QBoy

He is known as one of the most famous gay rappers around, a pioneer of homo-hop, DJ, writer and producer as well as being a gay rights activist. QBOY spoke to I Am SOHO after and about Pride, gay youth and the future.

Having just performed at London Pride 2010 (this year’s theme being a celebration of 40 years of the Gay Liberation Front), do you still feel a sense of pride performing in front of 8000 people, being an out and proud gay performer?
I have a sense of responsibility to ensure the younger generation of LGBT people understand that Pride is not about having a party. The current generation have a much more fortunate existence than before because of what past LGBT activists have done previously to fight for our rights and it is important that they are aware of this and aware of our history and hopefully not only will they have an appreciation and thanks for their current position and for what went on before but also hopefully it will inspire them to be more politically motivated too, not just for ourselves but to help others in less fortunate situations around the world.

Last summer saw the release of your album Moxie, released under your own music label; QBoy Music. A year on, how do you feel about the end result and its success?
It is still spawning success which is great – my video went into the top 10 on MTV’s USA LOGO chart recently. The great thing about making an album yourself is even once you have released it and it feels like it is finished, it still grows and evolves and lives on in new incarnations through remixes and music videos, adding to the tapestry of the project and keeping you interested. I’m very proud of that album and still have a few videos left to release from it.

…was your US tour to promote the album a whistle stop, or did you have time to enjoy US hospitality?
I visit the USA nearly every year, sometimes a few times a year and have many friends over there and lived in Brooklyn a little while ago too, it’s just another familiar place to me that I will always perform and DJ in.

How do people in the US react to your art?
Americans are more used to rap as it is part of their own culture so when I first started, they took to me very well and understood where I was coming from.

For someone who might not understand the attraction to hip-hop and your attraction to hip-hop as a gay performer – what is your take on what hip-hop means to you?
Hip-hop means not much to me now – I am not a hip-hop artist, I am making electro house and fidget house music. Current hip-hop overall is very boring – old skool hip-hop was more my style before I evolved into the current dance style.

After your documentary Coming Out to Class (Channel 4), where you took it upon yourself to look into how gay kids could be better supported in our schools – something that is a brave task in itself – have any positive feedback from viewers (either kids or the general public) that made your journey back to the class room a positive experience?
It is repeated on TV a lot as well as now being on YouTube and every time it is I get a flood of messages from teenagers who saw it, who are in similar situations, asking for advice, sometimes parents thanking me for giving them some insight – it’s good it touches so many people. I don’t see it as brave. I am never brave and never have been, I am just bloody minded. I am who I am and do what I wish. That’s how I live my life. To be brave, you have to be afraid first and then overcome it. I am not afraid. I just do what I want to do. Fuck everyone else and what they think and do for you, that’s what I say

Do you feel attitudes have improved in schools toward differences in sexuality, especially toward those kids who are afraid or bullied because they are gay?
Yes, definitely, but not overall. There are still many pockets where problems still exist, but then there are huge leaps in other places, so the job is not over but it is going well.

…do you feel that there is more that can still be done to help younger gay kids?
There is always more to be done. But I feel we must focus some energy on making the LGBT communities in more oppressed countries live a better life. They need more help and we are now in a position to offer it.

Being a writer, producer, performer and gay rights campaigner, is there any avenue that you have yet to try out that would be a welcomed new challenge for you?
I want to go back to acting at some point, I did a lot of that when I was younger. I also love editing my music videos and I directed a few of my own too so want to do some more film making for sure too. I love to work with other creatives and artists. Alone is boring – with others is exciting. So many more dynamics and outcomes. I love bring people and places and ideas together that do not often come together – that’s what I am good at and that is what I enjoy.

What’s next from QBoy?
Am working on a new project called ‘Sam LeMan’ with NYC super producer and DJ Larry Tee – it’s all electro rap dance – this beat is Technotronic sort of thing, so watch out now! Sam is coming! Am also in talks with a TV production company about presenting another show – which sounds interesting and am excited to be involved.