Cover Features - April Daniels, Omarr, Tahshon, Jett written by Toni Emehel

apRil danieLS

On September 3, 2019, God did a thing: He shook the world as we know it for the music, media, and entertainment industries. Most importantly, it reframed life for television personality April Daniels, founder of the Rock Out With Me movement and wife of legendary Grammy Award winning songwriter Lashawn Daniels. “When tragedy strikes, you can’t see past the next 10 minutes,” explains April. “There was a point where I was like, I don’t even know what to do. So, I am just going to sit here and soak in whatever this is. The emotion of it all. The hurt. The pain. The disappointment …” April was walking into her 8th day.

Her 8th day, a day synchronously marked by abrupt endings and startling new beginnings. Ecclesiastes 3:1–8 (KJV) tells us:

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.”

As April and their sons opened their eyes and awakened to start their 8th day, no calendar was there to mark the incoming season clos-

ing in on them, with expected landfall just a few short hours away. “When you go through times of adversity, it’s very easy to ask, why is this happening to me?” shares Omarr Rambert, the eldest of April’s sons. “Having the ability to adapt and not being set on what we thought things would look like is how our family has been able to pivot during the most pressing time of adversity in our lives.”

Jett, April’s youngest son, chimes in, “When Dad passed, Mom did not really get a chance to pause and check on how she was really feeling. Her mothering instincts kicked in as she became highly focused on making sure that me and my brothers were straight. I feel like she is in a pivotal moment of her life right now where she is checking on self, making moves and living her life.”

Tahshon gives a chuckle of astonishment, reflecting on how April has adapted to this new season in her life, “Yes, she has been going ham! … Mom has helped all of us to get better. Now, it’s her time.”

Omarr concludes, “I [can] speak for me and my brothers when I say that we are super proud of her.”

the puRpose is just begiNNING

Laugh a time to

No one but God gets credit for the emergence of the well read, seasoned, and focused version of April N. Daniels whom we see today: mother, inspirational leader, Editorial Director of MB Magazine and MB Mag Media, visionary and principal designer of Eight: New Beginnings Athleisure Line for women, and author, founder, and mastermind producer behind The Girlfriend’s Corner (a global movement to inspire and uplift women from all walks of life). Oh, and her latest release … AND Essentials, a newly developed beauty and wellness product line founded by April N. Daniels herself!

The very initials of her name signify that, when it comes to April N. Daniels, the impact of God’s work through her hands knows no end. The depth of April’s purpose did not end with the death of her husband, as she herself proclaims: “The purpose is just beginning.”

MB MAGAZINE: The April Daniels the world sees today is a very different person than the April Daniels the world saw in 2019. Share with us the turning points of your life during that season.

APRIL DANIELS: “When a very large piece of yourself dies, you tend to want to die with it. Although God has removed a large part from my life … looking back, He has given me so much more. I thank God that I don’t look like what I’ve been through! I am in my right mind. I can still smile. I still cry. And I am still living. Unfortunately, it took my husband’s transition for me to get to this next chapter that God had for me to come into my own. Only a few people will really understand what that means.”

For anyone who does not understand what that signifies, it simply means this: as God declared “Purpose Fulfilled” for the life of Lashawn Daniels, the fullness of God’s plan began to unfold for the life of his wife more progressively. God’s plan found April carefully curating her steps to grow roots in the real estate industry. In the months leading up to September 2019, April spent time preparing to sit for a state licensing real estate exam, which would enable her to become a licensed real estate broker. However, for all the incredible feats and blessings God has established April to accomplish through her life does not, did not, and never will require a real estate license. His plan only requires April to be authentically who He created her to be.

April’s plan required that she retain enough knowledge to achieve a passing score of 80% on the two-part test. Attaining a passing score was sufficient for April to become who she desired to be. However, God’s plan required 100+% of April’s trust in Him, 100+% of trust in herself, and 100+% faith in what He could accomplish through her. No class, degree program, nor licensing exam could have qualified April for God’s assignment. Her matriculation could only come from what was buried deeply within her.

In His timing, God plucked April up to redirect where she was growing her roots. He then planted her in a greenhouse of life experiences to increase her knowledge of self and of those around her, and to root her knowledge in Him. In the spirit of Ecclesiastes 3, April’s maturation process required that she first understand that“ to everything there is a season … a time to be born, and a time to die.” In this, April had to reach a level of resolve in letting go of the most significant and most fulfilling relationship of her life: her marriage to Lashawn Daniels. Lashawn’s purpose on earth was complete. In fact, he lived his life in such a way that the effects of his works remain perpetual. So, to be clear, April’s purpose had nothing to do with Lashawn’s death; rather Lashawn died because he had fulfilled the Master’s plan for his life. So, God let him off early to obtain his just reward: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant (Matthew 25:21, KJV).

