“When you allow yourself to share your voice, experiences, and music with the world, you attract people looking to help, collaborate, fund, but most importantly support the work you are doing,” Venturathegay says.
“What you give, you get back” is more than just a quotable saying for Ventura. It is a lived experience for the rapper. After deciding in 2018 that music was something he truly wanted to be doing, Ventura curated the experiences and the life he has enjoyed. That life is that of a full-time musician.
Ventura writes his own music, frequently collaborates with producers who reach out to him via social media and or come to his live shows. He makes it a point to connect with other local artists through word of mouth, even collaborating with multidisciplinary artists from local collectives.
This past year Ventura has even broadened his audience by connecting with Roaring ’20s, an NYC/LA-based live events company that has recently debuted its first shows in Europe earlier this year – one of which he got to take center stage.
Berlin, Germany, also called “the place to be,” is a thriving, ever-evolving, seemingly alternative universe where creatives, musicians, and artists of any discipline can coexist, their work can flourish, and where one can create an honest career. No matter how left, experimental, non-traditional art one might make. There’s something for everyone.
But if you rap, If you are Black and you’re gay, where do you fit? For Venturathagay this question is one he has to write the answer to, as a person of intersecting identities breaking into a genre of music that historically has not been accepted until very recently by those a part of the LGBTQIA+ community. In Europe where the population of Black folks is present but few – how do you find where you belong?
The scene of gay rappers in Berlin may be a lonely island, yet for Venturathagay, it is one that he stands on proudly. The Bavarian-raised now Berlin-based rapper recognized that he would unintentionally become a pioneer in his city’s Rap scene very early in his career. Berlin is a city infused with Techno, pop, and the go ol’ German Country Music. Ventura doesn’t let the fact that he might be the only active one in his lane of work hold him back. He has taken on the responsibility of being the one to open doors for other gay rappers by it’s own without pushing of a management/agency that tries to copy his style and real uniqueness for their artist or label.
“There could be other gay people who are afraid of what people might think, so they’re afraid to share their music and be seen. I know I been through the same BUT even if people tryna get on your plans or concept, you always shine at the end of the day because you know where it comes from even this crazy ass motherfuckers ain’t give you credit for it!” Ventura explains.
Ventura’s stand-alone presence on any stage, big or small, that he may grace is a walking reflection of what one may become when one chooses to live authentically and actively pursuing their dreams. Venturathagay, also self named “The Most Problematic Bitch” – is a truthful, authentic, extroverted, and P-E-T-T-Y social butterfly. With a love for children – former au pair, and a heart for nurturing the sick – in his current trade of being a nurse – music is Ventura’s outlet. It’s how he chooses to care for himself. If he needs to vent, if he needs to get emotional – if he needs to diss anyone, Ventura will not be afraid to address anything and or anyone in a melodic forum.
Venturathagay, who is of Mozambique roots, was raised in Bavaria, just south of Berlin. Being Black and being gay, carrying both of those intersecting identities wasn’t easy for Ventura. Being Black in Europe, experiencing microaggressions, racism, and colorism – the outside world easily told Ventura just how different he was.
Before Venturathagay became the outgoing, energetic artist he is today, he, too, was once a shy, nervous little kid. Others would tease him for how he looked and the timbre of his voice and would pick apart Ventura’s physical appearance.
While the outside world was noisy with hateful and ignorant comments about the rapper, internally, Ventura always knew who he was. While the ill-wishers wanted to dim the artistic light in Venturas’ eyes, he always knew that there was something inside of him.
As Ventura aged he decided that he wanted to learn how to become more unapologetic. He wanted to learn how to walk into spaces he knew he had just as a right to be there as anyone else. He wanted to work on his confidence. It is easy to allow the voices of others’ negative projections to play in one’s head. But those who can take that negativity and transform it into an energy one can now harvest for their gain – that is its beauty. That’s exactly what Ventura did.
“One day, I told myself that he wouldn’t be afraid if this is what I wanted.” He lept and let the spirit of his rap predecessors guide him.
Rappers like Nicki Minaj, Lil John, Ying-Yang Twins, Doja Cat, and Thee Saucy Santana became orators from whom Ventura sought inspiration and began developing his musical persona around. While inspired by many pioneers in the genre, Ventura explains how while consuming a lot of the artist’s work, he learned the importance of being yourself. “In the beginning, it’s easy to want to try and copy your favorite artist’s sound and style – in doing so, you learn how to find your style within all of your influences,” Ventura emphasizes.
“When you write your material, can’t nobody say shit about you.” His music is an extension of himself. If you don’t know who you are – take the time to learn because if you don’t, people will tell you who you are. Nobody can tell you who you are. I think that’s also why people need to write original material – it’s your experience, and nobody can take that away from you,” Ventura proclaims.
Venturathagay is an artist who takes pride in his individuality, lyricism, sexuality, and himself as an artist. He wants to inspire others to live fully and authentically. He’s giving the energy out in the world that he knows will return to him in the form of new fans, more streams, bigger performances, and new music. There are no boxes; there is nothing Ventura can’t do. He’s come so far from where he started; ascension to superstardom has only just begun.
If you would like to stay updated with all things Venturathagay, feel free to follow and connect with him on the following platforms.
Contact: bookventura.mgmt@gmail.com
While Ania Holland is an observant individual, she is a social butterfly at heart. Originally from South Jersey, she currently resides in Berlin, Germany. She is now completing her final semester at NYU and is present in an exchange program that will allow her to finish her degree at Humboldt University. Creating no matter the medium, Ania has learned how to use her voice, connect, and question the world – her experiences and through her mediums, she explains things as well enough as they make sense to her.
She is a musician, poet, avid journaler, master chef, and now founder of creative agency – Moon Trine Mars. With the intent of helping artists, creatives, and individuals expand – nurture and explore their identities and create narratives through literary, digital, and multimedia channels.
A self-proclaimed “word oracle,” she believes writing has helped her find autonomy and freedom. She believes that she can help others do the same by amplifying others’ and artists’ voices specifically. @Ania_Holland
More of Ania’s work in Mixed Mag:
The Meritable Mind of Miranda Del Sol (Issue 13)
Creating No Matter The Medium: IBI HAN’s Muse (Issue 10)
Music Memory: An Audible Diary (Issue 9)
A Blessing and a Curse to Understand; Activating Océane. (Issue 8)
Transforming Your Power: From XIMONE to Lord Scorpio (Issue 7)