Gay “Love” on Top at MTV  – David Michael Conner

Caribbean-born singer-songwriter Nhojj never dreamed of a successful career as an out musician. Now his video for “Love” — which shows two black men embracing in bed — is number 1 on MTV.

A big thank you to James and Lyndon from Gay Agenda for a great time chatting on Gay Agenda.   You can read their kind post here and you can listen below.  Enjoy:)

I’m really thankful for all the support the “Love” music video has received.  Ed Kennedy did a beautiful piece on afterelton.com and Crawfish Po Boy added a piece about “Love” being in the film Blueprint.  Thank you so much Ed and Crawfish Po Boy

Read articles here

I’ve admired the Rod 2.0 blog for a long time, so I’m really excited to be featured there today along with Blueprint director Kirk Shannon-Butts.  Rod 2.0 has been informing us gay and sgl urban males for a long time.  Congratulations Rod McCullom for everything you are doing and thank you for the inclusion.

Read the post here

A big thank you to Joe for adding me to his blog Joe. My. God. He did a really kewl post about the “Love” music video reaching #1 on the MTV Music Top 100 Charts.  Thanx again Joe:)

Read the article here

What is Gay Music? Music by gay artists… music by out musicians… music with gay lyrics? Nhojj is one of a growing number of recording artists carving out a niche in the music industry, and shaping the answer to those questions. Expressing their reality, artists like Nhojj are depicting gay life and sharing their experiences as gay people in gay songs and gay music videos. This baby industry revolution has been growing underground for almost 2 decades and is beginning to spill into mainstream America .

Music lovers have always danced with gay artists. Tom Robinson’s “Glad to be Gay” was a hit in the UK in the 1970s and disco singer Sylvester won 3 Billboard awards. In 1998, Rolling Stone named Rufus Wainwright Best New Artist, and Adam Lambert’s release debuted at #3 on Billboard’s 200 chart. However fans often become aware of a singer’s sexuality after the artist-fan bond is formed – as is the case with Elton John, George Michael, Boy George, Tevin Campbell and Johnny Mathis. The industry’s model of marketing to heterosexual desire keeps many artists closeted until after their career’s have peaked.

But while mainstream approval keeps many major label artists in the closet, the indie music world is rich with gay music in every genre.

In 2009, BET/Centric TV congratulated soul singer Nhojj on being a gay history and a black history first, after becoming the first gay black male to win an OUTMusic Award. His provocative gay music video “Love” recently climbed to the #1 spot on the MTV Music Top 100 chart and was featured at the Sundance Film Festival’s Queer Lounge. Nhojj’s work has been featured on Logo TV and VIBE/Singersroom. Other black gay performers include 6x Stellar Award winner Tonéx now TON3X™, Donnie, and Rahsaan Patterson, who co-wrote Brandy’s #1 song “Baby.”

In 2007, gay rapper Deadlee grabbed Rolling Stone and CNN headlines when he organized the first HomoRevolutions Tour, eventually appearing on the Tyra Banks show in the homo hip hop episode. The tour featured gay hip hop artists Tori Fixx, QBoy, and Johnny Dangerous among others. And last year gay rappers Last Offence and Bry’Nt were featured in Spin Magazine.

In 2006, alternative pop artist Josh Zuckerman scored the #1 spot on Sirius Radio, and the year before that Levi Kreis released his debut after appearing on “The Apprentice” with Donald Trump. Around that time music from Christopher Dallman’s debut was featured on MTV’s “The Real World.” While last year Matt Alber’s dreamy vocals earned him a spot in OUT Magazines OUT100 issue.

Dance music has always been a popular form a gay music. Artists Kevin Aviance and RuPaul have both earned #1 Billboard Dance hits, Ari Gold won at the 7th Annual Independent Music Awards, and artist baron was nominated for an OUTMusic Award.

OUTMusic is an 18 year old organization that promotes and supports gay artists, and runs OutMusic.com – a database of popular indie gay recording artists. This year marks the first time the OUTMusic Awards have been featured on a Major Television Network – MTV owned LOGO.

One can remember the pivotal role songs like “We Shall Overcome” played in the Civil Rights Movement – music has always affirmed shared experience. Now gay rights is front and center in the public debate with President Obama’s plan to repeal ‘Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell’ and gay marriage winning the slow and steady war around the globe – most recently in our nation’s capitol. “Music and revolutions go hand in hand, and I’m proud to be apart of this revolution!” – Nhojj explains.

