Issue 33 // MASIKA KALYSHA

GOLD CRW N

M ASIK A K A LYSHA Th e M o m & Busin ess W o m a n Issu e 3 3 | Feb r u a r y 2 0 18

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Ph ot ogr aph y: Shane Russeck

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Fea t ur es.

24 Shamba The Artist 56 Mary James Charles 60 Emilia McCarthy 06 Editors Note 32 Lexi Jayde 48 Christian Lavonne

38 M asik a Kalysh ia 54 Daan Creyghton 11What's on our playlist?

20 Rebecca Fenemore

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Ed it o r s N o t e

Hello, Thanks for coming to another issue guys. Hope you guys love the new design. After hearing your feedback, we have decided to make this free as well in celebration of Black History Month. We decided to shine some positive light on our cover star , Masika Kalysha, by introducing the amazing and inspiring women she is and not just what you guys see on TV. Also in this issue we have singer Lexi Jayde, actress Mary James Charles from 'Kevin Can Wait , Fifty Shades: Freed movie review by our writer Rebecca Fenemore 'and more. I hope you are having a wonderful month. Know that without you none of this would be possible and we love you.

Happy Reading, E lla A ud r ey R ae

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Edit or in Ch ief / / Darnisha Ali (OnlineMoniker-EllaAudreyRae) Wr it er s / / Natalia Vรกzquez, Rebecca Fenemore, Niamh Duffy ,Jasmine Matos, Gabby Fabrizio PR Team / / Omina Unlimited LLC Pu blish in g / / Gold Crwn Books Gr aph ic Design Con t en t / / In house & Various Artist Dist r ibu t ion / / Issuu.com

Ph ot o g r a p h y Cr ed it s Masika Kalyshia Photos // Sh an e Ru sseck Shamba The Artist Photos // Am ir a Sh an i HeyMissChrissy Photo // WillTh aSh oot er Mary James Charles Photo // M ich ael Cr eagh Lexi Jayde Feature // Leo Deven ey Daan Creyghton Photos // San n a Zoe Pr in s

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My favor it e quot es t o br ight en your mont h. " I am a w om an w it h t h ou gh t s an d qu est ion s an d sh it t o say. I say if I'm beau t if u l. I say if I'm st r on g. You w ill n ot det er m in e m y st or y?I w ill." ? Am y Sch u m er

" Ever y day w e h ave plen t y of oppor t u n it ies t o get an gr y, st r essed or of f en ded.

Bu t w h at you 'r e doin g w h en you in du lge t h ese n egat ive em ot ion s is givin g som et h in g ou t side you r self pow er over you r h appin ess. You can ch oose t o n ot let lit t le t h in gs u pset you ." - Joel Ost een

?It is t h e m ar k of an edu cat ed m in d t o be able t o en t er t ain a t h ou gh t w it h ou t accept in g it .? - Ar ist ot le

" Expect pr oblem s an d eat t h em f or br eak f ast ." - Alf r ed A. M on t aper t

I am n o lon ger avaible f or in secu r it y an d disem pow er in g belif s abou t m yself " - Car a Alw ill Leyba

ELLA A UDREY RA E Let 's Be Int er n et Best ies / / 11

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WHATSONOURPLAYLIST? - FEB2018 1. U gly H ear t

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2 . S h ow M e / / A lex B 3 . D o W h at

It

D o / / S h am b a Th e A r t ist

4 . M y S ong / / H .E .R 5 . Tor c h es / / X A m b assad or s 6 . S m ok e in M y E yes / / Ind iana M assar a 7 . B it c h C r af t

/ / A lex i B lue

8 . S t and S t ill / / P oo B ear

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M A RY JA M ES CHA RLES Ph ot ogr aph y by M ich ael Cr eagh Wh er e did you r love of act in g com e f r om ? Ever since I can remember, I have loved making other people smile and laugh. When I was little, I would put on shows for my family or just sing for hours to them.

I also had a camera my Dad gave me when I was four that I would carry around and videotape my sisters and I all the time. My love for acting has always been there. Wh at abou t t h e 'Kevin Can Wait ' scr ipt dr ew you in ? I think what drew me in was the family aspect. There are very few shows on TV that you can truly watch with your whole family and everyone enjoys it. Do you h ave an yt h in g in com m on w it h you r ch ar act er ? I think one thing in common me and my character have is we both have this close relationship with our Dad. Also, I love to play sports just like Sara. Wh at h as been lik e w or k in g w it h t h e h ilar iou s Kevin Jam es? Kevin is absolutely amazing!

He is so funny and tends to make me and the other actors break character with his jokes. It is so cool to see him at work. Watching him act is a great way for me to learn as well. Favor it e m em or y on set ? My favorite memory on set would have to be this one cold open that we filmed. It was super long and confusing, so we kept on messing up the scene. Then there came a point where Kevin was just improving and no one could keep a straight face. It was so fun and a really great time.

Have t o ask t h is becau se I love 'New Gir l'. How w as it w or k in g w it h t h e cast ? I absolutely loved the cast of New Girl! I was a pretty big fan of Zoey before I went on the show so I was super excited to work with her. The entire cast was very kind to me on set. Zoey even invited me to her trailer to play with her dogs!

