Sym-Magazine by Tilsa Wright

SYM S Y M -M A G A Z I N E

VOLUME NUMBER 2 I S S U E

N U M B E R

S E P / O C T 2 0 1 2

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it’s our anniversary... SYM celebrates one year! MEDIA MOGUL

CHI-TOWN’S OWN CHRIS ROB IS PATIENTLY ‘‘WAITING FOR YOU’’

DJ DIVA AND ENTERTAIMENT REPORTER MISSY ON MOTHERHOOD

STAR BOY BOOK SERIES IN FULL EFFECT ON AMAZON!

RHONA FOX ‘FUSE’ NOW HEADING TO TINSEL TOWN

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SYM M I S S I O N S TAT E M E N T

SYM MAGAZINE has been created to provide a platform of positive expression and serve as a source of inspiration to the urban market. The core purpose of SYM MAGAZINE is to highlight and feature up and coming talent, entrepreneurs, non-profit organizations and trail blazers. In each issue, SYM will share their stories of passion, commitment, and give readers full comprehensive knowledge into their lives. SYM serves as a vehicle of empowerment while educating and connecting our urban market to these individualâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brands. SYM will periodically feature special stories on established and respected celebrities, entertainers and business moguls. They will share their breakthrough stories as a tool of encouragement. SYM-MAGAZINE promises to explore a diverse number of topics, which will keep you informed and entertained, all the while radiating light on issues that directly affect our market. SYM will be a resource for changing traditional publishing psyche. We are positioning ourself as a unique centerpiece for uniting industries. SYM MAGAZINE symbolizes greatness and diversity. It adds value and echoes hope through impactful content. SYM Magazine makes a difference!

p u b l i s h e r / e d i t o r- i n - c h i e f

assistant editor

p ro m o t i o n a l b u s i n e s s a s s o c i a t e s

TILSA CECILE WRIGHT

WAYNE MARSHALL

hitsquadd MEDIA-PRESIDENT GRANSLAM

c re a t i v e d i re c t o r

contributing writer

RANDELL PEARSON

PHILLIP CLARKE

3-D PLATFORM INC. FLEXXFM-FT LAUDERDALE FLORIDA JUNIOR CULTURE SHOWOFF RADIO

SYM Advertise in SYM-magazine and have your product /service seen by thousands in the arts and entertainment industry. For Media Kit contact Tilsa Wright, Advertising Director @347 440-6099 or tilsawright@yahoo.com

SYM TA B L E O F CO N T E N T S

a peek at what’s inside On the Cover

Rhona Fox ‘Fuse’ is hav-

ing her say and steps into the bright lights.

SYM Books

SYM’S NEW CONTENT

WHICH FEATURES NINE GREAT BOOKS...NINE

GREAT READS BY AN ARRAY TALENTED AND STIMULATING AUTHORS.

BAM Media Group

Founder

and Creative Producer Khiry Palmer shares his story and vision for his next stage production ‘Antony and Cleopatra’

SYM Caribbean

brings you the

acouSTIC UNPLUGGED ‘soothing sounds’ of jamaica’s own PRINCE, richie spice. THIS PAGE: sym featured WRITER AND ARTIST CHRIS ROB

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SYM

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SYM PU B L I S H E R ’ S L E T T E R

IN TRUTH AND IN FACT... It is funny how time flies when you are having fun, in a manner of speaking that is. SYM-Magazine proudly celebrates one year! A year of challenges, which I was able to overcome by faith and perseverance! However, all wasn’t peaches and cream. It was more along the lines of thorns and tussles. Envision me going through a near nervous breakdown having to make the tough decisions that would determine if SYM would remain in existence. Talk about hitting a major bump in the road or experiencing severe turbulence during a very long flight. As the head of any project, or business, the total burden was on my shoulders, and when your personal life is ultimately affected by unforeseen circumstances, your business investment lifespan is threatened by the slightest shift or imbalance. In November 2011 I was to endure an earth shattering experience, which would place SYM on indefinite hiatus. I was devastated, my physical and mental well being were challenged with disappointments, regrets, and that which could have, and should have been played out constantly in my mind. It was as though I was separated from a newborn child, my brainchild that had just released its second issue. Like a child taking their first steps, it required extra care and not to mention support at what is considered to be the most formative of it’s new life. Needless to say, I panicked and my anxiety level was peaked. I allowed fear to consume my every thought and literally threw my spiritual faith out the window. Instead of being courageous and determined, I became desperate, knee buckling weak and terrified. For a moment I completely forgot from whence I came. Remembering and falling back on my foundation, I prayed, fasted for a number of days, and as a result like most chosen biblical servants, I was delivered after a four month period. Immerging from under this heavy rock, I immediately picked up where I left off with SYM by publishing a third spectacular issue which featured Cultural Czar Danny Simmons. An accomplished artist, poet and author, Simmons happens to be a man of many values; family, promoting and advocating the arts and community. For this reason he is respected and recognized as a treasure in Brooklyn. It was indeed a privilege to feature and have him grace our third cover! Truth and facts are tools of life, so, let it be said that SYM-Magazine was a true gift from the spiritual universe. For if it were otherwise, we wouldn’t be here for another year, steadily growing, reaching markets and readers I never dreamed of. We are surviving! I will forever be eternally grateful to my three Kings; Hance Jackson and brothers Rohan and Kirkland Davis. To my team of supporters and contributors who stand by me from issue to issue…I thank you. Presently, it is our good fortune to have met our September/October 2012 cover feature subject, Ms. Rhona Fox. A young entrepreneur who continues to fulfill her life’s passion. You will certainly enjoy her interview feature in ths issue. Well, its bye for now until our next issue. Rocking and savoring the words from Tony, Tone, Toni hit sentimental R&B single, ‘It’s our Anniversary’. See the video on youtube, its indeed classic!

