Back2Basics Magazine - Spring 2019

April 2019

FAMILY FIRST

KevOnStage and MrsKevOnStage talk life, love and the pursuit of happiness while keeping family first.

+

* Let’s Say Grace * Opposites (Don’t) Attract * Truth About Business * Tarshá Hamiltton * Stellar Awards 2019 * 20 Questions * Back2Basics Vol. 1

2 APRIL 2019 BACK2BASICSMAG.COM

CONTENTS April 2019

ON THE COVER 05 B2B Feed 06

Opposites (DON’T) Attract

07

The Truth About Business

08

Let’s Say Grace

14

Conversation with Tarshá Hamilton

17

Stellar Awards 2019

19

20 Questions

07

The Truth About Business

10 Kevin and Melissa Fredericks - Family First

14

Conversation with Tarshá Hamilton

17

Stellar Awards 2019

April 2019, Vol. 7, No. 1 Publisher Brittany N. Winkfield

LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

B2B TIP:

Contributors Hannah Banks Photography, Marisa Jackson, Shanita James, Mariam Kazadi

Put your family first. Give them the best, not what is left over.

Web Development Marcus Winkfield

Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

1 Timothy 5:8 (NIV)

Advisory Board Tracy Augustin, Philip Baptiste, John Boston, Ramona Davis, Dean Dennis, Juanita Farmer, Kymone Hinds, Marisa Jackson, Timothy Olaore, Donald Rolle, Terri Roston, Michele Solomon, Jennifer Stone

Being a mother has taught me a lot, mostly how far I still have to go to become like Jesus. Still, the lessons I have learned are priceless and I wouldn’t trade my experiences for anything.

One of the lessons I learned on my journey is that ministry begins at home. If you want to know how a person truly serves the Lord, ask their family members.

As Christians, we are a light to the world; a testimony of the grace given to us through Jesus Christ. Our neighbors are watching. What do they see when they look at our families?

What do they overhear? Laughter? Shouting? Christian love is sacrificial. As Jesus demonstrated this by dying on the cross, parents and children are called to make sacrifices for each other. Family is the first place where children can find out about love, companionship and forgiveness.

I am excited to share this issue with you as we talked to “Marriage Champions” Kevin and Melissa Fredericks, also known as KevOnStage and MrsKevOnStage. Also, be sure to find the good nuggets about being equally yoked, goal setting and the 2019 Stellar Awards all in this issue.

4 APRIL 2019 BACK2BASICSMAG.COM

Editorial and Advertising Inquiries info@back2basicsmag.com Information is correct at press time.

Signed articles do not necessarily reflect the official company policy.

Copyright © 2019. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in part or whole without permission is prohibited.

Back2Basics Magazine is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit in the United States of America.

A Christian lifestyle magazine designed to inform and inspire young people in their walk with Christ.

@back2basicsmag

b2b feed If You Don’t Know, Now You Know

MORE INFO AT WWW.UNASHAMEDTOUR.COM

A ministry dedicated to education and teaching all about healthy living. Food is desirable to all we must know how to eat and what to eat.

BACK2BASICSMAG.COM APRIL 2019 5

OPPOSITES (DON’T) ATTRACT

by Mariam Kazadi, B2B Contributor

B

B

rief disclaimer: there are areas where this statement is not true, but I would like to take a moment and address the very important time that this statement is absolutely true and should be in the forefront of our minds.

First, a shout out to great friends who send great content. Recently a longtime friend of mine told me to download the Porch app. What a blessing this app has been. The Porch is a gathering of 3,500+ young adults (20s and 30s) that come together on Tuesday nights in Dallas, Texas to celebrate the good news of Jesus, learn from God’s Word, and leave a lasting impact on the world around them. In addition to the gathering in Dallas, there are Porch Live locations across the nation. My current obsession is the fantasy series, a teaching that tears down and corrects the fantasies or false narratives we have believed about love and our “dream boy” or “dream girl.” I also recently heard Pastor Michael Todd say that before God releases, we have to remove and release the things that do not agree with God. Now my pastor, Norm Chase, says God does things in threes, and He sure did! The third revelation came when the Apostle of my church, Colette Chase, was teaching on reaching higher ground. Apostle C broke down that fact that if we are to go higher, we need tear down lies we have believed and agree with God about our great call and the abundant and unimaginable things He will do in our lives. We must detach from the parts of us and our lives that are opposite of God’s Will.

