In this issue: Features 03
dj samore top 5
Exclusive Interviews 05 Mdot xcellent 08 Pinhead 12 mona gucci cover
14 just jay spotlight bios 20 Billyceo 22 john renaissance
It’s your girl ladychelle with ford entertainment magazine and I’m on the line with Mdot Xcellent, am I saying it right? Yeah, that’s right, you can just call me Mdot for short.
first rap. I was maybe like 17.
You say that your music kinda reflects poetry. Can you tell me some of the themes of your music? Is it always Introducing yourself with a conscious or are you more name that includes such a title versatile in regards to the as excellent in the name, tell subject line? me a little bit about your grind, Probably versatile. I lived your journey, and your music the best of both worlds, that warrants that title off the lived in the suburbs, and bat? stayed in the city, so I got My stage name is actually Mal- a lot of different views. colm Xcellent. My birth name But I wanna say the poetry is Malcolm, but how I got the comes where my music, you name, one of my homies in can feel it, not necessarily Chicago, my big homie Coach everything’s conscious but I the Truth he stamped me like consider myself to be like a Malcolm X, just cause you lyricist, so a lot of wordplay. know I’m just like a person of My music’s versatile I might change and it’s just what I’m have some conscious stuff, I all about. Kinda been doing got some party music, I just music since high school, I guess have a little bit of everyI was just like Pac, kinda like thing, just to reach differstarted out doing like poetry, ent crowds and you could and eventually I guess I tranjust say I’m kinda like a sitioned into doing rap and well-rounded person myself putting beats behind it, it and so I like to put all my faces just been doing it ever since. and emotions and personalities out there if that makes And how long has that been? sense. I want to give a heavIt’s been at least over 10 years enly s/o to my late brother since I probably recorded my Just Joey who helped me
evolve my sound. We took each other from 0-1000 when we came together and without him I wouldn’t be the artist I am now. Do you have any projects you are currently working on that you would like our audience to know about? Actually, I’m re-releasing this one song called “racks up.” I originally dropped it in 2019 but I kinda have the slow down on the club realm with it because of the pandemic so I ended tapping in with DJ Samore and she definitely told me I need to pick that track back up and just go full throttle with it. A lot of people don’t know like in the music realm, sometimes it takes a while to actually get a song to pop just to highlight this artists Money Mook and he had a song called “hit” which is like 4 or 5 years old but, because it kinda was like a relevant track or kinda like the lines and the guess the subject matter is universal, he was able to re-release it and it’s kind of a hit on the radio today. So I’m trying to do the same thing with that track “racks up.”
It’s more than just the money, it’s all about the come-up
Now go ahead and let everybody know where they can find you? Where they can check out the music, and what messages you are trying to get out there. You can find me on any and all platforms, Google MdotXcellent. As an artist, I’m kinda well rounded. How can I put it? If you listen to my music, well I’ll say “Racks Up” is a story of triumph. Losing it all, getting it back. Kinda like the storyline behind it, it’s doing some music with some folks and when I guess it was my turn, I didn’t get the same respect and push I felt I deserved so I ended up having to branch off and do things on my own and end up finding my way. And in doing that, sometimes people try to come back, and backtrack, maybe they didn’t have faith in you and this kinda highlights all that. It’s more than just the money, it’s all about the come-up. It could be for money, or success... but “racks up” is really, if you listen to the lyrics, just about the come up. Losing it all, getting it back.
