AHHA: Well, I think that’s a good attitude to have. It sounds like you guys are well adjusted too. Mike: We did that on the fourth album. There’s nothing like mediocre success to bring all the problems out. It seems like when one problem happens all of ‘em happen at the same time, so it definitely has a s########## effect. The thing that makes 112 so remarkable is the fact that, despite that, we were able to overcome the adversity, still keep it moving, still make money, still be successful and still be Q, Mike, Slim and Daron – the same four individuals. We stood by each other through that whole adversity together. What makes us so special to me is the fact that through it all we’ve still been able to maintain through these years. That’s the special thing, anybody can sing if you in this industry, anybody can write if you’re in this industry, but stayin’ together this long is a testament unto itself. AHHA: You have L.A. Reid over at Def Jam now, and he’s really responsible for making some of the biggest R&B acts in history. You guys worked with him in some capacity through the Bad Boy/Arista situation. How has the relationship grown or changed since those times? Mike: It’s grown, because we really didn’t have that hands-on experience with L.A. Reid with him being at Arista, and Puffy being the head of the ship at Bad Boy. We [had to] go through Puff in order to get to L.A. Reid if we wanted to do anything with him. Now that we have this relationship, and he’s an artist-friendly CEO – he really cares about our opinions. He really wants us to be us, he really wants us to shine. It’s not about who’s behind us with him, it’s about, ‘Let’s make some hit music and create a star’. Being with [L.A.], alongside that you got Jay-Z, the number one guy in rap, so it’s kinda like because 112’s music is Hip-Hop and R&B we kinda have a little bit of both of ‘em in the mix. So to have L.A. Reid on the R&B side and then Jay-Z on the Hip-Hop side, it’s like you can’t lose. It’s a win-win situation. AHHA: What have you guys done to make sure that you’re still keeping true to your sound, but keep up with making hit songs that match what’s out there today? Mike: You gotta how learn how to listen. In the first album, if you really pay attention to it, a lot of it is a learning process, and you’re listening to a lot of people in the beginning. You’re listening to all the experts, all the executives, you’re listening to what they’re telling you, you’re being guided so to speak. But then you say, ‘Okay with this next album I’m gonna do what I wanna do’ – and that may not exactly coincide with what’s going on in music nowadays. My advice to artists is to learn how to listen. Just because you’re a celebrity, just because you’ve sold millions of records, that still doesn’t mean that you can’t listen. That’s what we did for this fifth album. We understand who we are, but at the same time we’re not so big that we can’t listen to somebody who’s completely out of the loop, just to tell us what’s real and what people are listening to nowadays. Listen to children – children they got their ear to the streets all the time, they know what’s new, they know what’s hot – we listen to a lot of them too. Slim: I hang around a lotta young kids and we were lucky to start the trend. We were kinda responsible for the changing of that guard. When we did come out, it was Jodeci, Boyz II Men and Mint Condition, and anybody else of that [era]. We were the first group to go straight into the clubs – we changed the look, the clothes, everything, and it’s good that we learned how to listen. Long as we do that and get a variety of opinions, like I keep a lotta young folks around me, and they’ll tell you right straight up like, ‘Yall aint hot’, and you can tell by their body language. They might not say it with their mouths unless you straight up ask them, but you can tell. You can just play it around ’em – like I got young kids, and if they catch on off the rip without you saying anything, that’s a hit. AHHA: What pressure have you guys felt now as far as people coming to you like, ‘[Usher] is what’s hot, so you need to do this too?’ Slim: We know how to do the music that fits 112. Everybody that goes to Lil’ Jon is not gonna come out with an Usher record, and if we chose to go that way, which I think we did kinda scratched that itch [on the album], but if it’s not for you, I would suggest not to do it. We’ve learned to master both sides – in doing an up-tempo or coming out with a hit ballad. I think we’re probably like one of the rare groups that’s been able to do that. From the first album we set that standard, we wanted that to be known. That’s why when we came out with ‘Only You’ we changed the game, now everybody wants to be ‘pump me in the club’, and then when we came out with ‘Cupid’ on the same album, everybody was like, ‘Oh that’s right, they are a singing group’ – so that’s supposed to make you fall in love. We’re R&B. AHHA: What do you guys want people to know about 112 at this point? Q: A couple of things. One, that we’re not going anywhere. We’re standing for a career of longevity, career albums – total albums and not just singles. We take […]

It seems today that so many artists want to claim that they are the royalty of everything from Hip-Hop to Rock, but fans do not always agree. Bursting onto the exciting new scene of Crunk&B is Houston-born and raised sweetheart Brooke Valentine. She is here to prove that she doesn’t need the label of “Queen” or “Princess” to define her talent, because her skill will shine through on its own. Brooke spoke with AllHipHop.com Alternatives about the release of her first single “Girlfight” featuring Big Boi and Lil’ Jon, and the release of her debut album Chain Letter – which is an eclectic mix of Rock, Pop, R&B and Hip-Hop. Ms. Valentine is out to prove that she is more than just a pretty face, and she is definitely going to make an impact. AllHipHop.com Alternatives: You have been labeled as the Princess of Crunk&B. What is your definition of Crunk&B? Brooke: I am from the South, and down there we just love to get hyped and excited – it allows us to be free. When we say something is crunk, that doesn’t necessarily mean rowdy, it just means hype. Like you may go into a club in Houston and there will be a group of females all standing together and yellin‘ – not because they are rowdy but the music has given them energy, made them feel a certain way and it’s exciting. You may be like, ’Why are you yelling?’ and your girls will be like ’I don’t know’ – because that’s just how it is. That‘s how the music makes us feel. AHHA: Your single is receiving major spins. How was it working with crunk genius Lil’ Jon? Brooke: It was great, Jon is a wonderful person. He is very focused when it comes to creating and producing music. What’s really funny is we created ‘Girlfight’ while we were at a party he was throwing at his house in Miami. It was crazy because he was barbequing lobster and stuff on the grill, and then all of a sudden he started playing some music on his keyboards and we created and finished [‘Girlfight’] right then and there. It took about ten minutes for him to create the beat, and then we were back to partying. [laughs] Once I felt the vibe of the party and heard the track, I was like I got it and I laid the song down right there at his house. AHHA: Was ‘Girlfight’ inspired by actual events? In this song and the video, you appear to be very ‘buck’… Brooke: I know, but actually I am the opposite. I mean I did get into a lot of fights when I was younger because girls didn’t like me, but I never really started anything. I was too focused on singing and stuff to really be worried about how people felt about me. Looking back I guess that’s why I am able to stand a lot of pressures that I face in the industry, because I am focused and determined to do what I have been sent here to do. AHHA: You worked with a lot of artists on your debut. How did you end up working with Big Boi for the single? Brooke: Big Boi is very cool, but I didn’t get a chance to meet him until after the single was done. From what I hear, he heard the track and he wanted to get on, and he did, and it was great! AHHA: You also have a single on your album, ‘Blah, Blah, Blah’, that features the late Dirt McGirt [ODB] How was it working with him? Brooke: He was really great! He brought a lot of creative energy to the studio, and I was actually able to be more creative because of what he brought out. I really enjoyed working with Dirt and it is an experience I will never forget. AHHA: Chain Letter covers every emotion and situation that any woman can go through. All this comes from personal experience? Brooke: I pulled a lot of the inspiration from the way I felt about certain boyfriends. Like ‘I Want You Dead’ – no, I would never kill anyone or condone it, but I have definitely felt that way after he cheated on me. I think that because they come from my personal experiences that fans will love and appreciate the album even more, because I am giving them a chance to know me. I wrote every song on this album, so when you listen to it you are listening to a part of me. You will know how I felt at a certain point in my life, and that’s why I feel that it is real important for artists to write their own songs. As a fan, when I listen to music I feel that I am getting to know the artist. But when I find out that they didn’t write the song I love or that I felt helped me relate to them, then it is a real disappointment. I definitely think like a fan when I set out to do anything in my career. AHHA: As a new artist, did you find it hard to remain true to yourself and sound? Brooke: No. Not really, because when I set out to do this I knew what I liked and didn’t like. I also know what is me and who I am personally. That’s why from day one I had my hand in every aspect of my career. Working with Deja [Subliminal Entertainment], he taught me a lot about writing my own songs and everything that goes with managing my career. With that strong influence and my drive, I knew what I wanted and what I wanted sound I wanted to create. Although these producers worked with a lot of stars, I chose the ones that best fit in the circle that was to help me bring out my sound and I feel that we did. AHHA: In […]

In 1994 the youthful R&B trio Immature issued their debut album, Playtyme Is Over, when Marques Houston was only 11-years-old. Singing lead on many of the group’s standout tracks, Marques’ star potential became evident. That same year he joined the cast of the television show Sister, Sister as the precocious Roger, displaying scene-stealing appeal up until the show’s 1998 finale. With his manager Chris Stokes steadily guiding him, Marques’ career continued to flourish as Immature adopted the more grown-up moniker IMX in 1999. Learning the ins and outs of the game, he began to provide mentorship for his brother Omarion’s hugely successful group B2K. The next few years saw his own stock rising significantly, with a warmly accepted solo debut, 2003’s MH, and the 2004 dance-heavy hit movie You Got Served earning $40 million – five times its production budget. Now 23-years-old and seasoned with experience, Marques’ career is stronger than ever. In addition to his sophomore effort, Naked, he also has his first television starring role on UPN’s new comedy Cuts, a spin-off of the show One on One, which premieres on February 14th. As indicated by the vibrant first single “All Because Of You”, his upcoming album should cement his smooth transition into adulthood. AllHipHop.com Alternatives spoke with the multi-talented artist about his present moves just before he hit the set to continue filming Cuts. AllHipHop.com Alternatives: In 1999, you played Roger on Sister, Sister and you’ve had a bunch of small roles on various shows since. With this new show, Cuts, you’re the star. Has getting a starring role on TV been a priority of yours since the success of Sister, Sister? Marques Houston: I never even really thought about it like that. For me, it was always just getting back to TV, and I felt that this opportunity was a good one for me. I took it because I like everything about the role, and I got a chance to work Shannon Elizabeth [of American Pie fame]. Who wouldn’t want to do that? [laughs] Now that I’m in the starring situation, though, it’s a lot of pressure. It’s definitely a lot more pressure than I had on Sister, Sister. I wouldn’t say all the pressure is on me, because I do have a great cast, and I do feel like there is no ‘I’ in team. As a unit, we get it done together. I do think that Shannon and I have the bulk of the load because we’re the main characters. It is a lot of pressure, because there are a lot more lines, and I’m in every scene. The pressure is more than I expected. With my experiences on Sister, Sister and other shows, though, it’s easier for me because I’m seasoned now. AHHA: Is there anything that attracts you more to television than film, or vice versa? Marques: No, I like them both. It’s cool because with this, this allows me to be funny and it allows me to be myself and try different things. With film, it’s more challenging because I have to portray different roles. In films, you always get a different role, even if it might seem the same, because you’re playing a different person each time. The part that I like about TV is that you get to be funny and show your comedic side. The side I love about music is that music was born into me. That’s just what I do. I love it all. I love to entertain people. AHHA: Being that each film role is different, are there any specific types of roles that you haven’t been offered yet but you can see yourself doing? Marques: I want to play a thug. You know, when you’re with your boys, you do the skits all of the time. I do want to do that, but I want to do it when the time is right. I want to build myself with an acting career that’s diverse, so we’re doing one more dance movie, and then that’s it for You Got Served type films. It’s called Soldier, with myself and Omarion, and we start shooting in April. When you want to be a movie star, you definitely got to pick the right types of roles. You can’t typecast yourself and keep doing the same thing. I want to take more challenging roles. AHHA: What’s the concept of Soldier? Marques: Me and Omarion play surrogate brothers from the streets. My pops was kind of his pops too, because he grew up without a father. We play for the same basketball team, but what happens is, my father dies, and that ends up changing our relationship. There was always some animosity between us because I was the real son, and he was the play son. What happens then is he ends up going out to be this big-time choreographer, and I have to stay in the hood to support my family and get a job at a mechanic spot. I have to stay on the streets, even though I have the talent to be dancing too. My mother is on the bottle heavy and the drugs. My character has a lot of responsibilities, and he blames his mother for the way his life has been going. Then, I meet this beautiful girl who changes my life around. It’s a lot more intense and street than You Got Served. I’d compare Soldier to 8 Mile. The roles are definitely more challenging for Omarion and I, because we have to act like we don’t like each other. AHHA: Was it a surprise to you how strongly You Got Served caught on with the fans? Marques: No, because I knew we were changing the bar. Chris Stokes wrote that movie like six or seven years ago. It was an idea that he always had, to take the physical choreography that we do in videos and have it meet the street elements of breakdancing and pop-locking. The movie was originally written for a […]