Let 's t alk Iden t it y Th ef t . Get t in g t h at r ole, h ow w as t h e au dit ion ? II actually got to audition for Identity Theft with my younger sister Maggie in my

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home town, Atlanta! It was super cool because when I get to audition with my sister. I feel like we feed of each other ?s energy and give an overall better performance. M eet in g M elissa M cCar t h y? I cannot praise Melissa enough! She really cared about me and my sister while we were on set. Melissa was also super funny and would improv the scenes with me and Maggie which was so cool! I loved working with her and getting to see how she approached each scene! Wh at is you r opin ion on t h e n eed f or m or e leadin g r oles f or w om en ? Wh y is it su ch an im por t an t t h in g in societ y r igh t n ow ? I believe the need for more leading roles for women is huge and the need has always been there. Far too many shows have three to five male leads and only one female lead. To be more specific, very few female roles are written for strong independent women. There are very few leading roles for women and many female leads are written to revolve around the leading man on the show. These few lead woman roles tend to be very flat characters that are mostly written to respond to the male lead. By developing more complex intelligent strong female leads in television and film we can show young girls and all the viewing audience a more accurate view of our modern society. Wh at is you r 2018 r esolu t ion ? This may sound a little cheesy, but to cut ties with negative people and find friends that put a positive impact on my life! An y m or e u pcom in g pr oject s t h is year ? Currently, I am just working on finishing up season two of Kevin Can Wait! Sin ce you r sh ow sh oot s in NYC. Wh at ?s you r f avor it e abou t t h e 'big apple? Tough question! I love all the kinds of food in New York. My favorite place right now is Black Tap! They have crazy shakes and the best burgers ever! Wh at did you do t o celebr at e t h e r eveal of you r sh ow get t in g a secon d season ? I think when I found out we were getting a second season I screamed and called my grandparents, then went and got a milkshake! You have to make sure to let the grandparents know before you get food!

Wat ch Kevin Can Wait season 1 on CBS.com Wat ch Kevin Can Wait Season 2 on CBS. Follow M ar y Ch ar les @r ealm ar ych ar les In t er view don e by Dar n ish a Ali Ph ot o by

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N OW PLAYIN G

FIFTY SHA DES: FREED 20

M ovie Review So, the highly anticipated final movie is here! I went to go and see Fifty Shades Freed on the 11th of February with my girls and BOY did we enjoy it. I thought the first and second movies was good despite the critics saying otherwise, maybe that?s down to me being a hopeless romantic? or the fact the main characters are ridiculously good looking? who knows.

However, I thought this movie was even better than Fifty Shades of Grey and Fifty Shades Darker!

This movie was definitely a lot darker than the other two movies. It brought some previous situations to light such as the creepy, psychopath Jack Hyde and Christians relationship with Elena becomes intertwined again. Some scenes in this movie you really do see the darker side which adds another layer to a love story.

It was definitely a more romantic, steamy and hot, and it?s safe to say that there were a lot more sex scenes which I think is what the viewers wanted.

Throughout the film you really see the love they have for each other as they get married, go on an amazing honeymoon and have children. As all 21

by Rebbeca Fenemore Movie: Fifty Shades: Freed

relationships will agree, we all go through rough patches here and there and this relationship is no different. Ana and Christian have to work through hard situations throughout the movie, but love always wins, right? As the author, E. L. James, and all the stars of the movie keep saying, this is a love story and you really see the characters develop beautifully, and the audience gets to see inside their world completely.

As always, the soundtrack for this movie is amazing, in my opinion. The songs are all well written and catchy, and go really well with the movie and the scenes that they are incorporated in.

Her e ar e a cou ple of m y f avor it es: 1. Hailee Steinfeld, BloodPopÂŽ Capital Letters 2. Julia Michaels ? Heaven 3. Jamie Dornan ? Maybe I?m Amazed 4. Bishop Briggs ? Never Tear Us Apart So, if you are a romantic and have the heart to see love bloom then this is the perfect film for you!

@g o ld cr w n m a g

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Lov ed BYTHE Edit or OF GOLD CRWNMAGAZINE

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SHAMBA THE ARTIST Singer, Songwriter and dancer Shamba The Artist is a somewhat new comer to the music industry as her own but experienced at the same time being the daughter of two music vets. Her parents are former SoSo Def artist, Fundisha and the prominent DJ Shakim. Her parents own journeys have been a big impact on her own. "My mom was definitely a HUGE part of me wanting to do music and become a performer. Growing up, I would go with her to the studio, video-shoots, etc." Her dad was also an inspiration 'He's been everywhere doing what he loves, I want that for myself '. Now its 2018 and she is ready to show the world what she got.

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H er n eed t o be an ar t ist st ar t ed of f w it h

t h e love f or dan cin g. " I?ve always really had a love for music. It started as a love for dancing. I would always watch music videos and imitate the moves and create my own choreography. That then led to the love of lyrics and writing. I started off writing poems and stories because I just had a thing for the way my words formed and shaped my ideas perfectly. That then turned into song writing and that?s really where my love resides. Singing has always been apart of my life, since I was three years old, but writing ? That?s definitely what I love. Lyrics and Emotion. Had t h er e been an yt h in g else you w an t ed t o do bef or e t h is? Not going to lie. I do not remember a time where I wanted to do anything else. If I did, I know it was still music related. I used to want to go to Juilliard for dance but I never had dance classes, it was a self taught thing so I felt as if I wouldn?t stand out against those who?ve been doing it all their lives. Besides that, can?t really say I wanted to do anything else.

