My intention was to embed a YouTube video below, but in a weird and twisted turn of events, I can’t. Mykki Blanco’s Pornhub and Justin Moran produced video for Loner has been removed from YouTube for violating nudity and sexual content policies… ermmmm, having seen the video this week – there is literally none of the above – instead a clear and beautifully evoking display of queer LOVE – no nudity, no porn.
So why YouTube? What exactly is the issue here? This double standard is nothing less than homophobia. Mykki just Tweeted “Our society grants hetero privilege to parade overly sexualized images of women for a cis male gaze yet Queer imagery is policied, demeaned.”
In addition, I am completely in support of Mykki’s vocalisation on the fact that black publications such as VIBE, BET etc. refuse to cover his or most queer POC’s work – another archaic stigma that queer and politically skewed artists of colour have to deal with because they don’t fit into white mainstream media or “traditional” hip hop media’s idea of what works.
Anyway, that said, the video for Loner is a visually enigmatic work of art that pushed cultural and marketing boundaries and every single person involved should be so proud. Let’s hope this YouTube ban is lifted and if anything just generates more press and talking points for Mykki.
In the meantime, watch it on Pornhub (cos new experiences are fun).
Next up my girl Lola Coca has delivered her latest video – this time for E G O EGO – full of progressive sass and intelligently constructed across sonic and visual lines (as with everything she’s released since Bad Girlfriend), Lola is truly a future pop star.
Last but not least, in an intelligently reworked response to the proverbial phrase “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade”, Michelle O Faith responds by telling The Line of Best Fit “Every bad situation doesn’t have a saving grace. Things can’t always be turned around. I wanted to write a song about the dark cloud with no silver lining. About being wronged on such a scale that there is no wriggle room for remedy or consolation.”
“I can’t make Lemonade out of this / You’ve left me only pips / I choke.”
With tribal drums and an almost Kate Bush esque vocal tenacity, I have completely fallen in love with Michelle and what she stands for and I think you will too.