When Nicole and Natalie formed Nina Sky and dropped their hit single “Move Ya Body” in 2004, the world was not ready to give them the credit they deserved. The months that followed transformed the twins from an assumed one hit wonder to a worldwide household name. From collaborations with Alchemist and Prodigy on “Hold You Down” and N.O.R.E on “Oye Mi Canto” to the release of their follow-up single “Turnin’ Me On” [remix featuring Pitbull], Nina Sky has been proving their staying power. Their impressive talent ranges from voice to lyrics to production. Nina Sky’s sound is a combination Hip-Hop, Reggae, R&B, Reggaeton, and a touch of Soul. It’s no wonder why Hot 97/Sirius Satellite’s Cipha Sounds readily picked them up and added them to his Jack Move roster. AllHipHop.com Alternatives had the opportunity to catch up with the twins to discuss the ride through their ongoing wave of success. AllHipHop.com Alternatives: It’s apparent from your lyrics and overall sound that you have some old souls at age 18. What’s your musical upbringing? Nicole: We grew up listening to all different kinds of music. Our stepfather was a deejay and he would play everything from like old school Hip-Hop like Run DMC to deep House music to Rock music. We listened to everything growing up. AHHA: What’s the biggest misconception about Nina Sky? Natalie: Well people think that we’re a gimmick, that we’re not really twins, and that we really can’t sing. People don’t know that we write all of our own music and anything we’ve collaborated on. Plus, Nicole plays the guitar and deejays and I write alot…people don’t know that about us. AHHA: What artists are currently taking up residence in your CD player? Nicole: John Legend. Natalie: Yes! Everyday Nicole listens to John Legend. I’ve been listening to The Game. AHHA: Describe your journey from the release of ‘Move Ya Body’ to the release of ‘Turnin’ Me On’. Nicole: Everything for us happened really fast. When ‘Move Ya Body’ dropped, it was dropped independently. We had no idea what was going to come. We had no idea that the song was going to take off. We did the song one day, and like two months later we were like performing – and this was without support from the record label; without the single being officially released. Then last year, we’ve traveled the world; we’ve done all these collaborations with other artists. Now we’re releasing our second single ‘Turnin’ Me On’ in the same way as ‘Move Ya Body’ where our management team [Jack Move] and people like that are pushin’ our record and it’s getting played everywhere. Like the song is huge in Miami. It’s getting played every hour on the hour. I mean, it’s moving slowly, but it’s moving like ‘Move Ya Body’. Natalie: And we’re working on our next album; gathering ideas for that. AHHA: Had you any doubts in your minds that your success would continue after ‘Move Ya Body’? Nicole: No, because we have really good people surrounding us, and me and Natalie work really, really work. We’re constantly writing music and coming up with new ideas. We’re ready to work 24 hours a day, and it’s a dream come true for us. To be able to do something that you love is like the greatest thing in the world, and we want to continue doing it. So we work really hard every day to keep things going for us. We make sure that we’re surrounded by the right people and have good team support. AHHA: You’ve been touring in Europe. Where was your favorite country so far? Natalie: Germany. And our favorite city’s Berlin. Berlin is almost like downtown Manhattan like the Village. The art is crazy. It just gives off really good vibes over there and really good energy. AHHA: On the album, there’s a balance between ballads and party jams. What are your favorite tracks? Natalie: My favorite track on the album is ‘Surely Missed’ because it was very personal for me. I wrote that for two of my friends. Nicole: My favorite song on the album is ‘Your Time’. I like it because it’s a really feel good song that everyone can relate to. I think everyone has been through that. AHHA: You sang ‘Holla Back’ at the Thanksgiving Day 2004 Parade. Will that be the next single? Nicole: Nah, not here. Natalie: Actually that is our next single in Iceland. So they’re playing it in Iceland along with ‘Turnin’ Me On’ and ‘Move Ya Body’ so it’s kinda crazy. Nicole: They [Thanksgiving Day Parade] felt it was the most appropriate song to sing for kids as opposed to ‘Turnin’ Me On’ so we said, ‘Okay, cool!’ AHHA: You have some amazing slow jams on the album like ‘Temperature’s Rising’ and ‘Faded Memories’. Do you plan to release any slow jams with this album or keep it to dance singles? Nicole: Hopefully our next single, if we release a third single [off this album], will be a slow song. But with our next album, if we don’t release a slow single off this one; we hope to release a slow single on our next one. It’s to show people that we can do that too. Natalie: We’ve done Reggaeton, we’ve done the Hip-Hop track, we’ve done the Reggae track, now hear us blow! AHHA: How did the Alchemist collab for ‘Hold You Down’ happen? Nicole: Well, Alchemist had already put down the song, but it didn’t have a hook. Alchemist is cool with Cipha Sounds, who is one of our managers and producer on the album, and I guess they were like, ‘Well let’s see what they can write’. He gave us the track without a hook. Natalie wrote the hook, we sent it back, and [Alchemist] liked it alot. He mixed down what we gave him and released it as a single. We had no idea it was gonna happen like that. AHHA: How has working with […]

When you enter the music industry you take a chance. You work hard to perfect your craft, hope and pray to get discovered – and when you finally get that big break, you never know what tomorrow brings. The ladies of the group Allure – Alia Davis, Lalisha McLean, and Akissa Mendez – took a chance. After signing with two records labels that eventually folded, Allure can vouch that the music industry isn’t always glamour and gold. Hoping to get past misfortune and gain a fresh start, Allure signed with Truwarier Records headed by Indiana Pacer, Ron Artest. When it came time to release their third album, Chapter Three, in November of 2004, things took a turn for Allure. With high hopes that things would be better this time around; the light at the end of the tunnel eventually darkened again. Ron Artest would be involved in one of the biggest brawls in NBA history which would impact Truwarier Records, and affect promotion and distribution of Allure’s album. In dealing with such adversity, it might come as a surprise that these ladies have been able to maintain a positive outlook on their musical careers. So much has happened, but at the same time Allure let AllHipHop.com Alternatives know that they plan to stay strong, continue promoting their album, and won’t let hard times keep them down. Allhiphop.com Alternatives: How have you all dealt with being signed to two other labels that folded prior to Truwarier Records? What’s been your motivation to keep going? Lalisha: Definitely it’s been challenging, but we feel that we’ve been put here and through these situations for a reason. We didn’t know that when we were signed to Crave or MCA that either was going to fold. Things happen, and God gave us the strength and surrounded us with people to endure and go through these things and still be okay. We feel everything has happened for a reason and it’s made us stronger. AHHA: What lessons do you think that you’ve learned dealing with both Crave and MCA? Lalisha: We’ve learned how to pick our team, be it management or an accountant. We just don’t pick people the company wants us to choose just to keep the project moving. We pick people that we trust now. AHHA: Hooking up with Ron Artest and Truwarier, how did that come about? Akissa: We had a mutual friend that was working alongside Ron and he brought it to our attention that Ron wanted to open up a label and was looking to sign a girl group. It kind of seemed like it was almost meant to happen, because we didn’t have a situation and he had one that he was trying to open up, and everything pretty much happened from there. AHHA: Did you have any other deals on the table around the time you signed with Truwarier? Alia: We were dealing with other major labels, but we thought why not try the independent route. Ron was tying to start the label and he explained that people weren’t taking him seriously because he was a basketball player. He believed that we could all help each other. In turn, we thought being independent we could have more control and maybe then people would start to take Ron more seriously because here we were an established group signing to his label. Things didn’t happen like they were supposed to, and this is just going to be another experience that we learn from. We’re just doing what we have to do to promote our album. AHHA: The incident that Ron Artest was involved in back in November, when the fight evolved between the NBA Pacers and Pistons as well as fans, resulted in him being suspended for the remainder of the season. Do you feel that it impacted you? Alia: Definitely. A lot of things have happened to us in our careers that have been out of our control. We thought that any publicity was good publicity, it was then we learned that it wasn’t. We sat down with Ron and discussed how things were supposed to go to with promotion, marketing, and just keeping us out there, but after the incident things didn’t go as planned. We stuck to out part of the bargain, which was deliver a good album on time. We put a lot into it. We wrote about 85% of the songs, stuck with producers that we have a history with, and did collaborations with Joe Budden and Elephant Man. Despite the backlash, if they would have kept to their part of the bargain, we feel that our album still could have been productive. A lot of deadlines weren’t met, so right now it’s up to us to fill in the voids and show everybody how important our album is to us. Akissa: As far as us being impacted with this whole thing with Ron, that definitely back fired in the most negative way, because now everybody thinks that he’s a knucklehead and they’re pretty much looking at us now like we’re some dumb broads that he’s just rolling with. But that’s not the case, we’re going to have to do what we have to do to make sure our albums is heard and we’re perceived the right way. Throughout this whole situation, we have to thank our distributor Lightyear/WEA because they’ve been very helpful through all of this. AHHA: Did you have any thoughts about leaving Truwarier or receive any new offers? Alia: People are offering, but we’re the type of people that like to give people a chance. There’s a relationship there between us and Ron, and we try to show that we’re there for him, but at the same time we’re not going to hold up our careers because we’re trying to be there for him. AHHA: So what’s next for Allure? Alia: We recently did a song with Tom Jones, and we’re about to go follow that hit over in Europe. And we’ve […]

