Urban Image Magazine Holiday Edition 2014 by Urban Image Magazine

Dear Readers, Merry Christmas! Thank you for checking out another issue of Urban Image Magazine. Well we’ve come to the end of yet another year. Wow how time flies. We thank you all for hanging with us. We’ve put together a special issue for you guys this month, featuring some of our favorite articles and features of 2014. We hope you enjoy. If you missed any of our past issues you can always check them out on our website www. UrbanImageMagazine.com in our Magazine Library. We also welcome you to check our website daily for our informative/ entertaining blogs. As always, we welcome your feedback and ask that you email us at Info@UrbnaImageMagazine.com for your comments as well and questions you may have for us. We look forward to a bright new year where we hope to go to print. If you haven’t pledged to receive you copy of our upcoming March 2015 in print copy please do so today @http:// www.gofundme.com/UIMPushtoPrint. Your $11 pledge will get your copy to your door. Stay tuned we have much much more in store for 2015! We wish you all a happy, blessed, prosperous new year! Until next time… God Bless,

Denetra Key President Urban Image Magazine 2

We're thinking of you this time of year, Wishing you happiness, joy, and cheer. May all your days be warm and bright, And your nights enhanced by holiday light. Enjoy your delectable holiday foods, As parties and gifts create holiday moods. Favorite people play a meaningful part, While treasured rituals warm your heart. You are special to us in many ways, So we wish you Happy Holidays! By Joanna Fuchs

The Daisy Mack Project...124 Fashion: The Art of Color...129 Diosa: A Real Life Urban Beauty...136 Dressing for Warmth Without Looking Bulky...146 7 Ways to Keep Drama Away From You and Your Man...155 ACCESS DENIED: Six Things That Flip a Woman’s “OFF”Switch...160 RELATIONSHIP 101: Six Good Reltionship Tips for Men & Women...165

Sexual Expression...170 Ask Emiaj...172 UIM’s Round the Way Girl of the Year...178 Dumbest Shit of Dumb Shit...182 Things you Need to Have in Your Overnight Bag...184

Sex Facts of the Year...188 UIM’s Sports Rewind...192 Thug Orchestra...198 UIM’s 2014 Rap-Up...205

Olivia Longott…In Her Own Words...214 “QUICK & DEADLY”...224 Face of the South...230 It Ain't Hard to Tell...238 Remembering Royalty...249 Catchin Up with H-Town...260 God’s Chosen...The Anointing is Real!...276 TODRICK HALL: If You Don’t Know Him, Allow Me To Intoduce You...296 Nicky Parrish: Southern Star on the Rise...304 The Hattori Hanzo of Urban Lit: MIKE O Word Assasin...310 Interview with G.A.G.E.: A New Caliber of Talent...316 #indiespotlight: LET'S GET FOCSI!!!Focsi DJ Remix Design ...322 The Heart...334 An Exclusive Interview with Tyler Noel: Makin Waves on the Indie Charts...348 JONAH ROCKS!!!!...354

â&#x20AC;&#x153;MURDER IN THE MIDWESTâ&#x20AC;? Two Part Article By: Larrod Evans and editorial by: Richarh Aswanu

The past few years have been bloody ones for the Midwest. FBI data shows that violent crime rates are astronomical in several of the most widely known cities in the Middle America. Strained budget cuts, political corruption, gang violence, drug wars, lack of jobs and poor education make up just a fraction of the elements that constitutes these staggering numbers.

tomobiles that define hardworking blue collar laborers who manufacture them. In it's essence, it's the perfect backdrop for a Norman Rockwell painting. Youngsters chasing after an

History proves that the crossroads of America has always been associated with famous greasy diners, endless fields of corn and au18

ice-cream truck, a cheery postman delivering the mail, and the town drunk sound asleep while fishing (pole in hand) make up the typical small town scenes that the famous American vividly depicted. Unfortunately,

In the Midwest

though these iconic portrayals of middle America still exist, on the other side of the tracks violence and murder splashes blood on the canvass without waiting on the last coat to dry up. We're all familiar with the media coverage that Chicago attracts, even Detroit. However in recent years, Indianapolis has become one of the most dangerous cities in America. Every time I turn on the Indianapolis news, I see yellow tape and red and blue lights. So, It was no surprise to find out Indianapolis cracked the top five. The Circle City's homicide rate is the highest it's seen in seven years. 250 miles west of NapTown not too much is different. St. Louis made the top ten in 2011 and is still being debated for this years list. Make your way Northeast towards Detroit and you've got a full blown epidemic. The Motor City is leaking more blood than oil by leading the nation on the top ten list. Being regarded as one of the poorest cities in the US with a 32.3% poverty rate and with 20% of its population unemployed, Detroit is a breeding ground for violent crime and murder. 19

As far as solutions are concerned, the elected officials of these crime ridden areas have a common strategy of action to take back the streets; Virtual precincts, quicker response time for high priority call, hiring more officers and winning back the publics trust by improving their service are some of the changes being made.

wonder if these so-called pubic figures are really concerned with the condition of our communities or are the merely concerned with media attention.

Editor's Note: We reached out to several public figures who have been very voiceful in the media so that we can gain some firsthand insight in the preparation of this report. But, we received no response. I guess Urban Image Magazine isn't worthy enough to discuss Urban issues. Hmm. Makes me

Contrary to popular belief, Chicago is not the murder capitol of the United States. Actually, Chicago's murder rate has dropped 18%. Local police stated that in 2013 the city had the lowest amount of murders since 1965. Indianapolis, Indiana's murder rate is higher than Chicago's for 2013. Chicago had a murder rate of 15.1 per 100,000 people compared to Indianapolis' 17 per 100,000. Between March 28th 2014and April 2nd 2014, Indianapolis had a rash of murders that dou-

bled the murders in Chicago for that time frame. The Windy City recorded 4 homicides compared to NapTown's 8. As of April 2014, Indianapolis has reported 41 murders and tacticians estimate the city will see 160 homicides this year. So, the skeptic inside my mind asks; why all the headlines about Chicago and who is benefitting from all this media coverage? Rahm Emanuel maybe? I don't know. But, he's the one I see all over the television "fixing" things. It's been a longstanding practice for politicians to create a sense of fear, and then "lower the crime rate" very publically to raise

their popularity in the polls. And what better way than a TV show? I could go on and on with speculations. But... Regardless of who's capitalizing on the situation or who's exaggerating data, there is a deadly epidemic going on in the Windy City. In January of 2013, things got off to a bloody start. 40 homicides were recorded in the first month alone, including that of a 15 year old honor student named Hadiya Pendleton who was senselessly murdered a mile away from President Barak Obama's home. After the first

part of the year, the killings slowed down and Chicago recorded 415 homicides in 2013, which was 88 murders less than 2012 and 20 less than 2011. Things got off to a fast start this year as well. in the first four months of 2014 there were 565 shooting victims and 95 murders. Gang violence is rampant. Chicago is experiencing a gang problem quite different than the gangs of the past. There is no structure, no real leadership or chain of command. The gangs of Chicago are running wild. And most children feel they have no choice other than to join a gang as a form of protection. As explained by Linda Lutton during an episode of American Life; "...whether or not you want to be in a gang you're in one. If you live on pretty much any block near Harper High School, you have been assigned a gang. Your mother bought a house on 72nd and Hermitage? You're S-Dub. You live across the street from the school? You're D-ville." That's the way it really is on the streets of Chicago. And these youngsters in some of those neighborhoods are terrorist. Englewood has reported 144 murders between January 2007 and September of 2013, coming in fourth to Austin (225), Humboldt Park (152) and West Englewood (149). Out of the 77 official neighborhoods in the Windy City, only 16 are witnessing this kind of vio-

lence. As hard as it may be to believe, all-in-all Chicago is a safe place to live. So again, "Why all the focus on Chicago?" 22

Chicago has captured the attention of the media in recent years because it's recorded more murders than New York and Los Angeles which boasts

larger populations. Again, in 2013 Chicago racked up 415 murders compared to New York's 333 and Los Angeles' 250. This information was quite 23

shaking to me. I'd never thought Chicago would surpass L.A. Which has been infamous for gangbanging since the 70's. Another cause for attention is the effect the violence is having on young, school age children. The murderers and the victims are getting younger and younger. It broke my heart as I laid in bed one night and watched a little girl on Chicagoland cry because she is absolutely terrified to walk to school. She has already suffered through one of her cousins being killed on the route she walks everyday.

same sidewalk? How can we expect these children to learn in an environment where they are in constant fear of their lives? * In 2013 Chicago saw a 16% drop in crime. *Chicago police took nearly 1,900 guns off the street in the first four months of 2014. * Chicago's murder rate peaked in 1974 with 970 murders.

My questions are; where is her moth- * According to Wikipedia, the FBI er, where is her father and why are doesn't accept Chicago's crime statisthey allowing her to walk that very tics. 24

St. Louis' murder rate peaked in 170 with 309 murders. St. Louis has long been regarded one of the deadliest cities in America. In 2011, their murder rate was 35 per 100,000. In 2013, there were 120 homicides which was up from the 113 in 2011and 2012. however, police cheif Sam Dotson said last year's total was still below the five-year average of 136 in between 2008-2012. The total number of murders through March of this year is 33 and the city reported 3,600 crimes to the FBI. So, where does St. Louis rank in all this madness? I have a list of the nation's most dangerous

cities compiled by Brandy Zardrozny of the Daily Beast that doesn't rank St. Louis in the top ten. However, according to CNN Money, St. Louis ranks number two. I experienced conflicting data alot as I done research for this article. At times it was confusing, even downright frustrating. Maybe the Daily Beast doesn't rank the STL because their population of 320,454 is relatively small compared to other cities. Chicago for example, has a population of 2,708,382 and Los Angeles has a population of 3,862,839. The FBI warns against using crime data to compare city violence stating rankings tend to be simplistic and ignore certain factors that influence crime as well as the different ways crimes are measured and reported. The Gallup Survey reports 74% of the people in St. Louis feel safe in the city. That places St. Louis as the 14th safest city on the list of the most populous MSA's in the country. From my research, I've learned that a city's ranking depends on who you ask and what their motives are. â&#x20AC;&#x153;These rankings represent a gross misuse of FB data. Everyone with the slightest knowledge of this issue knows 25

the rankings are not credible, but the publication persists with them, presumably because rankings are popular and sell books." -Annise D Parker, Mayor of Houston and Chair of the US conference of Mayors Criminal and Social Justice Committee."Such rankings are invalid, damaging and irresponsible. City crime rankings make no one safer, but they can harm the cities they tarnish and divert attention from the individual and community characteristics that elevate crime in all cities." -The American Society of Criminology.Detroit has long been plagued as one of the most dangerous cities in America. Even though it had a huge drop in murders and overall crime, it still had the same number of murders as New York which has 11 times its population. In 2013 Detroit had 333 murders, 14% down from the 375 homicides in 2012 which was the highest murder rate the city's seen in nearly two decades. In September, Kenis Green Jr., a 12 year old football player was killed as he played outside during a relatives birthday party. Someone in the car fired shots, murdering the innocent child and his mother's boyfriend. Tiane Brown, an accomplished law student with three children was mur26

dered inside her SUV by the Packard Bell plant in October. In November, there was three triple murders just days apart. Three men were killed and six were injured in a shooting at a barbershop that was a known gambling spot. Then, a 25 year old man was shot to death outside a house in the middle of the day. When his 75 year old grandfather and a 23 year old pregnant woman went outside they were gunned down as well. The woman was 9 months pregnant and her child was delivered by emergency C-section. But sadly, the infant died several days later. Only two days after the barbershop murders, Detroit police responded to a 911 call and found three dead

bodies inside a home. Despite its deadly past, Detroit officials are optimistic about their future and are focused on giving their community back to its citizens. "No longer will we stand idly by as criminals run rampant and the good citizens are held captive in their own homes." New DPD Chief James Craig declared in a statement. "Gone are the days that a citizen calls 911 and there is no response...we have taken an oath to protect our citizens and protect them is what we will do." So far, for the year of 2014 Detroit has had 41 murders through March. That number is down 29% from the 58 murders reported by the same date in 2013. Since Craig took

over the department last July, crime was reduced by 7% and this year the ambitious chief has the departments goal set at 10%.

American to be a murder victim * 31.5 of every 100,000 African Americans in Michigan were murder victims in 2011

Obviously not a fan, Reverend James Warfield recently resigned from the Detroit's board of Commissioners. He says prior chiefs made alot of progress. "I think it's disingenuous to make it look like it only started to get better when the new administration came in." As always when a new administration takes charge there's internal friction. Craig gave an unfavorable assessment of the prior administration then he began making broad changes. Under the new leadership, the DPD has improved its response time on high priority calls, the city has seen an overall reduction in crime and there has been a significant increase in the department's homicide clearance rate. Prior to Craig taking over as chief, the clearance rate was 11%. Due to the work of the new homicide unit, the clearance rate for 2013 soared to 45.5% and so far (as of March) the department boasts an unprecedented homicide clearance rate of 92.7%. So despite the grumbles from his protesters, Chief Craig is getting results.

* A Black resident in Michigan is 7 times more likely than the average

* Out of Michigan's 447 Black homicide victim's, 362 were shot.

* African Americans are killed in Michigan at the 3rd highest rate in the United States. Nebraska is #1 and Missouri is #2. Solutions? I have no idea. I don't think the killing will ever stop. And if it does, it will be generations from now. There are too many factors contributing to the problem. You all have seen the same list over and over; Lack of jobs, poor education and broken homes. There is alot of work to be done; from us playing our roles in the home as parents al the way up to those responsible for our safety to the officials we entrust to lower the unemployment rate. I don't have the answers, but as a community we can begin with a good conversation. I'd like to know what you think. Email me; info@UrbanImageMagazine.com

Death of a Muse By: Angela Williams

An icon is a graphic representation of something, a person or thing that is a symbolic or noted figure. A muse is a person who serves as an artist's inspiration. Wednesday May 28, 2014 the world lost both when Marguerite Annie Johnson, best known as Dr. Maya Angelou, ascended to the heavens. Many from all walks of life mourned her passing and many celebrated her life. The moment that I realized she was gone a hole in my heart was formed because for many years she was my muse and her life mentored to me.

that wasn't easily won. I looked at Maya Angelou and my mother, Ruth Williams, with eyes of wonder and a heart filled with love because not only did they make it, they refused to let the negative circumstances control them. After the movie ended my mother said that I could overcome anything and succeed. She tried to instill in me that my skin color and weight couldn't hold me back. She pointed to the screen and said "If she can make it I know you can too!" That statement began my lifelong tutelage with Maya Angelou. I read her work and words and always came away renewed and inspired. She made me believe I could be a writer. She made me believe that my life mattered. She inspired me to be a better me.

I never met her, but that never stopped her words and actions from shaping who I would become. I remember one Saturday night, many moons ago, when my mother sat with me in front of the television to watch "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings'. I was enthralled at what played out on the television screen. I cried at the horrors she endured and smiled at her strength and intelligence. However, in that moment I viewed my mother differently. I began to see that life as a black female child wasn't easy. To be able to make it from As I started writing this I became really childhood to adulthood was a battle quiet because I realized who my true 32

muse was and is..... my Mother. This woman who had adopted me, loved me, nurtured me and helped me bloom had always seen something in me that I never knew. She saw how some of my

life's challenges held me back and she introduced me to those who had overcome some of the same challenges. She, along with my dad, took me to the library every Wednesday to check out 33

books. She never minded that I would spend two hours reading then checking out my books. She would look at my choices and suggest that I look at a different topic. As much as I loved mystery, mythology and horror she gently introduced me to poetry, romance and history. She endured my years of fascination with Greek, Roman, Egyptian and Native American mythology. She

watched me put on my own spin on Shakespeare and Gilbert and Sullivan. She was my original muse and mentor. Maya Angelou showed me how to put the words together and Ruth Williams gave me the courage to do so. It is with much gratitude that I say "THANK YOU!" to two phenomenally phenomenal women.

By: Denetra Key

The True Meaning of Christmas By: David Brim-El III

Due to the Holiday Season, this month I would like to share with you what I found to be the true meaning of Christmas. The following is an Excerpt from "The Exhuming of a Nation" by Elihu N. Pleasant-Bey. I thought you all would enjoy it; Jesus

The home of Joseph was on Marmion Way in Nazareth. Here, Mary taught her son the lessons of Elihu and Salome; and Jesus greatly loved the Vedic hymns and the Avesta; but more he loved to read the Psalms of David and the pungent word of Solomon. The Jewish books of Prophecy were his delight; and when he reached his seventh year, he needed not

At the Age of Seven 46

the books to read; for he had fixed in memory every word.

said there is no death." Grandmother Ann loved the child, she laid her hand on Jesus' head and said, "I saw you Joachim and his wife, grandparents of stand beside the sea; I saw you touch Jesus, made a feast in honor of the child; and all their near kin were guest. the sand; and the wave, I saw them turn And Jesus stood before them and said, to living things, and I knew the meaning "I had a dream, and in my dream I stood of the dream. The sea of life rolls high; before the sea upon a sandy beach. The the storms are great; the multitude of men are idle, listless, waiting like dead waves upon the beach were high; a storm was raging on the deep. Someone sands upon the beach." gave me a wand. I took the wand and "Your wand is Truth; with this you touch touched the sands, and every grain of the multitude, and every man becomes sand became a living thing. The beach a messenger of Holy light and life." was all a mass of beauty and song. I "You touch the waves upon the sea of touched the waters at my feet and they life and their turmoil's cease; the very were changed to trees, and flowers and singing birds, and everything was praising God. And someone spoke. I did not see the one who spoke; I heard the voice, which 47

winds become a song of praise. There is no death, because the wand of Truth can change the driest bones to living things. And bring the loveliest flower from stagnant ponds, and turn the most discordant notes to harmony and praise." Joachim said, "My Son, today you pass the seventh milestone of your way of life; for you are seven years of age, and we will give to you as a remembrance of this day whatever you desire. Choose that which will afford you the most delight."

tude of children glad upon this day, I would be greatly pleased. Now there are many hungry boys and girls in Nazareth who would be pleased to eat with us at this feast, and share with us the pleasures of this day. The richest gift that you can give to me is your permission to go out and find those needy ones, and bring them here that they may feast with us."

Joachim said, "Tis well. Go out, find the needy boys and girls, and bring them here. We will prepare enough for all." And Jesus did not wait. He ran. He entered every home and hut and den of And Jesus said, "I do not want a gift, for the town. He did not waste his word; he I am satisfied. If I could make a multi48

told his mission everywhere. And in a little time, one hundred and three score of happy children were following Jesus on Marmion Way.

Let's observe Christmas, or Jesus' birthday the way practiced it, with love and compassion.

Merry Christmas The guests made way; the banquet hall Happy Hannakah Happy Kwanzaa was filled with Jesus' guests; and Jesus And Happy New Year! and his mother served. And there was food enough for all, and all were glad. So the birthday gift of Jesus was a crown of righteousness.

Protect And Serve Who??? By:PJ Fleming

Well, 2014 is coming to an end. I don't think I'll get any arguments when I say it has been one crazy year, and I think the main issues which has been sticking out in the news is the problem with the police, the fuzz, the Jakes, 5-0, one-time, whatever you want to call them. Those who are sworn in to "Protect and Serve"; it would seem they are committing more murder than criminals in the penitentiary. Don't judge me now, I'm just making a revelatory statement. It's easy to look at the numbers and feel why the black community is outraged. The past year two deaths caused a lot

of ruckus in communities with the unarmed death of Michael Brown, in Ferguson, and the death of Eric Garner which has been labeled the Choke hold Death in New York. Both officers whom are Caucasian, walked away with no indictments from a decision by a Grand Jury.

With these particular deaths protests were lead, looting, bombs thrown, arrest, and burning buildings down was the outcome of the Grand Jury's decision. Issues with race became as immediate part of the equation. These deaths lead to issues in other states across the country. Some would say these deaths were racially driven, hence the uproar in the black community. On the other side, others would say that the number of deaths caused by the police over the last year--last few years for that matter--

points to an American problem and not a specific race. I've formulated my own opinion of these problems which I will share later, but I want to know what others think. I have a gentleman with me today to discuss this topic and get an unbiased opinion on what he thinks of the issues involving our "protect and serve" members--police. Is it racial or is it an American problem in general???

PJ Fleming: Gratitude for agreeing to be a part of this discussion, Mr. Ronnie Lewis. Ronnie Lewis: Thanks for having me.

whose life maybe ruined by one mistake. There is a divide, when only a small few are concerned, because these are "Black Problems" and some Americans just don't care, or don't care to talk Pj: First thing I would like to ask, do you about the subject, and quietly feel agree with the Grand Jury's decision not somehow the victims must have to indict neither officer in the death of brought it on themselves. Michael Brown or Eric Garner? RL: No! In regards to Michael Brown, my PJ: An FBI report shows that in 2012, reason are different for the two differ- 739 people were shot and killed by the ent cases. Mike Browns killer made alle- police and theses cases were labeled as gations of being assaulted by the victim, "Justifiable Homicides" which is the only refuted by witness testimony, however, reason why they show in statistics. Of deadly force was used, which makes a the 739 people killed 313 of them were big difference. Not making it right; how- black. Those numbers have gone up in ever, those allegations covered the the last two years. What is the real officer's ass. Eric Garner on the other problem here to you? hand, not only had proof of minor reRL: Black males make up approximately sistance in the beginning, he also had 45percent of the cases involving death the law on his side, and deadly force has by cop. I'm sure the black totals are never been okay in any state. largely male, which skews the numbers. If black males make up approximately 5 PJ: While watching TV One, an unknown to percent of the total American populacaller phoned in and asked what would tion, yes it's definitely a race problem. be the outcome had these officers been black and the victims white. What are PJ: What are your thoughts on a soluyour thoughts on that? tion? RL: Well I'm n Harvard professor, but RL: My thoughts to a solution are simhistory says yes. Conversations differ ple. Stop pretending there is not a probwith whites, which makes me wonder if lem. Deal with our racial America; race they watched the same video the rest of plays a role in American life. America America was watching. The fact that a claims to be the home of the free, yet black life was lost seems to be lost in we all don't share the same freedoms. translation, instead the primary focus It' proven that a white female is the tends to be empathy for the officer, hardest citizen to convict in America and 52

the black male is the easiest, this simply comes from the black male being demonize throughout history, which has caused society to fear the unknown. Start at the grade school level and teach more black history, and have a diverse counsel on what to teach in schools, because most colleges and education

boards consist of old and middle-aged white males, who love the way history has depicted them as heroes. Pj: Gratitude again, Mr. Lewis for taking the time to be with us today, it's greatly appreciated.

