CBU Emagazine November 2017

NOVEMBER 2017 E-Magazine

Save Th Thee Date Saturday, December 9, 2017

Remimakuo Annual Holiday Party Like them on Facebook and go to www.facebook.com/Remimakuo/ for loca�on of the event and updates

We look forward to having you all there. It's a great time to end this very tumultuous year on a beautiful note. Please remember that we take donations (instead of cash for entry) for youth at risk. You're welcome to donate gift cards, winter clothing, or cash.

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Cra�ed Lifestyle is a brand geared towards providing healthy nutri�onal fully prepared fresh meals to your door. We believe that living a healthy lifestyle should be inexpensive, stress free and ge�ng you one step closer to your goal. Our company mo�o towards living a healthy lifestyle is the 80/20 rule which consists of 80% nutri�onal healthy eats and 20% fitness.

Cra�ed meals cuts down on your food cost for the week. We have all been in that place where we say, “I don’t have �me to do all that cooking”. No problem! Use that �me to accomplish other goals and dreams.

We will do all the work while you reap the benefits. This program will help jump start a be�er way of ea�ng and meet you fitness goals. This is a WIN-WIN!

These

Male Models

Are Serving

Natural Hair

Fierceness Too!

Yassine Rahal - Yassine is Morroccan, based in Paris, and tore up Parisian runways this season. He has also graced the pages of Vogue Netherlands, and is signed to modeling agencies all over the world. Chiseled features and awless curls.

Reece King - With a major Instagram fan base, and MTV, Adidas,and Pause Mag on his resume, Reece has done very well as a new face in the industry. He is signed to Supa Models, based in London, and is a street style icon in his own right. With aspira�ons of his own clothing line, we will be seeing him everywhere soon.

Jordun Love - Once you have walked Givenchy runway, posed for Chanel editorial, and done print for H&M you would think you would be exhausted – this Trinidadian model just keep on going. Only 19 years old, Jordan has quickly gained success in the modeling world. Known for his androgynous look, he blends feminine and masculine in an eortless way.

Michael Lockley - This fashion new comer was a staple on basically every Spring/ Summer 2016 runway. Michael is a 17-year-old naďż˝ve Brooklynite who already has Tommy HilďŹ ger and Yeezy Season 2 on his resume. The golden coils and pouty lips are an insanely perfect combo.

Al Fofana - The French model may be new on the scene, but Al Fofana’s dazzling looks, great smile, and tall frame, have made him a favorite in print and runway campaigns.

Dorian Cobb - Most recognized from his print work in H&M ads, Dorian is signed to DNA NY & Ford Homme modeling agency. Born in Brooklyn, this magical mane man has rocked runways for Kenneth Cole and Nadaam – and as the love interest in Swedish recording ar�st Mapei’s video for “Don’t Wait”..

Anthony Leon - Anthony is an Atlanta-based ďŹ tness trainer, who thankfully shares his abs with the world in print campaigns and independent acďż˝ng gigs. He many not have the padded resume of some others on this list, but with his perfect mix of hulk and hunk we have no doubt he will soon.

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Then this happen…

Yesterday morning I was walking down State Street a�er leaving the farmers market. As l crossed the street I no�ced two young Black boys. They were bucket boys who perform on the street --- about 16 years old. I was walking behind them and could see the en�re behind of one young man. His pants were BELOW his behind and he had on bright red underwear.

People were looking and shaking their heads. I became so sad because I thought - that baby doesn't know that he is a King. I wanted to say something to him but I hesitated because I didn't know how he would respond. Finally he saw his crew and stopped at the spot where he was going to perform. I said a prayer and walked up to him. I felt God saying to me "you have to say something." I went up to him and said hello then I asked him did he know he was a King. He looked as me and I said it again. He smiled at me. I told him you are a leader and entrepreneur. You have a business and you are making money. Don't forget who you are. He immediately pulled his pants up. I said yes pull those pants up and walk like the King that you are. This beau�ful Black boy changed right in front of my eyes. He stood taller and his smile was bigger and he thanked me several �mes and agreed that he was a King.

All I'm saying is a word of encouragement can change a person. Encourage and love on one person today. Xoxo -- Ms. Robin Beman

Artist

joseph mckinney The Artistry and Thoughts of a Black Mind

A young, talented millennial brother, based in Minneapolis, Minnesota is currently working for American Gree�ngs. He chose the corporate path as his full �me gig but in his down�me, his real passion leads him to take on the mantel of ar�st.

What this brother does with paper, pencils, paints and canvases is so on point in these tumutuos �me for black men. the result of what he pulls from his soul and experiences as an AfricanAmerican man is truly PHENONMENAL!

CBU Emag stumbled across this brother’s work through Instagram. We called him up and brought some of his work and asked for an interview.

He said yes and made his way to Chicago. He was nervous but very laid back but he impressed us not only with his art but his desire to show AfricanAmericans and especially AfricanAmerican men in the best posi�ve light through his art. We can’t argue with that because that is what our emag is all about.

Joseph creates colorful, eye-popping, lavish landscapes of masculine and feminine pain�ngs that are focused on strength and dignity that showcase bold dark themes, pop culture and music.

Once you see his style of ar�stry, you will know it anywhere.

Take a moment and join us as we delve deeper into Joseph’s art and his world.

Tell us a li�le about yourself?

I'm 25 years old and originally from a small town called Mount Healthy in Cincinna�, Ohio. I have 6 siblings (1 older and the rest younger).

I graduated from Ohio State University with a degree in Business Marke�ng, Currently, I’m working for American Gree�ng Cards.

What inspires you to do art?

There are mul�ple things that inspire my art, such as, music, culture, societal norms and current issues. But most importantly, my art is inspired by the lack of representa�on of African Americans in a posi�ve light.

Every �me you turn on the news, you see nega�ve images of black people, whether it be through death, crime, or police brutality and it’s everywhere.

If you go into art museums you also see minimal representa�ons of black people depicted in art. I think it’s important to paint us as kings, queens, dreamers and doers because as we grow old, we will need to insure that the youth that come a�er us, realize how important we actually are through art.

Vende�a

How do you work and what materials do you like to work with?

Art is a process. There are mul�ple steps and there different approaches needed before you can say you've created a masterpiece.

As far as the materials I use, I like to work mostly with paint (oil, acrylic, and spray paints).

What does your art mean to you?

Art has always been my first love. It took me a while to realize that this is exactly what I'm supposed to be doing.

There was a point where I turned my back on my art and let society tell me what I should be doing with my life.

Then I realized that God gave me a gi� and the ability to vocalize my thoughts and feelings through my art.

There are so many things that go through my mind and heart that inspire me and those influences allow me to be able to paint on a canvas to showcase my inspira�ons for the world to see.

Art is my form of expression to express what I’m thinking and feeling. It’s the founda�on I will need to help shape and cul�vate the world I want to live in.

Posi�ve Vibes Only - 48"X36" Acrylic Paint

As I look at your art, I see the black male represented proudly and prominently throughout your work. Can you explain why?

Unfortunately, we live in a society where the percep�on of black men is not only inaccurate but extremely nega�ve.

Posi�ve images of black men need to be seen. I feel like as long as I have a pla�orm to paint a more posi�ve image of us, I will do so. I’m �red of seeing us stereotyped and oppressed, those �mes are over. It’s �me for our true strengths to be depicted throughout society,

And what about women?

Black women face not only racial discrimina�on but gender discrimina�on as well.

Posi�ve images of their strength, love, and perseverance need to be depicted as well. Black women are the backbones of black men, we need to realize and respect this and show our women more love. So, when I get a chance to paint Black Queens, I aim to showcase their beauty, love, awareness, crea�vity, and knowledge.

Also, I see your signature figures in all your pieces.

Who or what is it and what does it represent exactly?

The “Paper People” are an omnipresence that symbolizes the hidden, yet true, nature of people. They transcend race, culture, and emo�on. Though in human form, they are not confined to the rules of our society. They are undefined, unrestricted and don’t succumb to stereotypes.

They are free—free to write their own des�ny and walk their own paths. They are the blank sheets that scribe the complexi�es of our human experience.

What memorable responses have you had to your work?

People have said a lot of posi�ve things about my artwork. I don't think there is one response that stands out more than others. I appreciate every bit of love I get, whether it’s big or small. I'm just thankful that people actually are inspired and are affected by the work that I’ve produced.

When people see your work, what do you want them to take away from it?

My art tells stories. On the surface, you might think it’s simple, but once you pick apart the li�le things, viewers can really get an idea of what I was envisioning when I created the piece.

When you’re sharing your gi� with the world whether it be pain�ng, music or dance, remember that it takes a certain level of vulnerability and courage to put your work out there.

The POTUS 48"X48" Acrylic Pain�ng

Where would you like your art to take you?

I want my art to serve as a founda�on to build and create a brand that spreads art and crea�vity around the world.

Right now, I'm working on growing a clothing brand to do just that.

Ul�mately, I’d like to use my art to take over the world.

I want my pieces to con�nue to inspire and upli� people around me, much like many of our musical ar�st today.

What would be your dream project?

I would love to do a giant mural project. It would also be pre�y dope to do a piece for the President, President Obama that is.

How can others ďŹ nd your art?

IG: @Josephth3dreamer

Website: www.blackmindclothing.com

Nasir 30" X 36" Acrylic Paint

If you could not do art anymore, what else are you passionate about and why?

I would say sing and dance, but I can't do either. So I would remain in business marke�ng, and help create and grow other brands. I might also try some modeling and ac�ng.

Only a lighter note, we’ve been asked if you are single and if so, are you looking?

I am single, and I don't think I'm looking but I wouldn't be opposed to a rela�onship or something more serious if the right person came around. Un�l then, I will just con�nue to have fun and build my dreams.

Do you model and if not, would you be interested?

I don't model, but I would love to get into it. From what I've learned so far it’s a lot more challenging then just posing and ge�ng your photo taken. With prac�ce, I could be great at it.

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ENTREPRENEURS

How Microlending Can Help You Start A Business This is a smart way to get the funding you need for your startup

If you want to start a business, you’ve probably thought of using your savings, asking friends and family for help, pu�ng expenses on your credit card, and applying for a tradi�onal bank loan. The first two op�ons work well, provided you’ve got a li�le socked away and your nearest and dearest believe in your dreams as much as you do. The third could put your personal credit in serious jeopardy, not to men�on racking up some crazy interest charges.

The fourth, tradi�onal bank loans, aren’t always easy to come when you’re an entrepreneur (perhaps surprisingly). That’s where microloans come into the picture. Read on to learn more about how microlenders can help you get that $10,000 or $20,000 you need to cover your costs to get your business going.

How Do Microloans Work?

If you’re in the early stages of funding your business, you can borrow up to $35,000-50,000 from a small, community-based nonprofit organiza�on called a microlender. These work with the SBA (Small Business Associa�on), and there are about 160 of them throughout the country. Think of them as intermediaries monitored by the SBA. Of course, there are also microlenders who receive their funding from state or local governments instead of the SBA, and s�ll others who operate through philanthropies. You can search for one based on your geographic area or other criteria specific to your business. Once you have a microloan, which has a short �me period and a low interest rate, you’re ready to take care of those startup expenses and start profi�ng so you can pay back the loan. Even those who need just a li�le capital or who have a limited credit history are eligible to apply–in fact, those descrip�ons apply to most of those who choose microloans in the first place.

How Do I Get Started?

Start by determining what your expenses are going to be. You may want to sit down with an accountant so that they can look at your business plan and help you project costs during the ini�al startup period. Once you know how much money you’ll need, it’s important to ensure that your projected profits will allow you to make monthly payments on the loan.

Even if you don’t want to work with an accountant, you do need to create a business plan using a template. Then you’ll need to begin searching for the microlender that’s right for you. You can find one in your local area by talking to other business owners or business groups, and you can also check with the SBA’s microlending directory online. Be prepared to put up collateral, like your car or home, and to invest some of your own money. For most lenders, you’ll need a decent credit score–anything under 575 probably won’t cut it.

What Should I Look for in a Microloan?

You’ll want to make sure that the microloan you sign doesn’t require the microlender to sign off on every single business decision you make. While they deserve to understand your business plan and to be paid in a �mely fashion, the way you run your business should ul�mately be up to you. Of course, the interest rate should be significantly lower than you would expect from a credit card–think under 12%. You also need to weigh the risks and benefits of signing before you actually put ink to paper. If you’re not able to pay back the loan, you might very well have to file for bankruptcy to save your collateral, which will destroy your credit score for years. Microloans can be a fantas�c op�on for the business savvy; just don’t bite off more than you can chew.

This ar�cle was wri�en by Will Lipovsky and originally appeared on DUE.com.

Will Lipovsky is a full-�me personal finance freelance writer. His work has been published on Yahoo Finance, Credit.com, the Department of Defense Technical Informa�on Center, Lifehacker and elsewhere. His most embarrassing moment was telling a Microso� execu�ve, “I’ll just Google it.”

Due is a payments, eCash, online invoicing, �me tracking, global payments, and digital wallet solu�on for freelancers, small business owners, and companies of all sizes.

MOST C R EAT I V E PEOP LE 2017

Porter Braswell CEO, Jopwell with Ryan Williams For building a pipeline

Former Goldman Sachs employees Porter Braswell and Ryan Williams created recrui�ng site Jopwell to let companies more easily connect with minori�es. The pla�orm—which is being used by Facebook, Airbnb, and Pfizer, among others—is also home to digital magazine The Well, which helps advise and empower minority job seekers. Two years a�er its 2015 launch, Jopwell has grown into a leading tool for both businesses and candidates from underrepresented communi�es.