The ensuing days following Lashawn’s transition provided many opportunities for April to discern and understand God’s Word as it relates to a time to keep silent and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time for war, and a time for peace. We have all heard it said that weddings and funerals are two of the most challenging times for families to navigate in love and peace. Through it all, April chose to be the person God knows her to be. She chose peace.

APRIL DANIELS: “At Lashawn’s memorial, I remember going up on the stage to have words. Pastor Furtick took my hand to help me up the steps. As soon as he grabbed my hand, I heard Lashawn say, ‘Be who you are supposed to be in this room.’ That instantly changed everything for me. There was a lot of foolery going on from family and friends, and it had me steaming inside. My mission when I got up on the stage was to speak to the issues. I was getting ready to drink the Kool Aid right along with them, but many times I heard Lashawn telling me to ‘just let it go.’ It was that same peace that told me, ‘Do not let them change who God said you are supposed to be in this season, in this moment, in this room, in this circumstance. I don’t care what it is … stay the same.’ It was a bit of a tug of war, but I felt Lashawn’s presence. So many things were coming at me left and right, it was just CRAZY! But, I was like, it’s okay. Let them have it. It’s fine. I kept my silence. I surprised myself. I kept my peace. It was challenging. I chose to be me.” Among his last words concerning his wife, Lashawn told audiences across all social media platforms [@bigshiz], “I love so that she can live.” These very words made clear the desires of Lashawn’s heart. As God continued growing April through His process, He taught her that there is a time to embrace, and a time to re-

frain from embracing. Nobody knows the heart of man like God. While April wept, there were those who proclaimed to love her husband yet cast stones at her immediately following his death. These opportunities carved the pathway to elevate April’s knowledge of the fallen nature of man and the spiritual condition of those around her. While some waged war, God showed April that it was a time for peace. While others seized opportunities to tear down, April found herself gathering stones to build up. Those are the stones on which she stands today — rendering herself approved and building an imprint that gives God the glory for what He has accomplished in and through her life.

“

the PURPOSE IS JUST BEGINNING.

Reflecting on her growth, April shares with MB Magazine that “God’s purpose for me wasn’t to be this amazing man’s wife during this season. It felt very purposeful for me. It was fulfilling for me, but God said, ‘No. The purpose is just beginning.’”

Lashawn and April relocated their family from Los Angeles to Charlotte, North Carolina, in 2017. I reminded April that she was in “chill” mode when she and her family arrived, and even jokingly accused her of trying to seamlessly fit in on the sidelines.

APRIL DANIELS: [Responding with laughter] “Yes. When we relocated to Charlotte from LA, it was like we had been on the front lines in the Vietnam War. Lashawn and I had taken so many blows. I was like, Listen, either we are leaving [LA] or I’m leaving you! We always knew that LA wasn’t permanent for us. I got to the point where I was like, I can’t stay here anymore. So, when Omarr graduated from Pepperdine and started his career at UCLA Law school, Lashawn and I moved to Charlotte along with Jett.

“God knew where the family was, and He knew what we needed. We just wanted to be poured into. We had given every last drop [jokingly] in California. Lashawn was trying to get us to a safe place, under a pastor where we could all grow in our faith and be strengthened. He had considered Dallas, Texas, but ultimately decided on Charlotte, where we became a part of Elevation Church. For the first time in our faith walk, we were able to watch a pastor as a family and everybody get something out of the Word. Coming to Charlotte, we didn’t want to do anything. We were okay with no one knowing who we were. We just really wanted God to pour into us, and He absolutely did that for us instantly. He wasted no time.”

As fate would have it, I was leading a women’s Bible study eGroup for Elevation Church in 2017. Shortly after she arrived in Charlotte, April joined my eGroup. She entered the doors of my home out of a thirst for God; however, she was in protection mode. Life in Los Angeles had caused her to engage defense mechanisms of denying herself. April did not want to be noticed by anyone. She wasn’t hiding her identity, but she did not want her identity known. She did not want any celebrity introductions … she simply wanted to be. From approximately 2017 to 2019, April was in a season of healing, having left the toxicity of life in LA and now dealing with the tragic transition of her husband in Charlotte.

MB MAGAZINE: How did you ultimately find healing, especially in the midst of processing Lashawn’s transition?

APRIL DANIELS: “I started videotaping myself every day.

I did video journaling because I was intentional about wanting to get from where I was. My goal was not to forget what I had with my husband, but I needed to move away from the familiar place of pain and emptiness. I go back, even to this day, and look at those videos, and I’m like, Jesus! Wow! Eventually, I got tired of looking at myself in that state.