Tilsa C.Wright

www.sym-magazine.com Twitter.com/tilsawright facebook.com/sym-magazine

NEW YORK

. LOS ANGELES . MIAMI . PHILADELPHIA . WASHINGTON DC . GEORGIA . TEXAS WWW.ILANDAPPAREL.COM . ILANDAPPAREL@GMAIL.COM . 212 470-7210

A MUSICAL CAMELEON IS PATIENTLY ‘WAITING FOR YOU’

TILSA C. WRIGHT

Mrs. Robinson was a multi-faceted woman, who managed to care for her family simultaneously as she participated in a number of musical activities. She was involved with both the church and school choir. “My mother juggled every aspect of her life so timely and well. She was flawless, and made me realized I don’t necessarily have to pigeon hole to only one aspect of music. While in high school at age 16 I performed at any gig that was being offered to me. I performed songs that spanned a variety of genres. I did it just for the love of performing, and not to be defining to a box.” Chris was tutored musically by his mother up until age 13, then his Jazz Club teacher Mr. Willie Naylor took over reigns which made it possible for him to book gigs as he performed with him. “I am proud of both my sons!” Mrs. Robinson shared with me. Chris’ older brother comedian Craig Robinson and Chris both worked with me at church. Craig was the choir director, while Chris was my assistant.” She went on to share a very memorable story. “One Sunday Craig wasn’t able to attend service, so Chris decided to direct the choir in his brother’s absence. Mind you the choir was very small, and only consisted of 5 people. Chris had the church in stitches; he directed them as though he stood in front of 100 individual. He put some much emphasis and emotions in his hand movements you would think he was the director for an orchestra. He was great, but also hilarious.” When I asked Mrs. Robinson to give me three words to describe her son, she answered with such pride. “Driven, a perfectionist, he is focused, to be quite honest Chris is loving, affectionate, a people person and will charm anyone he meets.” She recalls Chris had a habit of chatting up the persons in charge at stores when she took him along with her, the store managers didn’t mind as they found Chris to be very intelligent for a young kid. I asked her why should music lovers listen to her son’s songs. She quickly answered “Because his music is unique, classical, with flair of jazz, gospel, and his soul is in his music.” Rob’s most recent music video Waiting for You can be described as being soul soothing with heartfelt lyrics, coming from a man who is deeply in love.“It is extremely challenging to find a girlfriend while pursuing a career in the industry. Women tend to not understand my interaction with my fans, the level of commitment, and the strains of giving my best at all times.” When asked how the women in his life affect his music style of writing and composition, to my surprise Rob says his inspiration comes from his parent’s true love for each other. “My parents were always in love with each other, and all I saw was my father being a man who cared and respected every being of my mother’s worth. Besides those two love birds, my entire family circle was close knit by love. So my writing comes from an ideal sense of home schooled love.” Some of Chris Rob’s accomplishments include a number of performances at very notable places; such as Essence Music Festival, The Kennedy Center, The Apollo Theatre, The Grammy Awards, and to ice things off an appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Chris is certainly moving along a path destined for greatness like fellow Chicago natives, R.Kelly, Kanye West and Common. What’s next for Chris Rob? Well a number of exciting things, namely an upcoming tour with Roberta Flack, and Talib Kweli. Join this soulful singer on twitter and facebook for more updates as he travels throughout the country. www.chrisrobmusic.com

CHRISROB

Hailing from the south side of Chicago, Chris recounts his very first performance.“Wow! Tilsa my very first performance was back at age 3 or 4 at Englewood United Methodist Church alongside my mother. It was a happy and fun experience, my mother is truly a great nurturing woman.”

KhiryPalmer Bam Media presents A n t o n y a n d C l e o pat r a a l l

b l a c k

a cc e s s

We are all born equal; determination is what sets us apart. This phrase aptly summarizes the life and times of twenty-one year old Khiry Palmer, playwright, producer, author, entrepreneur and director extraordinaire. Khiry found that in the modern film world, he was being type casted for certain roles and felt the need to break free from these stereotypes and create better roles for himself and his colleagues who were experiencing similar treatment. It was in this vein that he started his own production company, BAM Media Group, in May 2011 and soon after conceptualized his first solo effort, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Untitled: The Projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Being his first solo effort, Khiry quickly realized how difficult it was to both act in and direct the same show, so instead he decided to direct. Khiry then solicited the help of his friends to do the acting. The preparation and the rehearsals for this play took three months in total, day in and day out. The end result of all this hard work was an immense success, and the cast performed to sold-out crowds each night. P H I L L I P P H O T O G R A P H Y :

