROTEST. WE ARE WHERE BLAQUE QUEER CULTURE LIVES. FIND US ON FACEBOOK, IG, TIKTOK. TO SUBSCRIBE TO BLAQUE MAGAZINE, VISIT: HTTPS://ISSUU.COM/STORE/PUBLISHERS/BLAQUEOUTMAG/ SUBSCRIBE
FOR ADVERTISING, EMAIL ADVERTISING@BLAQUEOUTMAG.COM FOR SUBMISSIONS, EMAIL TAMARALEIGH@BLAQUEOUTMAG.COM
08
MYKAL KILGORE: BEING AUTHENTICALLY BLACK, TALENTED AND UNAPOLOGETICALLY GAY IN TODAY'S MUSIC INDUSTRY
WWW.ISSUU.COM/BLAQUEOUTMAG WWW.BLAQUEOUT.COM
04
BLAQUEOUT MAG CONTRIBUTORS
06
LIVING IN THE LIGHT JAVANNAH DAVIS
LOVE & FUTBOL
16 TODAY IN MUSIC
WHOSOEVER SINGS RONI WINSTON 03
EXCLUSIVE!
ARTIST SPOTLIGHTS FEATURING:
COVER DESIGN BY: TAMARA LEIGH COVER PHOTOGRAPHER: KAT HENNESSEY
JAZMINA, JUSTY, TRVPP & PHOENIX BLACK O'HARA ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGER: DOREEN SCANLAN
FEBRUARY 2023 | ISSUE# 029
13
27
BlaqueOUT contributors
Javannah J. Davis (she/her) resides in Rochester, NY where she has worked in healthcare for 19 years, is a self-published author, Founder/President of W.A.V.E Women Inc & CEO/Owner of Linjé Enterprises LLC. Javannah is passionate about healing, self-love, self actualization & helping others to live the best of their lives in a healthy way.
Benjamin Griffin III; (he/ him/his). Enjoys bringing laughter to those he encounters and a major collector of Diecast School Bus models. In addition, he has a heart for education & children! Lastly, he is 1 half of "A Moment w/ The Griffins"
Lade Breez (He/Her/Them) is an award winning 3x published author, publisher, philanthropist, humanitarian, motivational speaker, life coach, event host, youth tutor, artist developer & spoken word artist. Owner & founder of Express Me Poetry Business Services & Events, & Educated Blessyns LLC, improving this world one stage at a time. ExpressMePoetry.com
E.L. Winston of Fayetteville, NC (He,Him, His) Trans Community Advocate, Co-Founder of Lambda Gamma Omega Nu Fraternity. Just your everyday introspective old man and 1 half of Team Winston
Immani Love, (she/her) A Lesbian Erotic Poet, Author, Ordained Minister, Freelance Writer, Real Estate Agent, and overall witty, seductress with the voice of a Siren. An educated Vixen in sunny St. Pete, Florida.
Roni Winston aka The Mrs. aka Pastor Roni (She/Her/Hers) Fayettevlle, NC. Minister, educator, entrepreneur, couples' coach, writer, mom, and grandma. Half of Team Winston.
Tina Marie Jones (she/her/hers) Founder of Uncover, LLC, mother of 4, activist, motivator, and columnist.
Mel Howard (he/him) Resides in Newport News, Virginia where he worked in finance industry for over 5years, is a columnists for BlaqueOUT Magazine and Founder/President of THRIVING TRANSMEN OF COLOR. Mel is passionate about community, self acceptance and forgiveness. David Maurice Griffin (He, Him, His) Columbia, SC; Providing the gift of massage is what he does, but spreading awareness of HIV/AIDS is who he is…1 half of "A Moment w/ The Griffins"
Tamara Leigh (She/Her)) Editor of Blaque/OUT Magazine. Lead Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Consultant with Blaque/OUT Consultanting with a focus on Intersectionality. Activist, Educator and Advocate. Mom of 2. From NY, In FL.
