Preeminent New Orleans-based hip hop artist Boyfriend will celebrate her birthday at One Eyed Jacks on August 28th with a variety show of guest musicians and burlesque acts. The list includes Trixie Minx, Fleur de Tease, Mulherin, Maggie Koerner, Vinsantos, and Air Sex, which, as the birthday girl explained, “is pretty much what it sounds like. It’s people having sex with the air.”
The choreographed pseudo-fornicators compete in regional and national championships hosted around the country. Of the One Eyed Jacks show, Boyfriend said, “I’m not sure what level of competition will be involved, but we’ll definitely have some people humping the air.”
She’s been described by OffBeat as a “pansexual, witty, near-predatory club rapper” and “like some superheroine librarian nympho,” and Boyfriend’s notoriety is due to all sorts of traits that make her work unique. Her… vivid… lyrics (meant more to encourage “active consumption” of art than for shock value), her knack for totally obliterating preconceptions of gender and sexuality, and campy, high-energy cabaret-esque shows that usually feature her strutting about in a robe and getting audience members to paint her nails and the like are just the beginning.
Her two debut EP’s Love Your Boyfriend, Pts. 1 & 2 were met with popular enthusiasm and critical acclaim (read the OffBeat review here). Fans rejoice; Love Your Boyfriend, Pt. 3 will be released this fall.
And in the meantime, there’s the party. This year marks the third annual big birthday blow-out she’s hosted in New Orleans, making it somewhat of a tradition by now.
“I always have cake and champagne,” she noted. “Which is just a slightly swankier version of my typical show. I try to give out some sort of prize at everything.”
This year, she’ll personally give out prizes (“or ‘gifts,’ because it is a birthday party,”) to anyone who shows up “in such festive garb” as their underwear.
Vintage lingerie is highly, highly encouraged, but boxers and bathrobes count as well.
If past Boyfriend shows are any evidence, the scantily-clad attendees will be in for an evening full of surprises.
“The last show I played in New Orleans was BUKU after party,” said Boyfriend. “We had that food fight… We snuck in like 500 cupcakes. Which is a lot.”
“And,” she added, “you don’t have to push drunk people too hard to get them to throw icing if they really want to.”
She says frosting had to be cleaned out of the chandeliers afterwards, and the upcoming soiree will (probably) avoid a repeat of that particular stunt.
“I really like One Eyed Jacks because I like performing in front of a red curtain, so I’m not gonna make too much of a mess.”
“There’ll probably be some mess,” she added, as an afterthought.
Whatever the case, guests can expect a cupcake bar, flowing champagne, visual installations, a pop-up shop selling Boyfriend’s Risograph Zine (the first-ever publication of her lyrics), and performances by the rapper herself (of course) and the smorgasbord of other exciting performers.
Doors open at 9 p.m. Tickets cost $10 and can be purchased here. Don’t forget your corset.