It has always tripped me out when people talk about how far our nation has come on the issues of race. How can we even speak about how far this nation has come on the issue of race when we're still having the same discussions today that we had in the Martin Luther King era and Malcolm X era? It hasn't been that long since they were standing in front of thousands and thousands of people giving those speeches. Blacks don't even get represented in the news the same. For example, as the Huffington Post points out, when Eric Belluci allegedly murdered his parents in 2010, local media outlets ran this exact story. "Son in Staten Island murders was brilliant, athletic-but his demons were the death of his parents." Conversely, when Trayvon Martin was shot and kills in 2012, NBC ran the headline. "Trayvon Martin was suspended three times from school." Now look and that there. Whereas Belluci, a white suspected "murderer", has his best traits displayed by the headline, Martin, a black shooting "victim", was noted for his disciplinary issues at school.

Speaking of the police, this is my opinion and mine alone. I don't know about anyone else, but I paid attention to the entire story in the case of Michael 54

entire story in the case of Michael Brown. It would have been best if the officer kept his mouth shut--because his story made no sense, whatsoever. It's

just certain things that we--meaning black folks--just don't do, especially in regards to the police. In a CNN interview the officer said after a struggle in his 55

cruiser he got his gun free and shot Brown twice through the door and the boy to off running. He (officer) then proceeded to get out of the car to pursue Brown--who's injured from gunshot, mind you--and the scared shot boy stopped running and came back at him. Really??? In the case of Eric Garner, I agree with

Mr. Lewis. It was proven that Garner put up minor resistance, and according to "law" death is never okay. I can't help but to question what is the point of these officers carrying around mace and tasers on their belts? When has these methods stopped being used, and choking and the use of their firearms became the first option? Don't these officers spend hours and hours being trained

by witness video, so what's the difference between an officer body camera and a civilian witness camera? According to the FBI's most recent accounts of "Justifiable Homicides," in the seven years between 2005 and 2012, a white officer used deadly force against a black person almost two times every week, which Melissa Harris -Perry pointed out in a tribute to Michael Brown. Of those black persons killed, nearly one in every five were under the age of 21-years of age. These numbers are underestimated, as police departments self-report these statistics, and only 750 of the 17,000 law enforcement agencies in United States participated. According to University of South Carolina criminologist Geoff Alpert, to this day, there exist no national record of the number of civilians killed by the police--and of course no complete racial breakdown of this information. In other apprehension methods rather opposed to lethal force?

What people don't know, if the police department does not label these homiStrange part is they're sitting up here cide incidents as "Justifiable" they will spending millions for body cameras, and never show up in statistical reports, behaving pointless discussions on the cause the departments don't report news, questioning if said body cameras them. According to Fivethirtyeight.com, will work. I can answer that question-- if Michael Browns homicide was found No! These deaths that made the news to be unjustifiable; it wouldn't show up and went before a Grand Jury was aided in statistics. For example, when 24-year 57

-old Albert Jermaine Payton wielded a knife in front of the police in Washington, officers opened fire an killed him. Yet according to national statistics intended to track police killings, Mr. Payton's death in august 2012 never happened. This case is just one of hundreds of homicides by law-enforcement agencies between 2005 and 2012 that aren't included in records kept by the Federal Bureau of Investigations.

cer unarmed son was shot in the back of the neck last year. We are told these are isolated incidents. We are told that they are simply the officers procuring their own safety and if only the suspect had surrendered or obeyed they would still be alive today.

Criminal Justice notes that, the federal government and national research groups keeps scads of data and statistics --on topics ranging from how many people were victims of un provoked shark attacks to the number of hogs and pigs living on farms in the U.S., yet there is no reliable data on how many people are shot by police each year. Why is that? But the government definitely keeps accurate account of how many officers are killed in the line of duty. "Watching the news report of police shootings hurts and something needs to be done about it. The police are protecting their own when they know they're wrong." Mercer said. Billie Mer58

Every time! In each case! Police never get it wrong. They never make a mistake, are never in a bad mood, have a short temper, may have been overly fearful and may have over reacted. Because in nearly all these cases that's what we're initially told by police sources and their supporters.

"Don't you find it spooky? This is information, this is the government's job," a D. Brian Burghart, the editor and publisher of the 29,000-circulation Reno News and Review said. "One of the government's major jobs is to protect us. How can it protect us if it doesn't know what the best practices are? If it doesn't

know if one local department is killing people at a higher rate than others? When it can't make a decision based on real numbers to come up with best practices? That to me is an abdication of responsibilities." The most detailed analysis of police shootings to date was conducted by Jim Fisher, a former FBI agent and criminal justice professor who how authors true crime books. "I was rather surprised to find there are no statistics," Fisher said. "The answer to me is pretty obvious; the government just doesn't want us to know how many people are shot by police every year." In the end, I see it like this. The issues that we have been experiencing with the police killing people are both a racial problem and an American issue. Looking at the numbers and factoring

the ratio of blacks that has died unlawfully by the police labeled as "justified" compared to how many blacks make up the American population, it is a racial-black problem. It has transcended to an American problem because the cases of individuals dying by the hands of the police has gone up dramatically over the last two years, and that number is under counted, because departments are not sharing this information. There is absolutely no accountability. Whether people are willing to acknowledge it or willing to admit it or not, there is a problem with not just our judicial system, but those sworn to protect it. Who is really protecting us?

The Urban Altar “I’m Waiting On God” By: E.N.Joy

“I’m waiting on God?” I can’t keep count of how many times I’ve heard people say that. I’ve come to realize that a person doesn’t have to be a Christian, or even a believer for that matter, to use that line as an excuse. Yes, that’s right I said it; an excuse. Granted, there are those who are honestly waiting on God for direction in reference to their goals, dreams and what their next move should be. As the song goes, “Be still and know that I am God.” Sometimes God does just want us to be still; get out of His way and allow Him to do His thing. But like Jackie Chan said in the Karate Kid remake: there is a difference between being still and doing nothing. So why do so many people use the saying, “I’m waiting on God,” as an excuse-an excuse to do absolutely nothing?

vet authors. Sure God told them to write that book. Sure God told them that they were going to be on talk shows and radio shows all over the country. Sure God told them that they were going to sell more copies than they could imagine and top the most authoritative bestseller’s list in the country. It can be done. It has been done; several times over. But let me just ask this one question: Now that God has told them everything they and their book are going to do, what are they going to do to ensure that it happens? Let me guess… Wait on God?

While folks wait on God, others trying to achieve those very same goals and dreams are out there grinding, hustling, making things happen, putting in work. They are researching, they are networking, they are socializing, I’m sure I could cover a multitude they’re attending conferences, they’re of areas in which man has used the line putting on conferences, they’re blogas a crutch, but I just want to use for ging, writing articles, press releases, example, authors; both aspiring and they’re touring, they’re doing news64

God is trying to tell us something right there. It pains me to see people who think that they are making great strides toward accomplishing their dreams simply because they did a lil’ somethin’. Again, using authors for example; so they wrote the book. Okay, so then they got copies of the book printed too. That’s all good. Because you see, putting a plan into motion is a wonderful first step, but once the wheels are in motion, what good does it do to just sit back and watch them spin? It’s like trying to get white teeth; it takes more than just screwing off the cap to the toothpaste. Taking off the cap is the easy part. The easy part with trying to accomplish dreams and goals is to start it in the first place. And sometimes that’s even hard for a few of us. But enduring is what’s going to allow a person the opportunity to actually live the dream. Sometimes living a dream, pardon the irony, means not getting any sleep (or enough anyway). Sometimes all nighters are required when a person want something bad enough. Anyone who follows Author E N Joy knows my say-

ing: There is a big difference between doing the best that you can do and doing ALL that you can do. What counts the most in striving toward dreams and goals is what is done in the in between stage. What is the person going to do in between starting something and finishing it? If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times; the message is always for the messenger first. I’m guilty of putting plans in motion and not seeing them through. I own about a dozen websites to prove it. Yeah, I had big plans, ideas, goals and dreams. It doesn’t mean that I’m not going to go back to them and finish what I’ve started. I just found myself setting too many fires but didn’t have enough wood to keep them all burning. Sometimes we want to be the jack of so many trades when we haven’t even mastered one. Prime example is the author who can barely write, push, market and promote their own book, then the next thing you know they’re publishing other people’s stuff. On a scale of one to ten, their own work is barely pushing a seven in quality, yet they sell someone else the promise of making their book a ten.

or another? Before a person goes treading other waters or in someone else’s water, they have to make sure they can swim first.

shouldn’t look at someone else who’s doing the dang on thang and start hating their glory when we don’t even know the half of their story. We somePutting in work in any business is times see other people living out the goals and dreams we, too, have set for essential in order to achieve the deourselves, and we get envious or just sired outcome-in order to reach the outright jealous and hateful. We want level in which you’ve decided is your what they have but we don’t want to own personal success. Look at music artist, how some of them rehearse all go through what they had to go through to get it. We don’t want to day, perform all night and then don’t even get to go back to a hotel and lay work for it. We don’t want to lace up their head down. They’re on the tour the gloves, get in the ring and fight for it. bus heading for their next gig (and that’s after spending a few minutes I’m not saying that everything is a fight signing autographs and thanking the or a battle. Believe me, I hear people fans who help make living their dream say quite often, “If things fall into place possible). and happen too easy, then something ain’t right” or “If the devil ain’t trying A lot of times people step onto to stop you, then it ain’t of God.” I the scene, out of nowhere it seems, don’t speak that into my life or any othand others around them think it was er person’s life. And even though I “luck” or “instant success.” Half the time we have no idea all the hard work, don’t believe that people should opersleepless nights, living in cars and going ate under the assumption that God without meals these people had to un- doesn’t want them to have anything dergo. And most importantly, people unless they have to fight for it, I do believe that for anything God has promhave no idea of how many doors got slammed in their face, and the cuts and ised a person, He wants them to meet scrapes from crawling through the win- Him at the promise. He wants that person to do something. He wants to help dow that they have to prove it. We 66

them reach their heart’s desires, but He the best that they can and doing ALL also wants to see them helping them- that they can. selves. If the best a person can do is sit around If God says He’s going to bless you and wait on God in order to reach their with a Cadillac, you don’t just stand dreams, then it might be a long wait. around waiting on the Cadillac. You go So even though we may sometimes get your license, but first you have to think that we are waiting on God, truth study the manual that tells you how to is, God is actually waiting on us. drive. You look into insurance coverThis is BLESSEDselling Author E.N. Joy age. You get a job so that you can sounding off and reminding you to afford to fill it up with gas, otherwise “Stay blessed…because you already it’s just going to sit there and do noth- are!” If you have any comments reing. Are you allowing your dream to garding this article or any of my past just sit there because you are doing Urban Altar columns, please feel free to nothing to make it manifest? I know, I email me at enjoywrites@aol.com and know: I can hear some people now visit me at www.enjoywrites.com. You saying, “I’m doing the best I can.” can also find me on Facebook at Author What I have to say to that is there is a E N Joy. big difference between a person doing

Managing Your Diabetes in the Holiday Season By: Denetra Key

November is National Diabetes Awareness month, and boy should it be! With all of the upcoming Holiday feasts that are approaching it is especially hard to stay on track with a healthy eating plan and even more challenging for someone who has diabetes. The National Center for Disease Control reports that 29.1 million people or 9.3% of the U.S. population have diabetes. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. For every 6 white Americans who have diabetes, 10 African Americans have the disease. This is some pretty alarming statistical data! There is someone in every â&#x20AC;&#x153;Black familyâ&#x20AC;? that is effected by this often time deadly disease. Though a definite life style change is mandatory for survival it is very possible to live a healthy fulfilling life with Diabetes. In doing my research for this article I found some pretty helpful tips for how to enjoy your holidays with this life altering disease condition. 70

Six Holiday Tips Want to enjoy the holidays and the food and still stay healthy? The six tips below can help guide you through your next Holiday event:

Focus on Friends and Family Remember, the holidays are a time to SLOW down and catch up with your loved ones. Focus on friends and family, not food. Play games, volunteer, or spend time outdoors enjoying the weather together.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a Party, But Don't Overdo It Eat slowly, and really enjoy the foods that you may only have once a year.

If the meal will be served near your usual meal time, try to eat the same amount of carbohydrate that you normally would for a meal. If you plan to have a portion of dessert, cut back on another carbohydrate food during the MAIN course. Make sure your portions are reasonable and resist going back for second helpings.

Bring What You Like Try not to worry about what will be served. Offer to bring your favorite dish to share. If you count carbohydrates, check your recipeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nutrition facts so you know how many carbohydrates are in one serving and the size of a serving.

Drink in Moderation If you drink alcohol, remember to eat something beforehand to prevent low blood glucose levels later. Whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a glass of red wine or a beer, holiday DRINKS can add a significant amount of calories to your holiday intake. Keep it to no more than 1 drink for women and 2 drinks for men. Avoid drinks that have high calorie mixers like regular soda, tonic, juice or margarita mix that are all packed with carbohydrate and calories. Opt for sugar free mixes instead.

Stay Active One reason that we have problems MANAGING DIABETES and weight during the holidays is our lack of physical activity. Sure, the holidays are busy, but plan time into each day for EXERCISE and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t break your routine. Make the holidays an active time! Off from work or school? Use this extra time to do some physical activity. Train for and participate in a local holiday run or walk (like a turkey trot or Independence Day run). Start a game of pick-up football, soccer, basketball or play other GAMES in the yard. Go for a walk with your loved ones after eating. Offer to help clean up after a meal to get you moving around! 72

Overindulged? Get Back on Track If you eat more carbs or food than you planned for, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think you have failed. Stop eating for the night and focus on spending the rest of your time with the people around you. Include extra exercise, monitor your blood glucose levels, and get back on track with your usual EATING HABITS the next day.

American Association of Diabetes Educators has provided a helpful online toolkit with tips to keep you on track!

http://www.diabeteseducator.org/export/sites/aade/_resources/pdf/general/AADE_Holiday_toolkit.pdf

Sources: American Association of Diabetes Educators, CDC.gov/diabetes/pubs/pdf/ndfs_2011.pdf,cdc.gov/diabetes/pubs/ statsreport14/national-diabetes-report-web.pdf, American Diabetes Association 73

It's Valentine's Day! I know all you people out there are setting up your dates for tonight so D Queen wanted to take some time out to touch base on you about contraceptives. Yes protection. I know when thinking about becoming intimate that is usually the last thing on a person's mind but it should be the first. The last time I came to you I shared some alarming statistics about sexually transmitted infections (diseases). Guess how they're spread? By one irresponsible act of sex. That one single act can affect you for the rest of your life and in some cases could just end your life. So before you get all hot and heated please review my info on contraception.

Barrier Condoms (Protect from STI's and Pregnancy) Female Condoms (Protect from STI's and Pregnancy) Dental Dams (Protect from STI's during oral sex) Diaphragms (Protect from Pregnancy)

Birth Control Sponge (Protect from Pregnancy) Cervical Cap (Protect from Pregnancy) IUD (Protect from Pregnancy)

Hormonal ALL only protect from pregnancy) Birth Control Pills Injection Implants IUDs Nuva Ring Patch

Abstinence (100% Fool Proof) Morning After Pill (Alternative to Pregnancy) Outtercourse (100% Fool Proof) Spermicides (Protect from Pregnancy) Sterilization (Protect from Pregnancy) Withdrawal ( Ineffective from prevention of Pregnancy and Spread of STI"S) Abortion (Alternative to Pregnancy) Adoption ( Alternative to Abortion)

So to quote our friends at BET Love yourself enough this Valentine’s Day to “Wrap It Up!”

GETTING

TO THE ROOT WITH

MISS VEE By: Deszion A.Nasir

As most of you may know by now, I'm a HUGE natural hair fanatic. I love being a naturalista and while I'm BY NO MEANS a hair Nazi (A natural hair girl who spends WAAAYY to much free time judging non-naturals and naturals who don't follow my tips and tricks or ideals on what a natural should do) I HAVE found some hair regimens that seem to be more helpful and consistent than others. One of these -the one I follow, actually- is The Coily Queens method, created by hair guru Miss Vee. Her method incorporates common sense into science, thus giving hair a very beneficial edge over other regimens. One of the best things about her methods is that it removes the need for hair typing, the need to know if your

hair is 3a, 4b, etc. If you follow the oodles and oodles of info on her site, no matter your hair type, the results will be positive. Miss Vee constantly states that clean hair grows from a clean scalp, and while many naturals like to co-wash, cowashing doesn't efficiently cleanse the scalp, and while your hair may be clean, your scalp isn't and that may be harboring the 6 inches of growth a year your hair can naturally grow when maintained properly. There are stimulation techniques, porosity corrections (most women don't know that your hair's porosity is a condition, not something you have to deal with), even trimming methods that best suit your hair for growing efficiency. Let's chat with Miss Vee:

Deszion: As you know, I'm an avid fan of your Coily Queen Regimen, and even though I've been natural for several years, I've gotten the best, most consistent results in an amazingly short amount of time using your tips and tricks. A lot of what you suggest is science mixed with good old common sense. I'm honored that you took the time to answer a few questions for me and the Urban Image readers. Can you start off by telling us about yourself and why you decided to start the Coily Queen Regimen? Miss Vee: I have always had a love for hair since I was a small child, I went natural in the 90’s way before it was the popular thing to do. Having worked in the beauty industry for over 20 years from hair to skin care, I have acquired a wealth of knowledge from working with different clients and dealing with my own tightly coily fine hair. D:What is the main complaint you seem to hear from a lot of naturals and how do you respond to it? V:Top two complaints: Slow hair growth and dry hair issues. For the dry hair issue I have a checklist that ladies can go over to see if they are making any of the common mistakes with their regimen and to also see what they are not doing that they should be doing. Sometimes women are using the wrong type of cleanser or not using a cleanser at all. In some cases simply adding apple cider vinegar rinses after their deep conditioner will eliminate their dry hair issues. It is all about a healthy hair cuticle…..Dealing with the issue of slow hair growth, one must try to pinpoint the cause of their slow hair growth. Is it truly slow hair growth or a retention issue. If it is a slow hair growth then I have several stimulation techniques which help women to reach at least the normal rate of hair growth per month, which is ½ an inch. There are a large majority of women who only receive ⅛ to ¼

of an inch growth increase per every 5 weeks. Slow hair growth can be from a fungus issue to a circulation problem. Pinpoint the cause of the slow hair growth then address that issue and your hair will transform. D:What makes your regimen different than the others naturals are trying? V: The Coily Queens Regimen does a fantastic job of covering 3 important areas of hair care which greatly contribute to increase hair growth and healthy hair. Moisturize, stimulation and protection. D:What's your opinion on hair typing? V:Hair typing as far as the number letter system does not help anyone with their hair care or creating a regimen. Hair typing for many satisfies their curiosity as to what their curl pattern may be. It is a mental thing, many women are glad to find they have 4A hair instead of 4C. It makes no difference in the products you should or should not use, but many people feel that it does. D: What's the most valuable lesson you've learned on your own hair journey? V: ½ of this journey is your mindset. Once your mindset gets right concerning AFRO hair your journey will be so much easier. Change your mindset change your journey. D:What are some misconceptions you've heard about natural afro hair? V:That it has no curl pattern. Afro hair is curly hair point, blank period. D:Why do you encourage other naturals to embrace the Coily Queen way? V:Because it is the best way to grow your hair longer and stronger. It is cost effective and easy to follow. I love God, people and hair. I grew up with very short so called hard to manage hair, so I can relate when a woman is frustrated with her hair. The Coily Queens Regimen will help you grow your hair regardless as to whether it is in your genetic make up or not. No one in my immediate family has hair longer than their shoulders, but I do. Ge-

netics may play a part but it does not override a good hair care regimen and consistency. If you want long healthy hair the Coily Queens Regimen will get you there. D:How can other naturals and transitioners get in contact with you/follow you/ become a Coily Queen? V:Visit the website CoilyQueensrock.com and subscribe so you can receive all the great

articles and information. I also offer free one on one hair coaching to a small amount of people each month. www.coilyqueensrock.com FACEBOOK: MissVee Holistichaircare

#teamnaturals WHAT THE HECK IS THE MAXIMUM HYDRATION METHOD? By: Deszion Amani Nasir

Alright, team, there's a new â&#x20AC;&#x153;thingâ&#x20AC;? out there. It's promising to keep even 4c hair super moisturized all the way through till next wash day!!!! WHAT?! It's called the MAXIMUM HYDRATION METHOD. OOOOOO... sounds intimidating! Well, that's because it is. The pics look more than promising. There are just a lot of steps involved. And you have to do them EVERY DAY, at least in the beginning. Stop making that face. So what I'll do is break everything down, then give you my 2 cents about

the whole thing, then you can make your own informed decision about it, okay? I'll also give you info about an altered/shorter version of this method that seems to give the same results. You want to do your hair at least every 3 days. Never ever go past 5 days, and do not attempt to stretch to 5 days until you have 70% max hydration all over your head. The way this regimen works is by the number of times you complete the full regimen. So if you do your hair, wear the style for 3 days and then repeat the regimen that was one day's completion of the regimen, not 3 days. 84

CHERRY LOLA TREATMENT (DONE EVERY TWO WEEKS, INSTEAD OF CLARIFYING IN STEP ONE) 1. Blend the ingredients in your blender. This is important in preventing chunks getting stuck in your hair. 2. saturate your dry (but detangled) hair completely from root to tip with the mixture. 3. put a shower cap and let sit for 1.5-2 hours. 4. Rinse out completely with warm/hot water. 5. Green House Effect /deep condition overnight directly after rinsing out the treatment with botanical MHM approved conditioner. Continue with the rest of the MHM regimen but skip step 1. NEVER DO AN ACV RINSE AFTER THIS

