Feb 23

Feb 23 Interview: Robyn Banks of Black & Boujee

Robyn Banks is a New York City drag queen with an eye for style and an ear for fun puns. Banks and Lola Michele-Kiki will be hosting Black & Boujee, a Sunday, February 27 all-POC variety show at 7pm at HUSH HK Bar, New York’s self-proclaimed newest naughty LGBTQIA+ bar. 18 total talents will perform. I caught up with the fabulous Banks to talk all things them and the event.

BLACK AND BOUJEE: A POC VARIETY SHOW

Sunday, February 27, 2022
7:00 PM—11:00 PM
Hush HK Bar, 348 West 52nd Street, New York, NY, 10019, United States

Show up and show out! It’s a free event.

Tell me all about Robyn Banks
Robyn Banks is someone who is classy, but ghetto. Meaning I love to do anything that is loud and out there. I am from Harlem, NY and people would assume that it’s just really “ghetto,” but I wear it like a badge of honor!

What kind of performer are you?
Well, I like to think I am a jack of all trades. I can do pretty much anything. I miss when lipsyncing was about telling a story and giving emotions. Now it’s all about splits and “death drops” — when the real term is “A Dip” — I can do Céline [Dion], Britney [Spears], Jessica [Simpson], Madonna, Shania [Twain]. But I love to pop and drop it low, so I LOVE doing the City Girls, Missy Elliott, Lil’ Kim!

I love your drag name. What’s the story behind it?
[Laughs] Well, it’s kind of long story. One night I was on my computer watching a Toni Braxton video, “He Wasn't Man Enough,” and in the video there is an actress named Robin Givens. I had forgotten about her, and started looking her up. I also had another tab open for Facebook. And my friend Bryian Banksz had messaged me. I remember it flashing, and I was thinking to myself, “Why does he spell his name like that? It’s ugly...” and then, I don’t know — it just clicked! I always wanted a name that was a funny pun on words! At that time my name was briefly Sandy Beaches!

Where did you get the idea for the event?
I wanted this event to happen because I felt like there was not enough queer POC in a lot of these spaces. I remember during the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, a lot of spaces said they would change and be more inclusive. Some did; some didn’t. But I am not a person to complain! I felt like this was the time for me to step up. I’m a part of a non-profit organization called IMPULSE. They gave me an amazing budget where I was able to hire all the performers, videographer, photographer, two assistants, and a behind-the-scenes person. I wanted them to get the experience of being a [RuPaul’s] Drag Race girl without Drag Race. So they all got a “Meet the Performers” video, an HD photo shoot, group shots — THE WORKS!

What kind of performances can audiences expect?
There is SO much talent that I feel like there is something for everyone. We have drag artists, drag kings, live singers, pole dancers, trans performers, poets. I really wanted to introduce some POC talent to new audiences — really get them out there. And if that means using the little platform I have to make something happen, then by all means I am willing to do it!

What is the take away from Black & Boujee?
I want people to leave knowing new performers, but to also there has been a rise of STIs in the Black and Brown LGBTQIA+ community. So I want to educate the audience, as well as get their option[s] on what we can do to lower those numbers. It’s a show with a hidden message!

How did you come up with the event title?
I was all called “Boujee” growing up. My mom spoiled the hell outta my siblings and I. Going through some old journals, I came across an entry that had [Black & Boujee] and it was Black History Month, and I was like, “Oh, that’s cute.” I Google it, and like of course, there was many people using it. But I felt right and connected to it, so it became mine!