Honestly, it comes down to, do we want to maximize what we will accomplish in God this year? Do we want to ensure we fulfill our personal goals? If your answer was yes to any of these questions, then it will be imperative that you do not waste time. The greatest area I have seen people waste time, and I’m guilty too, is when we allow relationships and activities to go on that are in total disagreement with what God says. From romantic relationships with non-believers, close friends (yup, I am talking about your squad here!) to living a life that does not agree with God and old, unproductive habits and ways of thinking.

Regarding relationships, God says “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers.” – 2 Corinthians 6:14 Regarding the old man/woman and old ways of thinking, God says “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.”

– 1 Corinthians 13:11 All this leads me to believe that we can’t waste our time. I have decided and encourage you to decide that everything that does not agree with the life God says must go. Every old idea and thought has to be renewed so we can be transformed (Romans 12:2). I don’t know about you, but I despise wasting time and if you’re the same, I know you will benefit greatly by no longer allowing yourself to be attracted to things opposite the greater call within all of us. The Word of God is so specific. While the world tells us of our different love languages and we have friends who are the sugar to our spice, let’s keep this reminder very close regarding our faith: Opposites do not, cannot and we must not let them attract or attract to us!

Mariam Kazadi is a writer/speaker with an upcoming blog, for all inquiries contact mariamkazadi@yahoo.com.

6 APRIL 2019 BACK2BASICSMAG.COM

The Truth About Business

A

by Shanita R. James, B2B Contributor As we enter a new season, it is important that we not set unrealistic goals.

Most goals people set are not achieved because they are not held accountable for them. When goals are made in private, they tend to fall off because people stop being motivated, stop focusing and stop prioritizing.

The truth about business is that you need an accountability partner.

Accountability is the glue between commitment and results. An accountability partner is a person who coaches another person in terms of helping the other person keep a commitment. He or she is able to perceive what you can’t see when blind spots and weaknesses block your vision.

This person isn’t scared of you or your antics, but cares enough about you to tell you the truth and will push you when you don’t want to be pushed. They will also watch out for your best interests.

Proverbs 27:17 says “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.”

Often times we make hope our business plan, but it’s not enough to want it, you have to work for it. You get what you work for not what you wish for. This time if you stay committed to God’s plan, your vision will manifest.

RECAP: Number 1: Let’s not discredit the experiences of 2018. It was for a purpose and this is the time for you to work your vision.

Number 2: You’re not in this journey alone. I challenge you in the next 7 days to find an accountability partner who can hold your ladder.

Number 3: Faith without works is dead. Stop procrastinating and whatever the vision is, do it with the passion and tenacity that God has given you.

Shanita Robinson James Visionary and Founder of iVision 360 Consulting Firm LLC For additional information please log on to iVision360.org or call 844-592-2997

BACK2BASICSMAG.COM APRIL 2019 7

8 APRIL 2019 BACK2BASICSMAG.COM

Oakwood University USM Alumni’s new album “USM Hits Vol. 1” is a collaborative HBCU charity record.

N2A Ministries promotes partial royalty donations to the nonprofits Nathan L. Anderson Memorial Scholarship Fund and Back2Basics.

Support by downloading or streaming “USM Hits Vol. 1” today!

