So as you all know my hometown has birthed the country’s first drag king troupe –Bros B4 Ho’s earlier this year. If you’re not in the loop, click here. Show your love every Thursday at Bubbles Bar.
So next Thursday 26 July, the very first drag king troupe in Cape Town is hitting the stage at Obz Cafe Theatre in Observatory. Meet the six members of Bros B4 Hos:
1. Hometown: Cape Town
2. Drag king by night, aspiring musical chairs champion by day.
3. Single?Monogamous? Open Relationship?
Hahaha! This is potentially incriminating information, so I won’t 😉
4. I’m a drag king because 1) On a very basic level, it is a means for me to express my own masculinity by dressing, talking and walking like a boy- I believe gender is performative and it is interesting to explore different conceptions of masculinity. 2) I think it is good to challenge and subvert gender binaries. 3) I use my drag king persona, rapper Saint Dude (based on Lil Wayne), to parody and satirise male cultural hegemony in hip hop music. I am a big fan of this genre but I feel that it is dominated by men who express masculinity through sexism and misogyny. By making a spectacle of this behaviour, I hope to draw attention to the problematic nature of hip hop masculinty. I also hope to show people, through the rhymes I write myself, that there is no inherent link between masculinity and misogyny, rather that misogyny exists within the context of male privilege and patriachy. 4) Because it’s just cool to be a drag king.
5. I’d give my left nut to share the stage with Lauryn Hill, Lady Gaga, Azealia Banks, Die Antwoord, Kathleen Hannah, Nicki Minaj, MIA and a young idealistic Tupac Shakur.
6 Use any of the following methods?
-Facial hair X
-Binding X
-Packing X (When I want to walk with a lil more swag)
7. Craziest/most unexpected experience while in drag: I developed strong feelings for a drag queen but what was unexpected was that I’d only have feelings for her when I was in drag!
8. I like my women and men to be passionate about changing the world for the better in some way. Also, I have a very soft spot for women and men who are vegan like me.
9. I’m at my happiest when I am working with my kids at the Educare my NGO supports. When we play musical chairs I never win, but I have a strategy now. They may be toddlers, but they are skilled. I’ve realised that it’s a mind game, you know? The current musical chairs champion needs to watch out, their’s a new kid on the block. And that kid is me.
10. What excites you most when you think about your upcoming debut?
I am excited about sharing the stage with a group of people I really admire and love. I am excited about the love song I wrote to my bros.
1. Hometown: Brackenfell
2. Drag king at night, social worker by day
3. Single
4. I’m a drag king because I just didn’t want to miss out. 🙂 I did not think I’ll actually do it, but since the first time Freddie got all dressed up I just couldn’t resist doing it over and over again. Freddie is a way of doing absolutely what I want to, the part of me that really just lives life and has FUN! I’m all about exploring different aspects that life has to offer, and this is one of them. My biggest motivation behind this was that I know there’s a need for drag kings out there, and if the only thing Freddie does is to get those that REALLY want to, to come out and embrace that, then my job here is done!
5. I’d give my left nut to share the stage with THE REAL Freddie Mercury.
6 Use any of the following methods?
Facial hair X
Binding X
Packing X
7. Craziest/most unexpected experience while in drag: For me almost every time we perform or go out in drag is a crazy moment. The feedback and support from the crowds are amazing! Their energy just makes it worthwhile. Walking down the streets all in drag with a shiny jacket gets people’s heads turning, that I can tell you! We had some Chinese tourists take pictures of us when we went to the Cape Quarter to draw money one night, sure they’ll have a awesome story to tell at home! 😉
8. I like my women FULL STOP. Hahaha, just kidding. I’m probably the shy, romantic one in the group. I do like a woman who knows what she wants, is independent, honest, true to herself, sincere and just happy with life and herself. That X-factor should of course be there, if not.. well.. Should’ve stayed with the FULL STOP, right?
9. I’m at my happiest when I’m spending time with the people I love, whether it’s my family, or my friends. I love special, random moments, and just laughing and “being”. Then of course there’s my 4 legged boys who always tend to make me smile.
10. What excites you most when you think about your upcoming debut? EVERYTHING!! Although the heart is pumping blood like crazy, I’m so excited to share the stage with ALL my bro’s. And also having the fabulous support behind us is just amazing! Can’t wait to hear the crowds response to all the acts we are planning, we aim to please, and I think that’ll be exactly what we’re gonna do!! We will SO rock you!
1. Hometown: New Orleans
2. Drag king at night, pre-transition transguy by day
3 Single
4. I’m a drag king because it affords me the space to express my masculinity in a way that is celebrated and encouraged..
5. I’d give my left nut to share the stage with Thom Yorke (lead singer of
Radiohead).