Pinhead It’s your girl ladychelle, and I am on the line with Pinhead, ok first off imma ask what kinda name is that? If you’ve ever seen the horror movie hellraiser? You know they got the main character and his name is pinhead he has all the pins sticking all out his face, head, all over his everywhere. So I got the name from that movie. How does pinhead relate to you exactly? Basically, I was on Old National road and I had my hair sticking up all over my head, with that hairstyle we would section off into squares and we would take bobby pins and flatten them out. You know at the end of the bobby pins they got like the little rubber tip or whatever, so we would flatten them out, stick it into the section of my hair that I put into squares like little afro puffs, stick that down in the center of the first rubber band and then add rubber bands and we would do like blue, green, red, yellow, neon, green, pink, and basically, I would say that my hair, all the colors, were all the different nationalities and all the people in the world, so my hair represented the world, and I did music for the world. So a lady hit the curve and
went on up the street, then she turned around she came back and we were on Old National at the McDonald’s and all the employees came outside, and they were looking at my head and they were laughing and I used to wear this bandana to where it would cover like basically my forehead and sitting kinda low, so the only way could see in front of me, I would kinda have to hold my head up and I was basically mimicking pinhead from the movie. So the lady pulled up and she was like “oh my god, I thought I saw a peacock, and I hit the curb, and I almost had an accident.” So we all started laughing and she says “you know what, you remind me of the guy in this scary movie with all the pins in his face.” And didn’t know what she was talking about, so I looked it up. At that time I think I was calling myself Caliente Don Juan, which means hot lover and I was like you know what, I like this pinhead name so you know started writing stuff from the movie like I’m ripping brains with hooks and chain | crashing skulls | walking down dark halls blowing out candles | breaking glasses | Kicking up off niggas asses | turning boxes | flipping dimensions
so you know I went on some ole hell raiser shit. So I started calling my dancers and my entourage the Hellrazors, but I didn’t spell it like the movie, the movie was “hellraiser” so I spelled it Hellrazor and came out with a clothing line called “Razor Gear” and I took a double-sided blade and put razor on the top and “gear” on the bottom. It just all came together In regards to your brand, how does all that translate into your music? I started college for Business Administration and I got really sick from being in the military and basically, I’m a 100% disabled veteran so I wasn’t able to go to school because of PTSD, and like I would have bad dreams and at night, and I didn’t really know what was going on. So, I wasn’t able to go to school, I just rented a lot of books for marketing, so I just studied marketing my whole life, that’s my whole thing, I’m like a marketing guru. So my thing is I looked at myself like a business, I carry myself like a business, and I market myself as a business. So like clothing lines, keychains, anything that I could put my logo or my name on. I got a logo as an artist Pinhead, then I got a logo for
my label Paper Brings Satisfaction. Slogan “In Faith, Hope, Love, And God We Trust” because without God, there’s nothing. So I put God first cause, at one time I couldn’t walk. I couldn’t walk for 5 years. I’ve been hit by 4 cars, I’ve been in 4 car accidents, which wasn’t my fault. And it just took me a while to figure it out, every time I got hit, I was basically doing something street-wise that I shouldn’t be doing, and it just took 4 car accidents for me to figure it out. But you know when God wants you, no matter what you doing He’s going to get you to get right, He’s gonna whoop you till you come over into the light. Now you seen me perform, you wouldn’t know I have three canes to walk with and a wheel chair, and I don’t need any of it. Medically my spine is messed up, so what I was doing on stage I’m not supposed to be able to do. So that’s God all day long.
running, they ain’t tryna hear what you’re talking about, but me? I got tattoos, grill, and they feel comfortable. I’m just able to do some things, Godly things.
Where can people follow you and follow the journey and get more of these positive messages that you are sharing with the world? Basically, just go to my IG @pinhead_atl and just go up into my bio and in most cases, there is a link up there that you click on and it’ll take you to my manager, and everything that I got going on. Shout-out to Johnnie Cabbell, With having gone through so he has been much and surviving so many helping me, he has obstacles and now getting a been helping me and new lease on life and feeling doing things for me. like God is calling you to a That’s Lightskinkeysha’s higher purpose, what would manager and Shawty you say that purpose is? Lo’s old manager, he’s My purpose is to uplift people been helping me as and to show love. Love is God well, kinda helps me and God is love. I’m able to talk out. to people and go places that a traditional pastor wouldn’t go. Cause when they see that white pastor collar, they
MONAGUCCI_
Author Serial entrepreneur Publisher Business executive Certified business coach and more....
Dr.
