Infinite MagaZine - The Art & Media Blog

THE MUSIC PRODUCERS A&R, PLACEMENTS & PUBLISHING WORKSHOP

2009-02-12T00:24:00.000-05:00

Saturday, February 28, 2009

One Liberty Place

1650 Market Street, 56th Floor

Philadelphia, PA 19103

1:00PM to 5:30PM

featuring

Entertainment Attorneys Lloyd Z. Remick, Esq. and Christopher J. Cabott, Esq.

with special guests

Conrad Dimanche, A&R Consultant Bad Boy Records/Pres. PMP Worldwide

Anthony "Ant" Rich, A&R Jive Records

Omar Grant, A&R EMI Music Publishing

Register at

www.zanemanagement.com

Who should attend?

Producers, Production Companies, Producer Managers and Music Entrepreneurs.

Workshop Topics Include:

1. How to survive, build and grow a career as a producer in the current economic recession;

2. The 8 core terms that must be in every production agreement;

3. The 9 essential income streams that every producer must know and should get paid;

4. What Jive and Bad Boy look for in working with new producers for placements on artist projects;

5. What EMI looks for in the producers that it signs to publishing deals;

6. How producers can best position themselves for collaborations with major label writers and artists;

7. What a producer should look for in a manager;

8. Why copyrights and song catalogs present long-range wealth opportunities for producers; and

9. An analysis of the different terms in publishing, co-publishing and administration contracts

Plus

Conrad, Anthony and Omar will:

1. Listen to and critique 30 seconds of 2 tracks from each attendee; and

2. Accept tracks for consideration on forthcoming Bad Boy and Jive albums, specifically Diddy, Cheri Dennis, Chris Brown, Usher, Jordan Sparks, and EMI Writer Fabolous.

This event is limited to 20 participants.

Register at www.zanemanagement.com.

The workshop would normally cost $400. It is offered, however, for a reduced price of $250, which includes a fully catered lunch, workshop handbook, and networking sessions.

Here's what people are saying about the Zane Management Workshops:

"When I came to speak at the Music Distribution Workshop I was completely blown away by the professionalism, knowledge, and experience of Lloyd, Chris, their workshop and its attendees. I have been to a number of conferences about a variety of topics, but the workshop series stands out as the most complete due to its intimate atmosphere and structure that affords people an opportunity to achieve a goal that might otherwise be unattainable. You leave knowing more than when you came and build a new network of like-minded entrepreneurs, who, much like you, are looking to expand their business."

- Alexandra Rago, Koch Records

"The Zane Management Workshop Series is the truth!!! As a guest speaker I was truly impressed by Lloyd, Chris and all of the workshop attendees. Everyone was very professional and eager to learn. Anyone who is serious about getting ahead in the entertainment industry MUST see Chris and Lloyd. They are at the top of their profession and provide priceless advice. Unlike most seminars and conferences, the workshops are very intimate, which is the perfect setting to network and learn about the industry."

-Bianca Moore, Universal Records

"I came to one of the Zane Management Entertainment Workshops as a refresher to update my industry knowledge. I left more informed about a number of important areas that I hadn't given thought to in the past. Now I'm even asking Chris and Lloyd to help me with legal work."

- Ken Lewis, 6 time Grammy Award Winning Musician, Producer and Engineer

"I came to one of the Zane Management Workshops and was very impressed. If you are an up and coming producer, artist, writer, etc., you should attend some of these events. Business comes first in the entertainment industry. You need to know more than how to be creative. I thought I knew a lot, but left with newfound knowledge."

- Mercury, Producer for P. Diddy, Jim Jones, Juelz Santana, Making the Band 3, Erykah Badu, Raekwon and Rah-Digga.

"Lloyd and Chris are two juggernauts of effective strategy in the Entertainment Industry. Needless to say, they are two of my favorite people in and outside of the Industry. It's no secret that this team wins big games. Not only is Chris a close advisor, he is also a person I can count on to deliver. Don't be surprised to find me sitting right next to you in a few or more of their upcoming seminars."

- Dre McKenzie, A&R G-Unit Records

For more information about the Music Publishing Workshop, please contact Christopher J. Cabott, Esq. at (215) 575-3820

www.myspace.com/chriscabott

Book Review- Bad Girlz 4 Life

2008-10-31T19:37:00.000-04:00

Author: Shannon Holmes
Publisher: St. Martin Press Griffin
Pub. Date: May 2008
Price: $14.95
ISBN: 978-0-312-35902-7

Shannon Holmes tells a gripping story about one woman’s struggle to get out of the hood and never return, except some people have another plan…

Tonya Morris is trying to change her life for the better so she decided to leave the stripping game and give the “good civilian” life a try. She starts working at a beauty salon as a braiding stylist and the money is paying the bills but it’s not helping her make the money she’s used to having. Now she must figure out how she can get the cash without dipping into the sea of mayhem that she is so used to swimming in.

With the help of her best friend and confidant Na’eema, they organize parties that are risqué and full of ballers that make the two women an instant success. Tonya and Na’eema love the attention that they received as Philly’s best party promoters, but they are looking to be greater than that, and they do. They give up the sex party promotions and moved up in the ranks. They are now doing more upscale parties for celebrities, athletes and rappers. At one of the “on and popping” parties, Tonya runs into the man that she loves and hates...Q.

Q has become a success with his independent record label and is looking for a marketing team that will gain his artists more limelight and he recruits Tonya & Na’eema. They are more than ecstatic to chase after their dreams of working for Q in New York, where dreams come true. They are sure to make it happen, but there are people that are looking to put a stop to it.

Q’s sister Karen doesn’t like Tonya and Na’eema. She sees these women as low lives and feels that they are trespassing in her territory. She knows that sales have been down at Prestige Records, but what can these two low life women do to make things better? Karen is not waiting to see them ruin her brother’s reputation, so she will do whatever is in her power to make sure that these women leave the company at whatever risk.

Q is also dealing with personal issues. It ain’t easy being in the paparazzi’s scope. He is dealing with huge pressure being a man that had to work his way to the top. He was the man in the streets and now he is the man in the industry but there are some people that would rather see him gone. Money is being funneled out of his company from one of his employees, but the shocker is what employee double crosses him. He is also dealing with Baby Mama Drama from Niecey. This crazy woman is fresh out of jail and determined to get her family back together at all cost, but when she finds out that he is sleeping with Tonya all hell breaks loose and someone has to pay the ultimate cost... their life.

If you are looking for a book that keeps you turning pages, then read this book. You will be hooked!!!

Note: Be sure to also read Bad Girlz, which is the preceding book.

Heather Elitou- Reviewer

Harlem Godfather Trailer w/ Karen E. Quinones Miller and Mayme Johnson

2008-10-14T14:16:00.003-04:00

Check out the trailer to the soon to be released documentary Harlem Godfather: Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson. If you saw the movie "Hoodlum" then you will love what the real wife, Mayme Johnson and author and Harlem historian Karen E. Quinones Miller has to say. Also, be sure to check out the book, Harlem Godfather: The Rap on My Husband, Ellsworth Bumpy Johnson @ Amazon.com. Learn how you can be a part of this historical documentary and share your thoughts.

Philly has a Week of Fashion

2008-09-30T12:25:00.000-04:00

The show you've been waiting for is now here! The third webisode of Young, Hip & Chic (YHC) is now here along with all the others so you have to catch up.

In this webisode, Tweety E. covers all of the fashion events taking place in Philly, PA therefore bringing you Philly Fashion Week. Tweety was invited to the Teen Vogue LaCoste Event, Chichi & Chichi E, and hosted FBH Philly Fashion Weekend. Check out the clothes of these great designers including Ying Edge and Marie D. Madearis.

So, enjoy the show and, be sure to leave a comment because I'd love to hear your feedback!

NOTE: Are you a designer or stylist (clothing, jewelry, etc) looking for exposure? Do want to be featured on the show? Have an idea for the next show? Email us at younghipchic@gmail.com!

Broaden your audience and reach the new generation by advertising on my show that is being acknowledged by Teen Vogue!!! Please email younghipchic@gmail.com

Literary Review- Keep the Faith

2008-09-15T12:55:00.001-04:00

Author: Faith Evans

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

ISBN: 0-446-19950-8

Pub. Date: 2008

Price: $24.99

Pages: 353

Keep the Faith was a book way overdue, but right on time too. This book reads like a long conversation between you and your favorite cousin playing catch up after missing each other for a lot of years.

Faith Evans keeps it real abut her life with Biggie Smalls, aka The Notorious B.I.G. who is considered by some, the greatest rappers of all times, and she clarifies a lot of the rumors that evolved around her entrance into the music industry, life, with her husband, and dealing with life after his death.

Faith wanted to make it clear that her career started before her encounter with the soon to be martyred rapper Christopher Wallace. She had success writing and working with people that included Christopher Williams and Al B. Sure. She was later introduced to Sean Puffy Combs who fell in love with her musical style both her voice and her lyrics and immediately wanted to sign her. It was during a photo session that she met who was soon to be the man that changed her life and become the father to her daughter China and son CJ.

Faith was always attracted to men that had a little thug in them. When she was a youth, she was in a relationship with a man that was abusive and that relationship played a part in the type of men that she would soon choose later in life. She was also in a relationship with a fellow musician named Kiy who fathered her daughter. It was at a photo shoot that she met Biggie Smalls and they became friends. They begin to hang out a lot and then a relationship began to brew.

There was a lot of drama between the beginning and end of their relationship which includes multiple affairs that Biggie had with women who included Charli Baltimore and Lil’ Kim. There were confrontations and phone calls that led to arguments and some knock down, drag out fights but in the end, Faith was always forgiving of her man and they stayed together.

Faith also speaks on the many friendships that she had in the music industry that included Missy Elliot, Monie Love, and Mary J. Blige. She talks about how Missy instigated the fight between her and Lil’ Kim. How her and Monie Love would play pool together and how she and Mary were very good friends but Mary ignored her at the funeral of Biggie.

Overall, the book was a great read because it was not a tell-all, but a book of clarity that many people who are hip hop junkies will be pleased with. It gave an inside look to the Biggie Small situation in almost its entirety. There is a lot that many people didn’t know and had their own conceptions. Keep the Faith invites you in to the affairs of their lives without holding her tongue.

I was one that had my opinion of what went on between her and Tupac Shakur, who is also an artist that has become a legend in the hip hop industry. I saw the infamous picture that she spoke of in the book that sparked off the drama between the two feuding rappers. I read the article where Tupac and Suge Knight spoke about Faith. It was not until reading Keep the Faith that I had to take a change to my thoughts.

Check out this book and share you thoughts…

Heather Elitou- Reviewer

Book Review- Stained Cotton

2008-09-15T12:34:00.000-04:00

Author: Quentin Carter
ISBN: 978-0-9799517-1-8
Publisher: Triple Crown Publications
Date: 2008
Pages: 290

In Stained Cotton we are taken to the mean drug streets of Kansas City, Missouri where in Westport. In this part of town, everybody knows you’re a big time hustler if you’re rolling on 20’s or higher, women are plenty, and your drug empire is covering the city.

Qu’bon is a drug hustler and a playa. He loves all types of women, but he wants a white woman because he thinks that black women are too ghetto and full of attitude even though he has one at home. A white woman is someone that you can chill with and not give you too much lip. There is a lesson ion his naïve thinking—it doesn’t matter what the color of the woman is because if you pick the wrong woman trouble is just around the corner.

O’bon is Qu’bon’s older brother and runs drugs with him. He has a more mellow side to him then his brother, and many have said that he was not really cut out for the drug game, but O’bon is already a player whether he likes it or not, and he must throw the dice in order to stay alive or he will pay the ultimate price.

Besides the drug dealing these two brothers are sent on a wild and deadly roller coaster ride when they meet Katrina and Nancy, two white girls who want to experience the life of a black female.

Katrina is in the game full blast when she meets Qu’bon, turning from a college girl to a street girl running. She runs the clubs, sells drugs, and stealing cash, but she learns a hard lesson which runs the risk of her meeting her demise.

Nancy has always admired the sass and strength of the black woman, but she still keeps her head on and tries to tell her sister to slow down. She is unsuccessful in her pleas and finds herself being dragged into danger. Can she keep her head on straight long enough to change the downward spiral that her and her sister are caught in the middle of? Is the life of the black woman really this hard?

The overall message of this book is that a woman can be drama no matter what color she is because when a woman is filled with drama, then drama will follow and that if you have the heart and the mind of your woman, she is in fact your woman. The color of a woman’s skin does not make her less a problem it is the mind state. Qu’bon and O’bon both thought that getting white women would be different, but Qu’bon quickly found out that wasn’t true.

Although some of the situations in the book seemed a little too far fetched, it does not take away from the book because hey, its fiction.

Check it out!!!

Literature: Hiding in Hip Hop by Terrance Dean

2008-09-10T16:13:00.001-04:00

Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Atria; 1st Atria Books
ISBN-10: 1416553398

Hiding in Hip Hop was a great behind the scenes look into the personal lives of our favorite celebrities that are living on the DL. Although most people anticipated reading this book as a tell all book that would reveal the sexuality of some of the stars that are labeled “suspect”, Terrance Dean waved his personal life into each page and making his encounters with the gay celebrities a “guess who” instead of a “I’m telling.”

Just as it was fun and exciting as it was to figure out what artists were creeping, it was cool just get the behind the scenes look of how to get into the industry and be a success.

Terrance Dean didn’t have it easy. He was raised by his loving grandmother who was in an abusive marriage, his mother and little brother dying of aids and his relationship with his family was spiraling into an end.

Terrance experienced several sexual encounters with both males and females but nothing compared to what he experienced in LA and NY.

What is most likeable about this book is that Terrance takes his time explaining how his life he made lemonade out of the life that dealt him lemons. From being molested, death, arrest, sexual desires, fulfilled and admitting his sexuality.

We had the chance to chat with Terrance about the reason that he wrote his book and why he felt the need to share it with the public.

How did your writing career begin?
My writing career began very early in life. I would keep journals and write everything that was happening in my life. I wanted to see the patterns in my life, where I was going, and the people involved. I was always looking for a spiritual evolution to who I was.

How would you categorize your book?
My book is a memoir. It is not a tell-all. I am writing about my life and my experiences. And I guess people want to categorize it as a tell-all because they liken it to Karrine Steffans book. I did not tell anyone’s names. I did not want to ruin anyone’s careers, families, or livelihood. We still have not gotten to the point in the black community where we can talk openly about sex and sexuality. Also, I am not being vindictive and nor am I scorn. I wrote about my life, and I guess you can say it is a tell-all because I tell all my business. However, when any other celebrity or author (white person) writes a memoir and names name their books are seen as memoirs. Unfortunately a black person writes the same book and it becomes a tell-all.

Tells us about your book, Hiding in Hip Hop.

Hiding in Hip Hop, uncovers a hidden and well-known unspoken secret. Deep within the confines of Hip-Hop is a prominent gay sub-culture. It is a world that industry insiders are keenly aware of, but choose to ignore. From the testosterone of men striving to be on top and in control, to the “by any means necessary” bravado in an industry that thrives on power, homosexuality is a reality at nearly every level of Hip-Hop. Hiding in Hip Hop is a heartfelt sojourn of a young man searching for self, love, and sexual identity in the most homophobic places – the black family, community, church, and Hip Hop.

What was the reason for writing this book? Did you see a need for this book?
I wrote this book for the many men and women of color who are a part of the entertainment industry and feel as if they have no voice in a culture that demonizes and dehumanizes who we are as same gender loving people. We have made many contributions to this industry, be it in front of the camera, and behind it, we are thoroughly ingrained within the entertainment industry, and yet, we are made to feel as if our contributions are insignificant. It is a well-known industry secret that deep within the confines of Hip Hop there is a prevalent subculture of down low men and women. I also wrote this book for the many people who struggle on a daily basis personally with their family, and community. This book is about the human spirit and the will to succeed in spite of the challenges and obstacles one faces in life. Lastly, I wrote this book for myself. It is a testimony of my life and the journey of coming to terms with my sexuality and the power of living into my truth.

When you first released the book, what were people’s responses?
I am completely surprised by the response of the book. I actually thought no one would have an interest in what I had to say as it related to my life. I am extremely thankful and grateful for everyone’s support and love. I am glad that so many people have expressed to me how their lives have been affected by what I have written.

What did you think when you completed your book?
I have finally told my story. I am free. I am healed. I am whole and it feels good. Also, I knew a lot of people would connect with the book because of its contents. My story was every person’s story who has loved, lost, hoped, and prayed.

What issues, if any, do you thing should be addressed in the hip hop industry?
The issues I feel should be addressed in Hip Hop are sex and sexuality. It amazes me how so many young, old, smart, intelligent and wise people are part of the culture, yet they are so limited in their thinking when it comes to sex and sexuality. The very things you witnessed and experienced as a child are the same experiences you have in this culture, yet many artists are afraid to speak up or out.

Where did you get your inspiration for your book?
I looked at my community, my experiences of my life. I decided to release my memoir because I knew I had a story to tell. I had experienced so much in my life and I knew my story was the experience of so many black people. I wanted to encourage and inspire others with a powerful message that would resonate beyond anyone’s personal obstacles or challenges.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
In five years, I hope that I am still able to keep people interested in my writings; books that inspire, touch, and move the human spirit. These books motivate, encourage, and uplift people. I am that type of writer. I am also looking to produce for television and film, and write more articles. I also hope that people will remain supportive of my career as an author. That is very encouraging.

What is your goal for 2009?
My goal is to complete two books and get them into the public. I also have some other projects I am working on that will be out in 2009. I am working on cologne for men, a line of women’s lingerie, and a television project. So everyone watch out for them.

Be sure to check out Terrance Dean at: http://www.terrancedean.blogspot.com/

Heather Elitou-Reviewer

Book Review- Still Dirty

2008-08-31T12:50:00.001-04:00

Author: Vickie Stringer
Publisher: Atria Books
Pub. Date: July 2008
Cost: $23.95

Pages: 226

Yup, Red is Still Dirty. She will stop at nothing to get what she wants. No matter how hard she tries she can’t stop herself from being the little devil that she is known to be.

The book begins where we left off in Dirty Red. She and Q are being chased by Bacon who is beyond P.O. and ready to blow their heads off at the airport in front of everyone. They just make into the plane and leave Bacon frying mad.

They are on their way to Mexico so that they could get their minds right, but Q wants Red to stay her distance. He is planning to get out of the business and the last thing he needs is the drama that Red brings.

Red sees that Q is trying to avoid her at all cost but that is her man and she will stop at nothing to make sure that he knows that this relationship is for the long haul... or until Red is ready to let it go. Q is pissed that he allowed himself to be caught in the tornado with Red but he admits to himself that he loves Red and that he would do anything for her.

All of the same characters are there and looking to give Red what she deserves. Sasha was ordered to kill Red by her boyfriend Catfish, but she leaves the city with Blue, the old boyfriend of Red that will never forget when Red took it upon herself to destroy his car.

Terry is spending time in jail for her attempted kidnapping of Kera and Mekel’s baby. She realizes that it was her own actions that were wicked and that she had momentarily insanity that put her there, but she will never forgive Red for leaving her there to rot.

What will she do when she runs into Red? Will she beat her up? Will she kill her?

Kera has changed her ways and she has now dedicated her life to Jesus. She is trying to take Mekel’s mind off of Terry and trying to hide a secret… one that will make destroy her. Now that she has left the fast life, she is earning a honest living by working as a customer service clerk at the bank, and that is where she sees Red. Red is definitely not pleased to see her and makes sure that she mentions Terry, Kera’s enemy. At this point Kera looses her religion and vows to get revenge on Red in the worse way.

There are a few new characters that link everyone together so that the ultimate plan can be executed against Red, but what they fail to remember is that Red is the best at plotting and scheming, and she is prepared for whatever they got to give, but nothing compares to what Bacon is about to do to her. It is an act that will blow the minds of the readers.

Who lives? Who dies? The many twist and turns in this book will have you turning the pages from beginning to end in one day. Be sure to look for the continuation because the ending demands that there is one.

Kudos to Vickie Stringer for delivering yet another Dirty Red book.

Reviewer- Heather Elitou

Book Review: True to the Game 3

2008-08-29T08:29:00.000-04:00

Author: Terri Woods
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publication: July 2, 2008
ISBN: 978-0446581684

New York’s Best Selling Author, Terri Woods, has done it again in True to the Game 3.
The story line was very a great follow up to her True to the Game series and I was pleased with how the story began and unfolded. Terri Woods takes what you think is the end, and crafts it as just the beginning of a wild ride.