Sh e is t h e dau gh t er of f or m er So SoDef r ecor din g ar t ist Fu n dish a an d t h e pr om in en t DJ Sh ak im , "It?s a blessing. My mom was definitely a HUGE part of me wanting to do music and become a performer. Growing up, I would go with her to the studio, video-shoots, etc. Now I don?t necessarily remember that, but there?s pictures and videos to remind me. It was like growing up watching a superstar and I wanted to be that. Then my dad being a DJ, he added that old school hip hop flare to the mix. Waking up hearing him in the studio rocking out and watching him tour with artists like Bow Wow, New Edition, Bel 26

Biv Devoe, etc was truly inspirational. He?s been everywhere doing what he loves. I want that for myself. Just from watching them I?ve learned that there?s way more to the industry than the eye can see. I don?t completely get how it is because i?m deep in the industry just yet, but they make sure to always shook me on what really does go on behind the scenes and to not be naive or walk into something blind. Sh e r eleased h er f ir st sin gle an d m u sic video 'I Do' w it h a f eat u r e t h at in clu ded r apper Deet r an ada. Sh e h ad n o idea. ?I Do? was a funny situation for me because working with Mike we had a formula for how we created. It was him sending me a beat , me creating and sending it back to him. So when I sent him ?I Do?, he basically sent it back with Deetranada on it. I was like OMG! I have a song with Deetranada! It was funny to me and surprising. A very pleasant surprise. It w as h er f ir st t im e m eet in g Dee. It was super cool. She was shorter than I expected, which made me feel great because i?m usually the shortest one. It was me , Dee , and Cravetay on set. My favorite memory is the scene with me and Dee on the dock over the lake because, reminder this was my first video ever, so I was super nervous. Like my nervousness on set of my very first shoot is something unforgettable.

Th e in spir at ion f or 'I Do' w as a r eal lif e even t f or h er . "The inspiration for it was a guy that i used to talk to. I ended up falling in love and it ended up not working out, but no matter how much I wanted to hate him, I couldn?t. Still can?t really. You know that Drake line where he?s like ?If I ever loved ya, I?ll always love ya, That?s how i was raised?...

It?s a that kinda situation. But I wish I didn?t.

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Sh am ba r eleased h er debu t m ixt ape in Jan u ar y of t h is year . It w as pr odu ced by n on e ot h er t h an M ik e Kalom bo an d r eleased u n der Kalom bo Recor ds. Did you

go t o you r par en t s f or advice w h en cr eat in g t h is pr oject ? Not necessarily for advice but after I finish a song I always call my mom and brothers in the studio to listen. For some reason my dad CLAIMS he didn?t know anything about the project until the release of it. lol I?m sure he?s heard some songs prior to that, but maybe he?s right. Wh en com in g u p f or a t it le f or t h is pr oject it t ook h er w eek s t o f igu r e it ou t bu t h er m om k n ew ju st t h e per f ect on e.

I knew I wanted it to embody the whole good and bad of relationships. So I had my entire house thinking of possible titles and my mom is the one who came up with Rainbows & Hurricanes. When I ask my mom for ideas on the creative side, like video ideas, etc her ideas are always out of the box. I mean like soooooo far out the box lol. So when she said her title idea i expected not to like it, But i loved it.

Rainbows being the good & Hurricanes being the bad.

Sh e m en t ion s t h e h ar dest son g t o r ecor d w as 'Sh oot You r Sh ot ' du e t o it bein g t h e f ir st t im e sh e ever did f alset t o n ot es.

Pr odu cer M ik e Kalom bo w as t h e pr odu cer beh in d t h e EP. Sh am ba loved t h e exper ien ce as sh e st at ed 'He?s weird

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and very different from most people and i?m weird and very different from most people, by for some reason it just works.'

Sh e lik es t h at h e pu sh es h er t o be h er gr eat est in t h e boot h . 'I promise you I am my biggest hater, critique .. all of that. But Mike is just like , ?yeah you?re crazy, now check your email I sent you a beat?. He didn?t let my self doubt interfere with the music. He?s like ?put it in the music?. Wh at w as you r f avor it e m om en t r ecor din g t h is pr oject ? "My favorite moment while recording this project was probably Mikes reactions to the songs I sent. He loved most of them but you know when he REALLY felt a song because he would call me. When his names pops up on my phone I know it?s something important. And I work late. I finish up in the studio as late as5-6am but I always send the songs as soon as i?m done.

So it was crazy to me that he?d be up at the same times as I was. Those phone calls of him going crazy over one of my songs is definitely my favorite part. It?s like a validation thing. Like oh dang, I?m dope lol.'

You can purchase or stream her debut mixtape 'Rainbows and Hurricanes anywhere digital music is sold or streamed.

You can also view the debut visual to 'I Do' featuring rapper Deetranada on her YouTube channel.