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He then decided to take a hiatus from production to reinvent the company and make it better. During this time he sat down and critically assessed what worked well for his company and what didn’t. Coming out of his time of reflection and with keeping his passion to see others succeed, Khiry incorporated a new approach that included acoustic sets, and poetry in his stage productions. This really helped to promote upcoming musicians, whom he had met along the way; and budding poets to showcase their work as well. Another of Khiry’s productions that he is very proud of is, his 9/11 commemoration event last year. He donated money raised to the 9/11 memorial effort. This marked his first real philanthropic effort. He then went on to produce a one man cast show entitled Bobajeebo, which was with Frankie LaPace, a very talented and well known playwright. This again went very well. He then took another break, to try and re-focus on his next project, which was a revival of Untitled: The Project, in March of this year. He worked with an excellent playwright Michael Joseph Kospiah who rewrote the entire script. The play title underwent a name change to ‘When the Clouds Cover the Sun’ which featured an all black cast. He then decided to do a production that was not an original, but perhaps a musical of some sort. It was at this point that Khiry recalled his childhood dream of always wanting to perform a Shakespearean play. However after doing some research and brainstorming, he decided to stage his own interpretation of Antony and Cleopatra. Khiry is poised to create history, for starters, being the youngest producer to have an all black cast in a non-original Off-Broadway production of Antony and Cleopatra this Fall. Auditions for this soon to be premiered, history-in-the-making, stage play started in August and the turnout was overwhelming. This, Khiry thinks, is mainly due to the popularity of his previous productions and how well they did. The play will debut on November 27 and will run, at least initially, until December 2. The premiere will be held at the prestigious American Theatre of Actors. Another special feature of this venture undertaking is that it will be his company’s tenth production. So he intends to put out that extra effort to make it a resounding success, which will help him gain even more recognition in the industry. One could ask where all this enthusiasm and determination to make it in the theatre world began for Khiry. It all started at Prince Edward County High School, of which he is a proud 2009 graduate. He recalls that this school had to shut down because of the high levels of racial prejudice which existed, however, this did not effect the pursuit of his goals. He shares how influential his Drama Teacher, Deborah Rush was, in developing firstly his courage along with his acting skills. “She was really remarkable”. As a drama group, they would go to different regions and compete. In spite of the huge budget cuts that normally face creative programs such as performing arts groups in public schools, Khiry is proud to say “I came first in the region and first in the district”. He emphasized how much of an achievement this was with very limited resources at hand. However it was the incredible human resource they had in their Drama Teacher along with the core skills of the participants who helped made this mark. He went on to receive an award for best actor in 2009 for the Virginia high school league. This was an extremely huge accomplishment as it gave him a state-wide profile and made him widely popular in the region. He can clearly remember his first audition, back in Atlantic City. He was a nervous wreck, stuttering with very little confidence. The audition was held at Oceanside charter school, for Kevin Cheetham. He was given a monologue to read. At this time he was only in the third (3rd ) grade. He was chastised for his nervousness and stuttering. He left devastated, told his Dad what took place, Mr. Palmer contacted Mr. Cheetham and had a long talk with him about the impact his speech had on his son. At the very next set of auditions, he ended up getting the lead role. He often wondered if he got it on his own merit or because he didn’t want another phone call from his father. In the long run, he and Mr. Cheetham ended up getting along very well and Khiry benefited from this experience. Shortly after this, his parents went through a divorce. This was particularly hard on him as he began to wonder if it was his fault, as most kids his age would wonder in situations such as these, especially at that age. The divorce caused him to live with him mother, putting a strain in communication with his father. Eventually this changed, and now Khiry and his father are in constant contact. Everybody gets along, even though his parents are still not back together. They are however proud of his many accomplishments and support him in any way possible. Being in charge of his own production company is a huge responsibility for a 21 year old; we only can imagine how hectic a schedule Khiry has. Managing the largest cast he has ever worked with to date, twenty-two people to be exact, is not an easy road, but he takes it in strides. It has forced him to become better and better at time management. This practice will put him in good stead for his next frontier, which is film directing. The promotion for Antony and Cleopatra, even though a non-modern play, makes use of all modern technologies, particularly social media. These include facebook, twitter and his company’s website. Khiry personally invites you to his life changing; challenging production yet, this November, visit www.bammediagroup.org

kingofnewyork

the

He has done it again! Undisputedly one of the most celebrated and influential natives of Brooklyn, the beloved and respected Shawn Carter, Jay-Z, adds yet another jewel to his borough’s illustrious crown. This ‘King’ has been generously giving back to Brooklyn for years and Barclays Center is a gift the residents of this great borough and city at large are now enjoying with it’s September 21st grand opening. The Center is the first major sports venue in Brooklyn since the days of the historic Ebbets Field providing much needed jobs, bolstering real estate revenue and giving a real shot in arm to the overall economy of New York City. Jay-Z’s September 28th performance at Barclay’s Center will signal the start of what will undoubtedly become the start of a brand new exciting chapter in the annals of Brooklyn’s history and that of the entire city of New York as well...LONG LIVE THE KING!

www.jayzonline.com www.ronation.com www.barclaycenter.com

Rhona

FOX U

Having her own say, from building a music empire to now stepping into the light of her dream of becoming an outstanding actress! T I L S A C . W R I G H T

S E

P H O TO G R A P H Y: Z A C K

C O H E N

A fuse can be described as a device in a bomb that controls the timing of the explosion. Trust and believe Rhona Fox is about to explode on screen. Humble, sophisticated, poised, and a gentle, caring lady of only 33 years, Rhona Fox is not a pushover when it comes to business. She is very sharp, precise, and knows her industry like the back of her hand. Her journey started from the well-known South American country of Guyana, and at age 10, Fox’s family relocated to the Bahamas, where she lived until her college years. She then migrated to New York to attend university at 16 years old. “I grew up in Guyana and we mostly raised our own food. My parents had a vegetable garden and we bred our own livestock – chickens, turkeys, duck, sheep and goats. We even had a cow that we had to milk for fresh milk each day. So I’m sure those experiences have plenty to do with my work ethic and my drive to make it.” During her senior year at the University at Albany in New York’s capital city, she landed an internship position at the local ABC news affiliate WTEN-TV, and was hired as a news assistant, while still a senior in college. Fox worked her way up to becoming a News Promotion Producer at ABC and spent three and half years there, before transitioning to her namesake, FOX. She spent two years as a News Promotion Producer at the FOX news affiliate, WXXA-TV FOX23 in Albany. “My job was to promote the news, which entailed creating concepts and executing them into daily topical news promotions, to entice viewers to watch FOX News instead of their competitors.” As for her transition into music, being at the right place at the right time is one way of putting it. While attending a very popular stage show in Jamaica called Reggae Sumfest, a new opportunity presented itself. “I met the Publisher of Jamrock Magazine while at Sumfest in summer of 2006. After learning about my work in the mainstream media, he offered me a position at his company a week later, after we had both returned to New York. I was so excited to work in Caribbean entertainment, I immediately resigned from my position at FOX23 and moved to New York City, just two weeks later.” Fox is a fast learner and while her stint at Jamrock lasted only 11 months, she established a number of key business relationships, which helped a lasting career in music. “I absolutely love music and I truly treasure my Caribbean music and culture, even more so. So as fate would have me working at Jamrock Magazine, that experience brought me closer to myself, in essence. To be quite honest, there was a time in my life when I felt disconnected from my Caribbean roots. With living mostly in Upstate New York and working in mainstream news, I wasn’t that exposed to anything remotely Caribbean after moving to the U.S., and Jamrock Magazine was instrumental in bringing me back to my foundation.” Fox saw there was a dire need for proper representation for Caribbean artists in mainstream media, in the U.S. and worldwide, and after intense research and development, she departed Jamrock Magazine to start what is now staple in the Caribbean music industry, Fox Fuse. “There was a huge demand on the artists’ end to get their music and their brand more exposed to the mainstream audience, and I strategically formed Fox Fuse to fulfill that niche. We started out in 2007 by offering mainly publicity services, but we expanded in 2012 with the addition of my partner Zack Cohen, and now offer more essential services, including digital distribution worldwide.” Her first client was international sensation Shaggy, yes, Mr. Boombastic himself, and today she still works with him. “I must say working with Shaggy in the formative years of Fox Fuse was vital to our mission of bringing Caribbean music to the mainstream masses, plus he helped us attract other top-notch clientele. We work with Pitbull currently, and in the past we’ve worked with Flo Rida, Rick Ross, and Lil Jon, just to name a few.” H aving H er S ay The box office success of Slumdog Millionaire was one of the few things that pushed Fox to fulfill her hidden passion for acting. The international blockbuster, which featured an East Indian cast of actors, was a 2008 global sensation to the point of nabbing 8 out of 10 Oscars, and to date has a worldwide gross of $378 million. This led to a growing number of American film and television productions to cast females of East Indian ‘look’ and descent, to subliminally target the consumer marketing-power of this large ethnic group. Five years ago, Fox saw the need for Fox Fuse. Today, she is adding to her repertoire by taking on another challenging role, as an actor. In 2009, after Fox Fuse was moving along nicely, she started thinking about her ultimate dream and decided to take the jump. She ventured into acting in summer of 2009 and got into the Screen Actor’s Guild almost immediately. “My first acting job was for Jay-Z’s Roc-A-Wear 10th Anniversary commercial and the director was Spike Lee. I got paid $500 to say one word and have Spike Lee direct me. That did it for me. Then the following week, I was hired for a three-day stint on Sex And The City 2, because they needed Middle Eastern-looking people for a scene that was set in Dubai.” Fox fit the bill and has been pursing acting ever since. “Thankfully, owning my own company affords me the financial freedom to attend acting school, which I’m currently enrolled in. It also gives me the flexibility to go off and do acting gigs when I get them. My partner now oversees the running of the company and that really grants me the freedom to finally pursue my passion.” At first, Fox chose not to openly share her dream of acting publicly, because for many, including her parents, acting is not seen as a career but more of a fantasy, and she was concerned about not being taken seriously. She had to overcome a number of issues,