Step 1: Clarify Option 1: Baking soda rinse. Mix 1-2 tablespoons of baking soda into thick 1-2.5 oz conditioner. Add 4-8 oz of water. Shake. Apply to hair in sections and let sit on the hair for 1560 minutes. If being done on product free hair, lower baking soda measurement to 1-2 teaspoons. This step is ideal for low porosity hair, since it lifts the cuticle as well. Option 1.2: Alternate Baking soda rinse 2 tablespoons baking soda 2 tablespoons honey 1 teaspoon olive oil 6-10 oz of water Option 2: Apple cider vinegar rinse. You do a 1:1 ratio of apple cider vinegar with water in an 8oz applicator bottle. Apply to hair in sections from tips to the root, and on scalp. Let it sit in the hair for 15- 60 mins before rinsing. Note you can choose to only do the acv for 15 minutes, like the BS, but the longer you can leave it the better. Option 3: Alternating between both rinses. You can opt to do either rinse every other day/ night/week. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s up to you to experiment with how often you would like to alternate. Step 2: Cowash& finger detangle Option 1: Apply conditioner to your hair in sections, and deep condition overnight by covering your hair in a shower cap or thermal heating cap. This will be 1-2 oz of conditioner and 4-8 oz of water into an applicator bottle. Get a feel for the consistency you want from watering it down. In the morning you rinse it out and it will function as your cowash. On days you know you will not be 86

CLARIFY

COWASH

DATANGLE

able to complete all the steps in full for whatever reason, simply stop here. Keep the shower cap on underneath your wig cap, beanie, r headscarf until you can complete the rest of the steps. This will prevent you from having any setbacks. It doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t count as a full day though until you complete the rest of the steps. Option 2: Apply conditioner, put on a shower cap, and Steam. Steam for 15-20 mins under a steamer, hooded dryer and rinse it out. This will function as your cowash. Use 1.5-2 oz of conditioner and 4-6 oz of water into an applicator bottle. Option 3: Apply warm conditioner in your hair in sections. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes under shower cap, and rinse it out. This will function as your cowash.

if you are doing this step, first pour 1.52 oz of conditioner into an applicator bottle. Then pour in 4-6 oz of warm/hot water and shake. Finger Detangle: No matter what option above you choose,you finger detangle before and/or during your cowash under the warm shower. Section your hair before going in with shower clips. Focus on removing shed hairs, smoothing, raking, and separating tangles each section, from the root of your hair to the tip. Step 3: Clay rinse With all options, leave the rinse on the hair for at least 15 minutes before rinsing, and remember to evenly distribute in sections, from the tips to the roots,

and get it on your scalp as well. You want to make sure your hair is visibly coated and weighed down with the clay. It needs to look something like this. If it doesn’t you are not doing this step correctly, the clay is not evenly distributed, and your hair may actually feel dry. When applying clay mixture, try to separate your coils, don’t try to smooth your hair into one big slick slab. Apply the mask in thin layers of hair starting at the nape from your scalp/roots to the ends of your hair. You do not need to be scooping the clay, squeeze it directly onto your hair and work it in, as per the video. Let sit in hair for at least 15 minutes, 88

there’s nothing wrong with leaving it on much longer, either. Rinse out the clay. This is the part of the method where you will be checking for signs of max hydration. Your hair is now going to be completely clean of any left over product residue, and you will be able to check your progress on your product free hair. Coils will be felt at the scalp first while washing your hair. /you will then start to clump and curling at the very tips of the hair, and slowly progress up to the root, which is when you can claim max hydration. Other visible signs include shakeable hair even when hair is completely dry after having completed all the steps. This is the added weight of moisture retention. If you’re doing this regimen and transitioning, just check your new growth for signs.

Option 1: Clay rinse This rinse can be done using any pure clay powder, like Bentonite Clay, Rhassoul clay, red clay, zeolite clay, european clay, French Green Sea clay and more. Using a funnel or folded paper when needed, you can pour each ingredient one at a time into a large empty 32 shampoo/conditioner/soap bottle, shake afterward to mix the ingredients. after you use it, then store for the next day. If the clay dries up, just and more water as needed and shake. Mix ingredients: 1 cup pure clay powder 2-3 cup warm water 1 tablespoon of honey 1 tablespoon of olive oil If the consistency is to thick, just add more water until you get a thick but still liquidy consistency. It shouldn’t be so thick that its cakey and solid. Option 2: Ready made clay rinse –like Terresentials. Make sure you look at the ingredients in what ever clay rinse you get, to make sure it’s MHM approved. They put more than just clay in these rinses– So watch out for No-No ingredients, like glycerin. Also, many people find clay rinses that include aloe vera juice to be more stripping. This is because aloe vera is an astringent. You also want to steer clear of aloe in conditioners, in gels it should be okay though since it will form a cast and seal in moisture once you have applied enough. 89

The higher the aloe is on the list, the less the hair shaft. The wetter and more sliphold the gel will probably have, so if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pery your hair feels, the softer your gel the first ingredient or only holding agent will dry, so keep that in mind. in a gel, keep that in mind. You can also wet you hair right after you Step 4: Leave in Conditioner rinse out the clay step, apply the watered This will be 1-2 oz of conditioner and 5- down leave in all over your head first, 8 oz of water into an applicator bottle. focusing on the roots and working it Get a feel for the consistency you want. down the hair in the same smoothing and You may like it more watery, or more raking motions. Then wet your hair thick. again, shake and section with clips. Then Apply thoroughly in the section by you can re-wet or add more watered consmoothing, pinching, and raking. apply ditioner if the area is not wet enough. enough so your hair feels wet. You want From then Steps 4 and 5 must be comto concentrate it at the root first and pleted section by section, as you go work it in, then bring it down the rest of along.

Step 5: Apply Botanical Gel of your choice Option 1: Application of gel- you should be putting enough so your hair feels slippery along the shaft, that way you know it’s evenly and thoroughly distributed on the hair, and is properly sealing in the moisture before the gel cast forms. Apply the gel from the concentrating at the roots of the hair first, working it in. Then bring the product from the roots of your hair to the tips, making sure to smooth and thoroughly rake with your fingers. Otherwise your hair may clump into sections that are too big and frizz.

Option 2: use a small amount of oil (or however much you feel you need) for extra sealing before or after gel if you find you need it, for soft hold. It isn’t entirely necessary because you can control the softness of your gel cast by the amount of conditioner you apply in your leave in step. Layering options can be LCO (Liquid, Conditioner, Oil), but Never do the LOC layering order. Oil is not a moisturizer, its a sealant. You wouldn’t put gel on before conditioner, so don’t practice that with oil.

Now, all that info came straight from the makes of The Maximum Hydration Method. If you're feeling adventurous, go for it! I personally don't mess with anything with baking soda in it because it's abrasive over time to my hair, but others swear by it, so make your own decision. The alternate version of this method is as

follows: Michelle Howard Smith has a video (only 5 minutes long) about how she does HER version. She recommends starting in the morning. She also works the entire method on one section at a time before moving to the next section. START WITH FRESHLY WASHED HAIR SECTIONED OFF INTO 6 SOAKING WET SECTIONS

APPLY COLD ALOE VERA JUICE TO SECTION

APPLY YOUR LEAVE IN

APPLY JOJOBA or LIGHT OIL (I PREFER JOJOBA OIL MYSELF, IT'S LIGHT AND MIMICS THE pH IN OUR SKIN)

APPLY ALOE VERA GEL

APPLY YOUR STYLING CREAM

BRAID THE ROOT, THE TWIST THE LENGTH. REPEAT FOR EACH SECTION. BRAID 3 TWISTS ON EACH SIDE, LEAVING YOU WITH TWO BRAIDS ON EACH SIDE. THIS SEALS IN TONS OF MOISTURE WHILE DRYING. 93

TO HAVE A FULLY STRETCHED LOOK, LET FULLY DRY. IF NOT, THIS WILL ALSO DO AS A WASH N GO. So go out, experiment and good luck with this method, Lovlies! Until next time!!!!

Determining Your Ideal Eyebrow Shape By: Denetra Key

So many shapes, sizes and methods! Ladies I know it is very trying to determine what your perfect eyebrow shape is and also to keep them up once you’ve finally gotten them right. We spend tireless amounts of time and money trying to get these small patches of hair above our eyes to compliment our face. I for one know a bad pair of eyebrows can mess up your whole look. Some of us draw them on, we shave them, we wax them, we get them stringed... but one mess up can lead to weeks of embarrassment. Here are some tips to help you get the perfect eyebrows.

1)Determine where your inner brow should end. 

Hold a straight edge, such as an eyebrow pencil or a ruler, vertically in front of your face.



Line it up so that it touches the outermost of edge your nose and the inside of your eye. This line will determine where your eyebrow should start.



Mark that spot with an eyebrow pencil. Repeat for the other eye.

2) Determine where your arch should peak. 

Angle the straight edge so that it lines up with the outermost edge of your nose and the outermost edge of your iris.



It's very important that you look straight ahead — both your face and your eyes should be looking directly forward at the mirror.



Wherever the line intersects your eyebrow is where the peak of your arch should begin at the top border of the eyebrow.



Mark that spot with your eyebrow pencil.



Repeat for the other eye.

3) Determine where your outer brow should end. 

Angle the straight edge further so that it touches the outermost edge of your nose and also passes along the outermost edge of your eye.



This tells you where the eyebrow should end. Mark this point with your eyebrow pencil. 

Repeat with the other eye.

*An Additional Note* Consider your face shape. 

Certain brows better compliment specific face shapes.



To minimize the curve of a round face, direct the outer third of the brow towards the top of the ear. 

If the face is square, direct it toward the middle of the ear. This helps balance the face. 

If the face is long, keep the brow more straight across, directing it above the ear. 

An oval face already looks balanced, but to enhance this harmony, you can direct the outer third towards the ear lobe.

Keeping Your Lips Kissable During Cold Weather By: Denetra Key

During the blustery winter weather it is a challenge to keep your lips succulent and moist. There is no bigger of a turn off then some crusty chapped lips. It seems that the bigger your soup coolers are the more of a problem you tend to have keeping them moisturized. I have found some tips to keeping your lips kissable for the cold weather, so that while itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chilly outside you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have any problems getting your boo to snuggle up with you to keep you warm on the inside. 100

Use lip balm such as Chapstick to promote healing and prevention of chapped lips. This is almost vital in the process of moisturizing your lips.

101

Hydrate your body by drinking plenty of water. Dehydration can cause dryness of lips. Increase your water intake during winter to keep your lips looking fresh. You can also humidify the rooms to deal with winter dryness.

Rule out allergy to lipstick dyes.

102

If in spite of water intake your lips seem dehydrated, apply cool wet cloth to hydrate lips. Also try to seal in the moisture with a lip balm. apply lip balm every hour or two to treat dry lips and to keep them healthy. Use balm with SPF of at least 16 to save your lips from sun damage.

Don't lick, bite or pick your lips, it will cause more chapping. Licking lips doesn't moisturize them. Biting lips removes their protective covering which causes further drying. Tell a friend to stop you every time you pick your lips.

103

Use a soft toothbrush to softly buff your lips to remove the deposit of dead cells that will cause more drying and flaking. Make an at-home paste with sugar and honey to exfoliate your lips.

Ordinary petroleum jelly works wonders. It prevents sun blisters as well if applied before venturing into the sun. 104

Wear a scarf over your mouth. Wind is a biggie when it comes to chapping. Also breathe through your nose. Something as little as breathing through your mouth can actually dry out your lips. Hopefully these tips will keep you lips KISSable this Fall and Winter Season! 105

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NAPTURAL 85's WHIPPED SHEA BUTTER By: Deszion Nasir

For all my natural sisters out there, there are a lot of things out there advertised for our beautiful locks, but if you haven't heard of Naptural85, you've been wasting a lot of money and cheating your hair out of a LOT of heavenly treatment. One of my staples is her whipped shea butter, and I'm going to give you the step by step on how to do it. You'll need: Deep glass bowl Unrefined shea butter at room temperature (I got mine from a little African shop at the flea market, $5. Don't pay $10 in the Asian store for the little tubs) Cocoanut oil (room temp, but not melted) Olive oil Jojoba oil (you can get it at a health food store, but it's becoming more available) Castor oil Vitamin E Hand Mixer Empty containers w/ lids Knife and spoon 108

Place shea butter in bowl. This amount should fit in a 16oz. container. Add your oils. Measuring is up to you, but try to make sure it's going to compliment, not over or under power your shea butter. I usually use in between a teaspoon to a tablespoon, depending on the seasons.

Next, get your hand mixer out and start mixing! If you forgot to have your shea butter at room temp, this is going to take a while, lol.

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Now we're getting somewhere! Just as an option, at this point, if you want to give some away, you can scoop some in a plastic bag, cut the tip, and squeeze your butter into containers like frosting so it's all neat and pretty, but you could just scoop it into a container if you want to keep it. I'm showing you how to make whipped butter, which is fluffier, sooooo we're gonna keep going, kay? This IS an option for a last

minute, low cost gift, though! For the fluffy, silky smooth butter, the container should be half full of room temp/slightly warm NOT MELTED cocoanut oil ( I use a little less sometimes) Add Â˝ teaspoon castor oil (I use lil more lol) Add 1 tsp olive oil Add 1 tsp jojoba oil Add a big dollop of the shea butter you've already made and start to mix

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Once all the oils come together it'll become a nice, smooth blend. note: If while you're mixing, if you lift your knife & you don't see a smooth trail and it looks liquid-y, add some more shea butter This stuff is good for daily moisturizing, twisting, styling, ect. It's great on delicate children's hair and has no chemicals in it! Give it a shot! Works for my hair!

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“Ten Fashion Faux Pas and How to Avoid Them” By: Cesar Sosa

“Faux Pas” is a French expression that in English means something you are not supposed to do. From: Cesar W. Sosa. I am a fashion designer, stylist and make-up artist. Here I offer you tips on how you can avoid the all-too-common fashion mistakes. Have you ever walked down the street and noticed a woman with her underwear sticking out of her pants? Yikes! Well, at one point or another, we've all been fashion victims -but never again!

1) “OVER-ACCESSORIZING” You've heard the old saying "less is more," right? Like many old sayings, it's lasted for a reason. Wearing big statement pieces to express your personal style is definitely fun and fashionable, but you don't want to wear too many statement pieces at one time. Pick one piece that you want people to notice. Wear a chunky necklace, chandelier earrings, or a cute hair accessory. Wearing all of them at once overwhelms your overall look, distracts anyone from looking at your face, and makes you look like you tried too hard to be matchy-matchy. 114

2) “PROBLEMATIC PANTIES” Doesn't the title say it all? Panties should always be worn under, not out of, your clothing. Obviously, panties sticking out of your jeans or slacks is a giant no-no. Make sure that no matter your pose; sitting, standing, or bending to pick up a pen, your undergarments don't expose themselves. You jeans or pants are there to cover your rear and flatter it. If your underwear is sticking out, chances are good that your outfit is doing nothing for your entire midsection and backside. Don't draw unwanted attention there by letting your panties, or worse, your rear, stick out of them. Yikes!

3) “WEARING WHITE to a WEDDING” As in tradition, the bride will (most likely) be in white, so you shouldn't be. In addition to white, avoid ivory, cream, ecru, eggshell, linen, or any other nearly white color. People often question whether black is okay to wear to a wedding. If it's a nighttime affair, then yes, black is totally chic. However, if it's a daytime affair, stay away from black. 115

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Fashion Victim of the Year By: Cesar Sosa

This month, we present to you the worst dressed ever, made by Prada, which is far from being a dress, it looks more like a Christmas Tree.

Lupita Nyong'o: Simply bad taste from Lupita. This is an insult to the fashion world. This look is beyond ridiculous, and what about the green feathers? I wonder how many exotic birds were sacrificed to adorn this Christmas Tree costume, Oh, wait, it's a dress, by Prada, really? At least her shoes match her green feathers, her green clutch and her weird green head accessory. I almost thought she was a super hero, one with bad taste. At least I have one positive thing to say about this outfit; if you're goin fishing and need a net to catch your fish, simply ask Lupita to let you borrow her dress.

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UIMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Best Dressed 2014!

Beyonce': O.M.G. If you wonder what is the definition of perfection, here it is. Perfect body, perfect dress. Super chic and sophisticated. A very good look with the right amount of wrong in it. The mermaid style dress makes her body look even longer and thinner. A smiley face for Beyonce', she is a fashion hero. In conclusion, the look speaks for itself, the face of perfection. Thankfully Beyonce' did not become another Fashion Victim. Finally, pay close attention to what you wear, treat fashion with care because you could be the next Fashion Victim. By Fashion Designer and Stylist Cesar W. Sosa

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Urban Image Presents:

THE DAISY MACK PROJECT

By: Emiaj AhDai

Fashion is forever evolving, we see trends come and go; then see them come back around again. Most really don’t pay attention to it but fashion repeats itself every twenty to thirty years. Let me take you back for a moment. Do you remember in the 90s when women wore bell bottom jeans and wide pants leg, coupled with peasant tops? Go back and look at 70s and tell me what you see. (I’ll wait) Please don’t act like I was the only who wore those pieces all over again. Vintage clothing now is coming back around with a vengeance. You can find pieces popping up in thrift store from the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s. What use to be someone’s mess; is now someone else’s treasure. Sometime last year I was introduced to Kimberly Suber “Bella Classe” of the Daisy Mack Project. If you recall I did a quick blog about her and her vintage shop in South Carolina. We corresponded mostly through Facebook. She would even tag me in pieces that she thought I would like. Let’s just say she had me hooked. (Blue and gold 70’s Disco Dress). When I received the invite to her “Vintage Jazz Brunch”, I could not pass up the chance to sit down and get to know her. 124

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E.A: I am hating because I will be busy that weekend. I am sure it will be awesome. Keep in contact with me so I can down again. K.S: Yes, I sure will. Thank you for the opportunity again . The atmosphere of the event was very welcoming. As we all mixed and mingled I also checked out some of the vendors that had come out for the event. Yes you could also purchase items at the show. What more can shop-a-holic like I could wish for. She did not leave them men out, there was plenty for them purchase as well.

VENDORS: KTL SHOES Owner: Karen Lewis Website: www.ktlshoes.com or www.shoplately.com/ktlshoes Email: ktlshoes@gmail.com or klewis@ktlshoes.com You can also find her on Social Media: Facebook|Twitter| Instagram| Tumblr| Pintrest: KTLShoes Contact number: 803.667.0777 *Custom Shoes* EXOCTIC CREATIONS BY S.C Earing Designer/Owner: Shafeka C. Hand Painted 100% Genuine Leather Earrings *Available for Earring Parties and Vending* Website: exoticcreationsbysc.com Social Media: Facebook :Shafeka Carter, Instagram:Exoticears Email: scexoticcreations@yahoo.com Phone: 803.479.1497 *Text if no answer* Bertram’s Men's Clothing “When you absolutely have to look your best” Owner/Fashion Consultant : Marcus B. Jones Location: Boozer Shopping Center 1585 Broad River Rd Columbia, SC 29210 Phone: 803.404.9276 SPECIAL THANK YOU to the Cocktail Divas for such a wonderful event and accommodation

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your advantage: Black: Black is slimming, sophisticated, elegant and chic. Black makes a good background color because primary colors really stand out when paired with it. Gray: Is the most neutral of neutrals cause they are so strong, they are and goes well with any other color. best on their own. Make sure the You can substitute darker gray for jewel tone compliments your hair black. color and skin tone. Brunettes and White: those with black hair can carry off White is pure and dazzling and goes jewel tones better than blondes and with absolutely everything. White those with paler hair and skin tones. and black are great together too. The vibrancy of jewel tones tend to White tends to show more of your make PEOPLE with lighter hair and body because of the way it reflects skin look washed out. light, so keep this in mind if you are trying to camouflage a certain body Neutrals part. Neutral color -black, white, brown, Brown: beige and gray are really shades without color. When combined with Brown is a warm neutral color. As a other colors, neutral shades put the neutral, brown goes with all colors. Browns can also be paired with each focus on the other colors and, deother in such combinations as carapending on the combination, can serve to tone the other color down or mel and chocolate, tan and gold, and auburn and coffee. make it stand out. Here is how you can use the colors to 130

Beige: Beige is a true neutral color and goes with anything. Beige can warm up a color, like blue, without overpowering it. If you have lighter skin and you want to wear alot of beige, make sure you throw in an accent color to add a pop of life to your overall look. Pastels: Pastels are lighter shades of basic colors: Baby pink, light blue, lavender, pale yellow, and mint green. Pastels work well with navy blue, kelly green and white. They have a youthful quality, too many pastels can make you look cutesy. They also work well with neutral colors. The best colors to match with pastels are those in the neutral family caramel, grey, beige and tan. If you are fair skinned and want to wear pastels, you need to pair it with a stronger color. 131

mood Studies have shown that colors can have psychological effects. Yellow, is said to help concentration, pink is supposed to make you seem more approachable, and red is an attention-getter. It is also said that colors Camouflaging with color: can affect your mood. Wear too Most people wear black to camoumuch black and you may find yourflage their problem areas, not only is self feeling sad. black slimming, it's also chic. But you don't have to wear all black all the time. Consider these techniques Matching mood to color: I use to dress my models for fashion While no scientific study makes a direct link between wearing one color shows and photo shoots; -wearing all one color makes you ap- versus another may do for your state of mind, or how the color you wear pear taller. A monochromatic outfit influences those around you, simple helps anyone -from petite to plus observation tells you that a lady sized. They project a longer, leaner look, which makes you appear taller and slimmer. -wearing colors that are in stark contrast to one another make you appear shorter. If you're tall and want to appear shorter, wear contrasting colors on the top and the bottom. The two colors break up the long line. -wearing any color of narrow, vertical stripes make you look thinner. The thinner the stripe, the more pronounced the slimming effect. Earth Tones: Earth tones include the browns of the earth, from sand to dark brown. Earth tones can be paired with anything, since they are warm colors, they're flattering on all skin tones.

Using color to impact your 132

dressed all in red is going to draw the eye's attention over some one dressed in muted tones. -For somber occasions: black is obviously acceptable. You can also wear navy, dark browns and gray. -For serious occasions: When you're going for a job interview, keep you color palette on the more subdued side even though the days of wearing simple black pant suits with a button down blouse are over. A black

skirt with a classic sweater set and beautiful necklace is appropriate and highlights your personal style. -For celebratory events: When you are attending an occasion that calls for celebration, like a baby shower or graduation, bring out the bright colors! Remember that you are beautiful. Have a fashion day and dress happy!