Gena is being hunted by all of those who know that she has Quadir’s 20 million dollars. There are the Cops who want the money and they will do whatever it takes to get it... if only they can figure out where it is. Rik owes some big time bosses money and he knows that Gena is holding some cash since she offered to give him some. He can’t see why she wouldn’t give it to him if he asked her, especially because he doesn’t need a lot... that is until the cops figure out that he knows her so now they want him to ask Gena for all the money but Rik has other plans.

Two other mysterious persons are also looking for Gena—one wants the money and the other wants revenge for the killing of his little brother and he’ll stop at nothing to find her and quench his thirst for revenge.

Gena isn’t aware that there are people after her and the money until family members pop up hurt, and people she thought she knew show there true colors. But an unexpected visit from someone she thought was dead will help and guide her through the troubling times... or does he also want the money?

This book was filled with adventure and it was not your average run of the mill, drug selling book. I love to read mysteries, and this was definitely filled with whodunnit’s. Terri stayed on point and didn’t stray from the original plot of the story.

Music's New Artist- Skip Tha Problem

2008-08-28T12:46:00.004-04:00

Every artist has a story and the story of Skip Tha Problem is one worth listening too. New York's own, is looking to follow in the fotsteps of some of the greatest MC's to step out of his beloved city.

Skip was given the nickname at birth. He was born and raised in St. Croix U.S.V.I where he left to pursue rapping and now resides in the Bronx, NYC.
Skip started rapping in 2002, but he always been a big fan of rap music. He describes his music as a cross between East Coast rhymes with a southern twist. Some of his influences include Tupac, Master P, Biggie, and KRS One. Skip is the first rapper and is without a doubt the hottest rapper hailing from the beautiful island of St. Croix.

Backed by Carnegee Kingz, an independent union lead by former Interscope recording artist Brasco. Skip is expected to take the industry by storm with his highly anticipated first solo album, which is set to be released summer 2008. He says if he was not rapping he would be a salesman because he can talk fire out of hell and water from a whale!

We had the chance to chat it up with chance about his CD and what people can expect in the future.

Tell us about your CD.
A zillion bars of painis the name of my new mix tape! It is made for true hip hop heads. On this mixed tape i took back to essence when it was about what you say not who you are.

Do you surprise yourself with what comes out in your music?

Very much! Sometimes I shock myself when I write. I'm like, "yo, you heard what I said?" because that bar is sick! Also the feedback I get from my music from the crowds is awesome. For instance, I was at the club last week and the dj played my record, "Make it Thunder" and the crowd went bonkers I was real surprised they took to it like that when they never heard the song before.

How did your music career begin?
Growing up in the islands, we mostly listened to reggae and soca music, but I was always a big fan of hip hop music. So when I moved to New York, I would bug out with my friends freestyling on the block, but due to my lyrical content all my friends wanted me to start battling. So, we would go to other people blocks and I would battle the nicest rappers winning 90 percent of the time. That's when I decided to make music a career and I took it to the next level.

What was the reason for putting this CD together? Did you see a need?
At the time, I started recording tracks for "A Zillion Bars of Pain". I felt like hip hop needed a breath of fresh air, they needed a new face and that was me. Plus, the fans kept asking for something to listen to. There is also a need for good, real music.

What did you think when you completed your CD?
I thought that all my hard work payed off because I put together a mixtape that I was comfortable with and that people would like it.

How do you keep your music fresh?
I listen to everything from rock n roll to Gospel. I watch movies and most important I read a lot of books which infulence my music, also my everyday life experiences.

Which of your songs is your favorite?
I got a couple of favorites on this mixtape. But I would have to say "Fitted to Da Left" because I wrote and co-produce this record.

What is your goal for 2008-09?
Well, I have a new album coming in the Summer in 2009 and were planning a college tour for Spring 2009 to promote the album! I'm looking to do more performances so I will be in a city near you!! Hopefully I will have a major deal real soon too and of course I'm going to keep hitting ya'll with good music.

Peace Infinite Magazine and check me out on myspace.com/thaproblem26

Young, Hip & Chic Celebrates Women With Class

2008-08-28T10:37:00.001-04:00

Philadelphia, PA- This week on Young Hip & Chic, Tweety Elitou pays homage to the great women of yesterday that made class and beauty what it is today.

On the most recent webisode, the vintage look is in the spotlight. “This show was very special to me,” says Tweety Elitou. “Not only am I a big fan of the vintage style but it was also personal because it made me think of my great-grandmother and the beautiful women of her day.”

The beautiful women that Tweety refers to are Josephine Baker, Dorothy Dandridge, Audrey Hepburn, Billie Holiday, Lena Horne, and Grace Kelly. “These women were not just awesome talents but they set fashion styles that are classics and can never be forgotten,” states Tweety. “I love the flowers that Billie Holiday placed in her hair, I loved the clothes that Grace Kelly wore, and who is more lady and classy than Lena Horne?!”

YHC ventures to the Curiosity Shoppe in Philly, PA and speaks with stylist, Blu, about what makes vintage styles hot. YHC also visits The Beauty Studio also in Philly, PA and speaks with salon owner Naneke about what hair styles are sure to take you back.

Get in the know about vintage and learn more about the fashion by watching it here:

About YHC

Young, Hip & Chic (YHC for short) was developed while Tweety was watching TMZ, Extra, and E! “I was watching these shows because I like to see what people are wearing but I was becoming so tired of seeing Brittany Spears and Paris Hilton without panties! Not to mention, I thought to myself, these are role models?” Tweety passionately expresses.

YHC is to celebrate the art of fashion by educating people between the ages of 12-19 years of age that fashion, in fact, is an art that is expressed from the designer to the people that purchase it. Each week, the show will focus on different styles from antique, to grunge, to whatever trend is evolving and revolving. YHC will also inform people with fashion facts, the history of fashions, and the meaning of words that are heard and not often explained. “I think that to be a fashionista, you have to know the five W’s of fashion—who, what, when, where and why.” Tweety explains.

“The overall experience of YHC is to show that fashion can be fun; to know that clothes do not make you, you make the clothes, and being a diva is so overrated,” she explains. “I think that loving who you are from the inside shows on the outside, and that love of fashion, makes you a true fashionsita!”

YHC can been seen biweekly on Saturday at: http://www.infinitemag.net/, http://www.youghipchic.blogspot.com/ and www.youtube.com/infinitemag. Feedback is encouraged as it may appear on the next show.

YHC is also looking for stylists, beauty experts, designers, models, etc. that are looking for exposure and credits for their resumes and books. The show is also looking for sponsors that want to reach a young, hip and chic audience. So far YHC has reached on board The Beauty Studio, Hatchette Book Group, Curiosity Shoppe, and Teenvogue.com. To get further information, contact: younghipchic@gmail.com

About Tweety Elitou
Tweety is of Native American descent and comes from a very artistic family, which explains her colorful background. She is no stranger to the world of fashion. “I have been loving fashion since I was really, really little. My favorite store was the Gap because I loved the styles and how I could dress it up or down, anyway that I wanted, and I was only four!” she says. At the age of six, she graduated from John R. Powers modeling school in Philly, PA with top honors. While attending elementary school she grew in love with art and excelled not only in her basic learning of Math, English, Science and History but also in Art. She has won awards for her artistic work from the School District of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Free Library not just her visual works but also her poetry. She is an Evoluer Girl established by the great fashion diva and educator, Cheryl Wadlington, and was voted the most improved in fashion. Tweety also writes fashion articles and book reviews for her families well known art blog, Infinite Magazine. She has co-created covers for books, The Road to Emotional Healing and The Soul of Poetry for Neshee Publication. She makes jewelry, designs her own clothes, and loves photography in front of and behind the camera—a love that she shares with her dad.

Tweety has appeared in Naturally You! Magazine. As an Iconz Model, she has done several fashion shows including the Sensationel Hair Idol in which the King of Hair Glynn Jackson stated, “She is a joy and pleasure to work with and I wish I had more models like her, she fills my heart.” She has been a guest judge for the Jo’ni Modelz, Inc- Rip the Runway Competition, and she the protégé of Essence Best-Selling author, Miasha and the spokes girl for her foundation, Ask Miasha. “Tweety is a great girl and very inspiring. She someone that other little girls will look up to and I am so proud of her,” says Miasha.

She will be releasing her first book, Girl Power: The Go-To Guide for Teens to Becoming Perfect Young Ladies, and is now working on the sequel, Girl Power Two: Building a Better You! All of this while maintaining straight A’s in school every year.

Theatre- Platinum Selling Author Tells Her Secret on Stage

2008-07-26T19:51:00.001-04:00

iMAG Go-Getter of the Year and Essence Best Selling author Miasha makes sure that she keeps her name buzzing throughout the streets. Just recently, she released Never Enough, which is the follow up to the book that made jaws drop. And on July 25, 2008 she complimented her jaw dropping, best selling book with a stage play, Secret Society.

This tell-all book is based on two young women, Celess and Tina, who are “professional women”. Not finding any reason to hold down a real nine to five desk job, or anything else related to being an “employee”, they become the masters of the art of getting cash from men that like to spend it. These beautiful women seem to have it all: the beauty, body, smarts and cash from their many admirers, which makes many people envious. As they journey from man to post and from post to man, they realize that the secret that has kept them at the top of the gold-digger game could soon be revealed and make their world turn upside-down and have them buried in drama... literally.

The Good
The adaptor, Marc Holley, and director, Tiffany Bacon, did a fantastic job at bringing the book Secret Society to life. For those who read the book, it was like meeting the characters in person and venturing with them each step of their extraordinary and outrageous life.

The theatrical performance was held at the Arts Bank Theatre in Philly, PA. The very well known and often frequented theatre that seated a little over one hundred was the perfect place for the first production of Secret Society. The house was full and there response after the play was more than pleasing to 5th Avenue Production which is the production company that presented, Secret Society.

The careful choice of actors that graced the stage made the play a treat for the five senses. Each and every actor gave you an up close and personal view of the thoughts and feelings of the characters which brought the book alive.

The timing of the show was also very well coordinated as there were very few, if any flaws. Each and every actor were on point, and the stage hands made sure that the actors were on post quickly and efficiently as they got props ready for each scene.

The Better
The actors were so believable!!! Each and every actor played their role excellently. Lee Mekhai who played the lead role Celess was very engaging and had the audience silently listening to her every word. She passionately delivered every breakdown about how her and her best friend lived it up and tore it down with their deceptive ways. Lee played up to her role as Celess and made the performance phenomenal. She will unquestionably be an actress in demand.

Roni Graham played the beautiful and boisterous best friend Tina. Her keeping it real attitude was appealing and hilarious as she spit her quick wit and sarcastic remarks that made the audience chuckle. Tina was the role that Roni needed to put her on the map because she embraced the role so well that it was hard to believe that she was acting.

All the actors did a great job and made the performance lively including, Lionel Dalton, Kevin Savage, Christopher Ward, and Hasan Bivings who played the hot-headed Khalil who did what he had to do to get back at the women who ruined his life.

Kenneth Jones who played Mayo, the gay friend of the two women was fun and sensational as he made the women recognize that the moves that they were making were eventually going to come to life.

Desiree Tunsall who played the mother that learned that her son Charles was gay was impeccable as she expressed the pain that a mother would feel when she loses a husband because of her son’s choice.

Gerard Joseph who played Michael was impressive as he portrayed the actor who fell in love with Celess and was devastated to learn that she was leaving him to go to California.

The Damn!!!
No one in the audience expected the dramatic and explosive ending that made many people in the audience grasp!!! Gunshots blared from the stage as Celess and Tina met their fate.

If you are not in the Philadelphia area, have no fear because the play is not only going to be available on DVD, but it will also be traveling from city to city. So be sure to visit http://www.miasha.com/ for further details and if you don’t see your city listed, be sure to send a request because this is a play that you don’t want to miss.

13 YEAR OLD ENTREPRENEUR CREATES WEBISODE THAT KEEPS YOUNG FASHION LOVERS IN THE KNOW

2008-07-12T20:20:00.001-04:00

13 year old entrepreneur and fashionista extraordinaire, Tweety Elitou has created a fun and fashionable webisode that keeps young fashion lovers in the know about the ever changing fashion world from a fresh perspective.

Young Hip & Chic has just launched its first show dedicated to the fashion of hip hop. “I wanted to cover hip hop on my first show because it is the era that I am growing up in, and my parents grew up with it, so I guess this is my way of showing love to them and the time that made them so cool,” says Tweety Elitou.

Young, Hip & Chic (YHC for short) was developed while Tweety was watching TMZ, Extra, and E! “I was watching these shows because I like to see what people are wearing but I was becoming so tired of seeing Brittany Spears and Paris Hilton without panties! Not to mention, I thought to myself, these are role models?” Tweety passionately expresses.

According to Tweety, YHC is to celebrate the art of fashion by educating people between the ages of 12-19 years of age that fashion, in fact, is an art that is expressed from the designer to the people that purchase it. Each week, the show will focus on different styles from antique, to grunge, to whatever trend is evolving and revolving. YHC will also inform people with fashion facts, the history of fashions, and the meaning of words that are heard and not often explained. “I think that to be a fashionista, you have to know the five W’s of fashion—who, what, when, where and why.” Tweety explains.

“The overall experience of YHC is to show that fashion can be fun; to know that clothes do not make you, you make the clothes, and being a diva is so overrated,” she explains. “I think that loving who you are from the inside shows on the outside, and that love of fashion, makes you a true fashionsita!”

YHC can been seen every Saturday starting 7/12/08 on: http://www.infinitemag.net/, http://www.youghipchic.blogspot.com/ and www.youtube.com/infinitemag. Feedback is encouraged as it may appear on the next show. You can check out the preview here:

YHC is also looking for stylists, beauty experts, designers, models, etc. that are looking for exposure and credits for their resumes and books. The show is also looking for sponsors that want to reach a young, hip and chic audience. To get further information, contact: younghipchic@gmail.com

About Tweety Elitou
Tweety is of Native American descent and comes from a very artistic family, which explains her colorful background. She is no stranger to the world of fashion. “I have been loving fashion since I was really, really little. My favorite store was the Gap because I loved the styles and how I could dress it up or down, anyway that I wanted, and I was only four!” she says. At the age of six, she graduated from John R. Powers modeling school in Philly, PA with top honors. While attending elementary school she grew in love with art and excelled not only in her basic learning of Math, English, Science and History but also in Art. She has won awards for her artistic work from the School District of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Free Library not just her visual works but also her poetry. She is an Evoluer Girl established by the great fashion diva and educator, Cheryl Wadlington, and was voted the most improved in fashion. Tweety also writes fashion articles and book reviews for her families well known art blog, Infinite Magazine. She has co-created covers for books, The Road to Emotional Healing and The Soul of Poetry for Neshee Publication. She makes jewelry, designs her own clothes, and loves photography in front of and behind the camera—a love that she shares with her dad.

Tweety has appeared in Naturally You! Magazine. As an Iconz Model, she has done several fashion shows including the Sensationel Hair Idol in which the King of Hair Glynn Jackson stated, “She is a joy and pleasure to work with and I wish I had more models like her, she fills my heart.” She has been a guest judge for the Jo’ni Modelz, Inc- Rip the Runway Competition, and she the protégé of Essence Best-Selling author, Miasha and the spokes girl for her foundation, Ask Miasha. “Tweety is a great girl and very inspiring. She someone that other little girls will look up to and I am so proud of her,” says Miasha.

She will be releasing her first book, Girl Power: The Go-To Guide for Teens to Becoming Perfect Young Ladies, and is now working on the sequel, Girl Power Two: Building a Better You! All of this while maintaining straight A’s in school every year.

Book Review- How Not to Look Old

2008-06-17T16:12:00.001-04:00

Author: Charla Krupp
Publisher: Hachette Books
ISBN: 0-446-58114-3
Pages: 232
Price: $25.99

All women in their mid 30’s and early 40’s think about one thing the most— “How can I not look old when I’m 50?” Watching the T.V. and see all the stars getting plastic surgery and using other alternatives makes it desirable because it seems to be quick and easy, but there are easier ways to look younger than sticking yourself with needles. All you have to do first is check out the book, How Not to Look Old by Charla Krupp.

Charla newest book is definitely the best book to get when you are on the road to looking 10 years younger, 10 pounds lighter, and 10 times better! It’s like a Head-to-Closet Makeover in the palm of your eager little hands.

Three of the chapters that caught my attention are:

Chapter 4- Tame Those Brows: It explains how important eyebrows are to making you look old. Bushy, shapeless, gray eyebrows are a no, no according to Ms. Krupp. Also did you know that it’s better to tweeze after a shower rather than before? Find out why.

Chapter 9- Put on Pink Lip Gloss: Lipstick makes a difference in how old you look. Dark, cracked, thin lips are perfect for you…IF YOU WANNA LOOK OLD! In this book you can finds ways to make your lips look Y & H (young and hip). Remember ladies, lip gloss is poppin’!!!

Chapter 18- Step into Sexy Heels: Did you know the shoes that you wear can actually make you look old??? In How Not to Look Old, Charla talks about what shoes are Y & H and which ones have old written all over it. Ugly orthopedic shoes, boring classic pumps, all of them can make you look boring and ready for a rocking chair.

I really loved the way this book included brilliant buys. She gives you great recommendations, the cost and where they are usually sold. The pictures were also very useful because it gave you and idea of what looks hip and chic and what is just…..well wrong! The colorful words also added to the fun and fresh read.

Although I am young, I found that reading what was young, hip and chic was beneficial to me so that I stay in the know of the forever changing fashion trends. The book was also very helpful to me because I think that it is important to look your best and that was something that she focused on as well.

So if you are queasy about those needles and let’s face it, who can afford it, and you are looking to make a difference to you wardrobe for a very small price, then you should be getting this book! Like Charla says, “Forget aging gracefully!”

Fashionably Out,
Tweety E.
Youth Fashion Editor

Literary Review- Song Yet Sung

2008-06-16T13:15:00.001-04:00

Author: James McBride
Copyright: 2008
ISBN: 978-1-59448-972-3
Pages: 359

Beautifully crafted, and expertly put together are just a few thoughts running through my head when I read Song Yet Sung by James McBride. I have never read a novel quite like this one, and I glad that I had the chance to read it. Page after page had me captivated, thinking, and wondering.

Song Yet Sung takes place in the year 1850 on the 3rd month on Maryland’s Eastern Shores. Liz Spocott is a beautiful runaway slave who is caught by Patty, a money hungry slave trader who doesn’t take any mess from anybody. Patty underestimates Liz, who kills one of Patty’s slave catcher/slave and sets all the slaves free.

Liz not only frees the slaves but she has a talent…she is a dreamer. She dreams of the future that is not like what she would have imagined with fancy looking cars, rap music, and radios. Liz will travel a journey (that is one of her visions) to try and find out what it means. The way that she is lead on the journey is what is so captivating. It is a vision of guess who and what, and clues that are not easily comprehended until you follow the paths.

All while Liz is traveling as an escaped slave, Patty is looking for her so that she can kill her. She set her slaves free. Patty is ruthless and all she cares about is money. What makes the task so difficult for Patty to find Liz is that someone else looking for Liz and someone is protecting her, which means Patty has to work hard and kill plenty in order to get what she wants.

Liz has many obstacles and one is to stay away from the Gimp, an old slave catcher whom are notorious for his quick temper and feared by slaves and whites. The Gimp has given up slave trade but when Liz’s owner, The Captain, offers him a great deal of riches, the Gimp decides to come out of retirement to find her, but this may be the most difficult slave he has ever tried to catch and it may cost him his life.

Amber is a slave in his early 20’s owned by Miss Kathleen, who lost her husband to the swamps of Maryland. Amber has his eyes set on getting free but is holding back because he has a sister to look after. When Amber meets the dreamer, freedom has become a must, but there are penalties for harboring a runaway. Therefore, Amber has to be careful in protecting himself and the woman that he now has feelings for… Liz.

Song Yet Sung is a very a reader! Throughout the story, you keep hearing about this code that the slaves use to communicate with each other. It’s very complicated and only certain slaves know what it means. Although I would have liked the author to further explain the code, the mystery of it added to the book. I also like the way the author described the world through the Dreamer’s eyes.

If you are looking for a story of courageous acts and death defying action, then Song Yet Sung is the book to read!

Agasa Elitou- Reviewer

Jo'ni Modelz, Inc. High School Edition was the Bomb!!!

