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content Meet the faces of Gunplay, Live; in living color. Pg.14
FASHION
FEATURES
6. STYLE CYPHER
18. Healthy Living 22.GIRLTALK Balancing your life the right way
First hand account on online dating
9. MIXX PICS:
16. MIXX HIGHLIGHT
18.HAITIAN FRESH
20. WELL OFF SOCIETY:
Our fashion directors' picks for your Spring wardrobe
8. MODEL OF THE MONTH
MUSIC
Doron Lamb shares his NBA highlights
One-on-one interview
ON THE SCENE Big Daddy Kane, MC Lyte, Rotimi, Big Krit, & Future A brand all its own
Say hello to Demi Mills
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Pg.9
Pg.18
Pg.10
Pg.25
Stylish
DIRECTORS PICKS
target.com
5 MUST-TRY SPRING TRENDS FOR WOMEN
Mod Monochrome
Mints
bita&rouzita vahhabaghai
shopncla.com
Connect to mixx fashion online at
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Leather peices
frontrowcouture.com
Florals
www.themixxmagazine.com
Mens' “SUIT & TIE”
THE GROWN MAN EXPERIENCE Started the year off right with the new Justin Timberlake come back single “Suit & Tie”. It has definitely set the tone for style for men. Time to suit up! Nothing wrong with dressing comfortable but let’s face it...there’s NOTHING like a man in a suit. Below are some of the hottest spring looks for suits depending on the occasion:
The Businessman
The tuxedo
the fit
www.esquire.com
The casual
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GET 'THE LOOK'
FOR SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVALS Art and fashion are synonymous- especially when it comes to music festivals. Whether it’s work, a first time trip, or a spring break getaway, what we pack in our suitcases is just as important as the destination. After all, the second best part of getting to see your favorite artists is playing dress up. If music festival season is a tornado....we are in eye of the storm. With SXSW happening as I type and Roots Picnic and Bonarroo in the near future, Mixx is doing what it can to prevent fashion disasters. Are you looking for head to toe help? Keep reading...
Acessorize!- This is the one time of year where accessories are never in short supply. The keyword is OVEREMBELLISH. If you want to wear a ring on every finger- do it! Dress that wrist up with a gang of bangles. Or try a throwback item like a string of flowers across your head. You’ll look like you just stepped out of 1969...in a good way, of course. Try These:
Accessories Try These: Fleur-De-Lis & Spiked Bangle Set, $10.80 ASOS Carnation Flower Headband, $6.78 Shimmering Flower Necklace, $10.80
MAXI OR SUNDRESS Dresses may not seem ideal for the hustle and bustle of a festival, but they can be forgiving in the heat. The lighter, the better.
Denim shorts
Strapless Maxi Dress, $15.80
This go-to is a no-brainer. Sure, linen pants and decorative skirts look beautiful, but if you’re spending your time running around or sitting on the dirty ground in between shows, you’ll be happy you wore these. Like the little black dress, this is one fashion staple that never goes out of style. Try These: Levi’s High Waist Denim Cutoff Shorts, $58
Lush Print High/Low Tank Dress, $44 See Thru Soul Dip Dye Acid Wash Denim Shorts, $48
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Read more LOOKS on pg.27
Letter From the
The mixx
Staff Editor-in Chief
Nakia McIntyre kia@themixxmagazine.com @Kiamixx
Director of marketing & photography
Fabian sobers Fabian@themixxmagazine.com @Thefabe
Fashion director
denia Taylor Denia@themixxmagazine.com @DeniaAlicia
Special Features
Nikki brown nikki@themixxmagazine.com @missnikkibrown
Special projects
Krista Hayes krista@themixxmagazine.com @thepinkdreamer
Art director
danielle meadows danielle@themixxmagazine.com @octanedesigns
editor
Back in February, VIBE Magazine contacted me with the opportunity to be interviewed for their VIBE Vixen online magazine. After I said "yes", I realized that I didn't have any professional photos. However, I did get an offer to fly to New York to have the shoot done. But I figured if the story was about me then I wanted to bring a local KY feel to it. I created a "glam squad" of 4 people whom I didn't have good personal relationships with, but were known for their exceptional work. With all egos and pride aside, everything worked out great and the shoot was EPIC. Now we all continue to have a friendship and business relationship. I couldn't have asked for a better team. Thank you Roni, Heather, Staci & Pink. Look for the feature coming soon on VIBE!
Kia McIntyre Editor-In-Cheif
Senior Photo Director
Randy Lawrence rando@themixxmagazine.com @itsRando
Photojournalists
Nadia myrthil nadia@themixxmagazine.com @ladyneuro DAmar Davis dAmar@themixxmagazine.com @rahtheprez Alexis Gray littlefoot@themixxmagazine.com @yunglittlefoot
Contributing writers Shimronde Providence Wesley robinson
Publisher
lexpress Lexington, Kentucky
www.
.com
We want to know what you think! Send Reader Responses to kia@themixxmagazine.com
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Mixx
Model of the Month
Demi Mills Born December 9th 2004 in Long Island New York, Demi Ayanna Mills is a eight year old third grader who Currently attends the Clara H. Carlson Elementary school in Nassau County LI, NY. At the age of six Demi entered into the IMTA (International modeling And Talent Association) competition 2011, and won every division along with the highest title of, Model of the year. Winning This competition was her greatest accomplishment of all to date, because it was at this competition where Demi was first discovered by her manager. Demi there after went on to book a Chase national commercial and most recently stared as an extra on the T.V. sitcom 30 Rock. May 2012 Demi was named New York Little Miss Perfect and in july she won the ultimate grand overall crown in the Miss Caricom pageant. In September she got the opportunity to walk in New York8's Fashion week for designer Adrian Alicea. Overall Demi enjoys modeling and acting. When she is not out on auditions she loves arts and crafts and going on trips with her girls scout troop, playing with her puppy, pranking her big sister, going to church on Sunday and feeding the homeless at the pantry near our home. In other words being a regular eight year old.
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Mixx
Pics S a n t i g o l d , R otIm i, SLICK R i ck , B IG K R IT, F u t ure & MC Ly t e
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MixxGuest Column
Interior Design;
What is my style and where do I start? Knowing is half the battle and hiring a design professional is the first major step to translating your style into a tangible design scheme. Most folks know they need to hire an interior designer but the statement is sometimes followed with, “when I become a millionaire” or “When I build my dream house”. That should not be, since Interior Design services by a knowledgeable professional, is a necessity. Because you are a young professional, time is important. Order in your home is important. A cohesive living space in important; anything less than that is costing you money, time, creativity or sleep. Ouch! That is expensive. When you make up your mind that you need an Interior Designer in your life, start smart. Talk about present design concerns. Make a list and do not wing your consultations. Being an orderly client makes you an efficient client; someone that can get the most information. Decide what you like the least and the most about your space. Also have realistic expectations on what your budget can do. Conquering one room at a time or one project at a time can evoke that DIY warrior in you. You may realize that there are tasks that you can do yourself or tackle with a couple of friends. A one hour consultation can go a long way. Better yet, if you’re going for full service, give creative liberty to your designer. Do not refuse getting rid of that beat up sofa, do not become counterproductive. Discuss a realistic time line with him or her.
