ISSUE #58 2019
KARLIE REDD Angelica Vila. Project Girls Club. + Dash Gwoppovelli.Rahiem Shabazz. Kristina Ho. Kam.
Editor/Publisher: Tyrone Davis
FOR THE BEAUTY PRO THAT DEMANDS EXCELLENCE
Graphics: Brightwood Entertainment Photography: Brightwood Entertainment T4S Staff Contributing Photography: Dennis Leupold Alima Industries Twr Photography Calvin Evans James Hguyen Karlie Redd Entertainment Dale Fields
NOW LEASING Greetings, In case you missed the news, we have officially relocated our headquarters from Indianapolis, IN to Atlanta, GA after traveling back and forth frequently over the last 9 years. It was just time. This fall, we will be celebrating our 10th year in business. It’s been a long road but we are looking forward to this new chapter. Shout out to everyone who has rode with us this long.
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Visit our website at www.twenty4sevenmagazine.com for news, interviews and other great content. Tyrone Davis
Hair/Makeup/Stylist: Amina (Makeup for Project Girls Club) Marketing/Sales: Jus Mi Luck Promotions Contributing Writers: Corletha Norman, MSW, LCSW Lucky Smith Contact: twenty4sevenmagazine.com twenty4sevenmagazine@gmail.com youtube.com/twenty4sevenmagazine Twitter: @twenty4sevenmag Instagram: @twenty4sevenmagazine Facebook: Twenty4Seven Magazine Editor Contact: brightwoodentertainment.com brightwoodentertainment@gmail.com youtube.com/brightwoodent Twitter: @brightwoodent Instagram: @brightwoodentertainment Facebook: Tyrone Brightwood Davis Phone: 404-409-6553
CONTENTS ANGELICA VILA PROJECT GIRLS CLUB RAHIEM SHABAZZ ADULTING KRISTINA HO KARLIE REDD BEAUTY OF THE MONTH PICS: ON LOCATION DASH GWOPPOVELLI KAM
5 6-7 9 10-11 12-13 14 15 16-17 18
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DIGITAL DOPE
HAIR THAT WILL CAUSE HORNY HUSBANDS
ANGELICA VILA | BRONX, NYC Linking up with Fat Joe
So, one day I did the “Wild Thoughts” freestyle and I posted it on Instagram and it caught a little bit of buzz. Pretty Lou is one of the hottest hosts in New York City and he has a close relationship with (Fat) Joe. He posted it on his page and he (Joe) was like, “Yo, who is that girl!?” and Pretty Lou, I was actually working on a single to his mixtape because he was working on a mixtape at the time. He was like, “Yo, it’s a 17 year old girl (I was 17 at the time), she’s Dominican and she is from the Bronx and she’s going to do the single to my mixtape. You should stop by the studio.” He (Fat Joe) stopped by with his wife and that’s when my life changed, lol!
Signing with Roc Nation means she “made it”?
If you want something to happen, you have to work towards it. Just because you got signed doesn’t mean you made it. Ok, you’re signed now but what happens after that? It’s all about what you continue to do. You just gotta focus on the positivity, keep a strong mental, learn everyday and grow everyday. You can’t think that you know it all. You gotta keep an open mind. You just gotta work hard....for real for real. To view Angelica Vila’s full interview, visit us on YouTube. Also, check her out on instagram @angelicavila. Her single and video for “More In The Morning” is available now.