February & Every Day We Celebrate
a word. TamaraSanaaLeigh Editor-In-Chief
CHARLOTTE, NC
FEB 2023
BLAQUE/OUT FEATURE
ARTIST
THE SULTRY VOCALIST KNOWN AS JAZMINA GREW UP IN A FAMILY OF PREACHERS AND MUSICIANS, AND HONED HER SKILLS AT NEWARK'S ARTS HIGH SCHOOL. AFTER BEING DISCOVERED AS A VOCALIST WHILE A DRUMMER IN RUTGERS UNIVERSITY'S LIBERATED GOSPEL CHOIR, SHE WAS INTRODUCED TO HOUSE MUSIC BY ACE MUNGIN (ACEBEAT RECORDS) AND THE LEGENDARY CLUB ZANZIBAR. HER FIRST SHOW AS A MEMBER OF THE GROUP INTENSE WAS AN OPENER FOR THE LEGENDARY CECE ROGERS, WHERE HER GROUP’S HIT "LET THE RAIN COME DOWN" WAS A LOCAL CLASSIC ON THE TRI-STATE AIRWAVES. THE CLASSIC HOUSE TUNE STILL ENJOYS REGULAR ROTATION TO THIS DAY. HER PASSION AND JAZZ-INFLUENCED STYLE HAS BEEN EVIDENT IN ALL HER RECORDED WORKS. FROM HER BREAKOUT SINGLE “LET THE RAIN COME DOWN” WITH THE GROUP INTENSE IN 1990, TO HER SINGLES "RESCUE ME (WHY DON'T U)" AND "IT AIN'T EASY" WITH PRODUCER WILLY WASHINGTON, HER GOSPELTRAINED VOICE HAS ALWAYS STOOD OUT AMONG HER PEERS. SHE BELIEVES HER VOICE TO BE A BLESSING FROM GOD AND THAT SHARING THAT GIFT WITH OTHERS IS THE BEST WAY TO BE THANKFUL. RECORDINGS SUCH AS THE UNDERGROUND CLASSIC "I SEE YOU"(ACE BEAT), THE SMOOTH AND MELODIC “HIGH ON HOPE"(SHELTER), THE FUNK-FILLED "GOOD TIME"(KULT) SOLIDIFIED JAZMINA AS A HOUSE MUSIC PRINCESS. SHE HAS APPEARED ON COUNTLESS COMPILATIONS, AND HAS HAS WORKED WITH HOUSE MUSIC’S MOST NOTABLE VOCALISTS AND PRODUCERS, INCLUDING KENNY BOBIEN, BARBARA TUCKER, KERRY CHANDLER, JOEY NEGRO AND TONY HUMPHRIES. HER VOCALS ARE REGARDED AS LEGENDARY AND PRISTINE AMONG HOUSE MUSIC DIVAS. JAZMINA'S MOST RECENT PROJECT, " IN OUT TIME" WAS PRODUCED BY WILLY WASHINGTON FOR KNOZIZ RECORDINGS. JAZMINA ( NOW KNOWN AS "PASTOR ISAI" CURRENTLY RESIDES IN CHARLOTTE, NC, WHERE SHE IS PASTOR OF SANCTUARY OUTREACH MINISTRIES. A CREATIVE INSPIRATIONAL EXPERIENCE FOR MARGINALIZED CITIZENS. SHE IS ALSO A VISUAL ARTS EDUCATOR AND PSALMIST WITH THE NC POOR PEOPLE'S CAMPAIGN.
JAZMINA
"PASTOR ISAI" SHE/HER/HERS
I.L. “Is there anything you’d like to share that I haven’t touched on?” Mykal “I don’t know, you’ve been very thorough! (chuckles) I guess the only thing that I would add is that I want to see more queer people, especially queer people of color when its time to think about who represents ‘us’ as queer folk. During Pride season, at GLAAD, and in these spaces because I love all the big pop girl groups but when it comes time to find your headliners and the stars of Pride I want to see more queer (POC). These are spaces where we should feel safe but we should also feel elevated, not just safe, not just ok, we should feel GREAT! We should feel seen, powerful, and hopeful, especially in this post-pandemic world we’re able to do community in a way where we’re seeing each other as not just good but as great, let’s be great together, that’s something that’s important to me.” I.L. “We have all your socials, you are @MykalKilgore everywhere, what’s your parting remark?” Mykal “Just that I’m headed to the studio. Thank you for everyone, thank you for waiting for me, but new music is coming!”
who is Mykal Kilgore? Mykal Kilgore’s artistry cuts through traditional barriers and represents the hope of gospel, the soul of R&B, and the vulnerability of country. The singer/songwriter’s debut album, A Man Born Black was released in 2019 and was an exploration of faith, loss, the stumble and spills on the way to maturity, and the beauty of hope and love. Now, in 2021 Kilgore will release his new single “The Man In The Barbershop” (via Affective Music,) a story told from a Black Gay man’s perspective about his and many other’s experiences at the neighborhood barbershop where people gather and gossip about their community and the world. “The Man In The Barbershop” is the first single from Kilgore since his GRAMMY-nominated single “Let Me Go,” from his A Man Born Black album. There, at the 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards, Kilgore made history as the first openly gay artist to receive a nomination in the “Best Traditional R&B Performance” category. “The Man In The Barbershop” was produced by Jamison Ross, Cory Irvin, and John Michael Rouchell and Executive Produced by David S. Hargrett. A born and raised Floridian, Mykal moved to Nashville, TN as a hopeful singer and songwriter after attending Florida State University. Eventually, his voice caught the attention of Tony® and GRAMMY® Award winner, Billy Porter during an audition. Porter’s careful mentorship opened lanes for Kilgore to move to New York City and to enter the Broadway world. To date, his credits include Motown the Musical, The Book of Mormon, and Hair. Mykal has consistently chosen roles that elevate the positive representation of people of color including The Wiz Live! (NBC) and Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert (NBC). Most recently, he appeared in Songs for a New World, Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods and The MUNY’s Smokey Joe’s Cafe. With the release of “The Man In The Barbershop,” Mykal has once again stepped into the forefront to share his unique perspective with the world. As a Black queer man, Mykal uses his platform to serve as a change agent for civil rights as well as issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community. His instrument is guaranteed to educate, entertain and elevate the lives of all who have the luxury of experiencing his unmatched sound. Mykal is eager and hungry to share his new creations as his star continues to shine brighter and brighter in the postpandemic world.
