Exploring Queer Identity With South Africa's Born-Free Generation And LGBTQI Activists - Episode 1

i-D's latest documentary series, Out Of This World, follows American rapper, performance artist and activist Mykki Blanco on a journey to South Africa's biggest city, Johannesburg to explore queer culture at a time when LGBT voices are continually being silenced...
In this episode Mykki meets Johannesburg's talented youth; dancer Bradley and his boyfriend Nkulsey, a model and psychology student to talk about queer love in the zulu territory and gets invited to join artist-activist Umlilo on a Femme Walk of queer visibility through Joburg. Mykki rounds off our first instalment with an explosive show and exclusive music video featuring his tracks 'Loner' and 'Coke White Starlight'.
Host/Associate Producer Mykki Blanco
Director Matt Lambert c/o Prettybird
Development Producer Kate Villevoye
Story Producer Stephen Isaac-Wilson
Field Producer/ Edit Producer Declan Higgins
Global Executive Producer Eloise King
Fixer Big Banana Films
Director of Photography Cezary Zacharewicz
Camera Assistant Neville Esterhuizen
Sound Recordist Arthur Koundouris
Location Assistant/Driver Zamo Nala
Security Cam Security, George Moriatis
Editor Isolde Penwarden
Colourist Oisin O’Driscoll at The Mill
Sound Mix Matt Cheney
Production Manager Lauran Clark
Production Coordinator Rosa Harris Edmonds
Post Production Manager Tom Lynch
Post Production Coordinator Regina Lemaire-Costa
Director of Licensing Cristina Lombardo
Senior Music Supervisor, EMEA Alex Benge
Music Supervisor Bonnie Reilly
Senior Designer Rebecca Boyd-Wallis
Designer Kristina Britton
Production Accountant David Gray
Equipment Manager Richard Smith
Equipment Assistant Henry Cotsford
Post Tech Supervisor Dominic Brouard
Commercial Creative Director Bunny Kinney
Senior VP Production, UK Bree Horn
Production Executive Shelley Hurley
Head of Post Production Daniel Elias
Channel Manager, UK Jordan Joseph
Music
"Hideaway"
"Loner"
"Fendi Band"
"Rock N Roll Dough"
"Shit Talking Creep"
"The Plug Won't"
"I'm In A Mood"
"Coke White, Starlight"
Written and Performed by Michael Quattlebaum Jr., Yoann Lemoine, Bruno Bertoli aka Mykki Blanco
Courtesy of Mykki Blanco LLC
"Uyang'khumbula"
"Isifundo Sokuqala"
"Bottoms Revenge: Ibutho Lamakhosazana"
"Kgotso"
Written and Performed by Thato Ramaisa & Buyani Duma aka FAKA
Music
"Chain Gang"
"Reciprocity"
"Slima Mina"
"Awunamali"
"Umzabalazo"
"Magic Man"
"Out Of My Face"
"Living Dangerously"
Written and Performed by Slyamukelwa Ngcobo aka UMLILO
Archive Courtesy of Rich Mnisi, GALA, Faka, Laura Skollie
Special Thanks
Johannesburg Metro Police Department, Caroline and Nick at Glory, Brenda Sakellarides,
Charmaine and Boitumelo Magolekgo at The National School of The Arts, Juliette Larthe and all at Prettybird London
Orli Oh, Albans at Generale Hair Zone, David Swartz, Oko Shio, The Mill
Featuring
Nkulsey Masemola
Bradley Kgotlelelo
Laura Skollie
Rich Mnisi
Luke van der Burg
Glow
Fela Gucci
Desire Marea
Umlilo
Genevieve Louw
Negiste Johnson
Bernard Moshabane
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[@Cebo88]

When he started crying I teared too. I call those who came before me in my beloved South Africa. They endured ridicule, in your face hatred, all sorts of brutality so that the road can be smoother for me.

[@jennifertam4516]

This is so incredibly beautiful. How people don't understand that love is love, completely baffles me. - soysaucesupreme

[@sayukorie4436]

people also love trees and want to marry Dogs these days... God is love, and without understanding what he has done on the cross for humanity then.....

[@callmemr.thomasreagan1157]

Jennifer Tam ....👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻

[@Rogdog692002]

I am a married, father of two, businessman... I would rather be transgender and face those challenges, than to be hateful and closed minded like the other commenters. Jennifer you’ve taken the words out of my mouth.

[@callmemr.thomasreagan1157]

Andrew Neumann ....👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻

[@ezrastgg]

Andrew Neumann yes wtf

[@katrinaabrams2313]

This is the most beautiful thing I've seen in a long time!

[@laissoledade3777]

I wish the subtittle option was on so we could put subtittles and translate it too. it would get a wider viewership to this beautiful doc series

[@janing.8188]

I love this channel so much it's so inspirational!

[@artistlette9664]

this was so powerful!

[@crystallinedreams]

Bradley and Nkulsey‘s relationship is truly magical.

[@kaeluh]

This is so beautiful. So well done. So informative. 🖤

[@arimamary92]

This is amazingly informative. Brought tears to my eyes.