2008-06-06T13:31:00.002-04:00

Lights, Cameras, Clothes, and Models are all of the ingredients you need in order to have a “Fashionable” fashion show. Many of you know that I am very picky about fashion shows so when I tell you that the one I am writing about is good then you know it was…

Jo’ni Modelz, Inc. “Rip-the-Runway Competition” High School Edition did it again. They had all the ingredients of a “Fashionable” runway affair. Last year the show was good (Sayre’s Next Top Model) and this one was even better! I am already looking forward to next year!

Not only was this year an all high school edition, but there were also a chance for males too. Most of the High Schools in Philadelphia were in attendance representing their high school.

When I first arrived, I went backstage all I seen was weave, clothes, shoes, and accessories; it made me think of all the rushing around you have to do when you are doing runway. Now keep in mind that this is more of a show of talent and entertainment then it is a show that is about the designs of an up and coming designer.
Most of the models are in their costumes and make-up. They smiled, and one said, “Aren’t you one of the judges?”
That was so weird to me because I’m so use to being in the modeling position, and having to smile and wonder what the judges were thinking when they saw me... but today I am a judge (whoop, whoop!).

After I took my seat, in the judging seat, that is (lol), I looked around and saw that the room was now full to its capacity and people were eager and ready to check out the show. People were standing everywhere.

After about ten minutes, the curtains opened which meant that the show was starting! The first scene was called “Masquerade”. The models were all wearing black and colorful mask. They music that was playing was “Fashionista” by Jimmy James and it was fierce! “The show is about to start!” blasted from the speakers. Just from the intro I already knew that this was going to be one heck of a show.

Well, it is hard to comment on every piece of the show, but I will tell you about some of my favorite scenes:

Scene 2: Rich Girls- When the girls worked it (the rich way of course). One of my modeling buddies, Sayidah Bey, served it up as the "Queen Bee”.

Scene 5: Jumanji- The girls (and guys) took a walk on the wild side. The fashions were leopard and zebra prints that gave it a jungle feel.

Scene 6: Glitz vs. Glam- Glitz and Glam battled it out in a walk off.

Scene 9: Thriller (Prelude) – The fashion nightmares came to life.

To entertain us between scenes, there were the Blue Diamond Steppers, which I thought were ok, the Point Breeze Performing Arts Dance Company which surprisingly to me were very good. Because I am not much for praise dancing I give them two thumbs up. UX’s own Franky J was a great host for the audience competitions. You had to see these two guys serve it up on the stage.

After an evening of entertainment, finally, THE COMPETITION!!! I could tell that everyone was excited to see what was going to happen when the lights got low, the stage started to fog and the curtains opened! There were 16 lovely contestants that walked it out to win. I had to watch everything from creativity to professionalism and overall look. It was really hard for me. If it was up to me everyone would have won, but since there had to be a first female and male, second place winner, and third I knew I had better snap out of it. Check out my two favorite walkers on the youtube!

After everyone walked, it was time for “us” judges to deliberate. It was so hard! Some judges had one person as the winner then others had another, “I liked contestant 9 and 16!” said one judge.
“Well, I like contestant 13 and 2!” said another.
It was complete chaos! Finally, after about 15 min of disagreements, we ended up having to do a “count the hand’ vote. When we were done picking our winners, it was time for the judges to go on stage and announce the diva and don of the evening.

The winners were Shaquetta Carter (2nd place), Khaleem Brown (2nd Place male), and Ebony Townsend and Kevin Kelly were the 1st place winners! It truly was a hard decision to make!

Again, I loved the show and hope that Jo’ni Modelz Inc will continue to do what they do for the community because they are really making a difference in Philadelphia and I really want to get that across to everyone. This show was not just about fashion and beauty it had a deeper meaning to it, the true meaning was to inspire others to become agents of change and to also bring back the loving memory of the Townsend’s dearly beloved son, brother, and friend Derrick A. Townsend.

The Good!!!
Jovanna & Lisa Townsend are the best!!! They put off an event that was awesome. I was proud to be one of the judges. These ladies are great at hosting and really know how to treat their VIP’s!!! A nice dinner and a gift. Mad props, ladies!!!
There were two girls that I thought deserved my recognition and they are Tiara Willis- she was #1, and Tiffany Braddock- she was #9. Congratz ladies you made my top list.

The Bad & What???
The show went on a little too long. It was almost 12:00 am when we left. I would suggest that the scenes be cut just a little so that the show is 2 hours only.

Another bad thing was the host Mr. Jeffrey Brown! He could not get the names of anything right to save his life! First he called the founder Jovanna everything but her name, and he had the same problem with the company, Jo’ni. Worse of all, he pronounced my name wrong! He called me, “Tweet Elitour”, what the heck!
My advice to Jo’ni is to never ever, ever get this man to host their event again!

Too many awards were given out making the night longer. I think that some of the awards could have been given at an awards ceremony for the models and family. That would have been nice.

Although Eboni Townsend did a great job as, I think that because she is the sister of Jovanna Townsend, she should not have been able to participate in the competition because as she became the winner, it may have made some people think that it was rigged in her favor when it actually wasn’t— I know because I was one other judges. But for the sake of no drama, that would be best.

Overall, if you missed this event, you better not miss the next because not only is it the hottest thing for the teens to be a part of, it is for a very good cause and it is always good to see that people care.

I can’t wait until next year!!! Share your thoughts…

Fashionably Out,
Tweety Elitou

Book- The Pink Palace

2008-05-31T14:36:00.001-04:00

Author- Marlon McCaulsky
Publisher- Triple Crown Productions
Copyright 2008
Pages- 247
ISBN- 978-0-9099517-5-6

The Pink Palace was a surprising story with a twist that made the book worth reading. Although it had its usual players (drug dealers, gold diggers, etc) roaming through the pages, I did not see one of them really being a cop.

Janelle has to hit the streets at the age of 17 when her stepfather rapes her. Determined to stay alive and not be used, she tries to fix her life up and keep going straight, but the money she’s earning isn’t enough to support her, and the relative that she is staying with will soon be departing. She then meets up with her cousin Nikki, who is definitely get PAID, and she wants in. Nikki buts her down with the cash and that cash is coming from her place of employment and that place is the Pink Palace (of course, it’s a strip club).

Nikki is one of the best dancers at The Pink Palace she’s willing to do anything if the money is right, when she sees that her cousin needs a little help with some money she introduces her to stripping. Together they are the hottest dancers in the club. Janelle adopts the name Mo’Nique and starts her life in the fast lane. One of the first rules that she learns from her money hungry cousin is don’t fall for you trick. That becomes easier said than done for Mo’Nique.

On the outside, Tommy is a street hustler and the right hand man to Damien but in reality he’s an undercover cop trying to bring down King, Harlem’s biggest drug lord. Tommy is on a mission and won’t let anybody try and deter him, but when he meets Mo’Nique he falls for her and he is in limbo as to whether or not he can trust her. Will she rat him out and get him killed?

Damien is a street hustler working for King who wants control of Atlanta. He has a lot of respect for Tommy and plans to put Tommy down when he becomes the Boss. All he has to do is get rid of Dre who already has the streets under control but that isn’t easy especially when the girl he’s with also sleeps with the enemy.

These four characters are about to get a lesson in what really matters in life. Some will learn and change for the better, while others will learn the hard way or die without even trying.

All in all, the book should be read on that train ride to and from work, school, etc. It has enough flavor, twists, and turns to keep the pages turning.

Reviewer-Agasa Elitou

Literary Review- War of the Bloods in My Veins

2008-05-30T22:20:00.009-04:00

Author- Dashaun "Jiwe" Morris

Publisher- Simon & Schuster
Copyright 2008
Pages- 222

ISBN- 978-1-4165-4846-1

War of the Bloods in My Veins is a gripping, tell-all, book by a true member of the Bloods. Dashaun “Jiwe” Morris was a gang member who served time in prison for his misguided acts although he was nearly a shoe-in with the NFL.

Jiwe’s book reads as a diary that shares his inner most feelings while going through a whirlwind of violence, anger, tragedy, and desire. As he tells his story he begins to analyze himself and realizes that it is he, and only he, who stands in the way of making a difference for himself and his daughter.

Jiwe was exposed to the violent life when he was very young and he was sent off by his mother to his Uncle and Aunt’s home in Phoenix, Arizona from New Jersey. While living with his extended family, he is exposed to the strict life of Islam and his aunt, a very devout woman, is not the one to play with because she is a disciplinarian that shows no mercy. Jiwe is not use to this type of order, not even from his mother, so he rebels and wishes for his mother’s arrival.

How does a young man cope when he feels alone? Well, most boys turn to the ones that show the attention that they so yearn for-- even if it is in a gang. Jiwe knew that something was not right when he first encountered a Blood member whose brother (another Blood) came out to defend his brother with a baseball bat and they both beat the crap out of the boy. Although it seemed wrong to beat someone nearly to death, the fact that a loved one would do that for his own was astounding.

After his encounter with his friend and his brother, he realizes that he is looking to belong and he finds that belonging with the Bloods. He is later asked to do the ultimate in order to prove that he is down with the red flags. Does he do it? What do they ask him to do? One would only imagine if they don’t read the book.

When he later moves back to New Jersey with his mother and brother, he meets up with a friend and they form a Blood click in Orange, New Jersey. It is here that he vows that to be a brother means to die for a brother, and no man or woman can come between them. They Rob, steal and terrorize the community. They think that the only people that they are hurting are their sworn enemies the Crips, but DaShaun soon realizes that he is hurting his people.

Dashaun also encountered his father who he had never seen until he was well in his teens. He also found out that he had a brother who was in fact a cop. How ironic. Needless to say, Dashaun questions where his father had been for most of his life because of course, he was a very big piece to the puzzle that would help complete his life but seeing him only made the picture seem more unclear.

Dashaun has finally gotten his break and is in college but he takes his gang mentality with him and it is not as easy as it seems to leave his past behind him. His reputation travels throughout the campus, not to mention he still wears the colors. People are drawn to him; people fear him, and some people are willing to test him and because of these compelling reasons, he finds himself in prison.
While serving time he promises himself that he will do better especially for his newborn little girl and that is what this book is about—change.

What makes War of the Bloods in My Veins such an excellent read is that you get it! I mean, the brother is not bragging about his gun-toting lifestyle; he is not giving us colorful drama that makes us believe that we are reading the usual urban fiction; we are not even talking about sex. He is giving every parent the opportunity to understand what our youth are thinking when they are being neglected. It is important to read this book with the understanding that parents should be very concerned about what they say and do around their children and in many cases when they are not around, and be sure that you listen. Listening to our children and helping them to our best abilities is what will keep them alive.

It is great that he took responsibility for his actions because it would have been too easy to blame his parents. It is great to read that Dashaun took a serious look at his life and dedicated it to making a change for himself and his community. Now the only thing left is to continue to make others aware that they too can do the same.

Reviewer- Heather Elitou

Book Review- Amongst Thieves

2008-05-18T10:11:00.002-04:00

Title: Amongst Thieves
Publishers: Triple Crown Publications
ISBN: 978-0-9799517-2-5
Author: Quentin Carter
Publication Date: 2008
Pages: 316

Reading Amongst Thieves is like watching a movie. If you liked the movie Scarface, Casino, and Ocean’s 11 then this is a book that will keep your interest. It is filled with so much action that it keeps you reading to the very end.

Ramon Delay is a ruthless thief who loves money and he won’t let anyone get in his way of it—not even his own daughter, Trishay. After serving 15 years for the murder of his ex wife’s brother, Ramon is back on the streets of Kansas ready to announce his arrival. He gets back in touch with his crew so that they can continue where they left in their crime sprees, but Roman has a bigger plan brewing.

Ramon’s childhood friend, Snug Brim has been riding with him since the beginning as they kill and rob making the streets of Kansas hot. Also in the crew is Bobby who scouts the targets of their desire; AJ who supplies the artillery; Chico who drives the getaway car and Yawni who is used like a cunning spider who creates an incredible web of distraction for their victims entangling them to be left as bait and kill for the crew.

The crew is ready to make the big leagues earning more weight (money) then they have ever gotten before, but with more money comes... you guessed it, more problems! Greed makes these close friends become very distant from each other. Do they turn on each other? Do they seek revenge for the money that they have lost? Of, course otherwise this would not be an interesting story.

Suddenly, a young woman by the name of Jayde enters the life of Ramon and she is all that he can think about. She seems to be the woman of his dreams but Jayde is holding back a secret that when exposed could mean the death of Ramon and her guilty pleasure. Their relationship takes Ramon on an emotional and physical ride that leads to a shocking end.

I was pleased with the realness of the story because it was not about a bunch of teens that were making millions in the game because that is so played out and definitely not as lifelike as the other books make it out to be. You can see that just by watching the news. This book is based on gangstas in their forties and it takes quite some time for them to come up to the millions status.

One thing that drove me crazy was how Jayde entered the scene... it almost didn’t make sense. It was when the secret was revealed that it made the book that much more interesting.

Be sure to check out this book and be sure to let me know what you think of the ending and Jayde’s secret...

Agasa Elitou- Reviewer

2nd Annual Black Lily Film & Music Festival

2008-05-09T18:35:00.001-04:00

The 2nd Annual Black Lily Film & Music Festival took place this year May 1-4, 2008 in Philly, PA. This year was not just about the films and music but there were also workshops that related to the favorable art industries that included fashion, film, editing, and Djing.

The opening day reception was featuring the movie, New Year Baby (http://www.newyearbaby.net/). Other movies that were on the top list were: Africa, Unite (www.palmpictures.com/film/africa-unite) a documentary on the family of Bob Marley; African-American Women on the Bandstand which focuses on women and their contribution to Jazz through dance; Hair Stories featuring Yvette Smalls is about the history and culture behind the hairstyles of African- American women; Silent Choices was a documentary that spoke on the impact that is created by the decisions to have an abortion. Other great features were Trouble the Water (http://www.troublewaterfilm.com/) which is about a young couple that is trapped in New Orleans while trying to begin a new life; and This is the Life (http://www.goodlifelove.com/) is a documentary about a small health food store that is frequented by young people that are looking to find their place in Hip Hop only to travel different paths.

One of the most anticipated events of this four day long explosion --of art by women only-- is the concerts that are filled with independent and commercial artists that bless the stage with their remarkable talents. Although last year there were more well known names like Jill Scott, Ursula Rucker and a guest appearance by Amy Winehouse, this year put the Indie artists on blast and most did not disappoint making them artist to watch.

The first act was Waheed formerly known as Gov’t Cheaz (glad they changed the name) tried their very best to rock out but the mic system was shot to hell. What we were able to make out of the crews energetic stage performance was their rendition of “Scenario” by Tribe Called Quest and Leaders of the News School. Credit is due to them for trying to make the best out of a weird situation as the technicians never did seem to make the microphone technicalities any better.

The entertaining Amanda Diva was not only the gracious MC for the evening but she also performed from her latest CD, Life Experience. A favorite from her CD is “Supa-Woman” which definitely caught the attention of the crowd full of women as they sang along to the hook, “Outstanding, Extraordinary, Supa-Woman.” This multi-talented young lady is definitely and artists on the verge of making a difference in the overly dominated hip-hop industry.

J*Davey are also artists that definitely capture the interests of the audiences in which they perform. The young duo put it down with a very unique sound that is quite hard to label. As the modelesque sister with the Mohawk glided across the stage delivering her best voice which is reminiscent of the legendary Eartha Kitt, she sang Lazy Daze in which she asked audience members to join her on stage and give their best impression of the Carlton Dance (Fresh Prince of Bel Air). One of the favorite songs was “Dollar or More” which had the whole place rocking out.

Philly’s own Bahamadia did the damn thing when she rapped one of the crowd’s favorites “Cheap Chic’s”. She proved that she still had what it takes when she delivered us an acapella freestyle that made the crowd hype. There will never be another like Bahamadia.

Jaguar Wright is a singer that is way underrated. She is truly a singer that takes you back to the idea of a smoky speakeasy filled with singers like Billie Holiday, Ethel Waters, and Lena Horne. She can sing! Her personality on stage is like that of Millie Jackson which is not to everyone’s liking but that is just who she is— love her or hate her. As she slowly made her way to the stage with drink in hand, pocket book under her arm, and a scarf tied around her hair, she begin to belt out the lyrics to “What If” which sent the crowd into a frenzy. “What sound are we singing actually? I mean I didn’t have a sound check or nothing,” Jaguar joked. How disappointing that could have been from many other artists that could have been on the agenda but Jaguar made up for the “oops” when she belted out “So High”.

Ladybug Mecca of Digable Planets was there and although she is a favorite within the hip-hop world, her stage appearance and performance was very lackluster compared to what it was in the nineties. She performed her memorable parts in songs “A Nickel Bag of Funk” and “Cool Like That” and she also performed from her solo debut CD, “Trip the Light Fantastic”. Overall, it was great to see one of the best underrated female emcees from the nineties and I wish her much success.

A jazz vocalist to watch and absolutely worth listening to is Lizz Wright. With a voice that flows like water and as loud and calming as rapid waterfalls, Lizz performed a very thought provoking melodies with Toshi Reagon who is also known to funk out folk music. As Lizz performed, the spectators were in a serene trance that lasted until her final note.

Slick & Rose were very entertaining and unquestionably on the radar of people to watch in the music industry. Slick who commands attention with her wild and crazy faces makes her engaging and fun to watch, while Rose is the sexy and sassy chick that is attracts the eye with her come hither stares and movements. As a duo they are absolutely perfect. “Breakdown” and “Chemical” were very upbeat tempos that made you bob your head. They were awesome.

Awards were handed out to recipients who are making a difference in arts and they were very well deserved. Those honorees are: Bernice Reagon (Living Legend Music), Pearl Bowser (Living Legend, Film), Martha Diaz (Emerging Leader, Music), Jeri Lynne Johnson (Social Change) Stephanie Black (Smirnoff Social Change), Tia Lessin (Artistic Change, Film), and Bahamadia (Artistic Change, Music).

Other performers that were there were, Zaki Ibrahim (sorry Hun, but your mics were not audible), Muhsinah (her performance was very artistic meaning, but it was hard to get) and Emoni Fela. Some can charge it to the technicians while other... well, they did their best.
Overall, the Black Lily had yet another successful year that was extended with great workshops for our young women and women who are in the mist of learning the male dominated industry. It was pleasing to see films with meaning and purpose that relate to women on an everyday basis and music that is fun and memorable. In addition, the awards that were distributed were well earned. Black Lily Film and Music Festival is an event that is worth waiting for because you never know what you are going to get and those that miss it, miss a whole lot.

Visit http://www.blacklilyfilm.org/ for information on next year.

Book Review- Prison Chronicles

2008-05-01T20:36:00.002-04:00

Janaya Black is a talented young writer who has created stories that are better than your average street fiction her Prison Chronicle stories are definitely captivating from beginning to end as she shares stories of women in prison and what led them to their situation.

We meet Vanessa Jackson the reporter for Womens Lib Magazine in the first book, The Breaking Point. Her first interview is with Marion Hayes a young woman who was convicted for killing the man she loved. Although her love for him was strong his betrayal stabbed her in her heart and she stabbed back... to death. But what led to this betrayal was it the loss of her baby brother or was it the rape that she encountered? No one can get to the bottom of the story better than Vanessa and she plans to help her friend come to peace with her actions and consquences if it kills her. As told by the other woman is yet another mouth opening story about a young woman that is facing 15 years in prison for the murder of her lovers’ wife. Timberlynn was beginning to change her life for the better until she met, Tre, a smooth talking man who took advantage of the heart of a very young and naïve 18 year old girl who had just came out of the starting gates. After running her around and pulling her by the heart strings, she is faced to make a decision that will ultimately ruin many lives.

And lastly, Vanessa journeys back to prisons where she meets a woman who had nothing but revenge on her mind and the thirst for the blood of the man that killed her sister. In Beautiful Rage: The Break of Dawn, we meet young and beautiful Dawn Langston who snapped after the release of the man that killed her sister. So built with rage, Dawn executes a plan to give back all the pain and suffering that the brutal murderer gave her sister. While Dawn expresses that she has no regrets, Vanessa wonders if meeting this woman and listening to her story will drive her over the edge.

What is so enjoyable about the Prison Chronicles is that although each and every story has a gruesome and shocking ending, but there is a lesson: there are always consequences for your actions and karma can be a b**ch.

Janaya Black is definitely a writer to follow as she tells the story of women who have suffered from abuse and neglect so perfectly that she will make men think twice before they cross another woman.