amongst them, self-acceptance. “Prior to acting, I lightened my hair color and even wore contacts for years. Most actresses did this in Bollywood movies, and I’m sure it was an attempt to become more westernized. But after films like Slumdog Millionaire, and seeing the successes of Indian actresses in Hollywood such as Freida Pinto, Archie Panjabi and Mindy Kaling, I had more confidence to embrace my East Indian ethnic features, as an actress and more importantly, as a person. It is amazing to finally turn on the TV and see someone who looks just like me, for a change. ” As you may know, Mindy Kaling was a season regular on the hit NBC series The Office, and recently scored her own show on FOX, which debuts this Fall season. “Mindy Kaling looks like a typical Indian woman – she’s brown-skinned, has black hair, is of average height and weight, and she plays the lead character, who is a doctor. She is smart and also the star of the show - not a vendor or some other stereotypical role for Indian-looking women. On top of that, she’s writing these roles and hence creating these parts for herself, and therefore, for women like me. You never see an Indian woman who looks ‘Indian’ as the lead of a Bollywood movie. When you go to India, the people in the streets look like me, not like Bollywood stars with their light complexions, brunette hair and green eyes. I’m ecstatic Hollywood is more accepting of the traditional Indian ‘look’ than Bollywood because there is now room for me here.” Fox regularly stands-in for the only two Indian actresses on the East Coast, Archie Panjabi on The Good Wife (CBS), and Reshma Shetty on Royal Pains (USA Network). When asked what would be her ideal role? “Playing a nurse, believe it or not. I love scrubs, wearing my hair in a ponytail, not too much make-up on and comfy shoes, as opposed to the dressy look. I would prefer people to see my acting skills, and not necessarily focus on my attire, hairstyle or whatever else comes with being an actress.” Fox is so right because over the past ten years, medical drama series such as ER on NBC, have been globally successful, and the actors were critiqued based on their skills and not their scrubs. Fox will embrace other roles, but I must share, she lights up during the interview as she talks about playing a nurse; I give her two thumbs up!

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What’s next for Fox? Her primary focus is to finish her second year of acting school at T. Schreiber Studio, located in the artsy Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan. It is the same acting school Edward Norton attended, and she hopes to one day be able to bring what he brings to his roles and films – strong, conflicted characters who leave a lasting impression on the audience. Fox will be staying warm in the acting world, while finishing up school from September through next May. Following in the footsteps of Mindy Kaling with writing parts and projects for herself, and in keeping with her vision of creating her own path like she did with Fox Fuse, Fox has partnered with actor and screenwriter Daniel Bobby Tuttle, whom she met while working on Royal Pains, to produce an eight-episode web series titled U-Need-A-Rita. “I am so excited to be involved with this project because Daniel wrote the series specifically for me. I play the lead - a skilled, caring nurse called Rita, who is taking care of Jimmy (played by Tuttle), who is suffering from an early on-set of Alzheimer’s. However, his mother hires Rita to be Jimmy’s nurse, but tells him Rita is his maid, as he does not remember he has Alzheimer’s and she asks Rita to play along as his maid, so as to not hurt his feelings. Rita is pretty much me, a Guyanese-Indian woman working and living in New York. So we’re looking to work a lot of Caribbean culture and musical influences into the web-series as well, and naturally, we will bring Fox Fuse and our music clients into the mix.” The web series is currently in its pre-production phase. Fox has already garnered over 2.3 million YouTube views on her personal channel, so without a doubt, U-Need-A-Rita will become a smashing success when it premieres in the upcoming months. “My future goals including writing a few books, and working on building The Rhona Fox Foundation, which was started in 2010 to provide aid to children and women in need. Women and children are my causes and I hope to be able to do more for them very soon.” Fox received Guyana’s Golden Arrowhead Award of Distinction earlier this year, for her outstanding work as an actress. She also received a proclamation from the City of New York for her contributions as an actor, in June 2012.

