Hey beautiful people – I’m really excited!  My Pandora page went live yesterday, so now you can listen to my music on Pandora.  So head over to Pandora and make a Nhojj station and listen on your phone, computer, iPad,  or home entertainment system.

Click on the image below to listen now.

“Show me where Christ said ‘Love thy fellow man, except for the gay ones.’ Gay people, too, are made in my God’s image.” – Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

A college tour is not new for Nhojj. In 2004 he toured American colleges to promote his critically acclaimed Someday Peace Love & Freedom CD. This time around there is no album to promote – just a deep rooted conviction that this is what he should do right now. In a society where homophobia still exists, Nhojj wants to share strength, hope, and pride with Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) youth everywhere. The message is – Love is a gift from God, and regardless of sexual orientation “Love Is Love.”

Nhojj made history twice within the last year – first when his song “Love” won an OUTMusic Award, making him the first black male to win an OMA; and secondly when the gay music video “Love” climbed to #1 on the MTV Music Top 100 Chart.

This summer Nhojj completed an 8 city Gay Pride Tour which concluded in Germany, with a performance celebrating the 30th anniversary of CSD Gay Pride in Munich. Nhojj opened the festivities with his “I Miss You” while 500 balloons flew over the city – a commemoration for those who have fallen from HIV/AIDS. During the tour, he shared stages with American Idol’s Blake Lewis, Taylor Dayne, and gay recording legend Jimmy Somerville.

When Nhojj ventured into the music business almost a decade ago it was for two reasons: 1 – He loved music; 2 – He wanted to share music. It was as simple as that.

Now chart topper Nhojj – hailed as a pioneer in music by BET and dubbed “the artist to watch this year” by About.com – has other reasons. He wants to affirm and empower youth today, especially the gay youth. He wants to reflect the timeless spiritual teaching that some religions forget – love. “Love is the truth” – lyrics to his #1 Out & Proud CDbaby single The Gay Warrior Song. He wants to give back to the community (proceeds from the single are being donated to SASOD, an LGBT rights organization in his native Guyana ).

Son of a minister, Nhojj grew up in a deeply religious, yet loving family environment. His parents interpret the Bible differently than he does, especially on issues such as homosexuality, but it does not prevent them from being proud of their son. “I think accepting differences is important on both sides,” Nhojj says. “How can we truly say we love one another if we can’t accept differences?”

Nhojj says he was fortunate – his family never rejected him. A 2008 study headed by  on Family Rejection draws disturbing conclusions. It shows lesbian, gay, and bisexual young adults who experienced high levels of family rejection during adolescence were 8.4 times more likely to report attempted suicide, 5.9 times more likely to have high levels of depression, 3.4 times more likely to use illegal drugs, and 3.4 times more likely to report having engaged in unprotected sexual intercourse than their peers from families that reported no or low levels of family rejection.

Declaring ones self to be LGBT can be difficult for an adolescent, or for that matter, for an adult. “I want to express through my music that it’s okay to be gay…” Nhojj explains, “we should all embrace who we are.”

Update – 7/6/2010 – The Gay Warrior Song is #1 on CDBaby’s Out & Proud, Reggae, and  Smooth Reggae Charts, and #4 on the Neo-Soul chart.   As you know the proceeds are going to SASOD (Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimmination) an LGBT Rights organization in Guyana.

7/3/2010 – The Gay Warrior Song is #1 on CDBaby’s Out & Proud, Reggae, and  Smooth Reggae Charts, its also #5 on the Neo-Soul chart.

7/2/2010 – The Gay Warrior Song is #1 on CDBaby’s Out & Proud, Reggae, and  Smooth Reggae Charts, its also #6 on the Neo-Soul chart.

6/30/2010 – GWS is #1 on CDBaby’s Out & Proud and Smooth Reggae Charts, #2 on the Reggae Chart, and #8 on the Neo-Soul chart.

If you haven’t downloaded The Gay Warrior – I invite you to click the link below and download it today.  You’ll be helping out a great cause.

Sometimes living and loving requires the courage and strength of a warrior. I started this song 7 years ago, but I wasn’t mature enough to complete it. I’m thankful that now I’ve grown enough to allow this message to flow through me. I hope it inspires and affirms you.

I’m donating the proceeds to SASOD (The Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination) – an LGBT Rights organization in Guyana, the country I grew up.

I hope you will support this song by clicking the link below.

Love & Light

Nhojj

(Billboard Publicity Wire/PRWEB ) April 29, 2010 — Unlikely but true, the neo-soul music artist from Guyana with the strange name of Nhojj will be headlining at Gay Pride festivities from New York to Colorado this June. His six-city American GAY Pride Tour will climax with his a cappella rendition of the National Anthem in Indianapolis, IN on June 12.