“When God was not so present telling me, ‘Come on. You got this. Get up,’ I used those videos of myself to challenge myself to get up. To improve. To progress. To look better than I did yesterday. To feel better than I did yesterday. To sound better than I did yesterday. I took note of myself.

“The video journal was part of, but not all of, what it took to move me out of my state of pain and disbelief. It also took the words of my dear brother MAJOR. saying, ‘April, keep living.’ I felt like I had a tug of war within me. Obviously, I wanted to keep living. Especially given that I now have sons who are looking at me to be that leader that my husband used to be.”

JETT DANIELS: “Everyone grieves differently. Being as young as I am, I’m definitely still trying to develop my relationship with God. However, I believe that having a relationship with God and relying on Him when tragedy strikes is key. Even though I believe that everybody experiences bouts of grief for the majority of the rest of their life when they lose a loved one, I believe that bottling up emotions can and will prolong your grief. It is important to find a way to express your emotions in a healthy way. I have found that the key is leaning on my relationship with God and my faith in Him, even when I may not feel that I fully know the Word.”

TAHSHON DANIELS: “It’s important to get your head right. Even though you are grieving, you can’t neglect your mental health.”

BUILD a time to

MB MAGAZINE: Let’s talk about your now season.

APRIL DANIELS: “I have always been a sower. Lashawn was a sower, too, but we didn’t go walking around telling everybody about what we did. Giving was our posture. When Lashawn transitioned, I felt like the outpouring of all the things that were coming my way — the opportunities, the love, the purpose — came full circle as if it was the payback for all the sowing that we did.

“I am still walking in the season where God is preparing a seat at a table for me. A table that I didn’t even know I would be able to sit at. It’s amazing. I’m amazed at what God is doing. I’ve always wanted to do something with fashion. I thought, if it was going to happen, it would have been during the time I was on TV. Well, that came and went [in laughter] and a whole lot of other stuff! I’m like … okay, maybe not!

“I totally let it go and told myself it’s not going to happen. So, when this company, Sew Sew You, reached out to me and was like, ‘We want to do a line with you’ …

“I was like, Oh, what’s the catch? What’s the fine print?

“So, having the opportunity to launch my own clothing line came to fruition. I’m actually about to launch my third line with them in 2023. I currently have an amazing fall/winter line and a summer/spring line. I could not be more pleased.

“I also decided to get into the beauty and wellness industry. I’ve been a licensed cosmetologist for 26 years. I haven’t been operating in my gift, but I have maintained my license. AND Essentials is my beauty and wellness brand. It’s a product line that brings the essentials people need from the inside out. I’m super proud of that. One of the products is my hair oil formula, which I have been using on my own hair for years. So, I have been my own guinea pig! Everybody is like, ‘Wow, your hair is like growing and growing good!’ I’m like, Yes! Make sure you remember that when I drop my new products!

“I have some other things in the works, but being able to be a part of MB Magazine has been super exciting for me. One of the things I have always been so hard on myself about is that I graduated from high school a year early, but I did not go to college. I have always been like, Who does that and don’t go to college? The enemy loves to use disappointments from your past to keep you as a prisoner. So, my accomplishments with the magazine, being Editorial Director and seeing what we are able to do as a team, has been God’s reminder to me that that piece of paper doesn’t

define His purpose for my life. life. So, I can let that go and be okay with it. With that confidence, I am also authoring a new book that is set to be released in 2023.”

MB MAGAZINE: How did the Girlfriend’s Corner Tour come into being?

APRIL DANIELS: “You know, it’s crazy because I was doing Rock Out With Me when I was in LA and took a break when it was at its peak. A lot of people were like, ‘This is not the time to take a break,’ but it became so political for me. There were people involved that wanted me to do certain things or have certain people be at the forefront of the project, when in reality their agenda did not align with the vision of the movement. When it became toxic behind the scenes, I was like, I’m cool. I’m going to sit this one out.

“Fast forward, when I started writing the Girlfriend’s Corner column for MB Magazine, the Editor-in-Chief, Stacy Sorrell-Moore, wanted to create an event to associate with the magazine. The event would allow us to really be able to touch people, go out, shake hands, kiss babies, and do all that stuff in ministry that the magazine can’t do. Since I was already writing the Girlfriend’s Corner column and still had my following from Rock Out With Me, we decided to make the Girlfriend’s Corner an event. Really, the Girlfriend’s Corner Tour is Rock Out With Me all grown up. It’s the ultimate girlfriend’s night out on steroids.”

MB MAGAZINE: What’s next for April Daniels in terms of love and relationships?