“You can’t seek an opportunity if you don’t know it exists,” says Williams. “We found ourselves working on Wall Street largely because there was an established pipeline [from certain universi�es to financial ins�tu�ons]. We didn’t realize that we could work at Facebook or Google despite the fact that we are not engineers.”

Now minority job seekers can create profiles on Jopwell and search open posi�ons, smoothing the process for both candidates and companies. Next, Braswell and Williams hope to focus on helping community members thrive a�er they get hired. “A lot of our focus [for the future] is tackling that second step,” says Braswell. “Jopwell got you a job— now we’re going to help you climb the ladder. We want to build an en�re workforce of leaders within corporate America.”

RESISTANCE BANDS TRAINING

IF YOU'RE THE type who has been an avid li�er for years, you've probably experienced the following situa�ons: Your joints have go�en achy from all the heavy weights, you've go�en bored with your workouts, or that great job you have sends you on the road with limited �me and space to work out. There's a simple, easy, versa�le solu�on to all three— resistance bands. If you've got achy joints, or are slowly recovering from an injury, bands are a lower-impact op�on to build muscle while keeping your joints out of harm's way. If you're bored to death with your current workouts, bands create a new way to s�mulate muscle growth by making it easier to control the resistance and keep it consistently on the targeted muscle. Or, if you're stuck in a hotel room for days on end, bands are easy enough to pack for a workout just about anywhere.

What is a Resistance Band?

So, what exactly is a resistance band? Put simply, it is a huge elas�c rubber band that is used in strength training. Its mechanism of ac�on is similar to that of a cable machine. It allows you to keep constant tension on a par�cular muscle. It also involves several stabilizer muscles that are used to keep the band properly aligned throughout various resistance band workouts for men. Thus, it works several muscle groups throughout the course of an en�re set of exercises.

Exercises with resistance bands can feel more difficult than heavy weight exercises since the tension remains constant. However, with some imagina�on, they can make a workout session more interes�ng since they can be used in a variety of ways.

Choosing the Right Resistance Band:

Resistance bands are usually color-coded based on the level of tension they offer—very heavy, heavy, medium, and light. For beginners, it is a good idea to choose the lowest tension resistance band. They can gradually work their way up to higher tension levels. Buying heavy, medium and light resistance bands will help work different muscle groups. Also, it is wise to buy bands that have padded handles instead of hard plas�c since they’re easier to grip and comfortable to hold.

As if this wasn’t enough, resistance bands are also available in different designs—double bands, circular bands, figure 8s, and so on. For starters, men can choose the simple, long tube with handles. Once the exercises with resistance bands have been mastered, they can move on to the other types of exercise bands on offer.

Another point to keep in mind when choosing and buying these bands is that many exercises with resistance bands involve a�aching them in different ways. A sturdy stair rail or a firm pole is sufficient.

However, if these things are not present, then buying door a�achments is a good idea.

Bene)ts of Resistance Band Workouts for Men

Resistance band workouts have mul�ple benefits versus heavy weights or gym machines.

Cost-effec�ve: As compared to the cost of gym memberships or weights, resistance bands are quite inexpensive.

They are priced depending on the type, tension level, design, material, and brand of resistance band. Thus, for men who want to build and maintain muscle mass without burning a hole in their pockets, this is a good op�on.

Storage Space: Due to their compact size, resistance bands can be easily stored at home or in the office. They can even be packed in a suitcase, to be carried to one’s hotel room while traveling. Exercising was never this convenient! Do we really need to give you more reason to start resistance band workouts for men?

Versa�lity: Resistance band workouts for men can be varied in a number of ways. This is its prime advantage over strength training using weights, wherein only a certain number of exercises can be done. The body’s posi�oning can be changed in a number of ways and this changes the way an exercise feels.

Safety: Exercise band workouts are quite safe as compared to using heavy weights. They also have a lower impact on the joints, thus shielding them from harm and pain. Although they appear to be more difficult, they’re actually be�er for men who are prone to exercise-related injuries.

Whole Body Exercise: Resistance band workouts for men ensure that the muscle groups of the en�re body are used. Since the body needs to be stabilized while exercising using resistance bands, it involves all the muscles and provides a great workout.

Can be teamed up with other regular exercises: Resistance band workouts for men can be safely performed along with one’s regular exercises, such as aerobics. These exercises are a fun way to strengthen muscles and keep fit.

This exercise with resistance bands makes the upper body stronger while working the

muscles of the arms, chest, back and abs.

• Hold the handles of the resistance band in each hand and stretch it across your upper back or shoulders. Ensure that the resistance band is below your armpits.

• Keeping the ends of the resistance band firmly in your hands, get into pushup posi�on. Ensure that your feet are held together.

• Lower your body to complete one repe��on of the resisted push up.

• If the resistance band that you’re using is not flat, it is a good idea to drape a towel over your upper back to protect against “band burn.” If the exercise gets too easy, resistance can be increased by shortening the length of the band. However, if you feel that the exercise is difficult, an easier version involves performing the pushups on your knees.

Banded Good Morning

Although this move looks like it would hurt your lower back, it in fact has the opposite effect. The good morning is a great developer for those muscles; and the use of a band makes it more like a physical therapy exercise than a tradi�onal li�. Not only that, but this exercise will assist you in the squat, allowing you to load up more weight on the bar.

Finally

Building muscle isn’t just for bodybuilders. When you’re doing resistance exercises, you’re building and maintaining the amount of thickness in your bones, otherwise referred to as bone mass and density. This kind of exercise is easy to squeeze into your daily rou�ne, too, even if you’re on the road. We suggest purchasing inexpensive suspension straps, which you can carry in your bag. You have the ability to do single arm chest presses, leg curls and core work, and you don’t even need to leave your hotel room. Resistance training is extremely important for both genders in preven�ng osteoporosis.

CBU Salutes

Women of Excellence

She not only slays us with music and fashion but she has become quite the business mogul with her new makeup line ‘Fenty.” It con�nues to make millions and sells out.

Rhianna

This girl here has put BLACK LOVE and BLACK LIFE back on the map in its RAW form and it has been fun, smart and definitely in your face. ( If you’ve seen INSECURE, you get what I mean! )

Issa

janet

Simply, just 3 words. Janet Is Back! Back on tour and doing it all as a new mom. We’ve missed you. We are happy to see the dance moves and that killer smile, again What does she have in store for us in 2018?

Black don’t crack!

So true when we hear that this 59 year old powerhouse keeps popping up flawless.

This queen will be the queen mother in 2018’s Black Panther movie.

Angela

The black version of Wonder Woman!

Smart, Strong, Fierce and a Warrior on and off the court.

Several tennis �tles under her belt and now a new mother.

Can’t wait to see her back on the court.

Serena

She is one tough COOKIE! Beau�ful, intelligent, sexy, a mother and single.

She has shown us that she can be tough but lovable but she always has your back.

Taraji

Flawless beauty and music aren’t the only things this woman is known for. She acts, as well and a�er two great roles in spectacular films, we now know there is more to this lovely and we love this.

Janelle

Beyonce

Bey, ain’t play with us and it is easy to see because we all got in forma�on when she commanded it.

She con�nues to wow us despite having mega success in music.

She has become a mom, again., and we are not even referring to her new role in Disney’s new live ac�on remake of the Lion King movie.

Don’t cry for V.

Emmy, Golden Globe and Oscar winner.

It has been a helluv year for this talented actress.

We are so proud of her!

Viola

Click Here To See The Trailer

Click Here To See The Trailer

RAPHAEL

Raphael Saadiq Is the Most Underappreciated R&B Ar�st of All Time.

Yeah, I Said It

By Panama Jackson for VerySmartBrothas.TheRoot.com

SAADIQ

Raphael Saadiq On March 17, 2017, terrible human being-turnedterrible human being plus chicken-wing savant, Rick Ross, dropped his ninth studio album, Rather You Than Me. The first song on the album is called “Apple of My Eye.” As I listened to this song for the first �me, a very familiar voice, one I’ve been listening to since I was 9 years old (I’m currently 38), came booming through the system: that of Raphael Saadiq.

The man who told me in 1990 that it never rained in Southern California (absolutely not true—it does rain, just not enough) and had me ready to “dance tonight” (every night) in 2000 is s�ll showing up on albums in 2017 by one of the more famous rappers in the game. S�ll sounding crisp as ever; making music worth listening to.

It was at that moment I realized a simple fact: Raphael Saadiq might be the most underappreciated ar�st in music, but especially R&B. Ever.

Ever.

I hear you looking at me; I’m not crazy. Think about it. For real for real. Why do I say the most underappreciated? Simple. When was the last �me you had a conversa�on about great ar�sts and Raphael Saadiq’s name came up? I’ll wait. This despite the fact that he’s not only been around for what feels like my en�re life, but has been making music that I’ve listened to during that en�re span.

Even his Wikipedia page is disrespec�ul; Ja Rule’s page is more in-depth.

On March 17, 2017, terrible human being-turnedterrible human being plus chicken-wing savant, Rick Ross, dropped his ninth studio album, Rather You Than Me. The first song on the album is called “Apple of My Eye.” As I listened to this song for the first �me, a very familiar voice, one I’ve been listening to since I was 9 years old (I’m currently 38), came booming through the system: that of Raphael Saadiq.

The group brought us such classics as “Anniversary,” “Lay Your Head (on My Pillow),” “No Loot,” “Let’s Get Down,” “Thinkin’ of You” and “Just Me and You,” and you know that, especially given later successes, Raphael was at least driving 75 percent of the �me on that road trip. House of Music? It’s like bu�er, baby, and hinted, substan�ally, at where he’d be going, especially with his solo works and D’Angelo. Put a pin in D’Angelo.

During this �me comes the real solo hammer: 1995’s “Ask of You” from the Higher Learning soundtrack. Bruh. I ain’t saying it’s the most ’90s

song of all �me—or the best—but this song made its way onto almost every “You My Boo” mixtape back when those were actually casse�e tapes. It is that dope a song. Not to men�on, his harmonica game was on a hundred-thousand trillion.

The years 1999 and 2000 were huge for Raphael and the culture. Along with Ali Shaheed Muhammad from A Tribe Called Quest and Dawn Robinson from En Vogue, Saadiq brought us Lucy Pearl, a group project that included the song “Dance Tonight” but was, on its own merits, an album chock-full of dope jams and smooth riddims. I s�ll rock this album— front to back—today. That was ’99. In 2000 he helped D’Angelo channel his vision for the song “Un�tled (How Does It Feel)“ from the Voodoo album, which led to “the video.” Don’t forget, though, Saadiq was a significant part of D’Angelo’s song “Lady” from Brown Sugar.

Thus far, we’ve got the three Tony/i/es, Lucy Pearl, D’Angelo and solo recordings, all yielding magnificent results.

But 2002 is when the rubber hit the road, fam. He released his debut album (a solid 14 years a�er really hi�ng the scene) with the ABSOLUTE, INARGUABLY classic album Instant Vintage. From “Doing What I Can” to “Skyy, Can You Feel Me,” the en�re album was one big-ass ride though musical perfec�on. If you have never heard this album, you absolutely should head to your nearest streaming service and listen.

You’re welcome.

Let’s skip a li�le bit, seeing as how Saadiq’s catalog includes produc�on for a plethora of ar�sts from Angie Stone to Erykah Badu to Bobby Valen�no. But take a gander—a goose, if you will—to 2016, when Solange Knowles drops an album that had unicorns and gangstas alike looking for cranes in the sky, the relevantly �tled A Seat at the Table. Saadiq was instrumental in helping Solange see through her vision to cra� an album that was heralded and lauded by cri�cs from all corners of the musical kingdom.

Even a�er all of those musical contribu�ons, Saadiq has garnered very few Grammy nods or wins (just one, I believe), and rarely is his name included in conversa�ons about music’s most important or significant figures. Largely, I think it’s due to his vocal range, which isn’t exemplary, though I am a big fan of his voice and vocal performances on recordings.

He’s a singer whose strength as a songwriter outshines his vocal abili�es, even if he has one of the most dis�nc�ve voices in R&B ever. I can’t think of any other reason why somebody who

has worked with the range of ar�sts he’s worked with, who’s created the body of work he’s created and been able to successfully create music of different stylings across decades and eras, who has songs that are vital to the listening experience of a par�cularly strong decade of R&B, and who is responsible for some of the most compelling music of several ar�sts’ careers doesn’t even have an episode of Unsung and might be, textbook, the most unsung black ar�st ever, considering his contribu�ons.

Saadiq deserves a seat at the table of R&B greats, and hopefully, he gets his due one day.

V I N T A G E

SUNGLASSES

Tell us a li�le about yourself, Lynn?

I’m from Sikeston, MO. I’m 50 years old, I’m into comics, art, love music, dance, photography and comics. Comics are a form of entertainment for me, too.

What made you decide to pursue photography?

I’ve always loved photography, even as a kid. I use to check out books from the library and I would take them home and keep them for weeks and that’s been like forever. Over the years, I collected magazine covers, newspaper clippings and stuff that I felt was beau�ful to look at. I had folders and folders of clippings and photos that I would tear out of magazines and newspapers that I would keep them from �me to �me and I will look at them to see how people shot their photos.

When I was a kid I didn’t know anything about photography but I knew that I loved it. I had a big scrapbook of photos; album covers and just tons of things that I loved and it just amazed me when I looked at these things. I would just spend my days just imagining how photographers took their photos.