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... a Real Life Urban Beauty By: Richarh Aswanu and Denetra Key

Have you ever met someone whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not only beautiful on the outside but you can tell from their your first encounter with them that the beauty is truly internally grounded. Well from our first encounter with this magnificent diva we new that her spectacular spirit, determination and hard work were going to get her far. We had to make her our own and now Arise Media is proud to present to you GangstaLit's very own urban Beauty Arnetta Badd aka Diosa. UIM: Hey Ms. Lady, how are you doing today? Arnetta: Hello I am doing wonderful it's a new day and a chance to do everything I did not get to do yesterday.

Arnetta: I knew I really wanted to Model when I attended beauty school, I think the defining moment when I realized that I really wanted to become a model was when I had my first hair and make-up competition and I UIM: So tell us, when did you know? loved the rush it gave me of walking What was the defining moment when on the runway in front of a huge audiyou realized that you wanted to mod- ence and I loved being a display for el? the theatrical 136

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and outlandish make-up and hair ide- 2010 from Beauty School, and a couas the artist came up with. ple goals I set for myself when I graduated were to get my three L's which UIM: I hear you're in school for are My driver's license, gun license, cosmetology, what other goals and Hair License I have two out of have you set for yourself? three and I am working on the final Arnetta: Yes actually I graduated in one which is my hair license. 138

UIM: What are with this new era of everyone releasyour future aspira- ing sex tapes and videos I think that tions? it's hard for people to be original, peoArnetta: I have a lot ple see that all it takes for you to become famous is to release a tape of you of future aspirations I would really doing something that everyone does love to be a leading behind closed doors, I feel as though actress in an action the industry glorifies and promotes packed film or love women as sex symbols and if that wasn't true why don't they blast on social story, I want to write my autobiog- medias when a celebrity graduates school or opens a new business in the raphy and have it community? Because sex sells nothing published for the world to see, I also more or nothing less. would love to act in a play on Broadway, and another aspiration of mine would be to go back to school I'm not sure what I want to major in but I know I want more schooling in the future.

UIM: Speaking of sex tapes, what do you think of Mimi Faust's video?

Arnetta: All I can do is laugh at Mimi Faust and I say that because as much stuff she talked about Joseline and making jokes of her being a prostitute and a hoe how does she think she looks hanging from a shower rod she sold her sex tape for money so what does that make her? and also I feel UIM: With this new era of scandals like she put that sex tape out in retaliation to her ex Stevie J maybe and sex tapes, how do you feel as a way of getting back at him for women are represented in the leaving her I don't know but either fashion industry? way I feel like she needs to get it toArnetta: In this industry I feel that women are treated as objects and toys, gether she's told old for that . 139

UIM: It seems like people will do anything for fame. In your opinion, how far is just too far? Arnetta: You know what nowadays what people do for fame dose not shock me anymore everyone wants there 15 minutes of fame weather you're a suicide bomber hijacking a plan or Mimi Faust hanging from a shower rod the question is, is there anything people will not do for fame or money.

in the 90s. UIM: What do you put on when you want to feel extra sexy? Arnetta: When I want to feel extra sexy I like keeping it simple so I wear a nice camisole and boy shorts this outfit is perfect for relaxing but yet sexy enough for a little extra spice when needed.

UIM: What are your favorite style of clothes to wear? Arnetta: This is a hard question I love fashion and I love feeling beautiful in whatever I wear but If I had to limit it down I would say my absolute most favorite style of clothes to wear is anything with spandex I love that extra stretch it gives me and the way it fits and hugs my body. UIM: Who is your favorite designer? Arnetta: Honestly I have many favorite designers I love anything artistic and futuristic but one of my favorite designers I would have to say is Tommy Hilfiger only because I grew up wearing this particular designer 140

UIM: What do you love most about being in a relationship? Arnetta: What I love most about being in a relationship is the commitment between us and knowing that you can put your full trust into someone and you never have to question their loyalty to you also I like the fact that I have someone who understands me it's kind of like having a friend with benefits if you know what I mean. UIM: I hear from models alot that it's hard to maintain a relationship because most men feel some kind of way of dudes drooling at their UIM: What are some of the things woman. Does your career choice you like to do at home, when put a strain on your relationship? you're spending time with your Arnetta: At times yes my career does son and your man? put a strain on my relationship beArnetta: Some of the things that I like cause we all know that being a model to do when I am at home with my in the industry part of the job is travfamily is movie night, my son has be- eling and making events and different come a big fan of eating popcorn so appearances throughout America so we will pop popcorn and watch mov- being in a relationship I have to comies together and just enjoy being a promise and realize That I cannot be family. everywhere because I still have obligations at home but we manage to 141

make it work for a healthy home life. UIM: What's your definition of true love? Arnetta: My definition of love is something everlasting something that is felt but cannot be seen like the love you have for your unborn child, I also think that love is a form of expression and it can be shown through many acts of kindness or simply between the love of husband and wife something that is internal. UIM: What kind of qualities do you look for in a man? Arnetta: The type of qualities I look for in a man is how will be I treated by him believe it are not but first impressions are everything so that's really what I pay attention to while first meeting someone, I also like a man with intelligence and a sense of humor, I love to learn new things so any man that can teach me how to fix something or show me something new defiantly gets a plus in my book, and know it's the simple things that make me happy like spending time or just calling to check in on me.

Arnetta: Some things that would turn me off about a man is him being a cheater or a dog or the type who live multiple lives and cannot be honest with themselves and what they really want out of life, Another turn off is the multiple baby moms men seem to think its ok to have, another turn off is a man who puts his boys and the streets before his family and children I would have to say those are some of the biggest turn offs for me.

UIM: Let's switch gears real quick. I'm sure our male readers (and some of the females too. Lol!) agree that you are beautiful from head to toe. But what do you feel is your sexiUIM: What are some of the things est body part? that turn you off in a man?

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Arnetta: Lols thank you for the compliment and I think that if I had to choose the sexist part on my body I would have to say my skin and I say my skin because growing up as a young girl I was told that I was unat-

tractive because of my skin complexion but now as a women it seem as though I can't stop receiving compliments on my skin I kind of feel like the Black Swan in many ways.

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UIM: So we see that you are the model for GangstaLit and that you are featured on the Snitch Killer covers. Was it easy for you to get into the role of a dominatrix?

between being a mother, mate, model and being in school?

Arnetta: No I can honestly say I am not the dominate one in my relationship I can play that role from time to time but for the most part I pretty much leave that up to my Man after all you men are the more dominate species of the human race .

UIM: What would you tell someone about living out their dreams?

Arnetta: I'm not going to lie and say that its easy trying to balance all of these different titles because in order Arnetta: Yes it was very easy to get in- to keep everything flowing in an orto the role of a dominatrix and I say derly fashion they all deserve and rethat because I just envisioned myself quire their own separate amount of atacting out a role and being in charac- tention but if you're like my two year ter so it was really fun to shoot this old he demands attention from me look. whenever he wants it so you know it's just more about making as much time UIM: Do you feel like you take a as you can so nothing or no one is nedominant role in your relationglected. ship?

Arnetta: The best advice I can give to someone striving and reaching for their dreams is to never give up on them you only get one life to live so make the most of it and follow your UIM: What's your idea of a perfect hearts desires and become whatever it night with your mate? is you want to be in your life believe that you can do anything and never let Arnetta: A perfect night for me and my mate would consist of a phoneless, anyone tell you differently. uninterrupted evening with just the UIM: Is there anything else that two of us on a nice quiet beach, sipyou would like to share with our ping wine and eating the finest foods readers? underneath the stars and later a nice Jacuzzi dip that sounds just perfect to Arnetta: Yes just how I am making me already . UIM: Do you find it hard shuffling 144

my dreams a reality so can you it all started with a dream for me and then I conducted a plan and stared coming up with different ways to bring me one step closer to my Dreams, never give up on what you truly want out of life and live your life for you not the way people expect you to live. UIM: Hey Ms. Diosa, thanks for the interview. Is there any one you would like to shout out at this time? You are truly an Urban Beauty, I'm sure our readers will be seeing more of you. Arnetta: Thank you so much for sitting down with me and Yes I'd love to give a special shout out to Daddy Rich for having faith and seeing the potential in me. I want to give a Shout out to my family, fiancĂŠe and baby. Happy 2nd Birthday Arshawn Mommy loves you, and shout out to my fans who are supporting my movement. I plan on bringing the heat this summer and showing you the reason you fell in love with Diosa in first place. 145

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7 Ways to Keep Drama Away From You and Your Man By Richarh Aswanu

This photo right here has been credited by many as taking the beef between Biggie and Tupac to another level. Faith Evans has always maintained that it was "just a picture" and nothing ev-

er happened. One account in the media even stated that her intentions were to smooth things out between the two. Was it "innocent", her bumping into Tupac and taking the photo? Or, was she simply naive, never considering the 155

effect the snapshot would have on her man's enemies or competition. There husband? Was she mad at Biggie's

is absolutely no reason for it. Its scan-

philandering ways and decided to get dalous and disloyal. revenge? Or, was she the victim of a

2) If you're in a relationship, act like

calculating tactician who used her as a it! You don't have to be rude or stuck pawn in the most notable rap beef in

up. But, keep your interaction with

history? We'll never know, but I'm

men professional and brief, anything

sure if Faith could do it all over again else opens up the door for interpretathe picture wouldn't exist. Just listen

tions. When a woman is truly serious

and learn ladies, follow these 7 steps

about her relationship, she's gives off

to keep drama away from you and

an energy that says she's unavailable.

your man;

Most men won't even approach her,

1) Don't associate with any of your

note that I said most. In the event you 156

are approached, set boundaries imme- 4) Never discuss your relationship isdiately.

sues with another man (or with your

3) Always remember, men are very

girlfriends while another man is pre-

pretentious creatures. In the male

sent). While you may be "just vent-

community we have a saying, "If

ing", your male counterpart see's it as

she'll wink, she'll fuck." We believe

a weakness in yâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;alls bond and he will

this statement whole heartedly. We

exploit it at the most opportune time.

think any woman who puts a little ex- 5) Never be alone with a man you are tra sparkle in her smile wants to sleep not in a relationship with. Periodwith us. So keep that in mind when

Point-Blank. Unless, your job requires

dealing with the opposite sex.

it. If so, refer to rules 2 and 3. Under

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other circumstances be sure you're in a group setting. A house party with your home girls won't hold any weight at all. Especially, if you've constantly been telling him how your girls bash your relationship. 6) Do NOT get into physical or verbal altercations with other men. This is dangerous! Always be a lady. (Yes, stay in your place. Lol). You'll put your man

in the position to either go to prison or get hurt. I know a dude who's incarcerated right now for shooting someone over his woman. And guess where she's at...with another man. Smh. 7) The Golden Rule; don't say or do anything you wouldn't do if your man was right in front of you.

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ACCESS DENIED: SIX THINGS THAT FLIP A WOMAN’S “OFF”SWITCH By: Kimberley Jasper

I usually attempt to cut guys some slack and remain cordial despite a possible lack of interest when I get approached. The fact still remains that most of them won’t get anything but a simple wave before I proceed to keep it moving. There are often times when I can simply say, “I’m not interested” or “I have a man” and the guy will back off immediately with an apology. Then there are other times when their persistence does not always pay off. Check out this list of things that a guy can do to flip a woman’s “off” switch. 160

1.CAT CALLING It’s all about the approach. Many men will lose the deal before it even gets started. If you are asking for her number prefaced with a few cat calls, you definitely don’t deserve the digits. Not only should you not get the number, but the woman should walk away as fast as possible. If you are bold enough to be disrespectful with the way you approach a woman, you may be bold enough to disrespect her at any time…just sayin’. 2.YOU AND YOUR CREW If you step to her with Chris, Joe, and the rest of your homeboys around, not only is it just way too much pressure, it really shows a lack of maturity. If you want her number, you should have enough tact to pull her to the side, or better yet, tell your boys to step off while you get her info. It doesn’t take a whole crew to pull a woman, as a matter of fact; it’s a complete turn off. Some of your boys are misrepresentations of who you are, leave them behind when you approach a woman. 161

3.TOO PERSISTENT

Persistence is not always a good thing. If I’ve already stated that I’m in a relationship (even if I’m not), please don’t proceed to put in your bid. The infamous question “will he let you have friends?” is not only disrespectful but appears desperate. I always reverse the question and ask “if I were your girl, would you want me to become ‘friends’ with some dude I just met?” While they are looking confused and attempting to muster a comeback, I proceed to walk away. Give your fellow man some respect and back off when she says she’s taken. 4.WACK PICK UP LINES Again I say, approach is everything. Note to men: ALL pick-up lines are played out. No man should utilize a pick-up line. Ever. Ultimately most pick-up lines result in fake digits or no number at all. They can be seen as desperate or just wack, which correlates to your personality and that may or may not be true. Don’t ruin a good introduction with a bad approach. No, it did not hurt when I feel from Heaven and no my legs aren’t tired from running through your mind all day. Please, just stop with the pickup lines, it’s a bad move. Real bad. 162

5.NO INTRODUCTION See a pattern? Again, it’s the approach. I once had a guy approach me without saying hi or even what’s up, he simply asked “hey can I call you?” There was no introduction, he just went straight in. While I admire the consideration of my time, I can’t stand when I’m in a rush and a guy wants to go into a full conversation I’m not even interested in having. I would really like him to be a bit more polite. His lack of an introduction shows that he lacks the tact that I would appreciate in a man I’m going to consider giving my time to. 6.THIRST While some women may like the persistent approach, it’s probably considered the ultimate turn-off for most. No one likes to feel pressured, especially by a stranger on the street. So if a woman is walking away or showing no interest, don’t press the issue; just respect her by backing off. Any further pursuit may appear overly desperate and get you labeled as “thirsty”. Thirst is never attractive when approaching a woman and can become bothersome real quick. If you continue to ask for her number after she has stated that she’s “in a relationship”, not interested or has simply walked away, persistence is not only irritating, it is borderline scary. 163

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RELATIONSHIP 101: SIX GOOD RELATIONSHIP TIPS FOR MEN & WOMEN

By: Kimberley Jasper

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard enough to maintain any relationship, let alone a romantic one. So often, we forget the importance of nurturing the bond with one another. Neglect can turn any good relationship bad, but a few simple things can be done to keep the fires going, keep lines of communication open and keep the love strong. Here are six very good relationship tips for starters. 165

1. RESPECT THE FRIENDSHIP Every relationship should begin at the friend level. It may sound basic, but just like the foundation of a home, you must fortify your friendship foundation so that it is strong enough to withstand the weight of a relationship. If the foundation crumbles, then the house falls down. At the deepest level, the foundation of friendship includes, respect, admiration and a genuine “like” for the person you’re with. If you don’t at least have that, then the relationship is doomed. 2. KEEP IT SEXY After you’ve been with one person for a while, it’s easy to fall into a rut. You may no longer feel like you have to impress and start paying less and less attention to your appearance. It is very important to remember to make an effort sometimes. Women, put on some red lipstick and a sexy pair of shoes…and nothing else. That will surely get things jumpstarted and will remind him of his attraction to you! Men, pay her some extra special attention, tell her she’s sexy…often. Bring home a little gift to show her that you appreciate her. Every girl likes gifts. Try it and I bet you get a little “gift” in return that night. 166

3. BE VERBAL

When your man looks fine in his suit, tell him! When he steps out the shower, give him a wink and let him know he’s still got it. A lot of times, all it takes is a couple of loving words here and there every day to keep a relationship strong. Especially as women, if we take an hour to get ready for something, then we want to know our efforts are appreciated. Women, don’t be afraid to tell your man you’re proud of him, he needs to hear that. Try this: Tell him that you think he looks hot after mowing the lawn. Who knows? He may even “mow” your lawn next. 4. KEEP DATING Don’t ever stop dating each other. The biggest mistake long-term couples make is to stop dating when quality time together is more important than ever. It’s so important that couples still go on dates, no matter how long they’ve been together, it gives you quality alone time and really allows you to just focus on each other. If the standard ‘dinner and a movie’ starts to feel routine, think of unique dates to go on and make it a joint effort so it’s not always something only one of you wants to do. Try new things, see new sights, then come home and try a new “position”. 167

5. TO THINE OWN SELF BE TRUE The fact that somebody loves you doesn’t absolve you from the responsibility of loving yourself. To make a relationship last, it’s so important to know and love yourself first. If that takes a while, so be it. It’s never a good idea to rush into a long-term relationship with anyone if you haven’t had one with yourself. It’s important to feel content with the person that you are and to know exactly what you want and what you need in a partner before taking one on. 6. SHOW YOUR LOVE You may not think the little things matter once you’ve been together for a while, but they really do. Small things like flowers or handwritten notes really show your significant other that you don’t take them for granted. It’s also a reminder of the excitement you felt when your relationship first started. You don’t always have to buy things either – simple touches like surprising them with breakfast in bed, a good back massage or an impromptu trip “downtown”, are all sweet ways to show your love. 168

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with Deszion

CAN U PLZ POST....! I'VE STARTED THIS NEW JOB AND I GET GREAT HOURS ALL THANKS TO ONE OF MY MANAGERS HE'S A BIG FLIRT ATTRACTIVE AND LAID BACK. BUT THE CATCH IS HE'S MARRIED WITH 7 KIDS NOT ALL HIS BUT BY MARRIAGE. HE NEVER WITHHELD ANYTHING FROM ME I KNOW HE'S NOT GOING TO LEAVE HIS WIFE AND I DON'T WANT HIM TO. ALL I WANT IS SOME ONE I CAN CHILL AND BE REAL WITH. I KNOW HE LIKES ME BECAUSE HE’S ALWAYS HITING MY LINE. WE HUNG OUT AND WE GO OUT BUT WE DON'T LET THAT SH@T AFFECT OUR JOB. WE HAVE FUN TOGETHER AND SLOWLY I'M FALLING FOR HIM WTF DO I DO? 170

BAD BUSINESS, BAD BUSINESS, BAD BUSINESS! Do you get my point? Look , you're not going to get any positive advice from me about a married man . Don't be â&#x20AC;&#x153;that girl .â&#x20AC;? You're a mistress. And you're letting your feelings get involved . This won't go anywhere but down and if it gets messy, guess what? You'll lose your job, be hard pressed to find another one (because that mess WILL follow you), and 99% of men who cheat on their wives never leave them. Of the 1% who leave their wives for the mistress, they cheat on her, too. Don't be a fool . Value yourself more . Don't assume nobody knows at work , either. Men gossip more than women , and f you act like you're getting too attached , as soon as pink slips start floating around , don't be shocked when one lands on your desk . A good man can be yours, but you have to respect yourself to wait on one .

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In that very brief message you said a lot. I can tell you this, let go of the past. I can tell you now that man can tell there is an issue and you are not opening yourself up to what he may have in store for you.

Dear Emiaj, I just recently started dating this guy and he seems to be so amazing. More like he is just too good to be true. I am still in that phase of trying to trust him and getting to know him. Here is my issue; I feel as if I am bringing in the issues of my past relationship. I already know what you are going to say. I still don’t feel as comfortable yet. Please help me find some understanding and balance. “Ready to love” Dear Ready to Love,

We all have some type of trust issue. We don’t trust because some man before hurts us by lying to us. He could have even hurt us because he decided that he needed to be greedy and wanted to be with everyone else in the city. I am not saying allow it happen I am saying we all have been there in some way, shape or form. The best way to get over your past issues is to forgive. Why hold on to the past? The only thing you should hold on to is the lesson learned. You know the signs of dishonesty. Pay attention to them. Don’t let this good man walk on you because you feel like he is too good

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to be true. You deserve to happy so why not be happy with him. If you are really ready to love; let it go. Appreciate a good man in your life. If you need have more conversation you know how to reach me. Emiaj

to have the same outcome and the same dumb line. “I love everything about you and you are a great person. I see myself with you, but I don’t want to mess up our friendship.” In the words of my friend Keshia “What the what?” Aren’t we supposed to be friends first in order to have a great relationship or am I wrong? No I can’t be wrong, there are too many women stuck in the friend zone. Why is it so hard to get out of this socalled friend zone? What gets us placed in this zone anyway? I am speaking from a woman's point of view but I still asked a group of men this question. From their point of view this is what they had to say. The following is the 7 reasons women end up in the friend zone. 1) We are too nice.

Dear Stuck in the Friend Zone, I was just sitting and talking to some of my girlfriends about this very subject. One of them asked me "How can a man claim to love everything about you but not want to be with you and just be friends. The friend zone sucks." We all quickly agree with her because we all have been there and done that or still there. We then began to share with one another our issues but that all managed

2) We are too much like one of the guys. 3) There is something missing or too much added like kids.

4) Being way too accessible and not be coming just a piece. 5) Being way too much of a friend. 6) Right Personality type/wrong body type. 7) Just wouldn’t work out. Now look at this list. Someone means to 173

Can you see why we are confused and wonder how we make into this so called friend zone. Here we are trying to be the best possible woman and we get discarded for the one who lacks our qualities. How much sense does that make? Then we are the ones who have to deal with shoulda, coulda, woulda type of the situation. Or we have to deal with the jealous man who can’t take us being with someone else because of their selfish ways. Again how much sense does that make?

actually a part of our nature. The value we place on ourselves is minimal and we need to set our stakes higher. Let’s ask ourselves this question this and Yvonne asked this as well, “Why would a man want to move pass the friend zone when he is getting everything that they need.” Realistically when a man is ready to be more than just that friend he will be willing to move pass that zone.

I simply suggest that men and women be honest with one another from the So sat back and thought some more beginning. If I am not everything that about this friend zone thing. I spoke you want then be just my friend. Don’t with another friend Yvonne. I value her get jealous if I have a date or if someopinion what she has to say about life. one is more into me. Play your role and She stated the following to me, “Women be my friend. And speaking of jealousy are like investment accounts with high would a real friend get jealous if you interest. The man has to invest somehave friends outside of them. Have thing before he gains the high interest other friends even go on other dates as (the "too nice", "too accessible", "too well. much of a friend", etc.).” I thought ***I hope my conversation with my about this statement and took so much friends helped*** from it. We as women do tend to go Emiaj above and beyond our call of duty. It is

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Richarh: Hey cutie, how you doin? I've been thinkin about your lil sexy ass all year.

thang of your down there bald, do you trim it or is it a bush? If it's a bush, can I brush it and shampoo it for you?

