21&
16&
Pregnancy"Style"
TI&&&TINY& “The&Family&Hustle”&
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EXCLUSIVE&INTERVIEW:& Alvester&Martin&
5"" SUMMER&SUNNY&SHADE& TRENDS& Celebrities"like"Rihanna"and" Beyonce"are"not"only"fashion" forward"in"their"garment" choices"but"they"also"show"us" how"to"stay"on"trend"with"this" seasons"hottest"accessory.""
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Beyonce’&Pepsi&Commercial&
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Talk&about&Temptation&by&Tyler&Perry& Erica"Vain’s"Review"of"Tyler"Perry’s"Latest"Film"
15" NCAA"
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: Guess who is bizzzack! Lol, that was very corny but hey! Any who, I just want to start off by thanking everyone who has checked out the first issue of #EricaVainWeekly and tweeted, instagramed, texted, tumbled and any other social media or sharing function that you completed. The love was so overwhelming and is definitely appreciative. Getting the response that I have received since last week makes all of this worth it. All of it! The late nights. no sleep, celeb stalking, countless interviews, etc, all is worth it as long as you all love it. This issue we are jumping into some of the summer’s trends, exploring sports with the NCAA championships and I am diving into the movie “Temptation by Tyler Perry. (Which I LOVED!!!) After you finish the issue let me know what you think! Tweet me @EricaVain or just like and subscribe! Big Thanks goes out to #TeamVain. This would not be possible without you all.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Erica Vain COPY EDITOR Tyfani McDowell EDITORS-AT-LARGE Travis Vance Kristen Mack CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Philisha Reid CREATIVE DIRECTOR Terrell Anderson PHOTOGRAPHER Domonick Dangerfield INTERNS Jourdan Lemons, Natalie Stuppard, Luis Paredes, Aramis Harmon, Krystal Brittingham
COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR Mariama Gregory SALES & MARKETING DIRECTOR Ivanti Bush HOW TO REACH US Subscription Service: http://EricaVain.com/Magazine OFFICE OF THE PUBLISHER: Erica Vain P.O. Box 340 Perry Hall, MD 21128
Staff@EricaVain.com EDITORIAL PHONE: 410-343-9668 LETTERS TO THE EDITORS: mail@ericavain.com PERMISSIONS: permissions@vainllc.com"
The weather’s warming up and the mad dash to tone up and shine fearlessly in this summer’s hautest trend is on! If June rolls around and you find yourself in the “almost to my goal” group have no fear there is one trend this season that does not discriminate. Though we may find our favorite celebs flaunting them flawlessly year round, everywhere there might be a camera or a fan, this summer, haute eyewear is making a comeback in all walks of life. Seen on countless Spring/Summer runways done by giants such as Prabal Gurung, Michael Kors, Christian Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, and Rebecca Taylor, statement eyewear is major this summer. Colored lenses and decorated frames are just a few of the newest trends to hit the streets. Here are our favorite looks: Making its debut it the 1950′s, this feminine feline frame has been making a comeback with the help of fashion icons like Katy Perry, Kim Kardashian, and Nicole Richie. Its hard not to look like an extra on the set of The Matrix behind reflective lenses. To avoid looking like a modern-day Trinity, choose a pair of glasses with a slight tint or a
fun shape that compliments the shape of your face. Made famous by multi-talented John Lennon, round frames are one of this summer’s hottest trends and a personal favorite of new trendsetter Beyoncé. Here are a few of Baddie Bey’s best looks in her most famous Linda Farrow x The Row Round shades. A plethora of shapes, sizes, and colors make geometric shaped shades a must have this summer. Regardless of the shape or color of your face, you’re sure to find a pair that frames you just right! Perhaps the most avant-garde trend in eyewear for this upcoming summer season is glasses providing style and protection. These are sure to make a rather brief appearance on the style radar in their formal laboratory form. Trend followers, who are a little less confident about rocking the science shades, should try a more reserved version such as these aviators by Ray Ban (shown on previous page bottom left).
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Photo"Credit:"Rihanna"ImNotObssessed.com,"Solange""&"Amber"Rose"FashionBombDaily.com"
Look For Beyonce'Mod'Round'Sunglasses'' $11.80' www.bleudame.com! !