Tested & Approved by The Editor of GCM. 30

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LEXI JAYDE

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Lexi Jayde st ar t ed ou t as a m edia r epor t ed f or a t een m agazin e. " It?s actually a funny story. I went with my aunt to the House of Blues when I was 6 years old, and while she was interviewing Mitchell Musso I started mimicking her so she gave me the mike! You can still find my first interview and others on YouTube." Sh e even t u ally r ealized sh e w an t ed t o be in t h e spot ligh t an d n ot ju st on t h e side."I was on the red carpet interviewing celebrities when I was 10, and I turned to my parents and told them that I wanted to be on the other side of the rope being interviewed instead of asking questions. I was also in musical theater and performing on stage, but it was then I decided I wanted to do more. Her f ir st m ajor r ole 'Lu ck y Dog' debu t ed on Lif et im e TV. Sh e played Em m a. "In 5th grade, I played Alice in an elementary school production of Alice in Wonderland the Musical. There was a Director of Photography in the audience, and he approached us after the show and told me I needed to be in their next movie! It was right at the time I decided I wanted to do more in the acting space so I felt so lucky (no pun intended), but the fact that I got to work with dogs was just the cherry on top. Lexi h as been apar t of alm ost 20 plays. " I learned that I love to ACT and SING! The feeling is just incredible when you are up on stage and you can make people feel something. There is nothing better than hearing a laugh, or looking out and seeing a smile, and just telling a story. But I have to admit, I love the applause." Can you pick you r f avor it e bet w een on scr een an d on st age? "They are both so different, but I love the adrenaline rush when performing live. I also love on-screen because I get to see my work played back." Wh at h as been you r f avor it e play so f ar ? Annie in Annie, or Ariel in The Little Mermaid because those are bucket list roles. I also loved playing the boy "Gavroche" in Les Miserable, and a cute bird named Gertrude in Seussical. Wh at can w e see you in n ext ?

At the Academy Awards accepting my Oscar! Oh wait, that?s next year. I will keep you posted with upcoming projects. Sh e st ar t ed w r it in g m u sic at a you n g age.

" Music has always been a part of me! My parents started me in musical theater at the age of 6, and it was acting and music from that point on. Currently my focus is on acting, but music is still very important

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and I am working on that in between auditions, classes and filming. I plan on doing both!" YHow did you get in t o m u sic? " After watching Hannah Montana day and night running around singing at all hours, my parents decided to get me into musical theater. I also began writing my own music at a young age, and found it was such a great outlet." Wh at advice w ou ld you give t o som eon e abou t get t in g in t o t h e m u sic in du st r y? "Don't ever give up on your dream, no matter what it is, but expect to work hard and do what it takes to get it done." Wh o is you r in f lu en ce? "I have several right now! I love Oprah and the speech she made at the Golden Globes. She is just so inspirational and a role model for all of us! I am also currently inspired by Demi Lovato and Lady Gaga after watching their documentaries and seeing everything they went through. How w ou ld you descr ibe you r sou n d? " I feel like I am just coming into my sound, but I?m definitely a hybrid. I would say a mix of pop and country, with a little soul.

" How w as it cr eat in g

'Baby It 's Cold Ou t side' w it h FIYM 's Em er y Kelly?

This video was just an awesome experience from day one! I know it sounds crazy but it was magical the way it all came together. Emery is such a talent and a sweetheart and not bad on the eyes! It says t h at you ar e apar t of m an y an t i bu llyin g or gan izat ion s.

Wh y is t h e t opic im por t an t t o you ? 'It is so important because EVERYONE is bullied at some time in their life! I feel that now that I am in a position to be a bit of a role model, and because I went through it myself, I can offer tools on how to handle bullies. I want to help instill self worth and confidence and encourage others in a better place to help STAND UP FOR OTHERS that are in a not so good place.

Everyone is fighting their own battle and we need more compassion and kindness." Wer e you ever bu llied an d if so h ow did you h an dle it ? "Yes, but you learn to turn your pain into power, and use it to motivate you.' Wh at is you r advice t o t h ose f an s w h o m ay be get t in g bu llied r igh t n ow ? 'What I share and what I have learned is that first, you are not alone. Second, YOU have to change the way you feel about yourself. LOVE YOURSELF and work toward that. When you change the way you feel about yourself, it will change the way others feel about you!

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End result will be that it will not matter what others say, and you will have the ability to take away their power to hurt you. Can you please t ell ou r r eader s w h y 'Br eat h e f or Caley ' is so im por t an t t o you ?

"Its important to me because Caley was one of my close friends. She was so strong and so kind and with everything she was going through she always kept a smile on her face. How can an yon e h elp? "You can donate

to

"Breathe

for

Caley?

charity.

IG:

breathe4caley website:www.breatheforcaley.org/ I w at ch ed t h e 'It Tak es On e' video on you r You Tu be an d it w as ver y pow er f u l. How did t h at pr oject com e abou t ? "t?s one of my favorites, and it?s inspired by a true story. A boy was being bullied at my school, and we stood together around him and the bully stopped. It does work! How do you t h in k f em ales can con t in u e t o m ove societ y in a posit ive dir ect ion ? " It is a good time to be a girl! All these courageous women speaking out and setting the standard and paving the way for our generation is incredible! It?s not just about women its about equality for everyone. Your time is up. You h ave su ch an aw esom e sen se of f ash ion . " Thank you! It seems to change with the wind, and I do my best to create my own style.' Wh at is you r go t o ou t f it ? 'My mother hates it, but right now, it's a pair of Adidas sweats, my favorite hoodie and my checkered vans!

But the always-ready-to-go outfit would be my black jeans, black boots and a crop top with a jean jacket!

Wh at is you r daily sk in r ou t in e? 'I first wash my face, then I put an Aveeno moisturizer on, plus the Mario Bedescu rose wtaer toner spray. TIP: Make sure if you wear make-up to take it all off before you go to bed and moisturize like crazy! Coconut oil is a must.

