The Black Femme Energy Behind gURLSlikegIRLS Is Electrifying Brooklyn

Featured Image: Photo by Lord Scorpio.

In a city where nightlife never sleeps but often forgets who it’s for, 29-year-old Lord Scorpio, aka Ximone Stewart, decided to make her own space. The Brooklyn-based musician and curator, known for her mix of danger and divine energy (like a true Scorpio), is the mind behind gURLSlikegIRLS—a party series centering Black queer femmes in the heart of New York’s nightlife.

A gURLSlikegIRLS night feels like stepping into the world Scorpio describes—home-style, hot, and unapologetically Black. The DJs spin bass-heavy sets that make strangers dance like cousins at a family cookout. The crowd, mostly Black queer women and femmes, brings the looks, the laughter, and the line dances.

“I just wanted to throw a gay party,” she laughs, recalling the first event back in October 2023 at The Bush, a queer bar in Brooklyn. “I didn’t know what I was doing, but I knew I had the opportunity to get it done, and let’s just see who shows up.”

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Plenty did. What began as a birthday celebration quickly grew into one of Brooklyn’s most sought-after Black queer events, a home for femme delight, chaos, and community. Scorpio, born and raised between Virginia and South Florida, carries that Southern hospitality with her. “It’s backyard cookouts, dominoes, dancing in the kitchen; just a very home-style Black family vibe,” she says. “That’s the energy I wanted to bring into these spaces.”

Building gURLSlikegIRLS

The name gURLSlikegIRLS, spelled exactly like that, lowercase g’s, alternating caps, is a visual wink at its Southern roots and Black queer flavor. “My aunt used to say gurl before saying anything to somebody,” she explains. “There’s something about dragging that word, it feels very Black, very Southern, very me.”

She paired it with “like girls,” not just as a nod to sapphic desire but to inclusivity. “It’s not about gender, it’s about connection,” she says. “There are trans women [and] non-binary people in women’s bodies who still feel connected to womanhood. It’s about honoring all of that.”

Scorpio first had the idea to throw a party in May 2023, but it wasn’t until October that she actually went for it; Just a few DMs, some word-of-mouth, and a lot of faith. “I really just invited whoever I knew,” she laughs. “I didn’t know what I was doing, but I knew I wanted it to feel good.” The night before, she remembers pacing and wondering if she’d made a mistake. “I was like, is this a lot of money? I see all these other people doing it, and I don’t even know what that looks like.”

But by 11 pm, the room was full. Dozens of friends, artists, and strangers came through, drawn by the music and the promise of something new. “That was when I realized, ‘Oh, people really want this,’” she says.

At first, funding was the biggest challenge. Throwing events in New York is notoriously expensive, but Scorpio’s model prioritized reinvestment. She didn’t want sponsorships or flashy backers; she wanted circulation. “I just wanted to circulate dollars within our community,” she explains. “Everyone who worked the party—DJs, door girls, hosts—got paid.” She sold a few tickets to cover basics, but profit was never the point. Making $200 that first night wasn’t planned, yet it confirmed something bigger: she could do this, and she could do it her way.

Another early challenge was staying true to her mission of centering Black femmes. “When I first started, I didn’t know if I knew enough,” she admits. “It’s hard because, as Black queer people, we can still be hesitant to trust new spaces.” The first event, she recalls, was a little too mixed, it took time for the community to recognize that gURLSlikegIRLS was made for them. The 29 year old doubled down: creating affirming Instagram content, spreading the word directly to other Black queer organizers, and even taking the mic at events to remind attendees that this is a space for Black queer femmes, so respect it. 

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Since then, gURLSlikegIRLS has become one of Brooklyn’s most successful and in-demand Black queer events, selling out at every party—and Scorpio has done it all herself. She plans the events, books DJs, designs the flyers, handles promotion, and manages day-of logistics, all while performing and curating other creative work. “It’s a lot,” she admits, “but it’s mine.”

By December, The Bush offered her multiple dates into the new year. “That’s when I thought, okay, this could be a thing thing,” she says.

Her commitment to equity didn’t go unnoticed.“The Pride party was when I knew it was real,” she reminisces. “We sold out. People trusted us enough to make us part of their Pride schedule, and in New York, that’s huge.”

The Making of Lord Scorpio

Before she was throwing parties, she was making music—genre-bending R&B that pulses with the same raw, sensual energy as her events. The 29 year old started releasing singles in 2019, experimenting with sounds that blend hip-hop, soul, and electronic textures. Her songs, including QUEEN and LOVERBOY LADY, have earned her local buzz and venue gigs across Brooklyn and the Lower East Side. “Performing is my first love,” she says. That same energy she brings to the mic, she brings to the party. Balancing both worlds isn’t easy, but for Scorpio, they feed each other. According to her, music and parties are all storytelling. They’re both just different ways of building worlds where everyone feels seen.

“People just call me Scorpio now,” she continues. “It gives a good idea of what I have going on before you even meet me.” She’s a Scorpio sun, Aquarius moon, Sagittarius rising, a combo that feels fitting: magnetic, a little mischievous, and always several moves ahead. After moving to New York two decades ago and settling in Brooklyn five years back, Scorpio found herself immersed in a creative wave. “In my time here, there was just this opening, an outpouring of queer nightlife, weird daytime community gatherings,” she says. “I wanted to make more space for people like me.”

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The Future of the Party

Now, with gURLSlikegIRLS heading into its third year, Scorpio’s thinking about growth—but intentionally. As of now, she still runs everything solo—booking, branding, marketing—but she’s envisioning a small team. “I think immediately three people, myself included, would feel right,” she says. “Eventually, maybe six folks doing graphics, booking, promotion, and day-of support. But it has to make sense. I’m protective of what we’ve built.”

That protection isn’t about gatekeeping, it’s about care. As gURLSlikegIRLS expands to new venues and collaborations, Scorpio keeps her focus on sustainability and joy. At this stage, she doesn’t want to stress over how she’ll fund each event; she’s more interested in how she can guarantee everyone another unforgettable experience.

In the end, gURLSlikegIRLS isn’t just a party, it’s a mirror for the community that built it. 

“Even in Black queer spaces, I’m still trying to expand the idea of what a Black queer woman looks like, talks like, listens to,” Scorpio says. “We’re not all the same. I want this to be a place where people bring themselves and feel celebrated for it.”

Brooklyn has plenty of nightlife, but few rooms hum with this kind of intentional energy, a space where joy feels like resistance, where the music hits just right, and where “girl” means everyone who gets it.

Need Halloweekend plans? gURLSlikegIRLS is throwing a Mean Girls–themed party on October 30. Click here for tickets.