BACK2BASICSMAG.COM APRIL 2019 9

KEVIN & MELISSA

Family First

10 APRIL 2019 BACK2BASICSMAG.COM 10 APRIL 2019 BACK2BASICSMAG.COM

K K

evin Fredericks, also known as KevOnStage, is know for his down-to-earth, clean and fun sense of humor. Together with his wife, Melissa Fredericks, also known as MrsKevOnStage, they use their 15+ years of marriage experience to offer insight in a relatable way using candor, humor, and nuggets of wisdom. The Love Hour podcast features a variety of topics centered on love, relationships, and happiness. Most notably, the Fredericks talk about what intimacy means for men (sex) and what it means for women (time/talk). Having been dating since the age of 16, the “Marriage Champions” help couples young and old navigate the ups and downs of a relationship.

What I appreciate most is seeing how Kevin has embraced his God-given talent and found a way to get the whole family involved. Kevin and Melissa brought their two sons along for the 2018 Real Comedians of Social Media Tour featuring KevOnStage, Tahir Moore and Tony Baker. Even Melissa’s sister was on the tour team and it’s all about the Family.

10 years ago Kevin was on a 90-day performance improvement plan, about to get fired from his job at the bank. Melissa describes her life 10 years ago as being in a comfortable, safe space of a nine to five job. “I thought I knew where my life was going, or at least I had a vision of where I thought I was going, explains Melissa” It was very different from the life they live together now.

The Fredericks talk about having a little bit of money and whole lot of faith when they packed up and moved from Washington to California six years ago. “Failure is the single most important thing that has got us here,” says Kevin. Every time they lost a deal, they learned a lesson. A lot of it is learning from other people’s failure, bumping your head, getting back up and learning why that doesn’t work that way. “I’m really happy that at this point in our career that when we want to do something, we can, says Kevin.” People are so afraid to fail that they have no chance at succeeding. “I’ve used fear of failure as a handicap in a way that it paralyzes me from moving forward, explains Melissa.” Finding the balance is often the hardest thing for people to do.

“The goal of the Love Hour Podcast and Conference is to simply offer people what I feel like I missed as a newly married person,” says Melissa. “When Kevin and I first got married and I was seeking and I was searching to find answers, I couldn’t find them. I just want to offer my real-life experience to some couple who is looking for inspiration and hopefully give them a foot ahead than what we had.”

BACK2BASICSMAG.COM APRIL 2019 11

The highly anticipated Love Hour Conference is a three-day event for VIP, two-day for general admission in Atlanta July 2020. This is the event no one knew they needed featuring the best speakers, a formal event and fun date night adventures. “I want the event to feel like an extended date night, says Melissa.” Couples will get great information and memorable times together. “The Love Hour Conference is a huge undertaking, but we have, by the grace of God, the finances to put this on without any outside investments, says Kevin.”

Melissa is on a “Just Say It” campaign that empowers her to say what’s on her heart and speak her truth, even when it gets uncomfortable. “The biggest takeaway if you’re afraid of speaking your mind is recognizing what it’s doing to you by not speaking your mind.” Be honest emotionally for yourself and don’t hold back to appease someone else. You will have no peace if you are not fully integrated mind, body and soul. That is emotional integrity.

Getting back to the basics with The Stages is being centered. It’s knowing who you are, what you do and why you do it. “We do this not for fame or fortune, but to invest in the family,” says Kevin. “We often think that ministry is the world and the four walls of the church and to me, your first ministry is always your family,” explains Melissa.

For full interview, listen to the Back2Basics Podcast.

If you see them coming to your city, don’t miss out! Get your tickets at

kevonstage.com.

12 APRIL 2019 BACK2BASICSMAG.COM

africanancestry.com

BACK2BASICSMAG.COM APRIL 2019 13

Tarshรก WHERE PASSION, EXCELLENCE+ FAITH MEET 14 APRIL 2019 BACK2BASICSMAG.COM

F

rom sports to music and beyond, Cleveland, Ohio is no stranger to producing fiercely determined talent who leave undeniable marks on the world. Raised in the church, Tarshá would listen to her beautiful mother sing around the house — making her home a haven for musical expression. Because the church served as a cornerstone of their lives, Tarshá s Aunt Sandy would teach her and her siblings gospel songs as toddlers and reward them with raisins when they would sing.

