Bob the Drag Queen has had an exciting year. She’s toured the world with Madonna, played D&D with Brennan Lee Mulligan, and stirred the pot on Peacock’s The Traitors. Now, the multi-talented performer adds a brand-new title to her already impressive resume: published novelist. Her literary debut, Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert, hits bookshelves on March 25 — and it’s a tribute unlike any other.
About the Book
Live in Concert follows Harriet Tubman, who has been resurrected in the modern day through a mysterious phenomenon called the Return. Harriet wants to cement her legacy by sharing her story — in the form of a hip-hop album and concert. She recruits the help of producer Darnell Williams, whose career has stalled after he was forcibly outed on live TV. Also joining them are her backing band, the Freemans, consisting of her brother Moses and three others she helped escape. As they work together, retracing Harriet’s path to freedom, Darnell comes to terms with his own past — and what it truly means to be free.
Bob started the novel before the lockdown and has teased it in multiple interviews. Now, after four years of hard work, it’s finally here. According to Bob’s official announcement video on social media, “It is as absurd and camp as you believe it is.”
About Bob the Drag Queen
Also known as Caldwell Tidicue, Bob got her start in the New York City drag scene. She rose to fame after winning season 8 of the reality TV competition RuPaul’s Drag Race. Since then, she’s built a successful entertainment career with several stand-up specials and TV appearances under her belt. Currently, she co-hosts the Sibling Rivalry podcast with Drag Race: All-Stars season 4 winner Monet X Change.
Though Bob is a newcomer to the literary world, Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert combines two spheres she’s very familiar with: activism and music. Before Drag Race, Bob and other queer activists staged demonstrations advocating for marriage equality in New York. In 2020, she and fellow Drag Race alum Peppermint created Black Queer Town Hall, a space to discuss issues affecting the Black queer community. Bob also writes and records her rap music, often collaborating with other queer artists. Her 2023 EP, Gay Barz, was co-produced by Ocean Kelly and features verses from Kelly, Kamera Tyme, and Mikey Angelo.
What’s Next?
Bob’s March 25-29 book tour will kick off with a launch event at The Strand in New York. The book is available to order in hardcover and as an audiobook — narrated, of course, by Bob herself. It promises to be a hilarious, heartfelt homage to one of Black history’s most influential figures.
At a time when many marginalized communities are under attack, it’s more important than ever for us to remember our history. Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert reminds us that our past and present moments are more entwined than they seem. And as Bob and Harriet both know, music can be a powerful source of strength and healing.
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