Contributors: Darryl Ramsey & Miss JC

Atlanta resident, super activist and member of the trio The Adodi Muse, an African American Gay Ensemble of traveling performance artists, that bring awareness to social issues, Anthony Antoine recently chatted with Legends, Statements & Stars Magazine  about his accomplishments, life experiences and dreams. 

Upon first glance one could easily believe that his occupation might be that of a professional model and/or personal trainer. Although he photographs well and enjoys working out, he’s more interested in spending time with his 15 year old daughter. “Being a

In 2004 the handsome 36 year-old Newark, NJ native released his self-produced CD, “Closets of Fire,” a collection of ballads and dance beats sprinkled with candid lyrics of an openly gay lifestyle drawn from his own experiences. It’s a departure from the me-too artist that floods the airwaves of hip-hop and R&B radio. 

Yet Anthony is no strange to the music industry, at 17 he moved to London where he enjoyed success as a session vocalist working with heavyweights such as jazz artist Ronny Jordan, and producer Paul Hardcastle. The later produced a collaborative effort which resulted in the mega hit, ”Swing” which topped Billboard’s Top 40 Dance charts and placed well on the European charts.

 Anthony has been influenced by many artists including Prince, because of his diverse repertoire of songs, Aretha Franklin, Baby Face and many others.  “Music has rescued me from terrible times,” he said.  “I am music, music is within me.”   

It is noon on a Saturday morning when we caught up with Mr. Antoine by telephone after exchanging a few cordial remarks we get right into the interview.

 LEGENDS: If you could travel back in time and have a conversation with anyone who would it be? ANTHONY ANTOINE: Marvin Gay, Martin Luther King Jr. and above all my dad whom died when I was 6 years old. I would like to meet him above anybody else. I would want to meet the man and get to know him. I’ve heard so many stories. There are so my things that I want to know about me. I’ve heard so much about my father.

LEGENDS: What can you tell us about your family and growing up?
ANTHONY ANTOINE: I was raised by my mother; she did a great job raising trouble-free children on few resources. 

LEGENDS: What can tell us about yourself, are you married, single, dating, divorced, available? 
ANTHONY ANTOINE: (He chuckles and then responds) I am all of the above 

LEGENDS: All of the above?
ANTHONY ANTOINE: I am all of the above. I am whatever you want me to be.

LEGENDS: I’ll print every word of what you’re telling me and when someone approaches you with offers I guess that’s what you mean by saying what ever you want me to be if you’re interested then you’ll be single. (Laughs)  The conversation turns serious as he volunteers to talk about his family and mentions his daughter.  You’ve mentioned that you have a daughter is she your biological child or did you choose to adopt?
ANTHONY ANTOINE:  She’s my biological daughter, her mother and I share custody, she’s currently living with me during the week and visits her mom on the weekends.  When she was first born I was right there. The doctors in the emergency room told me they do not remember an instance where the father was as involved as I was, being a father is far more rewarding than I’ve ever imaged.
 

LEGENDS: Please describe 1-3 authors/writers/performers that have influenced your artistic style?
ANTHONY ANTOINE:  On the Music end there are several people, it would certainly be Prince because he has a diverse repertoire of songs with different music styles.  Also it would be Aretha Franklin because her music personifies the energy of the 60s and movements of that which include the gay movement and the civil rights movement. As far as writers: I like a less than well known, or I should say a non mainstream writer and performer by the name of Tim’m West. I’m a big proponent of independent writers’ books.

LEGENDS: What 2 books and 2 CDs should everyone own?
ANTHONY ANTOINE:  (CDs) Aretha Franklin’s Sparkle & Steve Wonder’s: Songs In The Key of Life; (Books) “Conversations with God” by Neal Donald West & Spike Lee’s Journal that he kept while he made the movie, “She’s Gotta Have It.” She’s Journal was written when Spike didn’t have money. He talked about the struggles he overcame to make the move. He talks about borrowing money from his grandmother, not eating and so on all for the sake of making the movie. 

LEGENDS: Do you believe LGBT authors have an obligation to the LGBT community?  Why or why not?
ANTHONY ANTOINE: We (LGBT authors) most definitely have an obligation to tell our story all too often we tailor our story to make it more palliative to the general public so that it will make more money. We have to tell our real stories not to do so is a great disservice to ourselves and the community.  

LEGENDS: What is the biggest misconception about you and/or your work?
ANTHONY ANTOINE: I believe that people believe that I am overly consumed with being gay. I do not see myself that way. I think it is such a disservice not to share your gay experience. 
 
LEGENDS: What factors influenced your decision to come out?
ANTHONY ANTOINE: I met a gentleman named Severn Smith he was the perfect example of someone in the music industry that was not living in the closet.
 
LEGENDS: What do you think about the DL Phenomena?
ANTHONY ANTOINE: It’s overrated; it creates yet another reason why we (African American gay men) cannot be ourselves. It’s getting more than its share of media coverage but damn AIDS has affected all of us; I can remember looking at an old photo album with several pictures of men that are not here anymore, generations of knowledge are gone. Yes AIDS is rising among women but it affects everyone we should not blame one gender over the other.

LEGENDS: What was your first experience of someone dying of AIDS?
ANTHONY ANTOINE: It came in the 1980’s while working for Willie Smith’s Willi Wear store. I used to order his clothes, and send messages to him and his sister through the store manager. I recall being excited because Willie was supposed to come to the store and speak to the employees but he died from complications of AIDS 2 weeks before his scheduled visit, it shocked us all. I was so proud that I worked for his store I used to hang my check stubs on my bedroom wall!

LEGENDS: Do you still have the check stubs? I’d frame them and store them away it’s hard to find anything with the late designers name of it.
ANTHONY ANTOINE: Yes I still have them tucked away in my Pandora’s Box of prized possessions; it has my old diary that I kept while I dated my first lover.
 
LEGENDS: Tell me more about this so called Pandora’s Box and what else does it contain? Are the stories contained in your diary rated “G” or “X?” Does your ex-lover know that you still have it?
ANTHONY ANTOINE: (Laughs) So and so (Name Withheld) knows that I still have it. He used to get jealous that I had a diary so I bought one for him. I still have his dairy to this day. It’s funny when I compare passages in his dairy to those in mine. Mine contains thoughts like, I love ______ he’s the best thing that ever happened to me and so on while he talked about how he wished that I would leave him alone so he could go off and have sex with somebody else that day!

LEGENDS: Laughs and more laughs then I offer a last chance for him to retract any statements. Anthony laughs and reminds me that he’s telling the truth!!  Where do you see yourself ten years from now, what does the future hold for Anthony Antoine?
ANTHONY ANTOINE: I plan on being happy and having a passion for writing, music and life.  I understand that happiness is an on-going journey or story but I plan on being happy. 

For more information on Anthony Antoine, visit one of his web sites:

http://www.anthonyantoine.com

http://anthonyantoine.blogspot.com