Check out her books and website at: http://www.black-smithenterprises.com/

Literary Review- Multiplicity

2008-05-01T19:19:00.001-04:00

Author: Rita Carter
Publishing Date: April 2008
Publisher: Little Brown
ISBN: 0-316-11538-x
Price: $24.99

Have you ever lost track of time or thought that you were shy but every one else says that you are not? Have you ever made the statement, “I don’t know what got into me” or “I was somebody else back then?” If so, then you are witnessing MULTIPLICITY, according to the new science of personality. In fact, the main subject discussed in this book is that we all have multiple personalities albeit— not necessarily a disorder but the way nature intended things to be. Author, Rita Carter, calls this phenomena human plurality which is to say that psychologically, we are not individuals but a community of personalities in an individual body. If this is so, then we are definitely in trouble of finding ourselves in disunity with our neighbors, i.e. other personalities within our bodies.
Imagine, if you will, awakening to find that another personality that lives inside of you. Lets say the fighter in you (although it can easily be the promiscuous person or the gullible person inside of you) has done something that causes the rest of your personalities; the father or the mother, the giver and/or the helper to suffer. The way our current society thinks, there is one body and one person within. We will quickly find that we have gotten ourselves into trouble with absolutely no way for the other personalities to plead their cases. In fact, the entire community of people (personalities) may be punished for the acts of one personality within our psyche.

For many decades we have seen criminals tried for this offense and a great deal of them say that they do not know what got into them. According to the new science, it’s not so much what got into them, but what was inside of them all the while. There is a community of personalities better known as multiple personalities. Many of us are under the impression that multiple personality automatically means disorder but Multiple Personality Disorder is when the personalities become so dominant that the others can’t stop its actions. This disorder could be as simple as obsession with cleanliness to murderous tendencies.

However, we have all said at one time or another that we cannot account for our actions or that we do not know why we were thinking the way we were. So, could we truly be going along for the ride of each personality within us? Well, before you get upset, it may be a relief to know that the only time you are in danger of suffering from the misgivings of some other personality living inside of you is if you have a multiple personality disorder. If you have a healthy but very outward case of multiple personality or human plurality each personality is likely to be relative to the rest of the community, and therefore not so different that the life choices made by each personality are totally opposite each other.

The concept reminds me of George Gurdjieff who explained that we have no permanent and unchangeable "I".

"Each minute, each moment, man is saying or thinking 'I.' And each time his I is different. Just now it was a thought, now it is a desire, now a sensation, now another thought, and so on, endlessly. Man is a plurality. Man's name is legion," says Gurdjieff.

George Gurdjieff took some of his ideas from Buddhist and Sufi psychology which teaches that there is no stable essence, no individual "I". Instead, traditional Buddhists divide the self into skandas which are heaps that are composed of shifting thoughts and awareness. Sufis divide the many stages of self into what they call nefs. What makes the difference between the old and the new science of personality is that instead of saying that there is no “I” but rather a conglomeration of thoughts and desires, Multiplicity is saying that there are many “I’s” within one body. However, like one of Gurdjieff’s disciples, Oscar Ichazo, Rita Carter has a personality wheel.

What makes the book helpful is that the first half takes the time to inform us of the situation which can be very enlightening to many people. Let’s think about it: you have more than one personality and most likely each one has some skill in handling anything that you are faced with, now all you have to do is get to them so that you can turn them on whenever you need them. In the second half of the book, there is the personality wheel and instructions on how to get to know you in a whole new way. Below are both Oscar Ichazo’s personality chart and Rita Carter’s personality chart.

Personality Chart

Rita Carter
Open-minded
Conservative
Extrovert
Introvert
Stable
Uptight
Agreeable

Disagreeable

Conscientious
Careless

Oscar Ichazo

Perfectionist

Giver

Performer

Romantic

Observer

Trooper

Epicure
Boss
Mediator

Multiplicity is a must read, it goes great with difficult times like these because if what Ms. Carter says is true, then we all should be contacting the personalities within us that are strong enough to hold on and ride the wave of the current economic situation that we find ourselves in. For those who are unaware of the many people living inside of you, it makes for informative and useful knowledge to anyone whom may be interested in or in need of a better understanding of the human psyche. Imagine never having to be alone again.

Aalim Elitou-reviewer
Copyright 2008

Literature Review- Harlem Godfather: The Rap on My Husband, Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson

2008-04-30T12:07:00.001-04:00

Author: Mayme Johnson & Karen E. Quinones Miller

ISBN: 978-0-9676028-3-7

Publisher: Oshun Publishing

Publication Date: March 2008

Pages: 237

Price: $15.00

The true Harlem Godfather’s name was Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson in case you heard wrong. Don’t trust Hollywood when you can know the truth from the one person who was closest to the King of Harlem and that is his queen, Mayme Johnson.

According to Mrs. Johnson, Hollywood got it wrong once with the movie Hoodlum where famed actor Laurence Fishburne played Bumpy Johnson, the slayer of the classless Jewish gangster Dutch Shultz. “I can forgive someone who got it wrong, but I cannot forgive someone that flat out lied,” says the very alert 93 year old woman. The latter that she refers to is the movie, American Gangster, where the talented Denzel Washington played Frank Lucas, a New York drug dealer who said he was taught by the Harlem Godfather.

To help clarify the life of a man that has become a legend, long time friend and Essence Beset-Selling Author, Karen E. Quinones Miller teamed up with Mrs. Johnson to get the facts straight about her husband and the man that brought pride to the Harlem community when he took down the notorious Dutch Schultz. The book, Harlem Godfather: The Rap on My Husband Ellsworth Bumpy Johnson is a tell-all book about the life of a gangster who was a humanitarian, a community leader, a husband, a father and one bad man who was both loved and feared.

Bumpy Johnson was a man amongst men and was said to be so tough that even the prisons wanted to get rid of him. The only place where he felt more comfortable was Alcatraz—a place for only the most deadly of criminals and they didn’t want him there either. There is definitely a shortage of gangsters that hold this reputation. According to the book, he was known as the “gorilla tamer” because he would stop any man in his tracks before he got out of line in his city. That’s enough to make any man think twice before crossing him.

He made deals with the legendary Italian gangster of New York City, Lucky Luciano and supported such great black men as Stokely Carmichael and Malcolm X. He played host to such entertainers as Lena Horne, Cab Calloway, Joe Louis, and Dickie Wells and many others. He also did time with the father of Rudy Guliani, former mayor of New York City.

Harlem Godfather is a detailed and colorful book that takes you on a vivid journey through the eyes of the closet person to him… his wife. From beginning to end, Mrs. Johnson describes her husband as a man that may have been a gangster but he was also a man of principle. He believed in being a race man, who is now called a black militant. He was a humanitarian who would celebrate the holidays with the children in the community, sharing gifts and good fortune. Later this gift giving would be depicted in several movies that showcased gangsters including New Jack City and In Too Deep.

Bumpy had a big heart. He once saw a woman that was being evicted from her apartment. He went to the landlord and paid her back rent so that she would not be on the streets. This is something that he was known for doing quite often. His heart was big for his people and even bigger for the love of his life Mayme Johnson. The love that they shared was like no other. There was nothing that he would not do for his wife and family. He made sure that Mayme was taken care of financially and emotionally. Mrs. Johnson makes it clear that she understand the life in which he came from but he was not like any other, he was a man who cared.

Bumpy Johnson is known for being a gangster that was vicious with his enemies but he was celebrated because of the many great acts of kindness, pride and confidence that he brought to Harlem. It is not often that a gangster is celebrated in that way but this was man that was definitely worth it.

Literary Review- Strong Medicine Speaks

2008-04-28T18:57:00.001-04:00

Author: Amy Hill Hearth
Pages: 224
ISBN: 0743297792
Pub. Date: March 28, 2008
Price: $23.00

I am Native American, and so is my wife/partner. Heather is from the Sukizeet tribe and I am from the Nanticoke tribe or as we say, “People of Lenni Lenabe”. Thus, we have the last name Elitou.

It’s true that most Native Americans hid their ancestry in the past and took on more accepted roles as white and colored in their outward expression forming a secret society, so to speak, for their inner cultural expressions. Many of us have the same experiences of other minority groups who have been classed in the same category and racially targeted. It seems that many people in the American communities have Native American backgrounds as we meet new people everyday.

In my family, there are light and dark skin people we don’t see each other in skin tone, but more so in blood tie. If you are Lenabe you are Lenabe that’s, that! Light or dark skin doesn’t matter. I mean that’s how we roll. We say that our cousins are the Lenni Lenape because they have slightly different customs and experience from ours since we have been separated by racial divides.

We are still relatives and share the exact same ancient ancestry but we express it slightly different. Being from the city requires a different approach to cultural life than country living and so with that brings the difference between the spellings of the two names which are really the same.

I was excited to learn about “Strong Medicine” Speaks: A Native American Elder Has Her Say.” I requested that my editor get this book and I was pleased to see it in my office the following day. It was a very interesting read and very close to home. The book is written by Amy Hill Hearth who also shares Lenape ancestry through a great-grandmother. I was surprised to read this about the author because as she says she looks “completely white”. Although, I was surprised I was not completely taken aback because as I said, we meet new family every day. They come in different shades and sizes but they are Lenape.

Amy Hearth is also the author of “Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters’ First 100 Years” which is the true story of two African American sisters who are 100 years old. Having a talent for storytelling, reminiscent of her Native American background, the book went on to become an enduring best seller and the subject of a three-time Tony Award nominated play. What’s interesting about Amy’s story is that she didn’t know that she was Lenape until her father stumbled upon her ancestry but in spite of her not knowing there were ancestral traits to be found such as helping a stranger in need which is written in Strong Medicine.

Curious to find out more about her Lenape ancestry she researched and found Marion Strong Medicine Gold on the internet and was inspired to contact her and learn more about our culture. What she learned was so awe inspiring that she decided to write a book about it, but in a way that gives the source of the information a more direct voice to the reader.

Strong Medicine is a very charming individual with 83 years of life to talk about. She takes us all the way back to her humble beginnings. Walk with Strong Medicine as she takes us on a step by step journey through the decades of her life and rare views that otherwise would not have been shared with the outside world. Strong Medicine takes a leap of faith and opens up to Ms. Hearth. At some point it was questionable as to whether or not it was a good idea to go public with such information because racism is still very much alive in America and threats are around every corner. Maybe it was the kinship between them that made Strong Medicine comfortable with her regardless of the potential danger. You can tell that the chemistry is just right for an interesting story— one that keeps the pages turning easily.

Marion takes us back to the 30's as she recalls quite vividly, the days of her childhood growing up black, white, and Indian in America. How could she be black, white, and Indian you ask? She explains how we Native Americans are often mistaken for these races depending on outside racial contact and the misperception of the people. The truth is that we are neither black, white, or Indian- we are indigenous.

Back in America’s younger days, being indigenous was outlawed so most indigenous people would go about their lives neither confirming nor denying their identity. Marion remembers living her life as Lenape but not talking about it much when she was a little girl. Her mother was Lenape, and her father was Lenape and Black, thus giving her a skin tone that blended into most communities.

We learn that she was her parent’s second child, and their first born (a boy) died from crib death in 1921. Marion was born in 1922, and was stronger and faster then some of the boys she played with. She sometimes wished that she could do the boys chores because they seemed more interesting than the chores for girls such as washing clothes and gardening. When it came to boyfriends she caught the eye of a few but the one who caught her eye was a Lenape boy named Wilbur Gould, born in 1919. He was almost three years older than Marion and if it wasn’t for a chance encounter she would have never known him. As luck would have it she later married Wilbur, and as sure as life is full of test, they were tested as well. Wilbur was drafted into the army the year after Pearl Harbor was attacked and fought on the Western Front in World War II. He was taken prisoner during the battle of the Bulge, escaped and returned to active duty on December 31st. I could try to tell you everything about the book but that wouldn’t be fair because it is worth reading yourself.

Overall, Strong Medicine and Amy Hearth have teamed up to give the non-Native American community a rare, inside peek of the Lenape culture and local tribal community (if you live in or near NJ). If you have Native American ancestry, Strong Medicine is a book that should definitely be in your personal library.

Aalim Elitou- Reviewer

Book Review- Diamond Playgirls

2008-04-26T17:45:00.001-04:00

What happens when four young successful women from different cities decide to further their careers in the Big Apple while living under the same roof? A little bit of everything.

Meet Dior, a beautiful young woman who just arrived from Canada and is filled with excitement—so excited that her compulsive shopping gets her in trouble but it also helps her find love with the furniture delivery guy. Chris is a wonderful man who is great in bed but when Dior learns something about him that she never expected, will she give up on love or will she meet Mr. Right on myspace.

Tamara is excited about NY because she is hoping to further advance her party promotion career. She is working for two of the biggest names in the business, the Harold Brothers. She isn’t looking for love but love finds her twice. Maurice Harold takes a strong interest in Tamara but she doesn’t like to mix business with pleasure but Maurice can care less even if he is married. Tamara fears that she will be unlucky like her mother and grandmother who have been married again and again. When Aaron a man that she has strong feelings for reveals that he is ready to settle down, will she be ready... to run?

Then there is Chloe. She is the pretty rich girl who meets the man of her dreams. He is smart, handsome, and wealthy. Their love affair seems perfect and is running strong but Chloe is keeping a secret that could cost her the relationship.

Mona Lisa is a woman with a scorned heart. After her mother left she was raised by her father to be a player. She gives a man her body but nothing else. She has loved before but she let Nat slip away. When he finally surfaces again will they be able to continue where they left off or will she lose out on love again?

Diamond Playgirls was definitely a fun read as the authors created this anthology like a Sex in the City meets Girlfriends. The most interesting characters are Tamara and Dior because from each one you get a dose of humor and reality. There are other interesting characters like Jerome the annoying neighbor who tries to get with each of the women who live in the building using his tired mack game. There is also Ms. Margie, the dreadlocked straight to the point old head who actually owns the building that these ladies live in. She calls it her “Diamond Palace” thus the name Diamond Playgirls.

The book was definitely a fun read because each author had to blend each story together in order for these women to finally get together in the end. If you are looking for a book that breaks the usual street fiction drama, then this is the one to get.

Heather Elitou-Reviewer

Harlem Godfather Book Signing w/ Mayme Johnson & Karen Miller

2008-04-20T17:09:00.001-04:00

Come and join us as we celebrate the Philadelphia release of the much anticipated book, Harlem Godfather, the Rap on My Husband Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson written by his 93 year old widow and Essence Best-Selling Author, Karen E. Quinones Miller. See what Mrs. Johnson has to say about the movies that have depicted his life and how he was more than just a gangster.

Literary Review- Mississippi Sissy

2008-04-07T12:15:00.000-04:00

Did you ever wonder if the little sissy boy that lives in your neighborhood was born that way or if his attitude and demeanor was something he picked up along the way? What about if he has ever encountered a sexual experience with a woman? If you have answered yes to any of these questions then you should be reading Mississippi Sissy.

Kevin Sessums is well known as a contributing editor at Allure magazine, and articles that have been written for Vanity Fair. He was also the executive editor for Andy Warhol’s Interview magazine. His work has also appeared in Elle, Travel + Leisure, Playboy, POZ, Out, and Show People magazines. But nothing compares to the memoir Mississippi Sissy.

Written like a true confession or a diary, the author takes you through the many adventures of his life growing up in the racist Mississippi during the 1950’s outside of Jackson. Not only was there racial prejudice but being gay was definitely nothing that was accepted easily.

Kevin was fortunate to have two caring parents and unfortunate to have lost them at a very young age. His father was a very well-known basketball player for the Knicks. He had the typical male, macho ego that would not allow him to accept his son’s sissy ways, while his mother nurtured his flamboyancy and sometimes encouraged it by allowing him to participate in sewing, wearing a witch costume for Halloween, and talking about the latest gossip coming from Hollywood and Broadway.

Sessum’s life was filled with colorful people that loved him and he shared his love affairs throughout out the book. A few of the most memorable were with the maid, Matty May who he adored and did everything for and with her until one day she quit never to return. Was it something that Kevin said? Was it something that the family had done? What happens to her later in future is shocking and heart touching.

Kevin did experience a crush on a little girl that had an interest in Kevin. She was not like your average little girl and there was much more to her then a cute face. As she and Kevin ventured out to the ball field while their mothers bathed in sun, she gave him his first experience as to what it feels to be with a girl... intimately.

There were times that were also very hard to speak of but Kevin persevered by sharing about the time he was molested by a very respected preacher who stole his innocence and used Kevin’s admiration as a means to getting what he wanted. Kevin also experienced another tragic situation as a youth that was hard to swallow as you read word for word.

Kevin also gave a confession. He and his father did something that was never to be spoken about. If anyone was to find out it would bring humiliation on them both and the entire family. As Sessum confesses to the offense, he makes it clear that it was this incident that made the secret that he share with his father a gulity pleasure.

Although it is not clear as to say whether or not a person is born gay or if it is something that they choose along the way because of an tragic experience in life that made them go in that direction. What you will learn from reading Mississippi is that Kevin enjoyed being who he was and his family accepted it lovingly or with a chaser.

Overall, I thin that Sessum’s lived a full live and he is not ashamed. He has experienced the good and the bad of growing up a sissy; there is nothing to apologize for as he is now living a life that is fulfilling to most of us. His open diary was an the opportunity for him to analyze himself and an opportunity for us to experience through a young boy what it was like to grow up a Mississippi Sissy.

Heather Elitou- Reviewer

Interview with Sherrie Walker, author of Mistress of the Game

2008-03-28T21:00:00.023-04:00

young Sherrie Walker is one of the newest additions to the Triple Crown Publication family and debuting her novel, Mistress of the Game which is sparking the interest of readers who love the urban fiction genre. When it comes to publishing her works, Sherrie is not new to the game as she has also written plays that have toured the city of Ohio. In 1998, Sherrie and her partner Kecia Green were recipients of The Best New Playwrights award from Karamu House Performing Arts Theatre which is the oldest African American theatre in the country, located in Cleveland, Ohio.

Her partner, Kecia is someone that she continues to praise because she is not only her co-writer but she is also her very best and dearest friend. The two are recognized throughout the Ohio area for writing, producing and performing plays. Unfortunately, Kecia is currently serving time in the Ohio Reformatory for Women in Marysville, Ohio, but when they get together, they are a match. We had the chance to chat with Sherrie about her book and how she feels now as a Triple Crown author.

Congratulations on your debut novel, what is like to be a Triple Crown author?
All praises go to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! It’s a wonderful feeling to be a part of this giant urban literature family. Actually, it’s an honor. I feel as if God worked through Vickie Stringer to bring me to where I am today. I thank Vickie and I am ever so grateful that she brought me into the Triple Crown Publications family.

What did you think when you completed your book?
Relieved. Happy. Exhilarated. But most of all I felt as if I had begun a very important part of my life journey because even though this novel is completed, it is, hopefully, the beginning of a succession of writings.

You have been known for your plays, what made you choose to write a book?
I can’t talk about Mistress of the Game without talking about Kecia. She is my very best friend. Until she’s released, we’ve put our plays on hold and began to showcase another form of our writing skills which has resulted in Mistress of the Game. It was a very unique occurrence in which Kecia (and I) was introduced to Triple Crown Publications. Long story short, Kecia was introduced to actress/comedian Mo’Nique when she performed her HBO and DVD special, “I Could Be Your Cell Mate” at the institution in May of 2006. Kecia had the pleasure of engaging in extensive conversation with Monique.
While interviewing Kecia, Mo’Nique learned that Kecia (and I) enjoyed writing and had completed Mistress of the Game and was in the process of preparing the manuscript for submission to different publishing companies. Sherry McGee McCovey, who helped Mo’Nique pen “Skinny Women are Evil” as well as “Skinny Cooks Can’t Be Trusted,” was also present and took an interest in Mistress of the Game which she later submitted to Vickie Stringer. Some time later, Triple Crown’s editor and chief, Mia McPherson, communicated with us and let us know they were interested in publishing the manuscript. From that point on we moved forward.

How did your writing career begin?
There was a convention being held in Cleveland and the chairperson asked me and Kecia, if we would write and perform a play for the convention. In doing so, it turned out to be a huge success. From that performance on, we continued writing, performing, and touring with our plays throughout Ohio. Kecia and I have known each other since the early 80’s and began writing together in the early 90’s. The subject matter of our plays always dealt with the realities and consequences of inner city life and always provided God based solutions to the challenges of life.

How long have you been writing?
Professionally, about thirteen years.

How did you know that you have this talent?

When I realized that people enjoyed the work that Kecia and I was producing. We also acknowledge that God has provided this special way for us to communicate. We all have gifts and talents and, again, we are thankful for this opportunity to share ours with others.

