▁the ▁numerous ▁A ID S - related ▁dise ases ▁Nom i ▁developed ▁toward ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁his ▁life . ▁Nom i ▁was ▁reported ▁to ▁be ▁gay , ▁and ▁at ▁one ▁point ▁was ▁involved ▁in ▁the ▁" r amp ant ▁prom is cu ity " ▁that ▁earned ▁John ▁Sex ▁his ▁surname ; ▁before ▁his ▁ill ness , ▁there ▁was ▁spec ulation ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁a sex ual . ▁ ▁Ill ness ▁and ▁death ▁Nom i ▁died ▁on ▁August ▁ 6 , ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁at ▁the ▁Slo an ▁K etter ing ▁Hospital ▁Center ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City , ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁cele brit ies ▁to ▁die ▁of ▁comp lications ▁from ▁A ID S . ▁ ▁In ▁popular ▁culture ▁Fil mm akers ▁such ▁as ▁Andrew ▁Horn ▁and ▁writers ▁such ▁as ▁Jim ▁Four att ▁consider ▁Nom i ▁an ▁important ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁East ▁Village ▁scene , ▁which ▁was ▁a ▁hot bed ▁of ▁development ▁for ▁punk ▁rock , ▁music , ▁the ▁visual ▁arts ▁and ▁the ▁avant - gar de . ▁Although ▁Nom i ' s ▁work ▁had ▁not ▁yet ▁met ▁with ▁national ▁commercial ▁success ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁his ▁death , ▁he ▁gar ner ed ▁a ▁cult ▁following , ▁mainly ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁and ▁in ▁France . ▁Andrew ▁Horn ' s ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁feature ▁document ary ▁about ▁Nom i ' s ▁life , ▁The ▁Nom i ▁Song , ▁which ▁was ▁released ▁by ▁Pal m ▁Pictures , ▁helped ▁sp ur ▁renew ed ▁interest ▁in ▁the ▁singer