Today this southern born New York rapper is known for unapologetic queerness, body positivity and deft musicality, but their stardom rose considerably when MAGA tried to make them an “anti-woke” joke. Now with a new album ready to drop and a tour in process, Chris Conde is having the last laugh. [Cover photo: Joshua Jordan]
Thotyssey: Chris, hello! Thanks so much for chatting with us today! I know we’re catching you at a busy time as a tour and an album release are underway… but where are you now, and what are you doing?
Chris Conde: Hi! I’m in LA right now, shooting a video for one of the singles off my album. We wrapped already, so now I’m just hanging in town and seeing friends. It’s been really lovely
That’s wonderful! Obviously you’ve performed all over the world at this point… do you have a favorite city or venue or festival etc. that you’ve performed in / at?
Hmm. I really love anywhere in Europe, but I played a show in France a few years ago that was bonkers. Me and my tour mate sold out the venue, and people just rocked so hard for us.
Speaking of Europe, it was footage of you performing at an Austria Pride event where where MAGA media found you, and tried to mock your semi-nude appearance and style. Of course as these things go, millions of people watched that and actually became fans, praising your lighting fast bar drops! What was that whole experience like–first being singled out in ridicule, than the widespread praise for your artistry?
So yeah, I mean when it happened I was in the middle of a tour. So like, I wasn’t paying attention to notifications a whole lot cuz I was just busy promoting shows and traveling–and a tour is just like, a ton of work. So I didn’t really notice at first until I looked at one of my TikToks and it had half a million views in a day, and I was like, “oh shit.” But then I kinda went back to focusing on the tour.
So yeah, I get back to NYC… and that’s when everything sort of hit. I woke up from a nap and had a bunch of friends that were like “girl, Azealia Banks reposted you,” and I was like… oh fuck. She had followed me on Instagram and sent a bunch of voice messages… and yeah, that was nuts. But then I was like… wait, what is happening? And when I looked further I saw that it was because that video that was blowing up on Twitter, which I actually didn’t post to Twitter… someone had just pulled it from TikTok.
But as far as the hate… I didn’t really feel any kind of way about it at first cuz I’ve been hated in my whole career. Someone’s always had something to say, or been jealous, or talked shit or whatever… so I just was like “fuck y’all, thanks for making me famous.”
But after a while, I had to turn off notifications because it started to be a bit too much with all the fat shaming and bullshit. There’s only so much you really can read from people calling you ugly, and I’m like, “Girl I know I’m fat, but I’m definitely not ugly, m’kay?”
You do have a very striking appearance that commands attention, with a full beard and tattoos. Was this all a gradual transformation, or was there a moment that you remember making a drastic change in your look?
Oh I mean, I’ve been heavily tattooed for twenty years. I grew up in tattoo shops, and have always looked this way. I was raised in the metal and hardcore punk scene, playing in bands, etc. So the way I look has been about signaling that I am from that culture.
There’s so much about your story that’s fascinating. Did you grow up in a conservative Christian household?
Well, I didn’t really grow up in a Christian household–it was definitely conservative. But I actually converted to conservative Christianity in, like, tenth grade. So it was my decision all along. But what was wild was that I had already come out and had a boyfriend and everything. But then I became a Christian and went back in the closet, and tried to repress my queerness.
Long story short, I had a drug and alcohol problem and didn’t realize how much my internalized homophobia was actually keeping me from getting sober. Sobriety and self-acceptance had really led me embrace my authentic self, honestly.
So how does one become good at rap? Is it a lot of practice and studying, or is it one of those “you got it or you don’t” situations?
Haha, good question. I mean, I never thought I was good at rap. But me and a buddy of mine who was a famous trance producer at the time (Breakfast) put out some songs on MySpace, and our friend group who were a bunch of punk kids were like, “dude what the fuck, you can really rap.” So then I just kept doing it, and I got better. I think a little bit of natural talent and then a ton of practice and honing your craft really yields results.
What was it like collaborating with RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 11 winner Yvie Oddly on the “No Longer Human” track and video, and how did that collaboration come about?
So when I was blowing up on Twitter, Yvie had reposted it and was like, “who is this?” My fans came to the rescue and were like, “that’s Chris Conde!” So we ended up messaging on Instagram, and it kinda started from there.
I had recently hit up an old friend who I met on MySpace back in ‘03 for some beats, cuz I was still working on the album. Anyway, I had this one crazy little beat that was kinda wacky I thought, and I figured it would match me and Yvie’s vibes. So I sent her the track and she loved it. Then we met up to talk a bit about it. Turned out she was my neighbor in Brooklyn, like literally a block from me. And yeah, we’re actually working on more music… so stay tuned for that.
What are the joys and challenges of being an indie recording artist?
Joys are definitely just like, I do what I want when I want to. I sort of just vibe and do what feels right for building my brand and my audience.
It’s challenging in the sense that I don’t have management at the moment, so I’m doing everything myself. I do have booking agents I work with, so I do get help with that… but as far as everything else that goes into this–it can be daunting, undertaking every aspect of trying to be a successful musician.
I love what I do, and I have a lot of drive… but sometimes I’m like, I just wanna eat pizza and watch TV in my bed for a week. But I can’t really do that a whole lot, lol. My life is very much that Gaga sound byte: “bus, club, another club, bus, plane, another club.”
Do you find the bear communities of other cities to be similar to New York, or does every community have its own distinct flavor?
I’d say they’re similar. I do like the bear community in general, but I definitely think each city has their own flavor. I’ve only gotten a ton of love from the bear world in general. And no community is perfect; there are some terrible bears out there. But I definitely feel at home in my body at most bear gatherings.
Tell us about your upcoming album, Eros + Exodus! How can you describe the sound, and what inspired this particular round of recording?
Eros + Exodus explores sort of a vast sonic landscape. I dip into neo-cumbia, house, trap, boom bap and some post punk aesthetics. But I think what ties it all together is how unabashed and relentlessly authentic it is. I rap about sex, and about overcoming my own belief systems around success. I think it’s a peak into what the last four years have been like for me: exploring my sexuality, my body and rediscovering why I’m pursuing music as a career.
You’re also joining Codefendants on a northeast tour, landing at Elsewhere in Brooklyn this Saturday! That’s gonna be some great shows, right?
Yeah, I’m super pumped! Those are my brothers, and they’ve been super supportive of what I do. Their fans are also pretty open-minded, too… cuz those boys are straight, baby!
What else is coming up for you?
I’ve got some more bangers coming out this summer–like, some serious summer jams that I think people are gonna lose their minds over. And then yeah, just playing all over the country and possibly heading back to Europe.
Okay lastly… what’s an artist, song or genre you’re into right now that might surprise people?
I’m not sure if it’s gonna be surprising or not, but I’ve been really digging hard techno artists like Sara Landry and Shlomo. Shit really gets me going, and is very soothing to me. Grinding, harsh, banging music is chicken soup for the soul, if you ask me.
Thanks, Chris!
Check Thotyssey’s calendar for Chris Conde’s upcoming appearances, and follow them on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and their website. Download and stream their music on all platforms here.
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