Since her initial appearance on the acting scene, Nia Long has captured the hearts of millions. Whether it’s playing the Catholic school girl next door, the fine sista’ down the street or a sassy poetic photographer, Ms. Long definitely plays the part to the fullest by adding a little of herself into each role. Over the years we have not only grown to know her, but also to love her and relate to her. After nearly a four-year hiatus, Nia came back on the scene starring in NBC’s#### TV drama Third Watch and recently showed us her major film range with her debut reappearance opposite Jude Law in Alfie. Now starring in Are We There Yet? with Ice Cube, she has once again placed herself back at the top of everyone’s list as that girl to watch. AllHipHop.com Alternatives spent some time with Nia in New York to discuss career growth and the balance of motherhood and stardom. Surprisingly, with all the success and her celebrity status, she is still amazingly humble. AllHipHop.com Alternatives: How was it working with Ice Cube for the third time? Nia: It was great, we actually were sitting back talking about our films we had together one day. We had basically talked about the reason why we chose our roles in films that we were in like Boyz In The Hood, we did it because we knew it would be a success. There was no way it would fail. It was so real and everyone could relate to it, it‘s the same with Friday and now Are We There Yet?. We always said that we started this together, so we will continue to work together…kind of like a legacy. AHHA: So looking back, how would you rate your performance now versus then? Nia: Well, with acting as with anything you do, the more you practice the more you grow. I definitely feel that as an actress that I have grown and perfected my craft over the years. Although I feel like I have grown, I also know that I am nowhere near where I want to be, and hopefully better opportunities will come to me in time. As far as Cube, he is very technical and approaches things from a technical aspect. Like when we are on set, while most actors are really focusing on perfecting their role, Cube is focusing on his role and where to stand as far as to get the best shot. I learned from him how to be technical and focus on those things as well because everything is really about the shot. AHHA: Did you read the script for Are We There Yet?, or did you say yes to it because it was Ice Cube? Nia: Oh no honey, I always read the script. You have no idea on what could happen if you don’t. I read it and it was a great script. The only thing I was like ‘hmm…’ about was the fact that the kids in the film were scripted to be so bad and my character was so lenient, I was like no one is going to respect me as a mother after this! [laughs] AHHA: As a mother, have you had any moments with your son similar to the behavior of the kids in the movie? Nia: No, not really. For the movie we had to go to an interview at Nickelodeon, and my son gave me one of those moments where I was embarrassed. It all started because he saw the lights at Toys R’ Us and he wanted to go. I mean he was acting like a four-year-old, wanting to do what he wanted instead of what I needed to do. I was just so upset that I had to walk away [smiling]. Although he has his moments, I still have to remember the fact that he is a child, and issues that may seem unimportant to us is just as major to them as our everyday issues we face as adults. AHHA: Believe me I understand as a mother! I read in an article that you are a now a single mother, are you finding it hard now to balance your career and motherhood? Nia: No. Fortunately my son’s father and I have remained great friends, he understands what I do and the fact that although we are not together that we still have a son and he helps share some of the responsibilities. I also have a great support system with my Mom who watches him for me when I go away to do films that may not be appropriate for him to be on set – so overall I am fine the hardest part really is leaving him. AHHA: I hear that you are in the process of filming Big Momma’s House 2. When is it slated for release? Nia: Yeah, I actually just agreed to do it. We haven’t really received a date yet, but it should be soon. I am actually excited because I think it will be fun to do that film. AHHA: What would be your ideal role? Nia: Any role created by me, for me, starring me and written by me. I mean each role that I have done has been a reflection of me in some part of my life, even in Alfie in which I played a little crazy. I mean I have been known as being a little demanding or whatever, but I feel a little craziness is cool – it keeps life interesting. I also would love to star in an autobiographical film about the life of Nina Simone, because I love her and feel that it would be very interesting. I think overall for me to find that perfect role for me, I would have to develop it on my own. AHHA: That would be hot, not to mention the fact that a lot of African American actors and actresses really receive their recognition after starring in autobiographical films. […]

You’ve just come from checking out the new Samuel L. Jackson flick Coach Carter and couldn’t help but notice Michael Ealy, the corn-rowed, hazel-eyed cutie from the Barbershop movies. But before you run off to tell your girls about Ealy’s latest role, you may want to take a second look. That’s not Ealy hooping it up in the flick. Instead, it’s newcomer Texas Battle. Battle, who makes his big screen debut as Maddux in Coach Carter, has already grown accustomed to the frequent comparison. The easy-going Houston native takes it all with a grain of salt, however. Rather than waste his breath trying to convince those naysayers, he’s content to let his work speak for itself. Prior to making his big-screen debut, you may have seen him honing his acting skills on television shows such as The Bernie Mac Show or the The Parkers. The 23-year-old model-turned-actor recently stepped away from Hollywood’s fast track to talk to AllHipHop.com Alternatives what is next for him, and gave us some insight about working with the legendary Sam Jackson. AllHipHop.com Alternatives: Has anyone ever told you look Michael Ealy? Texas: [laughing] All the time! Girls always come up and be like, ‘Are you Michael Ealy?’ When I tell them that I’m not, they always think I’m being modest. They’ll insist that I’m really him. AHHA: Have you two ever met? Texas: No, not yet. It’s all good though. Sometimes, I’ll just go with the flow. When they ask me if I’m him, sometimes I’ll just say, ‘Yeah, that’s my brother’. AHHA: How was it growing up being named Texas? Texas: It’s funny because back home, it’s no big thing. People call me T-Back or they call me Tex. But when I came to California, it was like, ‘Wait a minute…’ [laughs] I was like, ‘Do you want me to show I.D.? What do you need?’ Then I always have to tell the story of how I got my name, so I’ll tell you too. I got my name when my mom was pregnant with me; I was one of those babies that was stubborn. So the doctor made a joke to try to ease my mom because I was giving my mom some pain. He’s like, ‘You know what? We’re just gonna leave this boy in there. We’re not gonna mess with Texas right now. We’re gonna wait ‘til he comes out.’ So then, that made my mom ease up or whatever. My name was going to be Christopher Quincy Battle – but when the doctor made that joke, everyone thought it was funny. Then when I finally came out 36 hours later, the doctor was like, ‘Oh! So Mr. Texas decided he wanted to come out. Well congratulations, you have a baby boy. What’s his name?’ My mom right then and there was like, ‘Texas! Why not? I mean, don’t mess with Texas! That’s a big state’. AHHA: How long have you been out in L.A.? Texas: Over two years now. AHHA: Tell us about your role in Coach Carter. Texas: I play a character named Maddux, and he’s one of the basketball players. At first, he agrees with everybody when the new coach comes in. He’s like, ‘Okay, who’s this new guy coming in? Who does this guy think he is trying to run us and make us do what he wants with contracts and all?’ But I’m one of the first kids, aside from his son, that realizes what he’s trying to do is make us young, successful Black men without thinking [that] basketball is the number one priority. So, I get teased for that. [laughs] The guys are like, ‘Shut up Maddux! You’re a kiss-up.’ You know, I’m that type of guy. I’m crazy though, I say what I want. AHHA: How much of that character is close to the real Texas Battle? Texas: Well, we’re kind of different. The only thing that I might say about Maddux that’s similar to Texas is that he’s spontaneous and very blunt, but he doesn’t get popped in the head and all that stuff that happened in the movie. You know, ain’t no punkin’ Texas! AHHA: Now that you’ve gotten your first movie role out the way, what’s next? Are you working on any other projects at the moment? Texas: Right now, I did work on a TV series that’s just came out. It’s called Committed. You should check it out. I hope it lasts until the 8th or 9th episode because that’s what I’m on. It’s hilarious. It’s replacing Father of the Bride. They really think this is going to be a good one. AHHA: What character do you play on those episodes? Texas: I play a guy named Tony. I am the person on the side for one of the stars on the show. It’s kind of funny. AHHA: How was it making the transition into acting? Was it hard getting adjusted to it? Texas: Well, my personality and the way that I am anyway, when I get in a room and I have to read with someone, the nervousness doesn’t bother me. It’s not about me going in and freezing up or anything. My thing is, I like to do that anyway. I like getting in front the camera. I like meeting people; I like socializing, so it’s no problem for me. But when I get it in there, it is a different transition and it’s hard and people need to understand that because you don’t just go in there and read stuff of a paper, you know what I’m saying? You have to know what you’re reading. You have to understand the scene. You have to listen to the reader at the same time that’s presenting it. It’s all about being natural. Acting is natural. Ya know, Denzel Washington told me… AHHA: Look at that! You have Denzel giving you advice, now? Texas: [laughs] He was like, ‘Man look, if a casting director or producer knows that you’re […]

The road to stardom, fame and even personal happiness is filled with cobblestones and an obstacle at every turn. Nearly three years ago, songstress Tweet won mass acclaim with Southern Hummingbird – an album filled with heartfelt songs of pain, joy, love, and sorrow that audiences everywhere could relate to. Her lead single “Oops (Oh My)”, an upbeat Timbaland production on ‘self-love’, opened ears and minds everywhere. The next single, “Call Me”, was featured in a Verizon Wireless ad campaign, which made her a household name. Tweet developed a passion for music from having parents in gospel groups who, along with her siblings, played many instruments. Her dream of being successful landed her in a group with a production deal that never saw the light of day. Deep depression and a severe lack of funds landed her back home with her parents in Florida. As she was considering giving up her dream, she received a fateful call from Missy Elliott, who needed backup vocals on “Take Away” for her 2001 album So Addictive. That was Tweet’s formal introduction to the world. Tweet is back this spring with her sophomore album, It’s Me Again. The lead single “Turn Da Lights Off”, which is produced by Kwame and features her mentor Missy Elliott, has been getting plenty of burn on radio and video shows across the country. Tweet recently had an enlightening conversation with AllHipHop.com Alternatives on who she is, where she’s been and her new album – which reflects on more joyous times. AllHipHop.com Alternatives: You really put a lot of emphasis on all the details and the musicality of your live show. What is the difference between the way your albums sound – which is a lot more synthesized, kind of futuristic sound – going to your live show, which has a lot more almost old-school, old soul vibe to it? Tweet: Well, that’s because I am old-school, and I’m from the church and that’s live musicians and things like that. Some of the new songs on this album have live drums and live stuff like that, but you rarely can do that in the studio. Usually I’m kinda laid back in the studio, but when I get on the stage it’s all about presenting myself and my music the way I want everybody to hear it – you get to be more free on the stage. I think that’s why I decided to take a live band every time I go out – you really can feel it more. AHHA: Definitely, and you can see that in your performance too – you just look very happy when you perform. Tweet: You don’t really have to stick to a program, you can jump from song to song or sing the song as long as you want, cut it you can just do whatever you want to do on stage. AHHA: You have talked about battling a period in your life where you were really depressed and sad because your music career wasn’t going in the direction that you wanted it to. Tweet: Right. AHHA: Ultimately, you’re living proof that persistence and timing is everything. When you look back on everything that you’ve been through to this point, what do you think has been your biggest accomplishment, personally and professionally? Tweet: Personally, my relationship with God has gotten stronger and through that I think that’s my biggest accomplishment. I didn’t know how much it means to have a relationship with God and to depend on him. So that’s my biggest accomplishment, from moving one state of faith into another state of faith. Professionally it’s just about reaching so many people that I didn’t know. Still today I have people coming and saying that my [first] album is still in their cd player and they listen to the whole record. I didn’t know that I would have that type of effect on people. I always thought it wasn’t about the numbers – if I could just meet one person or reach one person with my music I was fine with that. But to know that a lot of people really used my album as a how-to, and they feel like I helped them through certain situations. I think professionally that’s the best – when an artist can reach fans and people. AHHA: Obviously there are a lot of people out here that support you and back everything that you do – but then you’re going to have your adversaries and people that don’t necessarily want to see you move as far. What do you feel is the biggest pressure in the industry to you? Tweet: The biggest pressure, sometimes it’s the look – maybe being two pounds – that’s a pressure. I don’t really let it bother me because I really am not a big girl anyway. Sometimes some of the record companies want you to sound like someone else but I stood my ground and just been the artist that I am. But other than that I don’t see any pressures because I’m really with people that really have my back and I don’t have to compromise myself. Missy is one that is behind me 100% in what I do so it’s really not a pressure, not yet. It was pressure trying to get this album done but because of the [label] merge – I kinda wanted to wait ‘til the right time. I don’t know how many other artists feel like I do, but I’m loving what I do and I’m just happy – I’m blessed to be able to be happy in something that I do. So the pressures don’t matter. AHHA: Now that your life has changed and things have come full circle in your career and you’re a lot happier, how does that affect your songwriting? Tweet: Now I have happier or more positive things to say, but I can still remember when I felt sad or lonely or things like that. I can write happier songs […]

