Rapper Mykki Blanco, born Michael Quattlebaum Jr., announced over the weekend that he is HIV positive.
The Harlem performance artist shared the personal news on Facebook, saying, "I've been HIV Positive since 2011, my entire career. F--k stigma and hiding in the dark, this is my real life."
He continued, "I'm healthy I've toured the world 3 times but I've been living in the dark, it's time to actually be as punk as I say I am."
Fans immediately began flooding the page with supportive comments, and Blanco responded to several with well wishes and gratitude.
"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...No more living a lie. HAPPY PRIDE," he shared before adding, "Thank you, hiding, being afraid of stigma is exhausting, we are souls not images thank you brother."
One fan's message stuck out at him in particular and he wrote back, "Thank you it's just today for everyone else knowing it's been 5 years of me, meds, garlic, limes, yogurt, lol world travel. I just can't be an image living in fear having people call me brave and it being a lie. Thank you for your support."
Blanco, whose most recent album was 2014's "Gay Dog Food," has been a longtime supporter and activist for the LGBT community.
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He told fans last spring that he was arrested in Portugal for being homosexual, and also has slammed Russia's anti-gay laws via social media in recent months.