Jameelah “Just Jay Wilkerson, aka the Digital Promo Genius, is dedicated to utilizing all of her resources in aiding the advancement of businesses large and small. Just Jay is a loyalist who believes excellent character and values are at the core of every relationship. On September 3, 2019, Lagos University International honored Jameelah with the title of Doctor Honoris Causa. Born in Muncie, Indiana, Dr. Wilkerson has showcased her skills as a business professional, certified business coach, marketing consultant, web designer, graphic designer, and songwriter for over two decades. Dr. Jameelah “Just Jay” Wilkerson is a partner at THM Media Group and Kannon Entertainment “The Home of the Bomb Music”, the President of Marketing
for Palm Tree Entertainment (www.PalmTreeEnt.com), whose artists include Soulja Boy, I Love Memphis, Buck Nasty and more. She is also the CEO/Publisher of Raynbow Affair Magazine (www.raynbowaffair.com), and The Hype Magazine (www.thehypemagazine. com). Founded in 2002, Just Jay grew The Hype Magazine from a one-page newsletter into a major print media outlet, adding retail print outlets in 2013. Within the first few years on shelves in major retailers in the United States and Germany, Hype has captured “Magazine Publication of the Year” at multiple award shows. Covering “News from Hip-Hop to Hollywood, The Hype Magazine’s diverse content has made it an entertainment industry powerhouse on multiple continents.
Jameelah Wilkerson is an author, serial entrepreneur and business executive that has carved a niche for herself in the entertainment industry. 2022 has been a particularly great year for “Just Jay” and she is still pushing her initiative Self Esteem through Entrepreneurship. The aim of the program is to help attendees develop the necessary knowledge and skills needed to attain and maintain a strong presence in a competitive marketplace. “Just Jay” also released two books on Amazon entitled How To Get Maximum Results In Minimum Time and Ignite Your Lyfe.
aka The digital promo genius
REALLY HOW YOU MOVE, THAT’S YOUR PRESENTATION. WHATEVER INTEGRITY MEANS TO YOU, THAT’S WHAT IT MEANS.
Exclusive Interview with Ladychelle
It's your girl Ladychelle and I'm so excited to be sitting here with Just Jay from The Hype Magazine, the gear alone introduces itself, but go ahead and let everyone know who we're in the presence of right now.
I'm Jameelah "Just Jay" Wilkerson, CEO and Founder of Hype Magazine. Being a brand that interviews others, does it ever feel weird being the one interviewed?
All the time, I don't like it.
(laughs) Me neither, but tell us about The Hype Magazine, for those who might not have heard of it or know the history of it.
not willing to get out there, and be in the streets and really look at who's moving, and solidify that with a stamp from your publication, it's gonna be kinda hard because you'll always be the second fiddle, getting the second hand of it. And not the first. With us being in a digital world, 2022, do you feel like publications like books and magazines are becoming obsolete? Are they becoming a dying art? Or are they still very much alive?
Maybe the print side of it is, but content is always needed. Without content, there's no energy. Like if we didn't I started in 2002, just as a have a scandal or a story, or newsletter, just getting the something to get you excited word out. Going into the end every day people wouldn't of that year, going into 2003 have anything to talk about, it's when we really started to there woulnd't be nothing go ahead and get ready for on your timeline, and alot of the print side of it. And it's that energy and the content been stressful ever since. Lil comes from magazines. So John and Eastside boys were when they say magazines one of our first cover so it was are a dying source and are awesome to see how they've a thing of the past, well the grown over the years. Will and Jada situation you guys are so crunk about came Being a platform that's here to from through a media outlet. share news, what are some the If there wasn't a photograqualities for someone in the pher there, or media outlet magazine world to figure out who's who, who's next, who has to publicise it, you wouldnt know about it. The stuff that's flavor? going on with the war, we You gotta have your ears to the streets definitely, you have wouldn't know about it if it to be involved, and personally wasn't for the press, or the print publications or people invested in going to venues, writing about it. So content is and seeking talents, just like the A&Rs at the labels, you've still King. Doesn't matter how gotta really be invested to find it's pushed out, digital radio, television, content is still king. that real raw talent. If you're
Would you say media shapes the art world, or just there to report on it.