Then, one day, I just picked up a camera and I just started shoo�ng all types of things. I shot photos off and on over the years but I never really took it seriously and about six years ago I invested in a digital camera and started taking it seriously. Then one day I decided to teach myself because no one wanted to teach me. Then I started to get into ity because a couple of pictures started to come out really nice.

What does photography mean to you?

For me, it is an expression of ar�stry.

Everyone in my mind is an ar�st. We all create art in a different way. It is how you see the world. Everyone shoots a different way. It’s a way to express myself. It’s a way to show things how I see them. I don’t know of any other way to explain it. I just love it. I really love it!

Can you recall your first photo session and how well did it go?

My first photo session was when my good friend Tex. It was experimental.

(Laughs) It is good to have friends who support your work or your dreams. I called him, told him what I wanted to do and he just came over. I setup lights and we just start shoo�ng. I told him I wanted to learn on my own and I didn’t have money for school. I had asked a friend early to team me but he never came through to assist me. My first shoot went well and I looked forward to next one. It was sort of like ge�ng your first ta�oo and a�er a while you can’t wait to get another work of art. (Big smile.) That’s what it meant to me. The pictures turned out pre�y decent.

What makes a good picture stand out from an average picture?

The energy! For me, it is the total energy I get when I look through viewfinder and I feel something I shoot but if I don’t, I keep it moving un�l I do.

What is best advice you can give a subject that wants you to shoot them before the session to make it a great for both of you?

They should be relaxed and come with an open mind.

How important is it for a photographer to “connect” with his subjects to bring out their true self?

It is very important. Make sure the subject is comfortable. That is why I like to meet people first before I shoot so it isn’t awkward for them, so we can talk about the shoot, before we shoot. We can discuss what we want to do so everyone can be at ease.

Color vs. Black and White. Why choose one over the other, and is the photographic process dierent?

I love both. I always shoot in color ďŹ rst. I love photos with bright, vivid colors but black and whites are my total favorites. I’ve loved them since I was a kid. It is something about a black and white photo that is very strong. That is why love them most. Personally, color photos have a fun energy about them.

What do you want people to get from your work?

That it is ok to be you! That it is ok to express yourself the way you feel most comfortable with. Robert Mapplethorpe shot whatever he wanted despite his work being cri�cized by others because of the subject ma�er but do YOU! For me, most people cri�cize that I mostly shoot guys but I don’t owe anyone an explana�on but that is their main concern. So if that is what I choose to shoot, then that is what I shoot. I’m doing me and I love what I do.

Do you have a website?

No website but I do have an Instagram @lynnlo�67 for now un�l I get more work completed. I need to up my game more before I invest in a website. The work is steady and I’m happy with my results.

How to get a computer science educa�on without the massive student loans

By Team Mashable from mashable.com

Ever since The Social Network made programming sexy, so�ware developers have been in high demand. (Okay fine, before that, too.) And as more and more Silicon Beach and Valley tech companies strike it rich, the demand for local developers across the country keeps increasing.

If you’ve been on the fence about taking the plunge and learning to code, this is definitely the right place and the right �me. You don’t have to have programming experience or go into debt earning an expensive computer science degree. You can learn what you need to know to become a well-paid developer and get a kickass job with The Complete Computer Science Bundle.

This bundle includes eight courses and more than 78 hours of instruc�on that will give you a top-quality tech educa�on. You’ll start by learning C, a good base programming language that many other languages are derived from. You’ll learn basic technical concepts like loops, strings, and algorithms that can be used in a wide variety of coding frameworks.

Then, you’ll move onto other popular languages like Java, Python, and C++ that form the backbone of many websites and apps. You’ll even learn advanced languages like SQL that are commonly used to manage databases.

In addi�on to learning about so�ware, you’ll also learn how to build cool DIY Internet of Things hardware projects with Raspberry Pi, like remote controlled lights and smart-home sensors. You’ll also examine four indepth case studies about tech �tans Apple, Facebook, Twi�er, and LinkedIn so you can study each company's business model and apply these findings to your own company.

The Complete Computer Science Bundle is available now for just $39.

About the AfroTech conference

Afrotech

The largest Black tech conference in silicon valley

AfroTech is a conference where the founders and employees of some of the fastest-growing tech startups will present the tac�cs & strategies they use to grow their products and businesses.

Conversa�ons will range from raising venture funding, combining tech and culture, user design workshops and growth hacking.

Awesome and great speakers November 10th and 11th

SAN FRANCISCO 2 days / 15 talks / 1pitch competition 20 speakers / 6 workshops Awesome moments

BALLERS Dwayne Johnson

has reinvented himself several �mes over.

One thing has remained constant: his rock, Dany Garcia

By Ann-Chris�ne Diaz Photography by Robert Ascro�

Published on September 25, 2017 For adage.com

It's a 77-and-sunny Sunday in Vancouver, and Dwayne Johnson, the mega-celebrity otherwise known as The Rock, is here to shoot "Skyscraper," an ac�on thriller in which he plays a war-vet-turned-security professional framed for se�ng on fire a building he was meant to protect. This, his 32nd feature, is the latest project out of Seven Bucks Produc�ons, the company he founded in 2012 with Dany Garcia, his business partner, manager and ex-wife.

It's a far cry from one memorable 1995 day in this same city when the Canadian Football League's Calgary Stampeders cut Johnson from the team. On his ride home a�erward, he opened his wallet to find that he had $7 to his name.

From that sum, he and Garcia have grown one of the ho�est global celebrity brands, along with an expanding stable of crea�ve firms under the Seven Bucks banner, which last year added digital content company Seven Bucks Digital Studios. Now it's opening Seven Bucks Crea�ve, an adver�sing agency.

Our mee�ng and photo shoot take place at a former machine shop on the waterfront downtown that has, over �me, been

transformed into everything from a 1920s Parisian nightclub for the TV show "Timeless" to the steamy bedrooms of "50 Shades of Grey.”

When Johnson strides into the room—6-foot-5, 258 pounds and wearing an impeccably fi�ed suit —he seems smaller than his massive on-camera persona, even to this writer, who stands shy of five feet tall. Perhaps it's because he makes himself accessible to everyone in the room. He obliges the photographer with alternately serious and goofy shots, confers with Garcia and his social-media team, and steps in to give his take on a shot of his business partner.

He bends down to make sure he hears my name correctly.

"And what's your last name?” "Diaz," I say.

"Ann Diaz," he repeats, locking eyes with me and s�ll holding my hand.

Part of what defines Johnson's brand is this Alister-next-door in�macy he has with his audience —his ability to make himself seem just a text message, tweet or emoji away.

It's what you'll find in every photo, message and video he sends to his 166 million followers across Instagram, Facebook, Twi�er and YouTube. Within the past month, he has taken the �me to meet a 10year-old Michigan boy who saved his li�le brother from drowning using CPR techniques he saw in Johnson's film "San Andreas." He also revealed on Instagram that he's not above peeing in a water bo�le to stay in the zone at the gym.

"At my heart, I'm a gut and ins�ncts guy," he explains. "So much of what happens socially is in the moment.”

It's this ins�nctual of-the-people approach that drives not just his interac�on with fans, but also the expansion of Seven Bucks, from making films and TV to digital content and now, adver�sing.

That's right. The Rock is opening an ad agency.

"We're taking our tools and point of view, our rela�onship with the audience, our crea�ve skills, to help clients translate what they have and connect to their audience," says Garcia. And this will be the case whether or not Johnson appears on camera.

Fast and Famous

By the end of 2016, Johnson was the reigning king of pop culture, having been dubbed both Hollywood's highest-paid actor, with earnings of $64.5 million (a dis�nc�on he ceded to Mark Wahlberg this year), and People's Sexiest Man Alive. He speaks to dudes, dads, women, kids.

He can deliver badass, as in the "Fast and Furious" franchise and his own HBO show "Ballers," or funny ("Central Intelligence") or even family-friendly ("Moana").

This year, "Baywatch" bombed with cri�cs and U.S. moviegoers, but went on to rake in $178 million worldwide, and "Fate of the Furious" became only the sixth film in history to earn more than $1 billion globally. Later this year, we'll see him in "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle"; spring will bring "Rampage," based on the classic '80s video game.

And then there are the brand partnerships: Project Rock, the co-branded Under Armour lifestyle line he developed with Droga5 and WME; his work for Ford as the brand's "Ambassador of Service"; and his recent campaign for Apple, which parodied his polymathy in an ad that depicted him (with the help of Siri) touching up the Sis�ne Chapel, presen�ng his fashion line in Tokyo and crea�ng a culinary masterpiece with a celebrity chef—all while filming his latest ac�on flick.

None of this was built on Johnson's looks and charm alone. The Dwayne Johnson brand and Seven Bucks are the products of business acumen and a generous helping of risk-taking.

Johnson's "core" has always been "these two hands that I have," he says. Born in Hayward, California, in 1972 to a Samoan mother and black Canadian father, his family went through tough �mes, living paycheck to paycheck and even being evicted as they lived in different parts of the world.

"The men in my life all had a deep-down belief that you can change your des�ny and your path with the amount of hard work you put in," he says. "I had my first game in this town, and a couple days later I got cut and told, 'You're not good enough.' But the willingness to put in the work was s�ll there.”

Along with those "two hands," there's Garcia, the business brains behind Seven Bucks, and her talent management and holding company, The Garcia Companies, through which she manages the recently signed "Man of Steel" star, Henry Cavill, among others—all while making �me to train and compete as a professional bodybuilder.

Johnson and Garcia met as "kids" at the University of Miami. She was 21, and he was 18. Both were athletes—Garcia rowed crew while Johnson, the first in his family to a�end college, studied on a football scholarship. "When I first saw him, I went, 'Wow, he is something,'" says Garcia. "I knew inside of him was something special.'”

She's been the co-architect in every step of the Dwayne Johnson brand evolu�on, despite the hurdles. The pair were married for a decade, then divorced, and remained business partners throughout.

"The men in my life all had a deep-down belief that you can change your des�ny and your path with the amount of hard work you put in."

'I Just Go�a Entertain’

"What Dany brought was ins�lling the confidence," Johnson reflects. "O�en�mes, when we look inward, we look with a filter. There are insecuri�es, all this crazy shit we deal with, so a lot of �mes it's easier for other people to assess and say, 'No, this is really good.' Her astute business background and acumen helped tremendously, too.”

It didn't hurt that by the �me she met Johnson, Garcia was already an entrepreneur-in-themaking. The daughter of Cuban immigrants, she began honing her business skills as a child in her na�ve New Jersey. When she was 12, she "ran a barn," she says, doing everything, including cleaning stalls, hauling manure and even driving a tractor (which, she laughs, might have brushed up against child-labor laws).

That was all so she could keep the horse, Bucky Dent, that her parents, not well off, managed to buy for a couple hundred bucks.

During high school, at the age of 15, she sold men's suits in her hometown, and when she met Johnson, she was a business student, working for the dean of the business school.

"My father had to leave high school to get here from Cuba and worked at an auto body shop since he was 16," she says. "In my head, I was always like, 'If I could be a millionaire, I could just take care of my family.' But as I got older, I realized I just love building business and enterprise."

A�er college, Garcia went to work at Merrill Lynch, ul�mately rising to VP, while Johnson pursued his football career. When that didn't pan out, he made that fateful turn toward wrestling.

Both Johnson's father and maternal grandfather had been wrestling pros. S�ll, he started at the bo�om, with s�nts making just $40 at flea market matches and then maybe a few bucks more, selling Polaroids of himself a�erward. He eventually worked his way up to join World Wrestling Entertainment (then called the World Wrestling Federa�on), where he carved out the persona of "The Rock," the lovable villain with that wiggly eyebrow.

In wrestling, he laid the groundwork for his everyman popularity. "Wrestling was exploding, the WWF just went public, and people were asking, what's this company that's pulling 'Monday Night Football' ra�ngs away?" he says. "It was perfect �ming to ride the crest of a wave." In 2000 he did his first of what's now five "Saturday Night Live" appearances, and then Hollywood came knocking.

"We had a lane that no one else traveled, and we just started making it larger and larger," says Garcia. "He didn't become Tom Cruise. He's not Will Smith."

That led to Johnson's first film, an appearance in "The Mummy Returns" (albeit mostly in CGI), followed by "The Scorpion King," "Walking Tall," and "The Rundown.”

With these successes, Johnson decided to put his focus on movies—and in the process learned a lot about the perils of rebranding.

"If I'm going to have a career in film with longevity and diversity, I'm going to have to commit," he says.

That meant heeding the advice of his managers at the �me, who, he recalls, told him: "You can't be as big as you are, we're going to switch your name to Dwayne Johnson, no more eyebrow, no more wrestling references." So he tried to slim down his muscular frame to fit the current leading man mold (think Clooney, Cruise, Smith) and said goodbye to wrestling.

"You buy into it because you think this is all proven on the biggest stars in the world, moving the bo�om line for the studios. But with every photo shoot, every junket and every movie around that �me, it started to feel more sour and ro�en," he says. "I just wasn't myself. Something just felt off.”

That sourness was a signal for Johnson and Garcia to make a change. She became his official manager, and they switched agents from the Crea�ve Ar�sts Agency to William Morris Endeavor. The goal was to give Johnson room to be himself, and Garcia the freedom to build an enterprise around him.

"I love to entertain, on a mul�tude of levels," says Johnson. "I feel that deep in my bones, whether it's at a grassroots level, in the WWE, on a TV show, or in singing a song, there's always going to be that element. I just go�a entertain."