PHOTO: DENNIS LEUPOLD INTERVIEW BY: LUCKY SMITH
PROJECT GIRLS CLUB | ATLANTA, GA Is being “sexy” needed to compete with other acts? I feel like the industry is ready for something like what we’re doing. They are ready for females to see people like them on the big screen and hear them on radio. Every woman doesn’t walk down the street with her ass out. Lol, there are regular people that have AT&T jobs. I feel like that is what we’re bringing to the table. We are trained artists, like rehearsals and dance class. I’m personally tired of the “stripper turned rapper” and “I want to be an artist because I’m on TV” type of stuff. I feel like the world is ready for real artists again because that sh*t is overdone. It’s played out. – @therealmikameans
HIGH FASHION, NATURAL HAIR AND PROTECTIVE STYLES
Navigating social media You always have to be mindful because you’re always going to get comments. Anything you do, you’re going to get a lot of comments. You’re going to get haters. You’re going to get people wanting attention. You could be in church getting baptized and they are going to be clowning you for the robe that you have on. They are going to have something to say, no matter what you do. You have to be mindful not to offend anybody in your demographic that supports you or that you don’t want to get on the wrong side of but also, you do have to just live your life and be yourself. The comments and the haters are going to come regardless. You can’t make them happy. – @yagirldwoods
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PHOTO: ALIMA INDUSTRIES & TWR PHOTOGRAPHY MAKEUP: AMINA INTERVIEW BY: LUCKY SMITH
R. Kelly and the mistreatment of women in the entertainment industry We’re women in this business and we’ve been in this business for some time and that R. Kelly stuff happens everyday and every year since (we’ve been in the business). I have friends that I’ve watched fall off the ladder because of this person and that person. I see some of the men we work with and they are like, “Please don’t let this girl say this or that”. It happens so much that R. Kelly is one of (many)……We’ve known this to be a very normal thing in the business. That’s why we’ve come together as the (Project) Girl’s Club so that it doesn’t happen to us anymore and we can build a safe place for younger girls coming into the business. – @shanellyoungmoney To view Project Girls Club’s full interview, visit us on YouTube. Also, check them out on Instagram @projectgirlsclub. Their single and video for “Run Up” feat. Princess is available now.
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Rahiem, I’m pretty sure that the large majority of our readers know who you are, but for those that may not, can you tell us about who Rahiem Shabazz is? Rahiem Shabazz is an individual born and raised in Harlem. I like to say that I come from the unruly streets of Harlem. And at a young age, like many of my peers, I found myself on the wrong side of the law and the result of that led to my incarceration. While I was incarcerated, I went to college and I graduated eight days before I got released. I graduated the top five percent of my class. While I was locked up I wrote a script called The Sun Will Rise. I raised enough money myself and I shot it as a short film. To make a long story short and short story even shorter, the end result was I began to win seven different awards. One of those awards was from the Atlanta Hip Hop Film Festival and I was the last to be apprenticed for about 3 days on the set of Daddy’s Little Girls with Tyler Perry’s studio. On the third day, I approached the executive producer. His name was Roger Clark. I talked my way into getting a job on the set and did that for a little while. I worked on 4 films. In between time, I was doing promotional and music videos and different things like that. Then, I wanted to step out on my own so I went back to a proposal that I had written on the school to prison pipeline. So, that was the basis for me to do the documentary and further research. I didn’t know it was going to be as big as it has gotten and low and behold, I released it. The first one is called Elementary Genocide: School to Prison Pipeline. It deals with how the government and the school system looks at the reading scores of fourth and fifth graders to be able to determine how many prisons they are going to build within the next ten or fifteen years. Then, they look at those numbers and sell those prisons on the stock market. So, that was the first one that led to the second one, which is Elementary Genocide 2: The Board of Education VS. Board of Incarceration. With that one, we wanted to go back to the landmark ruling of Brown VS. The Board of Education and we wanted to ask the proverbial question, “Has integration done us more harm than good?” We know it done us more harm, as the result of what we are seeing today. Last but not least, I did Elementary Genocide 3: Academic Holocaust. Academic Holocaust talks about the assassination of your mind and the assassination of critical thinking.
RAHIEM SHABAZZ UNNECESSARY BLACKNESS IN THE PIPELINE Words + Interview By Corletha Norman, MSW, LCSW Rahiem Shabazz is more than just your average documentarian. He is a well-educated film maker that has placed a spotlight on a lesser known process plaguing our schools. Take a look at what he has uncovered in his research and his plans for the future. The following is an excerpt. PHOTO: CALVIN EVANS