Che': Hey handsome, I am well, thanks for asking! Nice!

Che': Are you familiar with the saying "you R; What was your biggest accomplishment of keep the grass cut to see the snakes?" Well I love being able to see the snakes, so there's 2014? never any grass in the way to obstruct the Che': Opening a satellite office in another view... and shampooing isn't state. necessary, but conditioning R:What was something with nutrient rich conditionyou set out to do this er is highly recommended. It year, but didn't quite keeps the skin supple. make it? R:What was your most mind Che': Take over the blowing sexual encounter World. No let me stop. this year? (I'm so serious rofl). I Che': This year isn't over yet, would have liked to but so far I'd have to say it have my non profit was an encounter on a balsports foundation up cony when it was just beginand running, but things ning to snow.... R:What was didn't go according to the dumbest shit a dude evplanned, but where er said while tryin to halla at there's a will, there's you in the year 2014? always a way, anything Che': Umm I would have to else is just an excuse. say "he wanted to suck a fart out of my butt." R:What are you looking forward to in 2015? Very Unoriginal. @Cthagod says that dumb Che': I am looking forward to continued suc- shit all the time, rofl cess, peace and prosperity for everyone R:Well Luv, thanks for being our Around the around me. Progress requires action. Team Way Girl. We truly enjoyed it. Make sure you work definitely makes the dream work! stay in touch. R:Now, since you said you didn't wear Che': It was my pleasure, Thank you for havpanties in our last interview, I have been ing me. wondering all year; do you keep that sweet lil 179

Jenn Brunnae

Adrienne LaShe

Perri Forrest Lavonnique

Lyricallashea

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I don't know what

homeboy was goin through. Wu Tang affiliate Andre' John-

son cut his dick off and jumped from an apartment building at 1 in the morning this past

month. Investigators are still unsure if it was a suicide attempt or not. Evidently, he survived the fall. TMZ released the story while he was at Cedars Sinai hospital being treated for serious injuries... 182

A'ight ya'll, check this out; I was in tears. Damon Tobias Exum 37, of Dunwoody, Georgia was driving drunk and sideswiped a police car. Damn near ripped the door off. Now dig this, when the copper caught up with him and pulled him over. Tobias handed the officer his can of beer and asked him to hold it while he looks for his license. Hell Naw!

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Things you Need to Have in Your Overnight Bag By: Richarh Aswanu

Hey fellas, it's getting cold outside and alot of women are out there looking for someone to keep them warm. So, just incase some sexy mama bear decides to pull you into her cave for the evening, I'm going to hit you with a list of essentials to keep in your overnight bag so you'll always be ready. A toothbrush, that's the first thing on the list. If you're able to brush your teeth the next morning, you'll be more comfortable with hanging around for breakfast and engaging in a little conversation, instead of rushing out the door because your breath is hot. And make sure the toothbrush is new, a used one will cause her to draw the conclusion that you spend the night with different women all the time. The next thing, condoms. These days, rubbers are a must. You can end up with an unexpected child, a trip to the clinic in fear you have contracted something you can't give back!

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A female friendly alcoholic beverage. Vodka is almost always a winner. You can mix it with whatever she has fruity in her fridge, and you're in there. A pack of swisher sweets. There's nothing worse than trying to set the mood, then you have to get up and run to the store for something to roll the loud in. A clean change of clothes. Keep it basic; pair of draws and socks, a T-shirt and a pair of jeans. Again, you'll get the side-eye if she feels you're "too prepared". A stick of deodorant. A wave brush. Again, if you're able to wake up and get yourself together; You'll feel more comfortable hanging around and spending time with her the morning after. That way, she won't feel like such a booty call. Plus, it will save you the worries of having to rush home to get ready for work or whatever else you might have to do, leaving more time for her.

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Oh yeah, can't forget a mixed CD of your favorite music to have sex to. I usually keep two mixes. One to make love to, and another for a straight up freaky sexfest. Depends on the lady and her mood.

Drop all of these items into a nice little back pack and toss it in your trunk, and you'll never be caught off guard.

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Sex Facts of the Year By: Richarh Aswanu

80% of women masturbate, and 80% of the women who do climax by clitoral stimulation rather than vaginally?

It takes a woman's engine about 20 minutes of foreplay to warm up, then another 20 reach it's peak? Be prepared to put in some work if you want to put a smile on her face.

30% of women who engage in oral sex...swallow?

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You burn about 200 calories during 30 minutes of vigorous sex?

The average woman can reach orgasm in about four minutes through masturbation, while through intercourse it can take 1020 minutes?

During sex black women are 50% more likely to reach orgasm than white women?

Half of single women have sex by the third date?

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A woman has a higher chance of climaxing if her vaginal walls are stimulated. It's not about the length all the time, it's the girth.

58% of couples who use porn are more confident in their sexuality and fulfilling their partners needs.

You can't say the word happiness without saying "Penis." Put some dick in your lady's life and she'll have a good day...

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UIMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sports Rewind By: Lonnie Hall

2014 was one heck of a year for the sports world. The Florida State Seminoles won the college national title. How is Alabama ranked #1 with a loss to Florida State, who is undefeated?

Jameison Winston's place in the draft is in question due to issues he had off the field in the past year.

The Seattle Seahawks shocked the world during a lopsided victory over the Denver Bronco's in the Super Bowl.

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The San Antonio Spurs clinched the NBA title.

The San Francisco Giants won another World Series.

Little league pitcher Mone' Davis stole our hearts and graced the cover of Sports Illustrated.

Jackie Robinson, an all black ball club from Chicago won the Little League World Series.

The Pacers hopes for a shot at the title this year was dashed as Paul George broke his leg in a practice game for team USA. 193

Student athletes want to get paid. Northwestern paved the way as they voted to unionize.

Peyton Manning surpassed Brett Farve's record for touchdown passes.

Cam Newton survives an ugly car accident and play football just one-week later.

The NFL receives a black eye after mishandling domestic violence. First Ray Rice and Janay Palmer, then Adrian Peterson was publicly persecuted for disciplining his son.

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Athletes step up against police brutality. 5 players for the Rams raise their arms in support of Michael Brown.

The Brown's Andrew Hawkins wears a T-shirt after 12 Tamir Rice was gunned down by the cops.

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In 1994 the East and West Coast were in the pre-stages of a war over control of the Hip-Hop charts. On the Left, Death Row Records was the face of gangsta rap and on the right, Bad Boy was leading the East Coast movement. Being the music connoisseur that I am, I was heavy into both. At any given moment, there could be a Dogg Pound or Az cassette bangin from my speakers.

confirm that I became an avid fan upon my first listen. "It's the thuggish ruggish Bone, it's the thuggish ruggish Bone." Their first single introduced a new the game to a new style some call speed rap that would soon be adapted by some of Hip-Hop's most recognizable artists. But what set them apart from the pack was the way they incorporated Harmony into their delivery. You had Bizzy, Flesh, Krayzie, Layzie and Wish. My first winter in New York was over and I was anxious to see what the next Together they were an ensemble that few seasons would bring forth. Where used their unique voices as instruments. the Knicks gonna win a NBA Champion- Think of them as a thugged out version ship? How many honeys was I going to of Boyz II Men. Bizzy was the soprano, pull? And of course, what albums were Layzie was the alto, Krayzie and Flesh were mid-tenors and Wish was bass. dropping? Needless to say the Knicks And if you really want to get techncal, lost to the Houston Rockets in the finals. However, I had a successful season with the ladies and arguably the hottest group during the late90 debuted with a classic EP. It was early spring and once again the ever reliable Rap City blessed me with its usual 3pm time slot. The setting was my man Brian Reilly's spot. (He still holds me down to this day. What up B?) Though my mind is sketchy concerning the actual events, I can 199

was the conductor! Signed to Eazy's Ruthless Records in 1993, Bone was in a great position to shine. Released in June, 1994; the Ep "Creepin on ah Come Up" peeked at #12 on the Billboard 200 album chart and #2 on the top R&B/Hip -Hop charts. Off the strength of "Thuggish Ruggish Bone" And "Foe tha Love of $", Bone became a mainstream success. Their beats were supplied by DJ Yella, Rhythm D, Kenny McCloud and DJ U-Neek who would create their signature sound for years to come. Easy-

E CONTINUED to mold the group by executive producing their material and teaching them the business side of the game. Still marinating in the success of their debut, tragedy struck. Easy-E died on March 26, 1995 from complications of AIDS. Though heartbreaking, Bone continued on and topped their previous sales and acclaim with "E.1999 Eternal. It included the singles "1st of tha Month" and "Tha Crossroads" which reached #1 on the Hot 100 and Hot Rap charts. E.1999 Eternal is

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the group's most commercially success- his lungs to the DJ. Everyone just froze and looked at him with disgust. That ful album to date. In fact, they won a was my first experience of the bias withGrammy for "Tha Crossroads" which was a tribute to their recently deceased in Hip-Hop, and music in a universal sense. friend and mentor, Easy-E. All the while, I continued to support During the summer of 95' at a party on Bone as they continued to drop hits. "The Hill", my man Brian shouted out, One of my favorites was "Notorious "Ayo kid, play some Bone" at the top of Thugs." The late great Biggie Small fea201

tured them no his last album, Life after Death. "It's Bone-n-Biggie Biggie/ It's Bone-nBiggie Biggie." That joint was Krayzie! In fact, Bone Thugs is the only group that has worked with deceased artist 2Pac, Big, Easy-E and Big Pun while they were still alive. In 1997, they released the double disc, The Art of War. Yet another solid album, the accusations from other artist that Bone had stolen their style, along with tensions from inside the group overshadowed the project. The absence of Bizzy from video's, tours and public appearances fueled rumors of a break-up. Like many groups throughout the history of music, it was a challenge to balance business, friend-

ship and creativity. Soon after, Flesh was convicted on weapons charges and was sentenced to 11 years in prison. It seemed as if the Skeleton was breaking its bones before it even had the chance to walk. Next came solo albums, then make-up albums and eventually the announcement of an album due for release in 2015. On July 15th, 2014, it revealed that Bone will only release one copy to be auctioned off with the bidding starting at $1 million. Also a 20 country tour is set to kick off this December and a reunion album titled E.1999 Legends is in the works. I'm anxious to see

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how these Cleveland pioneers do their thing this coming year. Any Hip-Hop head must give all due respect to their contribution. Before there was Kanye, Drake, Future, Ty Dolla $ and any other "rap singer", there was Bone. Whether the topic was celebrating or struggling with their higher power, Bone created an atmosphere with their sound unlike anything rap had ever heard before. And like the genius minds of Beethoven, Mozart, and Bach, their symphonies will be timeless for centuries to come. 203

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UIMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2014 Rap-Up By: Torrie Essex

If gossip is a drug , then the world is a fiend! Allow me to recap the year 2014

Taylor Swift, I see you, you're a certified pop star

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And every time we saw Justin Bieber he was in back of a cop car

Two cops got shot, that's not what's up Cause the block just got hotter and easier for the coppers to pop us.

One thing for sure, I'm still locked up So I got a lotta time to watch what's up

RIP to Mike B and Eric G And every person the police shot dead in the street

Kobe's back and King James left the heat Cleveland still loves him, his homecoming was sweet 206

Rose is still hurt and Melo was a mistake

Not to get off subject, but Diddy worth too much to be beefin with Drake

No disrespect to Drizzy, ya boy definitely gets busy/

And recruiting Durant to play for the Raptors/

Rappin & Singin, singin & rappin tryin to crash Nicki

And whassup with Hank Basket? 207

He needs his ass kicked, messin with a And I'm sorry, nut Michael Sam shoulda tranny when you got Kendra's petite waited to come out the closet fanny -Listen man, tell the truth, apoloAt least until he got that bank deposit gize and go back to your family I admire his courage and respect his decision

I hope her sons marry sisters who got kids by a black man in the system

Unlike Paula Deen cookin soul food and usin' the slur in her kitchen

Then cut off his visits and gets out and...nah, just kiddin'

But let's give a big congrats to Shonda Rhimes/ 3 shows in a row in one night Damn she's on the grind

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Like Lorde on the billboards "Pure Heroine" I'm going through withdrawals, I need to hear more

And don't let me start on the winter Olympics/ Communism is brutal, the whole thing was a gimmick

Hear about Lil Wayne? H signed with No Limit/ Gotcha! Ya'll believe everything you hear like radio be-

Speakin of Weezy, he ben beefin with Birdman But hey, that's just what I heard man

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Ye and Kim got hitched, then it was Khloe and French She's supposd to be back with Lamar, I heard nothin since G-G-G-G-G Unit is back as a group Bout time their new shit is just that, it needs to be

I can't believe I got this far without bringing up Bill Guess the proof is in the pudding, don't eat

On the real, we need to send Rodman to calm down Korea Then make Wendy Williams apologize for makin that wack ass Aaliyah 210

Who knew Mama June had a thing for Cho Mo's/ And Josh Gordon didn't know it was illegal to drive and blow dro

Lets get back to the basics, how amazing is Mone Davis? Paula left Robin, Clooney married Amal, Iggy blew up and Barbara Walters left the View in the fall

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The shit was ridiculous But that's life

The guy that sold the Clippers, c'mon you know the one who didn't like

RIP to Maya Angelou... Damn she was nice Last but not least, give it up for Urban Image We made a big leap and we're far from finished !

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Olivia Longott…In Her Own Words By. E.N.Joy

Olivia Longott entered the music scene as the First Lady of J Records. She made her mark as the First Lady of G-Unit. We know one thing for sure; Olivia is never second best. She was the industry’s top choice and the same remains for her fans today as they eagerly await what Olivia has in store for them…music wise and more. Author E. N. Joy sits down to talk with Olivia on her past, present and future projects.

E.N.Joy: Hi, Olivia. Thank you so much for agreeing to give us an interview. It’s

How did your interest in writing origi-

an honor to feature you on the cover

nate (songs and books)?

of Urban Image Magazine’s July 2014 issue. 214

Olivia: I first started writing poetry at

to understand the way I talk and feel like

about ten years old. My mom always

they can visually see everything I de-

wrote songs because she sang in the

scribe in my own words.

church choir and I guess it just got

E.N.Joy: Introduce us to the Olivia

passed down to me. I would turn my po- Longott readers will find in your book ems into songs when I first started song writing. My first poem got published in the book, Shadows and Light, when I was around sixteen/ seventeen years old, and I was inducted into the nation-

al Library of Congress. I still have the certificate somewhere. E.N.Joy: Most entertainers turn authors hire ghostwriters to pen their books

for them. You didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. Why is that? Olivia: I didn't want a ghostwriter because I am a born

Photographer :Al Rodriguez

hustler and I love to do the

Styling by : Pe'a Monique

work myself. I want people

Dresses Custom made by Sandros Masmanidi 215

verses the one theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen on television and on stage: Olivia: I assure you that what you read in my book will definitely shock a lot of people. I am a private person and a quiet person to those I do not know. So for readers who assume that it will be a snooze fest...boy are they in for a surprise. E.N.Joy: Why did you choose to write this book now? Olivia: I actually started to pen a little bit of this book about two years ago. Tony Gaskins Jr. and I talked about how dope it would be for me to let people into my world. Everyone swore they knew the "real me" just from watching Love and Hip Hop. I am the furthest

thing from how that show portrayed me. The only true thing is that I am a confident person. E.N.Joy: What do you want readers to understand about you and your journey after reading your book? 216

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Olivia: I just want readers to understand that everything isn't really what it seems. Stop taking these blogs and papers for face value and listen to what the artist/person truly has to say for themselves. E.N.Joy: What are your goals as a writer? Do you plan on penning other books? If so, fiction, non-fiction, childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, etcâ&#x20AC;Ś? Olivia: I plan on writing more books, especially children's books. I do not have a preference; I just want to write and inspire. E.N.Joy: We know that you added acting to your repertoire. Run that resume down for us: Olivia: Ah my acting coach, Tracey Moore, has been amazing with helping me build my craft. I am an entertainer period. I have done three movies to date and just landed myself a very huge role on a new series called "The Family Business." Every day I study scripts and send out audition tapes. I aspire to be great at anything I put my mind to. E.N.Joy: What can we expect to see/read from you during the next stage of your career? Olivia: I don't like to answer the question when 218

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people ask, ‘What do you expect to see

Olivia: As you know my first book will

from yourself in the future?’. I do not

be dropping June 24, 2014 called Re-

know what the future holds for me, but I lease me. I am so proud of myself. I am do know I better have on my sunglasses also working on perfecting my album so and scarf because it’s going to be a

I can give the public what they have

bright and windy future! You never

been waiting on from me. There will be

know which way the wind is going to

plenty more things to come from me. I

blow.

would rather show you than tell you.

E.N.Joy: Share your latest news and

E.N.Joy: Now you know this is the

upcoming projects:

world of social media and Internet. Where can your fans find you online?

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Olivia: My social media pages are as follows: Instagram is : @only1olivia Twitter is: @1andonlyolivia Facebook fan page is: Olivia Worldwide

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E.N.Joy: Thank you, Olivia, for sharing with Urban Image Magazine. It has truly been an honor and we wish you much success on all your future endeavors!

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;QUICK & DEADLYâ&#x20AC;? By Larrod Evans

As far back as I can remember, I've always been a fast runner. From grade school until the present, I be smashin out. However during the early summer of 1996, I had a change of speed when my family and I relocated to Sounthern Indiana. No doubt, it was a far cry from the East Coast...And Pacer Country? (Go Knicks!) But, I adapted just as smoothly as my previous moves. My first "Midwest culture clash" took place in taco bell. The young lady taking my order smiled and said, "Sir, could you please repeat your order but this time slow down a bit!" Hip 'Hop was still Hip-Hop and surprisingly, I soon befriended some real Hip-Hop heads! My man Dax had the hottest records, old and new.

Before

long, I was in full "Midwest swing" (Minus the creased jeans) and en- in my barber's chair when I heard, "Do joying my new home. At the time, Nas

you wanna ride/ in the backseat of my

dropped a classic, Outcast was hot and

Caddy/ And chop it up with Do or Die?"

Master P was screamin Uhh. Jay made a You know the rest, "P-I-M-P- ology/ but strong entrance and all the while, Chica- logically be learnin these hoes biology/ go was brewing with talent ready to hit

and obviously well." Yo, that day I was

the mainstream. It was mid-fall and I was real close to bringing the bald fade back 224

because I couldn't quit noddin my head! echelon! He was lyrical. His flow was No disrespect to Do or Die, but what re- raw, but crisp. And, the Legendary Traxally caught my attention was Twista's

sters style of production blended nicely

now famous entry into the game. No

like my fade. after appearing on that hit

stranger to "speed rap" compliments of

single, it led to a CWAL label deal with

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. But, this un-

Atlantic Records which released Adrena-

known MC at the time took it to another line Rush in the spring of 1997. It peaked 225

at #77 on the Billboard Hot 200. and generated

such as, "Emotions," "Adrenaline Rush" and "Get it Wet" which peaked at #96 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. Even though Twista spit at light speed, it wasn't an album that forced you to fly through. In an odd way, it literally made you wanna relax...and slow down. It was one of them albums where you jumped on the highway fired

up an L, and smoked from the beginning to the end. He also had some joints your lady could appreciate too. "Get it Wet" was the perfect song for those late night rendezvous. In fact, Twista is now known for them baby makin hits. "Slow Jamz," "Wetter," and "Make a Movie" featuring Chris Brown are just a few of the many. Despite his undeniable skills and influence, it wasn't until 2004's Kamikaze that his career ultimately took off. On the strength of the hits "Overnight Celebrity" and the #1 single, "Slow Jamz" Kamikaze reached platinum status. Since then, Twista has dropped some solid material that loyal fans can appreciate.

As of 2013, He's working on his

ninth studio album entitled the Dark Horse. Also, rumors of signing with Kanye West's Good Music label have been denied by the speed demon himself. In a world where it seems as if everything is getting faster and faster, it would only seem right that Twista's energetic form of art would be the perfect storm to wet our appetites. 226

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by the name of Scarface. During this pivotal time, I moved from California to Richmond, Virginia with my father. Often, I would link up with my first cousins Javanti and CB in nearby Norfolk. Javanti was the oldest of the bunch so we looked up to him. Javanti was a straight up knucklehead, but so was I to say the least. Being fresh of the West Coast, I was heavy into NWA, Too-Short and Spice-1. Used, Damage, and rayon shirts was the "it" gear and Boyz-n-da-hood was the "it" movie.