In 1997, before Musiq sang about being “Just Friends,” Jill Scott stopped chicken heads from “Getting in the Way” and Bilal found his “Soul Sista,” there was Rahsaan Patterson. With his red-tinged blown-out afro, earthy fashion sense and songs filled with sentiments of love, Rahsaan Patterson was neo-soul before we even knew what neo-soul was. Without a doubt, he was well ahead of his time. Although his walls aren’t adorned with platinum plaques, Rahsaan Patterson has what many platinum selling artists can only dream of achieving—staying power. Four albums deep into his career, Rahsaan Patterson has proven that true talent can, indeed, succeed at the end of the day. After jumpstarting his career as a background singer and songwriter for artists such as Brandy, Tevin Campbell and Donnell Jones, he finally got his chance to shine on his MCA self-titled debut in 1997. After 1999’s follow up project, Love in Stereo, he found himself with no label home after MCA folded. However, he was able to walk away with something that most artists rarely do—total ownership of his masters. Dusting himself off, he took his career into his own hands by releasing songs overseas and most recently, in the U.S. on his own label. He sat down to chat with AllHipHop.com Alternatives to share his views on the industry and what inspired him on his latest album, After Hours. AllHipHop.com Alternatives: How does it feel when people approach you and tell you that your music touches them, and they identify with something that you created? Rahsaan: It just lets me know that I’m relatable and I relate to people, and that just because I make albums and people may view me as a celebrity or someone not in their circumference, that it doesn’t mean anything. It makes me feel good to know that people can hear what I write and what I sing and relate to it at all. AHHA: Some of us may know you primarily for your debut album or Love in Stereo, but you’ve been around since before then, right? Rahsaan: Well actually, it’s been almost 20 years really. AHHA: Wow! How old are you, talking about you’ve been doing this for 20 years? Rahsaan: I’m 31, but I started professionally recording music at 10. A lot of people don’t know that, and they tend to interpret my confidence and security as being egotistical or conceited in some ways, because they don’t know my history. They don’t know that I’m familiar with this music industry and very comfortable in it. I don’t feel a need to please or alter who I am and how I do what I do. AHHA: How would you describe your experience in the industry overall and just dealing with the majors? Rahsaan: I feel that it’s unfortunate that the industry has evolved into what it has evolved to, just in terms of the level of talent that is marketed, promoted and forced down people’s throats. The industry has always been the same, even from the beginning, as far as the thievery, the publishing, the under the table money that people get to play a song. At least [back] then, the talent kind of spoke for itself. Nowadays, it’s not like that. AHHA: Your latest album was initially released overseas first. Tell us about your decision to do that, and what finally prompted you to bring it here to the States. Rahsaan: Well, I had intended to bring it here to the United States, but what led to it being released in Europe first was an offer that came from a company to license my album in the U.K. Since MCA gave me my masters, I was able to license it to them. I’m very grateful for that opportunity because it allowed the people in that market to have the album. Had they not given me the offer, who knows when I would’ve been able to support breaking it over in that market. As far as the U.S., we were just waiting to finalize our label and make sure that we had all the proper people involved and the proper money just to be able to launch the record here on our own label, Artistry Music. AHHA: What was on your mind when you were working on this album? Rahsaan: Several things. Even still today, my father’s death is always prominent in my mind and spirit. That was definitely a major factor in a lot of the inspiration for my record. And I guess in a lot of ways, missing him and relating to him, and being able to feel some of the telepathic communication also led me to learn more about him – the relationship between my parents, and how the environment you grow up in and the things that you learn subconsciously end up affecting how you deal with our own relationships. AHHA: Now that you have your own label, do you have plans to release any other artists? Rahsaan: Oh, definitely. Right now, my record is the first record to be released and we’re definitely looking to sign artists in the future. As of now, because we’re just getting off the ground, my album is the main focus at the moment. Hopefully, it will bring in enough revenue to where we could continue to support the label and support the artists that we sign. AHHA: You worked with Van Hunt and Mike City on this album, which might surprise some listeners. Rahsaan: Why? AHHA: Because Mike City is more known for working with more commercialized artists like Carl Thomas and Brandy. What led you to collaborate with him? Rahsaan: I’ve always been a fan of all of the songs that he’s released that’s been played on radio, like ‘I Wish’ by Carl Thomas and Brandy’s ‘Full Moon’. I feel his spirit through his music, and I think he has a great way of conveying his spirit through his music. That’s what leads me to work with anybody that I’ve worked […]

Petite, blue-haired vixen Lil’ Mo has returned to the block, this time as a member of the southern-dominated Cash Money stable. The Long Island native who has sanctified hooks for Missy Elliot, Jay-Z and Fabolous to name a few, also paired with Ja Rule on such hits as “Put It On Me” and “I Cry” back in 2000. But according to Mo, drama ensued when Rule failed to allot her share of money for her contribution to “Put It On Me”. The church-going vocalist, songwriter, and expectant mom recently spoke with AllHipHop.com Alternatives about her past resentment toward former collaboration buddy Ja Rule, her new abode at Cash Money and her upcoming third album, Syndicated: The Lil Mo Hour. AllHipHop.com Alternatives: You’re with Cash Money Records now. Why the move? Lil’ Mo: I liked their track record, their history, just the way that they establish artists and the artists maintain. I don’t know why what went on between them and the other artists [Juvenile, BG]. But my situation with them is all good. I don’t have any complaints. The fact that the CEO of Round Table [Merlin Bob] and of Cash Money [Ronald “Slim” Williams, Bryan “Baby” Williams], I have all their numbers, their personal numbers. So I don’t have to go through anybody else to get at them. If I have a problem I can bring it to them right then and there, and we handle it right then and there. So, just the fact that I can have that, the relationship is crazy. AHHA: Did you have any issues with your old record company, Elektra? Lil’ Mo: I’d rather not discuss them. That was last year, we on to new things. I mean, I just think that they—you know like a lot of people went through labels. I was only signed to one label, which was Elektra, and it was just like that was my stepping stone. I put out two albums with them, I made some good money. They paid me some good money, but other than that, I’m just glad where I’m at. AHHA: How is it being surrounded by all these southern artists? Lil’ Mo: It’s crazy, because with me being from Long Island, I wasn’t ever a person that grew up one way. There’s a lot of people who grew up in Brooklyn [who’ve] never been out of Brooklyn. I grew up in Long Island, but my dad joined the military so I lived in Texas. I’ve lived in Georgia, ATL. I live in Maryland now. I lived in North Carolina. So I know the southern hospitality—in between Louisiana is Texas and North Carolina—so I kind of knew what I was looking forward to when I got with [Cash Money]. It’s just all love all around the board. I mean, even though it’s different—we all have a different slang—the love is just universal and I appreciate that from them. AHHA: Is Lil Wayne still officially down with Cash Money? Lil’ Mo: Oh, I don’t even know. That’s what I gotta ask them. As far as I know, he’s still there ‘cause I keep on hearing him saying in raps, “Weezy F Baby. Please say the baby” [“Soldiers”] and I know that’s Baby’s son, so they never told me he’s gone. As far as I know, he’s still Cash Money ‘til the day that he goes to see Jesus. AHHA: Are there any collaborations with Cash Money artists on the new album? Lil’ Mo: Yeah, I got Birdman on a joint called ‘Won’t Look Any Further’, and that’s a collabo joint we did together. It’s basically him saying what he got going on, and I’m saying he could pretty much vouch for all the things that he talk about. If he say, ‘I got money’ – he could prove it. If he say, ‘I’m crazy between the sheets’ – I’m pretty sure if you ask a couple of chicks, that he could prove it. And so I’m just saying [in the song] to the ladies out there, a lot of these guys talk a good game but they can’t prove it. So before you lay down with this person and be like, ‘Man, that was just a piece of my love that I wasted – I could have saved for my daggone self,’ it’s just saying, converse with a brother before you lay down with him and start thinking, ‘Oh, yeah. I blazed him, I set him off straight’. He might not be all that. Just like they try to talk about girls like, ‘If your head game ain’t tight, I’m not coming over’. [The song] is basically talking junk to the fellas—in a good way. AHHA: So what’s the meaning behind the album title,Syndicated? Lil’ Mo: It’s basically dealing with the fact that when I had my own radio show in Baltimore [a few years ago], I had an afternoon drive show and I was like number one, but the whole world didn’t get to experience my talk game and just the way I could slip into different songs. All the songs that just so happened to be on the show that day [on this album] are mine, so it’s just an hour of me playing all my music. It’s all new music and I have talk breaks, commercials that I came up with. Just to show that I’m versatile, not just do an interlude with somebody breathing on the phone or a sex interlude, that’s so wack. I’m a comedienne—not like a stand-up comic—but everybody that knows me personally knows that I stay clowning. So we got that on there. It’s just basically showing a different side and bringing a different thing to R&B, ‘cause there be some shows that people don’t listen to on the radio. You can pop my album in and play it several times. A lot of people like the interludes that I’ve done on previous albums. Like the one I did where the boyfriend was wack, when he’s […]