APRIL DANIELS: “Lashawn and I talked about that, and there was never a point where either one of us said, ‘Stop living.’ I did tell him that he better not be walking around here with one of my friends [laughing], but I never said, ‘Stop living’ and vice versa. Truthfully, I have really been locked in with making sure that April does not need a man for anything. I have always been that girl … I don’t need you, but I want you to be in my life. So, when you’ve been able to be an at-home mom and wife for 20 years … uh, yes [the standard is high].

“Some may be like, ‘Oh, she’s gonna need somebody now.’ I’m like, No, God’s got me. I’m all about me and my business right now: creating business, maintaining business, and increasing business. That being said, the human side of me acknowledges that it can be very lonely sometimes. I had an amazing husband. So, the desire to be loved in that capacity is no stranger. These women out here talking about, ‘I don’t need no man …’ you are lying [jovially speaking]! Because I miss my husband lying next to me every

no, GOD’S GOT ME. “

night. Even when we weren’t talking to each other because we were mad, I enjoyed being able to look over at him and wanted his body next to mine. So, the human part of me does miss companionship.

“So to answer your question, I am not looking, but I am open if it comes around. And I am a package deal. God knows how much I loved love. I loved being Lashawn’s wife. I believe that marriage is an amazing thing. I loved being able to be submissive to a man who honored God first and foremost in his life. I know that submission is a hot topic out here in these streets, but it is so misunderstood. When you’re submitting to the right one, it doesn’t feel like submission. In that regard, I trust God and His timing.

MB MAGAZINE: You said you come as a package deal. Can we talk about your three Kevin Costners [The Bodyguard] … the Daniels’ sons?

APRIL DANIELS: “Oh boy! I love my sons. They’re just so special. Not because they are my kids but because they really are great sons. They have all taken a different path of grieving, but they are honest about it. Even though their blood is different, their bond with one another is something that should be admired. The heart of Lashawn is in all of them, and it expresses itself the same. I couldn’t be any more proud of them.”

TAHSHON DANIELS: “Well, I’ve just been focusing on my little girl for real right now. She’s almost three years old. She’s growing up so fast. Every day is something different. As far as music, I took a little break after my dad passed. I just recently started going back into the studio. I had been doing some work behind the scenes, writing and producing for other artists. But now, I’m about to start dropping music again. I’m excited to start releasing new music and to be doing my own thing.”

APRIL DANIELS: “Tahshon is now a father and a husband. Before Lashawn passed away, Tahshon was putting out a song every Friday. “He was doing his thing every Friday where he was dropping a song.”. He’s getting back into his groove and getting ready to put out a project. I am just so honored to be Tahshon’s bonus mom.”

OMARR RAMBERT: “I graduated law school in 2020 in the middle of a pandemic. COVID kind of robbed me of the joys of a graduation. But it’s okay. I was able to celebrate with family. I am working at a large law firm, Sheppard Mullin, dealing with high-level corporate clients as part of the firm’s entertainment group. The caliber of clients are like Paramount, Showtime, Spotify … the heavy hitters in the entertainment industry. It’s really cool work. I’m finally doing what I set out to do. It’s satisfying and fulfilling to know that you are on a mission and then be able to say, ‘This is exactly what I wanted to accomplish.’ Seeing it all come into fruition has been amazing.”

APRIL DANIELS: “Yes, Omarr is extremely busy. So much so that when I call him, he’ll send me straight to voicemail. I’m like, huh? [jokingly looking puzzled]. He’s talking about, ‘Mom, you can’t call me at work.’

“I said, ‘What do you mean, I can’t call you? What’s your boss’s number? I need to call him.’

“He’s like, ‘Who gets calls at work?’

“I said, ‘Every American in this world gets calls at work.’ But Omarr won’t take a call at work [laughingly]. So we’re struggling a little bit with that.”

JETT DANIELS: “I just graduated from high school. It was a great journey. I will say that I’m extremely proud of myself, but it’s a very weird transition considering that most of my friends are still in high school. So, I always forget that their schedules don’t always align with mine. I’m getting ready for college, and I’m planning out the rest of my life.”

apRil danieLs

APRIL DANIELS: “Jett actually graduated a year early. He decided to do his first year of college online from home because I’m in the process of building a home, and he wants to make sure that Mom is okay before he leaves.

“I am so honored to be in my sons’ lives. I’m even more honored that God has allowed me to love on them and to be somewhat responsible for some part of how they are. My heart is to make sure they are raised well and love someone’s daughter the way that Lashawn loved me.”

April Daniels is in her 8th day. A day of starting new beginnings. A day and season of walking into the purposes God has for her. Catch the full interview with April Daniels on MB Mag Media. Follow April on IG @iamaprildaniels to be among the first to get updates on her upcoming book release. For access to AND Essentials wellness and beauty products, log onto www.andessentialsbeauty.com.