Chicago rapper Kidd Kenn made history at the 2021 BET Hip Hop Awards as the first openly gay rapper to participate in the show’s lauded freestyle segment known as the Cypher.
“When my community sees me in the Cypher, they’re going to gag,” the “Get Lit” rapper told Paper. “They’re going to be so excited because I know they’ve been waiting for me to literally do what I have to do for my community and that’s I came to do: to represent and do the best I can do. I really feel like I was born for this. No pressure at all,” he added.
The 18-year-old walked the show’s red carpet, wearing a shimmering silver suit and electric blue hair, designed by Stan R. The rapper said his history-making debut was needed.
“They need something like this –– something fresh, something cute,” the rapper said. “Look at me! This is my first major red carpet and I couldn’t have asked for a better stage than BET. I’m a rapper, so being part of the Hip Hop Awards Cypher is huge. I want people to hear me rap.”
The Windy City native dropped his EP Problem Child in June.
Check out his Cypher performance below.