With a unique and unapologetic voice, Tarshá grew up in an era with some of the most profound vocalists of our time and cites local Cleveland gospel artist LaCretia Bolden and the iconic Whitney Houston with inspiring her sound. Tarshá s rich tone has afforded her the opportunity to provide support vocals for Vesta Williams, soul singer Conya Doss, guitarist Tony Pulizzi, Grammy Award Winner Anthony Hamilton, and Grammy Award winning singer Fantasia. But background was only the beginning.

After the loss of her mother in 2000, she wrote and recorded “Determined” as part of a collection for her inspirational album “The McMillian Story.” Released in 2008, the project inspires audiences to live for themselves and not for others. Anchored in her belief that God has a plan for all, she used her talent to pen “Silence Kills,” which poetically highlights the story of her parents and brother who lived with and eventually succumbed to HIV. This blow was enough to knock a person completely into hopelessness yet Tarshá found a way to use her journey to inspire others. She became an advocate for HIV/AIDS collaborating with leaders in Atlanta, Charlotte, and Chicago. It would have been easy to quietly carry the burden of her loss.

However, Tarshá stood firm in her belief that God connects us to those with profound stories that heal.

Through grief and pain, Tarshá never quit. She toured with Anthony Hamilton for almost a decade, even marrying the platinum-selling recording artist. The two eventually welcomed two twin boys into the world and family became her ultimate priority. Tarshá chose to take a break from road life and stay home to raise her children. Yet the love for music continued.

A few years later, Tarshå formed a rock-n-roll group JPENNELOPE with her cousin James Penn. The band eventually embarked on an international tour to promote Hamilton’s album all while Tarshá was pregnant with their 3rd son. After taking time to bond with all three children, Tarshá decided to return to her Christian music roots. With the vision of adding an urban, she recorded the bold album “Sounds Like Tarshåy.”

Amidst the planning of the album’s release, Tarshá endured yet another emotional hardship when she separated and eventually divorced Hamilton under the scrutiny of the public eye. Despite the intrusion of privacy, Tarshá thrived and toured for more than a year with Grammy Award winning singer Fantasia. She then decided to take a break from the road and finish the JPENNELOPE project released in 2017. The band toured across the country including the historical Whisky A Go Go in Los Angeles.

The time is now for Tarshá to share her incredible vocal range as a solo artist with the 2018 release of “I’m Ready” featuring Hamilton. There is a magical gift in song. Tarshá is ready to break her silence. She is ready to share her story and fully prepared to stand on the challenges that were meant to break her.

BACK2BASICSMAG.COM APRIL 2019 15

NATIONAL MUSUEM OF GOSPEL MUSIC

D

WELCOME TO THE HOME OF THE FUTURE FOR GOSPEL MUSIC - CHICAGO

D

on Jackson, founder of the Stellar Gospel Music Awards , recently announced plans for the National Museum of Gospel Music. The $37.2 million project will be located close to Lake Shore Drive and the South Loop in Chicago’s Bronzeville.

16 APRIL 2019 BACK2BASICSMAG.COM

The Stellar awards 2019 with Back2Basics Magazine // #b2bmag #b2bstellars #b2btakesthestellars #stellarawards2019

J T

he 2019 Stellar Awards were lit! From the opening performance with Bishop Hezikiah Walker (@bishophez) to Jonathan McReynolds closing it out (@jonmcreynolds) it was beautifully done with host, Kirk Franklin (@ kirkfranklin), which taped on Friday, March 29 in Las Vegas at The Orleans Arena.

For the first time since 2005, The Stellar Awards telecast will premiere on BET on Sunday, April 21.

