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23 | THE VOICE JUNE 28 - JULY 4, 2012
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THE GLOVES ARE OFF! Shystie and Azealia Banks lock horns
SHABBA
THE COMEDIAN
A new chapter
24 THE VOICE MARCH 14 - 20, 2013
CELEB MUMS
Juggling motherhood and work is no easy task. Here we list those who do it daily – and in the spotlight 2
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MICHELLE OBAMA WITH DAUGHTERS MALIA AND SASHA
TIA MOWRY SON CREE
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HALLE BERRY AND DAUGHTER NAHLA
ALICIA KEYS AND SON EGYPT
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JENNIFER HUDSON AND SON DAVID JR
BEYONCÉ AND DAUGHTER BLUE IVY
SOLANGE KNOWLES AND SON JULEZ
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MEL B AND DAUGHTERS PHOENIX AND ANGEL
THANDIE NEWTON AND DAUGHTERS RIPLEY AND NICO
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NIA LONG AND SONS MASSAI AND KEZ
MARIAH CAREY WITH TWINS MONROE AND MOROCCAN
CHRISTINA MILIAN AND DAUGHTER VIOLET
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JAMELIA AND DAUGHTERS TEJA AND TIANI
LAILA ALI WITH SON CURTIS JR AND DAUGHTER SYDNEY
KEYSHIA COLE AND SON DANIEL GIBSON JR
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KIMORA LEE SIMMONS WITH DAUGHTERS MING LEE, AOKI LEE AND SON KENZO
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Melba Mwanje
MONICA BROWN AND SONS ROMELO AND RODNEY JR
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MELBA FOUNDED charity SE1 United, which aims to build confidence and communication skills in young people, after winning a £230,000 start-up fund. Although Melba’s final year at Oxford University kept her busy, she has still managed to find time to stay involved. The African Studies and Social Enterprise student met the Mayor of London last year, after which she decided to take part in the Thames Festival Night Carnival. She spent her summer choreographing, costume making and co-ordinating SE1 United’s presence in the parade. She has also been teaching contem-
porary, street and African dance to locals, aged seven and upwards. “It’s just so much fun!” she says. “A more entertaining and sociable way to keep fit – the best of all worlds!” Conversational in German, Arabic and Portuguese, Melba has spent the past few months taking refresher courses in all three languages and preparing for her Masters degree. The former President of Oxford’s African Caribbean Society had offers to study for an MPhil in Developmental Studies at Cambridge University, as well as a full scholarship to remain at Oxford to pursue an MSc in African Studies.
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MARCH 14 - 20, 2013 THE VOICE 25
www.voice-online.co.uk/entertainment
Shabba The Comedian talks to YV’s Dionne Grant about his dancing past, finding a home in comedy and turning negatives into positives
H
E MAY have traded his allin-one spandex and a lucrative career in dance for a mic and a risky venture into the unknown world of comedy, but former professional dancer turned comedian, Shabba, says he wouldn't change a thing. “I've only been doing comedy for about 14 months now, but I honestly believe that being a comedian is one of the best jobs in the world,” he says. “I came out of nowhere with the comedy thing, but before comedy, I was a professional dancer for 10 years. I went to a dance school for two years and I studied ballet, tap, modern and jazz. I used to be there in
my all-in-one outfits and my ballet shoes.” Before I let my mind toy with those visuals of the dedicated gym-goer in colourful form-fitting garments and matching shoes, he goes onto explain why he gave up dance. “I think the dance industry has changed from when I was dancing. Back in the day, when you called yourself a dancer it meant something, whereas now everyone's a dancer. They don't even go to dance school or have any kind of skill base. Dance shows have profiled a lot of great dancers in the industry, but it has saturated the industry. Everyone is a dancer. You can do zumba for two minutes and call yourself a dancer,” he says.