A Return To The Ring Garcia just had to build. She had wanted to create a business around Johnson—one inspired by what she saw in professional wrestling.

"They have such an incredible business model around the talent—different ver�cals, merchandise, etc. I started to wonder, 'What would a model look like if all this infrastructure was placed around an individual?'”

Their new agency gave them the chance—and support—to test that out. "We sat with [WME CoCEO] Ari Emanuel and presented what we needed: marke�ng, finance, business development, and they gave that to me," says Garcia.

"They came over with huge ideas, none of them had been tapped into," recalls Brad Slater, a WME partner and co-head of mo�on picture talent. "They wanted to do a li�le bit of everything, but never had been presented the opportunity to do the crea�ve things they wanted to do.”

The move to WME also made safe a return to the WWE, which Garcia and Johnson say was a pivotal moment in his career. "It grass-rooted me again," says Johnson. It solidified "the anchoring ideology of always remaining connected to the people. It was so interes�ng that the idea of me going back to wrestling, at another company, was a step backward.”

"Strategically, it was one of our most important moves," adds Garcia. "Now, we had a lane that no one else traveled and we just started making it larger and larger, but staying in this very grounded, rooted space. He didn't become Tom Cruise, he's not Will Smith. He lives and breathes with the people. That connec�vity is a pla�orm of all our companies."

In crea�ng Seven Bucks, Garcia explains, "It was a natural space for us to put this posi�oning of 'audience first'"—whether that's by entertaining with films or TV shows, via Seven Bucks Produc�ons; digital content through Seven Bucks Digital Studios, whose produc�ons so far have included "Millennials: The Musical" with Lin-Manuel Miranda; and now, connec�ng brands with consumers through the ad agency Seven Bucks Crea�ve.

The crea�ve company will be led by Chief Marke�ng Officer Chet Gulland, a former head of strategy at Droga5. The move was inspired by what Seven Bucks had been doing with its own produc�ons, other films Johnson had been involved in and previous partnerships with marketers.

"When we were working on major projects, we were taking steps that producers don't usually take," says Garcia. "We had taken an approach to even�ze and start the marke�ng process so early." With Gulland at the helm, SB Crea�ve aims to provide structure and professionalism around that process.

"Dwayne and Dany's approach to storytelling is one where they are always living the moment and relaying his everyday ac�vi�es as if you were right by his side," says Todd Montesano, Under Armour senior VP for strategic partnerships and entertainment. "This is an approach that has made its way into the walls of Under Armour and influenced our marke�ng as well. We can clearly credit them for that.”

Adver�sing likely will not be the duo's last stop, though. Last year, the media went wild a�er the Washington Post's Alyssa Rosenberg penned an opinion piece sugges�ng that if Donald Trump could be president, well, Dwayne Johnson could too.

Johnson then took to social media and fessed to the likes of Vanity Fair and GQ that he wouldn't rule out a POTUS bid. Even today, he s�cks to his guns, ci�ng his loyalty to the people. "It's on the board, it has to be," he says. "When there's that many people saying, 'I want you to consider it,' then you consider it.”

Garcia demurs. "I haven't really wrapped my head around it just yet," she says. "When the �me comes, if that comes, I'll get ready."

Web produc�on by Chen Wu. Makeup for Mr. Johnson and Ms. Garcia by Merc Arceneaux; Grooming for Mr. Johnson by Rachel Solow; Wardrobe for Mr. Johnson by Robert Mata; Styling for Ms. Garcia by David Royer; Hair for Ms. Garcia by Andrea Gangoso; Wardrobe assistant Grace Delahanty

Phillip Lim Fall/Winter 2017 Men's Collection

SUNGLASSES

A New Approach To Helping Men Of Color Heal After A Violent Incident

To figure out the best ways to help young black and La�no men heal, a nonprofit will train young men in New York City to conduct interviews with other young men of color.

Young black and La�no men are more likely than any other group to be the vic�ms of violent crime, but American society has devoted too few resources to helping these young men heal a�er their violent encounters, according to researchers with New York City's Vera Ins�tute of Jus�ce.

The nonprofit, which works to improve jus�ce systems around the country, is embarking on an ambi�ous federally-funded study to figure out the best ways to help young black and La�no men heal a�er violent events. To reach as many young men of color as possible, Vera's Center on Youth Jus�ce is using an unusual corps of researchers: the young men themselves. The Ins�tute is currently interviewing young men of color, age 18 to 24, from neighborhoods across the city to form an eight-man research team that will spend the next year conduc�ng 150

with other young men of color, age 18 to 24. The research team will even be involved in analyzing the data so the Vera Ins�tute can publish the findings.

Ryan Shanahan, research director at the Center on Youth Jus�ce, welcomes the ini�a�ve. "What we understand to be true from the research is that young men of color — black men — are at heightened risk for being vic�ms of violence, especially robbery and physical assault," said Shanahan. "They are dispropor�onately exposed to violence and the nega�ve consequences associated with vic�miza�on. But we don't have a lot of research about how they react to that and how they get help," she said. This informa�on is especially important for service and healthcare providers who work with vic�ms of violence, she said. "Without them knowing how to address the

wants and needs of young men of color who have experienced harm, they are not going to be able to meet those needs for this popula�on."

Among 10- to 24 year-olds, homicide is the leading cause of death for African-Americans and the second leading cause of death for Hispanics, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Of the 4,300 young people in the U.S. ages 10 to 24 who were vic�ms of homicide in 2014 (an average of 12 a day), 86 percent (3,703) were male and 14 percent (597) were female.

Shanahan said if the young men who are vic�ms of violent encounters are given the help that will allow them to heal from trauma, the researchers believe those young men will become less likely to commit acts of violence themselves.

The working hypothesis is that the cycle of violence happens because hurt people hurt other people because they never heal, according to Shanahan. "And that perpetuates the cycle of violence in certain neighborhoods that are already under the weight of systema�c oppression around racism, that don't have as many recourses as other communi�es and that are being over-policed."

Saadiq Bey, a research associate at the Center, said the eight-man research team, which is currently being formed, will come from all five boroughs in New York with a variety of educa�onal backgrounds and encounters with violence themselves.

Other New York City organiza�ons have previously undertaken similar studies.

Make It Happen, a Brooklyn-based program that is part of the Crown Heights Community Media�on Center, conducted its own study in 2012 to see how young men of color respond to trauma�c incidents. The study grew out of the program's mission, which is to help young men between the ages of 16 and 24 who have experienced violence develop the tools to overcome trauma�c incidents. The study found that this popula�on relied heavily on their peers to help them process trauma, according to Kenton Kirby, director of Make It Happen.

"The challenge is a lot of the young men they're going to are also experiencing trauma themselves," said Kirby, a licensed social worker who has run the program for three years. "So you

Think about the messages they're ge�ng from a young age. When you're learning how to walk and you fall, and you look like you're going to cry, most likely you hear from the people around you, 'Boy, don't cry. Get up, don't cry,'" Kirby said.

"So that's the first introduc�on to how you're supposed to have the emo�onal experience. It's either don't cry or you lash out. When there are actually so many more layers to that. So these other emo�ons are viewed as weaknesses. People around us have been socialized to view us this way. Then add to it that many of them are living in communi�es below the poverty line. All of these layered issues get in the way of having that emo�onal experience they need to have."

Kirby said society's percep�ons of black men keep them from ge�ng the help they need.

"Historically, the narra�ve that's been out there for many years has been the scary black man, the angry black man, the man in the alley. That he doesn't have an emo�onal life," Kirby said. "That needs to change."

One study published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology found that the stereotype of black men as threatening is so ingrained in the consciousness of white people that they react to a black male face with the same level of alarm that they react to spiders and snakes.

Growing up in New York City in the 1980's and 90's when the city was at the height of a crime wave, Kirby, who is 36 and African-American, said he had numerous violent encounters.

"I got jumped so many �mes!" he said. "I actually have a client who was jumped and it triggered in me, 'Oh my God, that's my experience.' My physical reac�on in that moment allowed me to connect with him. I was able to validate his experience with my own experience. As a clinician you don't usually disclose, but in that moment to disclose benefited the client."

Vera Ins�tute received a $550,000 grant from the Na�onal Ins�tute of Jus�ce, part of the Department of Jus�ce, during the Obama administra�on to study how young men of color are affected by violence. Shanahan said she believes they were chosen because of their unique idea to use the young men as the researchers. She said the long-term goal of the study is to give teenagers and their communi�es the tools to support vic�ms of violence without the use of the criminal jus�ce system, which she said "doesn't do a great job of either holding people totally accountable or allowing vic�ms to heal."

TONI BRAXTON ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM ‘SEX & CIGARETTES’ It’s been seven years since Toni Braxton released a solo album, but the R&B icon is ready to return to the music scene with her eighth album Sex & Cigare�es, due in early 2018.

Speaking with The Insider, the “Braxton Family Values” star revealed the provoca�ve �tle. “I’m excited to be doing what I love doing,” she said. “The new album comes out at the top of the year and it’s called Sex & Cigare�es. I feel like I’m older, I want to say what I feel, I don’t want to be censored.”

She recently filmed the steamy video for the first single, “Deadwood,” which will be her first to carry a parental advisory s�cker, adding to the project’s mature content. “There is this guy in the video who’s super sexy,” said Braxton. “I think we’re going to be seeing a lot of him. He’s great eye candy.”

Braxton, who wrapped her starring role in the Life�me movie Faith Under Fire, hasn’t released a solo album since 2010’s Pulse.

However, she hasn’t been completely gone from the music scene. In 2014, she teamed up with Babyface for Love, Marriage & Divorce and the following year, she was part of Braxton Family Christmas.

Toni isn’t the only Braxton with new music on the way. Her sister Tamar is also prepping her new album Bluebird of Happiness, which is set for a Sept. 29 release.

During an interview with Rap-Up, Tamar opened up about her sister’s influence. “Toni Braxton has taught me everything I know about my career,” she said. “How silly would it be for me to have a sister who is a living legend, who has accomplished all these things, has been through ups and downs and everything around the globe, for me to not ask her ques�ons and take her advice? It would be silly and so narcissis�c of me. That’s not how I am. I want to learn and evolve in life and that’s the only way you’re going to be great, it’s when you study the greats.”

Fantasia

Readies First Holiday Album, ‘Christmas After Midnight’; Requests Prayer For Her Brother

Former American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino has big plans for her fans this holiday season. The vocal powerhouse has announced the release of her first holiday album, ‘Christmas A�er Midnight,’ which is slated to arrive next month. Included in the announcement is the set’s cover artwork, which shows an elegantly dressed Tasia standing next to a Christmas tree.

The 12-song project was produced by Ron Fair (Chris�na Aguilera, Keyshia Cole), and will feature rendi�ons of Fantasia’s favorite holiday classics, including “This Christmas,” “Silent Night,” “Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghe�o,” “Have Yourself a Merry Li�le Christmas” and “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” a duet with Cee-Lo Green.

“I’m so excited for my first Christmas album,” said Fantasia as quoted by Rap-Up. “My grandmother Addie Collins’ birthday was on Christmas Day. I will never forget how she would put up the pre�est Christmas trees and lights. But more importantly, I’ll never forget the impact she had on me and everyone else around her this �me of year. She was a loving woman who helped all her grandchildren understand the true meaning of the holiday, its impact on our spirituality and character as well as the importance of recognizing the value of family and significant rela�onships. This album is dedicated to her. So as she would always say, ‘Keep giving the Gi� of Giving!'”

Fantasia also adds that the project is a tribute to memorable Christmas moments as well as ar�sts who have paved the way for her.

“This album pays homage to my grandmother and is a gi� from me to all of those who remember their grandparents or parents pu�ng up Christmas trees and being a blessing into people’s lives,” she explained. “I’d also like to pay homage to the great singers like Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra and Ray Charles who stood strong in what they believed in —the music. I hope that it blesses you guys. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.”

Christmas A�er Midnight, which follows last year’s The Defini�on Of…, is due Oct. 6 via Concord Records.

In related news, Fantasia is asking for prayers for her brother, who is currently ba�ling an unknown illness. She’s been pos�ng various moments about him on her Instagrampage. We’re with you and your family during this difficult �me Fanny… Prayers Up!

By Singersroom.com

WATCHES

5 Easy Ways To Market Your Freelance Skills I once read somewhere, “Entrepreneurs are the only people who work 80 hours a week to avoid working 40.” If you are a freelancer or running a small business, it’s likely you’re the most hard-working person you know. Even when there’s no client work to be done, there is always work to do behind the scenes … running the business, MARKETING the business.

More than likely, if you’re not a marketer or an ex-CEO, those two parts of business are not your exper�se. Even if you’ve done some marke�ng in the past, it can be hard to wrap your head around promo�ng your own services. Marke�ng someone else, sure. Marke�ng yourself, no thank you. But if you want grow your freelance business into your dream career or even just pick up an extra client here and there, marke�ng is a must!

So if you’ve got a spare half hour or two, maybe wai�ng at the doctor’s office, for the kids to wrap up soccer prac�ce, or, let’s be honest, procras�na�ng star�ng that client project you aren’t excited about, give one or maybe all of these marke�ng ideas a go…

1. Email Past Clients

Keeping in touch with past clients is great prac�ce. And even if it’s not something you ac�vely do, why not touch base to see if any work you did needs upda�ng? Or perhaps they know someone who is looking for work similar to what you did for them previously. Honestly, just saying ‘hi’ can keep you at the top of their mind so when they do need work done again, they think of you first.