It definitely shapes it.
Why should an artist consider the blogs and magazines to be an important part of their music journey? At some point in the game, that was the only that mattered. I mean to grace the covers of some these magazines or to have your add in XXL or something, years ago before I even came around, it was the thing. You go to store, you look in that magazine and whatever was in it, you go buy it or you go listen to it. That was like the guide, and I don't think alot of artists realize how powerful media is. If we're out there, you have your demographic for the magazine to a standpoint, Hype has its own demographic, Makin'it Mag has their demographic, The Source, everybody has their own demographic but if we push that button at one time to say this artist is hot, the world says "it must be hot, because every body's talking about it." We have a reach. Artists sometimes say "I have this and I have that," yea you have your fanbase,
but you don't have 15,000 subscribers, you don't have 500 thousand subscribers that subscribe daily to that instant activation of content. So I think sometimes the artist, they don't think they need a lot of things, but it's a wagon wheel, its a turning thing here, you need all of those things to make it make sense. So blogs, magazines, any content providers very well much so needed.
in the club and keep it moving. But now, I'm out of there, 8:30 I gotta keep it moving. How do you find the motivation to keep going, and that passion fresh? I think from my perspective, I gotta motivate myself.
As time goes by, as someone who's also in the magazine world, things get old. You start meeting the same people. How do you keep that passion fresh and that motivation lit? It's difficult sometimes. Like today I woke up and all I wanted to do was lay in the bed. But I know I probably have 5000 email submissions from people saying when can I, how can I, what time can we As someone who talk, when can we talk. So the always who always motivation really comes from has their hand getting that spark, maybe on the pulse of some sun, it might be a call, what's going on just simple stuff now get you at all times, do motivated whereas back in the you ever wanna day I used to wake up motivatshut it all off like ed. But it's our job, it's some"ENOUGH!" thing we've committed to. Everyday! Everyday! And as I get Tell me about Just Jay and why older, it starts beyou personally do what you coming harder for do? me to want to get It's so many things, when I out and engage. first started this magazine, I When I was young, wouldn't classify myself as a it was like I gotta bum, but I would classify mygo to this club, self as a no-work zone. I would that club, I can do work my job for 6 months, 5, 6 clubs in one 2 3 jobs and then I wouldn't night, turn up, be wanna work 6 months. So getthere, get news, go ting into this thing I call it, this to sleep, wake up massive thing, I honestly did it
to make my mom happy. She wanted me to go to college and I was like, I ain't doing that. So I started this magazine and I was look, I started a business, it's all good. And then when it started to grow, I was like wait a minute, I gotta commit to this thing every day, all day. It's like feeding a monster every day. It's sometimes overwhelming. Being an insider, being able to walk through these different doors, we actually get a behind the scene perimeter view of everything that's going on, what would you say is the key ingredient to success in this game from your perspective? Relationships and your personality. For me, I've built a lot of relationships with people, and based on how they treat me, and how I treat them we have a long-term relationship. Is there a line in media you choose not to cross? Certain subjects you won't entertain? We drew the line when I started, I decided I wasn't going to be a gossip magazine and I decided that I would create the value of the boundaries myself. Like if I see you cheating, it's not my job to publicize I seen you cheating, it's my job to publicize the hot record, what you have going on in the community, it's a thin line. So you have to put a stamp on what values your publication stands for. You have some magazines that
