Lil Nas X and 10 other Black LGBTQ+ rappers you’ll love 💕🏳️‍🌈

Like Lil Nas X, Frank Ocean really needs no introduction at this point. If you're unfamiliar with his music you may have spotted him at this year's Met Gala, sporting a green hairdo (and a green robot baby to match). Frank is as gifted a rapper as he is a singer, with a beautiful voice to serenade any occasion. Frank came out just before dropping his debut album Channel Orange in 2012. After a four year break, he released the album Blonde in 2016, another huge success for Frank both commercially and critically. Whilst he has been relatively quiet for the last year or so, based on his track record that means something amazing is surely just around the corner.

Kevin Abstract first started making noise as part of the hip-hop boyband Brockhampton. This group have seen a great deal of success releasing music with ASAP Rocky, Shawn Mendes (a confessed crush of his) and even Dua Lipa. Outside of this group he has had great success as a solo artist, with albums such as American Boyfriend: A Suburban Love Story. As with Lil Nas X, Kevin is open about his sexuality in his music. There's so much Kevin Abstract music out there you're going to be spoiled for choice.

Syd (a.k.a Syd Tha Kyd) first turned heads as a member of the hip-hop collective Odd Future, a group Frank Ocean was also a member of. She gained further success through her group The Internet and her solo work. As well as being a rapper she is also an accomplished singer and producer who experiments with Neo-soul and R&B as well as hip-hop. With new music on the horizon, Syd is definitely an artist to keep your eyes on ud83dudc40.

Big Freedia is one of the most prolific rappers on this list. She has been releasing music for over twenty years and is a key figure in the New Orleans 'bounce' hip-hop movement. Whilst LGBTQ+ rappers have historically been subject to homophobic abuse within certain hip-hop communities, they have been central to the development of the 'bounce' movement, with Freedia being one of the most prominent artists in this sub-genre. You may recognise her from her work with Ru Paul, Drake and even Beyoncé (yes, you heard us right... never ignore a recommendation from Queen Bey). you really shouldn't sleep on Big Freedia... you can't to be honest... her music is very loud.

Young M.A has made a big impact on the rap scene since emerging in the mid-2010s. She's best known for her hit single "Ooouuu" and the music video attached to it that has racked up over 350 million views on YouTube. This track propelled her into the limelight with a promising career ahead as highlighted in her being included in the Forbes 30 under 30 list in 2018. The future sure looks bright for Young M.A.

Cakes Da Killa should definitely be a lot bigger than he is. He's been making noise for a while now, releasing music for around ten years. He's an incredibly skilled rapper with a flow to rival the best and biggest rappers at the moment. His style incorporates elements of house music, making it easy to groove to. if you watched Rhythm + Flow on Netflix you may recognise him as he made it to the cyphers round and won the praise of Cardi B. Following the exposure this appearance has brought Cakes is definitely one to watch ud83dudc40.

Janelle Monáe is one of the bigger artists on this list (and in music in general). Even if you haven't heard of her you've probably heard her music. She's been making music since the early 2000's and has been nominated for eight Grammies. Whilst some may know her primarily as a singer she is also an accomplished rapper ("Django Jane" in particular is a banger). On top of this she's also an actor. If you haven't heard of Janelle Monáe you should really get googling.

Mykki Blanco's been around for a while now, releasing music for nearly ten years. She's a very accomplished rapper with two albums out and various mixtapes and EPs. Her most recent album Broken Hearts and Beauty Sleep was released earlier this year and has made quite a splash. Outside of her solo work she has collaborated with Teyana Taylor and even Kanye West. In addition to this she is an accomplished poet and activist. It's never too late to jump on the Mykki Blanco train.

Zebra Katz has already made quite a name for himself in the hip-hop scene. He released his debut album last year following a series of successful singles EPs and mixtapes. He has collaborated with Busta Rhymes, British rapper Shygirl and Gorillaz. His 2012 song "Ima Read" saw great success within the vogueing scene. If you're a fan of TV show Pose you should definitely check out Zebra's stuff and see how voguing has changed in the last twenty years.

Angel Haze has been releasing music for a while now and has had great success as a rapper and singer. She was nominated for the BBC Sound of 2013 award and her mixtape Reservation was ranked the sixth-best mixtape of 2012 by the BBC's Mike Diver. On top of this she has release two albums and multiple mixtapes and EPs. Whilst she has been relatively quiet recently, as with Frank Ocean this hopefully means new music is just around the corner.

Lil Nas X first achieved fame with his viral 2019 song Old Town Road. Since its release he has proved himself to be more than a one hit wonder with a slew of chart topping singles and the release of his incredible debut album Montero in 2021.

Saucy Santana first gained success through the release of multiple viral rap songs, such as Walk and (of course) Material Girl. He released his debut album Keep It Playa in 2021 and we can't wait to see what's next for the rapper.