One night while Javanti was preparing for a date He put a tape in the boom box. (Remember, it's 1991). "Check this out cuz, you ain't never heard a muh'fucka like this before." Me, being an aficionado of hip-hop, I thought "Yeah right" because I would've known about whoever he was referring to. Then, came "Mr. Mr. Scarface was walking down the block/ out jumps the fiends and steals all his rocks/ pulls out a gun and shoots down all the fiends/ and Mr. Mr. Scarface walks down the block again" After that came a devious chuckle followed by a sample of

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In 1989, he released the single, "Another Head Put to Rest." which landed him a deal on J. Prince's Rap-ALot Records. He soon replaced a member of the Geto Boys who we know as Scarface, Bushwick Bill and Willie D. Their Album, "Grip It On That Other Level" (1989) was highly successful in spite of their violent lyrics that kept them of MTV and the radio. It was no question that Scarface was the star of the group. Willie D and Bushwick Bill held their own, but Face was a great in the making. Chilling, haunting and spine -tingling are three adjectives that best define his music. Peep the way he describes a man dying on the classic, "I Seen a Man Die." off of his third album "The Diary". "I hear yo breathin but your heart no longer sounds

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strong/ but you kind of scared of dying so you hold on/ and you keep blacking out cuz the post is near/ Stop trying to fight the reaper, just relax and let it go." Whew! Thought face was hardcore in the purest form, he also gave me a preacher's like vibe. A common theme of his music was a man struggling with himself and God. "Day by day it's more impossible to cope/ I feel like I'm the one that's doin dope/ can't keep a steady hand because I'm nervous/ every Sunday morning I'm in service."Aside from his subject matter and aura, he had the look and delivery of a preacher too. From his suit, to his top hat he looked as if he was ready to preach a sermon at any time. Soon after his debut solo album, Mr. Scarface is back, he and the Geto boys

parted ways. Throughout his career, they collaborated here and there but nothing in comparison to the groups earlier gems. Scarface continued to drop classic albums; from the "The Diary" (1994), "The Untouchable" (1997), The Last of a Dying Breed (2000), and "The Fix" (2002). In fact, in 2001 he won "Lyricist of the year" at the Source Awards. I'm sure many Face fans will agree that the honor was long overdue. In addition to a solid career as a rapper, he has been the president of Def Jam South since 2000. His experience in the game helped nurture the career of Ludacris who became the labels biggest selling artist to date. As of late, Scarface is in the studio on a brand new album scheduled for a holiday release. As I look back, I can't ever remember him dropping a wack album. He was never in the headlines and always had a "Boss-like" vibe about himself. Scarface's O.G. persona resonated throughout the entire industry. From the artist, all the way up the ladder to the music execs, he is well respected. He was the epitome of hardcore, authentic gangsta rap. Years later his thick baritone voice is still felt in hoods across America. If you spark a conversation about southern rap without mentioning Houston's finest representative, you're "Mind's Playin Tricks on You" 234

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It Ain't Hard to Tell By: Larrod Evans

Every now and then, a new artist enters the game giving us gasping Hip-Hop heads CPR. Picture yourself in your whip station surfing while shaking your heads in disgust towards the typical watered down Hip-Hop that plagues our musical outlets. Then bam, it hits you! A breath of fresh air in the form of a song that makes you confess; "Yeah, he's the truth." The current generation has its J. Cole, Lil Wayne, Drake, Kendrick Lamar and a few others, but in 1993, my dose was Nas. My man Loushen (AKA "DJ LouieLou") started one snowy school day in November by hyping up this unknown MC named Nas; "Yo, you think BIG is nice, wait til you hear this kid...and he's killin them Wu cats!" Now Lou was a known weed head, but that day we thought he was drunk, dusted, coked up or all

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the above! Nicer than the Wu? C'mon. Lou was always doing this to us. He always had his hands on the hottest new records. But truth be told, he usually was right. So, here we are dreading the school day in anticipation of this dude named Nas who was supposedly the savior to Hip-Hop. Boom, 2:45 hit and it was on. We got to Lou's spot in a flash and the L's were lit quicker than usual. At the time, we didn't know that he had the whole album. But when we heard; "Straight from the dungeons of rap where fake niggas don't make it back..." coupled with Premo's ill piano loop we bugged. We would've played "New York State of mind" until the sunset. "I'm like Scarface sniffin cocaine holdin the M16/ see with the pen I'm extreme." It's like you could literally see everything Nas spit. Before the joint ended, I honestly had to agree with Lou. He just took you on a trip with his wordplay. Through the smoke I could see that everybody in that small cramped room was in the same place.

Shan and the legendary Juice Crew. Nas was more than ready to walk in his hoods footsteps. Three years earlier, the underground took notice of a cocky teenager spittin controversial bars on Main Source's "Live at the BBQ." Soon after, the streets were craving an album which led to Nas being signed to MC Serch's searchlight publishing in hopes of landing a record deal. In the process, Nas was met with much criticism from some of the industries heavyweights concerning his commercial appeal. He was being compared to Kool G Rap (ironically a queens bridge native), but the skepticism only fueled his passion.

A short time later, Sony Music A&R Faith Newman-Orbach signed Nas to Columbia records and the table was set. Columbia assembled some of New York's dopest beat makers such as; Pete Rock, Large Professor, DJ Premiere and L.E.S. to provide the backdrop to the instant classic Illmatic. Every joint on there was like a clip from a movie. You could smell The son of Olu-Dara, Nas was wise be- the blunt smoke, hear the gunfire and feel the concrete beneath the scuffed yond his years as a kid outta the Queensbridge projects which is home to up timbs on Nas' feet. many greats such as; Marly Marl, MC My crew and I could relate to Illmatic 240

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because we talked, walked and looked like Nas. We rocked fatigues, Guess and Columbia Ski Jackets too. We were still teenagers and could trade war stories as fluidy as a Vietnam vet. Nas' ten song debut was a reflection of our wild lifestyle. From "The World is Yours", to "Halftime", to my favorite cut on the album, "Life's a Bitch"; Nas set a new standard for lyricism. "My mic check is life or death, breathin a snipers breath/ I exhale the yellow smoke of buddha through righteous steps." However the critics were right, but only in a sense. Illmatic didn't appeal to the masses and only sold a mere 330,000 copies. Back

then, a gold album (5000,000 copies) was equivalent to going platinum in today's market. Still, it didn't matter; Nas was exhalted and hailed as a Messiahlike figure destined to save Hip-Hop. In a way he did...in New York at least. Throughout the history of Hip-Hop, each coast has depended on its own artists to carry the weight and Nas was destined to be a major contributor to New York's rich history of spitters. Two years later in 1996, Nas released the controversial and highly criticized, "It Was Written." The bulk of the back 242

lash derived from the album's subject matter and it was speculated Nas adopted a persona to boost album sales. Gators, fly suits, cocaine talk and mafia references were a far cry from the socially conscious street disciple that fans raved about on Illmatic. It didn't help matters none that he was in ca-

the life of a gun) took concept writing to new heights, while "Black Girl Lost" shed light on what our sisters face on a daily basis. To this day I'm still torn between which album is my favorite; "Illmatic" or "It was Written." In my personal opinion, it seems as if the critics just wanted something to talk

hoots with Dr. Dre in the midst of the infamous East Coast/West Coast beef. Countless questions arose out of this project that set the tone for a controversial, yet successful career.

about and Nas further fueled the controversy when he signed with Dr. Dre's Aftermath label. After the release of The Firm's album, an extensive beef with Cormega, and a successful appearance in Belly which he co-wrote with I didn't listen to the critics. The album Hype Williams, word on the streets was; was amazing to say the least. "If I Ruled "Nas is falling off." the World" featuring Lauryn Hill jumped the summer off, it was crazy! This alI, myself kept rooting for him at a time bum showed the versatility of his artist- when it seemed like nobody else was. I ry. "I Gave You Power" (a tale narrating 243

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copped "Nastradamus" and "QB's Finest." And when he made his so-called comeback in 2001 with "Stillmatic" in the midst of the Jay-Z beef, I was on the frontline. The highly publicized feud was won by Nas and catapulted him once again to the forefront of Hip-Hop. "Ether", the greatest battle record of all time solidified his skills and quieted the doubtful whispers. He used the momentum of his victory over Jay-Z to reclaim his title as "King of New York." Now, here we are in 2014 and it seems like it was just yesterday when I first heard this legendary MC. I can still see the faces of astonishment in that jam packed, smoked filled listening session years ago. Throughout my 35 years here on this earth, I've heard alot of music. Through all the records, tapes, CD's and downloads, I still put Nas above the rest. From his storytelling, to the concepts like "Rewind" and "Book of Rhymes", to his laid back, yet subtly commanding approach, he has the whole package. No matter who you put in the top 5, Nas' name must be included - it's a no brainer. Compare his catalog and influence with any MC on your list, then you'll see why..."Nas' raps should be locked in a cell/ it ain't hard to tell." 245

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Catchin Up with H-Town By: Richarh Aswanu

Hey y'all, I go back, you here me? Every time I hear that grindin, whinin -like sound accompanied by the seductive melodies of those bells, I flash back to the summer of 93. I remember the intoxicating combination of Little Sid's, malt liquor and some of the most erotic sex I've ever experienced. I was just coming into my manhood and I had a chick that absolutely blew my mind! "Knockin the Boots" pumped through the 6x9s in my Riviera as we made love on the hood of the car while the rain was pouring down. Then fast forward to 96 and HTown's remake of the Persuaders classic "Thin Line Between Love and Hate" got me through a traumatic break up with a fatal attraction. The 90's era of music will always spark fond memories. That was the period when I transitioned from my teens into adulthood. So without further introduction I am honored to bring y'all one of the hottest groups that provided the soundtrack for that period of my life, H-Town... Richarh: What's goin on fellas, how ya'll doin' today? GI: Great blessed to still be doin what we love which is music. Shazam: We doin fine, just keeping our heads up, and stayin positive and making new music. 260

R: Ok, off the rip. Our Facebook friend, No Nonsense wants to know, "Where have ya'll been?" GI: Flying under the radar still touring here in the states and overseas. S: Actually we've been doin alot of touring, we had our latest single out with Jodeci. Constantly touring all over the world. R: From what I understand, ya'll are longtime friends. What made ya'll decide to take music seriously and form H-Town? GI: We grew up in the same projects and had a favorite thing in common which is the love of music. From there we were all in the school band and the singing and rapping in the hallways and at lunch times. Doin talent shows and goin on auditions for producers and managers lookin for local talent.

S: This something we knew we wanted to do from the age 5. We all came from a musical back ground and knew each other because we all came from the same complex. So we decided to form a group and call it H-Town. 261

R: I understand that ya'll are from Houston and the group's name was adopted from your home town. What made ya'll choose to strap H-Town on your backs and run with it?

wanted to put our city on the map and let everyone know that Houston Texas had some real talent so we decided to take the nickGI: We wanted to rep our city to name H-Town to put our city on fullest and let it be known where the map. we came from. What better way R: For real, do ya'll realize, do ya'll ever to do that than to name ourjust kick back and think about the effects selves after our hometown Houyour music has had on millions of peoston. "H-Town" ple? S: Basically we are the reason GI: Not really even thou we've why the call the city H-Town. We been in the music biz for 21yrs 262

now. But it comes to mind when we see the love the fans give us on stage in every city. I guess that's just the humble side in us. S: Alot of times our fans let us know how much they appreciate our music. Alot of people say they made alot of babies off our music. I just feel honored to be able to put music to the world that people still love to this day. R: I just want to personally tell ya'll, "Thanks."

ya'll helped me get? For real, I didn't have to hardly out any work in. "Lick you up" would come on and my girl would get HOT! GI: Thank you. Lol Appreciate the love I don't think we knew what we were doin at the time but trying to make good music. We're glad everyone approves and are still taking this music ride with us. Thank ya'll!! S: Well, you welcome. R: Let's switch gears up a little bit. Alot of fans want to know about the effect

Do ya'll understand how much lovin 263

Dino's passing had on the group. On behalf of your fans, and myself; condolences, we all feel his death was very unfortunate and untimely. I mean, ya'll just came off of 3 successful albums. How did ya'll pull through it? GI: Yes at times it still feels unreal to me like I'm stuck in a dream. But I know it's a reality that he's no longer here. I was in denial for almost 2 yrs after his passing. It was like dreaming and reliving the good times we shared on stage and waking up over and over again realizing he's not here anymore. But we knew we couldn't let our legacy die and had to keep it alive in his memory and for the fans. Every show we've done a tribute to him for the past 10yrs makin sure he's not forgotten.

S: Losing Dino really did effect our group alot. It took me and GI two years to really start back singing because we were confused about if we wanted to continue. It was a great loss for us. We had to take 2 1/2 years off to get our mental state back to performing again. But we appreciate our friends for showing us love and writing us and emailing us and telling us to keep our heads up. R: One of our Facebook fans, Jerrona Campbell wants to know; why did ya'll choose to keep making music after Dino passed? GI: We hesitated for a minute to get back up but what spark the fire in us to keep it goin was the fans. I set up Myspace, Facebook and twitter accounts for the group. And just seeing how

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fast people were liking and fol- S: We just decided to keep it two. lowing and leaving us messages We asked our fans and they really of encouragement wanting more didn't want to see anybody else in H-Town. That gave us the that spot so we decided to keep it strength to pull it back together two. We still got our sound. We and give some more H-Town. still get the same response so we S: The fans really encouraged us decided to just keep it us two. to keep goin and they really still R: The fans miss him, and I know ya'll wanted to miss him. hear from me What's one of and GI so we those feel good mojust kept it ments that goin. puts a smile R: Was the decion ya'lls face sion to keep Hevery time Town original you think with just the about it? founding memS: When bers an unspoken understanding, or was it something we won our Soul Train award. the two of you had to discuss and put That was a great moment and a alot of thought into? great accomplishment for us. GI: Yes we decided to keep it R: Fame, money, creative differences just the 2.We even put out a and many other factors tear groups apart. post asking the fans if they The fact that you two are still making thought we should add a new music together speaks volumes of your member in Dino's place.95% of character. After all these years as friends the response was no. and bandmates, how have ya'll kept eve265

best songs were created with everyone bringing a different idea to the table. At times yes we do clash but that comes with the territory of wanting to bring out the best in each other. S: General respect...we respect each other in what we do. At the end of the day we know no matter what we do outside of H-Town we are always still gonna be H -Town. R: How do ya'll feel about R&B today? Personally I don't like too much of it. It confuses the rything tight between ya'll? hell out of me. As I've said before, I GI: Our love for music, each don't know whether to grab my girl of other and for the brand that grab my gun. I don't know if they're gowe've created are the common ing to rap or if they're going to sing. I denominators. If we were in it love the way R&B artist and rappers collaborate. But some of these acts can't just for the money we would have broken up a long time ago. make up their minds if they want to be in As far as creative differences we the bedroom or be in the streets. I understand some artist sing about what they all have those. That's how our 266

go through. Matter of fact, August Alsina makes good music. I'm diggin that. But, back in the 90's it was simple. Love and sex, that's it. Have the drinks chillin' and get ready to make love to your woman. I miss baby makin music, as my uncle called it. What do ya'll think about the direction R&B has taken? GI: I agree I'm feelin August Alsina as well. He's created his own lane and theirs nobody in his way. We need a hundred more like him to get in their own lane and bring something different and unique. I do hear

them tryin to bring it back to real content in songs a little bit. S: I guess it's the new generation but I think they need to bring real R&B back and that it's enough room for all of us. I think in alot of R&B they really don't have

anything to talk about anymore. All they do is talk about "Poppin Bottles" and stuff like that. I think that in the concept and content of the songs they aren't really talkin

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about alot today. Back in the 90's we talked about more of the stuff that was real R&B. I feel like the state of R&B is a little watered down. R: With all due respect to Motown and what was laid down before us. I believe the 90's was the best era for R&B, hands down. Do ya'll think the soul of 90s R&B will ever be restored? GI: The industry will not allow it to do a complete 360 back to real music and singing. The political side is playin a major part in preventing that from happening. So until they fix the BS that's goin on at the top with the C.E.O's, presidents and owners at major labels, radio, internet and TV, we're goin to continue to see a downward spiral in quality music today. S: I think it's gonna come back

Jagged Edge and Jodeci everybody's working on new material. So I think it will eventually come back with all of us dropping new

music back into the market.

R: A'ight fellas, one last question. I can't let ya'll go without asking. Our readers ready to drop a new single and will be upset with me. Miko Minaj from put "Baby Makin" music back into our Facebook page wants to know; When are ya'll droppin'? the market. Groups like ourselves around again. We are getting

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gonna drop two single before we drop our album. So you'll have two new single out from H-Town this year. R: Hey ya'll thanks for the interview. It has been an honor and a pleasure. Is there anything else ya'll would like to say? GI: Just want everyone to know that we are on social media.. Facebook: Htown4ever , Twitter & IG Htown4life ,Official website htown4ever.com and get ready for our new music and make sure to request it on your radio station over and over. We appreciate all of you from staying and takin this music ride with us for 21yrs now.

GI: Soon we're trying to pick a single right now. So get ready for some new H-Town music this S: We just want to tell all our fans year. S: We have a new single that get- we love them and thank them for

ting ready to come out. It's called all their support and to make sure "Green Light". We'll actually be dropping it in a month in

they down load our new single "Green Light" when it comes out and to support our new album

a half. And our album called "Child Support" will be out next

"Child Support" when it comes out.

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Richarh: Hey, how are you ladies doing today? Sarah: Doing Great Keisha: Great Zebrina: Wonderful R: For those who have never heard your music, how would you describe GC3's sound? Sarah: I believe our sound is a combination of urban and contemporary gospel

music. We have tracks on our cd that can be heard at the height of a church service as well as tracks that you blast on your way to the mall with your friends, windows down and head bobbing. R Musically, who are y’all’s biggest influences? Sarah: I’m a lover of Fred Hammond and all things acapella. 284

and Casting Crowns.

R:Are you guys signed to a major label or are you independent? Sarah: We are currently independent. R:What's it like, in the Gospel music industry? Sarah: It’s a blessing. There are ups and downs of course, but as my mom says anytime people want to hear you it’s an honor. We get to share with people our testimonies, hearts and talents. And on top of that, meet other talented people that inspire and uplift us! R:You usually hear a down home, churchy feel in most Gospel music. Other artists infuse Hip-Hop, R&B or Pop into their sound. What influenced the acoustic approach on "Whatever it Takes?" Zebrina: When I was about 12 years old, I was flipping through the radio stations on the FM side, I landed on a station that was playing a song that said, “People get ready, Jesus is coming, Soon we’ll be going home….”. I later found that this song was by Crystal Lewis. I kept listenKeisha: Wow, there are so many differ- ing and became captured by this style of ent people that inspire me... So I’ll try to worship music that I had been unfamiliar with up to that point. I didn’t take up narrow it down to my top 3, which are Kim Burrell, Tye Tribbett, and Michael guitar until lightyears later but when I did, God began to give me songs that W. Smith. sort of merge all of the music styles that Zebrina: I’m really into CCM make up Zebrina. “Whatever It Takes” (Contemporary Christian Music). Have is one of the first that God gave me. been since I was a youngster. I love Israel Houghton, Chris Tomlin, Laura Story R:Who's responsible for your sound? 285

Does Zebrina do most of the production or do GC3 work with other composers? Zebrina: God’s Chosen’s sound comes from all three of us. I am so happy just to be able to say that each of us wrote all of the songs on our latest album “1&6”. It is such a blessing to be able to share our individual testimonies collectively through the songs that we write. And of course, production plays a huge role in getting that sound that you dreamed of the first time that you as a writer heard your own song in your head. So needless to say, the creative geniuses, Levi “Too” King (MeTooMusic) and H. Doobie Powell (Chip Off the Block Productions) both did an excellent job of pulling out that perfect sound from us on the production side. R:When there's more than one person involved in a project a difference in opinion usually come into play. Creatively how do you ladies decide 286

which direction to take?

pray. Believe it or not, creatively we are Zebrina: We fight and the last girl stand- almost always on the same page. When ing gets to decide. LOL. Just kidding. In we are not, because we are such easygoing ladies any area where there is a serious disagreement, we pause for a moment and

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on many levels, the one who feels most passionate about something is usually able to convince the other 2, so it all works out. R:Your fans are on the edge of their seats anticipating your sophomore release 1&6. What's the inspiration and meaning behind the title? Sarah: 1&6 refers to Philippians 1:6 which basically says God will finish anything and everything he starts. There is no promise that He will not fulfill. No word that God gives will ever be counted as a lie. This is the scripture we used in between our first and second album. It kept us motivated. We knew God called us to more ministry and so this album was the completion of that calling. R:It's been said that this album defines your sound as a group. What can GC3's

fans expect to hear on your upcoming project? Kiesha: You will hear a range of sounds from CCM worship, to traditional foot stomping/hand clapping gospel, to Urban grooves, to Tri-toned harmony acapella. LOL But the most consistent sound will be our heart for God. The message of how His love is faithful, will never change. R:When will it be released? Sarah: It was released on iTunes, Amazon, our website (gc3music.com) on Monday, December 23, 2013. GO GET IT! R:I understand that it is GC3's mission to encourage believers to worship God no matter their circumstances. Everyone who says they believe will be tested. So I

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encountered any situations where it was difficult to hold onto your faith? Sarah: Yes. This is where the songs are birthed. Out of pain and difficulty we realize God is still God. We cry. We pray. We worship. Then we write. Keisha: Yes! BUT GOD!! Jeremiah 29:11 reminds me that I’m on the winning side. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Zebrina: Absolutely. I am facing a “Whatever It Takes” slash “Yet I Will” moment in my life right now. I call them “Whatever It Takes” slash “Yet I Will” moments instead of trials and tribulations because it helps take the guess work out of what my response is going to be. The name change reminds me that my response is PRAISE because even this will

work out for my good that God might be glorified. (Rom 8:28) I believe that is the reason God gave us these songs and this message to share. R: Has singing Gospel music enabled y’all to grow spiritually? Keisha: Yes, it has! Especially since we believe in the God that we sing about. R:What kind of impact do you feel Gospel music has had on spreading God's word? Keisha: It has a huge impact on spreading the word of God! Gospel music softens the hearts of the “un-churched”, which are those who don’t attend Sunday morning service, bible study, or any other service that explains the word of God. The beat, the melody, and the words mixed together breaks thru the barriers. I have a respect for all styles of gospel mu-

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sic such as gospel rap, urban contemporary, Christian contemporary, Christian rock, and etc. These styles open up the ears of people who may not be open to the traditional sound, and yet the message is still the same. R: How do you apply the Gospel to your everyday life? Keisha: We make sure that wherever we go we are a representation of Christ. This means that our actions, conversation, and attitude line up with the word of God. No, we are NOT perfect, but we strive for excellency. There’s a saying, “The world doesn't read the bible, they read Christians.” We never want to be a misrepresentation or a hindrance to anyone from receiving Christ. This is the very reason we started the “Walk the Talk” movement, which encourages people to live the life they proclaim. Its easy to do

things like go to church or learn scriptures by heart, because its done out of religion. But when you have a relationship with God, believe in his word, and have a desire to please him, it shows in your everyday life. R: Do you ladies still sing in your church choirs at home? Sarah: YES. Every Sunday. R:Sometimes do ya'll go to church and worship together? Sarah: Yes! Me and Brina attend my dad’s church and so we sing together at church all the time. But we often go to Keisha's church and sing for their special programs and anniversaries. Always a great time! R:Do you guys rely on God as the common thread between you all to keep you together and on one accord?