@mykalkilgore everywhere
STATEN ISLAND, NY
BLAQUE/OUT FEATURE
ARTIST
BROOKLYN BORN, STATEN ISLAND RAISED ARTIST, JUSTY, CONTINUES TO PROVE WHY SHE WAS SELECTED AS A 2022 EMERGING LGBTQ ARTIST. HEAVILY INSPIRED BY THE WORKS OF ARTISTS SUCH AS J DILLA, AMY WINEHOUSE, NONAME, ANDERSON PAAK, AND LAURYN HILL, JUSTY CONTINUES TO EVOLVE, AND INCORPORATE ELEMENTS OF JAZZ, HIP-HOP, AND NEO SOUL INTO HER MUSIC. IN 2021, HER DEBUT ALBUM PAIN WITH BENEFITS WAS RELEASED WHICH FURTHER SOLIDIFIED JUSTY'S RISING STAR, AND WAS MET WITH POSITIVE ACCLAIM AND VARIOUS SPOTIFY PLAYLISTING. THIS YEAR JUSTY WILL BE EXPANDING HER ARTISTIC GROWTH WITH VARIOUS COLLABORATIVE SINGLES, AND HER FORTHCOMING SOPHOMORE ALBUM.
JUSTY JUSTYMUSIC.COM SHE/HER/HERS FEB 2023
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA
FEB 2023
BLAQUE/OUT FEATURE
ARTIST
I’M TRVPP MONTANA. I WAS RAISED IN FAYETTEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA. I CURRENTLY RESIDE IN VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA. MY CURRENT STYLE OF MUSIC IS RAP, BUT I AM ALWAYS LOOKING TO EXPAND MY LANE. SOME OF MY BIGGEST MUSIC INFLUENCES ARE MY POPS, J. COLE, LIL DURK, MONEYBAGG, XXXTENTACION, LIL BABY, AND POODIEVILLE. I GOT INTO MUSIC AROUND THE AGE OF 7 WHEN I SAW MY STEP DAD DOING IT, AND WANTED TO DO IT SINCE, AND I JUST RECENTLY STARTED BEING ABLE TO RECORD AND PUT MUSIC OUT. I AM CURRENTLY AN INDEPENDENT ARTIST. I’M MAKING AND PUTTING AS MUCH QUALITY MUSIC OUT AS I CAN, AND ALSO BEING BLESSED WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO PERFORM AT SHOWS AND GET MY NAME AND MUSIC OUT THERE.
TRVPP
mvntxnx2xs Dreux Pierre taxfreedreux
MONTANA HE/HIM/HIS
INTRODUCING lade BREEZ
Interviewer: E. L. Winston
Brandy “Lade Breez” Elam is an author, spoken word artist, motivational speaker, event host, mentor, and counselor coming out of the dirty south. Her skills are unparalleled and she is constantly upping her game for the people. 1. You recently added songwriter to your resume. Why was that such a natural progression for you? It was a very natural transition considering lyrically, all music is just poetry with a beat. 2. How did you get into spoken word? I had a need to write, but when that stopped being enough, I was introduced to DEF POETRY when I was still a child. I would journal to hide from things that brought me discomfort. When I became an adult, it became my outlet to speak out against social injustices and my rights as a masculine of center (MOC) person and Black woman. 3. What is your motivation as a creator? My motivation is being true to myself. I realized years ago when I tried to retire from my craft that it isn’t something you do, but that it is something that is part of who you are. It is who I am and the world is my muse. 4. You have been involved in a historic moment in your city. Tell
(ExpressMePoetry.com) or digital
us about it and how it felt to be involved? Whew! Which
copies on Amazon. When you order
one?! In November of 2021, I was honored to host the very
directly from my website, each copy
first Black hosting of a hip hop concert in the art halls of the
comes with a customized autograph.
