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LISTEN: New Music "Adam & Steve" by Openly Gay R&B Artist Nhojj

Catching up with Nhojj, the openly gay, Guyana-born independent soul/RnB artist who made industry history when he topped the MTV Top 100 in 2010 ...

Nhojj has created an uplifting new ballad "Adam & Steve" (iTunes). Listen AFTER THE JUMP ...

The title and mesage are a none-too-subtle riff of the homophobic warnings against "Adam & Steve", says the artist.

[Nhojj] bravely sheds light on spirituality and homosexuality in a culture where many see the two as contradictory. The God in "Adam & Steve" is nonjudgmental [and] simply asks that his children love one another. God's love is offered, not just to Adam and Eve, but to "Adam and Steve" also.

Nhojj became the first black male to win an OMA at the OUTMusic Awards. That was for the soulful, haunting ballad "Love", the theme song to OUT 100 honoree Kirk Shannon Butts' critically-acclaimed black gay love story "Blueprint".

Listen AFTER THE JUMP ...

NEWS: Don Lemon, Louis Smith, Kye Allums, Blueprint, JLS, Tanzania

Judge: Eddie Long trial "maybe" in the fall?

AUDIO: Signorile's in-depth interview with Don Lemon.

SF voters to decide on circumcision ban.

Kirk Shannon Butts' critically-acclaimed love story "Blueprint" will be screened at the 2011 Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival. Watch HERE.

Tanzania bans five films with "gay themes" and "indecent dresses".

Jury awards openly gay LAPD Sgt. Ronald Crump $1.6 million in discrimination case.

JLS: We want to represent Britain at Eurovision!

London 2012 Olympics torch will come to Peterborough—the hometown of  bronze medalist and pommel horse hotness Louis Smith. An 80-year-old resident who "carried the torch [in] the 1948 London Olympics" may pass it on to the gymnast.

Pharrell talks tech.

Software manufacturer to remove filters that block LGBT content "in thousands of public schools."

  Connecticut House approves transgender anti-discrimination bill 77-62.

Transgender basketball player Kye Allums will no longer play for the George Washington women's basketball team. "'I alone came to this conclusion,' Allums said in a statement released by the university, 'and I thank the athletic department for respecting my wishes.' ... He told the AP in March that he suffered a total of eight concussions, was having memory problems and was unsure whether he would be cleared medically to play his senior season."

LISTEN: New Music "He & Him" by Openly Gay R&B Artist Nhojj

Catching up with Nhojj, the openly gay, Guyana-born independent artist who made industry history when he topped the MTV Top 100 in 2010. Nhojj has created a beautiful, new love song called "He & Him."

Listen AFTER THE JUMP ...

"I've been working on expressing the beauty of gay love in my music," Nhojj tells Rod 2.0. "About two months ago, the words came to mind. There is a sensuality in sameness and this is essence of the song—chest to chest, skin to skin, he and him."

Nhojj adds, "Its important to hear and enjoy our stories across all media. We have gay films and books but very little music. I'm playing my part in sharing our experiences through music."

Nhojj became the first black male to win an OMA at the OUTMusic Awards. That was for the soulful, haunting ballad "Love", the theme song to OUT 100 honoree Kirk Shannon Butts' critically-acclaimed black gay love story "Blueprint". Listen to the new music and watch the "Love" video AFTER THE JUMP ...

WATCH: "Love" by Openly Gay Singer Nhojj Tops MTV 100

Topping the MTV Top 100—and that's ahead of Justin Bieber, Ke$ha and the ubiquitous Taylor Swift—is "Love" by Nhojj. If you aren't familiar with the black, openly gay, Guyana-born independent artist, he made OUTMusic Awards history when he became the first black male to win an OMA.  That was for the soulful, haunting ballad "Love", the theme song to OUT 100 honoree Kirk Shannon Butts' critically-acclaimed black gay love story "Blueprint".

Nhojj appears as the angel of love in the video, which, like the film, is about the instant attraction of Keith and Nathan, two black college students, and and the day they spent together. "Blueprint" was critically-received on the LGBT and art film circuit. It's available on VOD and the DVD will be released next week.

You may recall that Nhojj was part of the Gay by God campaign, joining Pastor Joseph W.Tolton other black gay activists with a full page newspaper advert in response to Donnie McClurkin's hateful "ex-gay" and anti-gay rants. Says Nhojj: "God is love, so wherever love exists, God exists. Same gender love is just as right and good as any other – because love is at the core. hat is what I want to share with the world.”

Nhojj and Kirk-Shannon Butts are friends to Rod 2.0. Congratulations to them both for their success and congratulations to Nhojj for his incredible reception by MTV's audience. Watch the video AFTER THE JUMP...

HX's Holiday "Desires" by Thomas Synnamon and Kirk Shannon-Butts

If something tall, dark and handsome is on your Christmas shopping list, well, you'd better stand in line. HX features "Desire", an upscale holiday gift giving guide lensed by beefcake photographer extraordinaire Thomas Synnamon and produced by fashion editor Out 100 honoree Kirk Shannon-Butts. We'll, ummm, just take two of whatever this model is selling, in this case is s silver David Yurman bracelet.

If you're looking to stuff that special stocking (or vice versa) there is always impossibly tight underwear and tasteful luxury goods...

Kirk Shannon-Butts is the director of the critically-acclaimed short film Blueprint.

Many more and larger photos here.
And speaking of oh-so-hot holiday destinations ...

Thanks KEITH and SHANNON