OUTMusic Award winner Nhojj to appear on the Glo TV Network float at New York City Heritage of Pride Parade on June 27, premiering new gay anthem – “The Gay Warrior Song.”

(Billboard Publicity Wire/PRWEB ) June 24, 2010 — President Barak Obama proclaimed June Gay Pride Month. In celebration and as a song of strength and hope for the Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender (LGBT) community, Nhojj presents “The Gay Warrior Song,” which he will debut in New York City at The Heritage of Pride Parade on June 27.

Already #3 on CDBaby’s Out & Proud Chart, proceeds from the sale of “The Gay Warrior Song” will be donated to the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD), an LGBT rights organization based in Nhojj’s homeland of Guyana. SASOD is committed to eradicating discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation.

Nhojj will perform “The Gay Warrior Song” before tens of thousands of people lined up along the NYC Gay Pride Parade route on the Glo TV float. Glo TV is the first urban LGBT Television Network of its kind in the world.

On June 19th Nhojj performed his new gay anthem in Providence, RI at their Rhode Island Pridefest; on June 20th at a church service at the historic St. Marks in the Bowery in the East Village section of New York; and on June 21st at an upper east side Manhattan awards ceremony—the 7th Annual Fresh Fruit Festival Awards at Jan Hus Playhouse.

He received the Music Award of Distinction at the Fresh Fruit Awards. The awards honor outstanding performances and recognize community leaders whose achievements include supporting the arts and the LGBT community. Special honorees included the first openly gay NY State Senator, Tom Duane, Off Broadway legend and pioneering LGBT playwright Doric Wilson, and Under the Pink Carpet producer, Tony Sawicki. This marks the 2nd time Nhojj has won the award.

The parade will wrap up a string of American gay pride performances for Nhojj. His tour covered heartland cities – Fort Collins, CO; Providence, RI; Lexington, KY; Kansas City, MO; and Indianapolis, IN, where he opened the pride festivities with an a cappella rendition of the Star Spangle Banner. On July 17 Nhojj will headline in Germany at the Christopher Street Day Munich gay pride festival.

Nhojj, son of a Minister, grew up in Guyana , and went to high school in Trinidad prior to coming to the United States to attend college. Before he could read or write he sang at his father’s church, and eventually on radio and television shows. Twice he sang in large stadiums – once for the President of Guyana, and once for the President of Trinidad. After graduating with honors from New York University with a Bachelors Degree in Economics, he returned to his passion—singing—and began recording.

To date Nhojj has released 6 album releases, and a DVD directed by Emmy nominated Bill Cote. He is the first black male to win an OutMusic Award, and also the first gay artist to top the mainstream MTV Music charts with a gay music video. His music has been compared with such luminaries as Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Sade, Bobby McFerrin, and Maxwell.

Nhojj wrote “The Gay Warrior Song” as an affirmation to LGBT people everywhere. “War is usually related to physical territory” Nhojj explains. “But today’s gay warrior is not fighting for physical territory, today’s gay warrior is fighting for mental, emotional, and spiritual territory. Today’s gay warrior is fighting for acceptance… for inclusion… for equality… and ultimately for the well being that winning this war brings.”

The music video for “Love” premiered at the SASOD Film Festival – Spectrum 6 along with “Blueprint” Read the article in Stabroek News – click the pic above.

A Gay Love Song – a same gender loving version of the classic “Someone to Watch over me.” I’ve always loved this song and I always sing it with the male pronoun because that is my truth. I hope you enjoy it:)

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.

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:)

“Churches say that the expression of love in a heterosexual monogamous relationship includes the physical, the touching, embracing, kissing, the genital act – the totality of our love makes each of us grow to become increasingly godlike and compassionate. If this is so for the heterosexual, what earthly reason have we to say that it is not the case with the homosexual?” – Nobel Peace Price Laureate Desmond Tutu

“We struggled against apartheid in South Africa, supported by people the world over, because black people were being blamed and made to suffer for something we could do nothing about; our very skins…It is the same with sexual orientation. It is a given.” – Nobel Peace Price Laureate Desmond Tutu

Late last year, a good friend lent this to me and it was so kind and thought-provoking, that I got a copy for my parents.  It allowed us to talk more openly about homosexuality and the Bible and Christianity.    Its a documentary that focuses on 5 different families that have homosexual children and the different ways the parents are dealing with their children.  It has has a lot to say about what the Bible really says about homosexuality.    I encourage everyone from a Christian background to get this DVD:)