Writer Brontez Purnell Pens Tribute to Black '80s Gay Porn Performer Gene Lamar for 'Them'

Writer Brontez Purnell Pens Tribute to Black '80s Gay Porn Performer Gene Lamar for 'Them'

LOS ANGELES — Acclaimed cult writer Brontez Purnell has penned a heartfelt tribute to legendary Black 1980s porn performer Gene Lamar.

In an essay for news and culture website Them, Purnell, who is currently promoting his new book, “Ten Bridges I’ve Burnt: A Memoir in Verse,” praises Lamar as a “vers” icon and highlights his “epic rise as the classic face of 1980s porn and his complete disappearance from the porn world in 2003.”

Lamar’s IADF page includes over 100 credits, most of them between 1985 and 1998, with a smattering listed up through 2005, though some could be reissues of earlier material.

“There was one man who had lurked in the shadows of my imagination for years,” Purnell writes of Lamar. For Purnell, seeing Lamar for the first time in “Soul and Salsa 2,” which features a spectacular Black and Latino orgy, was a formative experience. 

“What made him noteworthy was that he was a vers Black actor, equally bottoming and topping in most interracial scenes, defying the industry trend of predominantly showing Black men topping in such scenarios,” he explains.

Purnell contacted a friend who worked as the archivist for classic 1980s porn studio Bijou Films, and dug up an interview with Lamar conducted after the first decade of his career.

“Through the conversation, I learned that Lamar was born and raised in Los Angeles — the Watts neighborhood, specifically — and was the third oldest of five brothers and sisters,” Purnell writes. “His mother was a vocal coach; he was also a singer. In the conversation, he asserts that he started as a runway and print model when he was 18. At 22, he married a woman, with whom he had one son. Elsewhere, he shared, ‘I like guys more so than women,’ though clarifies he didn’t get into gay life until he was 32.”

Much of Lamar’s work, Purnell notes, “hasn’t made it onto a digital file (and there’s quite a lot), rendering much of his legacy in a liminal space.” 

Declaring himself a die-hard Lamar fan, Purnell shares a wish list of select titles he intends to procure in VHS, the only format available to experience his idol’s work: “Balls To The Wall 5: A Touch Of Salsa And Coffee,” “Best Of Blacks, Black And Packed 5,” “Black Balled,” “Black Balls 2,” “Black Bullet Video Pac 12,” “Black Heat,” “Black Secret,” “Cream And Coffee 5,” “Duo 1,” “Hot Chocolate,” “Hung And Dangerous” and “In The Black.”

Purnell concludes the article by thanking Lamar for bringing beauty into the world and offering “a sense of joy and erotic hope in a racist and homophobic world.”

To read Brontez Purnell’s “Searching for Gene Lamar, the Vers Legend of ’80s Black Gay Porn,” visit Them.com.

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

2025 XMA Creator Awards Winners Announced

Winners of the 2025 XMA Creator Awards were revealed Wednesday evening during a live ceremony at M2 Nightclub in Miami Beach. The event, presented by Fansly, was hosted by Abella Danger.

Hollywood Cash Talks Style, Strategy, and XMA Gold

Hollywood Cash lounges in a hotel suite, relaxing after a long day on set. Draped in a thick designer bathrobe — ivory white with sleek black-and-gold trim — and matching slippers, he looks like he stepped out of a high-end lifestyle shoot.

Eva Angelina Makes Her MILFY Debut

Eva Angelina has made her debut for Vixen Media Group studio imprint MILFY in a gangbang scene titled “Yes Chief.”

Chloe Amour Toplines Latest 'Hardcore Anal Superstars' From Hard X

Chloe Amour headlines the fourth volume of "Hardcore Anal Superstars" from XEmpire studio brand Hard X.

Liz Flynt Debuts 'Hustler: 50 Years of Freedom' Book

Liz Flynt has released her new retrospective book, “Hustler: 50 Years of Freedom.”

Cubbi Thompson: On a Wild Ride All Her Own

How do you relax after a hard day’s work? A) Sprawl on the couch, B) Soak in the tub, or C) Head straight for the nearest theme park and jump on the roller coaster.

Elizabeth Skylar, Selena Ivy Topline 'My Friend's Lesbian Daughter 4'

Elizabeth Skylar and Selena Ivy headline the latest release from Girlfriends Films, titled “My Friend's Lesbian Daughter 4.”

Asa Akira to Deliver XBIZ Talk at Miami Conference

XBIZ is pleased to announce that decorated performer, Pornhub brand ambassador, and author Asa Akira is set to deliver an exclusive talk at XBIZ Miami.

Rachael Cavalli: From Small Town Girl to MILF Next Door

Cavalli always wanted to be an actress. Like so many others, she moved to Los Angeles with dreams of mainstream stardom. Hollywood was indeed glamorous, she discovered, but making rent was another matter.

Yhivi, Kira Noir Star in Latest From Brazzers

Yhivi stars alongside Kira Noir and Victor Ray in the latest release from Brazzers.

Show More