"I taught myself coding, hacking, marke�ng, adver�sing, all while homeless and living out of my car. The public library is free. Be a voracious reader. Books are free!

If you ever give me an excuse for your situa�on in life and you have made no self-effort to improve or change your situa�on, I will call you a fool to your face. But I'll do it with a smile. Obviously you don't know any be�er. ”

- Evere�e Taylor, age 27, Vice President Marke�ng, SKURT "From Homeless To Millionaire"

Evere�e Taylor is somewhat of a rarity--an African-American insider in Silicon Valley. He has launched or has helped launch more than a few successful tech ventures. He is a much sought-a�er consultant as well.

Virginia Tech grad

Launched his own company, MilliSense. h�p://www.millisense.co/

Evere�e Taylor, Chief Marke�ng Officer, SKURT ride-sharing and car mobility - Skurt.com h�ps://www.instagram.com/evere�e/ h�ps://twi�er.com/evere�e

2. Submit a Guest Blog

Guest blogging is an excellent way to get your name in front of poten�al clients. Pick blogs you read that have a large audience of people who’d be interested in your services.

Offer some awesome insights that show you are an expert in that field. Hello thought leadership!

OK, so you’re not a writer?

That’s cool. I bet you’re s�ll an expert in your field. You can find a ton of awesome freelance writers on Moonligh�ng who can take your knowledge and put it into words that people actually want to read.

3. Network Often & Connect

No, no not the local networking at the grocery store...(although the power of word of mouth cannot be denied)...I’m talking digital networking. Twi�er and Facebook are excellent for networking with clients, customers and like-minded people. If you don’t have a social media presence yet, now is the �me to make that happen. They are really the best marke�ng pla�orms and a resource gold mine for businesses to reach new clients and build your reputa�on.

4. Build Out Your Web Presence

Google is truly the new Yellow Pages so you’ll want to own top search results for your name and what you do. While it does take �me to build and maintain a website, you can quickly gain visibly by joining Moonligh�ng (if you haven’t already) and op�mizing your account with an amazing profile page and separate posts for each of the great services you offer. Each one of these pages will help get you more visibility online.

5. Outsource It

Honestly, if this all sounds like too much on top of running your freelance or small business, we hear you. Some�mes you really need to just focus on your business and your product. If you aren’t sure where to start or are looking for an all-in-one solu�on, Moonligh�ng has created an amazing and affordable freelance and small business adver�sing service called Boost. Boost lets you u�lize our marke�ng exper�se to get your service posts and Moonligh�ng profile rockin’, promote your services on top social media networks, and get you in front of your local audience, thanks to our awesome partners. All without you having to li� a finger (and way more affordably than you’d think it should be).

Building a successful freelance or small business is hard work, don’t let marke�ng be that dreaded ‘M’ word keeping you from the success you know you can achieve. Especially when you have the whole Moonligh�ng team roo�ng for you!

By Jenny Knizner for usatoday.com

SUNGLASSES

Reintroducing: The American Coin Dial Collection. Last year we

introduced a limited-edition American Coin Dial collection featuring one-of-a-kind timepieces. The collection was so successful that this year we are offering 87 custom coin dial watches in three classic Shinola styles, the Runwell, Brakeman and Birdy. These are unique watches designed to commemorate important moments of U.S. history. Discover the full collection here:Â http://shino.la/rDwvP

CLICK HERE TO VISIT FAGNIDI.COM

Juco Ledisi

Ledisi Reveals New Album Title and Release Date

by Gail Mitchell for billboard.com

Ledisi is asking fans to follow her lead and Let Love Rule. That’s the �tle of the R&B singer/ songwriter’s new studio album, due Sept. 22 from Verve Records.

Let Love Rule finds the nine-�me Grammy nominee collabora�ng with such singer/ songwriters and producers as John Legend, BJ the Chicago Kid, Kirk Franklin, Sebas�an Kole (Alessia Cara), DJ Camper (Mary J. Blige), DJ Khalil (Eminem, Aloe Blacc) and Prince Charlez (Rihanna, Beyoncé). The result is an illumina�ng expansion of the soul-searching songs and powerful vocals that Ledisi shared on 2014’s The Truth.

Case in point is the set’s lead single “High.” Currently No. 14 on the Adult R&B Songs chart, the track was penned by Prince Charlez, Ledisi, and her long�me collaborator Rex Rideout and produced by DJ Camper. Its biographical tone -- a la Ledisi’s 2012 Grammy-nominated song “Pieces of Me” -- was inspired by the singer’s personal highs of the last year.

Both she and Rideout execu�ve produced Let Love Rule, whose 15-track mix of songs and interludes traverses mul�ple eras from ‘70s soul to 21st century R&B and mul�ple themes about life, love and empowerment.

“This album was one of the hardest I’ve ever worked on,” says Ledisi of the project’s twoyear recording process. “We were looking for songs that could stand the test of �me. This wasn’t a quickie; it was about great songwri�ng. I’ve come back to what I love about R&B and also what I love about today’s music.”

Courtesy Photo Ledisi 'Let Love Rule'

Let Love Rule marks Ledisi’s ninth studio album. Her fi�h, 2011’s Pieces of Me, ne�ed the singer’s first top 10 debut on the Billboard 200 (No. 8) and second top 10 bow on Top R&B/ Hip-Hop Albums (No. 2). The set also reaped three of Ledisi’s nine total Grammy nomina�ons: best R&B song and best R&B performance for the �tle track and best R&B album. Her ninth Grammy nomina�on for best R&B performance occurred in 2015 for the single “Like This” from The Truth. Ledisi’s most recent releases are The In�mate Truth, a live acous�c EP offshoot of the preceding album, and the Nostalgia Movement No. 1 EP, featuring covers of songs by Natalie Cole, Patrice Rushen and the Isley Brothers.

Ledisi, who portrayed singer Mahalia Jackson in the Academy Award-nominated film Selma, recently wrapped another personal high: a 21-city arena tour with Maxwell that included stops in New York, Nashville and San Diego. She is currently ramping up a series of appearances in support of Let Love Rule, which included a roo�op showcase in New York City on Aug. 2.

Photo Credits: Alessandro Scoďż˝

2018 Pirelli Calendar Features An All-Black Cast

By Lisa Respers France, CNN

The 2018 Pirelli Calendar features an all-black cast of models, ar�sts, musicians, comedians and actors.

Acclaimed photographer Tim Walker and incoming Bri�sh Vogue editor Edward Enninful partnered to recreate and capture "the surreal world of dreams" invoked in Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.”

The subjects for the 2018 calendar include a diverse crew of black celebri�es, including supermodel Naomi Campbell as The Royal Beheader, drag icon RuPaul as the Queen of Hearts and rapper Lil Yachty as a member of The Queen's Guard.

The 2017 calendar celebrated powerful women and featured some Hollywood's biggest female actresses. It was shot by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz.

This is not the first �me Pirelli has opted for an all-black cast.

Its 1987 edi�on used the same theme and featured a then teen Campbell who was already making waves as a model.

CREDIT: ALESSANDRO SCOTTI

Whoopi Goldberg, Thando Hopa

The models in the 2018 calendar are:

• Adut Akech, Sudanese-Australian model as The Queen of Diamonds • Adwoa Aboah , Ghanaian-Bri�sh fashion model and feminist ac�vist as Tweedledee • Alpha Dia, Senegalese-German model as the 5 of Hearts Playing Card Gardner • Djimon Hounsou, Beninese-American actor and model, as The King of Hearts • Duckie Thot, South Sudanese-Australian model, as Alice • King Owusu, Bri�sh model, as Tweedledum, 2 of Hearts Playing Card Gardner • Lil Yachty, American rapper and singer, as The Queen's Guard • Lupita Nyong'o, Mexican-Kenyan actress, as The Dormouse • Naomi Campbell, Bri�sh supermodel and actress, The Royal Beheader • RuPaul, American actor, drag queen, television personality, and singer/songwriter as The Queen of Hearts • Sasha Lane, American actress, as The Mad March Hare • Sean "Diddy" Combs, American rapper, singer, songwriter, actor, record producer and entrepreneur as The Royal Beheader • Slick Woods, American model, as The Mad Ha�er • Thando Hopa, South African model and lawyer, as The Princess of Hearts • Wilson Oryema, Bri�sh model, as 7 of Hearts Playing Card Gardner • Whoopi Goldberg, American actress, comedian, author and television host, ac�vist, as The Royal Duchess • Zoe Bedeaux, Bri�sh fashion stylist, designer and singer, as The Caterpillar

Slick Woods as the Mad Ha�er, in a behind-the-scenes snap from 2018 Pirelli Calendar shoot.

Sean Combs and Naomi Campbell as the Royal Beheaders, in behind the scenes of the 2018 Pirelli Calendar shoot

RuPaul, as the Queen of Hearts, in a behind-the-scenes snap from 2018 Pirelli Calendar shoot.

Djimon Hounsou as the King of Hearts behind the scenes of the 2018 Pirelli Calendar shoot.

Whoopi Goldberg, Hill Harper Join 'Ghetto Plainsman’ (Exclusive)

Sasheer Zamata and Angelica Ross also have joined the adaptation of Jarid Manos's novel.

Whoopi Goldberg, Sasheer Zamata, Angelica Ross and Hill Harper will star in Jordan Walker-Pearlman’s Ghe�o Plainsman, an adapta�on of Jarid Manos’ gri�y novel.

Ghe�o Plainsman is about a racially enigma�c young man, Marcus, dealing with iden�ty and self-hatred while falling into a world of pros�tu�on and drug dealing in 1980s and 1990s New York. He seeks redemp�on through his love of the American West, where he confronts an equally violent and fragile world.

Goldberg will play Zaures, an androgynous drug lord running the enterprise Marcus works for, who takes an interest in him. Zamata will play Lahumba, Marcus' college friend, a free spirited but powerful personality who tries to stop his descent into chaos. Ross will play Tiffany, a trans woman pros�tute and neighbor who bonds with Marcus and becomes his fiercest ally.

Harper plays Thomas, a corporate lawyer and environmental ac�vist, a would-be love interest for Marcus who tries not to get to close to the fire.

The screenplay, adapted from the novel, was wri�en by Carlton Jordan, Elizabeth Hunter and Walker-Pearlman.

Ghe�o Plainsman is being produced by Walker-Pearlman and Jordan and execu�ve produced by Karenna Gore and Barry Johnson. Filming will kick off in late summer in Nevada and New York.

"This movie is being made for those that feel unwanted, forced into recklessness, or just broken-hearted from life, that there may be something inside a person powerful enough to will their way out," said Walker-Pearlman.

Financing for Ghe�o Plainsman was arranged by Johnson, a business execu�ve who has worked in senior managerial capaci�es in many organiza�ons including the Obama administra�on, 32 Advisors, Sony Music, Disney and the joint venture of Microso� and BET.

Goldberg's credits include Chris Rock's Top Five and the upcoming film 9/11. She is repped by WME. Harper, most recently seen in All Eyez on Me and Concussion, along with TV series Homeland and Limitless, is repped

by Innova�ve Ar�sts. Ross is repped by Stellar Talent Agency. Zamata is repped by the Gersh Agency. Legal representa�on of the film is by Pryor Cashman. WalkerPearlman is repped by ICM Partners, Lorrie Bartle� and Raymond Tambe at Cohen Gardner.

A Noose at the Smithsonian Brings History Back to Life

By Lonnie G. Bunch III for the New York Times THE OPINION PAGES | OP-ED CONTRIBUTOR

The person who recently le� a noose at the Na�onal Museum of African American History and Culture clearly intended to in�midate, by deploying one of the most feared symbols in American racial history. Instead, the vandal uninten�onally offered a contemporary reminder of one theme of the black experience in America: We con�nue to believe in the poten�al of a country that has not always believed in us, and we do this against incredible odds.

The noose — the second of three le� on the Na�onal Mall in recent weeks — was found late in May in an exhibi�on that chronicles America’s evolu�on from the era of Jim Crow through the civil rights movement. Visitors discovered it on the floor in front of a display of ar�facts from the Ku Klux Klan, as well as objects belonging to AfricanAmerican soldiers who fought during World War I. Though these soldiers fought for democracy abroad, they found li�le when they returned home.

That display, like the museum as a whole, powerfully juxtaposes two visions of America: one shaped by racism, violence and terror, and one shaped by a belief in an America where freedom and fairness reign. I see the nooses as evidence that those visions con�nue to ba�le in 2017 and that the struggle for the soul of America con�nues to this very day.

The people responsible knew that their acts would not be taken lightly. A noose is a symbol of the racial violence and terror that African-Americans have confronted throughout American history and of the intensity of resistance we’ve faced to any measure of racial equality.

During slavery, one of the main purposes of lynching was to deter the enslaved from escaping to freedom. But lynching did not end with slavery; it was also a response to the end of slavery. It con�nued from the 1880s un�l a�er the end of World War I, with more than 100 people lynched each year. So prevalent was this atrocity that between 1920 and 1938, the N.A.A.C.P. displayed a banner at its na�onal headquarters that read simply, “A man was lynched yesterday.”

Lynching was not just a phenomenon of the American South or the Ku Klux Klan.

And in many places, as black people fought for inclusion in American life, lynchings became brutal spectacles, drawing thousands of onlookers who posed for photographs with the lifeless bodies. This collec�ve memory explains why the noose has become a symbol of white supremacy and racial in�mida�on.

So, what does it mean to have found three nooses on Smithsonian grounds in 2017? A noose inside a Missouri high school? A noose on the campus of Duke University? Another at American University?