The new height we're reaching for now, we're building out a collaborative partnership with a company called OverTV, we just did that. The main goal for us right now is to be a media house. A lot of the urban outlets, and I wouldn't even say urban, I'll say Urbanites because Urbanites to me are the people who love the urLiving during a time where everyban culture whether they are thing is happening right before White, Black, Iranian, Spanish, us on the timeline, is there ever doesn't matter. They've been a time that integrity is greyed left behind. Like you're startand is it hard to stick to your ing your grind right now, you guns? should be able to call in like It's definitely hard, because they were able to back in the we don't get the praise that the gossip blogs get. Although day, you should be able to call into a bigger media house and we have been out there longer, alot of them have mocked say "I need some support, I our style and our formula, we need to be part of this house." Then we come and we help just don't get the praise because we just don't get into it. you formulate a structure. No You would think people would one was there for me when it came to structuring the magrespect that more but they azine, I did alot of it out of don't. They really wanna see my head. I don't go together the sizzling hot gossip or the sites, because I don't like to bullshit storyline. But unforsee their stuff, I like to be cretunately, I can't get into that. ative in my own way. But we We hold strong. Like the BOB need to build a hub of support cover that we did, we talked networks for other media about him being homeless, outlets. That's the goal for him camping, that story's the Hype Magazine network priceless because that's him. as a whole. So in the next 2-3 So regardless of what's going on with him now, we still have years, our goal is to help about 20-30 major outlets, they're a lot of personal information not major now, but they will that he didn't put out to the be, to help them get over that other masses because they threshold to get into the new didn't care to ask him about wave. Digital is king right now, that. and alot of these outlets don't know how to convert to it, but What's next for Hype? What are the new heights you are reaching I do. So really just helping as many people as possible. for? come out, their niche is gossip, that's what they wanna do. So you know dealing with that particular person, there's something, they wanna know. Really how you move, that's your presentation. Whatever integrity means to you, that's what it means.
Celebrating 20 Years! The world’s #1 digital magazine, The Hype Magazine, celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2022. As part of the celebration of two decades as an integral part of the media industry, the outlet will share its long and storied journey via a series of shorts published via its YouTube channel and streaming television platforms. Segments of the docuseries are currently in production and will be released incrementally throughout the year. Founded in 2002 as a one-page community newsletter to service the Indiana market by CEO/Publisher Dr. Jameelah “Just Jay” Wilkerson, The Hype Magazine rapidly took hold. It evolved into a regional magazine that became the voice of the midwest. Hype enabled breaking acts from outside of the market to gain access to a much-coveted and untapped region of the United States. Serving a rapidly growing fanbase across the country, The Hype Maga-
zine added its web portal just a mere nine years behind the public release of the World Wide Web in 1993. Combining The Hype Magazine’s physical presence with its online portal, it began to popularize and transform the “ezine” or “webzine” into the now popular format of “digital magazine” in the early 2000s as well. Among The Hype Magazine’s accomplishments and development has been seeking out and supporting breaking artists long before the mainstream caught hold. Often the outlet provided the very first magazine cover for artists like Ludacris (March/April issue 2005), Soulja Boy (Issue 24-08), Jazmine Sullivan (Issue 27-09), MGK, Snow Tha Product, GRAMMY winner Whitney Peyton, Ty Dolla $ign (2012) and more. Gracing its more current impact covers (print and digital), you’ll see the likes of K Michelle, Nick Cannon, Yo Gotti, Rick Ross, Florida State Senator Randolph Bracy, Charlamagne Tha God, Yella Beezy, Bobby FishScale...the list goes on.
About The Hype Magazine The Hype Magazine is a lifestyle and entertainment publication covering everything news from Hip Hop to Hollywood. Hype, which stands for How You Perceive Everything, prides itself on being a trusted platform from which news and interviews are delivered without adulteration from its contributors or editors. To date, Hype enjoys a global audience of approximately 1.4 million across its multiple platforms and social media profiles making it one of the most impactful independent portals in the industry. You can join The Hype Magazine’s social media conversations by following them on Twitter and Facebook @TheHypeMagazine and Instagram @ TheHypeMagazineNetwork and enjoy its content via its website www.thehypemagazine.com.