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Sh an e Ru sseck 38

MASIKA KALYSHA The self made ' m om -pr en eu r ', who can be seen on VH1, has

expanded her brand and created a vegan cosmetic line named after her daughter, Khari Barbie. Starting at the age of 4 going to acting studios, she remembers getting her real start in college, doing music videos. Masika joined the cast of LHH Hollywood in 2014 and instantly became a house hold name for her outgoing personality. Now a new mom, singer and business women, Masika is here to create her own multi talented lane .

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" St a y t r ue t o y o ur self, fo llow y o ur ow n p a t h a n d m a k e y o ur w a y. "

Sh an e Ru sseck 40

Wh at do people m ost ly m isin t er pr et abou t you based of f of r ealit y TV ?

Everyone thinks that I?m mean, and I am mean, but only when you deserve it. I?m actually really nice to most people. Wh at abou t t h e act in g pr of ession dr ew you in ? I love that you get to perform as another person. I love having to take your mind away from who and what you are in order to become something else and sell it. I love that acting is artistic and creative. Wh at k in d of r oles w ou ld you love t o play? I would love to be given challenging roles that you wouldn?t think of me playing. It?s easy to be typecast, but I want something like when Halle Barry had to play a crack head. I want to study a role,and become that person. Did you ever w an t t o be som et h in g ot h er t h an an act r ess? Yes, I wanted to be an attorney, then a fashion designer when I was in school. I dropped out of school, but I?ve found other ways to express my creativity. You w er e also a m odel in t h e begin n in g. How did you get st ar t ed in m odelin g? My parents took me to acting studios as a child in Chicago. When I was older, I met casting directors on a movie set when I was working as an extra. I ended up going to castings, and I?ve been 41

able to book some great roles! Do you t h in k t h e m odelin g in du st r y is f it f or you n g gir ls at 16 n ow adays? I actually got my start at 4 didn?t do too much until I was 18, but I can?t say yes or no to that question. I think it depends on the parent and the child. The industry is a lot to take on at that age. It?s challenging but rewarding, and depends on the type of girl pursuing it. I don?t have the best answer to that, which is why I?ve been ambivalent about putting Khari into that, even though I think she would love it and have fun. I want to make the best decision for her, and if it?s not right then that?s ok. How do you f eel abou t t h e f ash ion w or lds n eed f or m odels t o be a cer t ain or som et im es u n r ealist ic size in or der t o f it in ? I think that?s ridiculous. Most people are not very thin. However, I?m happy to see a lot of designers and brands embracing people of sizes that represent more people. I think a model can be any size. A model should be relatable to people, so I think it?s great to see more models of more sizes, even at fashion week. Wh at w ou ld be you r advice t o som eon e w h o w an t s t o get in t o m odelin g you n g? My advice would be to limit your outside influences. Only take advice from people that have accomplished or achieved something that you want to do.

Most critics have no credentials. Try to have a role model that you look up to that you can also get advice from. Stay true to yourself, follow your own path and make your way. Also start good healthy habits such as eating and sleeping well, and working out? .and stay in school kids.

Continue >

Wh at w ou ld you t ell you r you n ger self ?

Never take no for an answer. For every door that closes, there?s another way in.

Let 's t alk m u sic, Wh at dr ew you in t o t h e m u sic in du st r y? I love singing and songwriting. I?ve been writing songs since I was 9 years old. I love performing, and I?ve grown up around music my whole life. Wh o is you r dr eam collabor at ion ? I would love to do a song with The Weeknd and Cardi B. I love The Weeknd?s sound and I?m into real and relatable music. His songs are about things that are current and about his life. It also doesn?t hurt that everything he touches goes platinum. Cardi had the best 2017 out of everyone! She started on Love & Hip Hop like I did, and showed everyone that there?s more than meets the eye.

Sin ce m u sic r u n s in t h e f am ily, h ave you seen an yt h in g in you r dau gh t er t h at m ay in dicat e sh e w an t s t o do m u sic??My daughter is already a star. She started singing before she could even crawl. She sings and dances, and knows my songs and herdad?ssongs. She never misses her turn when it?s time to sing. This past Super Bowl, she was watching the halftime show, mesmerized. I?m pretty sure music will be in her future. Wh at did you w ish you k n ew bef or e bu t k n ow n ow abou t t h e m u sic in du st r y? The music industry is full of a lot of talent, high profile, and powerful manipulators. You need to be protected by your managers, assistants, publicists or whoever you have in place. If you don?t know how to navigate, people will definitely take advantage of you. An y advice t o n ew ar t ist ? Work hard! And when you?re done working hard, work harder. There?s always 42

someone working harder than you. Don?t think you?re done after a big record. Almost every artist I know is constantly in the studio creating music. Never stop working.

Wh at in spir ed t h is cosm et ic lin e? Two things: My love for glam and beauty, and my daughter. Wer e you alw ays in t o beau t y an d f ash ion ? Yes, just in different ways. In high school I was more of a tomboy but still into mixing and matching different pieces. I?ve always been creative with beauty and fashion. Wh at is you r advice t o you n g w om en w h o w an t t o st ar t t h eir ow n bu sin ess? Start with your business plan. Make sure you know what you?re objective is, and you definitely want to make sure you know who your demographic is and who to market to. Your business plan will guide you through your process so you won?t make as many mistakes and lose money. Also, know that starting off requires Yes a lot of money, but if you put in the work it will be well worth it in the long run. Wh y do you t h in k w om en ow n ed bu sin esses ar e n eeded n ow m or e t h an ever ? In 2018 women are still being paid less than men for the same job. It?s an opportunity for women to make their own jobs and create revenue and jobs for other women. Was ow n in g you r bu sin ess alw ays a goal of you r s? I?ve always wanted to own multiple businesses.

