Mykki Blanco facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mykki Blanco
Mykki Blanco performing in 2017
Background information
Born	(1986-04-02) April 2, 1986 (age 39) Orange County, California
Genres	Alternative hip hop hip hop
Occupation(s)	Rapper
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	UNO Transgressive

Mykki Blanco (born April 2, 1986) is an American rapper, performance artist, poet and activist. She has collaborated musically with artists including Kanye West, Teyana Taylor, and Blood Orange.

Early life

Blanco was born in Orange County, California. Her father, Michael Quattlebaum Sr., was an IT specialist before becoming a psychic. Her mother, Deborah Butler, was a paralegal at the North Carolina Patent and Trademark Office. Her father's side are Black Hebrew Israelites. Blanco's parents divorced when she was 2 years old. As a child, she lived in San Mateo County, California, near her paternal grandparents, before moving to Raleigh, North Carolina. She attended Enloe High School.

At the age of 15, Blanco won an Indies Spirit Award for the performance collective she founded, Paint In Consciousness Experimental Theater, in Raleigh.

When Blanco was 16, she ran away from home before moving to New York City. She then spent time in California, before winning a full scholarship to attend the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, but dropped out of college after two semesters in 2006. She also briefly attended Parsons School of Design in New York City.

Career

Blanco's book of poetry, From the Silence of Duchamp to the Noise of Boys, was published on OHWOW's imprint on June 17, 2011.

In 2012, Blanco made her musical debut with an EP, Mykki Blanco & the Mutant Angels.

In November 2012, Blanco released the mixtape Cosmic Angel: The Illuminati Prince/ss. The mixtape was produced by Brenmar, Flosstradamus, Gobby, Le1f, Boody, Matrixxman, and Sinden. She makes an appearance in the album Junto by Basement Jaxx.

In 2013, Blanco released her second EP Betty Rubble: The Initiation. May 2014 saw the release of the Spring/Summer 2014 EP, followed by her second mixtape Gay Dog Food in October. Gay Dog Food features a spoken word track with Kathleen Hanna, and contributions from Cities Aviv, Cakes Da Killa, and more.

Blanco's debut album, Mykki, was released on September 16, 2016.

Blanco's ad-libs appeared on Teyana Taylor's song "WTP", from her June 2018 album K.T.S.E.; she also has writing and production credits on the track. Blanco notably was not paid for these contributions until July 2020, more than two years later.

In 2018, Blanco collaborated with Kanye West on the track "Bye Bye Baby" for West's scrapped album Yandhi; the track was later leaked.

Blanco released Broken Hearts & Beauty Sleep through Transgressive Records in June 2021.

Artistry

Blanco performing at Glasslands, 2014

The persona Mykki Blanco began as a teenage girl character for a YouTube video in 2010, but evolved into a musical and performance art piece. Blanco's name is inspired by Lil' Kim's alter ego Kimmy Blanco. Her influences include Lil' Kim, GG Allin, Jean Cocteau, Kathleen Hanna, Lauryn Hill, Rihanna, Marilyn Manson, and Anaïs Nin.

Personal life

Blanco has tattoos of both a Christian cross and a Star of David. Her father is a member of the Church of God and Saints of Christ, a Black Hebrew Israelite denomination. Her mother is a Christian.

Discography

Studio albums

Extended plays

Mixtapes

Singles

As lead artist

Published works

• From the Silence of Duchamp to the Noise of Boys (2011)