Like a proud parent watching his or her child successfully progress through maturity, R&B listeners have both seen and heard the effortless progression of velvet voiced Mario. Two years ago, the Baltimore native was crooning about such innocent affairs as hair braiding and the always dreaded “friend zone”, but these days adult feelings such as seductive love, sexual practices, and infidelity are Mario’s desired subject matter. Now 18-years-old and sounding better than ever, manhood has welcomed Mario in nicely, and, as evidenced on his recently released sophomore album Turning Point, his talents should easily continue to develop. Arriving at this comfortable point in his career has been an eventful journey for the dedicated young man. After being discovered by current manager Troy Patterson during a performance at a college talent show while only 11-years-old, Patterson brought the wide-eyed singer to the attention of J Records mogul Clive Davis. A jaw-dropping rendition of Boyz II Men’s “I’ll Make Love To You” sealed the deal, and his self-titled debut hit shelves in 2002, powered by the hit Biz Markie update “Just A Friend 2002”. Mario’s youthful appeal was seemingly limited by time’s constraints, however, as the natural trials of pre-adulthood began to present themselves. Realizing that this maturation needed to be evident on record as well, Mario put pen to paper, co-writing several songs that could capture his personal growth for the new album. Led by the undeniable soul of the Scott Storch-produced smash “Let Me Love You”, Turning Point is a fitting collection of grown-up R&B that manages to transcend age boundaries with its genuine skill and execution. Just like fine wine, Mario seems to be improving with each passing year, promising a lasting career full of high expectations. With industry elite such as Alicia Keys, Lil Jon, and Jadakiss cosigning on his potential, Mario’s Turning Point may, in actuality, be his true genesis. In the midst of his hectic schedule, Mario took time out to build with AllHipHop.com Alternatives about his journey into adulthood, his fans, and his bright future. AHHA: Having been successful at such a young age when Mario dropped back in 2002, what lessons did you learn about the industry that helped you in making Turning Point? Mario: Oh man! Be able to work really hard and be ready to not get as much sleep as you wan to. You got to be ready to be up for long periods of time to get the job done. Basically, giving up things that you are used to doing and having. You have to give up a lot of things that are important to you, and make some real sacrifices in order to reach that level of success that you want. AHHA: What sacrifices did you have make that you weren’t expecting at first, and maybe had trouble dealing with at such a young age? Mario: I wasn’t able to be with my family as much once that album came out. Being away from home so much because I was constantly on the road was a lot for me to deal with at that time. It was very surprising. After awhile though, you start getting used to it. You start to realize that that’s what happens when you’re doing what I do. Everything happens for a reason. You learn what is needed to get where you want to go, and how you have to make it happen. It all depends on where you’re trying to go with things. I’ve known from the beginning that I want to make great music that will stand the test of time, so to make that happen, I made the necessary sacrifices. AHHA: Being away from your family and your home for such long periods of time, how are you able to keep yourself grounded? Mario: You learn things and you see that you only really have God. Once you realize that, you’re able to keep moving and keep going. Once you lose focus on the fact that you’re not bigger than your success, you lose focus of the fact that God is on top of everything. That’s when you just lose it, period. You have to try not to lose that. AHHA: Having that important sense of awareness now, it seems that you’ve matured nicely coming into this new album. Were there any concerns, though, about how you were going to approach you growth musically and from the fans’ perspective? Mario: Definitely, man. I always hope that people take this album the right way, and that the record continues to touch people. I hope people get the same feeling from the record that I did. It’s just a great R&B record. I think it’s a timeless record. The emotion of love is something that will be around forever, and that’s something that I think helps the record make sense. I’m at the age where I’m learning how to be a man, and be able to give that affection the right way. AHHA: The first single is huge, and it definitely seems like the perfect first look at your new growth. When you finished recording the song, could you tell right away that it was big? Mario: Actually, at first I didn’t think it was the single. The CEO of my label, 3rd Street, kept telling me that ‘Let Me Love You’ is a big record. He kept saying, ‘That’s the single!’ I didn’t think it was my single – I was wrong. [laughs] I wanted to come out with a big club banger. The part that made me realize that ‘Let Me Love You’ was the right single though was [that] once I recorded it, I got a feeling from it that I had never gotten from a song before. The song had a certain chemistry to it. The lyrics and the simplicity of the song got me. AHHA: One thing that is crazy about ‘Let Me Love You’ is how it has touched all listeners, from the females to even the most […]

The idea of ‘singing twins’ oozes of a contrived marketing gimmick, however the buzz surrounding identical twin singing group Aaries has not dissipated since their subtle emergence in 1999. You might remember hearing fellow Philadelphian artist Musiq speaking highly of Ayana and Ayinke whenever he found the opportunity. Aaries’ vocals can be heard all over Musiq’s albums Aijuswanaseing, Juslisen, and Soulstar, and Ayana is the young lady featured in Musiq’s “Girl Next Door” video. Famous affiliations aside, Aaries has yet to release any music – it would seem that they are relegated to the shadows of background vocals and feature spots. Please do not get it twisted, the young ladies are still grinding, and they still have music on the way that they can’t wait to share with the world. The delightful duo took time recently to tell AllHipHop.com a little about the delays and new directions they are taking with their music. AHHA: What happen to your album Always Remember? I heard about it more than a year ago? Ayana: We basically finished that project, but as the music business goes everything isn’t written in stone. AHHA: Has it been frustrating to sit on piece of work you feel so strongly about? Ayinke: Yes, it has been frustrating, but there is a lesson to learn in this experience – we have learned to be patient. Our time will come and when it does we will be ready. Ayana: Yeah, what doesn’t kill you will definitely make you stronger. It sounds like a cliché, but it’s true. I feel like good music is timeless, so there will always be place for our music. AHHA: Have you recorded another album’s worth of material since then? Ayana: Yes, that and more. We are still hungry and our camp is eager to see us succeed, therefore the creativity never stops. Ayinke: We are always recording. We are so hard on ourselves; we only accept the best from ourselves. The songs are awesome and I am excited about the new material. AHHA: Is the album still scheduled to be released on Atlantic? If not, why the change? Ayinke: No, the album is not scheduled to be on Atlantic. I don’t know what it is with Atlantic and female artists – look at Lil Kim, Brandy, and Sunshine Anderson. It seems as if they don’t know what to do with female artists. We decided to leave Atlantic; we felt they did not have a clear directive. Atlantic is an awesome company, it just wasn’t for us. Ayana: Change is never a bad thing. AHHA: When can we expect to hear the first single? Ayana: We don’t have a set date, but we are constantly doing side gigs with other artists. Ayinke: Hopefully you can hear something in the summer 2005. We are weighing our options and staying patient. AHHA: Are their any songs that you sing individually on the upcoming album? Ayana: Yes, we do have some separate songs as well. It gives us a chance to express our individual style. For example, my sister and I always buy the same exact thing when we go shopping, but we’ll rock the same shirt in two different ways. The same goes with our music, we rock it differently, so it gives us a chance to showcase our individual approach. AHHA: What do you say to people who may look at the singing sister thing as merely a gimmick? Ayinke: Nothing! If it was a gimmick why would we work so hard? Ayana: I tell them to talk to my mom and tell her that having twins was a gimmick. Nah, I really haven’t heard that before. I think it’s silly if people say that because we were created together, we were raised doing everything together, along with signing. It was something that just came naturally.

Virginia native-turned-New Yorker Chad L. Coleman has made an impressive showing on season three of The Wire as Dennis “Cutty” Wise, a street smart yet under-educated man with a jaded past and an amazing hope for the future. After studying acting at both Virginia Commonwealth University and the Herbert Bergoff studio in New York, Chad took on more intensive training with Howard University professor Vera Katz. He has acted in off-Broadway plays and regional theater, performing alongside the likes of vets like Willem Dafoe and Patrick Stewart, and has performed in several commercials and television shows including Law & Order. Chad’s role as Cutty gave the popular HBO series a different, and almost moral, direction without being too preachy. It is interesting to note that while Cutty speaks slowly and often uses less than desirable grammar, Chad speaks smoothly and swiftly with the air of a distinguished gentleman. Where Cutty deliberates internally about basic day to day activities, Chad asserts himself with confident expression. The man and his character seem to be worlds apart in demeanor and life experiences, but it is evidently clear that Chad understands Cutty on a level that transcends mere acting. AllHipHop.com Alternatives got caught up in an intense conversation with Chad L. Coleman about the development of the storylines and character interaction on The Wire, and what ‘Cutty’ represents beyond the television show. AllHipHop.com Alternatives: We have interviewed JD Williams and Hassan Johnson both about The Wire, and talked quite in-depth about them going into Baltimore. You guys have talked to the people of Baltimore one on one a lot about their street life and picking up the dialect and things like that. Hassan mentioned that he was a little disappointed sometimes that there really wasn’t a consistency with the actors getting that dialect down. It almost seems like your character, Cutty, has his own dialect. He’s maybe not as educated as some of the other guys. How did you work in developing that role from a standpoint of the diction that you use? Chad: Basically for me, it [came] as the producers filled me in on information about the character, and I’m dealing with a producer like George Pelecanos who created my role. He had already written a book about a guy who was incarcerated and came out [of jail] and was trying to get his life together. The blueprint was there, it just came – it wasn’t something I was trying to go for. It was creative inspiration, along with information from the producers – but if you break it down, if you think that this was a kid that came up, he didn’t get a high school diploma, he spent most of his life on the street. Even on the show when they would ask about getting a GED, that’s not something he wanted to pursue. His passion for change was definitely there but it wasn’t on kind of an intellectual route, if you will. The way the dialogue is written, he’s not a man of that many words – you know there’s a lot going on with him but he doesn’t like to speak a lot. I would say it’s just a hybrid of a lot of different sounds that make up Cutty, because you can’t necessarily say who he may have encountered while being incarcerated, it’s not necessarily that he just hung out with everybody from one particular region. AHHA: Exactly, and I think in a certain way that it was good that they didn’t make him some kind of dude that… I mean he definitely came out with a vision of wanting to do something different with his life and make something out of himself, but at the same time they didn’t have him come out being some super enlightened ‘I’ve been reading all the law books’ guy. Chad: At the same time too, there are certainly those who do and who have, that’s for sure. The thing that’s interesting about the character, what makes it compelling is he’s unsure, he doesn’t know what to do. It makes him all the more human, he’s growing – you’ve watched him grow into a certain level of assuredness. That’s what’s really cool about it, because you get to follow someone that there’s no idealism involved in it at all. AHHA: I loved it that they showed that kind of back and forth, ‘Do I wanna get back in it? Do I not wanna get back in it? The community’s all f*cked up but what can I do? I can’t even get a job.’ Simple everyday things that everyone takes for granted that this guy has to struggle with, and I think they did a really good job of showing somebody who’s got a good heart and who wants to change, but everything points back to ‘What else do I do?’ Chad: That’s absolutely right, what are your options and having it all play out in sort of a real time circumstance as opposed to some kind of quick fix? That’s what I encounter in the streets of New York everyday. Brothers that just want to come up and just say ‘Thanks man, that’s me I’m dealing with that right now, stay strong, keep doing it’. That’s the reality, just like the guy on the shows that say, ‘Yeah it’s hot, it’s hot out here everyday, you know this is as good as it gets right now, and if you don’t understand and accept that first, you’re not gonna be able to move any further’. That’s powerful because you’re used to fast money you’re used to certain lifestyle, and that can only be achieved criminally, and if you really need to change… That’s the thing about Cutty, I just think that’s the amazingly beautiful thing about him, in the midst of all of that he still makes his decision. But at the same time you can tie it in as, well, like he was into boxing, he’s a Golden Globe boxer, it’s […]