My grandfather owned several businesses, and owning a business is something that my mom instilled in us as kids. I?ve always know that this was something I was going to be doing.

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How h as bein g a m om t o a lit t le gir l ch an ged you? I have a lot more patience.

I?ve always been a very spur-of-the-moment? type of person and I wanted things immediately. Having a baby and catering to her needs and her learning has shown me how to have patience,and has taught me how to be more caring and understanding. It?s made me think things through and plan ahead. Do you see you r self in you r dau gh t er yet ? Yes, a lot.

She does a lot of little things that I do. It?s mind blowing. Wh at is you r f avor it e m om en t so f ar w it h ? bein g a m om ? I can?t pick just one moment. Every milestone is amazing. My favorite mommy moments are when she hugs me and says she loves me and gives me kisses out of nowhere. Wh at advice w ou ld you give t o a n ew m om ? Don?t take everyone?s weird advice. You?ll have 1,000 people telling you how to raise a child. Do your best, and pack a lot of clothes because they get dirty. Can you give som e en cou r agem en t t o sin gle m om s lik e you r self ? All of the extra hours, late nights, and no sleep, is all worth it and will pay off. Stay focused, because you?re the one they look to for everything. Even when it gets hard, just remember that you?re their superhero. Wh at ot h er pr oject s ar e you get t in g in t o t h is year ? I have a couple films I?m working on. I?m producing two new projects. I?m releasing my book this year. I?m expanding my cosmetic line, adding a full line of hair products, and more. I?m putting all of my news on my website www.masikakalysha.com.

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" On ly t a k e a d v ice fr o m p eo p le t h a t h a v e a cco m p lish ed o r a ch iev ed so m et h in g t h a t y o u w a nt t o d o ."

Sh an e Ru sseck

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CHRISSY LAVON N E 48

How did you get st ar t ed? Well, as crazy as this may sound I actually started all of this out of boredom, you could say. What a lot of people don?t know is that before I had a website or started doing shows or putting out mixtapes or anything, I actually got my start on YouTube. I would spend hours on YouTube watching all types of people and one of my favorite YoutTbers is Aaliyah Jay. I would always watch her videos. Shes a beauty youtuber and Id always watch her stuff along with other youtubers such as Justin J and Tre Melvin. One day I just thought to myself. ?I have a lot to say why can?t I start a channel to talk about stuff I wanna talk about??. So I did it. I started recording and editing videos on my busted iPhone 6 and people actually were watching. I was really surprised actually at the amount of positive feedback and support I was receiving. People were watching and sharing my videos and I was like, ?Wow, this might actually be something.? Thats how I started my channel. The website and everything else didnt come until much later but thats how all of this got started. Wh y w as t h e VA m u sic scen e so im por t an t t o you ?

Music has always been a big part of my life.

Growing up I played instruments, I sang in the choir, I danced on dance teams and I was a part of an organization called Teens With a Purpose which is big on helping develop kids through creative arts. TWP was like a big gateway into he music scene for me because I attended and eventually helped put together and facilitate events where a lot of local artists would be present. Also everyone who attended TWP with me was some kind of budding artist or

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creative so we all kind of helped eachother find ourselves. I think it was being surrounded by all of the artists and seeing the amount of work everyone put into their music is what really got me interested in becoming a voice for local artists. I realized the fact that there are so many dope artists, a lot of who I were friends with, who don't get the publicity they deserve for whatever reason so I dedicated my platform to helping these artists get the publicity and recognition they deserve. I believe that a lot of these underground/local artists are really passionate about what they do and I think what they do is dope and so I want to help them. I want Virginians creative scene to receive the credit and recognition it deserves and this is just my way of helping to do that.

Wh at abou t it disappoin t s you ?I would say the fact that this scene can be very clique-like and non supportive at times if someone doesn't have a certain look or feel to their sound. From what Ive experienced there are a lot of teams and groups or what have you in the 757 music scene and sometimes it can just turn into a thing where people are looking at it as a ?us against them? type of thing and thats what disappoints me the most because its like, if we?re all working toward a common goal, why are we beefing? Whats the point of hating on someone else just because they're not from the same camp as you?

Theres literally enough room for all of us to shine if we would just work together. Thats the only way Virginia is going to get the shine we deserve. Wh y do you t h in k VA is n ot r ecogn ized as m u ch as w e sh ou ld be f or m u sic?