The objective is to let your style shine through. Discuss your vision in great detail; no point is too small to mention to your designer. Believe it or not, he or she may be more persnickety than you. Do yourself the favor and be open to ideas. Blocking creative and professional flow will cause you to end up with a look that you did not bargain for. In the end, you will be unhappy with the results and will want to blame it on the decorator. In discovering your interior design style, again, be open minded. There may be clues in the colors you like to wear from the intensity to the shade. Then there are the types of accessories you gravitate to when getting dressed, if any at all. You may prefer tulips over roses or shorthair breed Chihuahuas over sheepdogs. These comparisons may seem unnecessary in your quest to find personal interior design style but run them by your decorator/designer. I once read; “If you think it is expensive to hire a professional, wait until you hire an amateur”. Good luck on your quest to a better quality of life. Shimronde Providence is a Brooklyn based interior designer that provides complete interior design services. Find her on Facebook @ GoodGoodGuyaneseGirl or at ShimrondeProvidenceDesigns.com -Shimronde Providence
MIXX STAFF: Do you feel there should be an age limit on goals one sets for themselves? "I think goals should have some sort of deadline but not necessarily an age deadline, if anything they should have an adjustment timeline, if the goal isn't reached within a set time (with the the right amount of effort behind it) then maybe an adjustment of the goal or the methods used to achieve the goal should be put into place." -Fabian "As many things in life it varies. Depending on the goal and the correlation of age it matters. I believe in the importance of being realistic with ones self but also using that realism to push one to go beyond what they previously could and not as an excuse for being content with complacency." -Nadia "Nope. Steve Jobs didn't REALLY get on until he was old. Keep chuggin' along and don't stop till you make it." -Krista "No. Well let me be clear. There is definitely a point where you need to say "ok I need to let it go". But if you're undeniably good
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at it, and you know you have a reasonable goal/idea I see no reason why you shouldn't stick to it. But you shouldn't be 45, and still trying to be a rapper or something unrealistic. Make real obtainable goals for yourself." -Alexis "I'm old & still got it...#theEnd" -Kia "People catch breaks all the time. If the grind is proper, no reason you should stop early. On average people live till 90! Why stop your pursuit of happiness in your 20s?" -Damar "Age has nothing to do with accomplishing your dreams or goals. All you need is a plan, determination and persistence. " -Nikki "I don't think there's an age limit...BUT I do believe in setting a personal timeline for your goals and being realistic! People say "stick to the script" but its okay to throw it out the window for something you're truly passionate about and great at doing... Always follow your purpose not trendy bandwagons." -Denia
Education:
Mixx
And the Student Debt Crisis
LIFESTYLE
By the time junior year of high school comes along students are being registered for the SAT and or ACT test and applying to colleges. It is never questioned that one shouldn’t apply to college but I don’t think that when one begins the application process they think of finances initially. They are excited about the new opportunities and experiences that they will have in college seeing that it is “the best 4 years of your life”. Relocating into a different atmosphere has most students concerned about doing well and avoiding the “Freshmen 15” but who is minding their credit score? Yes they are taught how to apply for FAFSA, but who is explaining the fine print of interest rates, the dangers of defaulting, and the blessings of grants and scholarships according to underrepresented areas for certain racial groups. Life itself is a circumstantial experience and that is no better understood than through the journey of higher education and entering the “real world”. Most students enter college with an idea of what they would like to major in, or change their major numerous times, and some drop out altogether. The questions most people wonder are – what are the real values of a college degree? How does one remain unique – outside of GPAs and standardized test scores – among a graduating class of thousands? Does one necessarily need a college degree in order to be successful? Discussions have been made time and time again. Yet, while perspectives have been tossed around it has been inadvertently agreed that everyone should have at least a Bachelors degree but we all know that you don’t need a degree to be successful. Much like the Circle of Life- education and job statistics have their own ring. Over the next decade, there will be at least 31 million job openings that will require at least some form of education; 9 million newly created jobs along with 22 million jobs from baby boomers that are retiring. Roughly two-thirds of those jobs will require some form of education or formal training beyond the high school diploma. This fact, as we watch our grandparents enjoy retirement, is what keeps most students in school. From this the most common undergraduate degrees are: • • • • •
Psychology Biology/Chemistry Education Engineering Communications
While these fields are booming and give rise to a plethora of graduate degrees, assistantships, and teaching opportunities the stress and concern of student debt
deters students from other liberal arts degrees. Only about 10 percent of degrees now are in the liberal arts and educators are very concerned that the economic value of a college degree will crowd out Shakespeare. But then you will need to go to graduate school to focus and prepare for an occupation. College administrators often state that the data collection discourages students from choosing majors such as English, philosophy, and art history. Statistics show that state legislatures are mindful of this and college/universities fear that states are using the data to withhold public funding for programs with low earning prospects. A dilemma now is birthed: are we majoring in subjects that we genuinely have a passion for or are we majoring in subjects that will guarantee job placement after graduation? And why is it so hard to have
Read more 'FINANCES' on pg.19
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Eye
Spy
Eye wear Who doesn’t like a nice pair of sunglasses? The right pair can upgrade your look and change your mood. From aviator to wayfarer there are plenty of looks to accessorize any mood or occasion. We’ve found a few must have items, available at most major retail stores. Photo credits: Fabian Sobers
tiffany & co. burberry
Chanel
tiffany & co.
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VERSACE
TORY BURCH
Mixx
main
feature
Back at the Round table
GunpLAy Rapper Gunplay, real name Richard Morales Jr., is no stranger to the streets. His bad boy, off the wall personality makes even the toughest rappers in the game shake in their Nikes. But who is Gunplay? Who is the man behind the microphone? In this month’s
life and style issue, we take a deeper look into the many faces of Gunplay, as he talks relationships, family life, the cross between himself and his music and look at the man behind the shades.