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A NEW SHOW SET TO CHANGE THE SCOPE OF MEDIA AND ENTERTAINMENT REPORTING Celebrity Sound Off (CSO), a new and exciting show will launch on the digital platform (www.celebritysoundoff.com), bringing viewers the media story, the celebrity story, and the truth. Picture a stage where celebrities have a chancetosound off with no limitations. What if they were given a platform to tell their truth about a rumor that falsely depicts them, in a way that completely gives their fans an inside look into their experiences and how they were personally or professionally affected? If they did, it would probably look like their tweets, but in video. CSO is the new home for their truth. Created by Maureen Aladin, Celebrity Sound Offprovides stars, which includes today’s rising YouTube personalities, the opportunity to “sound off” on topics they are passionate about, in video format! What makes CSO so engaging and unique is that it deviates from your standard entertainment reporting. While most media outlets produce sensationalized stories, which often times are based on speculation, Celebrity Sound Offbrings yourfavorite famous faces directly to you, as they clarify any stories, comments and untruths. Celebrity Sound Off asks no questions, except one–What really happened?Viewers can look forward to unedited, unscripted, and untold content where the media story is presented and featured guests freely discuss what actually occurred.After being presented with the media story and celebrity story, viewers ultimately decide what they believe to be the truth. In addition toproviding a platform of expression, Celebrity Sound Off will be capturing stars on the red carpet as well as other high profile events, including galas, benefits and more-taking entertainment news to a new level!

Creator and Executive Producer Maureen Aladin, felt this was a much needed outlet for those who live their lives in the public eye. “As a New Media personality, reporting on entertainment news, I was jaded by what I was reading about celebrities. The media stories always felt embellished and spoke to the audience as if what they sensationalized was the truth. As an Entertainment Reporter, it was a bit frustrating because I knew a lot of the stories I covered were completely untrue. Quite honestly, I was relieved to see celebrities going on Twitter rants, because it was their chance to tell their truth,”she says. “I know celebrities can’t debunk everything in the media, and yes they’re supposed to have tough skin, but they’re not superhuman. Sometimes what’s being put out there has to hurt or just really get under their skin. So, why not create a platform allowing them to express themselves as they do on Twitter, but in video and in more than 140 characters?”she adds. Celebrity Sound Off (www.celebritysoundoff.com) will launch online due to the increasingly steady shift of content being directed to the digital platform.“People have questioned my decision to start off digitally, but that’s where content is and besides... who really watches the stuff made for TV on TV anymore!” says the CSO Executive. CSO content will be syndicated through other media outlets, along with digital distribution, as original content, through various established channels. Discussions of Celebrity Sound Off going to broadcast television are currently in lieu. CONNNECT WITH CELEBRITY SOUND OFF CREATOR MAUREEN ALADIN HERE: Facebook: www.facebook.com/maureenaladin Twitter: @maureenaladin-www.twitter.com/maureenaladin FOR MEDIA/PRESS INQUIRIES CONTACT: Sharra Dade 3-D Platform Email: SDade@3-DPlatform.com

dedicated, talented actors poised for

stardom!

PHILIPPE BERNARDIN is used to putting on an act. As a NYC pubic school teacher for

the past 15 years, Philippe performs everyday to get his students to pay attention in class and tow the line as both a history teacher and dean of discipline. In 2008, he decided to take his own advice of telling his students to pursue their dreams and decided to try a childhood dream of his, acting. On his very first audition he secured the lead role and has been pursuing his dream since. Philippe has appeared on film, televisions, commercials, music videos, PSAs, plays, web series, and interactive educational videos. He has also written, produced, and starred in his own short films including one to make its way on the festival circuit later this year, The Many Break-Ups of Lincoln Rose. Being one of four children being raised by his hard working haitian mother, he saw her incredible work ethic. His mother eventually succumbed to her fight with cancer but not without teaching him and his siblings to never give up on your dreams and always strive to be the best at everything you do. For more info on Philippe Bernardin, follow him on Twitter @silverfoxfilms and also on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/philsilverfox.bernardin DAWN L. HALL was born in Washington D.C. Dawn is an Actress and uses film as her

platform to explore innovative, spiritual techniques that focus on the liberation of Soul. Since 2009, Dawn has been making her presence known in the independent Film circuit. Her multidimensional style of acting gives her the flexibility for a range of roles. Dawn has a passion for leadership and the spiritual growth of humanity. For more info and to contact Dawn L.—halldawn@gmail.com and http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3489821/ MIR WAISS NAJIBI is a SAG eligible actor

currently represented by Mod Media Talent who will gladly tell you that when you meet him, there’s a good chance you won’t forget him. His goal has always been about pleasing his audience and knowing that they feel they enjoyed a good show. “My career is nothing unless people like what they see” he says. After high school, Mir got his first taste of improv in college working with those who had also worked with the likes of Jon Lovitz. From there he performed in several local theater shows and worked on his craft which has resulted in various work in commercials, films, and music videos. One video in particular by the Brazilian band Soulfly went global giving him worldwide exposure. One of his most proudest moments came when he narrated a book about his native Afghanistan titled In The Sea, There Are Crocodiles (available on Random House and Itunes) Proudly call himself a Jack Of All Trades, Mir is determined to learn as many skills as possible because as he sees it he will never get better otherwise. Coming up you will be able to see him scare people all through Halloween at The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor. Also be on the look out for his involvement in a anti-bullying documentary titled Love All Humans at www.loveallhumans.com

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PUBLICATION DESIGN Award winning graphic designer and illustrator, Randell Pearson is the creative director of PearsonDesigns. Contact him for a free consultation @ rpeardesign@aol.com and see more of his creative work on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/pages/ Pearson-Designs/348048871797

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It’s or Nothing as Stein looks ahead

missy soprano

A BALANCING ACT

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FlexxFM. Your Caribbean Station broadcasting from South Florida to the world. FlexxFM brings the latest NEWS, SPORTS, WEATHER, TALK AND ENTERTAINMENT. Compelling talk shows on issues that the world can relate to. LIVE BROADCASTS that brings our viewers closer than 3D. We are your source for LIVE RADIO. FlexxFM is live in New Jersey 97.5 FM. New York 104.5 FM. Atlanta 105.5 FM. Connecticut 104.5 FM. South Florida 101.9 FM. And June 5th in Jamaica 104.9 FM.