I feel like a big reason is because of what I talked about earlier when I said we don't work together enough. Also, VA is known for the ?Crab In The Bucket? mentality which means that everyone is always so willing to climb over top of and stomp on someone else if they think it gives them a shot at success. As long as people are operating like that Virginia will never be on like we should be. We have to become a lot more unified than what we are otherwise we will never become recognized for anything good that we have going on as far as art, music or anything creative You w en t on r an t abou t t he Coast 2Coast com pet it ion an d Sh ag Fest . Wh at abou t t h ose bu sin esses an ger you so m u ch ? To put it bluntly what angers me about these businesses is that they?re scamming unaware local artists. Period. Coast to Coast is a scam and I?ve heard stories from multiple artists on how they try to run their scheme on artists to get money. Same with Shagg Fest. I?ve done my research on both of these organizations and everything I found matched up with the testimonials I received from the artists. I see a lot of behind the scenes work when it comes to working with the artists out here. I see how much time and effort they put into their craft and I believe that anyone who takes advantage of someones desire to reach their dream and tries to capitalize off of that desire is wrong. People are really money hungry in the music industry and these are only two of many organizations who have been outted f or the dirt they are doing and I feel like anyone who is really for the culture should warn artists who might not be aware of their tactics. How can 50

ar t ist n ot get dr agged in t o t h ose bu sin esses t h at can t ak e advan t age of n ew ar t ist ? Do your research and also get a good manager. A lot of people lack good management or management at all for that matter. If you?re really going to make it in this industry you have to know whats really going on and you have to have management that will guide you in the right direction. If people feel like they can get over on you then they?re going to do it.

Thats why its important to do your research and know your stuff and surround yourself with people who aren't suckers, honestly.

Familiarize yourself with the business aspect of the industry. Read. If this is really something you want to make a career out of then you really have to become a student of the game and take in information so that you can really be solid in the industry.

Wh at is you r advice t o n ew ar t ist w h en f ir st st ar t in g ou t ? I would say make yourself a student of the game. When I really decided I wanted to get into the music scene, for a year straight I just studied everything. I went to every event I could get to, I watched people put together events, I learned about all the artists I could. If you follow my social media you know I did a lot with the Traptastic brand.

They reached out to me at the beginning of my bogging career and I learned a lot about artist management and event promotion through them I stayed under people who I believed were masters at their craft and I just learned everything I could. Thats what you have to do if you want to become a solid artist. Learn all you can about your craft;

How sh ou ld an ar t ist r espon d t o social m edia back lash ? I?d say ignore them. If someone is physically threatening you or doing something where you feel unsafe, report to the authorities but anything else just ignore. People like that who hate on others feed off of attention, if you give them no attention, they die out. Its not worth the time and energy it takes to battle with an Internet troll or a hater. Put that energy into learning something about your craft. You ar e associat e w it h Teen Wit h A Pu r pose an d h ave been apar t of dif f er en t m ovem en t s. How did you get in volved w it h t h em ? I actually found out about TWP by participating in a Martin Luther King march for peach where I played violin in their ceremony. Then a few years later my mom enrolled me in Camp Inspired which is their summer camp and after I went through the camp for two years I came back and volunteered as a counselor. From there I just helped out more and more with the organization. I participated in marches and protests, helped facilitate workshops and one year I put together the fashion show for FUSE Fest which is an annual music festival put together by the organization. Honestly if it wasn't for TWP I wouldn't be as into the music scene as I am now so shout out to Teens With A Purpose for planting that seed. Wh at is you r opin ion on h ow societ y is m ovin g f or w ar d an d h ow can ou r gen er at ion h elp m ove it f or w ar d? I feel as if society is moving along wonderfully as far as ingenuity and progression. We are at a better time than ever before as far as advancement in technology and new ideas being birthed 51

and such. What I would like to see from our generation is more love being given. Society right now is in a very progressive time but its also a very tense time as far as race, religion, gender, etc. I would like for my generation to be the one that bridges the gap between everyone by showing love and

by using things such as music and art and fashion to help bring people together. Love and unity is the only thing that will help us all move forward and I would like my generation to use their creative outlets to bring people together. We can be the generation to put an end to hate and intolerance by using creative outlets to inspire and bring people together and at the rate we are going I really believe we will be successful in doing that.

Interview by Darnisha Ali Follow Chrisy @heymisschrissy or visit heymisschrissy.com to learn more.

PRINT IS SO IN Gr a b Yo ur Pr int Lik e N ow .

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DA A N CREYGHTON How did you get in t o act in g? I started when I was around 6 years old. My oldest sister had to take photos for a casting agent in the Netherlands and I went to the photoshoot with her. Then they asked me if they could take some photos of me. A few weeks later I signed up at that casting agency, and started taking some acting classes and would dress up like pirates with my little brother. After that I just fell in love with acting. How w as t h e au dit ion w it h Nick elodeon ? I was very nervous going into the audition because I was auditioning for a role who is not like me at all, so I did not know too much about how I should play this character. I knew my lines and I was on time and was very excited to do the audition. Walking out of it I felt good about how it went, and was super happy just to be given the chance to do it. After this I was invited to the last round. This was a nervous

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as well as an exciting and great afternoon.