AHHA: It’s almost like between Avon and Cutty, there’s this really deep level of respect that you don’t see between a lot of the other characters. Chad: Exactly, and it speaks to…I think on a lot of levels Avon feels trapped. Every time when [Cutty] said ‘I can’t be in the game anymore’ – If you notice what [Avon] said, his response to that was: ‘He a man today’. I was trying to explain to people that’s very telling about something internally in him. He feels a certain level of probable doom, a lack of hope. ‘This is the way it is, I’ve got to live this out’ – so to see someone else making an attempt to do something other than that, he wanted to be supportive to that. AHHA: Well it takes big balls to step out of that game, because you’re giving up a lot of things. Not only are you giving up your street cred and all that and your money and things like that, but you’re also giving up your protection in a lot of ways. Chad: Right, and he could have flipped it and killed [Cutty] anyway. AHHA: There’s a certain code of honor. Chad: In him as a human being, so when it resonates in that someone’s trying to deal with their own code, he deals with it. Whereas Stringer, that’s why these things really happened to Stringer, he was totally out for self. He lacked any kind of allegiance to anybody but himself. AHHA: Stringer had a lot of things in his past and I think that he didn’t really have the same respect for the same codes of ethics between the different crews. Like when they were saying no more killings on Sundays and things like that. Chad: But where does that come from? Something happened to him a long time ago where he’s detached from people period on a certain level, he’s just detached. So whatever level of abandonment or something that he experienced early in his life, he said it’s all about self and self-preservation, and, ‘It’s about playing anybody around me to get what I want’. It’s all about opportunity to me with him, so that’s why I thought it would have been interesting. I wish he was there when [Cutty] said ‘I can’t do it anymore’. I thought that would have been really really interesting to see his reaction to that. I think he would have been smart enough to plan, it would have been interesting to see him play into Barksdale’s mentality, to play as if he saw it the same way. Like let Slim Charles say what he said and then play into it. He’s constantly trying to read Barksdale. AHHA: Yeah he is, I think he was also always trying to put stuff in Barksdale’s head too and I think he would have been the dude that would’ve said, ‘Aw man, you just gonna let him walk out like that? No loyalty, what’s up?’ I think Stringer would’ve questioned that. Chad: Yeah, but that’s what I was saying, the subversive nature of him though is to read those around him, and at that point say what Barksdale wants to hear and then you see it come down the road where he really stands, like [he’s] a phony. You can’t really live like that. Not to stray off… AHHA: It’s all good. Going into the next season, Avon’s going in, but he’s the only boss now because there’s no more Stringer. The streets gotta be [chaotic]… Chad: Well, I mean not really though if you think about who’s already holding it down. AHHA: Who’s at the helm though without those two there? Prop Joe, it gives him more of a chance to step in. Chad: Yeah but they already have a rival, there’s already [Marlo] that’s a young gun that’s there. AHHA: Exactly and that guy’s crazy. [laughs] Chad: I don’t know that he’s crazy, I think the young man is aggressive, he’s smart, he’s aggressive, he’s hungry and he wants to wear the crown. AHHA: Mmhm, well he seems to have a really cold…it’s almost like he doesn’t even see people as people at all. He’s got this super criminal mentality. Chad: Right, he’s no different [than Stringer], he’s like Stringer without a suit on, that’s something they always talk about, that it’s a young man’s game. If you go to Baltimore right now the dudes that are slinging and running stuff are really young. That’s what’s going on. AHHA: That makes sense. Let’s get off The Wire for a little bit. Any other acting jobs that you have on deck? Chad: Well, I was able to do a little work in Carlito’s Way: The Beginning. It’s going back before Pacino’s character went to prison, the prequel. AHHA: I’m gonna speak on all of the comments that women make about you. How does it feel to be pretty much considered a sex symbol at this point? The women really love you. Chad: Well I mean that’s great [laughs] – that feels great. I don’t see myself as that, when I hear people speak that way. My wife tells me that all the time, so to have that level of acknowledgement that’s cool. I think that’s what women identify in me. It’s like a ‘real man’, it’s not a ‘pretty boy’ man, it’s just a handsome rock man. AHHA: It’s almost like they made Cutty and a couple of other characters almost asexual, like you guys are never gonna have a girlfriend on that show. Chad: Well I don’t know, I’m not gonna say that because you know, [Cutty] did try to get [his] ex-girl back. AHHA: We want the characters on HBO The Wire to have sex sometimes because it looks like Stringer was pretty much the only one getting any. Chad: Well, no, Lieutenant Daniels. AHHA: Oh yeah, but they’re all doing each other in the police precinct. Chad: Which is what happens, […]

The year was 1984, and the streets were ablaze with Chaka Khan’s hot single, “I Feel For You”. Although many of us happened across her albums while rifling through our parents’ stacks of vinyl, this Chaka definitely wasn’t the same Chaka our parents bumped during their basement house parties. This Chaka took a chance with a burgeoning genre of music called Hip-Hop, as evidenced by the verse dropped by Melle Mel and the images of b-boys that filled her video. That is Chaka Khan though — always taking chances. Over the course of her 30-year career, Chaka Khan’s name has become synonymous with risk-taking. Whether it be her clothing, her music or both, the eight-time Grammy Award winner has never attempted to be anyone other than herself. Her groundbreaking work hasn’t gone unnoticed either. Her hits have been covered and sampled by countless artists, including Whitney Houston, Mary J. Blige and Kanye West. Many of today’s hitmakers and artists list her as one of their strongest influences. With the recent release of her new album Classikhan on her newly formed Earthsong Records, Chaka Khan continues to break down doors. As the talented singer, songwriter and community activist chats with AllHipHop.com, she quickly reveals why the best is yet to come. AllHipHop.com: We hear you just received an honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music. How does it feel to be given such an honor? Chaka Khan: I feel like I’ve accomplished something, for real. [laughs] It’s a real, true accomplishment. It feels good. These don’t come easy, I know. AHHA: Is this the first time you’ve received an honorary doctorate? Chaka Khan: Yes, it’s the first. AHHA: You’ve broken a lot of boundaries in your career. At the time, did you realize that you’d be opening the doors for future artists? Chaka Khan: I just did what I was doing. That’s all. You know, I apply little thought to the artistic aspect of what I do anyway. If it feels good and feels right, I do it. AHHA: How does it feel to know that so many of today’s artists are looking to you and revere what you’ve created? Chaka Khan: I’m really honored. That’s all I can say. I don’t think about it a lot. But I’m really honored that I’m thought of enough to be emulated or even just noticed. The accolade in that is a beautiful thing. AHHA: You’ve recorded with a lot of legends. Is there anyone out there who you haven’t recorded with, who you’d like to or someone you’d like to work with again? Chaka Khan: Well, you know Stevie [Wonder] and I haven’t really worked together yet. I mean, he’s played harmonica on some stuff for me and I’ve covered his songs, but I’d like to get with him someday. That’d be nice. I think we probably will at some point. That would be a nice collaboration. AHHA: What’s the biggest change that you’ve noticed in the music industry? Chaka Khan: That it’s changed so much. It’s always fluctuating. It’s ever changing. And plus, the biggest change is that now, it doesn’t require any talent. [laughs] Everybody and their mama can do it now. AHHA: What about from the label standpoint? Now, all the labels are merging and folding into one. Chaka Khan: Well, it’s a joke because they were jokes. They weren’t doing right by the artists. It couldn’t last. I’m just so happy that they are on the way out because they are the exploiters, from my point of view anyway. AHHA: Do you think this will make it a lot better for the artists? Chaka Khan: Oh yeah. Anything that will give an artist any autonomy is a good thing. AHHA: Are there any lessons that you’ve learned over the years? Chaka Khan: Not be with a big label. I have my own label. My CD Classikhan is my first release. AHHA: Is your label a venture with Sanctuary? Chaka Khan: Yes. They’re really just doing the distribution. AHHA: Tell us about your decision to partner with Sanctuary. Chaka Khan: It was a no-brainer. They’re a great company. They believe in me and they’re doing good by me. As a partnership, we work really well together. AHHA: Was it something that was difficult to make happen or did everything just fall into place? Chaka Khan: You just have to do it, if you plan to own anything. Yeah, it’s difficult to do, but you just have to do it because otherwise, you’re sitting up here, 90 years old, and they’ll be playing your songs and you won’t be making any money [laughs] because it won’t belong to you. AHHA: That seems to be the biggest complaint that a lot of artists have now. Chaka Khan: And they’re absolutely correct. AHHA: Will you be signing any other artists? Chaka Khan: Hopefully in the future. I’m looking forward to doing that. AHHA: Your daughter was in a group just a few years ago. Is she going to be releasing anything on your label? Chaka Khan: Yeah, she’ll probably be on my label at some point. She really likes doing her own thing. I like that too. AHHA: You live in London now, right? Chaka Khan: I’ve been maintaining a residence in London for the past 15 years and I live in L.A. as well. AHHA: How different is it living overseas as compared to being here in the U.S.? Chaka Khan: It’s very different in almost every way. I mean, the only similarity between England and America is that they both speak English. [laughs] And even that is very different – the English that they speak over there is very different. There’s much less paranoia and just a wider, freer, more pro-life scene. I like it. AHHA: Back to your new album – you recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra on it. Did you just know that’s who you wanted to work with on this project? Chaka Khan: It was either going […]