Tell us about your novel Mistress to the Game.
The story is of three young ladies who have been best friends since their pre-teen years at an orphanage where, under the harshest circumstances, they forge a bond that is to last a lifetime. Upon their escape, the hard lessons and rules for survival learned at the orphanage set the stage for their entry and rapid success in a do-or-die game in the Cleveland streets. The girls try to forget the painful events that orphaned them as they rise to the top, but fate forces them to face the Ghosts of their haunted past. With Elise as the beautiful mastermind and brains behind the organization, the three women plunge into a ruthless battle against their faceless, relentless enemy in a winner-take-all war to the finish.

How would you categorize your book, Mistress to the Game?
It’s a work of fiction which entertains as it educates. It’s powerful. It’s intriguing. It’s a page turning drama, full of suspense and romance.

What is the message that you wanted your readers to embrace?
Life is based on choices made and the consequences of those choices. If the reader can just embrace or walk away with that one concept, we will feel that Mistress of the Game is a success.

How important is writing to you?
Writing is a passion for me. As an artist, my job is to observe life and then find a way to interpret and share those observations with others. I do that through my writing.

Do you think writing is a spiritual art?
Yes, I often feel that I am being spiritually guided.

You said that you have experienced friendships that are like the characters in the book, care to explain?
I think that any literature, fiction or non-fiction, has to be based on observations of the real feelings, actions, experiences, etcetera, of real people. If not, the work would not reach the reader and the reader has to be able to identify with the lives of the characters. Otherwise, the work would have no meaning.

What was the reason for writing this book? Did you see a need for this book?
Yes. There will continue to be a need for literature giving the female perspective on life’s lessons; literature that examines women in roles exhibiting strength, honor, loyalty, independence, determination and success.

What is something readers would be surprised to know about you?
I’m actually shy. I’m more of a one-on-one speaker as opposed to speaking to a group or audience. Unlike my co-author, Kecia, I’m more of an introvert, whereas she is definitely an extrovert.

How do you define success?
Success is discovering what your own special talents and gifts are and building on them with confidence so that you can have an impact on your world, however small or big.

What advice would you give to aspiring authors?
Don’t be afraid of hard work. Never give up on pursuing your dreams. Remember no mission is impossible. Stay focused and stay strapped in prayer

What marketing tips can you provide to new authors?
Captivate and hold your readers attention from beginning to end. Make sure your first chapter features holding power. Provide a clean manuscript. Have it edited. Be prepared to receive rejection letters, but also claim and know that someone long the way is going to be interested in your quality piece. Don’t let a first, second, or third “no” discourage you from pursuing your dreams. Submit and re-submit your manuscript if necessary. Dreams do come true!

Now that you have published your book, what other projects are you working on?
I am presently outlining Book Two. I look forward to the comments that people have for Mistress of the Game.

Heather Elitou-Interviewer

Interview with Deja King- The B**ch is Back!!!

2008-03-28T20:07:00.004-04:00

Deja King is a Bitch, better than that she lives by the acronym: Babe In Total Control of Herself. This young lady has made a name for herslef in the urban fiction genre with her two most controversial books, Bitch and Bitch Reloaded. She is now in the process of dropping the third Bitch book with Triple Crown Publications.

In Bitch, Precious Cummings is that chick! She comes from nothing and uses all of her asssets to get what she wants. When she finally achieves her goals she is then faced with having to deceive her closest aquaintances and answering to the one man that she owes her life to and he is ready to end it.

When she lives to see another day, she then realizes that she has lost someone that she is very close to and she is out for revenge and anyone that stands in her way is going to bow down. Will she use all nine of her lives? When this sexy kitten is ready to do some harm, she let's nothing stop her.

We had the opportunity to chat with Deja and find out about how she feels about the success of her book and what is in store for 2008.

Congratulations on your third book, how does it feel to release another Bitch book?
I’m so excited!! Bitch is going to be a five part series.

When you first released the Bitch book, what were people’s responses?
I instantly got positive feedback, especially from young teenage girls. The story struck a chord for them and they’ve been riding for Precious ever since.

Do you think people identify with these characters?
I think people identify with Precious because a part of them would like to be like her. She’s such a strong independent person who doesn’t take BS from anybody. I think all of us wish we could be like that more often.

How would you categorize your book?
I consider it to be an action packed street novel.

What is the message that you wanted your readers to embrace?
I always want readers to connect to my characters and understand their struggles and actions whether they agree with them or not.

Are you done with the Bitch books?
After The Bitch Is Back, I have two more in the series, which are Queen Bitch and Last Bitch Standing.

How did you feel when the book was published?
When I first saw Bitch in print I was ecstatic. I always loved the concept of the book and the characters. To hold it in my hand was truly an amazing feeling.

Tell us about the Bitch is Back.
In The Bitch Is Back you see Precious at the very top of her game. She is no longer hood rich; I mean her husband is a freaking mogul. She was rich in Bitch Reloaded but she was too busy mourning for Supreme and trying to find his killer that she wasn’t able to relish in being chipped up. Now you see her having it all but of course when you take a person to the top you have to bring them all the way down to having nothing.

How do you stand apart from other artist?
I’m my own person for one. I do what my gut says. For example, a lot of people told me I shouldn’t write a book called Bitch because it would offend so many people. I was like PLEASE because I meant the term as an empowerment for women. When I see a woman who has it all together and I say, “That’s a bad bitch right there,” I mean it as a compliment…period. So with everything I write I separate myself from others because it’s who I am and I bring a freshness that can’t be duplicated.

Tell us a little about you.
I’m a mother first and my family is the most important thing to me. I used to work in the entertainment industry and for a very long time was a party girl, but now I’m a homebody who enjoys writing and spending time with close friends and family.

What is it like to be a published author?
It’s a great feeling because the love and adoration I receive from readers sometimes brings tears to my eyes. I can be having a bad day but when I open an email with a reader praising my work it just lifts my spirits and puts a smile on my face. When I’m at a book signing and someone says thank you for a wonderful book, I tell them "no, thank you" because if it wasn’t for their support I wouldn’t have a career doing what I love.

Do you surprise yourself with what comes out in your writing?
Not really because I’m a complete nut, so it never stops. I’ve been making up stories since I was five years old playing with Barbie’s. I’ve always had an overactive imagination and plus I’ve seen and done so much in my life so it comes naturally for me.

What advice do you have for people who are writing a book?
Be true to your vision, meaning when you’re writing a book knows the picture you want to paint and make it come alive. Also, know your market and give them a book that they will truly enjoy.

What has been your greatest accomplishment?
I haven’t reached it yet. But I am excited about having three books come out in less than a year and being on all three covers. The majors not letting you do that, but Vickie Stringer did it for me and I’ll always love her for that.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Honey, I take it day by day. If me and my family are alive, well and healthy than I’m blessed.

What is your goal for 2008?
For the readers to love the last 3 parts of the Bitch Series and be thirsty for whatever I drop in 2009.

What advice would you give to aspiring authors?
After you write your book and get it published, grind hard. It’s damn near impossible to break a new author now. The market is so saturated that readers are checking for books written by names they’re familiar with. It can be done but you have to work that much harder to promote you and your material.

Which authors do you admire and why?
I’m a huge fan of Walter Mosley because his talent as a writer is timeless. But as far as admiring authors, that’s not really my thing. But in the street genre I admire Vickie Stringer and Teri Woods because both women got the game on lock. They both understand the importance of branding and hustled their asses off to do just that.

What are the last few words that you would like to leave with those that read this interview?
No one can stop you from accomplishing your dreams but you so don’t fall prey to the negativity. When you’re trying to uplift yourself there will always be somebody trying to bring you down so let the haters be your motivators. Hugs and kisses to all the people who support me and my work!! Much love.

What did you think of the books Bitch and Bitch Reloaded? Do you think Precious is the one that holds it down? Send us your comments and you may win a copy of The Bitch is Back!

Heather Elitou- Interviewer

Book Review- Sistah For Sale

2008-03-25T17:36:00.014-04:00

Author: Miasha

Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: Touchstone

Pub. Date: March 4, 2008
ISBN-10: 1416553371

Miasha is back with yet another gripping and controversial tale with her trademark twist of money, power, and respect.

Sienna at a very young age is traumatized when she witnesses the murder of her father, and her mother is taken away and sent to the Dominican Republic. With no parents, she is raised by her father’s business friend, Chatman who not only gives her the best in life but he also prepares her to manage her own well being in the sex slave trade making her a Sistah for Sale.

Sienna is not alone in the business of sex because her best and closest friend Ryan is on the come up as well, possibly, the man to inherit Chatman’s herd.

Sienna and Ryan became very close...too close. Sienna and Ryan begin to fall in love and being in love with Chatman’s men could mean destruction to Sienna.

When a secret is revealed that turns her admiration for Chatman into disdain, all hell breaks loose and Sienna is looking at having to start at square one.

Will she lose Ryan forever? Will she ever break free of Chatman’s hold? One will never know until they read the book.

What is interesting about Sistah for Sale is that the author has stepped out of the ghetto and into a world that most people are not familiar with. The sex hade is a very big business inside the U.S. and is growing rapidly. There are many women who will do anything to become U.S. citizens including selling themselves for sex. Although Miasha did a great job on making people aware of the world of slave trade, more research on the culture of the people she wrote about would have made the story extraordinary. Nevertheless Miasha continues to be a breath of fresh air and steps up the game in the literary world.

All About the Writing Diva

Miasha has definitely changed the game in publishing. In just two short years, Miasha has had success in all four books that she has released and she is ready to drop the sequel to her Platinum selling debut, Secret Society titled Never Enough. Her marketing campaign has reached new heights for authors. She has not only tagged to streets with her images, she has created a virtual website that includes a reality show, "A Day in the Life of a Boss."
For a first time author, Miasha had proven that she has what it takes to grab the attention of not just her dedicated readers but also major magazines, making their top list and iMAG’s Go Getter of the year.
What makes her books part of the literary buzz is that although she has very interesting twists to her stories, she feels it’s her duty to make people aware of what takes place in a society which is rarely discussed.
As a mentor, she has created the Ask Miasha Foundation which was inspired by the addage, "closed mouths don’t get fed." It is an opportunity for people to ask her questions on life, love, publishing, education, and much much more. One of Miasha’s protégés is the 13 year old author Tweety Elitou who was in inspired by Miasha’s never give up and always shoots for the stars attitude.

We sat down with Miasha and talked to her about her latest endeavors and being considered The Literary Diva.

Miasha, it is always good to see you.

You as well.

Your name is everywhere and you are doing everything. Tell us about what you have been up to since Diary of a Mistress.

Well, Diary of a Mistress has made the Essence Best Sellers List.

Congrats.

Thank you. Mommy's Angels, went very well and of course the anthology Diamond Playgirls was recently released and now Sistah for Sale is on the shelves. I am gearing up for the release of Secret Society Two: Never Enough which is the follow up to Secret Society and I am also getting ready for the play, Secret Society. I have also played host to several events.

How does it feel to be on the Essence Best Sellers List?

It is great! I wanted that to be one of my achievements but I was not sure how that was going to happen. I knew that it was a lot of people's claim to fame, but I was not sure how to do it. I made the list at my own merit which made it feel even better.

How did you get in the anthology Diamond Playgirls.

Well, my mentor Karen E. Quinones Miller, the person who inspired me from the beginning came up with the idea. She had me in mind as one of the characters. I was glad to do it.

What has been the response so far?

The response has been very good. We were not able to do as much promotion as we wanted to because we were wrapped up in other promotions but we sold 19,000 copies in one month!

Tell us about Sistah for Sale.

The book is about an orphan who witnessed her father's murder, her mother's deportation, and she is being marketed in the sex trade. She thinks that the only way that she can get out of it is to buy her freedom. She becomes one of the highest paid girls because she learns many languages and cultures, but her owner is not ready to give her up.

How much of your books are related to politics?

Most of my books become political because of what is going on in our society. There is a lot going on that people are not even aware of and since I am an entertainer I see it as my duty to make readers aware of what is going on through my books.

Each of your books are written about different topics. Does it make it hard to market your book? Does it make it hard to keep the same readers or do you gain new ones each time?
I don't think that it makes it hard to keep my fans but it makes it possible to get new readers. The people that read my first book and absolutely loved it then go out and get the second one, etc. People have so far expressed that they love my work because I have proven that I can write and not about the same thing time and again. They can expect to be surprised.

People have said that you have changed the game in the publishing industry with your marketing and promoting. How do you feel about that?

I am glad that it is being noticed (lol). My husband (Rich) jokes and says that I am like the Jay-Z of the book industry, but this is really who I am. Rich and I both like flashy things and we have been blessed because we were not born with silver spoons in our mouths. We like to show our blessings and we wanted to bring it into the industry.

What do you feel about those that are following in your footsteps or "biters"?

I tend not to look at it that way. I think that it is good because it means that they liked it, I made a statement and I have created a trend. I see nothing wrong with being a trendsetter. I hope that what I put out works for others and they too share their blessings.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I see retirement-- that doesn't mean that I won't write anymore because that is what I love to do, but I won't have to do it. I see production work in film, theatre or television. I want to take the book industry to different heights.

Tell us about the play Secret Society.

The play will actually be the release for Secret Society Two: Never Enough. The play will only be in Philly (so far). That gives people the opportunity to see the play live and then they will be able to take the book home and read what happens in part two.

Tell us about AskMiasha.com.

AskMiasha.com is my foundation that was created in order to get close to the youth that are in need of mentoring. I had previously set it up with my first website where people would email me their questions, and it has grown from that. We had our first event, "Get Fresh, Get Knowledge" in September, 2007 so that young people that were going to school could get a free haircut and school supplies. I am putting together an anthology for young women.

What is something that you would like to leave with people that are interested in publishing?

Well, so many people come to me and say that they want to write a book and I say, you have to write the book. Once it is written, then send it to as many people that you can get to read it, and be sure to build a buzz around that project. Know your angle with your book and be sure to promote the best way that you can and go the extra mile. You can't wait for the royalties to roll in, you have to sell the book. Be unique so that people will remember you.

Be sure to visit Miasha's website for all information on the Literary Diva...

Heather Elitou- Interviewer and Reviewer

Book Review- Sexcapades

2008-03-05T16:58:00.008-05:00

Author: Honey B.

Hardcover: 288 pages

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Pub. Date: March 12, 2008

ISBN-13: 978-0446582285

Price: $20.00

Steamy from the first page, Sexcapades waste no time heating things up. The story is about an on again off again couple who are mixing business with pleasure and everything in between. They are educated in the corporate world but reckless in life. Nick and Natalie are two very highly motivated sexually driven, power hungry, stubborn people who declare all out war on each other in competition for a promotion as a CEO at their corporate job.

They and their swinging buddies are on the edge of things that they think they know and what is truly going on. Flint, their boss, who suffers from haunted memories of sexual abuse by his father-in-law and wife, is engaged in playing with Nick and Natalies’ minds in hopes that just maybe he can get into their sensual circle of contradictions. Can he possibly keep up with this wild couple? Or will he destroy them? Could he possibly face jail time for his sexcapades?

Sexcapades delivers just that (sex) because on each page it is drenched in sex and schemes. Honey B sure gets into the anatomy of the human body and takes you on a journey of high and low temperatures. There are times when it can become a little too "schooling" but overall it is a great read. If you have lost your mojo I think you can find it in this book just in time for the summer. It is going to be a hot spring and even hotter summer when you read this book! Guaranteed you will feel a twitch her or there as you read the sex drenched pages of Sexcapades.

Have you ever experienced a wild sexcapade? Tell us about it and get a free copy of this book!!!

Aalim Elitou- Reviewer

Book Review- H.O.T.E.L.

2008-03-05T15:57:00.004-05:00

Title: H.O.T.E.L.
Author: Brian M.W.
Publisher: Lulu.com
Price: $27.00 Hardcover
ISBN: Not located in book

Some movies have you on the edge of you seat wanting more… you just can’t stop looking… you want to know what happens next and you won’t be satisfied until you see it to the end. Well, there are books that have you turning from page to page. You just can't get enough. One of those books is H.O.T.E.L by Brian M.W.

H.O.T.E.L stands for Hunt, Observe, Track, Eliminate, and Learn. These are rules that every hunter must follow if they are to come out of the hunt victorious. These are the same rules that Jason Hastor who is a billionaire follows, but Jason is also insane and money plus insanity equals a whole lot of trouble.

Jason is haunted by the fact that his father picked the hunt over his family and he decides to follow in the footsteps of his father to see what is so special about the hunt. What could possibly have a man forget those that mean the most...his family? Unfortunately, he thinks that in order to get that answer he has to hunt the most dangerous prey of all, MAN! So he builds a hotel that will help him on this insane journey of murder and mayhem to get answers.

Derrick and Jacky Johnson decide to go on a much-needed vacation. Derrick is trying to get his creative juices flowing for a book he’s writing and Jacky wants to go to see if she can resist the temptation of sleeping with the smooth and mysterious Mr.Hastor. They think that they have picked the vaction spot not realizing that Jason has picked them and a few others to see if they are worthy of the hunt. Are they worthy of dying by his hands?

I know the setting and mood sounds familiar, but I think that this author really put his mark on it. His word play is very clever and he patiently started to build the story from beginning to middle and finally to a very interesting end. At first my impression from the beginning was that it was a little boring but after completing it, he was getting somewhere with all of his explainations.

The author claims to be the first black author to reach the status of Steven King, Dean Koontz and many others that are famous for their horrifying lessons in life... I will wait to see if that is true. Thus far he is definitely on his way.

Agasa Elitou- Reviewer

Goldengirl- Leaving a Little Gold Dust on Her Listeners

2008-02-13T11:51:00.005-05:00

I was going through our many emails on Myspace when I came across one that was very interesting to me. “When can I get my interview and be featured in your mag?” asked Goldengirl.
Know as the “Chick with the Diamond Whip”, Goldengirl has been heating up the airwaves at Power 99 in Philly for more than 10 years. Her talk show, “Lovetalk & Slowjamz” is one of the sexiest shows in the tri-state area bring listeners seductive and raw conversation about what else... SEX. People call in to comment on topics ranging from making love to your wife, and/or to the outrageous threesomes in the park during the day.

Celebrities from Ice T to Jermaine Dupri have shared themselves with the Black Barbee (another name she is known by). The conversations are raw and real and the show keeps listeners talking at the coffee cooler for days.

Goldengirl has also become very popular for her “Lock Down for Love” segment when callers send shout outs to their loved ones. The show’s popularity increased when Lil Kim served her bid at the Federal Detention Center in Philly. Every night she would tell her to stay strong and keep her head up and according to Lil Kim, “She got me through plenty of nights. I will always love her because she gave me so much support.”

Goldengirl is also very active in her community— always giving back by using her celebrity to inform the youth on the importance of education and safe sex. Her “28 Schools in 28 Days” kicks off for Black History Month.

What caught my attention about Goldengirl is how people feel that they can be open with her about anything no matter how outrageous or troubling the conversation may be. In 2005, Stephen Poaches spoke with her about his then missing girlfriend Latoyia Figueroa. The conversation became very heated. Shortly after, he was captured and is now serving time for her death and the death of their unborn child.

I emailed Goldengirl and told her that I definitely wanted to connect and after several plays of phone tag and schedule changes, we met up at the studio to chat with Philly’s own, as she was doing what she does best.

Never meeting or seeing the her in person, I was surprised that such a big personality came from such a petite lady. We sat and listened to her converse with a caller that said he had a sexual experience involving double penetration. By her response, it was clear why people were drawn to her. She is very down to earth and a great listener. She was showing no judgment making them feel secure while talking so personal on the radio.

During her break, we experienced Goldengirl on a more personal level as she shared herself to us for you.

How did you get the name Goldengirl?
I got the name from my brother Goldenboy who worked at the station forever.

How does Goldengirl fit your persona?
Perfectly! There is no better way to describe me and many others have agreed.

You have been known as the “Chick with the Diamond Whip”, how did that begin?
The whip thing is a moniker that has been with me since I started in VA (Virginia) and it was something that caught on. Initially, it was a sound effect and I was carrying a little tiny whip around and people started getting more interested in it. The whip has grown into a diamond whip, a gold studded whip and other custom made whips.

Tell us about your recent endeavor with your book Sex and Celebrities: The Truth, The Whole Truth, and The Naked Truth. Explain the truth?
Well, Heather it’s exactly that— it is what it is. The truth to me is when you don’t lie. You don’t hold back and add to a story to make it something that it is not.

Explain the whole truth?
There are several parts to the book. There are three parts as I would describe it and one of those parts is the sex and celebrities and that is the story that they told me from their own mouths, therefore the whole truth is what I put in my book. I also share my experiences with the celebrities. Another part is the sex guide and that is as real as I can get and I am not going to lie.