Visitors at the Na�onal Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. Credit: Jus�n T. Gellerson for The New York Times

As a historian, who also happens to be old enough to remember “Whites Only” signs on motels and restaurants that trumpeted the power of laws enforcing segrega�on, I posit that it means we must lay to rest any no�on that racism is not s�ll the great divide.

As someone who has experienced the humilia�ng s�ng of racial epithets and the pain of a policeman’s blow — simply because I was black and in a neighborhood not my own — I would argue that it answers a naïve and dangerous ques�on that I hear too o�en: Why can’t African-Americans get over past discrimina�on?

The answer is that discrimina�on is not confined to the past. Nor is the African-American commitment to American ideals in the face of discrimina�on and hate.

The exhibi�ons inside the museum combine to form a narra�ve of a people who refused to be broken by hatred and who have always found ways to prod America to be truer to the ideals of its founders.

In the process of cura�ng these experiences, I have acquired, examined and interpreted objects that s�r

feelings of intense pain. Anger and sadness are always parts of this work, but I never let them dominate it.

Instead, I use them to help me connect with the people who have suffered and con�nue to suffer immeasurable pain and injus�ce, while clinging to their humanity and their vision of a be�er country.

I see the nooses in the same way. They are living history.

Viewed through this lens, they are no less a part of the story the museum tells than the Klan robes, the slave shackles small enough to fit a child, the stretch of rope used to lynch a Maryland man in 1931 or the coffin used to bury the brutally murdered Emme� Till.

If you want to know how African-Americans con�nue to persevere and fight for a be�er America in the face of this type of hatred, you need only visit the museum, where the noose has been removed but the rest of the remarkable story of our commitment to overcome remains. Anyone who experiences the Na�onal Museum of African American History and Culture should leave with that realiza�on, as well as the understanding that this story is con�nuing. The cowardly act of leaving a symbol of hate in the midst of a tribute to our survival conveyed that message as well as any exhibit ever could.

Lonnie G. Bunch III, a historian, author, curator and educator, is the founding director of the Smithsonian’s Na�onal Museum of African American History and Culture.

Hip-Hop

Is Dominating Streaming – And Rappers Like Cardi B and Lil Uzi Vert Are Leading the Way

by Dan Rys for billboard.com

Cardi B’s first char�ng single, “Bodak Yellow,” took just six weeks to reach No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Rap Songs chart, making it the fastest debut to top that chart since PSY’s 2012 viral hit, “Gangnam Style.” The song -- whose 36.2 million U.S. streams pushed it to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 2 on Streaming Songs, behind the all-�me recordbreaking “Despacito,” in the week ending Aug. 17 -- is the latest, and largest, triumph for Atlan�c Records and its roster of nextgenera�on MCs.

During the past 12 months, Lil Uzi Vert (whose “XO TOUR Llif3” peaked at No. 7 on the Hot 100), Kodak Black (“Tunnel Vision,” No. 6), D.R.A.M. (“Broccoli,” No. 5) and KYLE (“iSpy,” No. 4) have roared into the top 10, propelled by massive streaming numbers. And that’s just the young guns. Gucci Mane, Meek Mill and Kevin Gates helped Atlan�c jump to an industry-leading 15.1 percent R&B/hip-hop market share in 2017 (through the week ending Aug. 10), up from 10.8 percent over the same period in 2016.

“That Cardi B song is everywhere, and it started because people just like it,” says Ibrahim “Ib” Hamad, Dreamville Records president and J. Cole’s manager. “Nobody can tell you what to like anymore. If people love a song, you’ll see those numbers.”

For the first �me since Nielsen started tracking the music industry in 1991, R&B/hiphop officially dominates all other genres, claiming 25.1 percent of total consump�on and 30.3 percent of all on-demand audio streams -- dwarfing the No. 2 genre, rock (18.1 percent). It is streaming that has increased the music industry’s revenue by double-digit percentage points for the first �me in nearly 20 years, and it is streaming that is mo�va�ng labels to build out their hiphop and R&B departments. In cul�va�ng a deep bench of next-genera�on rap talent, Atlan�c’s A&R team is leading the way into the future.

“I have a roster of about 64 ar�sts now that I’m responsible for on the urban side,” says Atlan�c Records president of black music Michael Kyser. “We have staffed up for it, A&R-wise, marke�ng-wise. I have one of the biggest promo�on staffs in the business.”

“Streaming was just a big reveal of what was already happening,” says Ethiopia Habtemariam, Motown Records president and president of urban music/co-head of crea�ve at Universal Music Publishing Group, who helped Capitol Music Group relaunch legendary West Coast hip-hop label Priority Records as a hip-hop distributor in June. “[But] I don’t think people were equipped to handle it. Now I see [companies] hiring a lot more people that come from the culture.”

In June, Capitol tapped super-producer Dion “No I.D.” Wilson as execu�ve V.P. responsible for A&R and produc�on, while the historically rock-leaning Warner Bros. Records brought in Def Jam marke�ng veteran Chris Atlas as senior vp/head of urban marke�ng. (In recent years WBR also signed joint venture deals with Mac Miller’s REMember Music and Drake’s OVO Sound.)

Meanwhile, this year, Republic has enjoyed Drake’s More Life and Post Malone’s “Congratula�ons”; RCA has dominated altR&B, with albums from SZA, Khalid and Bryson Tiller all peaking in the top four of the Billboard 200; Kendrick Lamar, Rae Sremmurd and Cole have led Interscope to an 11.5 percent R&B/hip-hop market share in 2017 so far, good for third behind Atlan�c and Republic (13.6 percent); and Epic has four of the Streaming Songs chart’s top six with tracks from 21 Savage, DJ Khaled, Yo Go� and French Montana.

“Hip-hop has been this big for a long �me, but now people get to see it,” says Emagen Entertainment Group CEO Anthony Saleh, who manages Nas and Future.

Since the 1990s, the path to hip-hop stardom largely ran through mixtapes. By 2006, the RIAA es�mated the mixtape economy was responsible for 30 million to 50 million sales per year, working out to an es�mated $250 million underground industry, one the trade organiza�on viewed as piracy. Eventually the model moved online, where rising and established MCs alike would give away downloads of their projects on sites like Datpiff and LiveMixtapes. (Meek Mill’s 2012 tape, Dreamchasers 2, the most successful mixtape in Datpiff history, has been downloaded 4.7 million �mes and streamed another 3.2 million �mes on the site, according to Datpiff.) But royalty-genera�ng streaming services have made the free model all but obsolete. “Most of those listens [were] in the black market,” says Saleh. “Now everyone wants to be in the rap business.”

“We suffered from piracy, we suffered from the free model, and we weren't demanding anything in return for our art,” adds Ghazi Shami, whose hybrid label/distributor EMPIRE earned six Grammy nomina�ons this year for D.R.A.M.’s “Broccoli” (jointly released with Atlan�c), Fat Joe and Remy Ma’s “All the Way Up” and Anderson .Paak’s Malibu. “Now there’s a new genera�on that says it’s okay to pay a subscrip�on fee to Apple Music or Spo�fy.”

EMPIRE’s digital-first ethos has become a model for the industry, with deals that allow a label to give young acts a pla�orm and support without a long-term commitment or investment.

Priority’s relaunch is based on a similar idea, while labels like Interscope, Epic and Capitol have started focusing on joint ventures with independent labels and ar�sts that offer distribu�on and major-label support when needed. (Interscope just partnered with LVRN, home to singer-rapper 6LACK; Capitol’s partnership with Quality Control includes Lil Yachty and, moving forward, Migos.)

“This structure is the future of the business,”

says Habtemariam, who along with Wilson was brought in by Capitol chairman/CEO Steve Barne� to lead the label group’s surge in hiphop. “Everyone will want the opportunity to be in business with someone from the beginning as a distributor and then connect the dots at a major level and be in a full deal with them.”

“Without the physical product being in the middle, you’re able to be a lot more nimble,” adds Saleh, who in March helped Future make history with back-to-back No. 1 debuts on the Billboard 200. That speed is a blessing and, poten�ally, a curse. Saleh says he’s “worried” that streaming-driven songs-of-the-moment could lead ar�sts to focus on “quick noise” at the expense of a sustained career; Hamad says that can lead to ar�sts being “not as realis�c” in plo�ng tours. And the importance of playlists has, in some cases, changed what it takes to be successful. “The most exci�ng thing for me has always been the diversity of hip-hop,” says Shami. “I don’t want to lose that just because soand-so has a song booming on a playlist and I can emulate it and get on that playlist.”

S�ll, the streaming-led R&B/hip-hop takeover is showing few, if any, signs of slowing. Total audio/video on-demand streams are on pace to top 500 billion for the first �me by the end of this year, according to Nielsen Music. Thirty of the 50 slots on the Sept. 9 Streaming Songs chart are R&B/hip-hop tracks. And while 37 percent of music listeners used audio streaming services globally in 2016, that number rises to 62 percent among 16- to 24-year-olds, according to IFPI.

Meanwhile, Atlan�c’s young MCs are finding success beyond playlists and singles: Kodak Black recently landed an album at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, and Lil Uzi Vert’s debut, Luv Is Rage 2, just opened at No. 1.

“This is how the kids consume music,” says Kyser. “Streaming has given these [ar�sts] the opportunity to [move] a lot of records, to tour around the world and showcase their music.”

Get bigger biceps, triceps, and forear ms with these upper body exercises.

Doing compound barbell movements is necessary for ge�ng strong. However, squats and deadli�s alone won't get you signficantly bigger arms because they aren't targe�ng the triceps, biceps, forearms and shoulders.

For massive strength and size gains, you'll have to use a combina�on of compound and targeted assistance exercises. Regardless of how you train, you'll feel an awesome pump and get jacked in no �me with these arms exercises.

SOME OF THE BEST ARM EXERCISES OF ALL TIME

Poundstone Curl

Grasp the barbell at shoulder width. Keeping your upper arms at your sides, curl the bar.

Close-Grip Pushup

Place your hands inside shoulder width and lower your body un�l your chest is about an inch above the floor. To increase the difficulty, elevate your feet on a bench or box

Close-Grip Bench Press

Grasp the bar with your index fingers on the inside edge of the knurling (the rough part of the bar).

Arch your back so there’s space between your lower back and the bench. Pull the bar off the rack and lower it to your sternum, tucking your elbows about 45 degrees to your sides. When the bar touches your body, drive your feet hard into the floor, then press the bar back up. On your last set, use half the weight and perform as many reps as possible.

Lying Triceps Extension

From the end posi�on of your last rep of the neutral-grip press, allow your arms to dri� back un�l the weights are over your face. Keeping your upper arms at that angle, bend your elbows and lower the weights behind your head.

Extend your elbows, keeping the same angle with your upper arms.

Pullover/Triceps Extension

Hold the bar with an overhand, shoulder-width grip while lying on a flat bench. Press the bar toward the ceiling and then reach it back over your head while bending your elbows un�l you feel a stretch in your lats. Then pull the bar back over your chest and extend your elbows. That's one rep.

Suspension Trainer Biceps Curl

Face the trainer’s a�achment point and grasp the handles with palms facing up. Lean back with your abs braced, body straight, and arms extended in front of you. Curl your body up to the handles.

Dip

Use dip bars, if available, or place your palms on a bench, chair, or on the floor as you extend your legs in front of you. Lower your body un�l your upper arms are parallel to the floor, but no lower. Extend your elbows to come up.

Decline Triceps Extension

Set an adjustable bench to a slight decline (around 30 degrees) and lie on it with a dumbbell in each hand. Hold the weights over your chest, palms facing each other.

Bend your elbows and lower the weights to the sides of your head. Choose a weight you can do 12 reps with on the first set, and use it for every set.

Tate Press

Lie back on a bench or surface with dumbbells in each hand, arms extended over your chest and palms facing your feet.

Point your elbows out and bend them to lower the weights almost to your chest, so they make L shapes. Extend your elbows.

Suspension Trainer Triceps Extension

Lengthen the straps and stand underneath the suspension trainer’s anchor point. Lean your weight forward and bend your elbows so you feel a stretch in your triceps. Your palms should face each other behind your head. Keeping your body straight and abs braced, extend elbows, rota�ng palms so they face down while extended.

DOYOUEVEN Leave your mark www.doyoueven.com

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T R A V E L

A B R O A D

Black Men W ho Travel The Wor ld In partnership with the travel pros over at Soul Society 101, we're getting to know a few of the guys traveling the world on your feeds.

By Lauren Porter for essence.com

@Je�rouble

Name: Jeffery Tribble Jr. (@je�rouble) Age: 31(Lawd) Hometown: Chicago, Illinois (Southside!)

Rela�onship Status (op�onal): Engaged Your travel happy place (favorite des�na�on to visit): Cape Town, South Africa!

Places to visit le� on your bucket list: There is no bucket list, per se. The bar keeps moving, but if I had to choose, (right now) I’d say Bali, Kenya, and Israel.

Favorite interna�onal dish: Singapore’s Chili Crab dish!

Best place to travel on a budget: Thailand, Mexico, and South Africa!

Most inspiring travel experience/moment: My first �me to Australia was probably the most inspired I’ve ever been while abroad. The Great Ocean Road tour, featuring the Twelve Apostles, made me say “Only God could have created something this beau�ful.”

Most roman�c place you ever traveled: I don’t know that I’ve ever thought about that. If I had to choose, I’d say Barcelona, Spain where I proposed to my now fiancee.

Your best travel secret: Solo travel over everything.