Highlights from the 2009 OUTMusic Awards aired on LOGO’s NewNowNext Poplab.  Below is a video clip of my favorite OMA moments and my feelings about being the first black male to win an OMA.  You can catch all the highlights at www.logoonline.com.

Even fifty-five years after Brown vs. The Board of Education, being named the first Black anything in this country is still a big deal. And so it is interesting to note…

Read full article at

http://blogs.centrictv.com/music/soulsessions/nhojj-makes-black-history/

Indie R&B recording artist Nhojj had a big night at the OUTMusic Awards earlier this month. Picking up an award for Outstanding R&B/Soul Song of the Year, Nhojj also made history as the first African American male to win an OUTMusic Award.

In addition to earning Outstanding R&B/Soul Song of the Year for his single “Love,” Nhojj took the stage to perform before an audience that included LOGO personalities DeMarco Majors and Julie Goldman.

“Love” features keyboardist Carl Evans (Stevie Wonder, Barry White); David Stark on Guitar (Rick James & Teena Marie); Tommy Aros on percussion (Luis Miguel); and is mastered by by Robert Honablue, whose Gold and Platinum credits include Santana, Roberta Flack, Aretha Franklin, Bob Marley, and Miles Davis.

Nhojj’s recent win a the OUTMusic Awards follows a praised performance at the 2009 Barbados Music Awards.

To date Nhojj has released six CDs and an unplugged live DVD by Emmy nominated director Bill Cote. He has performed at Lincoln Center, and toured the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, and the United Kingdom.

Singersroom.com

(Billboard Publicity Wire/PRWEB ) December 23, 2009 — Indie recording artist Nhojj made OUTMusic Awards history when his ballad “Love” was voted 2009 Outstanding R&B/Soul Song of the Year by The Alliance of LGBT Recording Artists & Performers. This marks the first time an African American male has won an OMA. The Logo sponsored event was held December 8, 2009, at the legendary Webster Hall in New York City. It is the biggest night in LGBT entertainment, and the only gala ceremony of its kind in the world.

Nhojj is also the first artist to win the OUTStanding R&B/Soul song of the year. OUTMusic added this and other categories to the ceremony this year to more fully reflect the music of the LGBT community. After his win, the singer/songwriter took the stage performing “Love” before an audience including OMA Lifetime Achievement recipient Kevin Aviance, Village Voice columnist Michael Musto, LOGO personalities DeMarco Majors and Julie Goldman among many other notables in the LGBT community. The ceremony was hosted by Noah’s Arc star Rodney Chester and GLAAD Media Award winner Kate Clinton.

“Love” features keyboardist Carl Evans (Stevie Wonder, Barry White); David Stark on Guitar (Rick James & Teena Marie); Tommy Aros on percussion (Luis Miguel); and is mastered by by Robert Honablue, whose Gold and Platinum credits include Santana, Roberta Flack, Aretha Franklin, Bob Marley, and Miles Davis.

Director Kirk Shannon-Butts featured “Love” in his highly acclaimed Indie film “Blueprint,” which screened at 2008 Cannes International Film Festival, and also directed the music video “Love.” Unlike many current R&B music videos, it is the sensitive reflection of two male college students who feel a mutual attraction toward each other. “I believe love is for everyone… homosexual and heterosexual” Nhojj says, “One day soon our world will acknowledge this simple truth.”

In 2004, Nhojj’s sophomore CD “Someday Peace Love & Freedom” was nominated for OUTStanding New Male Recording. Songs on that album covered issues ranging from homelessness to homophobia. Nhojj chose “Fighting for Love,” an original composition about a warrior fighting against ignorance and hatred, to perform at a special OMA Nominee showcase held at Fez in NYC that year.

Nhojj grew up in Guyana and Trinidad, where he performed for the Presidents of both countries. He began singing in church at the age of 5, but didn’t embark on a career in music until after graduating from NYU with a BA in Economics. Earlier this year he returned to his Caribbean roots and performed “Love” at the 2009 Barbados Music Awards.

To date Nhojj has released six CDs and an unplugged live DVD by Emmy nominated director Bill Cote. He has performed at Lincoln Center, and toured the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, and the United Kingdom.

In addition to his recording and performance schedule, Nhojj regularly donates his gift of music to people living with HIV/AIDS. He performs in hospitals, hospices, residential facilities and treatment centers throughout New York City , as part of the Lifebeat “Hearts and Voices” program.