Blu Bone at his third annual Hi Cotton Ball (Fine Line in Minneapolis, MN, 06/29/24). Photos by Janina El-Jabry.
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Blu Bone certainly knows how to make an entrance. In nothing but grass cuffs and matching crochet arm warmers and chaps (as well as a sneaky pair of flesh-toned leggings), he clapped his hands together, summoning a spotlight to his perch on the narrow ledge of the Fine Line balcony. Applause roared, and Blu basked in it for a moment. Then, he cast a rope over the balcony’s edge, tested it with a firm yank, and swung down to the crowd below.
This is Hi Cotton Ball, darling.
For the uninitiated, Hi Cotton Ball is many things. It is a musical showcase. It is an art installation. It is a thoroughly Black, thoroughly queer celebration. The theme of this year’s Ball was “Bush Babe,” which refers to Black folks’ “divine connection to ‘Earf’” and was reflected in the natural materials (straw, grass, twigs, etc.) that adorned the venue, the stage, and Blu Bone himself.
A multidisciplinary artist and rapper, Blu is the mastermind behind Hi Cotton Ball, now in its third year. His Hi Cotton EP, which he released last year, offers a glimpse of the Southern-gothic-meets-African-diaspora aesthetic that pervades the Ball. The record transports the listener to another world with its dreamlike soundscape of synth, sonar pings, sirens, and Blu acts as a griot, telling a story that interweaves Black pasts and futures. You can almost feel the swampy heat of Mississippi on tracks like “DELTA” and “SWAMP” (“Mississippi sun don’t feel no chill”).
Hi Cotton does not shy away from the horror and darkness of Black American history, but rather embraces it, plays with it, at times evoking Lovecraft (minus the overt racism). The EP’s title subverts a symbol of slavery and Black subjugation, and uses it to explore a narrative that celebrates Black people, centering their joy and resilience (“I grow so high you can’t pick me now”).
As Blu Bone performed songs from the record at his third annual Hi Cotton Ball, his energy and charisma were on full display, no doubt leaving the crowd in the kind of awe that only an icon in the making can.
Blu was just one part of the night’s festivities; he shared the spotlight with a lineup made up of collaborators and friends. Impressive musical talents, including Destiny Spike, Trannilish, Ms. Boogie, and DJs Yonci and Kenna Cottman, treated the audience to many memorable performances.
The camaraderie of the artists was palpable, paralleling the atmosphere of community and belonging that filled the venue. Everyone in attendance seemed to recognize they were a part of something special. Hi Cotton Ball is much-needed respite for our beautiful Black queer folx, and a night that will not soon be forgotten.
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See our Instagram for more content from Hi Cotton Ball! Blu Bone’s music can be streamed on Spotify, Bandcamp, and Soundcloud, and you can follow him at blu_bone on Instagram.
