Last night, queer rapper and performance artist Mykki Blanco publicly came out as HIV positive via a post to his official Facebook page:

Ive been HIV Positive since 2011, my entire career. fuck stigma and hiding in the dark, this is my real life. I’m healthy I’ve toured the world 3 times but ive been living in the dark, its time to actually be as punk as i say I am

This announcement coincides with the kickoff of Pride weekend in Brooklyn and Los Angeles. Blanco’s fans emerged in an encouraging outpouring of support in the comments section, where he thanked them and continued:

no more living a lie. HAPPY PRIDE

the music industry ain’t gonna like i admitted this so if a curator could help me move more into the art world that would be awesome

thank you, hiding, being afraid of stigma is exhausting, we are souls not image’s thank you brother

thank you its just today for everyone else knowing but its been 5 years for me, meds, garlic, limes,yogurt lol world travel. I just cant be an image living in fear having people call me brave and it being a lie. Thank you for your support

This was an extremely difficult and courageous thing to do. Music industry, let’s prove him wrong (re: “the music industry ain’t gonna like i admitted this”)!

Also:

Thank you for your support and i aint been laying low this year for no reason, SIKED to drop these new projects with the label this summer

— MYKKI BLANCO (@MykkiBlanco) June 13, 2015