The biggest night in gospel music featured rousing performances by Brian Courtney Wilson, Charles Jenkins, Jekalyn Carr, Jonathan McReynolds, Kelontae Gavin, Koryn Hawthorne, Maranda Curtis and Todd Dulaney.

Stellar Awards Executive Producer and Founder, Don Jackson shared, “It was 35 years ago when Aretha performed ‘Precious Lord’ on my very first Gospel Music television special ‘Living the Dream.’ In recognition of Aretha’s roots in Gospel Music and her continuing love for the genre, I am delighted that our executive committee agreed to present her with our inaugural ICON Award posthumously and continue to present the award forever in her name as the Aretha Franklin ICON Award.”

Among this year’s presenters were Anthony Brown, Yolanda Adams, Dr. Bobby Jones, DeVon Franklin, Janice Gaines, JJ Hairston, the cast of American Soul, and Terry and Rebecca Crews.

The Stellar Awards nominees with multiple nominations included Jonathan McReynolds, Maranda Curtis, Todd Dulaney, Jekalyn Carr, Koryn Hawthorne, Snoop Dogg, Tori Kelly, Bishop Noel Jones & City of Refuge Sanctuary Choir, Jarell Smalls and Company, Kelontae Gavin and Tasha PageLockhart.

Jonathan McReynolds (above) was the big winner during the 34th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards.

McReynolds took home eight trophies during the awards show, including artist of the year, song of the year, male vocalist of the year, CD of the year, producer of the year, contemporary CD of the year, contemporary male vocalist of the year, and urban/ inspirational single or performance of the year. During his acceptance speech for song of the year he said ““Ma, since I have not been able to give you grandkids yet, I hope this helps.”

This year’s Stellar Awards will recognize gospel music royalty who have made substantial contributions to the genre with special honors. Legendary gospel singer Delores Washington Green of The Caravans will receive The Ambassador Dr. Bobby Jones Legends Award.

Stellar Honors Hall of Fame Inductees include Jackie Patillo (Dove Awards), James Robinson, Jr. (Malaco Gospel) and Phil Thornton (RCA Inspiration).

Be sure to tune in to BET on Easter Sunday to experience praise and worship like never before! For a full list of winners visit back2basicsmag.com/b2b-feed

BACK2BASICSMAG.COM APRIL 2019 17

www.nuekie.com

18 APRIL 2019 BACK2BASICSMAG.COM

Got answers? Hit us up at back2basicsmag.com/20Q.

20Q UE STIO NS

19

02 10

08

16

01 What are you excited about?

------------------------------------------------------------------------02 Will you be watching the Clark Sisters biopic?

------------------------------------------------------------------------03 Are you tidying up your home/life?

------------------------------------------------------------------------04 Who is excited about Toy Story 4?

------------------------------------------------------------------------05 What gets you in your feelings?

------------------------------------------------------------------------06 Dead at 33? When is change ‘gon come?

------------------------------------------------------------------------07 Where are the west side cities on the

Unashamed Forever tour?

------------------------------------------------------------------------08 How do you feel about Madea dying?

------------------------------------------------------------------------09 Are you feeling grown yet?

------------------------------------------------------------------------10 Will you be at the 2020 Love Hour Conference?

------------------------------------------------------------------------11 Why are LifeWay Christian Stores closing?

------------------------------------------------------------------------12 Did you know Yolanda Adams sells handbags?

------------------------------------------------------------------------13 What makes an influencer successful?

------------------------------------------------------------------------14 How is it April already?

------------------------------------------------------------------------15 What do you do when there’s nothing to do?

------------------------------------------------------------------------16 Did you know you are a billboard of God’s grace?

------------------------------------------------------------------------17 Have you completed your taxes?

------------------------------------------------------------------------18 How do you pray to God? ------------------------------------------------------------------------19 Could Cory Booker could be our first

vegan president?

------------------------------------------------------------------------20 Are you winning 2019?

BACK2BASICSMAG.COM APRIL 2019 19