Artist Statement
My project, centered on Harlem’s queer music artists, explores the powerful intersection of identity, art, and politics. Using annotated pages in the style of Genius—a platform that traditionally breaks down lyrics line by line—I aim to bring the voices of these artists to life, highlighting the layered experiences and controversies that surrounded them.
While many narratives of American gay history begin with the Stonewall Uprising, this project shifts focus to an earlier era of queer and Black liberation that thrived in 1920s Harlem, where expressions of identity, race, and sexuality converged to create a groundbreaking yet often overlooked moment of cultural freedom. As a bisexual Arab man, I feel a personal connection to the queer artists of Harlem, whose work reflects a journey that intertwines joy with the challenges of living authentically in a society still grappling with acceptance. Music, for me, is a powerful vessel for expressing emotions and thoughts that are difficult to articulate with words. It allows me to connect deeply with the artist's experiences, offering solace during moments when I struggled with my own complexities—common in a household where discussing queerness and queer relationships is difficult due to cultural and familial expectations. In these moments, I find comfort in the music of others, as their lyrics help me understand emotions I might not have been able to express on my own.
The Harlem Renaissance is often remembered for figures like Langston Hughes and for cultural icons like jazz and blues, but it was also a vibrant haven for LGBTQIA+ life. This community, bolstered by the Great Migration and shaped by economic and social constraints, found space for expression within Harlem’s unique blend of Black and queer culture. Figures like Ma Rainey, who openly embraced her queer identity, and Gladys Bentley, who defied gender norms with her masculine attire and commanding stage presence, pushed social boundaries and shaped Harlem into a free, fluid community. The freedom and experimentation of Harlem’s gay life—exemplified in drag balls, speakeasies, and the inclusive nightlife—set a powerful precedent for queer liberation that continues to resonate.
Yet, despite these contributions, queer Black artists of the Harlem Renaissance have been largely overlooked in popular narratives, an omission that erases an essential part of queer history and reinforces the misconception of queerness as predominantly white. This obscurity stems, in part, from the queer music of the time often being veiled in coded language. Many Black artists were constrained by the pressure to conform to respectability politics, striving to present themselves in ways that would gain them acceptance from white audiences. As a result, queerness was not openly discussed, and much of the music of the time is not explicit in its portrayal of sexual identity. The very reason this queer music is overlooked is rooted in how it was intentionally obscured, with artists expressing their identities in ways that wouldn’t jeopardize their participation in mainstream cultural movements.
My project seeks to reframe this perception by documenting the artistry, controversies, and identities of Harlem’s queer musicians and performers. Through detailed annotations of their lyrics and explorations of their lives, I aim to “un-forget” their legacy, creating a resource that reclaims the stories of queer Black people who were instrumental in early liberation movements.
Yet, despite these contributions, queer Black artists of the Harlem Renaissance have been largely overlooked in popular narratives, an omission that erases an essential part of queer history and reinforces the misconception of queerness as predominantly white. This obscurity stems, in part, from the queer music of the time often being veiled in coded language. Many Black artists were constrained by the pressure to conform to respectability politics, striving to present themselves in ways that would gain them acceptance from white audiences. As a result, queerness was not openly discussed, and much of the music of the time is not explicit in its portrayal of sexual identity. The very reason this queer music is overlooked is rooted in how it was intentionally obscured, with artists expressing their identities in ways that wouldn’t jeopardize their participation in mainstream cultural movements.
My project seeks to reframe this perception by documenting the artistry, controversies, and identities of Harlem’s queer musicians and performers. Through detailed annotations of their lyrics and explorations of their lives, I aim to “un-forget” their legacy, creating a resource that reclaims the stories of queer Black people who were instrumental in early liberation movements.