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Gunplay Richard Morales Jr. was born July 18, 1979 in El Paso, Texas, but grew up in Carol City in Southern Florida with his mother. Growing up Morales hustled constantly, and at the age of 16 began a life of drug activity, which we references in many of his song lyrics. In 1997, Morales met with Carol City Native Rick Ross and formed the collective Triple C’s, Carol City Cartel, later releasing their debut album Custom Cars & Cycles in 2009. After the release of the album, Gunplay made his solo debut on Ross’ Deeper Than Rap album,
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creating more buzz for himself in the music world. In July 2012, Gunplay inked a solo deal with Def Jam and will be releasing his debut solo album titled Medellin in mid 2013. Known to the streets for his gritty trap lyrics, Gunplay is no stranger to the life of crime, as he experienced some legal trouble in 2012. But as some may see his antics as him just living up to the stereotypical rap image Gunplay says otherwise. “Na, that’s just me for real. I don’t have a persona that’s just me. I don’t have anything to
I
" don’t have a persona that’s just me. I don’t have anything to live up to I just got to live.”
Though he’s dropped some memorable verses over the past few years, Gunplay says that what he really wants to be remembered for in Hip-Hop is for his loyalty. “I just want to be remembered as that stand up loyal dude. That made it going against the grain.” Gunplay said. “Remember me as that cool ass n*gga Gunplay.” Gunplay’s album, Medellín, is due to release mid 2013. -Alexis Gray
live up to I just got to live.” Morales said. Many artists have a hard time separating themselves from the limelight, but for Gunplay, there is not separation needed. “I try to separate it see if there is a separation that needs to be there, but at the end of the day when I’m not on the microphone, when I’m not rapping, I’m still the same me. I still act the same, I still get mad, and I will still cuss you out or spit in your face. But I’ll still help you out or give you my last. Gunplay is Richard.” The lines of reality and fame are blurred, as an artist that has soared his way to the top so fast, there is certainly no stopping Gunplay now. But he still makes time to be a father while he has time away from the limelight, taking his role as a father to his son. “I try to spend as much time with my son as I can.” Gunplay said. “While I’m working, if I’m in the studio I’ll have him come over and hang out with me. I was there in the early days a lot so he knows who daddy is and that I love him, and he’ll get whatever he wants as long as he get good grades. So we have a bond. I find a way [to make time]. I make a way.” Gunplay’s 601 and Snort made waves on social media after its release in 2012. The streets were buzzing about Gunplay and social media users could not help to tweet his lyrics. Gunplay’s recent success did not go unnoticed and he landed a solo deal with Def Jam Records. “I started in a group so I’ve always had that group mentality of we gon make it. But at the same time I was always working on my solo. I want to but my faith and everything in to me, as well as my group. So I just stuck to it a perfected my craft, solo, and a now the people they ready for a solo project. It cool it’s an easy transition.” After his release from jail, Gunplay immediately jumped back into recording, his debut album, Medellín, is due to release later this year.
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Mixx EXCLUSIVE
Doron Lamb:
Life AFter Kentucky As one of Kentucky’s up-and-coming stars Doron Lamb talked a little bit about his journey from the Big Apple to the NBA. The two year star won a national championship with the University of Kentucky Wildcats and was drafted as the 42nd pick in the 2012 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks. Lamb has since been traded to the Orlando Magic, but before the trade he sat down with Wesley Robinson as he made time visit friends Lexington and kick it with some of his homies during All Star weekend over a friendly game of NBA 2K13.
What’s the best part about playing NBA ball? Travelling from city to city, meeting new people, seeing differing things hanging out with your teammates and just and having fun. What’s the best city you’ve been to so far? Miami. Nice weather out there, cute girls, we had a great time going up there. What’s the best advice you’ve gotten? Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings, they always tell me the NBA is a business, you gotta work hard, and you ou gotta take it, it ain’t gonna fall in your hands. You gotta keep working hard and when you get there you gotta be humble and help other people to get where you’re at. I haven’t had a chance (help people yet), but Monta always help me out. My teammates always help me out. All the veteran players always help me out with a lot of things, just like ride places, driving places, take me shopping, they always look out for me. What’s the first thing you bought? I just bought me a car. An Audi A7. I’m happy I got a car now. It drives smooth. What do you miss most about Lexington? My friends all my teammates, the guys that were drafted with me were out here so I had to come back and see them
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say what’s up to them and go back to business.
Who did you bond with the most on that team?
Do you guys talk often?
I’d say Marquis Teague. We’d chill every day. Me, Marquis and my friend Richy, we would chill every day, just hanging out.
Yeah we talk all the time., especially the teammates that went with me to the NBA. We text, I ask how they’re doing and just check up on them.
Why is Kentucky special to you?
freshmen. Some players develop slower. Did you notice a difference in the way you played going from a freshman to a sophomore? Yeah, I got way better. My body got way stronger. I developed more my sophomore year.
"....they always tell me the NBA is a business, you gotta work hard, and you ou gotta take it, it ain’t gonna fall in your hands. You gotta keep working hard and when you get there you gotta be humble and help other people to get where you’re at." Kentucky is a good school. I was here for two years. I had a great two years here. We went to the Final Four and then won a National Championship, so I had a great time playing with different players and Coach Cal was a great coach. He taught me a lot so I thank him for that. How do you think going to UK has helped you in the NBA? UK practices are like an NBA practices and Coach Cal puts a lot of pressure on you to do things… so I’m in the NBA now and when coaches yell at me now I think it’s nothing, because I’m used to getting yelled at (laughs). Is he really as bad as people make him out to be? He’s not that bad. He just wants a lot out of you and he just pushes you a lot. Some players can take it some player’s can’t. That’s how it is. Do you think that’s why this year’s team is struggling, they can’t take it? I don’t know. I’m not around them. I’m seeing them how everyone else does on TV. They’re very young, so it’s hard to say. Some players like Anthony (Davis), Mike (KiddGilchrist) and Marquis came in playing like seniors and they were
Are you looking to see the same type of improvement in the NBA as well? Yeah I hope so. What’s it like playing in Milwaukee? (The interview was done prior to the trade.) It’s cool. I live in the suburbs in a condo near the water so it’s real cold but its real quiet. It’s nothing like New York City where I’m from. It’s a small town, its real quiet. Everyone knows who you are when you go out. What do you think you’ll do if you get to the next contract? I hope I get it and get the money I deserve and I’m just going to save my money, help my mom out and my family out, buy a house, settle down and just chill. Have fun with the rest. How different is NBA ball from college ball? There’s a lot of games. The NBA is 82 games and plus you go to the playoffs there will be more than that. Every day you play basketball and you travel city to city. Sometimes you might land in a city at 4 a.m. and you gotta play that day against LeBron James. So you have to be prepared to play every day and keep your body rested and eat healthy.