As a digital powerhouse, The Hype Magazine is home to more than 40,000 articles and posts featuring household names as well as those on the cusp of stardom. In 2013 The Hype Magazine took to the retail newsstands claiming space in significant book retailers Barnes and Noble, Books-A-Million, select military bases and, even catching the attention of collectors who would buy issues in bulk and resell them on EBay and Amazon! Currently, The Hype Magazine network has expanded to include multiple magazine titles with the LGBT magazine Raynbow Affair and positions in streaming television and radio. CEO Wilkerson is also extending the brand’s reach via various other high-end ventures, to be announced throughout 2022.
Born and raised in Sunny South Florida, Ashley “Kayolana” Williams has always been a person that “shines”. Her brilliant, youthful, yet brash delivery in music embraces and captivates the streets as well as a radio friendly and targeted audience. Ashley aka BillyCEO writes about, her perspectives on fashion, life, love, laughter, friendships, and jealousy; a viewpoint by which many of her peers and fans can relate to. Since the age of 5, BillyCEO quickly showed an interest in music. From performing in front of close friends and relatives, to local school talent shows, club performances to the big stages, BillyCEO has already developed a strong fan base largely in the Straight and Lgbt community she has harnessed a real understanding of her craft and who she is as an Artist where as this takes most artists years to develop. “I like Justin Nozuka, Drake, Chris Brown, Lauren Hill and my absolute favorite artist is My father Poeetiq. I feel that they are just a few of the artists that sing with the same sincerity, realness, and relativity to how I see myself as a performer.” says BillyCEO Nevertheless, her brand of music is already being
acknowledged as trend setting, which is quite normal for an artist who is ahead of their time. The CEO has had plenty of success with viral videos starting with her Lesbian Lifestyle remix, Money baby remix, So gone challenge and many more. BillyCEO believes her talent, drive, passion and unending enthusiasm is a direct gift from the Almighty God. Although her lyrics possess somewhat of an arrogant disposition, she remains grounded with the intent to deliver a top notch niche brand of music.
twenties, BillyCEOis already proving to many that her talent is still growing, and its incredible. With an array of multi-talented song writers and producers, including her own material, her songs speaks the language of today’s youth without dumbing down to the typical stereotypes. In recent years she has zeroed in on her niche, Hip Hop, Pop, and R & B, self titled “The Ceo of The South” Nevertheless, most deserving of this title in all respect. Interestingly enough, she has already developed a new market and now capitalizing her craft.
Her clever word play and crafty metaphors appeals to ages 13 through late 30’s. In fact one radio jock in, North Carolina, has classified her as a Diamond waiting to shine “Obviously when listening to her rhymes, you can tell right away this young lady is extremely intelligent as well as a gifted artist.” says Legend, one of the many producers who witnessed the growth of her talent as it developed over time. Ironically, she has managed to find the right kind of sound that allows you to journey through her world that many would consider to be their own personal theme of music. Currently still in her early
She has been able to perform in many large venues along side of some of the industries best. Trina, Plies, Fat Joe, Fetty Wap, Fabulous, Lil boosie, Young Thug, lil Wayne just to name a few. Unlike a lot of our current, young performers whose musical content hinders them from gaining exposure due to their sometimes explicit lyrical content, BillyCEO understand the necessity to clean it up for radio and family friendly public venues she say “After All It’s Business” . In summary, BillyCEO is by far on a path to success and if she continues at this pace, her future in entertainment is inevitable.
John Renaissance is a 26 year old creative & visionary. Born and raised in Chicago & Atlanta His brand can best be described as a “ melodic lyricist “ urban storyteller, painting pictures of love, life,and everyday experience. Fresh off an international tour (Sailing through Bahamas , Mexico & Beliz ) John brings us his R&B project “ For Me “ EP. In the past he’s best known for his acting work with shows such as Empire, Steve Harvey , and National NBA commercials He uses film to promote his music and art to present viewers with a unique experience only befitting of a Renaissance Man. Over summer his art gallery “Trap Dizzney” will Debut. But this year look out for him in upcoming films, as well as singles like “ Blow A Bag“ “ Toast “ and Fall project “ Noah’s Ark.” He’s recently acquired a distribution deal through Sony/Universal and “ Touchdown “ music video is set to drop late April.