6. Which of the following methods do you use?
Facial hair X
Binding X
Packing X
7. Craziest/most unexpected experience while in drag: people I don’t know recognising me!
8. I like my women to be creative, compassionate, & ambitious, just how I like my men.
9. I’m at my happiest when I’m teaching Sociology at UCT
10. What excites you most when you think about your upcoming debut?
I’m excited to have the daring opportunity to present the oft-overlooked middle ground between socially established gender poles. We embrace that space proudly and exuberantly. As a troupe, we are contributing to a remarkable new movement that enables individuals to look beyond, and possibly escape, the confines of gender construction.
1. Hometown: Mitchell’s Plain, Cape Town, now that’s gangster 😉
2. Drag king by night, physiotherapy student at UCT by day
3. Monogamous and Happy
4. I’m a drag king because I look for any opportunity to explore my butch and masculine nature in a safe space and I love rapping. When Saint Dude approached me about this whole drag king story I was very intrigued and I immediately knew that’s what I wanted to do. To me being in drag and being on stage gives me the opportunity to be cheered and uplifted for being who I am, which is butch and not to be looked down upon and stared at like I’m such a weird person which hurts but you become so used to it you just brush it off and walk on. One thing I love about being on stage is that I instantly go on this natural high and everyone seems so 3D-like (because of my sunglasses) LOL and I feel so comfortable when I’m onstage, grabbing my crotch here and there haha. I want to be perceived as the pretty boy rapper of the troupe and being the one that has a hard side but who can also be very romantic at times. Umlilo John is somewhat like me but he seems to have more control in the way he carries himself and he is way more gangster than I am.
5. I’d give my left nut to share the stage with Li’l Wayne, Drake and I’d love to do collaboration with Nicki Minaj.
6.Use any of the following methods?
Facial Hair X
Binding X
7. Craziest/most unexpected experience while in drag was having a gay guy at Bubbles Bar dance around me, dancing on a pole for me and trying to steal me from my girl haha although I knew he was playing it was still very unexpected, especially because it was my first night in drag.
8. I like my women femme, dark long hair, pretty face and I prefer women from the same background as me, I just find they are easier to handle LOL although they can be a handful.
9. I’m at my happiest when I’m spending QT my girl ,chilling with my brothers, listening to music and finally finishing my tut or essay, best feeling in the world.
10. What excites you most when you think about your upcoming debut? I am most excited about the atmosphere and seeing all my brothers perform on one stage and having that proud baby brother feeling, being the only child I’ve grown very fond of them and I look up them a lot. So I’m really excited to see them perform and see everyone supporting us
1. Hometown: Jo’burg
2. Drag king at night, Master of Creativity by day
3. Monogamous
4. I’m a drag king coz I’m the man yo,
Understanding of diversity and equality
In our community bro.
5. I’d give my left nut to share the stage with Burt McCracken (The Used), Tegan and Sara and Florence + the Machine
6. Use any of the following methods?
Facial hair X
Binding X
Packing X
7. Craziest/most unexpected experience while in drag: Having a friend take my bindings off with her teeth. (Hence the lack of a pair of scissors in a nightclub.)
8. I like my women like I like my favourite song: always on my mind
9. I’m at my happiest when I share life and love with friends, family and my lover.
10. What excites you most when you think about your upcoming debut? Basically the same excitement I’ve had throughout this entire experience. Hanging with the kings, enjoying the performances and loving the crowd for amazing support.
1. Hometown: Johannesburg
2. Drag king at night, special needs teacher by day
3. Single
4. I’m a drag king because I love having a chance to expand peoples minds and make them perceive things differently. My persona is quite androgynous. Doing drag is a way for me to explore and express my own masculinity and to have fun and look good while I do it. As a woman I feel quite vulnerable, I feel much more confident and far more suave when I’m channelling Cole – I got that “swagger” and I feel untouchable. I see drag as a way to show the world that sexuality and gender are socially constructed concepts and that both sexes can take both roles – we are not condemned to choose. So far, doing drag has been a truly liberating experience.
5. I’d give my left nut to share the stage with Ru Paul
6. Use any of the following methods?
Facial hair X (rarely)
Binding X
Packing X
7. Craziest/most unexpected experience while in drag: invited some friends to come watch me perform, went up to one of my close friends to say hi and he looked at me very confused, he didn’t recognise me at all! I also had the experience of a gay guy at Bubbles Barthat was giving me lots of bedroom eyes, when he came over to introduce himself, he couldn’t believe I was a girl in drag. The look on his face was priceless!
8. I like my women like I like my coffee – tasty, sweet and strong enough to kick my ass.
9. I’m at my happiest when I am dancing, writing, performing, doing yoga or working.
10. What excites you most when you think about your upcoming debut? The chance to perform as Cole and really blow some minds. Also, the opportunity show the world that drag is not just for men, that girls can do drag too. And we do it just as good (and maybe better) than they do! We do sing live after all…
UMLILO JOHN
TheButchLife 