River Center of Performing Arts. It was the very first time in the history of the Center that an event like that had been
7.
held there. In my philanthropic work, I try to always be fully
connect with you? You can find me on
present in standing up for the cause and in June of 2022, I
all social media sites at Lade Breez. I
was honored to participate in Columbus, Georgia’s award to
am also a quick find on Google under
COLGay Pride Committee of a Proclamation of the City
Express Me Poetry or Lade Breez.
deeming June as Pride Month. Both of these monumental
Readers can also book my motivational
occasions push me to do more.
speaking, poetry reading, hosting, or
5. How would you encourage someone just starting out with
Lastly, how and where can readers
reading/writing in schools.
spoken word? I would tell anyone who is thinking about doing spoken word to ‘just do it’. Don’t think about who will
I am so grateful for the time Lade
like it or who won’t. Do it for yourself and love yourself for
Breez took for this interview to happen.
doing it. There isn’t a wrong way to do it.
We must show support within our own
6. What else would you like to add that I may not have
community. Lade Breez stands as an
mentioned? I am a 3 time published author with one more
example of working in the community
book due to release later this year. You can find each
with mutually beneficial results. Keep
publication from “Journeys of a Long Walk” to “Point Me to
doing your thing!
Poetry” as well as “Journeys Traveled” on my website
The Mrs. I am a caretaker and a nurturer, so I needed a relationship that allowed me to be these things. In our home, I do the cooking and cleaning (yes, I have a full time job). I love my career and I love my role at home. I go to bed each night feeling harmonious because I have filled my part. Winston and I had looooong discussions about the importance of roles to each of us, so when we got married we each knew what we wanted. Now, dividing roles as specifically as we have may not work for everyone, but it works for us. We don’t have disagreements about who is responsible for what. No one feels the other is taking their authority or power away. If we do come across some discomfort in a situation, it really just takes us a moment to figure out whose role it mostly closely is associated with. We also regularly check in about the lyrics of our love song. Are there any things that need to change? Or are we unable to maintain something that we previously did? Then, we talk through what changes sound like and how we feel about them. Keeping in unison means that we continuously fine tune our instruments. This helps us to make beautiful music! Winston Like the Mrs. said, we had a lot of discussions about roles, how we felt about them, and how we saw ourselves in this song called life we were creating. In my wedding vows to my wife, I promised her that our hearts would always beat in sync and I take that vow very seriously. I can’t stress enough that communication is key and as we grow as individuals that we pour into our relationship so that we also grow as a couple. It keeps us on the same beat. Another way, we keep our love song playing in sync is that we are not concerned with how someone else’s love song is playing. We don’t listen to people who have so many opinions on how we should be singing our song. This love song has stretched me, comforted me, made me grow up, and show up. I’m always excited to hear the next verse. My prayer today and everyday since we met is that I never fail to protect, provide, and comfort her and that our hearts always beat in sync.
Thoughts to Leave You When you and your partner discuss your love song, it is not that you have to be as traditional as the Winstons, but more about how you all compose for yourself. Be sure it is a song that suits both parties’ strengths, but that you understand your weaknesses as well. Don’t assume your partner knows all the lyrics. Give each other the grace to miss a note sometimes. Remember that you are building unity not creating chaos. It is always about finding how love lives in your relationship.
CHICAGO, IL
BLAQUE/OUT FEATURE
ARTIST
PHOENIX CIARA MARTIN, BORN RICHARD ERIC MARTIN AUGUST 10, 1989 HAS ALWAYS HAD A LOVE FOR THE ARTS, AT A VERY YOUNG AGE SHE BEGAN SINGING IN CHURCH BEING BORN AND RAISED IN THE TRADITIONAL BLACK CHURCH WITH VERY STRICT BELIEFS HER SEXUALITY WAS ALWAYS AN ISSUE, SHE WAS BLESSED IN 2017 TO RECORD LIVE AS RICHARD ERIC MARTIN (HIGHER) UNFORTUNATELY SHE WAS NOT LIVING IN HER TRUTH. AFTER MUCH PAIN AND YEARS OF SUFFERING SILENTLY SHE FINALLY MADE THE DECISION TO LIVE IN HER TRUTH AS A TRANSGENDER WOMAN. WITH 14 YEARS IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY (PHOENIX BLACK O’HARA) SHE HAS BEEN BLESSED TO PERFORM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES, ALSO HOLDING A NATIONAL PRELIMINARY TITLE MISS GAY BREW CITY USOFA (2014) NOW, PHOENIX CIARA MARTIN CONTINUES TO SHARE HER GIFT OF MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT TO ALL PEOPLE FOR ALL PEOPLE.
PHOENIX BLACK FEB 2023
O'HARA SHE/HER/HERS
YOUTU.BE/OBF9RVNUNGU