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I have heard you make mention of a few key elements, particularly when an African American child enters kindergarten, this tracking begins. Are you able to give a brief description of the school to prison pipeline, how it works, what are some things to look out for, things of that nature? Oh, absolutely. There are so many different scenarios, cases, instances that, I wouldn’t know where to begin. They have a thing called willful defiance. And that essentially is the teacher telling you to sit down; and you saying, ‘why I got to sit down?’ But you do go and sit down. But you don’t sit down as fast as she would like you to, and you question her authority. That can get you sent to the principal’s office. That can get police officers coming into the class, physically removing you and when they do that, they give you a charge of assault. This starts at a very young age, and it starts with children who are black and brown. And I like to tell people that they will treat you like a child, but they will punish you like an adult. You know this is what the dominant side of society has been doing. Prison is the new cotton. “The cotton ain’t white no more, the cotton is brown.” And that’s the quote from Killer Mike, he said that in Elementary Genocide. Wow! That is so heavy! What role would you say that mental illness plays in the school to prison pipeline? I am sure that some of these children and students are probably dealing with some type of depression and they are dealing with traumatic experiences in their neighborhoods and maybe even in their households. So, I think mental health plays a big part but unfortunately, you have more police officers in schools
than you have psychologists and counselors. The money is being spent on custody and control. It’s not being spent on the wellbeing of the student, on a psychologist, a school therapist or someone who has their best interests at heart. You have a person that is not from your cultural background and is seen as someone there to oppress you because you see what they do in the community. The police in the community is like an occupying army and we must be mindful that 75% of school teachers are Caucasian females. Out of that 75%, 25% are married to law enforcement officers. So, here it is you have the white female that mentally miseducates you and the white male that physically locks you up. That is the school to prison pipeline and I know when I say numbers like that, people are like, “Come on, where did you get those numbers from?” You can go online and do the research. This is nothing new. There was book that was written in the early 80s and it’s called The Conspiracy to Destroy the Black Boy. There’s a part one and a part two. He talks about all of this back in the 80s before many of y’all were born. Wow! I heard you make mention of psychology, school counselor, therapy and things of that nature. If you could advocate for any area of mental health to improve the outcome of the school to prison pipeline, what would it be and why? In terms of mental health, one thing I would say is that I would never be an advocate of prescribing medication to children. Some of the children are not able to easily adapt to social environments and some learn differently. Medication is not going to speed up or fix that process. So as far as mental health, I think the people in charge need the medicine and mental health services because if you can do that to a child, that is real telling of where society is headed. Yesterday the headline news, a bill is at its final stages of being signed, will allow teachers to carry firearms to school. Oh, my goodness! So just imagine all the stuff that we have seen like the fights, all the abuse on students by teachers and the sexual abuse of students. Now, these same people will be allowed to carry guns. How does that play out? If the police officers and resource officers can’t stop mass shootings, what do you think a teacher going to do? Ase. In addition to this work, you have a podcast called “Necessary Blackness”. What is the focus of your podcast and what are some topics that have been covered? The focus of the podcast is to be an independent voice that speaks truth and power without using mainstream media. So, I can do a podcast on my own platform and I don’t have to worry about censorship. We have everybody on there from freedom fighters to community activists; stakeholders in the community. We talk about health, wellness, childhood trauma, polygamy and black economic empowerment. The last episode that we just did was about why black love is a revolutionary act. We cover everything. If someone wanted to tune in, how could they? We are on iTunes, Apple, Google Play and Spotify. If you want to listen in your car, we are on Car Play. You can say, “Alexa, take me to Necessary Blackness Podcast”. We are on a lot of different platforms, you can just Google Necessary Blackness Podcast. Also, we are on YouTube under the same name. We are not hard to find. If anyone wants to contact me, I am available on Facebook and IG and pretty much everywhere @Rahiemshabazz and I am an individual who answers my own DMs and messages for anyone who wants to reach me. To read the full interview, visit www.bonhomiellc.com. TWENTY4SEVEN MAGAZINE
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COMING TO THEATERS
WHO AM I AND WHAT I STAND FOR
CATCH A FLICK.
ADULTING: ARE YOU ABOUT THAT LIFE? By Corletha Norman, MSW, LCSW Corletha Norman, MSW, LCSW, Owner and Clinical Director of Bonhomie, LLC.
We are in the swing of one of my favorite times of the year: graduation season! High school students are going to prom and preparing to leave the nest. College students are applying to dream careers and dream programs to continue their studies. Others are still pushing to reach the end mark or strategizing their path toward the end mark. No matter where you are in the course of things, leaving home to embark on any journey toward adulthood is a test. A test of will, strength, wisdom, love, and most importantly character. When I think of the experiences of myself and other with leaving home, I recall all of the mixed emotions. The excitement of finally being free from my parent’s rule (or so I thought), to live life on my own terms. There was this overwhelming sense of pressure from all of the new responsibilities that I was taking on. I can’t forget the fear I felt. I feared failing my parents or myself in some sort of way. Those emotions and a few others, sent me through a course of experiences that bring me leave you with 5 tips for navigating young adulthood.
We are certified to provide Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to assist in your healing from trauma.