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Zebrina: Yes. I often say, God put this group together and because HE put us together, it has been HIM keeping us together all this time. I can speak for all of us when I say, the glory belongs to GOD alone that we are still together and going strong. We were friends first which comes in handy, but God is definitely the center of this union. All things are possible in HIM. R: In this issue we're discussing the growing murder rate in Midwestern cities. And ya'll are from St. Louis, how are things in your community? Zebrina: When you live in a city, and your surrounding area (home, church, work) doesn’t seem all that unsafe, you wonder what people are talking about when they say that your city is among the highest for violent crimes and murder for

the entire country. I tend to fit into that category. With that being said, there are certain pockets of Saint Louis that I wouldn’t drive through or hangout in, especially at night. It seems to me that every city has parts of town like that though. Fortunately, those areas do not make up the entire city. We (GC3) all live near one another in an area that is not known for crime. Plus we have God’s protection, so we don’t walk around our city in fear of being a victim of crime. R:60% of the violent crimes are committed by offenders between the age of 1725. Do you think a decreasing emphasis on church in our families is to blame for our young ones acting out so much? Sarah: The decreasing emphasis on church is a huge part of youth rebellion.

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Church sets a standard. It is a way to sharpen our conscience and when this is neglected we are left to be our own judge. As the proverb says, every man does what is right in His own eyes, but God is the judge of the heart. Without submitting to God we become lawless and do whatever we feel in the moment. This MUST change if there is any hope for our future. R:What are some of the things that GC3 does do to reach out to the youth in your communities? Keisha: All 3 of us serve as mentors for young girls in our churches. We have participated in Larry Rice’s “A Night with the Homeless”, where we sing and minister on the streets of St. Louis, as well as youth conventions, revivals, conferences etc. We have found that most of

our fan-base consists of youth between the ages of 17-30, so our ministry naturally caters to the issues and hearts of this demographic. R: Well ladies, thanks so much for your time. Is there anything you all would like to say before you go? GC3: Please go to our website and find us on social media. www.gc3music.com username: gc3music on facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. For booking call 314995-2677. We love to connect with other believers and even those who are still trying to find their way. Our mission is to “Walk the Talk” and be the change we want to see. According to II Corinthians 5:17, we are new creatures in Him and have no greater hope than to walk in the newness of life in Christ! Thank you for interviewing us, it was a pleasure!

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TODRICK HALL: IF YOU DON'T KNOW HIM, ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE YOU by: Deszion A. Nasir

Do you remember this guy?

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Yeah, that's the guy who sang his order in McDonald's drive thru and started a whole wave of people followed suit. That was back in 2010, and that, my friends, was a relatively unknown Todrick Hall. Now, in 2014, Hall is known for his flashmobs, wildly creative videos, and is a much soght-after genius that has been named in Forbes top 30 Under 30 list. This is the video that sent him viral, not, believe it or not, his stint on American Idol. Let's backtrack a bit... Todrick Hall was born on a farm in Plainview, Texas, and raised by a single mother. Today he lives in a 4bedroom house in the Hollywood Hills

with a trainer/chef, an assistant and a full-time photographer. He has a pink dog and murals of his favorite movie, The Wizard of Oz, painted on the walls. But chances are, if you’re over a certain age, you’ve never heard of Hall. That’s because he’s built his fame, and a quickly growing fortune, on YouTube. Hall creates elaborate mini musicals based on fairy tales but with modern tunes. One of his most popular videos (4.9 million views) is The Wizard of Ahhs, a six-minute version of the classic story of Dorothy — if it had been made by the producers of Glee.

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Then thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the Virgin America safety video which has become a massive viral hit. Featuring contestants from So You Think You Can Dance, the video turns the boring old airline safety talk into a Broadway-style musical number. Hall not only wrote the song but Virgin tapped him to star in the video.

The latest feather in his cap: Beyonce. Hall helped choreograph the video for Blow off of the starâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recent all-video album.

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Hall is a new kind of star. Instead of waiting for Hollywood to discover him through traditional venues, like movie auditions or playing in clubs, he has paved his own way. For years he spent every dime he earned to produce more elaborate videos that highlighted his unique vision and skills. He remembers creating a viral hit called Beauty and the Beat, only to have his car repossessed the next day. Now Hall is repped by Justin Bieber’s manager, Scooter Braun and Hollywood talent agency UTA, and he’s well on his way to serious fame and money. He’s creating videos for Marlon Wayans’ new website, What The Funny, and pitching a movie around town. Braun believes the

sky is the limit for Hall. “We didn’t reach out Beyonce, she reached out to us,” says Braun. “She saw this creative force and wanted to tap into it. I think he’s one of the most creative people I’ve ever met.” “I want to EGOT,” says Hall, hair dyed blue and wearing a colorful long sleeved -shirt featuring what can only be described as a cosmic cat. (To EGOT is to win an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony.) “It’s so cool that I don’t have to prove myself anymore.” Hall’s first shot of fame was down what now seems like an old fashioned road: American

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Idol. He wrote an original song for his audition (something almost no one does) and made it to the semi-finals in 2010 before being voted off. But Idol fame quickly wore off. No agents came calling. “Everyone on those shows wishes they could go back. There were so many things I would have done differently,” says Hall. “But getting eliminated from that show was probably the best thing that ever happened to me.” Hall headed back to Texas where one day, on a whim, he wrote a song about

how much he loves McDonalds. A video of Hall singing the order at of drivethrough window went viral. Hall had found his medium. Hall started making more corporatethemed videos, including one where he sings a Starbucks order and a flash mob at Wal-Mart. Any money he earned he plowed right back into the next video project. Nearly broke, Hall decided to put his all into a sort of urban spoof on Beauty and the Beast called Beauty and the Beat. The five-minute musical number features a white Belle navigating life in the urban ‘hood. 300

Because the video had the same name as Justin Bieber song that was about to drop, Hall caught the attention of Braun. He quickly signed Hall and changed his life. Hall now estimates he has earned $500,000 just since singing with Braun. In addition to the money he made with the Virgin video, Hall earns big from his deal with Wayans. He happily endorses products from up and coming brands like Ginge London and OnePiece from Norway. His fans snap up his Toddy Tees. Hall says that no matter how big he gets, he suspects heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll 301

keep making YouTube videos, though maybe not quite as many. “I will always come back to YouTube because that’s where I started,” says Hall during an interview at UTA headquarters in Los Angeles. “YouTube is the only reason I’m sitting in this room talking to you.” Todrick's video Disney Dudez stays in heavy rotation in my house, and I've noticed he has a heavy adult fan base on FB as well. He's come a long way from singing fast food orders. This guy is def one to watch.

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Nicky Parrish: Southern Star on the Rise By: Richarh Aswanu BET has been playing the commercials and re -runs of last season's Apollo as the new one is beginning. And ya'll have seen her. She had on the turquoise dress with her hair swooped down in the front, short on the sides and blonde in the back! At first, when I heard her begin Whitney Houston's version of "I Will Always Love You," I was nervous. That's not easy for anyone except the late superstar herself to accomplish. But soon as the sister hit them notes? I literally had goose bumps on the back of my neck. She has the voice of an angel from heaven up above, and I just had to talk to her. I went straight to the phone and had Denetra reach out for an interview. She was so gracious to accept. Ladies and gentlemen, please allow me to introduce you to Nicky Parish...

Richarh: Hey Lady how have you been? Nicky: All is well in the life of Nicky Parrish I must say, I have no complaints. My family is doing well, careers is flourishing and I am in good health so what else can I say?

Richarh: We hear you’ve been working on an album, please tell us about it, and what influenced the title? Describe some of the songs on there.

Nicky: I haven’t come up with a title for the cd just yet, I am taking a different approach Richarh: So, what have you been up to since than I did with my first album. On this one, I your appearances on the Apollo last season? am waiting until the project is completed beNicky: I am currently working on my second fore I name it but basically this album is an album for everyone meaning that no matter studio album, while still performing live throughout the city, state and other states. I the age, gender, ethnic background or walk am also working on the new “Nicky Parrish” of life, there will be something that each person can relate to on this album. brand. 304

Richarh: Why aren’t you signed to a major la- sharing the stage with so many greats? bel? Have you been approached or are they Nicky: Of course it is always a privilege and an just living under a rock? honor to be able to share the stage with the Nicky: There is no definite answer as to why I movers, shakers and legends in the music inam not signed to a major label but there is dustry but it is indeed a surreal feeling that is more to signing to a label than what meets almost hard to explain to a certain extent. To the eye. It’s not a process that happens over- be able to share the stage with artist that I lisnight. The process can be long and sometimes ten to and hear on the radio is always a blesstedious but touring with Smokie Norful gave ing and a great opportunity that I dare not me first hand insight on the ins and outs of take for granted. I can honestly say that it is the music business so before I sign with a ma- like living a dream. jor label or even consider signing with a major label I want to make sure I have all of my “ducks in a row” so to speak. Signing to a label is one thing but doing what it takes to not get dropped by that label is a totally different ball game but that’s why I am working on re-branding myself so when that time comes that I am fully prepared. I wouldn’t say per se that they are living under a rock but with everything in life, it is about timing and divine order. Richarh: Do you sing both gospel & R&B Nicky: Yes I sing both, I am blessed to be able to sing both genres of music. Like most singers, I developed my voice and started singing in the church at an early age. Richarh: What’s the experience like 305

real the Nicky Parrish at all times. Richarh: What made you decide to perform that song? Nicky: Whitney’s rendition of “I Will Always Love You” will forever and always be the best to me. Me personally, I wanted a “wow” factor when going on the Apollo and I knew that if I could master that song and the techniques needed to perform it that I would have a great chance of doing well and of course, like many girls and even guys growing up, Whitney was always an artist that I looked up to and greatly admired. Richarh: What went through your mind when Gladys Knight told you that your voice came from “up there”, referring to it as a gift from God? Nicky: The best piece of advice I have ever been given is to always be myself. I know it sounds very cliché’ but it is honestly holds true because we are living in a day and age where so many artist lose their originality and creativeness trying to be mimic or be someone else; whether this happens because of a personal choice or a decision from the record label, I feel for me that being myself is always the best option because I want my fans to get

Nicky: First, to be able to stand in front of Gladys and perform was the greatest honor, I mean it is Gladys Knight, a living legend but to hear her say that my voice came from up there sent chills throughout my whole body, I had to keep reminding myself to keep my composure because I literally wanted to cry, scream, run all at the same time. It was another one of those surreal moments that can’t be put into words. It is not many people

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am so thankful to be able to say that I am of that number.

Nicky: The vision and the ideas are still there but I have to have my priorities in order first before I pursue any major task and my main Richarh: What inspires you to sing? priority at this present moment is to finish my Nicky: I have many inspirations that inspire second album but after my album is completme to sing but my mother is one of my greated, then I will be delving deep into the Nicky est inspirations. Many do not know that my Parrish entertainment company, so keep your mom is a singer and eyes, ears and hearts she had an opporopen. tunity to take a full Richarh: So when can paid scholarship to we see more of you? college to sing that What do you have comshe later turned ing up in the future? down to pursue marriage and start Nicky: First I would like a family. For her to to thank you for reachput her own pering out to me and givsonal wants and asing me an avenue to pirations last for my reach readers and fans family speaks volaround the world that I umes to me so she would otherwise not would be considbe able to reach. I sinered my greatest cerely from the bottom inspiration but for of my heart thank you myself I view music but My website as an outlet and I www.Nickyparrish.com use my music to exwill be up and running press myself very soon so all of my whether it be emoperformance dates, tionally or physically . It always good to have videos and music will be posted there. I can an outlet to use when dealing with the many be followed and reached on YouTube, Twitter, circumstances life can throw your way. Facebook and Instagram with the user name Richarh: I also hear that you have inspirations Nicky. (dot) Parrish so look out for me on there. I must say that I have some big things to own your own entertainment company. in the making so you will definitely be hearing Howâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s that coming along? 307

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THE HATTORI HANZO OF URBAN LIT: MIKE O WORD ASSASSIN By: Deszion Amani Nasir

These creations are the brainchildren of the force known as Mike O. A genius of words from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, this witty author has taken society's obsession with social media, drama, and urban literature and turned it into a plethora of visual insanity we can't seem to pull away from. Travel into Mike O's world with me; just for a minute. Bring an open mind. I'll bring a flashlight...

Deszion: Mike O...wow. You know, your written presence and your online presence are both mighty powerful. You can't fake that. You'd slip up somewhere. What do you contribute that to? Mike O: I really just have a no nonsense street background that I can't say I'm proud of, but my mistakes I acknowledged and accepted so I connect with those who do the same. Real is all I deal with and regardless of people saying everybody fake cause they be the ones

that can't connect. Accepting your flaws is human, but I definitely don't condone glorifying mistakes because even though I made it through it, I don't wish those footsteps on nobody. Deszion: I read somewhere that you were a social media junkie. I have to admit your Facebook timeline is one of the most interesting ones I've ever seen and it stays jumping. Do you think our obsession with it helps

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make your work so popular since it focuses a lot on online media? Well, that and your talent, of course... Mike O: Definitely people's obsession with the social media helps me get a chance to display my talents. Writing statuses/tweets for me is all business. I fell in love with words since I sculpted the first of my soon to be many cautionary street tales 1000 Grams from the footsteps I left behind in the game. Since then, my Fakebook Chronicles and Tweet Files short story series have made a significant impact and I owe it all to people's obsession with the social media mixed with my twisted mind. I modernized crime that's all, cause ain't nothing new up under the sun but technology.

an online publishing clique picking on his best friend set him off. Being that they all claimed to ride together, Daniel felt it only right that they die together. The writing flow really comes easy as bad as it sounds. The tip of my pen is dipped in blood (evil laugh)

Deszion: Have you ever gotten too close to a character? Meaning, you felt too attached or related to closely to someone's storyline that it was hard to finish or left you emotional? Mike O: Never will I get too close or emotionally attached to my characters to not let them be held accountable for their actions. They make choices and those choices have consequences. I'm more attached to karma than I am my Deszion: In the Tweet files, one of characters so I have no problems just sityour main characters is a serial killer. ting back watching their story unfold. I know when I write about killers, I My characters are emotional, not me have to take my mind to a pretty dark place to kind of...get inside that char- Deszion: What story has been your faacter's head. What do you have to do vorite and why? Mike O: It's hard to pick a favorite when to get inside that dark place? Is it I put so much of myself into each story. hard to come out sometimes? But if I had to choose one, it would be Mike O: The streets is a dark, cloudy Smokin Mirrors. The story is set in the place I spent about twenty years engulfed in, so I seen a lot of death around 90's which is an era I'm an expert in runme. With Daniel Jones, the main charac- ning the streets day and night. There are ter, he didn't start out a serial killer but just so many twist and turns in the life of 311

a real street hustler, I wanted to craft a tale for readers that was closer to how things really go down in that life. And Chuck Jenkins, the main character, is hands down bout that life.

respect others opinion which in return mines are respected and a connection is made. They give me the platform to showcase my talents, and in return I keep them entertained. Now if I can just get them to click share on my book Deszion: Who are you trying to links to help me grow, it would reach with your work? Do you help ensure my longevity in publishing. have a particular audience

you're trying to shoot for and are you trying to send them an overall message? Mike O: I am trying to reach lover's of urban literature who may have been turned off by the same old storylines, as well as the up and coming readers of the genre. There is a message in the choices and consequences of each character in each story. Life dishes messages and teaches lessons daily, so my stories are no different. I put you there and show you how it really goes down, ruff, rugged, and raw.

Deszion: What are your future goals, projects and dreams? Mike O: My future goals are to grow with each story and to put a 100% in each key stroke and make every word count. Fakebook Chronicles full story is due out soon, which will end the short story series. I'm not sure if any other authors have attempted to turn a short story into a full story, but I think I pulled it off. Also, the sequel to Smokin Mirrors is due to be released this year. I'm planning one more project but I'm gone let my readers help me decide which one. 1000 Grams II or Deszion: Your fans on Facefinish the Tweet Files series with book love you. Why do you con- a full novel like I'm doing with nect with them the way you do Fakebook Chronicles. when so many authors don't? UPDATE: FAKEBOOK What do they give you and CHRONICLES IS OUT NOW! what do you give them? GO GET IT!!! Mike O: Readers make authors, and without them there would be no Mike O. I don't think I'm any better than anybody else, and I 312

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Interview with

G.A.G.E.: A New Caliber of Talent By: Richarh Aswanu

One of our main intentions here at Urban Image is to seek out new talent and share it with the rest of the world. In our quest, it’s not that often that we come across an artist who really makes us wonder; “Why ain’t this cat signed?”

In the wake of the Mike Brown situation, I heard what I feel is the only song that was written from the heart and truly captures the emotion and frustration of not only the people of Ferguson, Missouri; but of the Black Community across the nation. Ladies and gentleman, I’m proud to introduce you to G.A.G.E.

Richarh: What up Bruh, what's going down wit cha? G.A.G.E.: Nothing much just working hard tryna get my message heard!

Richarh: I heard the song on Russ Parr's Morning show and I was floored. I got chills homie. The lyricism, the production, it was cold. It was cinematic and journalistic. 316

How did you capture the emotion and energy of the people in Ferguson?

tors and reporters blowing me up as opposed to actual record labels. Besides, these labels out here are not looking for G.A.G.E.: To be honest I had no intention of capturing Ferguson's emotions, I real music any more, they just want Molly music or jingle rappers should I was simply speaking my own feelings say! and emotions and it just so happened we shared the exact same pain! Richarh: I mean your lyrics are on point, your delivery clicks right on time. You Richarh: Who produced the track? didn't just start rappin when you heard

about this tragedy, why haven't we G.A.G.E.: A guy named EA Pro produced heard of Gage before? the record. G.A.G.E.: I was signed to Dr. Dre from Richarh: Has there been a flow of labels 2005-2007, I was inked to a record deal beating down your door since the sud- with Aftermath/Interscope. For anyone den exposure of your song "I am Mike who has worked with Dr. Dre knows, he Brown"? will keep you a secret until he is ready G.A.G.E.: Actually there are more inves317

to put you out. Due to a lot of political behind the scenes stuff; I was never put out as an artist but I have worked with just about every big name in the industry so the industry knows me, but the average everyday listeners didn't get the opportunity to hear my harsh delivery and content that I put in every song that I do! But after my departure from that label in 07 I have done a lot of business with Dre. But now that you guys do know me, you can follow me on twitter and Instagram @gagepromo to stay updated on all of my new Material. Richarh: What were your initial thoughts when you first heard that Mike Brown was brutally murdered by a police officer? G.A.G.E.: The first thing that came to mind; I felt pain and anger, frustration and hostility because this is an ongoing problem in our society that has been taking place for over 60 years and it has to stop, this cop MUST be prosecuted in the court of law or the people will start prosecuting the only way we know how, and that's taking it to the streets! 318

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Richarh: Tell me about your own perG.A.G.E.: The only thing that will change sonal experience with law enforcement. this now is as I said to start charging the officers with the crimes they are comG.A.G.E.: I have been dealing with police mitting, if we keep letting them go free all my life growing up in the inner city from random jump outs to even swung they will on by police sticks and weapons. I continue to do whatever the FUCK they moved to Atlanta years ago to escape all want! of that, and Richarh: Hey man, since; it has even thanks for the interview. become worse! Thanks for your song, Richarh: Are you captured the esthere any tensence of our struggle. sions between Don't be a stranger to the police and Urban Image. Hit us up the people of and keep us posted on Philly? your moves. Is there anything you want to say G.A.G.E.: I havebefore we go? n't lived in Philly for close to 9 G.A.G.E.: I just want to years but every thank everyone that has time I go to visit been supporting the "I it is still the same am Mike Brown" song, and I have close and to look forward to to 7 family members incarcerated in seeing the video on WorldStar in the Philadelphia due to troubles with city next week or two, only we as a people and police corruption some serving over can stand up to bring real content and 100yr sentences! substance back to the music!!! I will go into production on my first studio album Richarh: In your opinion, what do you next month titled "I Am Greatness", so think will prevent anymore senseless look forward to that in the early future. murders of our youth at the hands of the police? Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the Link to the video: http://youtu.be/-oPvlHueHkY 320

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#indiespotlight: LET'S GET FOCSI!!! Focsi DJ Remix Design By: Deszion Amani Nasir

As most of you, I'm really into natural hair. Well, I was in one of y 50-million hair groups on Facebook and I came across this awesome profile pic. It was a pic of a beautiful painting of a black girl with a fro to die for. So, me being the nosy person, I am, went to digging. I found out that the pic belonged to the owner of a company called FOCSI. I went to their website and was hooked. I saw all the colorful originality dedicted to our culture AND playing up to the #teamnatural movement...and that was it. I had to know more. I had to share what I'd discovered. I had to interview them. I got in contact with the owner Erica...and the rest is...well...check it out for yourself below.... 322

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D: WHERE'D THE NAME COME FROM?

Deszion: HOW DID YOU GET STARTED?

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D: WHO'S INVOLVED IN FOCSI?

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D: WHERE DO THE IDEAS COME FROM FOR THE DESIGNS?

D: WHY ARE THE DESIGNS

D: WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT

“RETIRED” AFTER 25 ARE SOLD? MAKE FOCSI UNIQUE?

D: WHERE DID THIS AWESOME INSPIRATION FOR THIS BUSI-

NESS COME FROM?

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D: WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE GOALS FOR FOCSI?

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By: Richarh Aswanu

As a writer myself, I am very familiar with the dream of wanting to see your work depicted on the screen. Award winning author Iris Bolling has been able to do just that. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Heart", a gripping romance debuts Saturday February 15th on CW Richmond WUPU channel 65 at 5:00 am. With her large following and loyal fan base, Ms. Bolling was able to bring her characters to life. The beautiful Morgan McCoy portrays the sharp tongued leading lady Tracy Washington as Aaron Wiggins steps into the shoes of political powerhouse J.D. Harrison. The two are involved in a steamy love affair that is compromised by the stressful world of politics and the secrets of Tracy's past. The elements of drama, politics and murder are sure to have you on the edge of your couch, waiting, anticipating what's next. And we have the lovely couple here with us to discuss The Heart...

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Richarh: Hey how are you guys doing? We're glad to have you.

R: Aaron, do you have any special plans for the occasion?

Aaron: Thanks it’s an honor to be here.