Are you a sexpert?
Yes I am!

What makes you so and what are the responses that people have to your sex expertise?
For the most part, people love the advice that I give them. They are now willing to pay for the advice. I went and got an office so that I could speak with them one on one. The response has been very good.

The book is very interesting and the relationship with you and Ralph Tresvant of New Edition is an eye catcher, how did that begin without giving too many details?
It began in Philly. I wasn’t actually interested in them but my friends were and I had to hook them up so that they could meet them. I was interested in Bobby Brown because he was the man and I was trying to see him (laughter). With Ralph it wasn’t planned.

Were you the woman that he wanted to be “Sensitive” for?
(laughter) You know what—I was probably one of the ladies as far as I know.

What is your relationship today?
We are cordial and everything. I don’t call and talk to him but when he comes to town he calls me. He was a little nervous about my response and if I still felt negative from our past. It also was in regards to when I was going to talk about in the book.
Do you think that your pass has harmed you in anyway?
No, not at all. Where I am now is where I am supposed to be.

How does your family feel about your accomplishments?
My family is very proud of me. Regarding the book, I am not sure how many of them read it and I would not encourage them to do so, but they are proud at how far I have come.

Let get back to you... What is your special gift to the world?
My special gift is to help people and that is children and adults. Empowering is my main talent.

You are very involved in the community and you played a big part in the Latoyia Figueroa case, do you want to elaborate on that?
My next book will be my conversation with a killer. It still boggles my mind why he called me and Latoyia situation really affected my life...

Explain.
Just to give you the reality of it all, I suffered from sleep deprivation a year after. The call from him rang in my head and it still does. It’s hard to explain but I hear about similar stories like Lacy Peterson, and I am reminded of Latoyia. There have been many people that have come to me since then to help them find their kids. I have helped find young runaways that were not dead.

How long have you known you were able to connect with people so intimately?
I didn’t know that I was able to do this. It is a gift and a curse. I have to be careful not to really hurt anyone. I have to be careful not to give a tongue lashing that would hurt people but help. I have to sum it up by saying that God speaks through me.

You seem to be a ray of hope to those doing time why is that?
One of my friends and I started it together. We know that people are depending on those shout outs and we like to keep it going.

What is the relationship between you and Lil Kim since your dedications to her?
She really loves me and we speak often. She is coming to town soon and we will be working together. She really respected what I was doing. She feels that she is forever indebted to me. We are really cool.

What are some of the positive things going on that you’ve heard about?
There are so many things that are going on. Be sure to check out my “28 Schools for 28 Days” where I bring along nationally known speakers and artists that are able to bring hope to the children in the urban community.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Definitely helping my people and doing as television show. Still doing radio of course...

What are the last few words that you would like to leave with the readers?
Keep your faith and anything that you want you can have. Be helpful to each other and we can achieve that together. Remember to B.I.G. Believe in God as he is going to be there always.

Heather Elitou- Interviewer

Book Review- Rap-Up

2008-02-05T20:57:00.003-05:00

Title: Rap- Up: the Ultimate Guide to Hip-Hop and R&B
Author: Cameron & Devin Lazerine
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Pub. Date: 2/28/08
Price: $16.00
ISBN: 978-0-446-17820-4

Rap has taken the world by storm no doubt. Since its debut in the late 70's (early 80's) it has captured the imagination of children and adults alike. Many adults today in their middle ages are children of the first generation of rap. In Philadelphia, PA African American mayor Michael Nutter was once known as “DJ Mixmaster Mike” during his mixing and scratching days. Therefore, hip hop has long before come out of boom boxes and dance clubs in the hood; it is now in the world of politics.

Hip Hop has become the music that fuels the nations as of recent years. It is used in every aspect of the media and it has far reached outside of the hood. It has crossed the seas and touched others across the world. Hip hop has become a movement!

The style of music that was once considered a passing fad has been going more than 20 years strong, diving into the world of business. For most, Rap music has been positive in the lives of the youth with more than just dance moves. B-boys and B-girls have become entrepreneurs creating brand names bringing in millions of dollars. From food to fashion, major corporations have been more than pleased with the revenue that they have received from advertising with hip-hop.

Hip hop has also been a reason to stop and think about society as it grows and changes every day. Many think that crime of the inner cities is connected to hip hop, but it no longer resides in this heavy populated area. Loud beats, baggy jeans, and gun crimes are now reaching the suburbs causing specialists to dig deep into the understanding of the music and how it affects people’s way of thinking because the rebellious lyrics just may be a cause for alarm.

Rap-Up, written by the Cameron & Devin Lazerine who are also the creators of Rap-Up Magazine endeavors to give us an overview of the hip-hop movement. It is an informative book that gives you the history behind your favorite artists yesterday and today. Learn how:

L.L. Cool J got his start
Run DMC connects with Def Jam
Salt-N-Pepa became female icons
And much more

The Lazerine brothers gradually bring us from yesterday into the future with the scoop on Jay-Z, Beenie Seigel, Eve and 50 cent.
Although this book keeps you very informed of the artists and their contributions to hip-hop, it fell short in giving us the culture of hip-hop which is the very essence that makes it the phenomenon that has taken over the music industry.

For those of you who are looking to learn some of the methods of the big players in the game there is plenty of information on how each artists brought something unique to the table and changed certain ways of doing things for the better. Learn from the pros and build your own plan to succeed in the Rap Game.

related articles Who is the Grandfather of Hip Hop?

Aalim Elitou- Reviewer

Literary Review- Passin'

2008-02-04T20:02:00.002-05:00

Title: Passin’
Author: Karen E. Quinones Miller
Publisher: Grand Central publishing
Publishing Date: 2/15/08
Price: $13.99
ISBN: 0-446-69605-6

If you are looking for your average run of the mill boy meets girl book, then Passin’ is not the book to read. Passin’ is one of the most controversial books written by Karen E. Quinones Miller thus far. You can expect a lot of talk around the topic of this book. This story has color that goes beyond the issue of black and white.

Shanika Ann Jenkins is so light that she is often mistaken for a Caucasian. The family tradition of only marrying those of light skin and good hair are passed down to Shanika giving her blue eyes and blond hair as well. She is very proud of her African American heritage and quick to put anyone who doubts that she is African American in their place—until she applies for a job in New York.

What is she to do when she could get the job of her life but they are only looking to hire a white woman? Does she pass for white? This is what she has to ponder when she interviews at Paxon & Green PR firm.
The company is looking to hire someone that is African American—but they have to look African American (dark skin, thick hair, etc.). But what if she decides to fill out the application and say that she is white?

Life begins to take on a new meaning the moment that she makes her decision causing her to meet new people in high places—Shanika is living the life! One of the highlights of her new found life is meeting Tyrone, who she falls in love with. Things are going great until tragedy strikes and she is forced to reveal her secret life to him and his family. Shanika is now forced to look at herself and realize that life is better lived in truth and that the deeper you live within your lie, the harder it is to climb out of it. Would it be easier to just say that she is black? It may sound easier than it really is.

Will changing her identity be a mistake? Will she lose the love and trust of her mother and brother? What happens when she runs into a family member on the street? How long will she live the lie?

This book is definitely a must read! There is not a lot of drama but the novel is not slow. A lot of interesting questions came to mind as I was reading such as:
* What would be the reaction of white readers to know that some blacks pass for white?
* How often do people pass in society and for how long and why?

Thank you Karen for such a great book and I hope that there is a part 2!

Question: Is it ever legitimate to pass? Do you think that passin’ shows a lack of cultural pride? I look forward to your response in the comment block…

Agasa Elitou- Reviewer

Book Review- Leftovers

2008-01-15T21:06:00.004-05:00

Title: Leftovers
Author: Laura Weiss
Publisher: MTV Books
Pub. Date: 1/12/08
Price: $12.00
ISBN: 1416546626

Laura Weiss has done it again with her follow up to Such a Pretty Girl. Leftovers is a “discuss amongst your friends” book that has all the elements needed to create a hot novel for teens.

Blair and Ardith are two friends that are definitely from different sides of the track but their friendship leads them down the same tracks of self-destruction and sweet revenge.

Each girl comes from a dysfunctional background: Blair is well to-do but when her parents seem to clash and her controlling mother takes it too far by "killing" her best friend, Blair is ready to explode. And Ardith has to deal with parents that are totally out of control and a reckless brother who doesn’t take his sister or the law into consideration. When both of their crazy lives begin to clash, and someone that they are endear to gets hurt, both girls create a plan that takes everyone off their high horse and has to face the consequences of their actions.

Leftovers is pretty much written for teens but the books is an awesome read for parents because it allows you to see life from the eyes of the youth. We all know that teens will face peer pressure but how do they handle life after sexual abuse, divorce, attempted rape and the murder of their best friend? Will they crumble under pressure or will they conquer their demons and continue life the best they know how?

The point of view reading is definitely pulls you in because you are dying to know who they are confessing to and what will be the reaction of the listener? Immediately you think that it may be a psychologist but the interesting twist will shock you.

It is suggested that you read the first book, Such a Pretty Girl in order to understand the point of these girls revenge but it is not necessary.

Overall, the book is a must-read because it takes you into the lives of teens today and what they have to face. It would be more interesting to read it with your teen girls and discuss their opinions.

Do you remember what it was like to be a teen? Did you have to face peer pressure that caused you to go over the deep end? We would like to know…

Heather Elitou- Reviewer

Happy Holidays!!!

2007-12-26T10:48:00.000-05:00

Infinite Magazine wishes you a Happy Holiday and a great New Year! Be sure to check out http://www.infinitemag.net/ in the year 2008!!!

Infinite MagaZine

Literary Review- Keeping Misery Company

2007-12-16T19:48:00.000-05:00

Author: Michelle Larks
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corp.
Cost: $14.95
Pages: 358
ISBN: 978-1-60162-948-7

Old secrets, lies, drama, and faith are put into one book called Keeping Misery Company by Michelle Larks. Michelle takes you into the lives of an ordinary looking Christian family and demonstrates just how out of order they are but the power of faith keeps them together.

Ruth Wilcox is the daughter of Chicago minister, Reverend Isaiah Clayton and Queen Esther, a wife to Daniel Wilcox, a mother, and grandmother. Ruth grew up knowing one world and that was the church. She looked up to her mother and father and only went against their wishes once and that’s when she married Daniel who was a bus driver and a player.

Daniel thought that he could mold Ruth into the woman that he wanted her to be and it didn’t hurt that church girls were supposed to be freaks in bed. However, Daniel married a minister’s daughter who was not your average church girl. Ruth is a woman who had family values and believes in being righteous everyday. Daniel’s main issue with Ruth was that she seemed to be more involved with their children than their fastly dwindling relationship. Ruth cooked and cleaned for her husband, but she didn’t do what he wanted the most and that was to spend time with him in and out of the bed.

Ruth and Daniel begin to sleep in separate rooms and live separate lives. Ruth feels like the marriage could be repaired but Daniel thinks that it’s just too late, especially when he meets Lenora, a young sexy lady that fulfills Daniel needs and desires.

After an emotional divorce Ruth has to look towards her faith and move on with her life but that is not as easy as it sounds because old secrets within the family begin to surface and Ruth is left to repair everyone’s faith, thus Keeping Misery Company.

I think that this book was well written and it definitely shows that there is good and bad in family relationships. The one thing that bothered me as a reader is in the beginning, Ruth knows that she is the main cause to her husband staying out late and his infidelity because she admits to letting go of her looks and paying more attention to the kids.
Daniel asked her on plenty of occasions to spend time with him. Ruth promised that when their youngest child went to college that she would make that commitment but she did not follow through leaving Daniel no other choice but to feel that he has to get the attention from elsewhere.

Why is he considered the bad guy for asking for what he wants from his wife? Was he or was he not deserving of the attention that he wanted from Ruth? Wouldn’t a woman ask for the same thing and expect to receive it?
Daniel did do some dumb things but I don’t think he should have been made out to be a bad person throughout the story. If Ruth had been performing her wifely duties then Daniel wouldn’t have left.

Check out the book and tell me what you think…

Agasa Elitou- Book Reviewer

Music Review- LaFonda Go Hard or Go Home

2007-12-16T18:37:00.000-05:00

Lafonda is the Bronx Bombshell making waves up in the NYC. We all know that the industry is hurting for something real and this sister as a positive force is ready to heal. With the new kids on the block that seem to be afraid to speak or sing words of encouragement and upliftment on their CD’s, Lafonda gives us a vision of a real woman with her lady like style. Not to mention that she is a true talent that has a nicely toned and funky today sound.

Her smash single, “Ooh Ahh” which comes from her latest CD, "Go Hard or Go Home" has been well received in the clubs, and has become one of iMAG's faves. Out of all the CD’s, that were sent to iMAG within the week, Lafonda’s "Go Hard or Go Home" received the most attention because it was pleasing to hear an artist with the courage to be real-- reminiscent of Jill Scott, Alicia Keys, Rihanna and others that precede her.

Although her image does not particularly match that of her message, don't let her sassy look fool you, and don’t let that stop you from checking her mix CD out.

More About Lafonda

Performed on BET’s 106 & Park- “Wild Out Wednesdays”
Featured on various website and print publications
Featured on several mixtapes

Visit and listen to her sounds at her myspace: www.myspace.com/lafondaforever.com

Share your thoughts on the CD...

Aalim Elitou- Reviewer

More Drama After the Sopranos!!!

2007-12-16T17:04:00.001-05:00

One of the most talked about and followed shows that ever hit the (originally aired on) HBO network has to be The Sopranos, an award-winning American television drama series created by David Chase. It is a show that gives you an inside glimpse on the life and times of a crime family that is connected with other crime families and the stress that goes along with holding down an empire.

Tony Soprano is a regular guy with the irregular responsibility of keeping the violent less violent than they truly are with seemingly fairly little success. He suffers from violent outburst which is less than a good role model for non-violence. Throughout the seasons we have learned that there is truth to the old saying, “there is no honor among thieves”.

If you watch the news that’s being broadcast on major networks worldwide you know that the creator David Chase of the popular mob drama is being sued by a former New Jersey municipal court judge Robert Baer's who claims his ideas helped Chase create The Sopranos plot and he is seeking both credit and compensation in a twice dismissed five-year legal battle.

Mr. Baer claims that in 1995 he had an idea for a TV show about organized crime in New Jersey years before the show was even brought to the TV screen. He suggested it to Mr. Chase and gave him a crash course on the North Jersey mob. Baer says that he arranged meetings with police detectives and other experts and escorted him around mob sites in the Newark-Elizabeth area of north New Jersey.

Chase called the claims "grossly distorted, petulant and self-aggrandizing", and said Mr. Baer provided a "modest service", arranging to introduce him to individuals who were experienced in certain facets of organized crime.

It is true that certain people in the movie industry aren’t exactly pay friendly and there is a lot of hocus pocus in the business. It could be for this reason that despite the fact that his lawsuit has been twice dismissed he has managed to get those dismissals overturned and a jury at the federal court in Trenton, New Jersey, has been sworn in.

What do you think the outcome will be? Will three be the charm or will this be the third dismissal? Tell us what you think just hit the comment button and reply.

By Aalim Elitou

On the Set of I Am Legend

2007-12-16T16:38:00.000-05:00

Finally the movie is here! The crew at iMAG was on the set as people tried to escape New York. I Am Legend, has become one of the most anticipated movies of 2007. The movie is an American post-apocalyptic science fiction horror film directed by Francis Lawrence that stars none other than Philly’s own Will Smith. Smith plays Robert Neville, possibly Earth's only survivor of a man-made virus. He works to create a cure but is stalked by nocturnal mutant survivors of the plague.

It is the fourth film adaptation of Richard Matheson's 1954 novel I Am Legend; following 1964's The Last Man on Earth, 1971's The Omega Man and 2007 direct-to-video I Am Omega. Warner Bros. Pictures began developing I Am Legend in 1994, and various actors and directors were attached to the project, though it did not enter production due to budgetary concerns. I Am Legend entered production in 2006 in New York City. Filming for I Am Legend was mainly on location in the city including a $5 million scene at the Brooklyn Bridge is the most expensive scene filmed in the city to date. (wikipedia.org)

I Am Legend was released December 14, 2007 in the United States and it brought back fond memories. We first began to film when the many people of NYC were trying to escape the island because of the plague that was vastly spreading. As we reached the Brooklyn Bridge, we had to wait for rescue helicopters that were suppose to help everyone evacuate but to our surprise no one was leaving.

Helicopters and the waterfront piers are blown up in order to keep people back as the risk of infection is too easy to spread and leaving the civilians seemed to be in the best interests to the government.

There were more than 1,000 extras who endured the weather just to be a part of this mass production and interestingly enough, the movie American Gangster, the film featuring Denzel Washington which was released close to the end of the year was being filmed at the same time in Harlem. There were many people who were a part of both movies that week.

We had the opportunity to meet with Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith (who is not featured in the film). Will Smith is a showman and a great lover of his fans and the people that he works with. He performed and joked for more than an hour. His showmanship lifted the moods of the people who had to get ready for more long hours in the very cold weather.

This movie thus far is a must see and the reviews have been nothing but positive from the performance of Will Smith to the overall production of the film. When you go to check it out, let us know if you spotted the iMAG team!!!

What did you think of the movie???

By Aalim Elitou

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

The New Bonnie and Clyde Learn the Art of Cheating

2007-12-05T17:02:00.002-05:00

The new Bonnie and Clyde darlings (named by Philly police) of credit card and fraudulent identity theft have made international news with their recent arrest after stealing a great deal (close to $100,000) of money from their neighbors who live in the upscale condominium complex in Philadelphia, PA.

How did they do it?
According to investigators, Jocelyn Kirsch, 22, a Drexel University student and Edward Anderton, 25, a University of Pennsylvania graduate, obtained most of the mailbox and door keys of their neighbors. That allegedly allowed them to get personal information and steal their neighbors' identities. Police said they don't know how the couple was able to obtain all of the keys to the mailboxes and condo units. "What they may have done with the keys is maybe enter and place that software on unknowing parties computers, and then wait to recoup whatever information they could from that software," Sweeney said.

They were living the high life. They vacationed in Europe, the Caribbean and North America.
But police said their high living was financed with other people's money -- that of several of their neighbors at the upscale Belgravia Condos in Center City.

"These are two young people who have been given substantial gifts in life," said Philadelphia police Detective Terry Sweeney. "They're like a parasite that infested themselves in the building and then, basically, spread throughout the building," Sweeney said.

Authorities became aware of the alleged operation which they said had been on-going for about a year when a woman in the condo building was called by a UPS store about a package she said she didn't ordered. When Anderton and Kirsch came to pick it up, the police were waiting.

Police confiscated real and fake drivers' licenses, credit cards, nearly $18,000 in cash, ID-making machines, a book titled 'The Art of Cheating' and software that can be used to get information from a computer.

They were arrested on some charges and released on bail but are expected to face additional counts soon. But there is more bad news for the couple. It appears they're the focus of multiple federal investigations as well.

The most interesting thing about this story for iMAG was that the book, “The Art of Cheating” came across our desk in October for review. This little book has ways of cheating listed from how to fake an orgasm, cheating on a diet, getting away with perjury, calling in sick at work, getting away with tax fraud, getting away with office theft, and getting out of paying your way.

What would make a person write such a book?
Well according to the author, Jessica Dorfman Jones, “Whether we want to admit it or not cheating is an inescapable part of the human condition.” And although most may agree, others feel that her book contributes to the weakened society that is built on “fake it till you make it” and “good guys finish last”. Whether it be your career or just finish first in a contest, this little book is suppose to assist you in being the best in cheating that you will ever be. There are many people that are looking for ways to get the upper hand because of the benefits that await those that get to the top.

Who would buy this book?
That would depend on the individual. From employee to employer; student to teacher; if a person is looking to lie and connive their way to the top then this book is a great how-to guide. If a person is looking for the best way to get out of work then they will purchase the book for the best schemes but keep in mind that the boss may be reading it also. The book becomes valuable to not only the con but also the one that is the possible victim because they are ahead of the game.

Is the author condoning cheating?
From the title you would think that the author is praising the art of cheating and to some point this writer would agree but it is very interesting to note that she has added a section for those who may be conned to look out for particular signs so that they would know when they are bait on a hook. In addition, there is a section within each chapter in which she gives you the downfall of the potential crime which should make a person think before they commit to their plans and “Would I Lie” tells of cheaters who were caught and the consequences of their actions. Therefore it is truly hard to determine if she is on the side of the criminal or the victim, but one thing is for sure and that the person reading this book has an option and they will come out a either a great asset to society or a menace.

