JRome: Vocalist, Dancer and YouTube Sensation
One in a weekly series about the Black AIDS Institute's Greater Than AIDS ambassadors, who are using their VIP status in Black America to increase awareness of HIV/AIDS and HIV testing and treatment.
If you're not one of his more than 2.5 million YouTube followers tuning in to hear him sing, or among the members of his fan base (growing in more than 14 countries) who have see him perform as the lead in the Michael Jackson tribute musical Thriller Live, then the name "JRome" (née Jerome Wayne) might not mean anything to you. But for the legions of devotees now keeping their eyes on the 23-year-old New Jersey performer--whose video cover of the Beyoncé hit "1+1" has been seen by more than half a million viewers--he's got that "it" factor that is certain to make him a standout. And labels are now vying to sign him to a recording contract.
In the meantime, JRome is keeping himself in the spotlight, touring as the opening act for such music stars as Miguel, Bow Wow and Ne-Yo, and doing his part to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS.
With Thriller Live, you performed throughout the United Kingdom, Singapore, Abu Dhabi and Germany re-creating a lot of the music and the dance moves of Michael Jackson. What was that experience like for you?
Wow, it was amazing. Who can say that they've performed for Michael Jackson fans, and literally die-hard Michael Jackson fans? People would come dressed up in his costumes and, of course, the glove. They would want to take pictures and would treat you, not as if you were Michael, but close. They just had such an appreciation for the music, and that's the biggest thing.
You're in negotiations to sign a record contract. Are you working on any new music in the meantime?
I actually released a song [on YouTube] called "Beauty Is Beautiful." A lot of people think it is about a woman, but I really wanted to personify nature as a woman in the song. I'm just a weird person, and I always look at it, like, everything in the world is beautiful. You just have to see it.
You've even said that knowing your status is a beautiful thing. What inspired you to get tested?
I saw something on BET. It was called Rap-It-Up, I believe. They always showed those commercials, and I thought, "You know what? I should get tested. Let me do this." 'Cause it really is like they say: It's better knowing. And it is better knowing.
How can we encourage more young people to know their status?
Right now you look at media, and everything is selling sex, right? But for something like this, you're seeing the other side. It's talking about sex, but we're talking about being protected, so I'm hoping kids are inspired to get tested, like immediately.
But young people don't see being protected as sexy, do they?
I do! I think it's sexy to know that you're clean, to know that you're disease free. If you find out your status and find out that you do have something, it's not that you're nasty or something is wrong with you. But now you can do something about it. Who wouldn't want to know that the person they're dealing with has something? So I think it's very important, and it's very sexy to know.
So how do you start the conversation with your partner?
Well, I'm not in a relationship now, and I think this is the first time I've been single in a while, which is pretty sad. But I normally say, "Are you safe? Are you clean?" That type of thing. And even if they say they are, I'll say, "Well, why don't we go together?" I think that's a very, very healthy way of doing it. 'Cause I'm not a dater; I'm more of a relationship type of dude. So if I'm in a relationship with a woman, we have to get tested, because if at some point we get married--and I really, really want to have kids--I don't want anything to damage my dreams.
Janice Rhoshalle Littlejohn is a Los Angeles-based freelance journalist, author and documentary filmmaker.