Read more DORON on pg.19
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“Healthy Living” with Social Media, Apps and Smart Phones There is no denying that smartphones have become a staple in the everyday lives of most people in 2013. For better or worse our phones have become more than just something to make calls. These smart devices have “infiltrated” many parts of our lives, with even Apple coining the phrase “there is an app for that”. Fitness is no different, there are plenty of apps for that. The introduction of fitness apps with social media integration has now made it possible to set goals while sharing with friends and complete strangers in your network based on twitter, facebook or even your location. So now you don’t have to ever really be “alone” at the gym, on the track or even riding your bike
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on trails and that extra motivation you need can come from a virtual workout partner. Here are a few apps that might help you on your journey to healthier living: STRAVA www.Strava.com Nike Training Club available in Apple app store My Fitness Pal www.MyFitnessPal.com Charity Miles www.charitymiles.org -Fabian Sobers
DORON continued from pg.17 Have you ever been matched up on LeBron? Nah. I got matched up on Carmelo Anthony on time on a switch. I called for help immediately (laughs). It’s hard though in the NBA, they’ll pick on you when they see a weak link. They’ll go straight to him every time. So you just gotta be ready, keep your body right and be strong.
We just talked about the derby and where he was gonna go, what party to go to. What do you think your ceiling is or how good can you be? I just gotta put the work in. You put the work in, you can be the best. I just gotta put the work in to get better, get my body right and just develop my game. What parts of your game are you working on specifically?
What did it feel like to win it all? It was great. We all put a lot of work into winning. That was our main goal from day one, the minute we hit campus was to win a national championship. And we did that. So we proved everybody wrong. What’s it like learning on the fly, when you play on a team when you know everyone is gone after a year, or two at most? How is that different than NBA basketball?
Have you hit the rookie wall yet? I mean, you could say that, everybody hits the rookie wall. It was tough sometimes, I wasn’t used to going city to city and playing great players every night. When I got used to it, then I got way better. Who is the player you were most excited to play on the same court as? When we played against the Clippers, Blake Griffin dunked it, I was like ‘damn I can’t believe this. I could have got dunked on by him.’ It was crazy how he just dunked it. That was the craziest moment so far. Who do you think will end up the best out of the UK players you played with? I mean, I don’t know. It’s still early. We haven’t even played an NBA season yet. I hope all of us do great in the NBA and all of us fulfill our dreams. You all will probably play in the league for a long time. Yep. Have you met anyone that you were surprised that knew you? I met Tom Brady at the Kentucky Derby and he knew who I was. I didn’t really know who he was because he had his hat real low and he kept talking to me, I thought he was a regular guy. So I was just talking to him and then one of his friends was like, ‘hey, Tom we out,’ and he left. And he was like ‘nice to meet you Doron.’ And I was like ‘aight then.’ Then some lady was like, you don’t know who that was? That’s Tom Brady. What did you guys talk about?
Everything, really. My ball handling, my shooting, my conditioning, just my body and my strength. Have you seen a payoff? It’s paid off so far. Right now I’m getting way stronger and my jump shot’s getting back and my ball handling is getting way better. I’ve been shooting a little bad lately. What’s different? Why’s your jumper off? Is it the pace, the conditioning, the speed? I’m just missing shots. Everybody goes through that, just missing shots and having a couple of bad games. I just wanna get it back. Are groupies really that tough? Do they follow you everywhere? It’s crazy. When you go to the clubs the girls are gonna come to us, ‘cause we got the money and they wanna to talk to us. And tell their friends they talked to us. It’s easy to get a girl in the NBA, it’s easy, like a layup. You gotta pick and choose who you mess with. You gotta just chill out and be safe.
The NBA is same way. You can get picked to a team and traded the next day. So it’s probably the same. In college you have players coming one year or two years, but you know who is [going to stay and go]. We all knew the freshmen were going to leave, one and done, so we all knew that. We all stuck together and we chilled off the court. I don’t know if this team is chllin off the court, we chilled off the court too so we had a great bond. We already knew each other’s personalities and how they played on the court. We knew each other well, that’s how we played so great. Do you feel about playing in Milwaukee, it’s still a business, but do you feel like they’re trying to help you get better? Milwaukee is a great program and I’m glad I got picked there. It’s a great basketball city and we have great teammates that help you a lot on the court and other stuff too. They help you get better, get you in the gym working out and stuff like that. You think you guys are going to make the playoffs? I hope so. I hope we can make at least the seventh seed.
You have any business plans in place?
Anything you want to tell the people?
Not yet, but I’m looking that right now, though.
Follow me on Twitter (dlamb20). I still say the same (laughs). And this summer me and Marquis Teague are gonna travelling around Kentucky doing camps for kids that don’t see us that much. We will do a lot of camps for the kids to teach them how to play basketball and teach them how Coach Cal taught us. We do this on our own to give back to the community and to give back to Kentucky.
What kind of legacy do you think left for guys that come to Kentucky? It doesn’t matter if you’re freshman or sophomores, whoever you got you can always win. You can be young, you can be old, we can always win, you just gotta stick together and play as a team. All of our players was like 19, 20, 21 years old and we won a national championship.
-Wesley Robinson
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Mixx highlight
Flyin' High with well off Society The adventure of being a creative in Dallas, Texas is quite the roller coaster ride. From posers, to biters, to those who are actually shining because of their true individualism; the pathway to growing into a successful brand coming out of a big and slightly pretentious market like Dallas is a definitely a rough one.
Senior is a legend, and what he did was great, but he always had a cocky and confident attitude while performing. So if there is anything that we took from Deion Sanders Sr. to help Well-Off stand on it’s own, it’s that confidence and sense of “we won’t stop till we know we are great.”
With that said, Well-Off Society has established a solid foundation not at all with branding assistance from CEO Deion Sanders Jr.’s extra famous father; but starting from the groundup, like the rest of their competitors.
Tell us about the fashion tier of Well-Off…
Before highlighting why Well Off Society is so dope, let’s make it clear the reason why they were chosen out of the DOZENS of other brands that could have had these pages in this publication: presentation. Everything is in the name of the product. You hear “well-off,” and you think, well, living well. That’s why we all are grinding in this game, right? To live well? Yes. That’s why they were chosen. Who wouldn’t want to be “well-off?” WOS is broken down into three tiers: Music, Clothing and Skateboarding. When the president of Well-Off Society Blake-T first realized that the brand had potential to be a huge success without having to ride the coat tales of the Dallas Cowboys legend, he wanted Well-Off to be a lifestyle brand, not just some average logo that you see on pluggers and flyers. The main focus was to incorporate the elite-only feel, yet at the same time keep it trendy and fresh for the street. “People automatically interpret Well Off as ‘having money,’ or being rich because of Deion Sanders Jr./Sr. and the connotations that come with it. People have to realize that Deion Sanders
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Blake: There are four collections that we try to drop yearly, of course, spring line, summer, winter and fall. Deion Jr. originally just printed off sample shirts just to see if this is something that we all could take seriously, and we just took off from there. Deion designed our second best seller T, the “Patriot,” which embodies the American flag and the Well-Off design. Our number one seller is our camouflage “Mickey” crewneck and all designs on our pieces are created from within the Well-Off team. Skateboarding though? That’s pretty edgy… Blake: *slight chuckle* Yeah, that’s my project that I brought into Well-Off, this wasn’t something that was originally planned. Basically, I’ve been skating for seven years off and on, and it’s always been my passion along with music. I used to be sponsored back in the day, so I just figured why not have Well-Off start sponsoring skate teams and solo skaters. The only thing that sucks with the whole skateboard thing is the fact that Lil Wayne started his “skate team,” so now people have that haterthought that we’re biting because we’re “minorities” who skate, when we’ve been doing this way before Wayne started skating. I don’t want to be affiliated as skateboard hype beast because Wayne made the rapper-skater thing “cool” or whatever. We have a few skaters from Lewisville and the Dallas area, and we plan on releasing our video footage “Keep Pushing” this summer. We are very excited about that. Our plan is just to tour the country with this music, skate and shoot it all so everyone can follow our moves while we are traveling. Which brings me to my next point…the music. Blake: We have three artists, myself, Marc E and our latest addition, Cool J. I’ve released seven mix tapes, Marc E has dropped two and so far, we’ve had great feedback from listeners. Well Off is going to drop two videos a month, so be sure to check out our videos at www.youtube.com/WellOffSociety.