What do you love most about traveling? It’s hard to pinpoint what I love most because there’s so much to love, from things as simple as clearing your head, to embracing culturally immersive moments that leave you inspired, enriched, and educated. If I had to narrow it down to one thing, it would be gaining a be�er understanding of different countries’ lifestyles, through an American lens. Doing so will have you saying two things: 1) "Life wouldn’t be so bad over here. I could see myself moving.”, or 2) “We are extremely blessed.”

What was your first trip? You guessed it. Canada!

Quote to live by: Stay woke.

@MarcMadilson Name: Marc Madilson (@marcmadilson) Age: 34 Hometown: Toronto Rela�onship Status: Engaged Your travel happy place (favorite des�na�on to visit): Bali, Indonesia Places to visit le� on bucket list: Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, Eritrea, Cook Islands, Mauri�us...

Favorite Interna�onal Dish: Trinidadian Doubles Best place to travel on a budget: Dominican Most inspiring travel experience/moment: Dubai Most roman�c place you ever traveled: Praslin, Seychelles Your best travel secret: Live THE moment. Don't get caught up trying to capture things for social media. Go everywhere.

What do you love most about travelling? Diving head first into new and exci�ng cultures. You grow so much as a human being.

What was your first trip? Caracas, Venezuela Quote to live by: "We do not remember days, we remember moments!" -Cesare Pavese

Name: Timothy Hunt (@TimmyGotSoul) Age: 36 Hometown: Detroit, but I live in New York City.

Rela�onship Status (op�onal): in a rela�onship

Your travel happy place (favorite des�na�on to visit): Brazil so far is my favorite place in the world. I've been several �mes, three �mes to Rio de Janeiro and once to Salvador. I love both ci�es in Brazil, but to experience the Black culture and environment is overwhelming in a good way.

Also, Cuba is amazing and gives me a surreal feel each �me I'm there. I've been twice, and think what draws me in is the niceness, resilience and strength of the people. To have so many obstacles stacked against them, they seem to make anything out of nothing despite any situa�on.

Places to visit le� on your bucket list: I think there are 196 countries, and I've been to 29, so my guess would be all 167 that I haven't been to. However, to narrow it down a li�le more, I want to visit Tanzania, Lebanon, Vietnam, Iran, St. Lucia, and Sierra Leone.

Favorite interna�onal dish: When I was in Salvador de Bahia, Brazil, I saw this woman cooking food on the street. I was so hesitant to eat street food, but it was amazing. The dish consisted of steak, rice, cilantro, tomatoes, onions, and some magic marinated sauce.

Best place to travel on a budget: Colombia was extremely affordable and full of culture. I actually feel it is one of the hidden gems of South America that is star�ng to become popular with American tourist.

Most inspiring travel experience/moment: When I realized that I didn’t need a travel companion to see the world. I would not go on a trip unless I had a friend with me. In 2012, I was supposed to take a trip to Montreal, Canada with some friends, and everyone backed out at the last minute. At first, I wasn’t going to go, but then I went, and had an amazing �me by myself. That trip inspired me to travel more alone.

Since then, I went to South Africa, Mozambique, Spain, Germany, China, Mexico, and the United Kingdom alone.

Most roman�c place you ever traveled: Paris! One year I decided to visit a childhood friend who lived in Germany at �me. However, a couple of days before my trip I couldn't get in touch with this friend, and I had to navigate my way alone in Germany. Someone I was seeing at the �me knew of my situa�on, and bought a flight on the spot to meet me out in Germany to keep me company. We caught the train to Paris and spent the en�re day touring, going to museums, ea�ng and just taking in France.

Your best travel secret: My best travel secret would be stop listening to people who say "don't go there" for whatever reason, if they never been there. I think the media put percep�ons of certain places in people mind, and they believe it. In my experience those places were some of the best experiences of my traveling.

Also, stop wai�ng on other people when planning trips, because I can guarantee you will never see the world wai�ng on the next man/woman to book their �cket. I want to put out there though that I am aware of my male privilege of being able to travel to certain countries alone, and not have to worry compared to my female counterparts.

What do you love most about traveling? I love mee�ng new people, seeing places I thought would never be possible, and that traveling helps check my privilege constantly.

What was your first trip?: My first adult trip was to London in 2011, but I had been to The Bahamas and Canada as a child.

Quote to live by: “If I didn’t define myself for myself, I would be crunched into other people’s fantasies for me and eaten alive.” Audre Lorde

Name: Olatokunbo Okuwobi (@TokitoNegrito)

Age: 26

Hometown: Houston

Rela�onship Status (op�onal): single

Your travel happy place (favorite des�na�on to visit): This is so hard!

But if I can pick one it would be Philippines!!

Places to visit le� on your bucket list: French Polynesia, Maldives Egypt, Brazil and basically the 156 countries I have le� to see in the world

Favorite interna�onal dish: Pad Thai because it's full of so much flavor.

Best place to travel on a budget: Anywhere in Southeast Asia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam or Cambodia!! I could be comfortable on so li�le. No missing meals and ea�ng and living like a king!

Most inspiring travel experience/moment: Swimming with the whale sharks in Oslob, Cebu in the Philippines!! This by far is my favorite animal encounter that really took my breath away. Being surrounded by massive creatures that I only seen on TV! I'll never forget the experience, even when I look at the photos I'm s�ll in shock that's really me like "I did that !”

Most roman�c place you ever traveled: Borcay, Philippines beau�ful beaches even more gorgeous sunsets. Everybody was holding hands caked up and I'm single splashing water on myself. It even got so bad that a couple asked me, "are you ok?!”

Your best travel secret: Join a lot of travel groups on social media because they are your biggest friends when it comes to grabbing unbelievable nice flight deal. They always keep you updated on cheap flights and travel hotspots even may inspire you to go to new places!

What do you love about traveling? I love making unforge�able memories in unfamiliar places. Travel for me is growth. You are constantly learning about new countries, cultures and the ignorance that you had for the country is ge�ng replaced with the knowledge and facts from what you experience first hand. I also love that I have the power to bring so much awareness to a country. I believe that every single country is beau�ful and every single country you can have fun in.

What was your first trip? My first trip abroad was to Dominican Republic in '97. This trip opened my eyes to how other people are living in the world and it was also my first cold water with a bucket shower.

Quote to live by: I haven't been everywhere but it's on my list!!!

Name: Jeffery Smith Jr. (@jefro5)

Age: 31

Hometown: Chicago Heights, IL

Rela�onship Status (Op�onal): Single

Your travel happy place (favorite des�na�on to visit): I’d have to say Brazil. It’s the only country I’ve had a repeat visit to

Places to visit le� on your bucket list: I’ve always said I don’t have a “list” of where I want to go, I just want to go everywhere.

Favorite interna�onal dish: I had this AH-MAY-ZHING whole fried snapper dish on a beach in the Phi Phi Island that I can s�ll taste to this day.

Best place to travel on a budget: Cambodia, you can live like a King (or Queen) off of $20 USD and s�ll have some change.

Most roman�c place you ever traveled: Most roman�c place I have visited is St. Lucia. There is nothing more roman�c than a beau�ful beach with the perfect water to match. Everything about the island is perfect for a getaway with that special someone…even the fruit taste sexier in the Caribbean. Lol!

Your best travel secret: Keep your eye on the deal! While most people have a list of must go places, I think travel is be�er when you’re open to going everywhere. You may want to go to Paris but a flight deal to Dubai might be what’s available at the moment, Go with the deal! Paris will always be there.

What do you love most about traveling?: Seeing different cultures, trying the food, connec�ng with people and making a memory in a foreign land fills me in a way that I couldn’t get from never stepping outside my comfort zone.

What was your first trip?: St. Lucia was my first trip outside of the US

Quote to live by: “If it were all about stability, you wouldn’t need faith ”

Name: K. Jordan Mason (@kjmase)

Age: 30

Hometown: Miami, FL

Your Favourite Travel Place: Jamaica….just because that’s my second home.

Places to Visit on your bucket list: I would have to say the remaining world wonders I have yet to visit. I was hoping to have them completed this year, but you see the way my account is set up! If I could visit any places right now, those three places would be the Great Wall of China (China), Machu Picchu (Peru) and Taj Majal (Agra, India)

Favorite Interna�onal Dish: Besides the obvious Jamaican na�onal dishes, I would have to say I really enjoyed Mansaf. This is the is a tradi�onal dish in Jordan, and is made of lamb cooked in a sauce of fermented dried yogurt called Jameed and served with rice or bulgur.

Best Place to Travel on a Budget: Hai�….flights and hotel accommoda�ons are usually very cheap.

Most Inspiring Travel Experience/Moment: Traveling to Hai� and seeing people who lived in tents as a result of the earthquake, which had hit the island nearly 6 years before my visit. These people lived in the worst condi�ons I had ever seen, yet they were so full of happiness and joy. Makes one really appreciate all we have here in the states.

Most roman�c place you have ever travelled: Paris….the city of love.

Best travel secret: Mobile Passport: Interna�onal travellers can skip the line at U.S. customs lines thanks to the official app from U.S. Customs and Border Protec�on called Mobile Passport. Being that not many people know about the app, the lines are usually even shorted than those for global entry.

What do you most love about traveling: I love to travel because it gives a sense of adventure and freedom. It allows us to get away from “normal” life, experience other cultures, to get to know places we see in magazines and the internet. Trying new food and meet new people.

What was your first trip: I want to say Jamaica, when I was two or three years old.

Quote to live by: “Dress Well…Take Trips…Post Pics…

Stay out the mix”

Name: Nathan Fluellen (@WorldWideNate) Age: 36 Hometown: Calumet City, IL Rela�onship Status (op�onal): Single

Your travel happy place (favorite des�na�on to visit): Rio de Janeiro. I love the energy when I’m in Rio. The weather is amazing and the topography of the city is beau�ful. The people known as Cariocas are extremely friendly and welcoming.

They love going to the beach and partying. The party can be on the beach, outside on the street or in a club, regardless Cariocas will be dancing, singing and having a fun �me.

Places to visit le� on your bucket list: My bucket list has about 100 countries on it but here are a few at the top of my list: Madagascar to see the Lemurs, Zambia swim in the Devil’s Pool, Kenya to learn Swahili and jump with the Maasai, Lesotho to rappel down Maletsunyane Falls, Mauri�us for the beaches, Papua New Guinea meet the cannibal tribes, Cook Islands because its paradise, Sri Lanka for the culture and Antarc�ca because it’s the final fron�er.

Favorite interna�onal dish: Moqueca is a fish stew served in Bahia, Brazil. If I could compare it to another dish I would say it reminds me of gumbo.

Best place to travel on a budget: Cuba, the cost of traveling on the ground is very inexpensive, however beware, U.S. bank credit and debit cards don’t work on the island. When planning a trip to Cuba over budget (i.e. bring more than enough cash) and remember you can always exchange the Cuban pesos you don’t spend before you return to the States.

Most inspiring travel experience/moment: Taking a global road trip with my mother through the South Island of New Zealand and Sydney, Australia. I took my mom down under for her 70th birthday. We flew first class, which was right up her alley, but the rest of the trip was a World Wide Nate adventure. LOL. In New Zealand, we stayed at a different Airbnb every night before se�ling into Queenstown. My mother and I hiked to the top of a Mount John, which was her first �me ever hiking. She toughed it out and I was extremely proud of her. Next up, we took a helicopter ride to an amazing glacier and landed on a lake hidden in the middle of a vast mountain range, where we met up with one of my global travel buddies (a Virginia expat that I originally met in Jordan.) A�er New Zealand, we flew over to Sydney and explored the city. It was my second �me in Sydney and my mom met my friends. They took us around the North Beaches and we had a great �me.

Even though it was my second �me in Sydney, I saw & enjoyed a lot more of the city with my mom along for the ride. I believe traveling the world with friends and/or your significant other is awesome, but traveling the world with your parents is a priceless experience. I look forward to seeing many more countries with mom dukes.

Most roman�c place you ever traveled: Palau, is an archipelago of over 500 islands located in the Pacific Ocean. The white sand beaches are idyllic and you can easily have a boat owner take you to a deserted island to frolic around with no one in sight. The food is fresh and if you like seafood your op�ons are endless. Palau is also home of Jeyllyfish Lake, where I enjoy one of my favorite ac�vi�es -- swimming with jellyfish without ge�ng stung. That’s right. S�ng-free jellyfish! It doesn’t get more roman�c than that!

Your best travel secret: When going to a new des�na�on where I don’t know anyone I log onto Couchsufring.com and a set-up coffee meet up. When I was younger and I used the website to stay with people to save money. I’ve slept on many couches and some�mes a mat on the floor. Nowadays mee�ng up for coffee allows me to make a local connec�on and discover the goodies I might have missed trying to figure it out on my own.

What do you love most about traveling? I’m actually developing a new show about my travels through Africa with UMC and The Africa Channel, which is set to air later this year on UMC.TV. I love the infinite possibili�es of travel -- experiencing new exhilara�ng things and mee�ng new people. Being able to bring those unique experiences to the masses makes it even that much be�er. Like the great poet, Bonecrusher once said, “I ain’t never scared.” My life is a global adventure and the world is my candy store.

What was your first trip? One summer I went to Barcelona and San Sebas�an, Spain. In Barcelona, I visited a friend from high school who was studying abroad for his masters; and in San Sebas�an, I joined my pro-basketball playing cousin’s entourage. Had a blast!

