Hasan Salaam is a man of many talents. Not only is he an emcee, but an Activist, Philanthropist, Fitness Studio Owner and a Adult Entertainer. Yes, anAdult Entertainer! Today Hasan drops off the NSFW video for his Life in Black and White album cut “Mile High Club.”
Here are some words from Hasan below:
My name is Hasan Salaam aka King Noire. I am a MC, Activist, Philanthropist, Fitness Studio Owner and Adult Entertainer. Things tend to change with people as soon as I get to that last one. In this world, there are a lot of boxes that people try to put you in, and whenever people try to throw me inside one they usually get pissed off because I just don’t fit. When most people learn that I am an adult entertainer, they think ‘he’s a model/has sex on camera; he must be completely self-absorbed’. There is a sentiment of shock to find out that I have spent years doing both community and global actions: from food & clothing drives to using all of the profits and proceeds of my album, ‘Music Is My Weapon’, to build a school, a freshwater well, and a medical facility in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa.
When people find out I am a rapper they usually assume I am uneducated and unemployed. They are shocked to discover that I have traveled the world, giving lectures on the history of Black music in America and its socio-political impact on the civil rights struggle. I’ve been a guest lecturer at The London School of Economics, Boston University, The University of Oregon and the University of Nevada Las Vegas. The faculty is taken aback that a rapper can articulate ideas on music theory, politics, history and philosophy. The common misconception is that rapper, adult entertainer, and or activist are somehow in opposition of each other. To me none are mutually exclusive; I do not see life in black and white. I see a lot of grey area.
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I entered the adult entertainment industry as soon as I was legally able to do so, at 18 years old. A friend of mine from high school had become a stripper in Philadelphia, and was asked to model for an adult magazine. She reached out to me because she “didn’t want any random d*** in [her] face”. We had already been intimate and she knew I had the right look and could perform. This opportunity presented itself right as I had been kicked out of my mother’s house. I was working at Chicken Delight and a diner, along with hustling weed to make enough money for hotel rooms on the nights I didn’t have a friend’s place to crash. Most of my friends and peers had either graduated from school to work, college, or into selling heavier things. Her offer to model nude was not a hard offer to accept. I made $500 for two hours of “work” and did not have to worry about getting shot at or locked up. I spent two hours with a woman I had already enjoyed spending company with and an attractive female photographer. I loved every minute of it. I am a performer and exhibitionist by nature, so being photographed, and then having the pictures circulate turned me on beyond belief. This experience also opened my mind to the possibilities of expressing myself sexually.
My first go round in porn was primarily out of necessity to pay bills and keep a roof over my head. I did everything from internet cam-work and print, to BDSM & live sex shows with women adult entertainers at the time. Most of the work was a complete turn on for me but wasn’t received well by vanilla people based on their preconceived notions of people in the sex industry. This response to my work outside of music did have an effect and lead to me reducing the time I dedicated to this area of my life.
As for music, I had been writing and putting songs together since I was about 11 but I did not release my first mix tape until I was 23. On my 1st full mixtape, 5th Column Vol. 2, I had a line on the 1st song “Did some porno’s for doe, pics floating on the internet”. I have never hid who I am or what I do, people have just chosen to try and compartmentalize my life. Music opened up doors for me I could have never dreamed of, including many experiences to travel the world and work with artists and global leaders that I respect. I was always raised to be active in my community and be an activist against oppression, intolerance, and indifference. This led me back to music with the hopes of putting out an album I would want to hear. I chose to make the content personal, in order to deal with the political climate in which we live. I know no other way than to be 100% honest in life and musically. People gravitated to my songs like “Blaxploitation” & “Allegro” off my 1st album because they dealt with topics like police brutality, reparations, and our everyday struggle. This led to me being labeled as “conscious”. Louis Armstrong once said there are only two types of music good and bad; unfortunately critics have to attempt to label and define which boxes musicians fit. Once an MC is labeled as conscious in the hip-hop world, you are almost considered to be asexual and all you are ever able to do is rap politically, and people expect you to never have fun or be a full dimensional human.
My hiatus from adult entertainment lasted a few years until a friend reached out based on my experience in the business and inquired about a stripper to dance at a party. The exhibitionist in me could not resist, I said I could do! This lead to house parties and the development of what we call Erotic Touch Massages by Sensual Noire, a mix of relaxation and entertainment. Men are always afforded the luxury of being able to go to any strip club or be openly interested in sex without being judged, women unfortunately are not. Sensual Noire was created to cater to women, and promotes that women should be able to enjoy their sexuality and adult entertainment just as much as any man. No one should not be shamed, or ashamed,because of their inherit instinct for intimacy and sexual satisfaction.
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The development of Sensual Noire was also around the same time when I met Jet Setting Jasmine. Jasmine, also facilitated adult entertainment parties and workshops, and weimmediately clicked over our ideas of sexuality, women empowerment, and the need for the Black & Brown community to expand our sexual lexicons. Being that our people are oppressed in this country on many levels, we are also forced to repress our sexuality. Whereas all human beings have fetishes in the overall society, people of color are made into fetishes by Caucasians who dominate the adult industry. For an example of this cultural fetishism, think of the descriptions that are assigned to people of color: spicy Latina, docile Asian, Black hyper sexuality; instead of being recognized as well-rounded human beings. Together we combined our companies and expanded into international Fantasy Flight Parties. These events are designed to introduce people to normalizing their fetishes, fantasies, and accepting who their sexual identities (and their partner’s) in a safe and entertaining environment.
Very cognizant of the societal pressures placed on women and couples we work diligently on redefining the overarching patriarchal American culture. We speak at Domestic Violence shelters to women with the purpose of assisting them reclaim what someone looked to steal from them. We work with couples, enhancing communication and supporting their exploration of all things kink. Our film company, Royal Fetish Films puts the camera in women’s hands to show how many ways adult content can be shot and still result in a turn on to the viewer. This has also empowered women to explore a side of voyeurism, exhibitionism, and preference in visual stimulation. We promote total wellness through fitness and health at our gym Body Altitudes, including the development of Steel and Stilettos Fitness.
Just as our LGBT community comes out of the closet and is liberated straight people need to be prompted to do the same. If your preference is to be tied up and suspended, participate in threesomes, or enjoy a swinger’s club/lifestyle– it’s OK! It is all right to have fantasies and it is alright to act on those fantasies.
People in the music world are uncomfortable once they find out that I also do adult entertainment, as they are not sure what to make of it. To them I pose the question, what is more revolutionary than love?
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“This Is A Renaissance For The Art of Making Love” -Hasan Salaam aka King Noire #MileHighClub