There were 3 other ?Sals?. I met Thomas and Kyra as well this afternoon. We played scenes together as a family to see which characters fit best together as Hunter siblings. I was the lucky one. How did you lik e livin g in t h e US? I really loved living there. I lived in a very small town with my big family. Since it was beautiful weather, we could swim almost every day. It was really fun to chill with my friends in the pool. I would also play sports and games with my friends, and have fun with my family. We went on many trips together. I am really happy I got to experience living in the US because if I did not, my English would not have been fluent, and I probably would have never landed the role of Sal! Wh at in it ially dr ew you t o t h e sh ow ? I loved playing someone that I really was not like at all in real life. Like Sal, I am also a member of

big family, but unlike Sal I am not the smart one of the Creyghton family. I loved being able to the smart kid for once, so I just thought it would be really cool to play this character. And to also have the chance to film for Nickelodeon in my home country made it even better! Do you h ave an yt h in g in com m on w it h you r ch ar act er 'Sal'? Sal has a big family and would do anything for them and put it all on the line. It is the same with my family. I have 2 wonderful parents, 1 younger brother who is 12 years old named Tom, 3 older sisters Lara (19), Roos (18) and Floor who recently turned 17 years old. I know they would do anything for me, and I would do anything for them. Wh at is you r f avor it e on set m em or y? I loved shooting the food fight scene! It was so much fun just throwing dough and flower at everyone, and the scene turned out so funny and it was a cute and nice family moment, which are definitely San n a Zoe Pr in s 56

my favorite scenes to film. You r sh ow got a season 2! Wh at did you do t o celebr at e w h en you f ou n d ou t ? I remember when I got the news. I was in class, and I got a text from my mom saying, ?DAAN CALL ME WHEN YOU CAN!!!!!!!?. So I had no idea what that could possibly mean. I did not know if she was angry because I did not clean my room, or if she was happy. So after class I called her and I remember my sister telling my mom, ?No I want to tell him!?.

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my mom handed the phone to Floor, and she screamed, ?YOU GOT A SEASON 2!!!!?. I remember going up to all my friends and telling them that Hunter Street

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renewed for a Season 2. They were all super happy for me and I am lucky to have such supportive friends. My family celebrated by eating cake all together (my family will make up any excuse to eat cake, but this was a pretty one).

Wh at advice w ou ld you give a you n g act or ?

When it comes to trying to get role and do auditions you really have to be patient and work hard for the things you really want. My mom always told me, ?If you really want something, and you are willing to work hard for it, you can achieve it?. And always remember that if you do not get a role that means it was not right for you, and the right one will come. Keep trying and always believe in yourself and your instincts. You ar e st ill in sch ool. Wh y is h avin g an edu cat ion im por t an t even in t he en t er t ain m en t in du st r y? It is always important to have an education, because you can also use what you learn in school in the entertainment industry and vice versa. Skills like being prepared, be on time, be flexible, be organized, listen very good, follow instructions, collaborate, memorize are all skills you need in acting as well as at school. I think that is one of the reasons my school is so supportive of my acting. An y en cou r agin g w or ds f or st u den t s w h o m ay n eed som e en cou r agem en t t o st ay in sch ool t h ese days?I know it is easier said than done, but try to think of each day at school as another opportunity to learn something new about the world and learn something more about yourself and what you find interesting about that world.

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Emil ia McCar t hy Starring in the Disney Channel Original 'Zombies' as Lacey, Emilia is not a new comer to acting or Disney. 'I?ve done Disney movies before like Zapped which also had the dancing aspect and I had an absolute blast" Born in Canada, She has shared screen credits with Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Julianne Moore, Famke Janssen, Gael GarcĂ­a, and Robert Pattison all before hitting 20. Emilia landed her first role in the Golden Globe award winning film "Babel" at the tender age of 7 because of her physical resemblance to Elle Fanning and her knowledge of Spanish and American language and culture. After seeing Zombies we just wanted to know more about this heavy hitter.

How did you get st ar t ed in t h e act in g bu sin ess? " I woke up one morning when I was 7 and had some kind of epiphany that I had to be an actress. So I told my parents, who for some reason didn?t just take it as some phase I was having, and somehow got me an agent. My very first audition was for the film Babel and I booked it. I was off to Mexico to film for 6 weeks on the first month of my acting epiphany and I honestly fell in love with it.' Sh e is f r om Tor on t o. " Toronto has always been a great city to me! My career has really shaped there, and so have I. I have incredible friends I met at school there. I think everyone has a special place in their heart for home." She can speak three languages. " Speaking Spanish hasn?t come into play 61

with my acting career so much because I don?t look typically ?Latina?. When I?ve done voice over work, then I do get to use my Spanish. Which is cool because it?s a new door opened.' A vet t o Disn ey m ovies, h er m ost r ecen t pr oject 'Zom bies' is com in g t o Disn ey Ch an n el t h is year . . I think when the production asks more of the cast: singing, dancing, acting, we become closer and bond over the experience." Her f avor it e on set m em or y is bon din g w it h t h e cast . "For a couple of weeks we were out in the woods shooting the football scenes and it literally felt like going to camp every day. We all ran out of data on our phone (lol) so we played card games and charades and it felt like being a little kid again." Th e scen e t h ey h ad t o do t o au dit ion w as h er f avor it e scen e in t h e m ovie. 'During the callback and chemistry reads, we had a Lacey, Tracey and Stacey scene where we?re telling Addison off. So, when we got on set we were so comfortable with the scene it was easier to play around with it and have a lot of fun being sassy." Sh e is cu r r en t ly w ait in g t o see if Dar k Haven High get s t o go t o bein g a ser ies. Sh e sh ot t h e pilot in Oct ober of last year .

Yo u ca n cur r ent ly w a t ch ' Z o m b ies' o n Disn ey Ch a n n el a n d fo llow Em ilia @Em ilia a M cCa r t h y.

kla ssicsound s.com Sounds Excl usiv ely Cr eat ed by Mike Kal ombo

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