What about you as an artist? You manage effectively to be president of the company AND brand yourself as a lyricist? Blake: I guess so lol. I’m from Miami and moved to Texas when I was 13. My father and uncle have always been in the music industry, so I feel like this whole Well-Off thing is my calling. My uncle was Missy Elliot and Trina’s hype man down in Miami, so watching him on that stage inspired me at a tremendous level as a little kid. I’ve been rapping for over ten years, so I have some experience under my belt; I’m not your average “club banger rapper,” I would more so say that I have that “smoker’s club” type feel, a chill type of vibe. I guarantee, that if you put my CD in the car, you won’t skip through a single track; you’ll just ride. Marc E has the club hits! LOL … quality music, but he’s got those bangers ready for you! Tell us about past shows/features you’ve done and what you’ve got coming up. Blake: I’m opening up for Big KRIT May 4th here in Dallas, Curren$y in April (brought to you by 24kBric – shameless plug lol); and of course, South By Southwest. All of those shows are going to be dope so I am fortunate to be on the lineup. Past shows, uhh, 8ball & MJG, Chief Keef, A.D.d.+, Spaceghost Purp & The Black Raider Klan, Travis Porter, yeah Well Off has had their fair share of shows, so the more and more shows we get, the more I grow and hone my lyrical skills, so I feel like there is no where to go but up. Timberland’s Official DJ “Freestyle Steve” hosted my mix tape “Mile High Club” which features my latest single “Flyin High,” so make sure all you readers check it out! There’s no question about it that The Well Off Society is a one of a kind brand that gives off that “invite only” feel, but at the same time is open for interpretation. The clothing isn’t too street or too high end, the music ranges from ratchet to conscious to stoner rap and of course, the amped’nes of the skateboard team ties in all elements of creativity. For more information on Well Off Society, visit http://www. thewelloffsociety.com/
-Krista Hayes
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www.themixxmagazine.com
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Mixx
LIFESTYLE
GirlTalk
O
nline dating is revolutionizing the dating scene despite your current relationship status. Historically speaking, women have not had many options when it came to finding “the one.” You were either forced (or persuaded) to be with a man your family deemed satisfactory or settled for the next best thing. Long story short: you had to pick the best from the worst. When I interviewed Hannah, a Baltimore native and New York City transplant, she agreed that online dating has not only changed her own philosophies on love, but how courting has evolved in general. OKCupid, an online dating site that gives you the option of dating or making friends (though the latter is unpopular), has redefined what it means to meet someone new. With a carefully crafted online profile, you can literally filter through what you don’t like and get to the good stuff- all in record time. During one of our regular girl chats, Hannah gave me the down low on her own OKCupid experience and why it’s a double edged sword. What would you say your love life was like before you moved to New York City? I lived where I grew up, so I knew everyone. It wasn’t hard to meet people because it was a small community. You always knew someone who knew someone else. That lead me to being bored at home which is the reason I wanted to move to New York. I was very active. I had lots of friends, but, it was kind of unchanging and that bothered me. When you dated at home, was it an everyone knew kind of thing? I guess so. No, no it wasn’t because you could keep it private and Baltimore- it’s not such a small place that that would be true, but you would always know someone. I also worked in a restaurant and that’s definitely a smaller world where everyone knows each other. How did you meet guys at home? At bars. And I had an OKCupid at home. Or through friends.
A First Hand Account of Online Dating
A twenty-something New York transplant gives us the good bad and ugly on cyber hook-ups. awesome time together and he kind of woke up that side of myself where I could just date and be that person with another side of me. That’s when knowing everyone gets boring. I know all of these people and I don’t want to date any of them. I want to meet new people. Were the people you met on OKCupid back home as crazy as the people you met in New York? There were crazy people at home. I think at home a lot more people were settled into their lives. Here, everyone’s kind of working on something new. There are a lot more outlets for people’s live I would say than there were in Baltimore. But there were weird people. Is OKCupid popular back home? No, like no one had it. I didn’t even know about it. I heard on a local radio show where they did a segment about it and people were calling in and saying they had such an awesome experience with it. That’s where I had heard of it. I was the first of my friends to have one. Do you lie on your profile? (laughs) No, no. Do you find that the people you encountered have lied? I haven’t really encountered this, but I heard a lot of people say like “I’m actually 6’0 not ‘OkCupid 6’0.” I didn’t know that there would be different measurements. I think people might lie about their height. Of course, there’s always that “Is that really them in the picture?” That’s always a worry. But, no, I don’t lie and I would be very turned off if I found that someone had done it. Did you stop using it before you moved to New York? I stopped using it. I think I’m really indecisive because sometimes I want to hook up with someone and sometimes I want a relationship.
What made you want to start an OKCupid?
But, you can have all of those things on OKCupid.