Overall, this book will certainly bring awareness to everyone who reads it just ask the new Bonnie and Clyde of the 21st century, and karma is definitely a kick in the ass.

What do you think of the book? Do you think that a book on cheating is wrong? Do you think that the book is a benefit or a curse? Share your thoughts...

Heather Elitou- Reviewer

The Truth About Grant Money and Non-Profits

2007-11-17T13:43:00.000-05:00

This article is dedicated to anyone in the community who wants to open up a non-profit corporation and obtain grant money.

A non-profit corporation which many call “nonprofit organization” is a corporation formed to carry out a charitable, educational, religious, literary or scientific purpose. A nonprofit can raise much needed funds for important causes by receiving public or private grant money or donations from individuals or companies.

Everybody has great ideas for their non-profit corporation. They want to turn their vision into a reality; they want to open a wayward home for girls and boys; they want to feed, clothe and shelter the homeless; they want to stop domestic violence and stop people from going to jail.

These ideas are all great but are these people setting themselves up for failure?

What is the truth about grant money? Could it be that there is “no grant money” for certain people to open a non-profit corporation? Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that there is no grant money available for non-profit organizations. But what I am saying is that there is very little grant money available for certain people and certain purposes. Everyone should do extensive research before opening their doors.

Grant money is extremely hard to retrieve because it comes from the state and federal government; therefore, it’s closely monitored. Even after filling out stacks of paperwork about your potential goals for your non-profit, it’s like winning the lottery. And if you are one of the lottery winners, there’s no guarantee that you will ever win it again.

You have to dig for this money and many people are not willing to do that. They are also not willing to pay others to do it either. Others will tell you they will dig for it for a fee only to get your money and your hopes up and leave you at the end with nothing.

Once you accept funds with your 501C3, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), (http://www.irs.gov/) aka “the government” has a hold on you.

The IRS is not there to assist you! The IRS is in a position to: 1) audit you at anytime, 2) close down your non-profit venture, or 3) send you to jail if they feel like it.

People who work in the non-profit sector make very little money and continue to have that “poor man’s mentality.” The only action plan they have is to open up these non-profit organizations and start to beg for grant money.

The grants that are passed out to a very few non-profits are so small that when these organizations run out of money, they refuse to pay their employees for 90 to 120 days.

Non-profits are just that not-for-profit. That means chances are you are going to end up spending your own money to make your non-profit work.

The options should not be to open a “not-for-profit” corporation but it should be to open a “for-profit” business.

The only way you will succeed with a non-profit corporation is to write a business plan and run it like a business.

Many people have actually put their lives on hold because they seriously think they can receive grant money. So in other words they have set themselves up for failure.

No one should ever depend on grant money to open or run a non-profit corporation.

Cathy Harris is a motivational speaker and business consultant. She is the author of book series “How To Take Control of Your Own Life” (http://www.howtotakecontrol.com)

Literary Review- Style A to Zoe by Rachael Zoe

2007-11-17T12:17:00.001-05:00

Title: Style A to Zoe “The art of Fashion, Beauty, & Everything Glamour”
Author: Rachel Zoe with Rose Apodaca
Genre: Fashion
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: October 2007
Cost: $24.99
Page Count: 183
ISBN- 10: 0-446-57999-8

I love fashion and everything that has to do with it! In addition, I love good books. So when iMAG received Style A to Zoe from famous fashion stylist Rachel Zoe I was all over it! It was a fashionista’s dream come true. I had to be the one to write the review because fashion is what I love and I am always open to learn more.

I had no idea the amount of people that Rachel styled and you get the point when you see the images of celebrities like Naomi Campbell, Cameron Diaz, Keira Knightley, Anne Hathaway, Joy Bryant, Lindsay Lohan and many others sporting her styles. She even had the pleasure of styling Mary J. Blige.

Style A to Zoe gives a lot of great ideas such as:

*Five glamour essentials for under $50
*Day-off essentials
*How to know when it is time to let something go
*How to pimp up your closet
*Emergency fixers each stylist should have

Some of my favorite chapters are:

Introduction: Dream On where she tells you how she got onto the stylist road. I also liked to play dress up and see what I could do with my clothes to make them look different. I get a lot of magazines and gaze at the images just as Zoe describes. I connected with that chapter

Chapter 6: Behind Closed Doors tells you how to make your house represent you! In this chapter she incorporated a nice little segment about how to organize your living.

In the last chapter she gives you the A to Zoe the important things to remember!

Zoe’s personal touch to the book gives her an A+. I felt like I was speaking to my own personal stylist one on one. This book is definitely the book for you if you need help looking chic, what to wear, making your home match you and primping your closet.

Take out the time and read this book and be sure to tell me what you think…

Tweety Elitou,
Writer, Reviewer & Total Fashionista

Book Review- I Stand Accused

2007-10-25T11:45:00.001-04:00

Monica Frazier Anderson
Publisher: TyMac Books
Copyright 2007
Cost: $12.95
Pg: 242
ISBN: 978-0-9786378-1-1

If books were food and I was starving to death, then I Stand Accused would definitely be the meal to fill me up. I was really surprised at how good this book read. I can honestly say (and I don’t say this about many books) that I would read it again and again.

James Adams is the eldest brother of eight siblings, he’s a successful optometrist, he has a nice home a good dog and somewhat of a close family but the past has come to shake up his life.

James has a total of eight brothers and sisters and he tries to look out for them all but some of them just can’t be reached and others need a push to get on the right track. He already has his family to worry about then he meets his first love Sooty Mae...they are great at first, but then drama unfolds.

James is having nightmares about a past he just can’t get rid of and in order to fix this problem he has to finally look back and face what he did, but it isn’t easy. Some parts of his childhood he just can’t remember like who and how his father died. While he is trying to figure it out, family problems arise and since he’s the eldest he has to fix the problem. His youngest sister Bethany comes home drunk often, and his sister Tina is having the same nightmares that he is having. In addition to all of this a woman is spreading a rumor that he is gay.

James has to buckle down and address these problems before they overwhelm him. With the help of his family and best friend Ren, he makes it through and becomes a better person.

I Stand Accused was funny and entertaining. It had drama, and love. I couldn’t put the book down I just had to know what happened next. This is definitely a book to grab off the shelves.

Agasa Elitou-Reviewer

Fashion Week- Is Philly the New Fashion Week Location?

2007-10-25T11:28:00.001-04:00

Everyone wants to go to fashion week! Although Philly is known for its artistic talents, it has never been known as a fashion mecca. You have to go to New York for that. As of lately, Philly has been doing it new and wild. Thanks to entertainment dudes making a name in the City of Brotherly Love, Fat Boy Hype Entertainment has listed some of the hottest fashion names in Philly and New York along with new designers to put on some of the hottest fashion shows you could every see.

Philly Fashion Week was held in the courtyard of City Hall which had an awesome appearance to onlookers. The set up was multihued with flashing lights and a long black runway for the models to strut their stuff. It was thus far one of the best thus far tried in Philly.

The highlights:
*A portion of the proceeds was given to One.org

*Miasha author of Mommy’s Angel was there giving away her books
*There were several great fall collections especially Anthony Eastwick
*There are plans for one next year
*Jade Cole of America’s Next Top Model is really nice in person

The low points:
*Designers had too many fashions displayed causing the show to last too long
*Jade, who was to serve as host came after the event
*Some of the models did not look like models including the one that walked too slow and drunkenly

List of designers at the show:
Teranchula, Anthony Eastwick (stylist to Mary J. Blidge), James Nelson (stylist to Jill Scott), DivaSperg of Philadelphia, Candy Cane, Seiman Furs, Ebony and many others.

Since this is the first of many to come, I would say that it was a good show and it can only get better with time.

Check out my my iView with Jade Cole!

What is life like after America's Next Top Model?

It's been great. The exposure was great and that was the best part of the show. I have been pushing myself with modeling and acting. I am living my dream traveling around the world.

How do you like being home in Philly?

I love it, this is my hometown even though on the show they made it seen as though I was from New York which where I currently live, I always represent Philly.

What are you doing now?

I have been traveling a lot because it opens my third eye and I love meeting new people and everyday I write.

What advice do you have for young ladies that are interested in becoming models?

Be sure that you educate yourself about the business because there are a lot of bad people out there. Stay focused and be sure to ask questions.

iView & Review by Tweety Elitou

Literary Review- The Vixen Diaries by Karrine Steffans

2007-10-23T14:54:00.000-04:00

Title: The Vixen Diaries
Author: Karrine Steffans
Genre: Autobiography
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publishing Date: September 2007
Price: $24.99
ISBN-10: 0-446-58226-3
Pages: 182

When Karrine Steffans released her first book “Confessions of a Video Vixen”, I didn’t get it. Like others I assumed that the book was written to expose the lifestyle of some of the African Americans elite in the entertainment industry. To a degree I still feel that way.
The idea served as harmful to families of these famous people and surely caused a lot of heartache and disappointment (especially towards the author).

On several occasions because of the international controversy within the pages of her confession, Karrine appeared on several media outlets explaining her reasoning behind her book. She has stated that she had concern for young women who thought that the lifestyle of rappers, videos, and bling wasn’t all that it was cracked up to be. Being a video (ho) was costly and could put you in danger, not to mention that it could also ruin your reputation causing doors to close to your future. I thought that listening to her explanation (especially when she appeared on Oprah) and experience made since. What we do is for a reason—be it good or bad, but you can always bet that the cause and effect will always follow.

On September 25, 2007 Karrine Steffans followed up her story with The Vixen Diaries which is much different than her first release. This book shows the change of a young girl who made foolish and costly mistakes to a woman who has learned from her past and is moving forward into a better day. She touches on how she felt that she was attacked by many journalists, including Tyra Banks about her past lifestyle while forgetting to understand the message in her book. When it came to Tyra, Karrine was annoyed by her hypocritical comments as she has stated that Tyra mingled in the same circles of men naming her “Hollywood Bounce”.

Karrine goes on to talk about the love of her life Bill Maher who she separated from but she still seeks his guidance and wisdom. According to Karrine he is the one who helped her greatly in her transition from vixen to business woman.

She has also cleared up the many rumors about some of the people that she was said to be linked with intimately and some of the new friendships that were founded after the release of her book.

The most interesting story was that of her and Bobby Brown. She gives us information on a man that is good at heart and troubled in sprit. One must wonder what will happen to this fallen artist after so many blows. Will he ever be the star that he once was? Will he change his ways? Will he get over the divorce between him and Whitney in a healthy way? We could only hope and pray, but according to this book, prayers are in vain.

At some points I understand Karrine and felt her frustration behind being truthful because when people ask for the truth they usually want it sugarcoated. At other times I felt like, what did she expect? When you are known as a person of betrayal because they trusted you enough to confide in you the details of their life and you put it on paper, people are going to be pissed and you are going to wear labels.

One must ask, in the book that was previously written, did she not think of the families of these men? According to Vixen Diaries, she was making a point and that is definitely understood but to whose expense? Was there another way that she could have taught the lessons without naming names?

Overall, The Vixen Diaries is a very good journaling of life after “Confession of Video Vixen”. She is not exposing anyone, but she does share life lessons in a different manner which includes naming names. She has lived with the Scarlet let A on her chest (or, V, W) for now and she hopes that one day it will finally fade and she is seen as the new woman (not the young girl) that she once was. Everyone deserves a second chance. Karrine has used her success and made changes to help other and create a better life for her and her son.

My question is this: if we are able to forgive others beyond their sins, isn’t she too worthy of forgiveness?

I would love to hear your opinion on the book.

Heather Elitou-Reviewer

Literary Review-Torn

2007-10-23T13:12:00.000-04:00

Author: Keisha Ervin
Publisher: Triple Crown Production
ISBN: 978-0-9778804-9-2
PUB Date: 2007
Pages: 384

Torn is about two lovers who are so in love with each other that they cheat (sounds crazy right). Mo has been in love with Quan, her hustler boyfriend for ten years and she would do anything and everything for him and says that she can’t picture life without him.

Quan loves Mo but temptation comes knocking at his door numerous times and he never ignores the call. Mo knows that Quan has and is cheating on her because of his late night arrivals in their bed, the smell of perfume that she doesn’t wear, and not answering her calls.

Finally, with all of the evidence that she has Mo confronts him about his wrongdoings, but the arguments usually end up with them in between the sheets and her trying to forget what he had dome to hurt her.

Now Mo wants to prove her point and pain to Quan by sleeping with his best friend West, but that doesn’t work… Quan continues to cheat and West has been hospitalized.

What made this book most frustrating is that Mo is supposed to be an educated lady who doesn’t take crap from anybody. He family and friends tell her that Quan is not worthy of her time but she stays with him.
What stood out most in the book is that although there looked as if there was no sanity coming from Mo, I realized that the author was showing how complicated love can be and how complicated we make it. You can love a person so much but that doesn’t mean that they will love you the same way.

Mo and Quan’s have a yo-yo love that continues through most of the book which left me dizzy. The book was definitely a good effort, but it wasn’t my favorite. Again the book had a message that was appreciated, the author is very detailed in writing, but from this reviewer’s opinion, relationships are what we make it and to go along with so much suffering from someone that does not appreciate you is a bad direction to travel.

Agasa Elitou- Reviewer

Book Review- Forever My Lady

2007-10-04T00:37:00.000-04:00

Lately we have received a lot of good books from our literature affiliates but recently we received a novel that was an excellent read. Jeff Rivera’s, Forever My Lady is one of the best youthful novels written for the year. Forever My Lady main focus is on young love and what happens when life is not guided properly.

Dio Rodriguez is a seventeen year old that lives in Las Vegas and is a member of a gang that he considers his family. His mother is an abusive drunk and she taking care of his little brother who he fears for; his father is no longer with them. There is one person that he has a lot of love for and that is his childhood sweetheart Jennifer.
Jennifer is the one person that can see through his tough exterior and knows that he is a good person brought up in a bad situation and he needs to do what he can to turn his life around.

Jennifer doesn’t have an easy life either. She is verbally abused by her parents and when she feels that she can’t take it anymore, she becomes a prostitute who works for a pimp named Wiggie who is definitely not the kind of guy you want to be a friend or an enemy. When Dio confronts Wiggie and says that she will no longer be working for him, Wiggie mouths off and Dio decks him pretty good and threatens his life. This is something that Wiggie will never forget.

A tragedy occurs and Dio finds himself in a correctional boot camp and told that he must turn his life around if he ever wants to see the rest of the world again. While away, he meets people who he will become friends with and they will teach him valuable lessons in love and life choices. He meets enemies that will teach him through their wicked ways that life is no worse for one man than it is the other, and that revenge only amounts to karma.

There are so many thoughts that go through the head of Dios that you almost feel like you are in his head. You feel the love that he has for his lady Jennifer; the disdain that he had for his mother; the questions that he has about the other campers, and his strength and determination to get out of the camp but will he make it?

Again, this is one of the best stories thus far for the year 2007 and time is ticking. You can appreciate that the book did not just focus on sex, deceit and backstabbers but it focused on real life problems that affect us all. That’s not to say that backstabbers aren’t real life problems it’s just not the only problems that surround us.

This book is highly recommended for teenagers.

Be sure to check for the interview with Jeff Rivera coming soon. In the meantime get the book and tell me what you think.

iView with Jeff Rivera

You have a very interesting cultural background, can you tell the readers about it?

Sure, my stepfather is Filipino which is why my last name is Rivera. Both my grandmother's were half-American Indian and half-Black American, my cousins are Puerto Rican so I guess that makes our family a big mutt United Nations mix!

What made you decide to write about the issue of teenage gangsta love?

I'm very passionate about telling stories about people that are overlooked and wouldn't get a second chance... one of those groups are those involved in gangs. When I was growing up I always had friends that were involved with gangs in someway, but I never judged them and saw them as human beings first. So in return, they acted like human beings not the gang stereotypes that other people saw them as. Love is universal, I don't know what it is. I guess I'm a hopeless romantic at heart.

Why do you think that this topic was important?

I feel like even though I don't come from that background, I've been chosen in some spiritual way to tell their stories. To let people know that at the heart of things we're all the same.

The idea that most of the conversation between Dio and Jennifer via letters made it a good read, why did you choose this style?

Thanks, well I think is some way it was a subconcious decision because that's how my mom and stepdad met and communicated... through letters. He was in the Philipines and she was in America. She would read us those letters when we were little before she actually met him in person.

When you wrote about Dio, what did you think of him?

Well since Dio is very much a part of me and my little brother I didn't judge him. He was always a human being that happened to be in a gang.

Was Dio based on someone that you know?

Yes, Dio is based on my friend Claudio, myself, my brother and my friend Sergio.

The ending had an interesting twist, do you think it will lead to a book two?

That's my hope-- that the story continues into a trilogy.

What character was your favorite character to write about?

I LOVED writing Louise because she was so salty and down to earth. She's my favorite. The one I had the most fun writing.

What are your plans for 2008?

My plans are to crank out book after book and to continue on my school book tour throughout the year. I'm having a great time speaking to young people and meeting fans. Many of the schools are making the novel required reading.

Will there be other books?

Definitely, besides the sequels I'm working on other stories some urban, some historical but always with an element of love.

Be sure to check out Jeff's website at: www.jeffrivera.com

Agasa Elitou-Interviewer & Reviewer

Through the Eyes of an Artist- Tamarah Ynise

2007-09-29T01:28:00.000-04:00

Art is an intellectual journey as well as an emotional expression of the human soul. Many artists are celebrated for their artistic/intellectual contributions while others are a best kept secret. No matter how intellectual art may be, it is not limited to instruction and learning as its only occupation in life. Because art is poetic, it can be very entertaining as well as informative. The art form that appeals to you will most depend on your interests. Just recently I have found that the only thing more interesting than art is the artist herself.

Tamarah Ynise is on the rise! She is a young revolutionary artist that is focused and involved with social uplift. Even though she has written a book of haikus titled, “Liquid Verbs” and her poetry book “Reservoir in My Mouth” we at iMAG were most attracted to her visual abstract poetry which is sure to make her one of the most sought after artist in Philly.

Growing up in Central NJ, she was given a gift by her brother that would not only initiate her inner artist, but would also last to this very day... a black book to bare her young soul. This gift of love helped mold her poetic expression. For Tamarah, poetry has been a past time passion since she was a tween and she was grateful to answer her calling at eighteen. She later advanced her expression and added visual abstract art to her repertoire.

About 12 p.m. on a cool sunny Friday, I walked into the coffee shop in the historical Germantown area of Philly she was already there bright and filled with interesting conversation. We greeted each other warmly, sat down, talked, and got comfortable before we began the interview. We talked about everything from art, religion, politics, psychology, and healing. After getting acquainted, it seemed that I had accomplished my goal and we were comfortable enough to begin our interview.

Join me as we take a look at the world through the eyes of an artist. I think that you will find the view quite interesting.

How long have you been creating art (visual)?
I started in 2003. I never took an art class and the best that I was able to do was color within the lines (laughter). A good friend of mines took me to an art store and said that I should try creating art and the next thing I know it, I was creating visual art. As far as poetry, I have been doing it since I was a little girl.

Do you think your creativity is spiritual?
Yes because if people ask me to draw a tree, it does not come out like a tree. But when I let the words flow and my mine vision, then it comes out divine. Just like with the poetry. When I am done, I am in awe.

How do you feel when you have completed your work?
I feel that since of accomplishment, that wow which makes me feel good.

How do you keep your art fresh?
I constantly challenge myself with everything that I do.

Which artists do you admire and why?
I admire Maya Angelou because there is so much depth to who she is from a singer to a motivational speaker and the belief that she has in our people, and the youth. I remember when I was in college and we had the chance to go to the main campus and see her. Maya Angelou came in and I was in such awe. I felt her every words the entire time! I was shaking because it was so phenomenal.

What three words best describe your style?
Off beat and unorthodox is my poetry (laughter). I am very color-coordinated.

How did you develop your style?
I can’t take that responsibility. I would have to say that is God.

Tell us a little about you that most people don't know.
What you see when you come into my home is who I am. I am always chillin’ on my couch with candles and light music... being mellow is being me.

What is some of the feedback that you've gotten on your work?
I hear that I am good and that I have talent. I also get, “what in the hell are you doing?” (laughter)

How do you respond to negative feedback?
I channel it and let it challenge me. I know that I have a gift and I want it to progress. It does me well when people are honest. I hope that they continue to be so.

What is next for you?
I am planning to display my work at an art gallery. I have another book of poetry coming. I hope that all who read this are there and reading my books (laughter).