Get to know yourself more in the course of your studies So often we leave high school thinking that we know all there is to know about ourselves. We generally only know the basics. We leave college and pursue our careers. We definitely know ourselves now. If you truly remain open to growth, you will see that there is also an inner level of progression that occurs within each stage of life. Be sure to feed that inner growth as an individual along with your scholastic or career growth. You’ll be glad you did. Push through the fear of risks and challenges Somewhere along the way, you will be presented with a risk or challenge. Eventually you will have been presented with many of them. Risks and challenges present themselves to convict you, test you, or put you back on path. Sometimes I have clients ask me why do they keep experiencing the same type of difficulty. Generally they have been avoiding whatever the challenge is putting before them. Go ahead and take on the challenge early. The longer you wait, the more challenging the challenge or risk can become. If you would like to learn of the other three tips, please visit my blog at www.bonhomiellc.com/blog.
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info@bonhomiellc.com Ph: 404-402-0650 Fax: 404-341-9834
CORLETHA NORMAN, MSW, LCSW
is Owner and Clinical Director of Bonhomie, LLC. She has over ten years of experience in the world of social work. This includes mental health therapy, intensive in home therapy for high risk, foster and DFCS/DCBS clients, family and individual therapy, couples therapy, trauma focused therapy, juvenile justice intervention, case management, advocacy, and mentorship. She can be reached at www.bonhomiellc.com.
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KRISTINA HO FAMILY, FRIENDSHIP & LOVE
Aside from this franchise, Nickelodeon itself has also been around for quite some. How does joining the family feel? It’s a dream since I have been a kid. I just remember watching Nickelodeon on my Saturday mornings since I was very young. Nickelodeon definitely shaped me into the person that I am today. So, the fact that I am now a part of the family is overwhelming but in the best way possible. What are your “Top 5” Nickelodeon shows of all time? Oh my gosh! It’s easily Rugrats, Spongebob, Drake and Josh, The Fairly Odd Parents, and Hey Arnold!. What was your experience like working on “Beast Mode”? Oh so fun. I got to die, have blood poured all over me, and get my guts ripped out. It was so awesome.
PHOTOS: JAMES NGUYEN
Q&A By Tyrone Davis When did you decide you wanted to be an actor? This is going to sound extremely random, but the film Happy Gilmore inspired me. I was in 3rd grade when I first saw that movie (probably too young to be watching it, to be honest), but I just remember laughing SO MUCH. It was the funniest thing and I remember thinking, “Wow! That movie made me really happy. I want to do that. I want to help make other people happy and laugh just like that movie did.” That was one of the reasons I wanted to get in the industry. I didn’t actually start acting until high school. Tell us about “Power Rangers Beast Morphers” and your character, Betty Burke. Beast Morphers is the 26th and 27th season of Power Rangers! The fact that it’s been on for 26 years was already enough to draw me to this project. One thing about the show that I love the most is that it actually teaches kids about values, friendship and working as a team for the greater good. It’s seriously an awesome, heart touching and action-packed show. My character, Betty, is an absolute freaking riot. She is there to make the kids laugh, especially since the show can get pretty dark. She is COMPLETELY endearing, always trying her hardest to help out the Rangers in whatever way she can, whether its out on the fighting field or inventing new things for them to use, keeping watch, etc. The list goes on. What makes this show different from previous versions in the franchise? It’s the first season where it is owned by Hasbro, which is honestly mind blowing to be part of the start of the Hasbro era for the Power Rangers. I think the story line flows really well. Not to mention, I think every single character is really integrated into the show! Ben and Betty are the comedic duo but they are also part of the team, which I think is so great. They get to help out and try to do good with the Rangers. Their dad is also the General, which definitely affects the story line as well. What do you enjoy most about filming this show in particular? Filming with the crew. We work long 14 hour days, starting before the sun comes up, then coming home from work when the sun is down and immediately preparing and memorizing TWENTY4SEVEN MAGAZINE
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our lines for the next day! Sometimes it can be tiring but the crew always has a smile on their face (not to mention they work SO HARD). We truly have been so blessed to work on a production where everyone has been so kind and supportive. You can just tell that everyone really enjoys their job. The saying, “you can’t pick your family” really rings true in this industry. When you sign on to work on a project for a couple of months or years, you don’t really know who is going to work with you until you get there! You’re forced to be with them every day. Sometimes, it’s not the best experience but in this case, we just got extremely lucky. No, you can’t pick your family but you can pick your friends and I’m so glad that they are my family and also my true, dearest friends.