Dionne Farris grabbed the attention of music fans in 1997 when her hit single “Hopeless” appeared on the Love Jones soundtrack. However, few took notice of the person behind the lyrics, a soft-spoken musician named Van Hunt. Rather than jump and scream for attention, he calmly waited in the wings before making his grand entrance into the spotlight. Since releasing his self-titled debut on Capitol Records in 2004, all eyes are finally on this smooth Ohio native-turned-ATLien with a knack for spinning tales of love and all the frustrations that accompany it. Though he has been on the road, Van Hunt recently gave AllHipHop.com Alternatives the opportunity to dig beneath his cool, calm exterior. What did we find? A multi-talented musician, songwriter, producer, husband and father who, though admittedly shy, has a sly, self-deprecating sense of humor and an optimistic outlook on the music industry. We got to the bottom of a few things, including why Van Hunt would choose to work with Neil Young over Prince. AllHipHop.com Alternatives: Fill us in on what you’ve been up to lately Van Hunt: We’re on the road finishing up a couple of spot dates that we had to cancel earlier. We’re headed to New Orleans now. AHHA: What’s it like for you when you’re on stage? You seem very reserved, yet your performances are anything but. Van Hunt: When we first started, to be honest with you, I would fall asleep in the middle of the set. Not literally, but I wasn’t there. I wasn’t present and it seemed like they [the audience] felt that too. Like in the middle of the show, my endurance wasn’t up yet. But now, it’s completely different. I’m there for every song and I know how to pace myself on stage. At three o’clock in the afternoon, it can be a little stressful to know that in just a few hours, you’re going to have to entertain people for an hour to an hour and a half. AHHA: Why is it stressful to you? Van Hunt: Because I’m a shy person. When I get up there, I’ll usually catch the brothers looking inattentive – and then sometimes I can tell they’re really into it, but just don’t know how to get involved. AHHA: How did you overcome your shyness and connect with audience? Van Hunt: Sometimes the audience makes it easier. It’s easy when everybody is familiar with who I am. It’s a lot easier when you’ve already broken the ice. But sometimes, like the shows I did in Europe, they’re just discovering who you are, and everybody still seemed a little distant. That’s when it becomes hard. I really like the audiences that are wild and ready to party. AHHA: It’s hard to imagine them being distant when you and your band put out so much energy on stage. Van Hunt: Well by the end of the night, it’s all okay – but when it starts off, there is a little space there and then you have to urge them to come forward to the stage. The last time I was there though, it was different. They all came ready to party. AHHA: We know you worked with Dionne Farris on ‘Hopeless’ and you did a few tracks on Rahsaan Patterson’s last two albums. Is there anybody else that you’d like to work with? Van Hunt: Well, I’d love to work with D’Angelo, but nobody knows where he is or what he’s doing. I can’t find him. I don’t know. Maybe he’s going through something or holed up somewhere working, but I would love to do some work with him. There’s a lot of rock artists that I’d love to work with too, like Neil Young. I’d love to do something with him or David Bowie. AHHA: That would be interesting. What about Prince? Van Hunt: I don’t know if I’d like to work with Prince. That might be too overwhelming for me. It’d be kind of like working with Stevie Wonder – just too much. AHHA: Do you still enjoy working behind the scenes as a producer and songwriter, now that you’re a solo artist? Van Hunt: I probably don’t do it as often as I could. There’s a level of emotional attachment to the project, and sometimes I’m not willing to take it on. AHHA: So you’d say it’s a little hard to part with your work? Van Hunt: No, it’s just hard to deal with people’s sh*t! [laughs] People go through a lot of things in the course of the week or however long it takes you to work with them. When you come into their lives like that, you become their realtor, their advisor, their psychologist. It’s a lot to take on, especially for somebody like me. I absorb everything and I’m really sensitive, so it becomes this whole investment that I’m not usually willing to make. AHHA: It’s rare these days for a man to admit that he’s sensitive. Most men want to be seen as being ‘hard’. Is it easy for you to reveal your sensitivity? Van Hunt: I think it’s just my personality. I do a lot of self-exploration, if you will. I’m definitely introspective and sometimes I can even be self-deprecating. But most times, it’s humorous and I just wanted to put all that in my music. AHHA: Was that what you had in mind for your album? Van Hunt: Yeah. I wanted to make an album that people could listen to all the way. The other intention that I had was that I wanted to make the 12 best songs that I could. Actually, I wanted to get it down to ten, but we just couldn’t. That was the main intention though. AHHA: Your lyrics seem very personal. Are they based on personal experiences? Van Hunt: Some of it is based on experiences, but some of it I make up. When I hear a song, it comes to me like a silent movie and basically, I’m […]

Oakland-raised songstress Keyshia Cole got her first big recording opportunity from MC Hammer while she was barely a teenager. Growing up in Oakland wasn’t easy for her, but Keyshia managed to follow the right path to build a reputation in the Bay Area music scene. She was enlisted by the likes of Messy Marv and Dwayne Wiggins of Tony Toni Toné to work on projects before she reached 21, and later chose to move to Los Angeles to pursue music and life on a different scale. Just like something out of a fairy tale, she was quickly discovered by the president of A&M Records and signed a solo deal. The 23-year-old singer has been working with prolific songwriters and producers like Daron and Q of the group 112, Kanye West, Mya, Eve, and Shyne on her upcoming album. Keyshia’s first single, “I Changed My Mind” features Kanye West, and it has been rising up the charts as she positions herself for the release of her A&M debut. Keyshia took a few moments out of her busy promotional schedule to speak with AllHipHop.com Alternatives about her inspiration, and the pressure of being compared to other young women in R&B. AllHipHop.com Alternatives: How was it working with MC Hammer at such a young age? Keyshia: It was cool. I had pressured [his office] to let me talk to him everyday, and finally he said, ‘Get this girl up here, who is she, and why does she keep calling me?’ After that he would let me come in the studio as long as my grades were good. It never phased me that he was MC Hammer, I never really cared. AHHA: Most people start off singing in the church. Was that the case for you? Keyshia: I started in the streets, but my mother is a pastor. She owns her own church. I remember singing back in the day with my brother and his friends when they were doing their album. We formed our own group then I started singing in church. AHHA: So were you the typical rebellious preacher’s daughter? Keyshia: Yeah, I ran away when I was 15 – I don’t know why I did. I wanted to do music and other things, but my mother wouldn’t have it. I would rather go away and do me than stay in her house and defy her. AHHA: Did you come back? Keyshia: Nope. I am here now. AHHA: How did you survive? Keyshia: I got a job, and my uncle let me move in his building. He owned three apartments. We shared rent, $250 apiece. AHHA: Rumor has it that the song ‘I Changed My Mind’ is a true story. Is there any truth to that? Keyshia: The actual song is about being with a guy, and the video is about being with another guy – I made the two stories one. The guy I got over in Oakland was what the video was about, and the actual song was about after I left him and I came to LA and got into another situation. AHHA: So when you say situation, do you mean relationship? Keyshia: No, it really wasn’t a relationship – he wasn’t my boyfriend. AHHA: What is the concept behind the song ‘I Should Have Cheated’? Keyshia: That is the one Daron and Q wrote from 112. It is something I felt from my heart though. It is one of my favorites. AHHA: Are all your songs biographical? Keyshia: Everything on the album is based on experience except for the ones I didn’t write. I wrote 85% of the album. AHHA: Is there a lot of pressure writing so much on your first album? Keyshia: No. My label is smart, they give me a lot of leeway. They respect me artistically, so it is real cool. AHHA: What artists do you look up to? Keyshia: Brandy. She really did it for me, because she did it as a child and at a young age. She made me feel like I could do it. Also Monica. AHHA: You have been compared to Ashanti. Do you feel that is that the case? Keyshia: It could be if you want to compare me with Ashanti writing-wise and vibes, because that is my style. The way she gets down as far as music is concerned. But as far as vocally, it would be Mary mixed with Brandy. AHHA: What about style-wise? Were does your style come from? Keyshia: I have been coloring my hair since I was 13. I first colored it blonde, then copper, then my stylist put a red over it – so probably that is why [people] thought I was doing the Kelis thing. But Kelis has a whole ‘nother style – she is like wild and crazy. I am from where I am from. I am not trying to be extra hood or ghetto – I am who I am. That is the way I deal with it. AHHA: Has your new success made people around you change? Keyshia: No. They are cool, but a couple of them are doing bad – I can say one is acting up already, but I am not trippin’. Pharell told me, ‘You are going to be real successful’, and I was like, ‘Why did you say that?’ He wanted to know if I was ready for what was about to come at me; friends, family, feelings… I told him that there is no way I could be prepared for that. It is a blessing that people like that have my back and are willing to help me out. AHHA: Where were you at with Pharrell? Keyshia: In the studio – we did two songs on Snoop’s Album. AHHA: What can we expect from your album? Keyshia: It is really soulful, but it is Hip-Hop and R&B. I have Eve and Mya [as guests on it], and really heart-felt moments I have been through. AHHA: How did you get links with these big […]

Since the debut of the “Cassanova” trio Levert in 1985, Gerald Levert has carried on the tradition of soul music that his famous father, Eddie Levert of the O’Jays’, passed on to him. Gerald embarked upon a successful solo career in 1991, and later teamed for two projects with Johnny Gill and Keith Sweat under the group name LSG. With a consistent run of eight solo albums, the 38-year-old Cleveland native has proven time and time again that he is a master of performance and songwriting. Even still, the marketing machines that once coveted R&B music have dwindled over the years, and, like many other artists who have survived the changes in the industry, he often finds his music misplaced and misunderstood in the big picture. Gerald Levert’s new album, Do I Speak For The World?, is a project that reflects his personal views unselfishly on various topics. The velvet teddy bear took some time out of his busy schedule to give AllHipHop.com Alternatives his insight on the album, the evolution of music and societal acceptance. AHHA: You’ve had a very impressive career over the last 20 years or so…and you’re still a young man. When you look at everything you’ve done since you were a teenager to now, what would you say has been the biggest challenge in evolving through the changes in R&B over the years? GL: Well I think just really the change in radio and the style, and their perception of what is hot and what isn’t. You know once you’ve been in this industry a long time and you have too much of a soulful voice, they tend to put you in that category, which puts you in a smaller box than everybody else, all the mainstream people, all the Hip-Hop people. You can’t get the exposure to other places that you might have before. From the 90’s to 2000 things changed so drastically. They made R&B second, and that just changed the whole thought process of radio and what was going on music, period. It kinda hurts being an R&B singer, because immediately it puts you in one bag, and you’ll never get that exposure to people who might be listening to, say, Jay-Z or Fabolous. You just have to try to maximize whatever you can do, as far as getting out there in front of people and performing and letting them see what you do on the stage or TV. You gotta do it to your fullest, do your best and make sure that everybody is watching you, because your window is very limited once they put you in that category like, ‘I’m Black R&B’ – you know white people ain’t really checking for you like that. AHHA: I think a lot of that just comes down to the exposure factor again, because they’re really not marketing your records to that white crowd that might otherwise buy your records or go to shows. GL: Right, and it’s a different type of thing, it’s because of where they put you. They characterize you by your age, the way you dress… If you get dreds, then you’re neo-soul, and you could be singin’ the same song I’m singin’. AHHA: There are rappers who are in that mid to late 30’s age group, but they’re making hit rap albums that are marketed towards the teenage audience, and they’re hot records. Then someone would look at a Gerald Levert and say, ‘Well God he’s old, he’s old school’. But you’re in that same age category, so at what point do you feel that you had to kind of had to settle into the idea that people aren’t going to necessarily give you that same fair treatment? GL: Well, I’ve felt that for the last couple of years, and that’s cool with me as long as I get the respect as a performer and entertainer. There’s always a shot that something else is happening, music always changes, and it’s gonna turn around. But I think that where they messed up at is when they judge, it has nothing to do with the music anymore. When I was growing up in the community, if the music was good everybody had it. They split up R&B music into ‘R&B and Hip-Hop’, and into ‘Adult R&B’, and that becomes confusing, so everybody doesn’t get the full experience to it. Like you said, they don’t market your stuff to those people or those people aren’t interested in a Gerald Levert anymore, because to them that’s an old hat, but bet when they see a Gerald Levert or a New Edition perform, then they get excited about it. Then it’s like these are the ones that will really give us a show, but half of the people that they give their shots to, they don’t last for a long time. They don’t give you a good performance, they don’t give you all the things that legends like a Prince would give you. You know, he was in that for a while – he was old hat. Then he comes back with a big album and selling out arenas. So, there’s a way to make it happen, if you just stay in it long enough and find the niche where you fit in, I think it’s always a way to get their attention. AHHA: You have to wonder… I mean a lot of these radio program directors are in [their late 20’s and 30’s]. You know I remember being 19 years old and having having sex to your records. I think a lot of people forget that they used to have sex when they were teenagers, and we liked getting it on to that soulful singing back then – we liked Jodeci, we liked Levert, we liked Anita Baker… It’s like, what happened to remembering those days and appreciating it? GL: [laughs] That’s a good question. I think it’s ‘cause those people, they’re getting older and you change around. I’ve watched my father go […]

