He participated in Harlem's drag balls with "children" from his House of Ninja. Like other ball "houses", HoN was a combination of extended social family and dance troupe, with Ninja as its Mother. He taught his "children" late into the night on the old Christopher Street pier and at the underground clubs. 　　Ninja was a featured dancer in many music videos including Malcolm McLaren's "Deep in Vogue" and "I Can't Get No Sleep" by Masters At Work featuring India. In 1994, he released his single "Hot" (another Masters At Work production) on Nervous Records. Ninja's later career included runway modeling for Jean-Paul Gaultier, performing with dance companies under Karole Armitage, and providing instruction to Paris Hilton on perfecting her walk. He opened a modeling agency, Elements of Ninja, in 2004, and made an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Ninja was also prominently featured in the 1990 documentary Paris is Burning and the 2006 documentary release How Do I Look directed by Wolfgang Busch. 　　Ninja also danced in two of Janet Jackson's videos from her Album Rhythm Nation 1814, one of which was "Alright", whose remix featured late rap star Heavy D and cameo appearances by Cab Calloway, Cyd Charisse, and The Nicholas Brothers. He also was featured in "Escapade". 　　Ninja worked hard to care for his mother, Esther Leake, a wheelchair-bound woman suffering from Parkinson's. Her trips with Ninja to the ballet and the Apollo were inspiration for his later endeavors in dance. 　　Ninja died of AIDS-related heart failure in New York City on September 2, 2006 at age 45, and after his death, he continues to inspire many artists and music DJs. Ninja is a central figure in scholarship in LGBTQ studies, gender studies, and performance studies for his nonconforming and transgressive gender expression as an artist. His presence is articulated in the book Black Sexualities by Juan Battle and Sandra L. Barnes as one example.