Are you’re a fan of the Horror genre? If so, which films do you enjoy most? YES! I do enjoy horror, suspense and ghost movies, although I have a very active imagination so I have to be really careful watching ghost movies. I recently watched The Purge for the first time and that was freaking awesome. One of my favorite horror/suspense movies is definitely Hush. It’s on Netflix. It’s so simple and yet will keep you on the edge of your seat. What does being a food enthusiast mean to you? Food is everything. It is family, friendship and love. My parents grew up very poor in Vietnam so the way their family showed love was by making delicious, amazing meals for each other. I’m probably the least picky eater because my mom always told me to “finish my plate”. Growing up Vietnamese and American, I got to eat Vietnamese food at home and everything else outside of my home. Trying out new restaurants and new recipes at home (I love to cook) is one of my favorite things to do. Whether its Japanese, German, Italian, French, Spanish, etc., the best way to experience someone else’s culture is to try their food. The language of food is universal. You could go to a completely foreign country and the thing that could connect
different fresh ingredients so that could definitely be something that I could eat without getting tired of! Tell us about “The Sad Girls Club”. The Sad Girls Club is an Instagram account that caters towards women’s mental health. It is there to create a community within the mental health world and to ignite conversations about the importance of mental and emotional health. It has definitely helped me during hard times. They post really helpful information about ways you can cope (like exercise, getting out in the sun, eating nutritious foods, getting enough sleep, going to therapy, etc. These are such simple things that can help with our mental health, we just forget about it sometimes with because we get so busy.) and how to get help if you need it! It’s very uplifting to see a community support each other. Mental health is a big deal, especially in the social media age. What about it hits home for you? Mental health is extremely important to me. I try my best to be open about my mental health on social media in hopes of helping others to feel more comfortable opening up about their mental health. I think it’s hard for a lot of people to open up about their struggles sometimes because it seems like everyone else is doing fine, especially on social media! Everyone is constantly posting their highlight reels. So, it’s hard for people to come out and say that they’re actually not doing okay. Maybe they don’t want to feel like a burden, maybe they feel embarrassed or maybe they’re comparing themselves to everyone else on Instagram thinking, “That person looks so happy and is living their best life. What is wrong with me?” Everyone is constantly going through stuff. Just because they don’t post about it doesn’t mean its not happening. Life gets hard for everyone and I want people to feel safe enough to open up about it. It can be really lonely when you’re going through something and you feel like you can’t tell anyone about it. I want people to know that they’re not alone, and that there is always help out there. I want people to know that there
I was 9 years old when “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” debuted and I thought it was the most amazing show ever. Why do you think the franchise has been able to thrive as long as it has through multiple generations? I think it’s because it’s goal is to inspire and uplift young kids and young adults, generation after generation. Power Rangers has always been known for having a diverse team even from the start! The first yellow ranger was Vietnamese and the first black ranger was African American. No matter where you come from or what your background is, you can be a Power Ranger. That has always been the message of Power Rangers. It made the whole entire world feel included. I think that is why it has been able to thrive as long as it has and it will keep thriving! Have you seen the Power Rangers film that was released in 2017? If so, what did you think. I freaking loved it! I mean, I also love Bryan Cranston so the fact that he was in it made it so much better.
you with a local is eating! I definitely want to have my own travel channel where I travel the world, trying different foods.
are many ways and many things they can do to take care of their mental health.
If you could be any ranger from any time period in the franchise, which would it be and why? Koda from Dino Charge. He had to learn many things about living in the human world in present day (since he’s a caveman) and still does a fantastic job as a Ranger.
Is there any dish you eat daily without getting tired of? Ohhhh…I always get this question and it is very hard to pick because I seriously love all food. But, I would have to say Bun Thit Nuong, which is a cold, Vietnamese, rice-vermicelli noodle dish topped with grilled meat, fresh herbs like basil and mint, fresh salad and fish sauce. It’s very light and has many
What are you looking forward to before 2019 is out? Spending time with my friends and my family back in California. I’ve been away in New Zealand for almost a year so it’ll be good to be back. Follow Kristina Ho on Instagram @kristina_ho. TWENTY4SEVEN MAGAZINE
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KARLIE REDD RENAISSANCE WOMAN Words + Interview By Tyrone Davis Karlie Redd is an actress, model, recording artist and reality TV personality. She is best known as a cast member of VH1’s “Love & Hip Hop: ATL”, which recently became the winner of an MTV Movie & TV Award in the “Reality Royalty” category. The renaissance woman and I spoke about her beginnings perfecting her craft, having to prove herself as more than a reality star, what it means to be a certified Sexologist, her philanthropic endeavors and misconceptions she wants to clear up about herself. What were some of the main differences from coming from Trinidad to living in the Bronx, NYC? Hustle, hustle, hustle, lol. It was just a lot of work and hustle, you know? When I was living in New York, my mom had me in everything from dance classes, acting classes and music classes. New York (City) is fast paced as opposed to Trinidad. It’s more laid back. Do a lot of people know that you actually come from that type of background? Nope. No one knows that I’ve been training and doing acting classes since I was a kid. Since 10, I’ve been training in dance and theater and everything. I’ve been in commercials, I’ve been in movies, everything. What are some of the challenges that you’ve faced in your career as a whole or challenges pursuing new opportunities? The challenges are that I’m a reality star so I have to go above and beyond to show people that I have talent and that I can act whereas a person who is just coming in has their resume and they show it. I have my resume and I show it. I’ve been in movies, commercials and television shows but I really have to go above and beyond just to show them that I’m not just a reality star.
