
Chicago nightlife legend JoJo Baby has passed away.
On Tuesday, March 14, smartbar took to social media to announce the sad news, remembering the iconic artist and party host as someone "so near and dear to us all and to many in the drag community."
"JoJo’s spirit will go unmatched. His kindness, warmth, and generosity will be sorely missed. Until we see you on the next dance floor. Rest in peace," the venue added, though it didn't reveal the cause of death. That said, smartbar previously hosted a benefit event to help with JoJo's medical expenses after he was diagnosed with cancer last year.
It is with a heavy heart we say goodbye to JoJo Baby who was so near and dear to us all and to many in the drag community.
— smartbar (@SmartBar) March 14, 2023
JoJo’s spirit will go unmatched. His kindness, warmth, and generosity will be sorely missed.
Until we see you on the next dance floor. Rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/RzmZU5SQbm
JoJo was a beloved staple of the Chicago underground, a pioneering drag performer, multimedia artist and accomplished hairdresser, who would host smartbar's weekly LGBTQ+ underground house and disco party, QUEEN!. One of the Windy City's first club kids, his immense impact spanned far beyond the reaches of Chicago as someone who helped bring drag into larger cultural conversation through his creation of ostentatious and attention-grabbing looks, including the masterminding of Dennis Rodman's famed 1998 leopard buzz cut.
On the heels of the announcement, numerous members of Chicago's drag and nightlife scenes joined smartbar in mourning JoJo through online tributes and personal anecdotes, with JforPay writing that it was "impossible to calculate the loss."
"Jojo’s work as a dollmaker, costumer, club kid, hairstylist, etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc… has had such a huge impact on me over the many years that I’ve been witness. One of the rare true free spirits," JforPay continued, before Abhijeet tweeted, "jojo baby was an art and cultural icon. they crossed over into so many different fields over the decades, and their loss will be felt throughout chicago nightlife and beyond. heaven is a club, and you’re the main hos."
Meanwhile, Fay Ludes wrote that "if you've worked in Chicago nightlife, you've been touched by the presence of Jojo Baby," while remembering "getting some of my first drag from him" and saying the world is "a much less creepy, kooky, and loving place" without their presence.
It’s impossible to calculate the loss. Jojo’s work as a dollmaker, costumer, club kid, hairstylist, etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc… has had such a huge impact on me over the many years that I’ve been witness. One of the rare true free spirits. Keep partying in heaven baby. pic.twitter.com/4kBUXbrYjK
— JFORPAY (@jforpay) March 14, 2023
jojo baby was an art and cultural icon.
— Abhi What Is This Behavior? (@bon_abhijeet) March 14, 2023
they crossed over into so many different fields over the decades, and their loss will be felt throughout chicago nightlife and beyond.
heaven is a club, and you’re the main host ❤️ pic.twitter.com/29ER6xWbha
If you've worked in Chicago nightlife, you've been touched by the presence of Jojo Baby. Chicago's OG club kid influenced so many of us & I had the pleasure of getting some of my first drag from him. The world is a much less creepy, kooky, and loving place without Jojo.🕯️ pic.twitter.com/7JAgWcKw9W
— 💊fay ludes💊 (@FayLudes) March 14, 2023
You can see what else people are saying about the tremendous loss below.
lost an icon and a friend today- jojo baby your impact was so great https://t.co/GRSNE4ByT1
— Um, Earth To Ariel Zetina! (@arielzetina) March 14, 2023
“I know I can be beautiful tomorrow, so why not live ugly for a minute?”
— Ambrosia Alert (@trashqueen) March 15, 2023
-JoJo Baby 💔 pic.twitter.com/pwdGXofKsh
rest in peace Jojo Baby. a legend of Chicago culture, a genius of multimedia, costume design, & performance art. i never had the chance to get to know them closely but felt honored that they were always kind & open to me & to anyone they met in their life-spanning art practice 💔 pic.twitter.com/ZSEwQ5TN1Q
— Good Willsmith (@GoodWillsmith) March 14, 2023
Jojo Baby. Forever our Queen. pic.twitter.com/tplQz4NRsx
— LUCILLE STOOLE (@LucyStoole) March 15, 2023
Chicago lost an icon today 😥
— Tenderoni (@Tender_oni) March 14, 2023
RIP JOJO BABY ❤️✨ pic.twitter.com/s3rnXmwZdQ
Photo courtesy of Greg Stephen Reigh
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