Before my OkCupid, I met someone at a bar and I had never really thought about dating. I didn’t pay any attention to guys like that. So I met someone at this bar and we had a really
You can have all of those things, but, to be fair- I met a guy who really liked me and took me out on a date. I could just tell he was really into me and at the time, I just wasn’t ready for that and I
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think that’s kind of misleading. And I didn’t want to be misleading. What’s a sign you need to stop? If I’m getting mad that noone’s looking at my profile or messaging me. When I start feeling not pretty because noone’s messaging me. Does it feed into your insecurity? Absolutely, because people can rate you. It’s so photo based…You want to put your best self out there and if no one if clicking on your profile or messaging you, that’s not good. It shouldn’t matter, but, it does. Did you also stop using it because you were moving to New York and you knew you would be meeting so many new people anyway? I got rid of mine way before I moved to New York. I moved to New York for like maybe a couple months and met a couple of people. And then I was kind of bored with it. Do you find it’s made it easier for you with dating? I was never bad at communicating. I think I was much more oblivious to attention people were giving me. I just never really noticed it. I would go out to bars and I would just be having a really good time and I think because it’s a dating site- that was the purpose of being there. To have someone hit on me. To have someone interested in going on a date with me. What were your reservations going into it? On, tons of reservations. I think the biggest thing is that there is a social stigma to it. It’s almost like you have to resort to a dating site. And that wasn’t what I felt like, but, that’s what I felt it was being viewed as. That’s not it at all. Also, I had reservations about what do you talk about? Meeting someone at a bar is such a natural occurrence. But, if you’re total strangers, you have to formulate that on your own. You have to completely make up what you’re going to talk about. Also, I had just never met a stranger before. What was your first OKCupid experience like? My first experience (laughs). I should have just
taken this as what OkCupid would be because it was very telling in the long run. I just joined late at night. And someone messaged me the next day. The next day, he talked to me on the phone. I looked at his pictures and I felt attracted to him. He was a history major which I’m a sucker for. He was tall, stylish- kind of like an average looking white guy, but cute still. He asked me to meet him at a train station. It’s not like a train station here in New York. It wasn’t normal. Trains aren’t very common in Baltimore. There’s like one line, so it was just very odd. So I drove kind of far to meet him. And I couldn’t find him, so I called. When I talked to him on the phone, he had the highest voice. Like a really high voice and I was so unattracted to him. I almost wanted to be like “Oh, I have the wrong number.”
What has online dating taught you about yourself that you didn’t know before? That I’m so flaky. I’m really flaky in the sense that I always thought I knew what I wanted. What did you want? I guess I thought I knew what I didn’t want. I didn’t want a boyfriend. I didn’t want anything serious. Fun and light was appealing to me. And then I had a lot of fun and it wasn’t fulfilling. So OKCupid made you realize you want a boyfriend?
You picked him up?
No, because I think OKCupid made me realize that connections I make on OKCupid are not what I want. I haven’t had anything lasting from OKCupid.
I picked him up. I drove to pick him up. I guess he didn’t have a car.
You don’t think it’s possible to find the love of your life online?
Are you old fashioned? Do you think it’s ok for you to pick up a guy?
Oh, no! One of my girlfriends met her boyfriend on OKCupid and they moved to Indianapolis together. They’ve been together for 3 years and I think she thinks he’s the one. She’s very happy. I think that stuff can work. I also learned that I have a very skewed perception of love and relationships. You meet all of these different people and of course, that’s what you’re going to talk about. Sometimes, I would say things and people would be offended. “Well, I don’t think I need a boyfriend” and “I don’t think I need this.” I think I came out very defensive and that was my mindset. So, it almost taught me to relax a little bit and just let it happen. Noone’s out to hurt you. It’s just a fun experience.
No. Actually, that was another reservation. I would never give anyone my address. I would never say the restaurant I worked at. I wouldn’t tell them whereabouts I lived. I picked him up and he had an overnight bag. That kind of put me off, too. And we ended up going to a lake near my house and walking around. I was really struggling to want to be with him. So we walked down the dock and he picked spiders the entire time. I ended up driving him back home and he was telling me about the time he lost his virginity and how having sex with people helps him relate to them. And I was just like “Oh, that’s very interesting because I don’t feel that way.” It was just very odd. I never called him back. He messaged me, texted me- a whole bunch of stuff and I just couldn’t. What was your first good experience? My first good experience was also at home. I had a date with a guy who I was totally enamored with. He was really tall like 6’4. He had long hair- totally my type. He was a film major and a vegetarian. For some reason, at that time, I thought you were a good person if you did that. He didn’t laugh at any of the jokes I made and I think I’m kind of funny (laughs). We went to get dim sum in D.C. and that date went really well. I wore a cute outfit. He looked good. We talked forever. We went to see all of the Academy Award nominated shorts and animations. It was great. I was so excited to see him again and he never called me back. Never texted me. That was it. And then 2 months later he texted me “Hey, I’ve been thinking about you. How have you been?” I texted him, “You didn’t seem to like me a lot when we first dated and I haven’t changed since then, so, no thank you.”
Do you think guys approach online dating differently? I can’t speak for other women, but I know I approach it very light heartedly. It’s fun. You’re there to meet new people and you’re there to go on a date and look cute and have good conversation. I do know that as a girl on a dating site, a lot of guys approach it as “let’s hook up right now.” Very vulgar and very forward. Not all of them of course, but, I think guys have to do a lot more work when it comes to dating sites. Why? In my experience, girls just get messaged. As soon as I put up my profile, it’s like (snaps) that day, that half hour- five messages. As soon as you have a presence, people message you.
There’s no middle man. There’s no bar. There’s no catching someone’s eye. For me, that’s what I like about real dating. You’re there. You’re in the moment. You’re feeling this guy check you out and it’s kind of exciting. It’s more hands on I guess. Do you think online dating will redefine the traditional roles of men and women romantically? When I started dating in general, I was very big on no one needs to pay for me. I’ll be very much in control or on the same level as the guy. You don’t have to open the door for me. That’s very unnecessary. I’m an equal. And then the more and more online dating I did, I continued with that mindset. I would pay for dinner. And you think that’s ok? Well, I thought it was ok. And part of me doesn’t think it’s wrong. But, I ended up dating the same kind of people. The kind that said, “Ok, then I’ll never pay.” No one’s fighting you for the check at the end of the night. Exactly. And it’s nice to have somebody say “No, I insist.” I don’t think it’s right or wrong, but, I can see why women only go out with a guy who pays for my dinner. I can see why it’s a standard because then you will end up with a guy who will never pay for your dinner. And not that paying for your dinner is essential, but it shows how much effort they’re going to put into your future relationship. I do think a lot of women are realizing they can have fun and easy relationships without committing to one person. That’s where online dating becomes handy. Will it affect the age you decide to settle down at? It’s different when you’re going on the ones you’re paying for like Match.com or EHarmony. OKCupid deters growing up in that aspect. You can date, date, date until you’re blue in the face and you don’t have to think about what’s going to happen next. As soon as things go uneasy with someone, you can go find someone else quickly. For me, it hasn’t affected the way I view my future. If I meet someone and they make me feel amazing and happy and we can help eachother grow and be partners in life, then that will be the person I want to hang out with forever. But, I haven’t found that person in real life dating or OKCupid yet (laughs).
-Nikki Brown
What is it about online dating that beats regular dating? Here in New York, it’s hard to say “Oh, I have a friend you would love” because you don’t know many people. “Real dating” is a much longer process. With online dating, you just expedite it.