PHOTOS: KARLIE REDD ENTERTAINMENT
Being that you had talent prior to joining reality TV, how are you navigating through those barriers being that reality TV has made people not take you as serious? By just showing them, you know? The proof is in the pudding. If I just keep showing people, like I did the movie Top Five with Chris Rock, I did the sitcom Last Call and I’ve done other acting roles that we haven’t even discussed yet, but Saints and Sinners....Just by showing people that I’m a working actor. If you’re a working actor, that’s showing and proving. Tell us about “Saints and Sinners”. Saints and Sinners is a drama series that I’m on. We’re in our fourth season that is a little bit more serious of a role whereas Last Call was just all about the comedic timing and just having fun on set, you know? Aside from television and film, we are actually in your retail store right now. Tell us about the store. How long has it been here? This store (MERCI) has been here for about three and a half years. I have my other store in LA and I had a store in south Atlanta for a long time but I got rid of that store and moved here (North Point Mall - Alpharetta, GA). So, yeah. I’ve had this store for a pretty long time and you know, retail is up and down but it’s cool. What does it mean to be a certified Sexologist? How that came about is that Doc Johnson gave me an opportunity to endorse my own sex toy line and I would sell the sex toys but I wanted to know what I was talking about. So, I went to school and I got my license in Sexology. What that means is now I know I can give advice to people like sex therapist and relationship advice. Also, how to use your full body potential when you’re having sex, you know? It’s all about the mind. I’m just giving women advice who never had an orgasm, women who are having problems in their relationships sexually and women who are having problems with their sexual being.
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As a woman, how do you feel about cheating? For me, it’s like people are going to do what they want to do regardless. You just have to figure it out and find someone who doesn’t want to be out there and cheat on you. You have to find your match. From what I’ve seen on social media is that cheating is being pushed to the forefront. It has become more acceptable. They are more open and it is like it is a game to them. They don’t really take relationships seriously. It’s sad that people don’t take relationships serious anymore. I don’t have time to waste. Life is too short. If you’re going to cheat and do whatever you want to do, just leave me alone so I can live my life and whether it’s being with someone or not being someone, I feel like I’m not pressuring anyone to be with me. I’m not going to do that. I’m not going to force a relationship. If you want to cheat, go ahead and do that. I don’t have time for it. I’m way too busy for that. You’re also into charity, correct? Tell us about it. Oh yeah, absolutely. I love talking about my charities. I’m a part of an organization called, Pants Up, Guns Down that’s about inner city youth in Atlanta. What we do is we have functions like a monthly etiquette class. We do a whole bunch of stuff like events and everything like that. I’m also trying to open up a daycare center (Creative Learning Center) right now. I’m doing that with a lady in Atlanta and also my best friend who owns a few daycare centers. My other foundation is in Haiti. I’m building a school in Haiti and it’s called Giving Hearts with Love. I’ve teamed up with some of my closest friends. We throw free concerts. We had Kirk Franklin there one year, Byron Cage and we just had Tasha Cobbs there. We give back to the orphans and people like that because Haiti had that big earthquake. It’s just a terrible sight in Haiti right now and because of that, we decided to build a school there. What would you want fans who don’t necessarily know much about you to know? Are there any misconceptions you would like to clear up about yourself? Oh my God, so many. I don’t even know where to start. Um, (sighs) Lord. Jesus....so many. That’s not me on B.A.P.S.. Let’s start there. Outside of reality TV, I understand that is what I do but outside of it, I’m a really super busy person. I’m a really sweet person. I want them to know about my foundations. I want people to see the work that we put in, in Atlanta. They don’t know that. People always focus on the negative instead of trying to focus on the positive things that you do in the city or just anywhere in general. What other misconceptions? At the end of the day, I just want to be happy and marriage doesn’t make you happy. People think, “Oh yeah, she doesn’t have a man”. If I don’t have a man, I’m happy. If I do have a man, I’m happy. Regardless, I am a happy person. To view the full video version of this interview, visit us at www.twenty4sevenmagazine.com or on YouTube under the same name. Follow Karlie Redd on Instagram @iamkarlieredd and on Twitter @karlieredd. Also, to shop for her sex toy line, visit www.shopdocjohnson.com/s/content/c/karlie-redd. TWENTY4SEVEN MAGAZINE