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The Prince treasures us with his acoustic unplugged ‘Soothing Sounds’ that will make us feel ‘Free’!

Richie Spice

TILSA C. WRIGHT

October 23rd 2012 will never be the same, as the industry anxiously awaits the arrival of another golden treasure from Jamaica’s Prince (Richell Bonner) Richie Spice ‘Soothing Sounds’ title album. The 15 contemporary soothing tracks will be available on iTunes and hardcopy, and is touted as his best work yet. The hit single ‘Free’ adds additional value to what cultural roots reggae fans already know and love about the art and foundation of our music. Loving the virtue of a woman, Spice included songs such as title ‘True Love’, ‘My Heart’ and ‘My Love’ that will captivate the soul, making one feel like a Empress on a throne. It’s no secret that Spice’s universal message is that of love, unity, strength, a social consciousness schooling us about the natural values of our origins. The change of times and lack of appreciation for reggae cultural begs for Spice’s voice and 15 track lyrics. He beckons us as black people to be ‘Free’ his second single from the album and belts out ‘Crying’, a plea to save ourselves from this world’s corruption and unfavorable influences. ‘Soothing Sounds’ is being distributed by Tad’s Record, who stand firmly behind Richie Spices work, and look forward to globally mesmerizing old fans and inducting new listeners. Richie shared with SYM three words that best describe his musical journey, “Positive, Focus, and Progressive.” He also lists five soothing things that for most part inspires him, “meditation, happiness, all things natural, success, and life, the blessing of being alive.” When asked why should fans support his album, Spice answered, “Soothing Sounds’ is a masterpiece that comprises family values, soul searching and uplifting lyrics, especially for women.” The inspiration for the album title is the laid back, relaxing approach to life, putting one’s mind at ease. Spice said the album title “Has a cool vibration with a touch of spice.” The mastermind’s overall message, “We must be our brothers and sisters keeper, be conscious of whatever you do and most importantly love God and live.” Let me just share this about Richie Spice. After listening to his album, given how stressful life situations can often be, I felt ‘Free’! Follow Richie Spice on twitter @1spice PR contact: www.foxfuse.com

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, It s all or nothing as Stein looks ahead and evolves to a new direction and fuses his career. PHILLIP

CLARKE

photography by ZACK COHEN

Dancehall has certainly come a far way and owes its moniker to the Jamaican dance halls, in which popular Jamaican recordings were played by local sound systems. This concept of dancehall has certainly evolved into a genre of music that has become hugely popular across the world as the leading form of Jamaican music—having produced top class DJ’s such as Bounty Killa and Ninjaman and many others. SYM-Magazine had the opportunity recently to speak with one of the leading young veterans of dancehall, who carries the Jamaican flag proudly, no matter where in the world he goes. We spoke with Jermaine Melvil Lee-King, more popularly known as Stein. He has been sporting long platted hair for many years and was first called Einstein by a female cousin, after she saw his undone hair in a local barbershop and noted the resemblance to Albert Einstein. The name has stuck ever since. Having started out professionally in the music business some ten years ago under the name Einstein, he took an important decision three years ago, to change his name to Stein. This was done mainly to differentiate him from the Nobel Prize winning scientist Albert Einstein, whom the artist says “would dominate internet searches” by his thousands of fans both locally and internationally, and led to them widely unable to access his material as easily as other artists. This scenario is not uncommon to the dancehall industry. Several other artists have had to do similar name alterations. These include Movado, who had to change his name to Mavado, mainly because of the conflict with the famous brand name watches of the same name. In previous years, Lexus had to change his name to Mr. Lex, mainly because of the conflict with the world famous brand of cars of the same name.

Stein’s intense love affair with music began while growing up in the inner-city area of Tel Aviv and Spoilers, in East Kingston. He says “sound systems would be playing night and day”—sound systems like Caracas, Jamrock, Swatch International, Stats International and Stone Love. He wanted to try to be just like the artists these popular sound systems would play. He names industry veterans Bounty Killer, Sizzla, Capleton, General Degree, Buccaneer and Damian Marley as his earliest musical inspirations, mainly because of the well written songs they performed. Internationally, he admits that Busta Rhymes was one of the first rappers he began listening to, but his favorite of all time is Marshall Mathers, more popularly known as Eminem, for his superior lyrical content and passionate delivery each and every time he hit the stage. Long before anyone even knew his name, Stein admits that since he met the now incarcerated dancehall superstar Vybz Kartel at Jammys studio, he became a great fan of his music and ability to craft words together in in a sometimes comical, sometimes serious way. He is by no means surprised at Vybz Kartel’s rise to stardom. When asked about his support system, he quickly indicates that his greatest motivator is himself and he consistently has to draw on his inner strength and love for music to keep him going, particularly during hard times He clearly recalls his first live performance. It took place in the Eastern parish of St. Thomas. At that time, he was staying at Cleveland Road with his aunt in East Kingston. She was extremely strict and didn’t want him to leave the house at all, especially at night. He got wind of a stage show taking place in St. Thomas and decided he had to be a part of it to showcase his talent to the people