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Jackie Kennedy Onassis Sunglasses $9.99 www.anysunglasses.com! !
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LESS Black Pointy Cat Eye Sunglasses $10.99 www.retrocitysunglasses.com1
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Photo1Credits:1Beyonce,1&1Kim1K1Zimbio.com,1Paris1Hilton1Getty1Images1
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Alvester: You know… hearing it from others made it real. It sunk in more hearing it from my family. I remember going back home for Christmas after my first experience being on tour. I was home for about two days and my family asked me all these questions like “What is it like?” Not to say this in a bad way, but Beyoncé was my boss. She was more EricaVain.com: We read your bio and watched some of accessible to me so it your videos and I see that you’ve worked with a lot of didn’t sink in…the top performers and you were the lead vocalist for the magnitude of her super Michael Jackson Tribute Tour. How was that stardom. experience? What was it like to work behind people like Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Jennifer Lopez? I moved to LA for music and I just fell into dancing. Alvester: Lets see…where do I start? In the beginning it I always say, “God had a really didn't sink in. I was this young kid, just moving to greater path for me.” I fell LA. I was a starving artist, LITERALLY. So, to me it was into dancing because a everything. My life changed so quickly and it moved so friend said “Hey, you know fast that everything really didn’t have a chance to sink you should continue in. I would say it was a bit surreal. I’m a kid from the dancing while you’re here inner city of Miami so this new life, I guess, was nothing to make some extra short of surreal and I learned a lot. I learned an awful lot! money on the side.” I said, I think because I was so young and because it was “No, I’m good” (laughing). I happening so fast, I didn't get into the hype of it all. I thought that living from gig really wanted to continue to work and to continue to to gig was unstable. I make money because I didn't have any. I approached it came to be a musician so smart and I learned and I watched. dancing, although it was great, it was more like how All of those ladies are so amazing! I gained so much by actors become waiters to sharing the same space and stage with them. It was a pay the bills. So the whole learning experience for me. That’s what I always idea of “Wow! I’m a say…an amazing learning experience. Beyoncé dancer” didn’t really sink in until others EricaVain.com: Was there a defining moment that made recognized it and gave me you realize that you’re doing what you wanted to do? the praise. I eventually had Was there a specific moment that stuck out like “ Wow! I to step back and go “Oh am a dancer for Beyoncé.” wow! I guess this IS kind 1 of cool.” EricaVain.com: I see that you started dancing at five years old. What would you tell your five-year-old self now that you have the experiences that you have? Alvester: I would tell my fiveyear-old self to not be afraid. I remember my first day of
Alvester: You know… hearing it from others made it real. It sunk in more hearing it from my family. I remember going back home for Christmas after my first experience being on tour. I was home for about two days and my family asked me all these questions like “What is it like?” Not to say this in a bad way, but Beyoncé was my boss. She was more accessible to me so it didn’t sink in…the magnitude of her super stardom. I moved to LA for music and I just fell into dancing. I always say, “God had a greater path for me.” I fell into dancing because a friend said “Hey, you know you should continue dancing while you’re here to make some extra money on the side.” I said, “No, I’m good” (laughing). I thought that living from gig to gig was unstable. I came to be a musician so dancing, although it was great, it was more like how actors become waiters to pay the bills. So the whole idea of “Wow! I’m a Beyoncé dancer” didn’t really sink in until others recognized it and gave me the praise. I eventually had to step back and go “Oh wow! I guess this IS kind of cool.” EricaVain.com: I see that you started dancing at five years old. What would you tell your five-year-old self now that you have the experiences that you have?
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Alvester: I would tell my five-year-old self to not be afraid. I remember my first day of dance class and I did not move from the bar for the entire class. I was the only boy in a classroom full of girls and I was not open to wearing tights or anything like that. Through my lack of exposure to the dance world and being from the inner city, there were already ideas of “what a boy in a dance class” means. My confidence was not there yet. I would tell my five-year-old self hat you couldn’t be wrong if you do and you mess up because you’re learning. But, you can be wrong if you don’t do because you will never learn.
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EricaVain.com: I see that you are starting to focus on your music career… What made you switch gears and focus more on your music?