“He was better than me, he was better than Jason [Kidd], he was better than everybody.” —Gary Payton “There is no comparison to Gary [Payton], myself or Brian Shaw.” —Jason Kidd “He is superior to all of us, me, Gary [Payton], and Jason [Kidd].” —Brian Shaw “He would 360 dunk over a car.” —Drew Gooden In the late 80’s and early 90’s, no basketball conversation could take place on the streets of Oakland, California without the mention of Demetrius “Hook” Mitchell. At a time when names like Gary Payton and Jason Kidd where at the center of any jovial barbershop debate, all disputing would end at the mention of the high flying Mitchell. Unfortunately, like many gifted youths before him, Mitchell found the gravity of the streets to weighty to overcome. Whether it is football, baseball, or basketball we all have heard this story time and time again; urban athlete trades in million dollar talent for the unmerciful grip of the streets. The story is always the same – at the height of the athlete’s promise and opportunity he makes a series of decisions that leads him to either the obituaries or the penitentiary. In many respects, Mitchell’s story is no different; he flirted with death, became addicted to drugs, and served time in jail. What is different for Mitchell is that he has been given the chance to not only vindicate himself by being a productive citizen in society, but to shine bright in his community as a teacher, friend and mentor to the youth of Oakland and beyond. “He is 5’9” and can dunk over a car, that’s inhuman,” says filmmaker Michael Skolnik, whose film, HOOKED, The Legend of Demetrius “Hook” Mitchell, has brought Mitchell’s story a much wider audience. “He’s someone from the Hip Hop generation that we can call our own,” continues Skolnik. Skolnik and his co-director, William O’Neill, were originally researching a film on basketball and prison when they stumbled upon a story in the Oakland Tribune about Mitchell’s incarceration. “The article read, ‘Ex basketball legend incarcerated for robbing a Blockbuster,” recalls Skolnik. After exchanging several letters with Mitchell, Skolnik visited Mitchell in prison. “I was skeptical at first because his hair was busted, he was missing a couple of teeth, and he was the only guy in visitation whose shirt wasn’t ironed. Yet here he was telling me that Jason Kidd and Gary Payton were people his skill was comparable to.” Mitchell played basketball against Payton in high school and he and Kidd’s relationship goes back to Kidd’s freshmen year in high school. In fact, the first person Mitchell ever jumped over in a dunking contest was Kidd. Skolnik’s skepticism was shared equally, if not more so, by Mitchell. “I was pretty hesitant about the whole situation because I really didn’t know what it was all about,” said Mitchell. “I didn’t know how serious he was. In prison you can get a lot of phone calls and sometimes people play pranks.” It was no prank, but it wasn’t until Skolnik and O’Neill showed up at the prison with cameras that Mitchell truly thought it was legitimate. That day Mitchell and Skolnik spoke for six hours and from that discussion, O’Neill and Skolnik knew that the true story lied with Mitchell. “When we came across the story of Hook and all these all-star professionals were saying that he was better than them, I just had to do the story,” remarks Skolnik. So they axed the prison basketball idea and focused solely on Mitchell. Still sucking a baby bottle at age six, but a drug user at age 10, Mitchell’s youth mirrored the despair and tumultuousness of the west Oakland community he was raised in, known to many as Low Bottom. “Hook didn’t have a safety net or a web of guidance when he was younger, and there are millions of kids growing up like Hook,” says Skolnik. The documentary tells Mitchell’s story of famed basketball star turned drug user and criminal. The film features commentary from NBA stars, Jason Kidd, Gary Payton, Antonio Davis, and Brian Shaw, all extolling Mitchell’s unparallel talents and also sharing their observations of his downward spiral. The film has played at nearly 50 film festivals and has been shown to junior high and high school kids across the country. During the 2004 NBA All-Star Weekend, the film was shown to 10,000 children at Magic Johnson’s theaters. The NBA did a red carpet screening at the NBA Finals where the Detroit Pistons bussed in public school children to see the film. An edited version of the film has aired on MTV2, and feature length versions are now available for purchase at various retailers. When Mitchell was released from prison in April of 2004, he immediately felt the impact of the film when he signed a consultant contract with Reebok. He has founded a non-profit organization, Project Straight Path, meant to help raise “the consciousness of youths, desire of youth’s interest in education and raise cultural consciousness.” “It’s basically rooted in the two things I know real well; sports and my life experience with my community,” says Mitchell about his program. “We try to build life skills through recreation.” Between the consultant work for Reebok and the non-profit organization, Mitchell is constantly scheduled to speak in front of large groups of children and parents about his experience as a top athlete, a prisoner, and now a mentor. “When I speak to the youth I just give it to them straight forward. I tell them to not out grow themselves.” Mitchell, who has not been paid for appearing in the documentary, is humbled and excited at all the new opportunities he has. Super sports agent, Aaron Goodwin, a long time friend of Mitchell and the individual responsible for securing Mitchell the Reebok deal, feels that while the documentary has done much to change Mitchell’s life, compensation of some kind is due. “I was asked to appear in the film near its completion, but […]

Photo courtesy of StacieJ.com Any faithful viewer of this season’s run of the NBC reality show The Apprentice already knows the drama that surrounded the dismissal of the Harlem business owner, introduced to us as “Stacie J”, in the third week of the series. It is easy to think that you know a reality television star from their stint on a show, but high pressure situations and hours of editing can make for some misleading impressions. Born in Omaha, Nebraska and raised in Colorado, Stacie Jones Upchurch earned a Masters Degree at Atlanta’s Mercer University, simultaneously operating her own marketing company while still attending school. Between earning her BA and MBA, she was selected out of over 5,000 contestants in Atlanta when the Manhattan Model Search came through town. She was signed with the Elite Modeling Agency, and worked out of Miami, Europe, and Africa before returning to Atlanta to finish grad school. She opened a jazz restaurant in Atlanta, and later relocated to New York City to model. In the spirit of her entrepreneurial vision, she opened a Subway franchise in the middle of Harlem’s bustling 125th Street, ensuring that she would have something secure for her future. Stacie is currently signed with the prestigious Ford Modeling Agency and is still with Elite in certain markets. Over the past few years she has appeared on soap operas like As The World Turns and Guiding Light, and on Comedy Central’s Dave Chappelle Show. Her face has graced ads for the likes of Revlon, Clairol, Avon and Bacardi Silver, and she has done catalog work for Macy’s, Lord & Taylor, Target, Sears, and J.C. Penney, just to name a few. Major magazines including Essence, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Fitness, Shape, and Redbook have all enlisted her face and body in their editorial and fashion layouts. She currently graces the December issue of Maxim Magazine along with some of her Apprentice co-stars. What could possibly lure a beautiful, successful, intelligent woman into the vicious world of reality television? What does a person do when they are immediately labeled negatively on a reality show? What’s really real? Stacie J invited AllHipHop.com Alternatives up to her immaculate store in Harlem to have a boardroom-style conversation about the ins and outs of becoming television fodder, and, most importantly, life after Trump. AllHipHop.com Alternatives: Did you have an idea in mind of what would happen when you auditioned for The Apprentice? Stacie: No, I had no idea because I don’t even really watch TV. I had only seen one episode of last year’s Apprentice, the episode when Omarosa got hit on the head… just the fact that they were renovating an apartment, I was like, ‘Wow, you know I could do this’. My friends had always told me, ‘Stacie, you know you should be on The Apprentice’. I was like, ‘No, you know I’ll never apply for that show’. There’s only two people that I said I would ever work for in my life, and it was Donald Trump or Don King. I’ve never worked for anyone, ever since I was 20, and I said, ‘Wow, the opportunity is there with Donald Trump now. This guy’s a genius – he’s a mastermind at the top of his game in New York – let me apply for this show’. So that’s why I decided to apply – it was really to get into his rolodex and use him as a mentor to take my game to the next level in terms of building my little small empire. AHHA: What was the difference between the actual experience that you had versus what we saw on TV – good or bad? Stacie: You only get to see not even one percent of anything that I did, and I think it’s pretty much about the people that last a little longer, you see a little more. It differs quite a bit, you don’t see hardly anything. Let me try to give you one example, like say on the second task which was the ice cream task. On Thursday night’s show they showed me under the table making phone calls. I came up with this great idea to call a temp to get more manpower on the street to sell our ice cream. What you guys don’t know is we have rules where we can’t separate into more than two divisions of our team, so we can’t have one person off at 34th street, another person down in the village, another person at Yankee Stadium. It only can be in two different teams, so we had one part of our team in Times Square selling ice cream, the other part doing institutional sales like at TCBY’s and things which you guys really didn’t get to see. So when I’m under the table making phone calls I had asked the project manager Ivana, ‘I wanna hire a temp to increase our sales on the streets.’ Everyone on the group signed off on it and she said, ‘Okay, go ahead and make the call’. So here I am making the call, but on Thursday’s show they make it seem like…they specifically put in ‘Stacie’s off on her own making calls without permission’. Now when they rerun the show on Saturday night when [the editors] were doing extended boardroom, I don’t know if it was a mistake, but I hear there’s no mistakes, so I guess this is not a mistake – but on Saturday night’s version all the truth came out with Ivana saying ‘Yeah, I did give Stacie permission to call the temps’. That was interesting that they would say one thing on Thursday and then tell the truth [on Saturday’s rerun], because I was sitting there like, ‘Oh my God, they’re lying about me on TV on the Thursday night show’, and then they covered themselves. I mean it’s weird; I was like freaked out by that. AHHA: We’ve watched the Magic 8-Ball scene, and I’m sure everyone asks you about this, […]