A: You know I’m really just looking forward to being together again with the Morgan: We’re glad to be here, thank entire cast and crew. We all put in such you for hard work having on this prous. ject and to R: So, actually see how are what the ya'll feeling about final prodthe upuct looks coming like on the premiere screen is alof The Heart? ready such a special A: I am deal with excited, me. I look yet humforward to bled by having my the realization of what is actually occurring with this project. It’s been a bless- onset family mixing it up with my real life family and just sharing in the fun ing and I am looking forward to comand festivities of the night. Especially pleting the entire series of The Heart. with Richard Jackson (Brian), Morgan M: I’m so excited about the premiere and (Tracy) and Iris and the production can’t wait to see my fellow cast members, meet The Heart Series fans, and of course I team. We have all been a part of these am anxious to see the episode…it’s going to efforts dating back to 2010 so for me be an amazing event filled day.

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head, but I have steadily been looking this is like going to last day of the family reunion where everyone gets dress that matches the picture in my and all dressed up and slightly tipsy. I’m sure I’ll find what I’m looking for. I’m going for an elegant, classy, and reR: Morgan, what do you have laid gal look…something that will represent out to wear on premiere night? I know you have something beautiful me and Tracy. set aside. R: What attracts Tracy to J.D. HarriM: Well, I definitely have a vision in son, what is it that she finds so irremind of what I want my dress to look sistible? like. The challenge is just finding the M: Wow, there are so many reasons Tra

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cy falls head over heels for Jeffrey. When she initially meets him as a teenager, she is of course physically attracted to him. However Tracy’s attraction to Jeffrey goes beyond his tall muscular stature and handsome face. She’s attracted to his confidence and sincerity. She’s impressed by his ability to be authoritative yet gentle. He’s fun and funny and manages to take care of business all at the same time. She’s attracted to his intelligence, loyalty, love for family, and desire to protect. If you’ve read the book, you know that there are many great qualities about Jeffrey Harrison, so this list truly could go on.

tective (but not crazy), attentive, affectionate, a good listener, intelligent, articulate, humble, funny, respectful, and easy to get along with. R: Aaron, how would you describe you and Morgan's chemistry on screen?

A: On screen you will prayerfully see the true fun and excitement we had in depicting these two characters. Morgan is an amazing actress that has such a level of maturity and professionalism that makes it real easy to jump into the right emotional state for each scene. We were comfortable R: In real life, what attracts you to a working with each other throughout man? What qualities do you look for? the project, and I credit that to our M: That’s a great question. Honestly, in a understanding of the importance taklot of ways I am similar to Tracy. I mean ing this work serious and living in the who wouldn’t want a Jeffrey Harrison in moment every time the action their life? A Godly man is attractive to sounds. me. Not just a man who knows church protocol but someone who knows, loves, and respects God. If a man is trying to live R: I have to ask, our readers are dying a life to please God then that will directly to know. Can we expect to see any steamy scenes from the two of you this affect all of his relationships and thus how season? he cherishes, respects, and treats me. As far as qualities that I look for, I would have to M: Well… the show is based on a rosay someone who is confident, caring, pro- mance novel, so there definitely are

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steamy scenes throughout the season. Tracy will be fun to see if J.D. knows how to and Jeffrey develop a sincere love and passion work for his woman. for each other and we make sure that passion is captured on screen as well. I’m sure our R: Does James' advances put a strain on readers won’t be disappointed J.D.'s and Tracy's relationship? A: You know J.D. definitely internalized R: How does J.D. feel about ole Slick some of his emotions, which from a Jimmy (James Brooks) trying to gain his passive aggressive standpoint (bottling) woman's affection? always leads to some good drama beA:JD, like even the most secure man felt cause when it comes out, it comes out like someone was walking into his space in whatever tone it pleases. So JD and and needed to be reassured of what the Tracy have a deep discussion about this situation really is. However, J.D. being seemingly formidable opponent. the smart man that he is knows that if Tracy was fine enough to attract him, R: Morgan, in everyday life, how should others will be attracted all the same. a woman deal with a man's advances The motto “Man up” or “Wimp out” when she's already involved with somedefinitely applies in this situation so it one?

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M: I think honesty is the best policy. Even though Tracy wasn’t even in a relationship with Jeffrey, she never leads James on and is constantly pushing the brakes on him because she knew that her heart belonged to someone else. Oftentimes we as women can laugh off advances because we don’t want to hurt the gentleman’s feelings or maybe because we like the attention, but this can be dangerous and hurtful to our relationships. It is always best to be firm about your commitment to your relationship while still being polite. We definitely can learn from Tracy in this area. It’s easy to have a double standard in situations like these because we know our intentions or think that the advances are harmless, but a good friend of mine always says, “Sow the seeds today that you want to reap tomorrow”. We need to think about how we want our boyfriends or husbands to respond to advances and apply that principle to our responses.

experienced many challenging situations in her youth which explains why she acts and responds the way that she does. One of the wonderful things about this story is that, although we see the results of Tracy’s upbringing in her interactions with others, we also see how she is still able to rise above the pain and become successful in every area of her life. It is true that it doesn’t matter how you start, it matters how you finish and Tracy is a wonderful example of this and encouragement to anyone who’s been hurt by those who were supposed to nurture, love, and protect you.

R: Your character, Tracy Washington has a painful past with secrets and untold truths. Can you give us a little hint of what's hidden in her closet? M: Hmm, I don’t want to give too much because there are many twists and turns that take place as Tracy’s past is unfolded. What I will say is that Tracy comes from what most would define as a dysfunctional family. She 339

R: This has been a long debated topic. When building a relationship with someone special how much of the past should a woman reveal? M :( laughs) I’m still trying to figure that out myself. Um, I think there are many factors to consider. It depends on the situation, the person, and the sensitivity of the information that you are revealing. A part of me wants to tell it all, so at least he knows my past, present, and then can make a decision on whether he wants to be in my future. What occurs in our past still affects us and thus affects the relationships we are in and it will help that someone special understand why you do what you do if they understand the root of the action. At the same time, you don’t want to give information overload or prematurely share information that can be used against you. Again I say I am still trying to figure this out, so please 340

don’t go home sharing all your dirty laundry and come back saying Morgan said it! It really is a case by case bases so be prayerful and discerning about what to share and when to share it. R: And you Aaron, as a man how much of a woman's past do you really want to know? A: I truly think it's important to go into a relationship with a clean slate

scenarios occur. And I think that by sharing your faults, failures and success in your past is a great way for your lady to see you practice what you preach. Life is a forever learning process and when you include another life, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s twice the knowledge. Why would you want to be ignorant to such a potentially important part of your life? R: When Tracy's secrets rise to the surface, how does it affect her and J.D.'s relationship?

given by parties. From there you both can share real stories of your lives which will paint the right image A: So without giving too much away for the other person. Its part of hav- about the story, J.D. finds out so ing the open line of communication much about Tracyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life thru his job and investigative skill set as the Asthat is so critical in relationships. I feel like the best way for me not to sistant District Attorney. This occurs feel uncomfortable in any situation prior to JD and Tracy opening up to with my wife, is for her to know that each other about their past. Yet he I will make the right decision when embraces her in a way that portrays 341

the necessary acts of patience, forgiveness, trust and perseverance. There are a lot of twists and turns in this story that involve Tracy indirectly, but have everything to do with JD and Tracy’s desire to be with one another. I think the audience will enjoy seeing their confessions to one another and if they will make it through all of the inevitable drama. R: Morgan, with all of the drama and external factors surrounding Tracy and J.D's love affair, how are they able to make it work? M: Communication is key to the success of any relationship and Tracy and JD definitely make sure they are in tune with one another in every area. Also, they both have a love and respect for each other. Someone once told me that if you have two people who feel as if they are the best part of the relationship then you have a recipe for disaster. In Jeffrey and Tracy’s story, they each feel as if the other is more than what they deserve so they value each other. When you value someone, then you will cherish, respect, honor, and love them and put them before yourself. Imagine

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two people doing that for one another, that is what Jeffrey and Tracy have and it’s a beautiful thing. R: Aaron, in this day and age, do you believe "True Love" exists? A: Oh ABSOLUTELY! I consider myself very fortunate, especially in today’s time to bear witness to true

the qualities of a virtuous woman and is perfect for me. I look forward to displaying similar acts of love, kindness and forgiveness to my son. Almost a generational blessing of sort. What I have with my wife is true love, a blessing and example of Gods’ grace in my life. One of “THE” most important aspects of identifying this kind of love is to have an “EXTREME LIKE” for that person. When you really like that woman/man that you are dating nothing means more in my opinion. You can love someone to the point where you need to let them go. But if you really like someone… like on the level of a best friend, a true homeboy/girl that you can’t wait to love through my parents who this call and just talk to about your day or year will be celebrating 38 years of about nothing at all. When being tomarriage. For me that was critical in gether and just hanging out feels like shaping my thoughts and opinions the best situation and you don’t mind about love, structure, trust, honest if she never leaves. It’s that LIKE facand my love and respect for God. tor! It supersedes passion and lust That was my example. So fast forward every time and it that keeps the fire to my marriage to my beautiful bride, burning when times get tough and no I have found a woman that displays

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one else has your back. When life starts to get you down, your best friend is there to lift you up and comfort you like a best friend would. That’s what’s within TRUE LOVE. And that’s what keeps the joy in the relationship. TRUE LIKE

are honest, loyal, and not afraid of commitment are actually out there, so ladies we must not settle for the “David Holts” of the world.

R: How about you Morgan, do you? M: Of course I believe True Love exists! I’m believing God for my own “Once You’ve Touched the Heart” story, but yes I definitely believe in true love. My parents are celebrating 30 years of marriage on February 18th and I saw an example of true love with them every day. R: Has filming "The Heart" has an impact on your view of love?

M: Yes, I would say that “The Heart” has impacted my view on love by renewing my belief in men my age being capable of love like the men of my dad’s generation. Both Aaron (J.D.) and Richard (Brian) recently got married and it was so encouraging to see how they honored their wives on set. In this world where it seems like men are afraid of the “M” word and less people value the institution of marriage it is wonderful to see young successful men who are genuinely in love with their wives and proud of it. Seeing these real examples of good guys on set for R: Aaron how about you Bruh, has filmsix weeks helps me keep hope alive. I believe ing the show changed your outlook on love in any way? that men like the ones in Iris’s books who 344

A: I would say that the film has changed my outlook on love when it comes to the amount of time and dedication that the man gives to his woman. I truly believe that you can definitely work your

es. I see examples of JD’s dedication to his career and the greater good of cleaning up the streets. However there are situations that arise where he has to make necessary sacrifices to insure that Tracy is well taken care of with his attention and TLC. As I look at this acting career ahead of me, no matter what the future holds…my family is my priority. My wife first, my son, my other family members and then the business. It’s so easy to stay attached to your work now with cell phones and tablets attached to our hips, but there is no greater distraction from taking care of home. It’s so critical to set a standard within your house with regards to work time, internet time and family time. So I’ve focused on providing this balance for my family so that our love remains the priority, for better or worse and richer or poorer. R: Other than channel 65 in Richmond is there anywhere else our readers can catch "The Heart?"

way out of a relationship/ marriage. What happens is that the drive to handle business for the sake of taking care of work, or bringing home the bacon can causes a wedge between the spous-

M: Yes, you will be able to purchase the series on DVD I believe and be able to catch it through digital media in some form as well. If you aren’t in the Richmond area but would like to see the show air on your CW station, call your local CW station up and request the show…the consumers always right, right?

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R: Well thank you guys for your time. I really enjoyed it. M: Aww thank you for interviewing us! We really appreciate you and the Urban Image Magazine covering this story.

Y'all be sure to tune in to the Heart on February 15th 2014 on channel 65 CW in Richmond, VA. Our very own Deszion Nasir will be attending the premiere the weekend of February 8th and be bringing us more next month on â&#x20AC;&#x153;the Heart.â&#x20AC;?

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By: Patrice RIvers

and began singing in the choir like most urban singers. I come from of family of talented singers and musicians and music has always been a big thing growing up for me. My dream has always been to be a successful recording artist and performer. I moved to Atlanta, GA from Fort Lauderdale, FL a few years ago in order to chase my dreams. The journey has had its highs and lows but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m enjoying it so much and I still cannot imagine doing anything else.

Tyler: Sure, I am Tyler Noel, an R&B singer and songwriter currently living in Atlanta, GA. I have been singing since the age of five. I grew up in the Church

T: I was a teen when I started my career professionally by signing with a girl group and yes I performed then and through out the years at talent shows, showcases, and anywhere else that has a microphone and a stage. LoL. I still perform as much as I possibly can while I still write and record as an artist daily.

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T: My biggest motivator would have to be my Father who passed away a few years ago. He was a wonderful man and only wanted to see me happy and supported me every step of the way. As far as artist that motivated me, wow, there are so many but early on it was Gospel singers that inspired me to chase my dreams. Those powerful Gospel voices would capture my attention at a young age and I was amazed by what I heard so many of them do with their voices. The ranges and tones were like magic to my ears.

ly showed me that I could overcome anything with work and determination. My cheering squad wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t going to let me and fail and I could just feel that God had bigger plans for me then just sitting in that hospital bed.

T: Five years from now I want to be earning a good living singing as a professional. My goal is to be a one of the most well respected singers in the industry and continue to put out god music that my current fans and future fans still want to hear. I also want a Grammy on a shelf within those five years and a hit and album song that tops the charts.

T: The stroke that I suffered at the age of 18 hit like a freight train out of the blue. There were no signs, no warnings, and I thought I was young and invincible back then. I was hospitalized thinking that I may never sing again and that I may not recover from this and I was completely in a state of depression and despair. With the support of family and friends, I fought back to learn how to do many things that we take for granted daily like â&#x20AC;&#x153;talkingâ&#x20AC;? for example. The process to recover fully was hard but it real349

T: Solo Tre was a girl group that I was recruited to be the lead singer for many years ago. It opened my eyes up to what the music industry was really all about. I really had to grow up fast in the industry because the business really did have a lot of things that could have you unfocused and caught up. I enjoyed the group thing for a while but learned that girls and their personalities really have to melt together in order for the group to really work and that always wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the case.

T: The advantage is that it really is becoming a smaller pool of people that can really sing and if you have a great voice (no auto tune), you can stand out from the pack easily. The disadvantage is being a female in the industry. This is a male oriented industry and many are not professional at what they do and music/and or business is not their number one priority when dealing with females in the industry. Females in the industry have to weed out the â&#x20AC;&#x153;thirstyâ&#x20AC;? professionals in order to find true professionals.

T:I am glad that my music is enjoyed and that the scores reflect how much that is. I have received numerous great comments on that site and I am excited sharing my music there. There are so many talented people on IndieCharts.com and I appreciate the platform to expand my fan base.

T: Well, this song was about a particular situation that I went through with a particular person in my life in the past. I was there for him he had nothing and I supported his growth as a person and a man. Over time people grow apart and they sometimes think that the grass is greener on the other side and people choose to no longer see your worth in a relationship. Once the disrespect and heartache becomes too much to carry, 350

then you have to let even those you care about go. Love shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hurt by any means, not true love.

those scenarios and memories. I want my songs to be real because I feel its better to connect with fans on an emotional level and sing things that they can relate to and believe.

T: All my songs are about real scenarios. I choose to only write, record and sing songs that mean something to me or allow me express how I feel. My songs are T: The cure for the difficult times is God, like therapy and I sing them sometimes family, your team, the fans and the bein order to get thru, past and remember lief in yourself. God I know has given

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me this gift for a reason and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to use it the best way I know how. My family and fans continue to support me and give me those words that keep me uplifted and strong. My manager, Mr. Ken Morris with Karma Kreative Management is a special individual. He never allows me to wallow in my feelings and he inspires me through his works and words.

T: I enjoy hanging with family and friends when I am not singing. I enjoy good food, good drinks and good company. I live life to the fullest on a daily basis and I constantly want to do any and all things that make me happy. After suffering that stroke, I learned that life is short, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t waste it.

Clark Sheard, ohhh this lady can blow. Lol.

T: My songs are on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify and just about anywhere else. You can hear me at www.mystlernoel.com or www.youtube.com/ tylernoelmusic. https:// itunes.apple.com/us/album/ifyou-wanna-leave-single/ id776188686 and please enjoy.

T: You are more than welcome and I thank you for the interest and the time you took out of your day to ask me these questions.

T: Brandy, Christina A., Monica, Tamar B., Toni B., Whitney H., Chante Moore, Fantasia, Jazmine S., Ledisi and the list goes on and on. I enjoy real singers and women that have studies their craft. My favorite singer is Karen 352

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JONAH ROCKS!!!! By: Deszion Nasir

So, I’m trolling along on my Faceboook timeline the other day, and I come across what looks like the a little kid playing on a set of drums. I’m instantly smiling. Awww… I love it when kids get interested in music! I decide to click on the link and see what’s going on; what little diddy this kid is hammering out. I’m amazed. And shamed. This kid is NOT an amateur by any stretch of the imagination. This boy is 5 years old and doing an almost unbelievable cover of “Toxicity” by System Of A Down. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5z4PKBNzmuo&feature=player_embedded

Needless to say, I had my next story. This incredible drummer is Jonah Rocks. I pulled his Bio straight from his official website and learned some amazing info: 354

-From

Jonah Rocks.com:

we decided to put a few of his vids up on YouTube. People began watching them Jonah is an 9 year old self-taught drumand sharing them. In no time, he had demer. He's never had a lesson, and plays veloped a large following. songs as he hears them, and how he thinks they should sound. He doesn't When Jonah was four, Craig Northey, "play it like the record", he plays his Doug Elliott, Pat Steward and Murray way. He doesn't have to learn how to Atkinson of the Canadian band Odds, play a song; he just has to hear it. Jonah came to visit Jonah and *play band* spends between 1 - 2 hours per week with him in the basement. It was a rockplaying drums. in' good time that he will never forget. Jonah is proud to call them his friends. Jonah started playing drums when he was 3 years old. At first we thought it In January of 2010, Jonah's System Of A was cute, but soon realized that there Down's Toxicity cover went viral. The was something going on here. He wasn't video received over 1 million hits in one just making noise, he was making music. day, and over 3 million in 3 days. We Within a few weeks, he was playing co- could not keep up with all the emails we vers of his favorite songs. It was so cool, were getting. Jonah's video was shown 355

on evening news programs all over the world. We were contacted by every talk show, news program, etc., inviting Jonah on television. We graciously declined. When he grows up, he can make those decisions himself. For now, he's just a little boy who loves to play the drums, among a lot of other things. :) Jonah has been very fortunate to have been invited to meet Eric Singer of KISS and fellow band members a couple of times. He's met Mickey Curry, drummer for Bryan Adams as well as Bryan and fellow band members. In September 2011, Jonah was invited by Travis Barker to come and meet him in Vancouver, BC. Jonah spent an awesome afternoon hangin' with Travis and company, playing drums and flying around the arena on Travis' flying drum kit. That evening, he attended the Blink182 concert, but not as a member of the audience - Travis had Jonah on stage, playin' drums! Jonah met some of his favorite drummers that day; Jay Weinberg (Against Me), and Branden Steineckert (Rancid). March of 2013 Jonah finally got meet his friend Dan Moyse and Sum 41. He had a great time jamming with the band at the sound check!

Jonah chooses all his songs, and he decides when he wants to “do a YouTube”. When he’s not playing music, Jonah loves to go ice skating, play soccer, ride his bike, and play video games with his friends. Say what?! Self taught? Playing like that? I also read in another article written by his father that a lot of people think his vids are edited, but dad states: “If Jonah messes up, we keep filming; if he drops a stick, we keep filming. It’s all there. Watch the vids. That’s all him.” Indeed. By 9, Jonah has played with some pretty impressive names in the game: KISS, Bryan Adams, Travis Barker-Blink 182, Sum 41, Against Me, Rancid, and those are just the ones I came across at press time. I can talk/type about him all day, but the best way to see how fabulously wonderful Jonah is would be to experience it: Jonah w/ Sum 41:http://video.search.yahoo.com/ video/ play;_ylt=A2KLqIH6Lp5TX0IAOF_7w8QF;_ylu=X3oDMTByZ2N0c mxpBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDdmlkBHZ0aWQDBGdwb3MDMg--? p=jonah+rocks&vid=1d274d5a5d711ccc3b42ffb0327c5931&l=3 %3A29&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts3.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid% 3DVN.608019076964224294%26pid%3D15.1&rurl=http%3A% 2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv% 3Di1sc3jn9qvs&tit=Jonah+Rocks+Jamming+with+SUM+41+durin g+the+Soundcheck&c=1&sigr=11apvqijf&sigt=11l33sk8r&age=0 &fr=mcafee&tt=b

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Jonah with The Odds- Someone who’s Cool (4 years old):http://

3DVN.608010117663362454%26pid%3D15.1&rurl=http%3A% 2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv% 3DRNDWOQJuajA&tit=Green+Day+-+21+Guns% 2C+7+Year+Old+Drummer% video.search.yahoo.com/video/ play;_ylt=A2KLqIH6Lp5TX0IAT1_7w8QF;_ylu=X3oDMTBzYmZpb 2C+Jonah+Rocks&c=29&sigr=11a14ujdb&sigt=11kjh86vm&age =0&fr=mcafee&tt=b nA0BHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDdmlkBHZ0aWQDBGdwb3MDMjU-? p=jonah+rocks&vid=f620d5dbdfc81fd03143328607fc217f&l=4 %3A08&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts2.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid% 3DVN.607996562745003365%26pid%3D15.1&rurl=http%3A% 2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv% 3DpqXQL5pet_0&tit=Odds+-+Someone+Who%26%2339% 3Bs+Cool% 2C+4+Year+Old+Drummer+Jonah+Rocks&c=24&sigr=11abq9h5 8&sigt=11tidkvoq&age=0&fr=mcafee&tt=b

I could go on and on and on…

But I love to see a child so young take such an initiative and see a parent encourage him so much to the point that he blossoms to this point. He’s going to Jonah covering Green Day, 21 Guns: be great. He’s ALREADY GREAT! http://video.search.yahoo.com/video/ play;_ylt=A2KLqIH6Lp5TX0IAVF_7w8QF;_ylu=X3oDMTBzY2FuY mVtBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDdmlkBHZ0aWQDBGdwb3MDMzA-? p=jonah+rocks&vid=ce8e48093bcbd79f90ec759548bf0383&l=5 %3A34&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts3.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%

Look out for this kid, I’m telling you! JONAH DOES ROCK!!! Check him out at http://www.jonahrocks.com

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