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Just in time for summer, LGBT and gender-bending rapper Mykki Blanco announced a new summer tour on May 29th alongside the release of a new EP aptly titled Spring/Summer EP 2014 and a new video for ‘She Gutta’.
Fans who have come to love Mykki Blanco for his daring, in your face style will love this EP. It opens with ‘She Gutta’, a hard-hitting and confrontational track which finds Mykki Blanco rapping with a flow similar to Nicki Minaj while showcasing a hard edge reminiscent of Remy Ma. The accompanying video follows the same bold sentiment with an opening which features audio from Gangland and mock news footage as it chronicles a girl gang’s confrontation with some male gangs in the city, interwoven with shots of Mykki Blanco and his love interest.
In both the song and the video, Mykki Blanco and the featured actresses display a power and ownership of one’s sexuality usually reserved solely for straight men. Longtime fans will be reminded of a quote from his interview with Bullett Media in Fall 2012 where he said, “Discrimination, segregation, and racism make people feel that they have to be strong. And people relate strength to masculinity. And people relate homosexuality to being the opposite of masculinity. When femininity is seen as a source of power in black culture, homophobia will no longer exist.” While this EP steers clear of overtly political lyrics, this short collection of songs finds the rapper in full ownership of his femininity and his recognition of it as a source of identity and confidence.
The remaining two tracks keep the same bravado found on the first track, but gives listeners a lighter vibe. The dance floor ready ‘Wish You Would’ featuring Princess Nokia is a feel good track where we find Mykki Blanco rapping with a flow similar to Lil’ Kim’s in the late 90’s/early ’00s, which is only fitting considering Mykki Blanco has said his persona is heavily influenced by the rapper. On the other hand, the final track ‘Booty Bamboo’ is an alternative banger that promises to get listeners hype whenever they hear it while satisfying the proclivities of die-hard hip-hop heads. Overall, this EP is a brazen effort from a courageous, creative, and unapologetic artist. Listeners can definitely tell from the wordplay and flow that Mykki Blanco has been studying the game and honing his craft. One can only hope this translates into a fantastic debut album when his LP, which is due to drop later this year, is released.
In addition to releasing the EP and the video, Mykki Blanco also released dates for a new summer tour. The tour stops find the rapper traveling throughout Australia and Europe with select stops in the United States and Canada. You can check out the confirmed dates and locations below:
05/30 Rome, Italy – Lanificio
06/04 Oslo, Norway – Bla
06/07 Copenhagen, Denmark – Distortion Festiva
06/18 Hobart, Australia – Odeon Theatre
06/19 Hobart, Australia – Dark Mofo
06/20 Brisband, Australia – Ellement Lounge
06/21 Sydney, Australia – Good God Small Club
06/27 – Melbourne, Australia – Hi-Fi
06/28 – Perth, Australia – Circo Festival
07/12 – Liepaja, Latvia – Summer Sound
07/18 – Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S. – King’s Barcade
07/19 – Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. – AS220
07/21 – Burlington, Vermont, U.S. – Signal Kitchen
07/30 – Vancouver, British Columbia – Celebrities
07/31 – Los Angeles, California, U.S. – Los Globos
08/01 – Santa Fe, New Mexico, U.S. – Molly’s
08/02 – New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. – One Eyed Jack’s
08/07 – Brooklyn, New York, U.S. – East River Park Amphitheatre
08/08 – Saint-Jean-de-Luz, France – Baleapop
08/09 – Ghent, Belgium – Wastelands
08/14 – Hamburg, Germany – Kampnagel
09/07 – Berlin, Germany – Berlin Festival
