Photos From Phoenix

Just got back from this year’s Phoenix Forum, an annual adult industry trade show. Had an AMAZING time and came away from the experience feeling more educated, rejuvenated, and motivated than ever before to make BBA the best black gay website it can possibly be!

Hosted at a beautiful resort in sunny Tempe, Arizona (right outside of Phoenix), it was pretty much your usual business convention during the day, with lots of meetings, networking, and seminars led by panels of experts from some of the most successful brands in the business on topics ranging from Virtual Reality as the potential future of porn, to tips on adapting and succeeding in a rapidly changing market, to the various legal and political challenges facing the porn industry today.

As you might expect, things got a little wilder at night with music, dancing, strippers, poker, and various parties catering to both the gay and straight crowds. On Friday night, they even had a live concert featuring the Wu-Tang Clan’s Method Man and Mix Master Mike of Beastie Boys fame.

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This year’s show overlapped with Isaiah‘s Spring Break, and since I was already planning to do some filming with him earlier in the week, I invited him to join me and represent the BBA models.

It wasn’t exactly the most racially diverse crowd, so a 6’3″ tall black college basketball player with Isaiah’s physique and striking good looks turned plenty of heads – and hopefully had many pulling up the site on their phones to check out his scenes 😉 !

This was no doubt the largest crowd of gay men he’s ever been around at one time, and I think he was a bit overwhelmed by everything at first, but ended up coming out of his shell and having a fun time with everyone. I’m sure the free lap-dances from the female strippers didn’t hurt either, LOL! (Check out the BBA Tumblr for some gifs from one of his many lap-dances). He has told me several times that it was his best Spring Break ever, and an unforgettable adventure for him for sure!

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One unexpected highlight is that I finally got to meet and hang out with the creator and owner of FlavaWorks in person for the very first time, as well as his new exclusive model Trey Donovan who I personally think is one of the hottest and most exciting new faces in black gay porn today. And believe it or not, he’s even sexier in person! (Reminded me A LOT of Blake Bishop).

It was definitely more than a little surreal to be hanging out and discussing business as an industry PEER with someone whose groundbreaking company and websites I was watching as an obsessed fan long before BBA ever began!

Isaiah and Michael Galletta

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Also had a chance to hang out and catch up with my good friend and fellow site owner Jason from SpunkWorthy.com. We started our websites around the same time back in 2009, and even though our tastes are drastically and hilariously different when it comes to guys, he has been an irreplaceable advisor, mentor, and friend to me over the years.

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Of course after several days of non-stop activity, very little sleep, and probably a little bit (okay, A LOT 😛 ) more alcohol consumption than I’m used to, I’m exhausted but also very excited and optimistic about the future of the industry and BBA in particular.

Our marathon filming in Houston during the first half of last week also went pretty well, and I have some hot surprises that I can’t wait to share with you soon 😉 ! Regular weekly updates will resume this Thursday when I’ll be kicking off BBA’s unpredictable and action-packed Spring Season!

Stay tuned to the BBA Blog and Tumblr for a couple sneak peeks over the next couple days….
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27 comments on “Photos From Phoenix
  1. Lob Taylor

    Isaiah can’t take a bad picture even if he tried. Glad he’s looking happy in this picture. His scene with Knockout lives forever burnt on my psyche! Looking forward to Thursday.

     
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      1. Jamal

        I agree running a site is difficult but u don’t see places closed for two weeks with the excuse, I’m running my own business. This excuse is getting old. I think mike needs to have the site running like clock work. we should know that the site will update every week at this time and not have to guess if we will get an update this week.

        However I must say that when Mike delivers, he delivers!!!

         
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        1. Michael

          Thanks for the compliment, but what you are still failing to realize and appreciate is that my ability to “deliver” these hot, lengthy, and truly unforgettable scenes is only possible as the result of these occasional breaks from the weekly schedule.