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BEAUTY OF THE MONTH
QUASHAY LYNISE
>> ON LOCATION
HOMETOWN: DALLAS, TEXAS MEASUREMENTS: 34-24-39 QUASHAY LYNISE (HER FRIENDS CALL HER “Q” OR “SHAY”) IS A FITNESS COACH, HOSTESS AND MODEL WHO ENJOYS VISITING LAKES AND NATURE TO RELAX. SHE ALSO LOVES EXPRESSING HER SEX APPEAL AND ENCOURAGES ALL WOMEN TO FACE THEIR FEARS AND FOLLOW THEIR DREAMS. QUASHAY’S CONTACT: INSTAGRAM: @QUASHAYLYNISE EMAIL: QUE@THELABHQ.COM PHOTO: DALE FIELDS
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Dash Gwoppovelli BIG COIN’S CORNERSTONE
Words + Interview By Lucky Smith Dash Gwoppovelli is an artist from Cincinnati, Ohio and signed to Big Coin Music. He and I spoke about how he got started in the music business, what makes him different and why giving back to the community is important.
Introduce yourself for us and tell us where you’re from. I’m Dash Gwoppovelli and I’m from Cincinnati, Ohio. How did you draw a love for music? My love for music came from a number of things but one that stands out is my mother playing music from No Limit Records at her house parties when I was young. When did you decide you wanted to actually be an artist? I knew I wanted to do music since I was 5 or 6 years old. I didn’t know why or how but I’ve always been able to rap. I never learned it. I just always knew how. So, what style are you bringing to the game and how will you stand out from others? I’m bringing back real rap where you have to have meaning behind what you say. I don’t think I’ll be compared to anyone. Who are some of your inspirations and how did they influence your style and sound? My inspiration comes from the culture of hip-hop as a whole. Every piece is special whether it is Wu Tang’s legacy or drill music. I’m a fan as much as I am an artist.
has oversaturated a lot. Do you think it is getting harder for artists to get noticed? I feel like it is become easier if you can find a way to stand out as yourself. What is one thing that you wish you could change about the music industry? I would and will change the circuit for music back home in Cincinnati. People say that celebrities should do more for their communities. What is your take on that? I feel you should give back in a way that allows others to create income instead of hindering them but yes, we should do more. How do you feel about the violence in the urban communities and what would you do to change it? If there was more sh*t to do in urban communities we probably wouldn’t have to change anything. You can’t tell someone what not to do without an alternative.
How did you get signed with Big Coin Music? My pops and the CEO’s mother have been friends for about 30 years so it is family. I had a dream, he has a vision and I’m just the first cornerstone.
What did you take from the death of Nipsey Hussle? What I took from it was to chase the dream every day because it could be over at any moment. Also, be true to yourself.
Has being signed made it easier for you to get where you are trying to go in the business? We are independent and yes being signed to Big Coin Music has definitely opened doors that you can’t buy your way into.
Why should people listen to your music? People should listen to my music because I’m telling the truth. This is my life and all of its pains, joys and obstacles.
What is the name of the single you are pushing right now? Also, do you have any upcoming projects? I’m actually promoting two singles right now. They are “Lifestyle” Ft. Land Strip Chip and “Change Up” Ft. Lil Baby. Also, I have a single I just dropped called “Would We”. Right now, we’re just letting singles go, building.
Name one thing people don’t know about you? I wanted to be a lawyer like Thurgood Marshall when I was younger. What can we expect from you over the next year? I have more singles dropping and if all goes well, a full length project.
Who are some people you’ve been working with already and who are some you hope to work with in the future? I’ve worked with Lil Baby as well as Tory Lanez, Ty Dolla Sign, and Jeremih. I’d really like to work with Ella Mai, DJ Khaled and Metro Boomin. I think I’d much rather work with producers over artists but overall, whoever is ready to work with me.