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Alvester: In all honesty, I felt like I had gotten myself to a position in Los Angeles where I was now able to be self-sufficient by dancing and really help my family because my family and my grandparents are extremely important to me. I was able to help and give back to my family in a way, that I felt, “Ok, I have been able to do this, now I can take time out for myself and do exactly what I came here to do.” I have been dancing and on tours but I also have been dipping in and out of studios. It is really hard to be gone from 9 months to a year and a half and then return and try to pick back up. Dancing is a career; it is not just a job, so you really have to make a conscience effort to say, “I’m not doing this anymore.” and to be able to transition into the next arena of whatever you have aspirations to do. Once I got to a comfortable financial place, I then made the decision to not go on tour for a couple months and still be able to sustain myself. I also say that I was kind of pushed because I met Debbie Allen and she had become like a second mother to me in Los Angeles. I actually met her on a fluke. I was going to a dancing audition, which I almost did not go to, and she hired me on the spot. (She) pretty much took me under her wing and pushed me into musical theatre. Her exact words were “I’m going to make you an actor,” and my exact words were, “No you’re not.” To me, acting was impossible, as in; there are so many people who aspire to be an actor, especially in LA. I never caught the acting bug and the music was more my grasp. She put me in certain arenas and in front of certain people to be able to make music more lucrative for me. By doing musical theatre shows and touring with her and even with touring with Mariah Carey, she gave me features to gain more exposure. Mariah told me “You need to be an all around entertainer. You can’t be one dimensional.” Knowing that it was important to use all your resources and all your contacts to your benefit is what really helped me say, “Ok, the music thing is happening and I can make money while making music.” (cont on pg 26 )
NCAA Men’s Basketball FINAL1FOUR1
This Past Saturday the NCAA tournament continued. Yo, man it was a tough one. Louisville topped Wichita State 72-68. This game went down to the wire and it really looked like the #1 ranked Louisville was about to be upset. Then, the final in the 4 mins the tempo was turned up by the Lou. Their fight, sparked by injured teammate Kevin Ware seemed to push them through in the end. Wichita State played tough defense throughout the game and forced Louisville to be a jump shooting team. It wasn't until they began to take the ball to the rim that they loss momentum. In the other major game to the night, the Michigan Wolverines beat the Syracuse Orange in a tight game. Everyone knew the Orange would play great defense and that's what happened. However, the Wolverines offense was just to much for Syracuse. Mich had to many shooters and scores for the Orange. Syracuse's shooting percentage was horrible and you need some form of offense to compliment great defense. In the end I believe the national championship game should be a good one. Check Out VainMen.com to see whom I think will WIN!!! – Trav 1
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Premiere1APRIL18,120131 Clifford "Tip" Harris, better known as T.I., is a recording artist, business executive, author, producer and actor. He is also the founder and co-chief executive officer of Grand Hustle Records. T.I. has grown to truly be one of his generation's most captivating artists. Whether he's speaking with youth about staying in school, or moving tens of thousands at one of his concerts, audiences are engrossed by the King of the South's words. As one of the most successful artists in his genre, T.I. racks up millions in album sales and a myriad of awards, including three Grammys. His discography includes eight studio albums, twenty singles and thirty-three music videos. In December 2012, T.I. released his latest LP "Trouble Man: Heavy is the Head." Music is just the tip of T.I.'s entertainment conglomerate. In 2006, T.I. landed the leading actor role in the coming of age film, "ATL." He followed up that role by acting alongside Oscar winners Denzel Washington and Ruby Dee in the blockbuster drama, "American Gangster." In 2010, T.I. starred in the actionheist film "Takers" which debuted as the number one movie at the box office in its opening weekend. T.I.'s acting and producing credits have also successfully made the leap from the big screen to television. He created a show on MTV called "T.I.'s Road to Redemption." Most recently, T.I. is featured in a new family documentary on VH1. "T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle " features T.I.'s wife, Tameka "Tiny" Cottle and their children for an inside look at the private and professional life of the multi-platinum artist. T.I. and Jason Geter founded A.K.O.O. clothing line in 2008. A.K.O.O. is an acronym that stands for"A King Of Oneself." The clothing line features upscale urban apparel for men including premium T-Shirts, cardigans, sweaters, leather jackets and denim among a variety of other clothing. Further expanding his work in music, film and business, T.I. recently became an author. He co-wrote a fictional novel "Power & Beauty: A Love Story of Life on the Streets," published by Harper Collins. T.I. maintains active involvement in the community. In addition to helping with Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, T.I. works with troubled youths, provided scholarships for single parent families at Boys and Girls Clubs, and visits middle and high schools encouraging students to succeed. – VH1.com1
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TEMPTATION11 by1Tyler1Perry1
Overall I think Temptation shows a great example of traditional love not surviving in the modern world. As humans we are always searching for better, more and exciting and it's starting to transfer from life and forward movement to our psyche and our interactions with one another. There is a fine line between settling and seeking and getting what you deserve. In the modern day, realism in reality is not that common. Temptation is a movie that exposes the intricate incidents that can ruin a relationship. It is definitely a movie that will resonate with everyone. Sometimes in life we get comfortable, with our situations, our jobs, our mates and many other things. Just like in the movie, that s when things go array. It s important to note that greater will power and a more secure understanding of oneself and the relationship would have saved Judith (played by Jurnee Smollett Bell) a ton of heartache, trouble and pain. One decision goes on to ruin her entire life. That is terribly scary to me. However this is a sad reality. In many cases in life it only takes one wrong move or a slight side step to throw your life completely off track. Yes, Judith s fall from grace taught her a valuable life lesson however I am not sure that the ultimate consequences were worth the lesson. Overall I think the movie was great, one of Tyler s Best! He always does a great job with real life situations and delivering an important message.
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PREGNANCY STYLE
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Kim!is!spotted!outside!a!restaurant!wearing! a!knee!length!tan!dress.!As!you!may!know,! Kim!has!been!getting!a!lot!of!unwanted! press!lately!due!to!her!unflattering,!form! fitted!style!choices.!!Well!this!could!be!a!step! in!the!right!direction.!Not!only!is!the!new! style!of!hers!flattering!but!she!looks! comfortable.1
! ! ! Look!who’s!ready!for!spring!with!her!beau/!baby!daddy?!Here,!Kim!is!spotted!in!a!hot!pink!asymmetrical!number! with!neon!green!heels.!Not!only!does!this!dress/heel!combo!make!the!top!of!my!list,!but!it’s!oh!so!flattering;! hugging!her!curves!and!showing!a!little!cleavage!to!make!her!feel!sexy.!This!loose!fitting!fabric!hugs!her!belly!just! right!and!pairs!stunningly!with!her!olive!complexion!Kim!looks!very!comfortable!and!laidEback,!yet!still!chic.!Look!at! how!the!nude!colors!suites!her!mommyEtoEbe!glow.!This!hiElow!dress!paired!with!the!light!yellow!blazer!makes!Kim! look!spectacular!!Looks!like!she!can!run!errands!all!day.!Who!wouldn’t!want!to!run!errands!all!day!looking!this!fab?! !
Hello,!yellow!!Tamar!is!in!the!building!and!we!see!you!!Spring!is!here!and!it!never!looked! better!!The!short!mini!gives!air!to!all!the!extra!weight!being!carried.!So!Simple.!So!Chic.! So!Cute.!The!white!dress!is!lovely!as!well.!This!is!what!a!motherEtoEbe!is!supposed!to!look! like.!With!all!the!attention!being!drawn!to!the!middle!diamond,!“SHE”!makes!a! statement!about!new!life.!Even!though!its!not!curve!hugging,!Tamar!still!manages!to!look! smaller!and!comfortable.!This!jumper!is!amazing!!Mommies!do!not!like!anything! smothering!their!bellies,!so!loose!is!in!!This!jumper!is!very!flattering!and!such!an!easy! outfit!momsEtoEbe.!You!don’t!have!to!worry!about!shirts!riding!or!pants!not!buttoning.! Not!to!mention!you!can!still!be!a!Diva.This!off!white!and!cream!dress!is!very!partyEesque.! Even!though!the!dress!is!form!fitting,!it!looks!stretchy!as!well.!Tamar!makes!being!preggo! look!so!easy!!She!did!that!! Images from Celebuzz, OhlalaBlog, SandraRose
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HOT IN STORES This week, look forward to some good album, movie, and DVD releases! For all our rockers out there, Paramore is releasing their fourth studio album, self-titled Paramore.