After hearing Nhojj’s work, Michael Manning, Entertainment Co-Chair of Circle City IN Pride Festival 2010 invited Nhojj to open their gala celebration with the Star Spangle Banner. Nhojj immediately accepted. “The National Anthem is perfect for Gay Prides, because it celebrates the spirit of the brave–those who strive for their freedom against all odds,” Nhojj explains. He will perform a set of his award winning music later that day, including a new version of “Fighting for Love (the Warrior Song).” Also performing will be multi-platinum recording artist Taylor Dayne, and American Idol sixth season runner-up Blake Lewis.

Nhojj kicks off the tour on June 3 in Kansas City , MO. He will give a special performance at the “Show Me Pride” annual Quilt Dinner, an evening of remembrance as well as a celebratory hope for a future with a cure for AIDS. The Quilt Dinner and the Quilt Tent Display have become staples of the “Show Me Pride” Festival, one of the nations largest displayers of quilt panels.

Other cities on the Nhojj American GAY Pride Tour are Fort Collins, CO, “Pride in the Park,” June 5;  Nyack, NY, “VCS Gay Pride Rockland,” June 13; Providence, RI, “Rhode Island Pride Fest,” June 19; and Lexington, KY, “Lexington Pride Festival,” June 26.

Nhojj made history twice in the last five months. Primarily he became the first ever black male to win an OUTMusic award for his song “Love,” voted 2009 Outstanding R&B/Soul Song of the Year by The Alliance of LGBT Recording Artists & Performers. Nhojj received congratulations from BET/Centric TV Soul Sessions for being a “Black history and a gay history first!”

More surprisingly his gay music video “Love” made it all the way to the #1 spot on the mainstream MTV Music Top 100 chart, ahead of Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift. It is one of the most viewed videos on the MTV Music All Time chart.

Nhojj has recorded 6 CD’s and a DVD directed by Emmy-nominated David Cote. He has been featured in The Advocate and A&U America’s AIDS Magazine.

Hey beautiful people, Under the Pink Carpet TV is airing the music video for “Love” and an interview.  The times and channels are below, hope you can tune in.  A big thank you for Lady Clover and Tony Sawicki.

Wednesdays at 10 PM
Thursdays at 4 AM
Sundays at 11:30 PM
Mondays at 5:30 AM

Broadcast on NYC Life / WNYE on:

Antenna / Over-Air Broadcast – Channel 25-1
Comcast Cable, Time Warner Cable, RCN Cable, Verizon Fios Cable – Channel 25
Cablevision Cable – Channel 22

Outside of NYC, Cable channels may vary according to local cable company, but all the above cable companies do carry NYC Life / WNYE in the 5 Boroughs of New York City, Northern NJ, Western Connecticut, Southern New York State and Long Island.

http://www.underthepinkcarpet.tv/

Today the “Love” music video climbed to the #1 spot on MTV Music Top 100 chart.  This is a dream come true – “Love” has also been the #1 rated and the #1 commented video.

This is really an inspiration to continue living my truth – I submitted this video to a smaller website, and the owners couldn’t appreciate the display of homosexual attraction.  I’m happy love and truth alway triumphs in the end!

Once again a big thank you to Kirk Shannon-Butts for directing and lending images from his film Blueprint (On sale now), Adrian Lopez for editing it so beautifully, Big Rod Risbook on technical assistance, and everyone for watching and sharing it with their friends.

Love & Light
Nhojj

PS “Love” was the #1 video for the week ending March 13:)

The music video for “Love” – 2009 OUTMusic R&B/Soul song of the year, will premiere on Tuesday, February 16 at 7 pm on LOGO’s NewNowNext Poplab along with Janet Jackson and Rihanna videos.   And next week February 23, the highlights of the OUTMusic Awards including my performance will air on the same show.  Catch the action on logoonline.com.

2010 started off in a special way for me. I found out the “Love” music video is now on MTV and Vh1 and also it screened at the Sundance Film Festival in the Queer Lounge. If you love the images of the two male actors in this video – get the film ‘Blueprint’ and see their story. Its available on Valentine’s day at http://flickeria.com

I met the cast of Drama Queenz at DC Black Gay Pride last year. Both our videos were being screened at the Film Festival. We spoke then about working together so its nice to have the “Beggar’s Cup” from my sophomore CD ‘Someday Peace Love & Freedom’ featured in there current episode. Enjoy:)