          I have been consistently posting weekly updates at more or less the same time every Thursday for the past several months, which is exactly what you and others have been requesting for several years. But it’s unfair and unrealistic to expect the site to be updated every single week of the year, and even major corporations with thousands of employees take breaks for major holidays at least once or twice a year!

          I have always reserved the right to take breaks from the weekly schedule when necessary. And the site’s official FAQ page has stated some version of the following for AT LEAST two or three years:

          “With rare exceptions for emergencies, major holidays, illness, etc., the site is updated with new content WEEKLY, and most of BBA’s scenes are between 30 and 90 minutes long – MUCH longer than you’ll find on most other sites! Website updates are usually posted every Thursday.”

          That is BBA’s official policy and will remain so unless you hear otherwise. Even on the RARE weeks when I’m unable to update the site, BBA’s members still enjoy unlimited streaming access to nearly *300* exclusive, original scenes that they can watch any time and any place they wish.

          If unlimited access to BBA’s entire library of content doesn’t matter to you, and these occasional breaks from the weekly schedule are really that frustrating and intolerable for you, I’d suggest that you try purchasing credits instead, that way you’re only paying for the new scenes that you want to see when they’re posted.

           
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          1. h1lda74

            With all due respect, lack of new content seems to be a recurring issue. Might I suggest you disable the 30-day membership option until you are able to cultivate a sustainable inventory of new videos so that you aren’t having to excuse yourself from updating . That way the option for credits is still available and a person is free to make due with the current videos you have. I’m sure you work extremely hard, but it isn’t “unfair” or “unreasonable” to expect value for our memberships. Regardless of what other porn companies do or how you spin it, two updates in a 30-day span isn’t value. Some of us have watched all that we wish to watch from your back catalog of films and are interested in new updates. On a positive note, I do appreciate and respect what you’re trying to do with BBA, and wish you continued success.

             
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          2. decaturbaby

            lol You stole that credit idea from me.. but it is an excellent solution to the complainers… (although unbeknownst to me, my cousin logged on to my account and renewed my membership 2 weeks ago..lol) You win again.. 🙂

             
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  2. biglarry

    Ok I feel a little better now that I see your explanation up here! Still again I’ll say there really should be a plan B when u have to take a break or something come up thats all! I do understand it is a special product u put out for the patron but in the same breath maybe u can drop outtakes or bonus footage I’ll take anything than nothing at all especially for 2wks. I’m a continuous monthly viewer and my membership just renewed and then u say no updates for 2wks…my jaw dropped as the month of March just marched by with only a couple of updates…that were good by the way! I should maybe look into the credit setup u have to see how it works also? Seemed like a good trip 4 u which is good for us/viewers too! I look forward to what unfolds in the future! Thank u for your time all the best!

     
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  3. Jo Wilf

    Let me share something… I’ve been over a year following BBA and I didn’t even watch all the scenes. If I don’t like the models featured, I’m not watching it a second time. To be honest, I watch the APOLLO-SAINT scene only when I’m horny. I hope in tomorrow’s update, APOLLO won’t be “overacting” again… just be natural.

     
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    1. Damien

      Apollo overacting? I watched that scene at least 3 times. I never saw him “overacting”….just being hot and very natural.

       
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      1. cocopop

        @Damien, I see both you and JoWilf, point. True Apollo from the start has used his acting/modeling skills along with that body, face and sexyness to win us all over. That being said I do believe he is enjoying his new role, yet still he could be a little more natural, though with him it hard to tell in this role if he truly is being natural and this is his way of getting off on being fucked now or some of both. Either way he pulls several nuts out of me each scene. Can’t wait to see a gangbang Mike.

         
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    2. Jo Wilf

      That’s my personal observation. I watched “straight porn” and the women are more natural when they get fucked than No. 1. As what I said; … don’t be overacting. be natural.

       
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  4. H-Town

    I can’t believe you were in Houston and I didn’t know!!!! Dammit!!! I could’ve assisted and probably gotten you some young, hot models lol….You would’ve had to let me watch though lol lol

     
    Reply

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