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Struggle & Sacrifices to achieve
The
success
eaving the nest has to be one of the most initimidating, challenging, yet thrilling experiences of a worka-holics lifetime. If you are determined to make something out of this one life you’re given, it takes that leap of courage and walking by faith and not by sight, to get where you need to go. The nest. Also known as the “comfort zone,” has to be broken, in order to obtain the best life possible. This is a big world that God has given us, and if one has that mind frame of consistently staying in “the comfort zone,” a lot of amazing life experiences can pass by without even knowing they were easily obtainable.
friends. No more mom and dad right there to save you. Just my dreams, determination, and something to prove to myself and to my biggest fans: those who doubted me. But this isn’t about me. This is about YOU. As a dreamer, I want to make sure that all dreamers, for those who sit by windows and look up at the stars and just wish that they could figure out how to live the best life possible, when really, it’s not that complicated. A few months ago, I was invited to an amazing social gathering, hosted by Black Girls Social out of Dallas, TX. The event was catered to ladies who are involved in the professional social scene of Dallas (i.e. PR/Marketing/Advertising/Journalism/etc.), and a motivational speaker by the name of Chantel LaNeice gave basically the roadmap to success. I would like to share her guidelines with all of the readers who want to leave their nest, but just do not know how. Maintaining A “Fruitful” Year; Plant Something To Multiply Itself, by Chantel LaNiece, Life & Career Coach Note: Please use your life as the metaphor of an APPLE SEED. There are five “Ps” that can help you prosper and begin to take complete control of your life.
Principle
Make sure you have a FULL understanding of SEED TIME & HARVEST Ex. Apple Seed vs. the Apple Tree If you leave a seed on a table, it’s going to sit there and just be an apple seed. You MUST plant your seed. Leaving it on the table solidifies that the seed has POTENTIAL, but it’s in the WRONG place. If you don’t know what to do with it or where to put it, that seed will die a seed.
Passion
Do you even like apples? What if you prefer peaches? One has to identify their true passion. What motivates you to wake up every morning? What do you want to do for the rest of your life? Make sure you identify the seed that you need to sow.
Purpose (my favorite)
By no means am I saying that I am super successful; however, there is a sense of ease and success I do feel, knowing that I started producing for a college-run news station in the 88th market on the Designated Market Area map, to now being the Senior Producer of one of the longest-airing syndicated urbanradio shows (market ZERO) in the nation in less than five years. I left my nest; my foundation, googly-eyed and determined to make something of myself, but that took sacrifice. No more best
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Simply put: What’s your purpose? If you can find purpose in everything, you will be fruitful. Ex. EVERYONE is on this workout and fitness kick now that it’s about to be summer. But what is your true purpose of why you want to lose weight? Is it because that girl or guy preferred the model type? Or is it that God gave you one life, and in order to do what God has called you to do, you have to be healthy and live a long time to complete it…think on that for a sec.
Don’t Ignore Your Purpose
Ex. When Jesus first called Moses, Moses initially said: pick somebody else (well along the lines of that lol). But God came
'STRUGGLES continue on pg. 27
Haitian Fresh Born in Port Au Prince, the heart of Haiti. Father died when he was 2, mother had 6 jobs and brought all of his brothers to the states before him. He’s moved from Miami to West Palm to Daytona, which influenced his sound. Let’s get a glimpse of the man that is Haitian Fresh. What are some of your influences in life? All positive influences, I was born where you have to earn everything you get. I have hands on everything he does, because nobody is gonna look out for your interests better than you. People jump on, but at the end of the day I want to eat with everyone who stayed loyal to me, and wouldn’t want it no other way than to work hard now and get what you deserve later. How do you feel about local radio in your hometown not catering to those who don’t necessarily have a name? I wouldn’t call myself a nobody because you have to believe in yourself. Your level of success is determined as to how you put it. You can’t win. You have to do what you can. When I first got into the music I didn’t love it, it was a JOB. One of my friends sent me a record when I was gonna quit, but I got sent season of the zoes. I went to the studio, hopped on the record. They put me on the record because of how hard I grinded. If lyricist was in demand, a lot of people would be without jobs. People have to love you as a person to mess with your music. What do you believe makes you different from the other artists in Miami, and do you feel that your city embraces those differences? I haven’t put out a nationwide single since I been out and I still have a big buzz. That should let people know. When they put me every Haitian in the world is watching me because of my story. When you worldwide without any help, that should already let you know. Without the promotion you ain’t anything. I’ve been killin it underground and the big dogs see me comin, at the awards show and everything. We made it to mtv jams. To other artist its nothing, but to me for what I been doin, I’m gonna appreciate everything. We broke thru one barrier, we got a couple of more. Once the door opens it’s gonna be a big push. 90% of your fans are gonna be the ones that see you on TV. You got your fans, and you got people that’s gonna jump on board. For example, on love and hip-hop you might see a face on that that been trying to do that modeling shit, but from being on that show they gain their twitter followers. People gonna follow cause they see you making moves and want to feel a part of it You’ve worked with notable names, from Wyclef to Busta Rhymes, and Lil Boosie. What made you decide to sign with BSM instead of continuing to build up your following as an independent artist? I’m a workhorse, Waka’s a workhorse and he opened the door for me. I’m a small piece of the puzzle, I don’t like to take credit, BS is somethin they worked hard to create, and it was a blessing and very comfortable to come in under them. If I was just a rappin
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ass nigga I wouldn’t be in anyone clique. I felt like I could bring something to the table. How was it working with Wyclef? Memorable moments, he’s worked with so many legends, and for him to hit me up and have me in New York and at the bet awards a week afterwards was crazy. I love him cause he gave me a chance, he opened the door but still allowed me to earn everything that I worked for. People didn’t understand it was my fault that I wasn’t ready, because he gave me everything. I wasn’t a rapper, I wanted to rep my flag. I feel like I’m a true artist right now. Not the best lyrics, but I can do everything in one. I learned a lot from him far as the business side of him. To this day we talk on the phone, he’s like my big bro. you can’t disrespect people who came before you and gave you a chance, that’s the bottom line. Without clef, I wouldn’t have a hit single What can fans expect from your upcoming ep? I wanted to keep the ep, I just gave people that song with bob cause it’s gonna be on a whole nother level. It’s a lot of music coming with major artists. I might come out with an all Creole album. I might come out with somethin What is the message/impact you want your music to have? When you fightin for a cause, you have to make people listen. I feel that some people that listen to me, I made em listen. What I mean is, if people don’t like one song, so what. People aren’t gonna like it. But best believe SOMEONE is gonna like it. Don’t ever just listen to the negativity, everyone has differences in what they like. I’m gonna do different music, you’ll never know what type of music I’m gonna drop as my single. I’m versatile. Do you till you’re satisfied, not other people. When people hear the song with bob, people gonna be like damn fresh went in. that’s when people gonna see that’s where education comes in. Where do you see the state of hip hop in regards to you and your music? I salute p. diddy, Ross, snoop, people that’s been doin it for a while, Gucci. If you can make it more than 4 years in the game you good. The industry is like a pretty ass pussy. Its some niggas that she might let hit once, then that’s it. Then its other niggas that she might let fuck all the time. One hit wonders are forced in. someone had a cosign and a radio budget, and they just ran it. Then you got people like yo gotti, waka, and Ross that people saw grind. That’s my whole intake. You gonna get what you put in. you need that big cosign. Loyalty is everything. It can take you far. Last words? To me, I can’t even make myself be any type of way. Its people everyday dying, bein raped and everything from the earthquake till today, those things I think about every day. At the end of the day the pain that stays with you. Only way I feel that I made it out is when the people of Haiti are smiling. When we make it on the news for something positive. “Face the World”, is the ep. It has major records. Its anticipation, they see how hard I’m goin. thanks to all my team that’s puttin everything together to help me out to get it out, cause it’s a lot of people that support me on social media that support me and I don’t know all of em, but they are appreciated. The whole family is important. If forget anyone’s name don’t fault me. My daughter motivates me, single parents, and all my Zoes out there You can stay connected with Haitian Fresh through all social networks by searching haitianfreshbsm
-Damar Davis
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10 ways
to jumpstart your day 1. Start Off Positive
6. Wash Away The Day:
Instead of complaining or grumbling BE THANKFUL. Anything that you have to do will be affected depending on how you start off. Think of it as a domino effect. DON’T GO THERE. Give thanks.
