Ellie Prohan is a queer, U.K. DJ and promoter who is using her music knowledge and broad fanbase to combine two niches of culture: the LGBTQ+ community and hip-hop music.
Born in the United Kingdom in a Persian household, queer visibility was not something that was openly celebrated, much less in heavily male-dominated spaces like hip-hop or the DJ world. Prohan, however, looks to change that, with her new collaborative playlist, EnGayged, in exclusive partnership with Apple Music. The playlist features both artists who identify themselves within the queer community, as well as allies.
In an interview with GayTimes, Prohan talks about the importance of representation and bridging a gap in communities where this representation is otherwise lacking. “As I began to live in my truth I became more aware of how important it is to support artists who promote inclusivity in their art,” she says.
With music being a pinnacle of self-expression and connection, Prohan hopes that this playlist will be a catalyst for unity within hip-hop, and can be used as a tool to provide representation for the LGBTQ+ community in an area where progress and inclusion are long overdue.
The playlist is available here.
