When I tell you I met a Black gay conservative veteran at the Capitol, I already know what half the internet does next: they start writing the story in their head before the man even opens his mouth. That’s why I wanted him on record.

Before Lil Nas X had the Billboard crown and before Saucy Santana was a festival mainstay, there was an entire wave of openly queer hip-hop artists building something from the ground up—without corporate backing, without mainstream co-signs, and without apology. I know, because I was there.

You Google “Black gay Sacramento” and… crickets. But don’t let the lack of search results fool you. Beneath the algorithm’s blindspots lies a bubbling, breathtaking culture of Black queer joy.