G
glamfunk84
Guest
From back in 2007:
R&B Singer Donnie on Being "Out" and Gays and the Black Church
There is a substantial buzz around Donnie, the velvet-voiced R&B singer/songwriter formerly signed to Motown and now going the independent route. Much of the talk is around his newly-released sophomore album, The Daily News, whose messaging is evocative of Donny Hathaway or Marvin Gaye in the late 1960s or early 1970s.
Even more people are responding to Donnie's refreshingly honest discussions of his sexuality and social perceptions around black gay men. Jasmyne Cannick and John Polly at New Now Next just scored fabulous interviews where an emotional Donnie opens up on many topics—including being out in the industry, black gay men, and, the black church. He has substantial experience in the latter department—being a pastor's son and growing up in Pentecostal.
On being out in the industry:
I think it’s helped my career tremendously. I am not trying to be seen on tv just to sell millions and get Grammy’s. That’s not my goal...I’ve never been this vocal about about my sexuality. It’s liberating. People can’t handle us. I know men that call me a faggot but are attracted to me. Calling me a sissy and wanting to go home with me after the show.
On the black church and homophobia:
[T]hey do not think homosexuality is right. I don’t think it’s real with a lot of my people. Most of the church choirs you see on TV, the tenor section is a bunch of queens. And it’s the truth! And in the alto section and the soprano section, it’s a bunch of dykes. You have some straight women, but in certain choirs, the whole choir is gay. But you’re sitting up singing, "Oh Jesus!" to people who hate your very existence—and you hate your very existence.
And on the "down-low":
I had a friend, I went to his funeral because...He was a married man who would get these little thug boys, you get what I mean? He’s married but he would get these thug boys and get with them. And he was murdered...he picked up a little thug boy [who] had a gun, and they probably fought. People aren’t saying a bunch of stuff, but I know what happened. It’s like you have to do that, instead of being you, and it gets you killed.
As you can see, Donnie is most outspoken and refuses to be quiet about his sexuality and problems within the black community. At times during his rather emotional interview with John Polly, he touched upon issues surrounding abuse, mental illness and low self-esteem. The conversation probably became much more revealing than expected he abruptly ended the Q&A.
R&B Singer Donnie on Being "Out" and Gays and the Black Church
There is a substantial buzz around Donnie, the velvet-voiced R&B singer/songwriter formerly signed to Motown and now going the independent route. Much of the talk is around his newly-released sophomore album, The Daily News, whose messaging is evocative of Donny Hathaway or Marvin Gaye in the late 1960s or early 1970s.
Even more people are responding to Donnie's refreshingly honest discussions of his sexuality and social perceptions around black gay men. Jasmyne Cannick and John Polly at New Now Next just scored fabulous interviews where an emotional Donnie opens up on many topics—including being out in the industry, black gay men, and, the black church. He has substantial experience in the latter department—being a pastor's son and growing up in Pentecostal.
On being out in the industry:
I think it’s helped my career tremendously. I am not trying to be seen on tv just to sell millions and get Grammy’s. That’s not my goal...I’ve never been this vocal about about my sexuality. It’s liberating. People can’t handle us. I know men that call me a faggot but are attracted to me. Calling me a sissy and wanting to go home with me after the show.
On the black church and homophobia:
[T]hey do not think homosexuality is right. I don’t think it’s real with a lot of my people. Most of the church choirs you see on TV, the tenor section is a bunch of queens. And it’s the truth! And in the alto section and the soprano section, it’s a bunch of dykes. You have some straight women, but in certain choirs, the whole choir is gay. But you’re sitting up singing, "Oh Jesus!" to people who hate your very existence—and you hate your very existence.
And on the "down-low":
I had a friend, I went to his funeral because...He was a married man who would get these little thug boys, you get what I mean? He’s married but he would get these thug boys and get with them. And he was murdered...he picked up a little thug boy [who] had a gun, and they probably fought. People aren’t saying a bunch of stuff, but I know what happened. It’s like you have to do that, instead of being you, and it gets you killed.
As you can see, Donnie is most outspoken and refuses to be quiet about his sexuality and problems within the black community. At times during his rather emotional interview with John Polly, he touched upon issues surrounding abuse, mental illness and low self-esteem. The conversation probably became much more revealing than expected he abruptly ended the Q&A.