What legacy are you hoping to leave after everything is said and done? I want people to look at me and say, “He made it out. I can too.”
The music industry is changing every day and social media
Follow Dash Gwoppovelli on social media @dashgwoppo.
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THE DARIUS NORMAN SHOW
CHECK ME OUT
KAM WATER
M U S I C , C U LT U R E , E D U C AT I O N A N D E N T E R TA I N M E N T
my bro Javell damn near forced me to get into the booth after a session we had in class. Since then I haven’t left it alone. Describe your style? My style is more of a vibe in my opinion. I switch up my flows a lot but as a whole, I treat my songs like a specific vibe. The vibe might be different each song or just a different perspective of the same feeling. As far as being different, I’m just a different type of dude. I don’t try to be like anyone I just let myself be me when I rap and I’m big on bars that make you think.
“THE DARIUS NORMAN SHOW� IS A DAILY AND WEEKDAY INSPIRATIONAL RADIO SHOW WHERE WE FUSE AND MERGE MUSIC, CULTURE, EDUCATION, AND ENTERTAINMENT BY INTRODUCING THE LISTENERS TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE DOING INCREDIBLE THINGS IN THEIR INDUSTRY AND COMMUNITY. “I’D LIKE TO THANK HYPE MEDIA GLOBAL AND OUR RADIO STATION MANAGER NICOLE SMITH FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE A HOST A RADIO SHOW WITH THE NETWORK.� - DARIUS NORMAN
TUNE IN DAILY
Who inspires you and how did they influence your sound? My most prominent inspirations are J. Cole, Nipsey Hussle and Kendrick Lamar. J. Cole taught me that you can be yourself and still be great and that bars are still very important. Nipsey Hussle showed me that you can change the narrative for your people. I really want to be important in helping my people come out of this hole and Nipsey gave me hope to do it someday. Kendrick Lamar is just a beast. I’ve always had flow but I used to try to undersell it but now I just let loose and I think I owe that to Kendrick. Oh and Payroll Giovanii from my city. That man talk nothing but hustle and I fuck with that I grew up on doughboys so that’s just a giving.
Q&A By Lucky Smith Where are you from and how did you get into music? I’m from Detroit, MI. My father was into music when I was young and I picked it up from him. What was your childhood like? It was normal, I guess. My parents struggled like most others and there were hard times but I was always taken care of. My father worked damn near around the clock and my mother took care of us. They did the best they could so you won’t hear too many complaints about that from me. đ&#x;’Ż So, how did the music actually start? I always loved music but I didn’t know how much I loved writing until I was about 16 or 17. Its actually kind of funny
Who inspires you and how did they influence your sound? I have one project out now that I released last year called Dirty Game. In my opinion it is my biggest record. That is the one song I always get props on, I’ve had people tell me it’s the best thing I’ve written and it’s a song that everyone could relate to because it’s real. Being real always gets more genuine love than if you fake it. My music is genuine, relatable and I connect to people. Everybody doesn’t have to be a trap star. I tell stories for real and you can see the image I paint if you really just sit back and listen.
KENTUCKY, CINCINNATI AND OHIO ON 101.2 FM WTTA FROM 1-2PM EST
DALLAS, GA
ON 99.1 WDJY (ON THURSDAYS) FROM 3-4PM EST DARIUS NORMAN @THE_DARIUS_NORMAN @DARIUSNORMSHOW
LISTENERS CAN ALSO LISTEN ONLINE OR STREAM WWW.WTTAFM.COM OR WWW.WDJYFM.COM
Tell us about your new single. The name of this track is Water. Like I said before, it’s a vibe. When I’m in the studio, I’m ambitious. I want everything I never had, you feel me? I want an iced out chain. I want a few thick women to keep me company. I mean, who doesn’t? I just want some water. Follow KAM on IG @_kam313 and @kam_r2p.
MIX PICKS
GUCCI MANE
LIL NAS X
LIL DUVAL FEAT. C THA GOD
BIRMINGHAM, AL/ATLANTA, GA
ATLANTA, GA
JACKSONVILLE, FL/MONCKS CORNER, SC
DELUSIONS OF GRANDEUR TWENTY4SEVEN MAGAZINE
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7 (EP)
B.M.D.C.
STRICTLY BUSINESS TWENTY4SEVEN MAGAZINE
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ISSUE #58 2019
DASH GWOPPOVELLI + Karlie Redd. Angelica Vila. Project Girls Club. Rahiem Shabazz. Kristina Ho. Kam.