Martha Da'ro on LGBTQ+ in hip-hop: “We need real role models”

February 18, 2020

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min read

Queer and gay people are claiming their rightful place in all layers of society more than ever. This growing presence and visibility is also evident in the urban music scene.

International pioneers like Mykki Blanco and Frank Ocean have paved the way for greater normalization of the LGBTQ+ community in a genre that hasn't always been welcoming. In this series, we illustrate the situation in Belgium through personal portraits of gay and queer individuals who—each in their own way—navigate the Belgian hip-hop scene. Today: Martha Da'ro.

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By Peter D'Hooghe and Yannick Deleebeeck, photos by Damon DeBacke. This project was made possible in part th Flemish Journalism Fund

© Damon De Backer

With a name synonymous with success, Martha Da'ro has become an essential figure in the artistic world in recent years. She carved a path to the Belgian top with the Mechelen-based hip-hop collective Soul'Art, even securing a record deal with Top Notch.

She then made her debut on the big screen in Black, the film by rising Hollywood talents Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, after which it was time to put Soul'Art on hold and fully focus on her own musical solo project. Her debut EP will be called Cheap Wine & Paris.

After journeys that have taken her from Bergen to Ghent and Brussels, Martha seems ready to make an international impact. Meanwhile, she also launched 'Visual Poetry'with her partner Yaqine Hamzaoui, producing, among other projects, the music video for Sugarman.

She can be found both on screen and on stage; Martha could easily be described as a cultural omnivore. Someone who doesn't want to limit herself to a single facet, but instead draws inspiration and fulfillment from a broader artistic expression: “As a person, I am Martha; Da'ro is my artist name. I act, make music, write, direct, and listen. Because I am involved in so many things, I quickly need something new and I don't want to limit myself. Sometimes I express myself better visually than through music, when I can't find the words. But when I create something myself, it's just unfiltered Martha.” That pure form is her strongest, destined to shake things up.

Experimenting with Anger

Meanwhile, Martha starred in About Water—the critically acclaimed fiction series by Tom Lenaerts and Paul Baeten Gronda—on One, and took her time shaping her new EP. According to her, artists who draw inspiration from a broad range are the most interesting. It's hard to argue with that: Tom Barman, David Byrne, and Childish Gambino share that view. “Hip-hop is a really interesting genre because you can literally mix it with anything. That's what I'm trying to do with my new music. I've been exploring kuduro—energetic, danceable music from Angola, always starting from a drive to innovate. You feel the same in hip-hop because there are always new, trendy sounds.”

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© Damon De Backer

“I let myself be influenced by everything that comes my way. I'm not afraid that people won't recognize my music, because as a person—and as an artist—you evolve. But you always stay true to your inner child, your innate character.” Born in Bergen, raised in Mechelen, later moving to Ghent, and now in Brussels, Martha's nomadic life has constantly shaped her artistic direction: “Mechelen was my absolute starting point; it felt like I gave my all there. In Ghent, I pushed myself further. And today in Brussels, I'm building the next phase.”

“So far, my music has mostly reflected my peaceful, broken side. I'm curious to channel anger in my newest work. That's new for me, so there's some experimenting involved. I recently shared my new work with the other Soul'Art members and they were shocked. My style has changed a lot compared to what I did with them. I'm really happy I can express my anger and frustration through my art. In a nine-to-five job, you don't always have the space to channel your frustration. In that sense, my music creates a kind of free state, a fantasy world people can join and relate to.”

Unconscious Discrimination

Channeling singer has long been a staple in hip-hop. The genre has served as a voice for frustration and injustice since the 1970s. Eminem did the same twenty years ago with The Marshall Mathers LP, notably on tracks like Criminal, which included controversial, homophobic rhymes.

My words are like a dagger with a jagged edge/That'll stab you in the head, whether you're a fag or les'/Or a homosex, hermaph or a trans-a-vest/Pants or dress, hate fags? /The answer is yes/Homophobic? Nah, you're just heterophobic.

“Artists who hate just to hate, I simply don't listen to. The lyrics in hip-hop didn't stop me from entering a mostly male-dominated world. It's more unconscious discrimination, historically, since few female rappers could resist the machismo. With Soul'Art, I was barely greeted—more treated like a groupie. So on stage, I had to give double the effort to prove myself. Those experiences motivated me to fight for my place.”

“My girlfriend, Yaqine Hamzaoui, is a photographer and often comes to my shows. In that private context, I feel much more at ease than on the street. In hip-hop, I can be myself, and this artistic bubble feels like a free state. If I want to kiss here, I just do it. On the street, people might react weirdly or uncomfortably. At first, that caused a lot of confusion, and I avoided such situations. I've never really felt discriminated against for my sexuality, but I won't deny it exists. I know people who have been verbally attacked because of their sexual orientation.”

The Importance of Real Models

In the mid-1990s, “gay hop” emerged, built around shared sexual orientation. By the 2010s, artists like Frank Ocean, Brockhampton, and Mykki Blanco brought visibility to the community.

“On one hand, you have artists like Tyler The Creator who keep their sexuality ambiguous. On the other hand, there's a need for conscious role models. Frank Ocean may not see himself as a role model, but he finds self-acceptance in his work, sending a message: take the whole package or nothing at all.”

“Being a role model comes with dangers. It often implies perfection. Little Simz said she prefers being a 'realmodel' rather than a role model, and I completely understand that. You can be explicit, but still leave room to make mistakes. The idea of being perfect is a death sentence for role models. It sends a wrong message to the outside world and to those who look up to you. In that sense, trying to be a trailblazer can do more harm than good.”

Remarkably, discussions about LGBTQ+ representation in Belgian urban music are rare. Martha believes the debate hasn't started because people aren't yet prompted to share. Music, she says, can be a medium to express yourself and drive change—but LGBTQ+ identity can sometimes overshadow the music.

“Once we've normalized more, the music will take precedence about sexuality. Let's be honest: if you make good music, you're a good artist, no matter what.”

Follow Martha on Instagram at @martha .daro country @visualpoetryofficial. Her EP “Cheap Wine & Paris” will be released later this year.

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