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

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.

“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:)

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.

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

“Blueprint” is being released soon.  “Love” is the theme song for this film, so I’m really happy and proud to be sharing this with you.   Director Kirk Shannon-Butts also directed my music video for “Love” and it contains scenes from the movie.   Get it at http://flickeria.com

Buy Blueprint Now!

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/

(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.