there. On the night in question, dressed in a grey sweat suit, he went against his aunt’s wishes and headed to St. Thomas on a bus called Kay Sun, at age 12. He arrived at the venue very early and watched as the performers before him went through their sets. When it came time for him to perform to the, by now, sizeable crowd, he gave it his all and was well received by the audience. Beaming with pride and feeling extremely proud of his deeds, Stein headed home with a renewed desire to take his music to another level. He was indeed in for a surprise on his return home. His beloved aunt insisted that he must leave her house and go back home to his mother, based on his inability to follow her rules. Even though he was saddened by this decision by his aunt, he was obedient and went back home to be with his mother. Remaining undaunted by this incident, he continued to hone and develop his talent by visiting studios, performing at several shows in and around his community, until his big break came. It was the year of 2007 that Stein rose to national and soon after international popularity with his breakout hit Rise Di Machine (Caliber) on the Power Cut Riddim produced by Stephen “Di Genius” McGregor. Since then, he has managed to create several other hit songs with some notable producers such as Chimney Records (Jordan Mclure and David Hayle), Cashflow Records, Big Yard (Robert Livingston) and UTP007 Records (Supa Hype). Stein is eager for the world to hear the new music that he has been working on. His raft of new singles include Hellraiser, which is a hardcore song for the streets, produced by Supa Blunt, More Than Ten Gal, produced by Charlie Pro, Again and Again, produced by Cashflow Records on the Sun Tan Riddim and Wheel It Off, produced by Chimney Records on the Money Box Riddim. He is also busy in the studio working on his debut album entitled All Or Nothing, a unique compilation of fourteen fresh new songs to be released by FOX FUSE in 2013. “I’ve been back in Jamaica recording music day and night for my debut album, All Or Nothing, due out early next year,” reveals Stein. “I took a brief break to shoot a video because sometimes you need the visuals in addition to radio support. So I’m trying to get my music out there to the fans, in every way I can.” When asked about the transition that many artists are making into the world of film, he made it clear that he too was moving in that direction as he was an avid movie watcher himself. “If the right script comes my way, I will definitely get involved.” While not being an avid sports person himself, he admits that he likes to see the youngsters excel at the various sports, especially when they take it to the next level and compete professionally, and earn an income to help to support their families. With Jamaica this year celebrating fifty years of independence, Stein feels that the celebrations have gone very well so far and is extremely happy that music has played a vital role in these celebrations. In particular, he is happy that dancehall music is finally getting the recognition it deserves on a global scale. As he looks back on his career thus far, he believes he has grown in a lot of ways, mainly in terms of the quality of his lyrics and also in terms of the clarity and smoothness of his sound. He has also taken time out to learn more about the business aspect of music and advises more artists to do the same. He has been working with his management team, FOX FUSE, headed by industry savvy Rhona Fox and her partner Zack Cohen, for the past six months and notices several improvements in his career. The hardworking team at FOX FUSE has also taught him more about the industry and has helped to get a lot more publicity. He noted that their efficiency has allowed him more time to develop his craft, without having to carry out the additional roles and functions of management that burdened him before. Quite a number of shows and tours are in the pipeline for Stein. He has a two month European tour in the Fall of 2012, along with many spot dates in New York, Trinidad, Tortola, Guadeloupe, St. Vincent, Barbados, and Antigua. His team is also putting the final touches on a promotional United States tour, which will see him moving right across America. With all the controversy and the lyrical wars taking place in dancehall, Stein believes it is necessary to keep the music interesting and topical. He, however, believes that the problem arises when it gets physical or political. Physical in that fans or artists’ entourages become embroiled in fights, based on the lyrics being performed by the opposing artist. Political in the sense that people in the media, promoters and other key industry personnel take sides with artists that are in a lyrical contest and refuse to play or endorse the other artists. This, more often than not, is detrimental to the various artists’ careers and Stein believes that this is too prevalent at the moment. He feels that if it is not reduced or stopped, it could get very serious. Stein looks forward to starting a family of his own soon, but is taking it one day at a time. He is focusing on reaching the pinnacle of the dancehall industry, which he believes he is more than capable of attaining. With this goal in mind, the work never stops. “I’m looking forward to expanding my sound and taking my music worldwide. Look out for me, I’m coming!”

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...an Actress, a Diva DJ and Entertainment Reporter! Missy Soprano breaks the mold and will soon embark on a new love and chapter to her life... Never judge a book by its cover. When looking at this gorgeous, thirty something year old, college graduate, the last thing one would think is that she is an avid dancehall music lover and tours with the most sought after female dancehall acts to ever emerge from Jamaica. Her love affair with dancehall started back in 1998 when Marcy Ruggiero, more popularly known as Missy Soprano, took a road trip with two of her new friends, Zachary and Jeremy Harding, who are popular Jamaican music producers, to Ladies Night at the Asylum nightclub. She was no stranger to Jamaica as her mother used to bring her to our shores quite very often, but never to such venues or dancehall events. She originally started out doing radio in Junior High school, where she would read local news over the intercom, as opposed to the gossip-based program she does now. Missy then moved on to host and promoted events at a night club in Boston. This new venture then grew to other States, which caused her to travel quite a bit and meet different artists and DJ’s. The nickname Missy Soprano came for two main reasons. The Missy element is based on her bossy personality, while the Soprano element is based on her Italian family background, and also the hit cable series ‘The Sopranos’ which brought the whole street boss fact known about most American Italians to the forefront. Back to the ladies night in question at Asylum, it was the smooth selecting of the legendary sound Stone Love that got her hooked lined and sinkered. In fact, it was on this trip to Jamaica that she ended up meeting her best friend and “Boss” Marion Hall, more popularly known as Lady Saw. “Lady Saw was doing well at the time and I loved her music, but I didn’t know what she really looked like, mainly because the use of internet in Jamaica wasn’t as popular then as oppose to now, and I never saw her perform until that road trip.” Missy’s statement might come across strange, however given her busy schedule, and at the time not being around the heavily Jamaican Boston community like how she is today, it’s very believable she didn’t know what Lady Saw looked like. So out of curiosity, one night, she snuck out to a show and ended up backstage. Having been harassed by some unruly folks, she ended up sharing her experience with a well- dressed lady who asked her why she came out alone, especially with her not being from Jamaica. Missy expressed to the lady that she had came to meet Lady Saw. It was at that time Marion revealed her identity; Missy was indeed talking to the Queen of Dancehall up close and personal. The two laughed it off and became very good friends ever since. Moving forward they both often Missy’s photo shoot sponsored by Neil Pearl (above), attended shows together and Missy critiqued on how amateur desinger and creator of Iland Apparel. (opposite) Missy’s the DJ’s who played Lady Saw set were. One night, the opportu- t-shirt by iland apparel. cover wardrobe by Niki Chin. nity presented itself and Missy took the controls at one of Lady Saw’s shows and truly impressed the Queen! The rest as they say is history. She has been travelling with Lady Saw as her official DJ, an experience she further describes as breaking the mold with Saw which lasted more than 10 years. Missy’s gossip program “The Mix up” is currently aired on 30 radio stations worldwide, five days each week an avenue that opened up after aligning with Dj Roy of road international. The stations include Red Hot Radio 102.3 in Brooklyn, Big City 101.3 in Boston, Slam 101 in Barbados, Hot 97 in St. Vincent, The Beat 93.3 in Jacksonville Florida, Boom Champions 94.1 in Trinidad, 105 JAMZ in

