His mother's drug abuse led Philadelphia's department of human services to place him into the custody of his maternal grandfather, Cornelius Ellis.

[11] Michael Sandy, a 28-year-old gay male hit by a car after trying to outrun his attackers in Plumb Beach, an area of Brooklyn, New York.

[citation needed] In 2016 after a 7-year hiatus, Anye Elite returned with "Yass Lawt" a song controversial for its use of religious imagery and gay sex references.

[16] In early 2006, Elite began his role as an activist by lending his talents to community initiatives including the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life in Miami, Florida.

[4] After witnessing the epidemic of new HIV infections in the Miami-Dade area, Elite started working with the University of Miami's Future Leaders of the World (F.L.O.W.)

[4] In October 2006, Logo's hit show, Noah's Arc, inspired him to influence unity and progress in the black, gay community.

[21][22][23] In February 2007, Elite helped organize Phyre, Atlanta's first weeklong celebration of black gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender history.

Elite was a spokesmodel for the campaign and was featured in a February 2007 edition of Atlanta's gay publication, Southern Voice, where he outlined the importance of the arts and their relationship to social equality.