Quote to live by: “A wise man is a traveling man,” Rza – Wu-Tang Clan

Name: Brian McIntosh (@WhereInTheWorldIsB) Age: 31 Hometown: Toronto, Canada

Fave Des�na�on: La Digue, Seychelles

Places le� on my bucketlist: Antar�ca, Peru, Ghana, Nigeria, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Costa Rica, Belize, Honduras, St. Lucia, Hawaii, Solomon Islands

Fave Interna�onal Dish: Chicken Tikka Masala Best Place to Travel on Budget: Thailand

Most Inspiring Moment: It was the �me that I went to Istanbul and got lost on the way to my hotel from the airport. A random man from a restaurant offered to drive my friend and I to the hotel that was 30 minutes away in thick traffic. At the end of it all, I offered to �p him for his troubles and he refused to take it. He took out our suitcases, welcomed us to Turkey and drove off. It was at that moment that I realized that not everyone is out to do good work just for money. I am s�ll shocked un�l this day when I think about it!

Most Roman�c Place: Bali, Indonesia Best Travel Secret: Collec�ng miles from credit card sign-ups

What I love most about traveling: It allows me to distance myself (mentally and physically) from my stresses back home.

For the �me that I am away, I am able to forget about all issues and challenges. It's highly therapeu�c for me. I believe it keeps me feeling and looking young!

My first trip: Amsterdam, Netherlands Quote to live by: "Born alone, die alone. So live for yourself!"

Name: Kadeem J. (@kjohn_lasoul)

Age: 27 Hometown: New York City

Rela�onship Status (op�onal): Single Your travel happy place (favorite des�na�on to visit): Brazil

Places to visit le� on your bucket list: Thailand

Favorite interna�onal dish: Ro� Best place to travel on a budget: Guatemala

Most inspiring travel experience/moment: Zip lining at the Mombacho Volcano Nature Reserve in Nicaragua.

Most roman�c place you ever traveled: Malta

Your best travel secret: Air bnb is cheaper than hotels most of the �me. So look into them before you book a hotel.

What do you love most about traveling? Seeing the world!

Traveling makes me appreciate our world and the many walks of life that lives in it.

What was your first trip? My first trip was to Guatemala.

Quote to live by: "See the world."

This Simple Writing Strategy Helped John Grisham Sell Over 300 Million Books To make the transi�on from full-�me lawyer to full-�me novelist, John Grisham followed this daily regimen.

By Glenn Leibowitz Contributor, Inc.com

In the late 1980s, with a busy day job as a lawyer and a couple of young kids at home, John Grisham started to write his first novel.

Every day, for the next three years, Grisham woke up at 5 am to write a page of what would eventually become the bestselling novel, A Time to Kill, which was published a�er being rejected by 40 different publishers.

His second novel, The Firm, was the breakout success that enabled Grisham to quit his day job and pursue his passion for wri�ng full-�me.

A�er publishing 40 novels and with more than 300 million copies of his books in print, Grisham s�cks to his daily wri�ng regimen. "Write a page every day", he advises at the top of a list of eight wri�ng �ps he published in The New York Times recently. "That's about 200 words, or 1,000 words a week. Do that for two years and you'll have a novel that's long enough. Nothing will happen un�l you are producing at least one page per day."

Since publishing A Time to Kill, Grisham has wri�en one novel a year.

The lesson for writers and other crea�ve types is clear: If you want to turn your passion into a full-�me career some day, prac�ce your art just a li�le bit each day. And don't give up.

This is just one of the several prac�cal strategies that bestselling author Jeff Goins shares in his new book, Real Ar�sts Don't Starve: Timeless Strategies for Thriving in the New Crea�ve Age. The book's thesis is simple but powerful: you don't have to buy into the centuries-old myth that ar�sts must starve to pursue their passion.

Real ar�sts, Goins argues, can make money, and should make money. Real ar�sts don't starve; they thrive.

In his me�culously researched book, for which he read over 100 biographies and interviewed dozens of people over a period of nearly two years, Goins lays out 12 principles every thriving ar�st lives by. He calls them the "Rules of the New Renaissance."

Each principle contrasts a commonly held mispercep�on about ar�sts with a principle he derived from his research, star�ng with what Goins calls "The Rule of Recrea�on, which says that you are not born an ar�st.

You become one."

"At any point in your story, you are free to reimagine the narra�ve you are living. You can become the person you want to be, even if that means adop�ng an en�rely new iden�ty -- or a very old one. This is the moment of decision, when who you are and what you want meet," he writes.

So what are some prac�cal steps for changing your personal narra�ve and transi�oning into your new iden�ty?

"O�en we think it's the giant leaps that lead to this kind of reinven�on, but usually it's a series of small steps," Goins writes. Grisham became a writer by "stealing away a li�le �me, thirty minutes to an hour each day. That was it. With a growing family and a new career, it would have been reckless to quit law and become a full--�me author. In fact, that wasn't even his goal; he was just wri�ng to see if he could do it. He took one step at a �me, and three years later he had a book."

"More o�en than not, our crea�ve dreams aren't launched overnight. They are built gradually. When you are in a season of life when you can't dedicate hours a day to your cra�, it can feel like you're standing s�ll. But at those �mes, when the odds are overwhelming and the busyness is suffoca�ng, you s�ll have something to give. The effort may seem small and insignificant, but the work adds up."

In his New York Times list of wri�ng �ps, Grisham has one more nugget of advice about being consistent: "Write your one page each day at the same place and �me. Early morning, lunch break, on the train, late at night -- it doesn't ma�er. Find the extra hour, go to the same place, shut the door. No excep�ons, no excuses.”

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Taking Care Of Your Skin

EXFOLIATING - As you already know, exfolia�ng your face is a necessary part of your grooming rou�ne. But when’s the last �me you’ve given thought to your body? Your shower grooming rou�ne probably consists of simply lathering up, rinsing off, and ge�ng on with your day — right?

Turns out, your face isn’t the only body part that requires a proper scrub down. “Exfolia�on refers to removing the dead skin cells and oil from the skin surface.” explains Dr. Terrence Keaney, Dove Men+Care Dermatology Expert. “This is important because the dead skin and oil provide a food source for unwanted bacteria and fungus, as well as form the plug that clogs our pores leading to acne and folliculi�s.” In short: not scrubbing your body can trigger a plethora of problems, including acne and bumps.

But, Keaney is quick to note there are differences between how you should scrub. It just all depends on where. “There is definitely a difference in the exfolia�on guys should do when it comes to their face and body,” says Keaney. “The skin on the face is much more sensi�ve than the skin on your body, so I would recommend less exfolia�on, along with more gentle exfolia�on.

The body is less sensi�ve to irrita�on, but is also less prone to breakouts.”

The number one �p Keaney has for body exfolia�ng is to take it easy. “Always remember with exfolia�ng, less is more. Beaded scrubs and brushes provide mechanical exfolia�on which, if used incorrectly (and they o�en are), can lead to skin irrita�on and dryness. So don't go overboard!”

When it comes to exfolia�ng your body, the process is fairly straigh�orward — and pre�y similar to how you exfoliate your face. Step into your shower as you normally would, and let the water run for a minute, so your en�re body is completely damp. A couple things to bear in mind: don’t ever use a scrub on dry skin, because it can irritate and cause redness. And for obvious reasons, never exfoliate skin that has any open wounds, or is freshly shaven.

Also, take note of the temperature of your water. While a hot and steamy shower might feel good, it can strip your skin of its natural moisture levels. (It can also can flare up skin condi�ons like acne, eczema, and psoriasis.) Keaney explains, “I always tell my pa�ents to stay away from super-hot long showers, as it can be very drying to skin.” Equally important is the length of your shower. Though lingering in running water certainly feels relaxing, again, it contributes to drying out your skin. Instead, Keaney recommends showering for five to ten minutes, tops. And if you need to moisturize, make sure to do so right a�er slipping out of the shower, when your skin is slightly damp. This helps lock in the water in the upper layers of the skin, while allowing moisturizer to absorb more deeply, too.

Whatever product you use to exfoliate, though, you’ll always want to use circular mo�ons with light to medium pressure. As Keaney previously advised, resist the urge to go overboard. Let your exfoliant do most of the heavy work, and simply consider your hands tools to apply the product. For your back and other your back and other hard-to-reach zones, enlist the help of a body brush or an exfolia�ng cloth. For extra rough, dry spots like your feet and elbows, feel free to exfoliate one more �me – but no more. Last but not least, don’t forget your hard-working hands, which are always visible to those around you.

HYDRATE OFTEN - Water is not only the best solu�on to quench thirst, but it is the best beverage to maintain the opera�ons of your body and it keeps your skin supple and clear.

Atlanta fitness instructor Elmore McConnell suggests that you begin your water consump�on early in the day. By aiming for at least four pints before lunch�me, you put yourself ahead of the curb and will not have to focus on drinking so much later in the day.

Feeling fa�gued? Dehydra�on may be the culprit. Even mild dehydra�on can affect brain func�on. “Water is the same thing as oil to a car. If you’re not pu�ng oil in your vehicle, eventually you might blow the motor. It’s the same thing when it comes to water and our body. If you’re not drinking enough water, it can cause a drop in your blood pressure and cause other ailments as well,” says McConnell.

McConnell recommends that you consume a minimum of 96 ounces of water a day, which is about equal to six to eight standard size bo�les.

SKIN PROTECTION - A common misconcep�on about darker-toned skin is that it cannot burn or be damaged by the sun. Although African-American skin contains more melanin (skin pigment) which offers greater protec�on against the sun’s rays, it is s�ll at risk for a number of sun-related diseases. In fact, African-American men are o�en at a higher risk because it is o�en harder to detect changes in skin marks or discolora�ons. This means it may take longer for a person to seek treatment, by which �me the damage could have spread even further.

Protec�ng your skin from the sun is a serious business, but it can be as easy as using a sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher that offers protec�on from both UVA and UVB rays, and reapplying it o�en.

INGROWN HAIRS - While most men have suffered from ingrown hairs or razor burn, black men are especially prone to this condi�on because of their highly-curved body hairs. Because the hair tends to be more �ghtly curled, it has a greater chance of curving and growing back into the skin a�er shaving. This causes painful shaving bumps and irrita�on on the face and neck, and can only become more aggravated with further shaving.

Although it’s a common problem, there’s no need to simply accept it as a natural danger of shaving: by keeping skin exfoliated, changing your razor a�er 4-5 uses and following with a product with dermatologically-ac�ve ingredients, you can greatly reduce the occurrence of ingrown hairs. If you find yourself suffering a great deal from these skin irrita�ons, consider cu�ng down on the amount of �mes you shave, since frequent shaving too close to the skin will trap hairs inside the follicles. For more informa�on on diminishing and preven�ng razor burn and ingrown hairs, check out A Defini�ve Therapy for Ingrown Hairs or Razor Bumps.

Passion vs Ambition Focus, discipline and a clear vision of success combining sports & marketing drove one senior leader to pursue his passion.

Kenny Mitchell Head of Consumer Engagement, Gatorade

Here’s a macro-observation: I think that all of us - at different parts of our journey/career are faced with the decision to either follow your passion or fulfill your ambition. Oftentimes (and unfortunately) the two are mutually exclusive.

When I went to grad school, I didn’t have a good sense for the careers people pursue after completing an MBA. Aside from traditional “business” roles like marketing or sales, I hadn’t heard of many other industries or roles. I played basketball and worked in digital advertising so what did know about private equity, management consulting and tech - careers into which I didn’t have much visibility. Luckily, there was ample opportunity at the Tuck School of Business, and based on my profile, school, sports, etc, I could have gone into one of these new fields given the money and prestige associated with them; I could have pursued them a little more aggressively but I chose not to. I left those opportunities on the table.

At the time, I was committed to following my passion. I decided to stay disciplined about what I really wanted to do in the intersection of sports and marketing. I thought to myself “I’m gonna make more money than I'd ever made [up to this point].” Seriously. If you think about it, my mom was a social worker and parole officer most of her life, and so we had a very modest life growing up. My ambition was simply to get out of the state I was raised in and have a comfortable life. It was never about being crazy wealthy. And, because of that, I’ve been able to stay fairly disciplined following my passion versus my ambition.

But there were a lot of factors at play for me. My plan was to position myself closer and closer to the intersection of sports and marketing. I’ve been fortunate to have done just that. In addition to roles at NASCAR and NBC Sports, I’ve spent the bulk of my career with Gatorade, a brand that sits squarely at that intersection. When I reflect on each time I was faced with opportunities, whether it was a promotion or entertaining the thought of being CEO or CMO elsewhere, none of those paths resonated with me. Pursuing a sports marketing career pretty much dictated the set of options available to me. So I chose to turn things down along the way to get me where I am today.

And I feel good that I’m able to do what I love. I think about my current role and the impact I’m able to have as one of the industry leaders in marketing in sports. The work my team and I have done has been award winning, has helped to drive sports culture, and has even been nominated for 2 Emmys! In tech, there’s a lot of different ways to find great hotspot opportunities (e.g., mobile sports tech) but I wake up in the morning and get fired up about what I’m doing. If you have something that matches your capabilities and interests (versus chasing money, fame, or prestige) you’ll be far more successful in the long-run and more happy. That is truly the stuff of joy.

Kenny Mitchell is the Head of Consumer Engagement where he oversees Gatorade’s integrated marketing efforts, including advertising, branded content, digital, social media and public relations

DASOUL UNDERWEAR

The NEW DASOUL Collec�on is only a few weeks away.

Stay tuned!

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Model: Deon Whi�er

Photo by: eyeconic photography IG: @eyeconic_photography