St. Thomas USVI, Newstyle Radio in Birmingham UK, Africa, Australia and Antigua. Missy recently appeared in two full length films, ‘Facing Reality’ and ‘Green Card’ that was written and produced by Cleon James. With a program that has such a wide coverage, we were curious to find out who works on her media team, surprisingly she does it all by herself. Over the years she has been able to manage her time very well and hone her craft. Through her constant travelling, she has been able to develop key relationships with artist and industry personnel giving her first hand access to breaking entertainment news, or some listeners might call it ‘gossip’. Missy has successfully turned gossip into a lucrative business through promotions, sponsorship and advertising; being an American Italian dominating the Jamaican entertainment reporting media, Missy has certainly broken the mold. She absolutely loves Lady Saw’s music and has grown to love and respect her and views her as her best friend. Contrary to what people may think, Lady Saw reads a wide selection of books, at least two books per day and is deeply intelligent. “She is the kindest and strongest woman I have ever met”. In fact it was Lady Saw that pushed Missy to finish her degree in Median and Communications as she never stopped stressing to her the importance of doing this for her own development. “This would ensue that people in the business take me seriously.” As a critical part of the degree program, in order to graduate students must complete an internship. Missy’s internship with DJ Roy from Irie Jam Radio in New York gave her a great deal of experience, and after seeing her potential she immediately became his mentee. Lady Saw and Missy had the opportunity to tour on Big Day Out, an annual event in New Zealand across the continent of Australia for a month and a half in 2006. Lady Saw was a featured reggae act. She was, for the most part unknown amongst this kind of crowd but the response was surprising. “The crowd went crazy during her performance; people were climbing on the stage and trying to dance to the music”. Missy shares as being very memorable. Having travelled the world and met all kinds of people, you get tired of living on the road, living out of a suitcase, travelling constantly. So therefore a slower pace is welcomed, and with this said the Diva is now ready to meet her unborn child. “I’m 33 year old, its time! I’m in love with the right person so the timing is absolutely perfect”. This love child will be the first of many she says. She thinks it’s nice to slow down; spend more time at home with her family, by the way home for Missy is two States, be is constantly between her home State Boston, and her adopted State New York. New York is the like the Dancehall capitol in the United States, so it’s only natural for Missy to take up dual residence. She regrets not having spent more time with her parents. They are getting older now and Missy is using her newfound extra stayat-home trimester time; to spend as much quality time with them as possible. Even though her parents haven’t lived together for about thirty years, she gets to enjoy the two of them separately in their very different surroundings, with her father living in the city, the North End of Boston and her mother living in the suburbs. Apart from Lady Saw, Missy has indeed guest DJ’d for several other artists including some of the Soca greats. These include Bunji Garlin, Fay-Ann Lyons, Lil Ric, Tall Pree and Peter Ram. Some of the other dancehall acts that she has worked with include Spice in Queens in New York, Cecile in Bahamas, Beenie Man at Trinidad Carnival. Working at Trinidad Carnival she admits ranks as one of the best experiences of her life. It was a week-long series of parties and she had been specially invited to play on the Tribe truck which is a big deal in Trinidad. The truck also had Soca Royalty such as Destra and Doggy Slaughter from Excalibur sound. Her advice to those people especially the females that are looking to get involved in the music business is “Break barriers, don’t let what people think affect you”. She admits that it is definitely not easy for a non- Caribbean female like herself to get involved in the dancehall scene, much more to become the official DJ for the leading female dancehall act out of Jamaica for the past ten years. Being pregnant and staying home with family clearly means that she is not actively on the road with Lady Saw and with the time constraints of raising a child, there is likely to be a lengthy delay in her returning to her job. When asked what lies ahead for her Missy quickly admits she always wanted to be a teacher and she is actively looking in that direction. Such a job will give her the opportunity to interact with children whom she loves dearly. In her opinion, she has started out working with the best and doesn’t really see herself working with anyone else. She also lists travelling and shopping as her biggest loves outside of music. Being Italian, Missy also loves to cook shrimp and chicken pasta. When asked to name her favourite Jamaican dish, she admits, “It’s difficult to choose just one!” Instead, she lists her top three as Oxtail, Brown Stew Fish and the national dish- ackee and saltfish. Notwithstanding her busy schedule, Missy finds time for various charitable efforts. She gives motivational speeches to troubled teens in Boston Public schools, Roxbury and Dorchester. She also uses her radio programme to promote charities that she feels really impact people in need. She thoroughly enjoys sharing her experience with young people, from all walks of life and looks forward to working more with the inner city youth groups. Follow Missy on facebook.com/MissySoprano twitter @Missy876 Makeup and Clothes-Nicki Chin Photography Iland Magazine and William R. Gibson

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now available on kindle and amazon!

Star Boy reveals the erotic fictional exploits of a teen-aged high school student,Tania Watson. Her daring behavior with Brian Lane lingers in her mind for years. These encounters, although inappropriate at that time, are certainly fun memories. A not so innocent rubbah dub dub, thrilled her experimental teenaged mind.

and coming soon...

part 3 of the 3 part series...Star Boy 3 Related Affairs author, Tilsa C. Wright takes ‘grown folks’ down memory lane as she delivers yet another erotically provocative literary achievement! Tilsa Wright is the publisher of two online media, Sym-Magazine and Sym-Caribbean. Related Affairs is Wright’s first novel, and is currently being adapted to a screenplay. www.facebook.com/starboybook Follow us on twitter @starboythebook Email starboy9776@yahoo.com