BRINGING SEXY BLACK
DJs Blackcat and Nik Red explain to Drew Rowsome how Caribana is about to become a big gay party.

“People used to say when you came out in the gay community you lost your good taste in music,” laughs DJ Nik Red. “It’s good that we pushed the community to realize that being gay doesn’t necessarily have a circuit soundtrack.” Red is part of Blackness Yes! the volunteer committee that organizes Blockorama for Pride. “We’re seen as a market,” he elaborates, describing a Walmart promo that ran over Pride season. “It said ‘Get Your Hottest Dance Compilation’ with a rainbow background but no mention of gay. It’s like we’re this monocommunity called LGBTwhatever, the rainbow community, that looks like this and listens to this. But when you delve into it there’s a lot more.”

DJ Blackcat, who is also on the Blackness Yes! committee, agrees, “When I first started DJing I was the only one who spun anything other than dance music. I spun reggae, calypso, soca, R&B and hip hop. No one wanted to hear R&B or hip hop. Now you hear it everywhere.” And now Blackcat can be heard everywhere. “At first my DJing was very segregated, only ethnic people were coming to my parties,” he explains. “But some promoters heard me and it went from there. It’s been a great year for me. There’s not a weekend where I’m not working. Big Primpin, Goodhandy’s, The Barn, I’ve been doing something for all the major players.”

Red and Blackcat are not only expanding the range of what constitutes music for gays but also how a gay dancefl oor should be composed. “I don’t like doing just male parties or just black parties,” says Blackcat. “I like a mix in the room with a great variety of people — straight, gay, Chinese, black, white… It’s my ultimate vision in many ways. And if you don’t find it, you keep trying to create it.”

To this end Blackcat and Blackness Yes! have teamed up to throw The Urban Jungle Weekend and Blockobana to coincide with Caribana. The full weekend of events includes a family-oriented picnic, a not family-oriented porn star performance, a vogue ball, a soca vs reggae fête and music of all varieties. There are high hopes that crowds will throng but there are two obstacles.

“Toronto’s black population is West Indian-based. The taboo against gayness is so big,” explains Blackcat. “There are a lot of DL men in this city. In America they’re a lot freer, they believe it’s their right. In the West Indies it’s not your right, you can be killed for it.” The reggae music Blackcat, and millions of others, love has become tagged as a violent expression against homosexuality and the culture of the batty boy. “Personally I don’t like to play any bashing music,” says Blackcat. “I don’t tolerate it at all. I also don’t like to play gun-loving or violent reggae. It’s unfortunate that some people stand against all reggae music. There are other genres of reggae music, just like all rock music isn’t the same.”

Blackcat believes we all should be open to the experience of any style of music. “Reggae is often an aggressive genre,” he admits. “But soca on the other hand is just fun, fun, fun for me. It’s a hyper kind of music. And,” Blackcat looks down and away lest he be judged, “I love gospel house.”

Both DJs hope that closet doors will be kicked open. “If they all did come out it would have such an impact,” says Blackcat. “A million people come to Caribana and if one percent of them are gay, we should be able to have a party at the Skydome.”

Red is a deliberate anomaly at Caribana where he has reported for CUIT, joined in the parade and DJed. “As an out queer person I want people to know I’m here and I’m queer. But,” he laughs, “you have men in tights and gold Speedos and feather headdresses, masks and costumes celebrating. If ever there’s a time to be different.”

Caribana does display an overt sexuality but it is rarely a queer one. Yet. “Even though carnival is all about sexuality and people want to participate there are some events that are not really queer friendly,” admits Red. And there are queers in denial about their sexuality. “It’s changing,” asserts Red of the closet phenomenon the downlow or DL. “At the first Blockorama 12 years ago people came but stood far enough away to hear the music but not be in the space. This year they were front and centre and full-on crazy. That’s why we need to provide these kinds of spaces.”

The other obstacle is related to race rather than sexuality. “The gay population in this city is predominantly white and they don’t think Caribana is for them,” says Blackcat. “It’s unfortunate because it’s so much fun. It’s seen as ‘Black Weekend’ in Toronto so all the kids run to Montreal. If you’re not exposed to it you can’t know why it’s good to explore.”

Red laughs as he compares fears of Caribana to Blackcat’s original fear of leather bars. “It’s all about what you think is going to be there. Blackcat was afraid to go to the Eagle and I told him, ‘I go to the Eagle and it’s guys having beers. Sure they might talk about what or who they did last night but they mainly talk about Martha Stewart.’”

“I didn’t know there were black leathermen,” laughs Blackcat. “I thought they were all white. In LA there’s a huge population, a sea of black leathermen. And I thought it was only white guys who did that.”

“It’s like with Goodhandy’s,” adds Red. “People are afraid of what they don’t know or what they assume goes on there. People find Caribana frightening. Yonge St on Friday and Saturday night? ‘I’m not going there.’ Some people are like that with Pride weekend where there is a massive onslaught of people. That’s why we have to create spaces where people can sample and enjoy.”

“If it’s looked at as an ethnic festival that’s unfortunate,” says Blackcat. “Like the Taste of the Danforth, if people feel it’s not their thing, that it’s a Greek thing, they say ‘What am I going to get from this?’ and they miss out.”

Both DJs believe that the treatment of Blockorama has contributed to this ethnic divide. “Pride Toronto speaks about diversity but takes the part that is diverse and pushes them in a corner,” says Blackcat. “And then when it suits their purpose they point it out. It’s ridiculous. We do numbers, that place is packed. It’s unfair and disrespectful.”

“They always have a reason for moving us around but there’s never a beer garden attached,” notes Red. “We need to expand how we celebrate Pride and we may not all end up under the umbrella of Pride Toronto.”

“There’s this myth that everyone’s afraid,” says Blackcat. “Tons of people are not afraid and just don’t know how to access it.” To this end there is the centrepiece of Blockobana, an openair party in the parking lot behind Zipperz. If gays are afraid to come to the party, or can’t find it, then it is coming to them in the heart of Church St. “I’d love to have Blockobana be another festival and close down Church St for Caribana,” enthuses Blackcat. “In Montreal the street closes down every weekend. Church St closes three times a year. Since when did gay people say ‘enough with the partying. Another party on Church St? We can’t have that.’ This weekend is all-inclusive. I want everyone to come and be comfortable and have fun.”

Blockobana’s Jump Off Party is on Fri, July 30 at Goodhandy’s, 120 Church St. Info: goodhandys.com Glamity’s Soca Reggae Party, is on Fri, July 30 at The Barn, 418 Church St. Info: thebarnnightclub.com The Community Picnic runs from noon-7pm at Christie Pits Park at Christie and Bloor. Sex and the City is on Sat, July 31 at Suba Lounge, 292 College St. Blockobana runs 2-10pm on Sun, Aug 1 in the parking lot behind Zipperz/Cellblock, 72 Carlton St. zipperzcellblock.com The Tribal Council Ball and The Urban Jungle are on Sun, Aug 1 at The Barn, 418 Church St. thebarnnightclub.com Full info can be found at Blackness Yes!’s facebook page or sign up for the newsletter at dj.blackcat@gmail.com. Drew Rowsome is an associate editor at fab and thinks Church St should have a festival every weekend all summer.