On the contrary, he says: “Being a comedian is one of the hardest jobs in the entertainment industry, but if you can get on the stage on your own and make people laugh, there is nothing else that can beat that. You're not a footballer, you're not an actor playing a role, it's just you and the mic.” And that has been his reality for the last year. His new vocation has taken him all around the UK and seen the comic, who started out presenting gigs, win over the toughest of crowds on the circuit, many suggesting he should give comedy a try. “I used to do a lot of presenting and used to host a lot of shows in and around London. Everyone used to come up to
me and ask if I was a comedian. I starting dabbling with comedy in 2010.” Following various hosting gigs, Shabba landed a regular slot at popular weekly comedy show, The Comedy Club, in Streatham, south London. “On the black circuit, if you can do well there, you're going to get bookings,” he says. “They gave me a slot once a month and I was consistently doing well. I had only been doing comedy for less than six months at this point, but went onto land a slot on a big comedy show called Wahala, which put me in front of 2,000 people. After that show, it just went crazy.” His success at the aforementioned shows, coupled with the advice from British comedians Felicity Ethnic, Slim and Kane Brown, he says, produced a snowball effect that saw him living out of his suitcase - in a good way. “I've performed everywhere. From Birmingham to Northampton, it has been amazing.” On how far he intends to take his career in comedy, he says: “I've always said that I want to be the English version of [US comic, presenter and entrepreneur] Nick Cannon because he's young, entrepreneurial and that's how I see myself. He may not be the funniest person in the world, but he brings a good quality of shows to your screen. I want to take British comedy to that level. I'm not trying to do what
everyone else is doing, I'm trying to make my path a little bit different. If someone said to me, 'what do you want to be called right now?' I'd say, 'I'd like to be called the Young Don of Comedy'. On the subject of names, I ask about the origin of his stage moniker. A tribute to Jamaican dancehall star Shabba Ranks, surely? After all, the pair hail from the same Caribbean isle. “Do you want to know the real story or the story I prefer?” He already knows my response, so he continues reluctantly. “Okay, well basically, me and my friend were having an argument. He was cussing me and said that I was ugly and I looked like Shabba Ranks. He would mock me every time he saw me, but because of the kind of person I am, I decided
WILL SMITH:
The Hollywood actor visited a school during his recent visit to London and had students singing the Fresh Prince of Bel Air theme tune
to take the name Shabba and use it positively.” And it is this mindset that has developed his career. “My competition in this industry is myself. I'm my biggest competitor, my biggest enemy and my biggest critic. For me, anyone who has been doing it for longer than me, I look up to.” It's his hope that he'll be the person other newcomers will look up to and learn from in years to come. “Whether I'm doing an arena tour or a theatre tour, I want people to hear the name Shabba and instantly smile. I want to be relatable and I want to be someone who helps put black comedy on television again. There's enough of us to be able to run with it.” To find out more about Shabba The Comedian, follow him on Twitter @ShabbaComedy
LATAVIA ROBERSON:
The former Destiny’s Child star announced that she is pregnant with her first child
BUFF OR BUSTED?
Dear Kat, I’ve been single for over two years and nothing I do seems to be attracting the right man. I’ve had guys approach me, but they’re all wastemen and no one that I would want to settle down with. My best friend has been in a long-term relationship and has tried to hook me up with her boyfriend’s friends, but nothing has stuck. I’m an educated girl, not bad looking and have my own stuff. What am I doing wrong? Leanna, 19 CHRIS BROWN:
It was claimed that the singer got into an altercation with his bodyguard on board their private plane
Hi Leanna, You’re educated, good-looking, have your own stuff, so are you saying that because you possess all these qualities, that men should be falling at your feet? This is where you may be going wrong, my dear. Work on becoming the woman that you (if you were a man, of course) would like to meet. If you’re cool with your friend’s boyfriend, maybe sit down and ask him what might be turning “the right man” off? He’s obviously someone your friend considers “right” so I think that’s a good place to start. In the meantime, enjoy life. There’s nothing more attractive than a woman who is happy in her own company (while open to sharing it with someone else). You’ll find that while you’re not even thinking about meeting the perfect person, that he will appear. Let me know how you get on.
BUFF
BUFF
KIM KARDASHIAN:
The pregnant reality star was rushed to hospital after falling ill on a plane
TWEET OF THE WEEK UK rapper Shystie let rip after US rapper Azealia Banks claimed that the video the pair shot together was “bogus”. Banks’ label subsequently pulled the video.
RIHANNA:
Unique, unap ologetic,
trendy
JADEN SMIT
H:
Youthful, conf ident, distinc tive Shystie
“I'm from London and certified, Harlem dont even claim you.. Im very about it, ill jump on ur white couch in my muddy heels @azealiabanks”
KANYE WEST
26 THE VOICE MARCH 14 - 20, 2013
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