For all our rap fans, Tyga's Hotel California will drop on April 9th as well. From what I've heard so far, the album is hot with features from Jadakiss & Tupac. Movie Releases 4/12/13
Scary Movie 5 is hitting theaters this week. Really the movie has become a drag for so many, including myself. I know I'm not going to waste my money unless I hear otherwise regarding the story plot and comedy. We’ll just have to wait and see‌ Lotus Eater - A group of friends from London, struggling to get their lives under control before falling numb to the happenings of London's social elite, which is leading to an existence of lavish self- destructive ways. (The story plot sounds convincing enough to watch but I was not too impressed by the trailer). 1
The Angels' Share - a sweet comedy of a boy stuck in a family feud who only wants to find a way out after sneaking into a maternity ward during his community service sentence. He not only changes, but something great happens. I dig movies like this and think it’s a definite gosee. This is one of those laid back movies; a movie no one would expect to do well, but ends up topping charts.
Antiviral - Brandon Cronenburg's Antiviral tells a tale about celebrity obsession; a tale about a guy, Syd March, who illegally transports celebrity viruses to obsessed fans (fans who want to be willing infected by the way) and he himself gets infected with the same virus that killed a superstar! Crazy plot! Check it out! I know I will. 1
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Dark Circles- Horror movies haven't been my thing for a while. In my opinion, there just have not been any good horror movies released in a while. Annnnd‌this movie seems to be no different. Alex & Penny moves their new family from the city to outside of town. With a new baby, they are suffering from sleep deprivation and can no longer tell what's real or not in their maybe not-so-perfect new home. While I don't think it's a true thriller, I think the story plot makes it worth going to see. DVD Releases 4/9/13 The Sorcerer and the White Snake originally released in theaters September 2011 starring Jet Li, is a movie based on the Chinese Legend of the White Snake.
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Hyde Park on Hudson- A British biographical comedy-drama originally released in theaters December 2012 directed by Roger Michell
(Alvester Interview Cont) EricaVain.com: What do you mean when you say that you don’t want to be labeled as an R&B artist? Want do you want to call your sound? Alvester: I feel that we are in such an age where there are so many sounds and there is such diversity in music, as well as crossing of genres, that when you go in saying that you’re an R&B artist, pop artist, country artist, I feel that you are putting limitations on the possibilities of what your music could be. If I go in and say I’m an R&B artist then my mind will stick to what R&B is conceived to be instead of going in to create an experience for the listener and telling my story regardless of the genre. I used to say I wanted to combine rock and R&B because I have an affinity for Michael Jackson, Brian Mcknight as well as Lenny Kravitz. I wanted to create “Rock&B” and I found that it opened me up, but it also stifled me because I was creating what I believed was “Rock&B” instead of just making music. I found two people who helped me create my sound from Philadelphia, PA FoeNotes and Mark P. We go in the studio and we just let the ideas flow. Whatever comes from our creativity is just going to be. I found that regardless of what music people listen to, they pull from what they think that they hear, which is cool because my whole purpose is to reach as many people as I can and relate to them on life experiences. Whether we are black, white, yellow, green, purple, we go through a lot of things and we can relate. I am not going to box myself in; I’ll let the masses do it. I’m just going to go in and create music. EricaVain.com: What’s next? Alvester: Currently, music is my main focus. I have an EP scheduled for release called “The Other Side” in April. There has been lot of interest from major labels and I am taking my time to make sure I make the best decision for me and for my career. My goal is to have the No. 1 tour, the No. 1 album, and No. 1 single. EricaVain.com: Where can we find your music? Alvester: There are videos on YouTube of the covers I have done, Alvester Martin is the channel. The new music is not finished yet because I want to complete it. I want to make sure it is completed to my standards. I want everyone to listen when I’m done and see what I am about as an artist, not just through a single or two. I want to let you into my world and my thought process and see what Alvester Martin is all about.
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