[@BeautifulGemm]

POWERFUL! That Dance Performance and Song is DOPE AF🔥👏🏽👏🏽

[@kevinboone2178]

Like since forever and a day, Africans will have homosexual offspring, because human evolution, genetics, epigenetics, hormones and timing will command it within the confines of fetal development. The continent of my ancestors has no power to overstep nature, no magic wand granting wishful thinking. Most of us have been brainwashed by our former Arab and European masters who bought their religion to bear on what heretofore was an acceptance of same-gender loving individuals. Within various African ethnic group traditions that acceptance took many forms, one of which was recognizing THOSE PEOPLE have the power of "two-spirits," ying and yang, male and female, essentially a "double-consciousness," one that could be harnessed to counsel others, or settle disputes, for example. Furthermore some ethnic groups allowed marriage -- and some of these didn't involve sex, for being more concerned with strengthening familial and/or clan ties, for instance. In some ethnic traditions, bisexuality was common, and in others individuals had same-gender lovers until marriage -- some of these relationships endured thereafter. There also are groups which treated it nonchalantly as it was understood as a given, a part of life, natural...like what's the problem? Though Africa is the cradle of civilization, colonialism and imperialism uprooted this knowledge, which is why there's a critical imperative Africa recover its memory, as the ancestors had it right all along. And here we are. With due respect. (KFB 030320)

[@silindokuhlemkhize1753]

This is just beautiful.

[@petehoffs8804]

Really inspiring viewing. I love the evolution

[@amethysttoast3642]

This series gives me hope

[@JacoEsterhuizen]

very inspirational. anyone know what is the music starting at 12:10?

[@welikelethabo]

Check in the description box

[@alien7804]

heyyyy cute stuff right here!!

[@edgarnmarschalek5113]

what's the song at 12:36 ???

[@johnconlow3336]

I think it's interesting to see what other people experience who are LGBTQ from other countries.

[@benharvey9266]

what song is playing at 12:35!!!!????

[@newellacruella]

👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 unity is how we will overcome

[@nelsonsibiya9204]

This is good 👍.

[@Zeelana123]

An inspiring (and beautifully shot) short documentary!

[@llamaliammm]

Im so confused abt their accent (the couple). It sounds a bit british and american and little african. Wait so where r they from?

[@diphatje]

South Africa

[@carlagaskinsa6357]

That's kinda a sumup of our accent. Like the English settlers, American TV, Dutch settlers and African natives all mixed together

[@Brolicpolitics]

Th is series is the best

[@euphoricblackcats4145]

This is a very cute couple.

[@Daniela-gs1wx]

Wow!

[@chandrejacobs6277]

I go to their school lol

[@user-jf5cx5ud7n]

Damn, this is so fucking beautiful ❤️

[@katemacquarrie]

love this and that beautiful couple ❤️

[@castingemail740]

They are awesome

[@vuyo4826]

Such an inspiring series!

[@Churros1616]

Beautiful people and very inspiring.

I just feel hurt it’s sad

[@Clariccy]

why are they styled like what we grew up with

[@Youwuvebere]

Clariccy I don’t know.. Africa has instagram 😒😂

[@nalediyaziyo7449]

It's also how we grew up as well. Globalization has been a thing for a while now so what you grew up watching, eating, wearing is very likely what was being worn, consumed in just about every other city in the world. Yes some people have more access than others but really "Africa has instagram" is not much of a response

[@carlagaskinsa6357]

Yoh, this video makes Johburg not seem so bad

[@tuituiann]

re up??

[@readwenyahmed3527]

Am from east Africa I love all Africa should understand gay right Sexual orientation lord people close minded my best to is gay I see him as Normal person

[@ezrastgg]

When the vid came out it’s Beenn 11 years why u think unnatural

[@alexysq2660]

LOOOVED Everyone shown/featured in the Video. And i suppose i love Mykki Blanco, too. But, at the same time...for some reason...s/he rather "puts me off", somehow. Perhaps it's just that s/he's so, very, "Show*Bizz/Razz*ma*Tazz/Diva-esque", s/he doesn't ALWAYS come-off as being altogether...Sincere?? But...i'm sure s/he, actually, is...! So...Yeah: LOVE her...!!!

[@Yogananda13]

I know what you mean!

[@MovieTipsx]

❤

[@themoribundapathetic4530]

God they look so soft

[@gloriousmdmatherapy]

yeahhhhhhh fucking badasses

[@siphakamisebetela1464]

Such a cute cute couple❤

[@pelomk9022]

I love the video but gyrating in a corset half dress is plain weird.

[@Churros1616]

It is weird, but that's what Mykki Blanco is famous for. He is a weird guy, being normall is boring. And who wants to be boring?

[@arthurbusterbffl4928]

[@mateuszkotrla2575]

this is sad to watch

[@chandrejacobs6277]

Hey these people go to my school

[@nicholaslowick3381]

Chandré Jacobs nsa is wilding honestly, what an amazing school

[@arthurbusterbffl4928]

:)

None gender when we are either male or female but just sad

[@abenezerethiopiawi]

God guide them the right way

[@cbcat747]

I am apart of the born free generation, yet I still had to leave the country in order to have a future, South Africa is falling to pieces and if you can get out of there now, do it as soon as possible.

[@tm-zi6zn]

Cailee G it's funny how white people are the first to run from the mess that created.

[@tintswalo2931]

take me with you.

[@saxolasidloyi2794]

instead of staying and trying to contribute towards its upliftment and development?

[@azazel166]

From what exactly do you wish to run?

[@leosonbentley2770]

Compared to how South Africa used to be, how exactly is it falling apart? You have so much more opportunities now. So spare me the pity party.

Looking at this a man in a dress with a long wig and make up swinging and pumping his ass it’s just not good but it’s outnow

[@kennethwhite8045]

This is disturbing. PERIOD.

[@lolanimals7206]

I'm telling you. And it's weird like everyone in comment section praise these things...SMH

[@jae7044]

Go back to the stone age

[@carlagaskinsa6357]

What's disturbing?

[@hitlerswetpussy1736]

Nothing is disturbing. This is a video about people loving each other, go back to the seventies if you’re acting like this.