Rapper Mykki Blanco Shares HIV Positive Diagnosis

On Friday, rapper Mykki Blanco made the decision to share something very personal.

In a Facebook post:

Ive been HIV Positive since 2011, my entire career. fuck stigma and hiding in the dark, this is my real life. I'm healthy I've toured the world 3 times but ive been living in the dark, its time to actually be as punk as i say I am.

Blanco, who is also a poet and performance artist, followed up by commenting on the post, writing, "no more living a lie. HAPPY PRIDE."

The rapper, who is passionate about LGBT rights, was arrested in Portugal last year "for being gay," and spoke out about Russia's gay propaganda laws, according to Rolling Stone.

Blanco grew up in Harlem and in a 2013 cover story the Village Voice called the performer a "gender ninja."

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