The perfect way to wind down after a long day...take a shower/bath. You’ll feel refreshed and ready for bed after you’re clean and relaxed.
2. Start a morning routine Doing a routine helps get small tasks done and keeps you from running late for wherever you have to be (work, class, meetings, etc.) Even on you free days keep some sort of a routine going to keep your day productive.
3. Make A List Create a short list of “Things To Do” for that day (ex. go to bank/pay bills, grocery, gym, blogging,dry cleaners etc.) Check those tasks off throughout the day. Also doing certain tasks during the week allows you to focus on bigger tasks or just simply enjoy your weekend more.
4. Eat Right The absolute worst thing you can do is start your day off eating crappy. You’ve heard the saying “You ARE what you eat” start off the day eating donuts and sugary drinks...be prepared to feel sluggish start off you day. Start your day off with fresh fruit and plenty of water. Instead of downing a whole pack of chicken mini’s (even though they ARE addictive) Opt for a fresh fruit mix or homemade smoothie.
5. Steer Clear Of Negative Distractions Have you ever been having a great day and you run into someone who basically drains the life out of you? Whether is be a friend/family/co-worker/etc. There’s nothing wrong with lending an ear or shoulder to cry on but there’s plenty wrong with being drained and not discussing solutions.
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7. Food Prepping Prep your breakfast, lunch and snacks for the following day...this also stops frequent drive-thru trips and hanging out around the vending machines. Opt for energizing snacks such as: Almonds, walnuts, red peppers & hummus, fresh apple/bananas, carrots, etc. Stop by your local dollar store or Target and purchase tubberware to pack your lunch this also helps on portion control.
8. Turn Off Electronics Turn the TV off, get off the social networks,etc. Allow your brain to rest. If you’ve had a busy day the last thing you want to hear is a TV yelling or watching drama unfold through social networks. Though it is hard to do it, becomes easier with time. Start by turning your phone on vibrate. Read a chapter of a book before bed instead.
9. Weigh Your Options Lay out your clothes for the next day, pack your gym bag, iron your clothes. This helps make your morning smoother when things are ready-to-wear...than running around searching for different pieces at the last minute in the morning.
10. Sleep Comfortably Wear comfortable clothing , sleep in clean sheets, have proper pillows and mattress. You sleep better when you’re comfortable..no one likes to toss and turn all night long. -Denia Taylor
'STRUGGLES continued from pg. 24 back and said: “NO, I chose YOU!” DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT ignore the signs that God shows you when it comes to your purpose. It’s a form of responsibility and conviction. You have a gift that this world needs, so when you FINALLY realize that, the competition doesn’t even exist anymore. That’s when you will FULLY understand “Seed Time and Harvest.”
Process
This is the ‘P’ that I personally have the most struggles with: Patience. It’s easy to have ideas, but some things are seasonal. Seed, time...and harvest! Without time: NO HARVEST! Faith nourishes your seed, so always keep the faith because doubt kills!
The most important of all: People
If you are not careful, the very cause of your downfall can be the people that you chose to keep around you. We like to call these folk, “dream-killers.” Make sure you place yourself in the right environment to fertilize your seed. Subject yourself to CONDUSIVE-only atmospheres to make sure that your seed is protected. Your dream is YOUR baby, so do everything you can to protect your baby.
For example: a carrot. You can go around, and tell people that you have this big thing planned and you want them to believe you, but all they see if the very small tip-top portion of the carrot. Unknowingly, they don’t see all of the hard work that is going on underground because carrots GROW underground. But that moment, you pull that carrot up from the ground, that’s when “they” will appear. Those who said they have had your back from the beginning, when they originally doubted you because all they saw was the small plant growing from the ground. In essence: WATCH PEOPLE. I can only hope that this article has helped someone take that leap. Take a risk and live the best life possible. It’s a scary world we live in and life may not go accordingly they way you want it to, but God truly does everything for a reason. For those who are reading this and are not spiritual: get spiritual. Happy Dream Chasing! Be sure to support Chantel LaNiece, Empower Me Coach & Black Girls Social “It’s TIME to become a better YOU!” www.empowermecoach.com @Chantel_LaNeice
– Krista Hayes
'FINANCES' continued from pg.11 both? While a college education is valuable, it’s important to weigh its long-term worth against its immediate cost. Did You Know: Total student loan debt is increasing at a rate of about $2,853.88 per second. Tip 1. Your student loans should in total be less than or equal to your starting salary. Tip 2. Use a portion of college refunds to pay down loans early and to help lower interest rate charges over time. Tip 3. It takes the average college graduate 12-18 months to find a career with decent salary. Save money during the summer of junior year. Tip 4. Student loans are almost never forgiven during
debt-relief methods such as bankruptcy, so they stay with debtors until they are repaid in full. Tip 5. Consolidating your federal student loans can lower your payments but might affect your interest rate or benefits. -Nadia Myrthil
'LOOKS' continued from pg.6
BOOTS
If you only have room for one pair of shoes in your suitcase, it should be a pair of boots. Not only do they work for any type of weather, they can look good even when worn.
-Nikki Brown
Doc Marten’s Pascal Grey Boots, $130 Steve Madden “Troopa” Boot, $99.95
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