Anye Elite facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Anye Elite
Background information
Also known as	Anye Elite, Anye Ellis
Born	August 31, 1987 (1987-08-31) (age 37) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Origin	Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. by way of Daytona, Florida, U.S.
Genres	Pop, R&B, dance, Latin
Occupation(s)	Singer, rapper, activist
Years active	2009−present
Labels	Ellis Island

Anye Elite (born August 31, 1987) is an American singer and rapper. He is also known for his work as an activist. He helps bring people together and supports fairness for everyone.

Early Life and Inspiration

Anye Elite was born on August 31, 1987. His mother was African-American, and his father was Afro-Dominican. Anye didn't see his father much when he was young. His grandfather, Cornelius Ellis, raised him.

Anye started singing when he was seven years old. He began helping his community when he was sixteen. On his seventh birthday, his grandfather bought him a Mariah Carey cassette tape called Music Box. Anye found strength in the songs' messages about never giving up. Mariah Carey's voice and songwriting inspired him to write and sing his own music.

In high school, Anye became Mainland High School's first openly gay homecoming king. This meant he was a leader who was open about who he was. Around the same time, he started working on projects to improve his community.

Music Journey

In 2003, Anye Elite began studying at the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts. Later, he moved to the southern United States. He kept performing and writing music there.

By 2004, Anye was singing in nightclubs in central Florida. He often performed at places like The Other Place and The Groove in Daytona. He also played at Orlando's Parliament House. In late 2006, Anye moved to Atlanta, Georgia. He started working on his first album, called GAY 101. He went on a tour to promote his music. This tour included events like Boston's New England Black Gay Pride.

On February 27, 2008, Anye released a song called "Just In Case". The song was about the effects of violence and unkindness towards gay, black Americans. It was inspired by three acts of unkindness. This song became very popular in Atlanta's gay community. Anye performed "Just In Case" at many events. These included the Sugarhill nightclub and the Mondo Homo music festival. He also performed with Tim'm West, another black gay music pioneer. Their performances together were highly praised.

After a break, Anye Elite returned in 2016 with a new song, "Yass Lawt". This song is from his album "No Faux". He also launched his lifestyle blog, IconCity.net. Anye was named one of the "100 Outstanding LGBT People of Color" by The G Listed.

Mixtapes

Anye Elite has released several mixtapes:

Community Work

In early 2006, Anye Elite began his work as an activist. He used his talents to help community projects. This included the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life event in Miami. He saw many new health challenges in the Miami-Dade area. So, Anye started working with the University of Miami's Future Leaders of the World (F.L.O.W.) program.

In October 2006, a TV show called Noah's Arc inspired him. He wanted to encourage unity and progress in the black, gay community. He decided to move to Atlanta, Georgia. Many people consider Atlanta a very important place for black gay culture. Anye has volunteered at AID Atlanta. This is a large organization that helps people with health challenges in the southeastern United States. He worked on programs like The Deeper Love Project.

In February 2007, Anye helped organize Phyre. This was Atlanta's first week-long event celebrating black gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender history. Anye was a spokesperson for the event. He was featured in a February 2007 issue of Atlanta's gay newspaper, Southern Voice. In the article, he talked about how important art is for social fairness.

In a spring 2007 magazine, Clik, Anye shared his personal story. His grandfather also shared his thoughts to help other families. Anye continues to work with the community. He helps educate people and supports gay people to live happy and independent lives. Recently, he has helped find good care for young people who are LGBT.

See also

• Homohop