What are the last few words that you would like to leave with those that read this interview?
Be inspired and go out and do beyond what you usually do.

Check out Tamarah at: http://www.tamarahynise.com/ and leave a comment for Tamarah in the comment box.

Literary Review- Death Before Dishonor by 50 Cent and Nikki Turner

2007-09-29T01:12:00.000-04:00

Pocket Books
2007
$12.00
pgs.194
ISBN-10: 1-4165-3100-9

Simple and straight to the point books are always a pleasure to read, especially when there is temptation, mystery, and action. Death Before Dishonor is a great book. In this story we follow three characters Trill Johnson, Sunni James, and Precious Pay and each of them have enough commotion in their lives to have you reading the book in one day.

Trill Johnson is a big time thief that steals form the most fortunate and provides for his boys and his family. Trill has a lot of respect for Precious and loves her very much. What he likes most about her is that when he was locked up she took responsibility for his son. He also feels deeply responsible for the loss of Precious’ leg during a robbery gone badly. But now he finds an interest in another woman named Sunni James and she is a businesswoman who is holding it down for her crown. He likes the fact that she is independent and knows the streets but he knows that he has an obligation to Precious that she will never let him forget.

Precious Pay is well taken care of but that is not enough. She wants more. Precious feels that Trill owes her big time and she is willing to get what she wants no matter what and she is willing to do it even if she has to turn her back on the man that she once loved.

Sunni James is a successful beauty salon owner and a big time whore. She is not interested in any long term relationships because she loves to use them then lose them... until she meets Trill. There is something about this thug that she just can’t get enough of but what she doesn’t realize is that she has to go through Precious Pay to get him and a challenge with her could cost her more than her crown.

Overall, Death Before Dishonor quenched my reading appetite. Again this was a straight to the point read and stayed on track with an easy to follow storyline making it easy to complete in one day.

I am interested in know if there will be a second book because there was a lot situations that needed closing which included how Sunny handled her situation and what really happened to Trill.

When you read this book and you have a clue, then share it with me.

Agasa Elitou-Reviewer

Movie Review- The Game Plan

2007-09-28T22:07:00.000-04:00

Infinite Magazine was invited to the prescreening of “The Game Plan”.

The Rock is the shallow and highly famous quarterback Joe Kingman and he has it all. Clothes, women, friends, great looks, and more titles and trophies than you can count. He eventually receives an unexpected gift at his doorstep that is eight years old, cute and lovable... his daughter. Of course he is in total denial that he would have a daughter because his ex-wife never told him that they had a child, but the birth certificate says it all.

For the first few weeks he endures the ups and downs of raising a child (and everyone knows what that means) and their relationship seems to get a little rocky, but once they begin to really learn each other and respect each other in their role as father and daughter things get better.
When they are struck with a sudden tragedy, Joe shows that his love for his daughter is more than many would have known and he will do anything to save her and keep her.

After watching the movie, you begin to see that there is so much more to life than things and pointless conversation about oneself. Loving yourself is a good thing but being able to share your love with others is very fulfilling. Fame and fortune is not always what it is cracked up to be when you are alone and Joe Kingman learns this after some time with his daughter.

If you are looking for a good movie for your tween to see for the weekend, then make it your “Game Plan” to see this movie.

Let me know what you thought about the movie.

Tweety Elitou- Reviewer

Literary Review- Dangerous

2007-09-13T16:40:00.000-04:00

Pour a little action and love together with secrets on ice, and drama with a twist, and you will have yourself an excellent new book by a member of the crew at Triple Crown Publications. Some books may carry two or three of these major ingredients but with all five you will find yourself never letting go of the book. Dangerous by Leo Sullivan is one of the hottest books for 2007.

In Dangerous, we follow the lives of four characters: Jack Lemon, the notorious Gangster who won an appeal and is now searching the streets for the people that snitched on him. His eyes are wide open to the streets and his hatred runs deep while he thirsts for revenge.

Gina is Jack Lemon’s “ride or die” chick that stays by her man’s side, ready to do anything to keep him alive. What makes this chick so vicious is that she is willing to carry out all of Jack’s demands no matter how brutal.

On the b-ball court, Rasheed is a prodigy who has the skills to go all the way to the top. He wants to do this so that he can take care of his girlfriend and child. After being caught in a stolen car, he has to work harder than ever to be accepted into the NBA.

Monique is the first and only black dancer at a highly respected gentleman’s club and she is fabulous. Her moves are so good that the other women hate that she has become the star attraction. She is in love with Rasheed and they have a child together, but Rasheed is not able to support them. Although she knows that it will hurt Rasheed when he finds out that she dances for the club, she has to do her thing. If Rasheed makes it into the NBA then she would stop dancing… or maybe not.

Fueled by hate, the crazy Jack and Gina are planning to take control of Die Hard records and kill anyone who’s in their way. Will they be successful in their plan to dominate the music industry? Will the music industry take a turn for the better or for the worse? Know that with more money come more problems, which will involve the police and dangerous enemies.
Monique is concerned about Rasheed’s relationship with Jack who seems to be very dangerous. She doesn’t have anything against him, but she knows that Jack is trouble.
The foursome goes through many complexities: Jack and Gina have to stay two steps ahead of the Police who eagerly want to place the lovers under the jail while their enemies thirst for their blood. Rasheed and Monique on the other hand, are having relationship issues that they did not foresee and it looks like they may not make it together.

Dangerous is a completely focused book with a lot of action to keep you turning the page. There is so much drama on every page that you feel like you are with the characters. Although Jack’s seems greatly exaggerated, it is clear that the author wants us to see him as thorough in his game.
You will never believe this but there is a message in the book: Instead of black people working against each other they should work with each other and things will get done.

Don’t believe me… cop this book and share your thoughts.

Agasa Elitou- Reviewer

Literary Review- Street Love

2007-09-13T12:08:00.001-04:00

Love, Drama, Friendship, Money, and Family and the five elements make up the newly released title, Street Love. Street Love is a Triple Crown Publication analogy with contributing authors, Kiesha Ervin, Danielle Santiago, Quentin Carter, T. Styles, and Leo Sullivan. These five authors combined created an exciting book that you will not be able to put down.

Kiesha Ervin’s story, After the Storm is a story that deals with the question: how deep does love go? Mo is deeply in love with her man Quan of eight years but can’t stand the fact that he is cheating on her with another woman. Mo knows that she should leave but she just can’t bring herself to do it, and to make matters worse she thinks that Quan is having a baby with the woman that he is cheating with. Torn between love and hate she must decide if she should leave Quan once and for all or is she so deep in love with him that she’ll take his drama.

For those that have been in a half-commented relationship, then they will probably be able to relate to the drama in After the Storm. Although it was not my favorite story it is definitely an opener to the rest of the tales. The realness is what I liked most about Keisha’s story.

Danielle Santiago’s wrote Allure of the Game which is a story about a gangstress named Arnessa, and with the help of Butta, she becomes a major drug dealer. She begins to step up her business giving Suef her drug rival a hard time collecting his paper in the streets. When one of Suef’s men sexually abuses Arnessa’s little sister Cenise, she realizes that she’s not cut out for the drug game. However, as she realizes this the drug game is calling Cenise and she just might call back.

Allure of the Game was an excellent story told by Danielle Santiago with a unique turn because instead of stepping up the game more and more until they take the crown, Arnessa realizes quick that the game is not for her… keeping it real. No matter what gender you are, the drug game can claim you, impress you, or disgust you.

Quentin Carter’s, The Fink is about trust and deceit. Phelix Mitchell is a snitch who was supposed to do 25 years in jail but instead he did 3 years because he ratted out his friend. Phelix is weighed down with guilt after what he did to his friend and all he wants to do is settle down and be surrounded by family when he gets home, but the streets don’t like snitches and they won’t let him relax. His own brother doesn’t show him respect, and his girl is caught in lies that tear him apart. In order to set things straight he does what he has to do in order to save his friend and gain back the respect that he once had.

Phelix’s character in The Fink was interesting to read about because it raised the eyebrow as to what did he have to do in order to regain his respect again. Snitching is a real problem in today’s society people are afraid to talk. No one wants to suffer the wrath of the streets that have been holding down this age old code… The possibility of loved ones being harmed makes it taboo. After reading this book, it is clear that the author is making a statement that if you are going to snitch on someone then you should also snitch on yourself first.

T. Styles, Cold as Ice is a story about Pepper Thomas who is a straight “A” student and dreams of getting out of the rough part of Southeast Washington, DC. Pepper sees a chance when she stumbles upon a DVD that could send Ice a respected gangster to jail. Holding the DVD for ransom and trying not to get caught, she hatches a plan that could make her wishes come true. Of course, plans don’t always turn out the way that you want them to and Pepper is starting to regret the choice she made.

This heart racing story had the book pasted to my hands. Not many twists and turns, and the story continued to make you read all the way through. The moral of the story: Don’t get greedy, and good things come to those who wait.

Leo Sullivan’s, B-More Love is about a high school senior named Ashley who is about to enter college. Ashley is a supportive daughter and sister who takes care of her family and loves her hard working mother very much. When Ashley’s mother falls ill to one of the deadliest cancers, Ashley has to stay strong and find a way to support her family.
Jamal is a young gangster who is known throughout the streets after his robbery and murder of the people that hung out at The Spot Pool Hall. Jamal is constantly looking over his shoulder for the cops and the gangsters that have money for his head. When Jamal meets up with Ashley, who he has had a crush on for years, he realizes that he must get out of the hood and clean himself up, but first he has to handle the people that are looking to be rid of him and he might not make it out alive.

This entire book was very entertaining and it is highly recommended. It was filled with everything that an anthology need: love to drama, action, twist, anticipation, etc.

Share you thoughts...

Agasa Elitou- Reviewer

Tiyatti's Corner- 24 Reasons Why African Americans Suffer

2007-09-09T18:42:00.000-04:00

“…I dreamed one day that my brothers and sisters would stand together…and shake hands…and show support and respect…and be united…but the African American nation won’t change for the better unless each African American make a personal change for the better…”

~Tiyatti Speight

Jimmy Dumas penned a book, 24 Reasons Why African Americans Suffer. This book not only gives his personal views on the status of the African American race, it also gives his opinions on how to improve this race and this culture. Granted, Mr. Dumas’s reasons, views and opinions are very valid and very well thought out, it’s his supporting text that is his downfall. In some instances he lacks the figures and facts to support his theories.

Chapter one states the first reasons why African American’s suffer is the lack of Unity. I totally agree. African American’s won’t come together as a whole to make the race a much better and a much more progressive one. In this chapter he uses historical movements as examples of Unity, The Montgomery Bus Boycott being the first, and the most significant, on the list. Everyone is well aware of the boycott in 1955 where Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat. The backlash of her actions caused African Americans to stand up express themselves and fight back against the wrongdoings of others.

This example may have been slightly more effective to the reader if we know how long the boycott lasted, 381 days,(which would have show the strength, seriousness and determination of the people) how much money was lost due to the boycott and examples of how the boycott effected the public transportation system during that time. African American taxi drivers began to charge the same amount as the busses, 10 cent, to support the boycott. This act of unity shows the power a united group of people can hold.

Not only does this chapter give examples of unity, it also gives us ways to build our economy: The Economic Roundtable. Dumas states that, “The purpose of the Economic Roundtable would be to discuss and plot the path of African Americans into the next century.” It starts by bringing out money together and working together and capitalizing on what and where we spend our money. “Some of the industries that we must begin to investigate and eventually dominate are pharmacology, medicine, technology, transportation…wherever we spend our money, that’s where our greatest minds and builders should be.” This statement by Dumas transfers into finding and locating the industries that gross the most income and creating African American owned businesses of the same stature.

As whole, I am on board with Mr. Duma’s first chapter. Overall, I agree with his thoughts and opinions, though it lacked some backing. As I stated in the beginning, he could have used some statistics and numbers to support his theories but as a whole, the chapter proved to be an interesting read.

Share your thoughts...

Book Review- Sunshine and Rain

2007-08-30T23:53:00.000-04:00

Two young ladies with opposite names but the same goal… never let the streets take you under.

Meet two young women from the hood who are destined to meet and sure to win your hearts. When Sunshine learns that her mother is dying from AIDS she thinks that her world in coming to and end, not realizing that it is just beginning. When she gives her mother her last kiss goodbye, she is then introduced to her fly caseworker Ms. Waters who takes her to her new foster home where she meets Cathy.

Cathy is a very beautiful woman that knows how to hold it together. A beautiful home, a nice car, and full of love... but there is a secret life that allows her to be at the top and that is something she doesn’t want to share with anyone… especially her new foster child.

When Rain and her two young brothers wake up to prepare themselves for the day ahead, they know something is wrong when their father’s door is locked and Rain’s receives a call that he doesn’t show up for work. What could have happened to cause Rain and her brothers to be thrown in foster care, her brother placed in juvie, and their separation for a long period of time?

When Sunshine and Rain meet, there is a bit of jealousy but nothing compared to what they goes down when Sunshine has an encounter with the dude that Rain adores… Terrance. While this wannabe hustler Terrance plays games with Rain, he never mentions the connection nor the disdain that he has for their foster mother Cathy. What could be the beef between the two that could cost people their lives? You will never know until you read the book!

Although the book has a rushed ending you will be surprised as to how it ends. A book two is definitely in order.

Sunshine and Rain is an awesome page turner that captures your interest from the very start.

Check it out and share your thoughts...

Heather Elitou- Reviewer

Women Who Jam!!!

2007-08-25T18:08:00.003-04:00

What do you get when you have a room filled with amazing female talent and a group of female commissioners that offer advice to help enhance the awareness of the artists’ performance by making them aware of their showmanship? You get a rocking house of Women Who Jam. A session created by the NABFEME (National Association Black Female Executives in Music and Entertainment).

The mission of NABFEME is to raise the profile and increase the awareness of Black women in the music and entertainment industry and they accomplish this mission through activities that foster empowerment, education, mentoring, career development and networking opportunities. One of their creative geniuses is Women Who Jam Sessions.

Let’s face it... it is never easy to hear people tell you that what you think has been done to make yourself hot can stand to be hotter. Being under the eye of other industry professionals can be very unnerving, but what you take from it can make you not only stronger but place you at the top of your game.

The Philly network had its 1st Women Who Jam Session at one of Philly’s finest restaurants North by Northwest and it was off the hook! This female driven movement by women for women was a chance to see how even seasoned women handle the pressure of being critiqued in order to enhance they stage presence, their style and/or their performance.

Hosted by the True Soul (Neo-Soul) activist and Power 99 radio personality Tiffany Bacon, she set the stage for Ghetto Songbird (Rock), Lyrispect (Spoken Word), Mia Harvey (R&B), Rhapsode (Spoken Word/ Neo-Soul), Alaina Nelson (R&B), Andrea Pinkett (Gospel), Desi (Gospel- Spoken Word) as they shared their seasoned talents under the watchful eyes of industry professionals: Cheryl Wadlington, Evoluer celebrity stylist and fashion consultant; Patricia Coates, entertainment lawyer; Stephanie Renee, radio host and spoken word artist; and Heather Elitou, Senior Editor representing Infinite MagaZine.

Although the performances were great, it was Desi, the Gospel/Spoken Word artists that won the opportunity to visit New York and perform for the NABFEME Women Who Jam!

What made this event a night to remember besides the awesome performances that were given by each of the artists, but the networking that took place afterwards. Networking is a very important part in the growth of artistic development because everyone needs someone that can help them advance further in their careers. When people work together to make a change for the better, whether it is personal or as a community it reflects in the person and the world around us.
Introducing yourself, handing out business cards, following up and staying connected is what makes you and your business remembered and prosperous. Without it you are merely a goldfish in a fishbowl wishing you were in a pond.

If you are an artists that is seasoned or amateur and you are looking for the exposure and the honest help that you need to place your foot in the industry’s door, then sign up for this event— it is something that you have to be a part of. If you are truly a fan of the arts, love to hear good performances, and looking to support women with a cause, then be sure to check it out.

Please visit www.myspace.com/NABFEME for information on the next event in Philly and New York.

v The Mom Drum Circle- FEAT. Marcy Francis was the opening performance that made everyone ready to jam!!! They KILLED IT with their fantastic energy!!! Be sure to check out their performance on the YouTube.

Heather Elitou-Reviewer

Prayz1 Makes “The Difference”

2007-08-25T15:53:00.000-04:00

What’s the difference between Gangster Rap and Christian Rap? It's what they talk about. While one writes about Cristal, the other raps about Christ. Although both are limited genres it is this reviewer's opinion that there are some very good lyricists out there who make good use of their limitation lyrically. It’s as if there is some sort of Divine Hip-Hop rap battle going down.

Prayz1 is the next Kanye West with a cleverness that reminded me of the God MC- J Hova (Jay-Z) who also started out in a culturally conscious and religious genre of Islam.

Born James Frager, he has been a faithful member of his church and has been blessing the microphone with his born again street skills since receiving a Holy Hip-Hop CD from a friend.

His debut titled, “The Difference” was a tight CD. Although I am not Christian, the intro was hypnotic with good arrangement. In fact, the first four tracks including, the intro, Life, Heavenly Father, Church Fan and It was Love had my attention. It did begin to become too preachy for me but I can see people who ascribe to the Christian belief getting into it.

James is a prolific lyricist, but I don’t think we have received the full scope of his talent because for a non-Christian he is limited. I know that he has a talent and can rap about Christ, but can he rap about anything else? Overall, the CD is very fluent and I did nod to it.

Get the CD and tell me what you think?

Aalim Elitou- Reviewer

Beautiful Hair by Creme of Nature

2007-08-20T23:45:00.002-04:00

Face it, women are nuts about their hair. Every woman wants to maintain having healthy and beautiful hair. We have our concerns from what is the right styles that compliment our faces to what are the right products to put on our hair textures which will promote healthy, full and beautiful hair. Crème of Nature has been listening to the needs of women and their hair for 30 years and has delivered by giving us excellence in product. The shampoos were first introduced to women in 1976, and have been cleansing and conditioning African American women’s hair since. Many women are most familiar with the rich color of the permanent gel hair color and the awesome texture that the relaxer kits give to hair making it healthy and shiny.

In celebration of Crème of Nature’s three decades in business, they have recently made another breakthrough as the first multicultural hair care brand to feature Certified Organic Ingredients. Listings of the new products are new Kiwi & Citrus Ultra Moisturizing Shampoo, New Red Clover & Aloe Soothing Shampoo, Lemongrass & Rosemary Leave-In Creme Conditioner, New Chamomile and Comfrey Healing Conditioner. They have also been celebrating with a seven market tour to continue to inspire women to live a Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise lifestyle. They will be offering hair consultation, product samples, and style expertise from the Crème of Nature style experts which includes Crème of Nature’s healthy hair expert, Pat Grant-Williams.

Pat Grant-Williams is one of the best in the industry. In the business for more than 20 years, a former salon owner of several successful salons, a featured monthly columnist for HYPE Hair Magazine and a feature in Rolling Out Magazine, Beauty Store Business, Vibe Vixen, Essence, etc. her expertise and extensive knowledge of hair is just what Crème of Nature needed to make their new product line a success.

We were pleased to speak with Pat as she shared some of her hair care facts and the brilliance of the new Crème of Nature product line.

How has the experience been working with Crème of Nature?
It has been wonderful. It is always my goal to help educate consumers about healthy hair because it is based on understanding the hair.

Why should women focus more on their hair care?
I think that women of color are looking for complete wellness. We see more women taking more care of their bodies, skin and hair. I hear from the consumers that they don’t know as much as they should about their hair care maintenance. They go to salons and they are still in need of knowing more about their hair and the best hair care they can receive.

So do you think that one-on-one consultations are in need from the stylist to their client?
Always! I think that before you can treat a client, you need to understand their hair and know what kind of hair they have in order to give them the best results. I think that the consumer should have the information about the product that she is using, and know how to maintain healthy hair after the salon experience.

How do the natural ingredients as in the new Crème of Nature Products help more in the promotion of healthy hair?
The hair should be shampooed everyday and especially if you are using more than two products (hair spray and gels) on you hair a day. Over time, the chemicals may damage the hair follicle and that is where the hair grows from the root. If you want to have healthier hair, then you must release the chemicals daily from the hair follicle and use natural products without pesticides and fumigants which is going to be healthier for the hair.

See Pat's 5 Tips for Promoting Healthier Hair!!! (Side Bar)

Heather Elitou-Reviewer

A True Fashionista!!!

2007-08-20T19:15:00.002-04:00

Mary Lafayette is no stranger to the fashion industry. She has been styling and creating the latest fashion trends for some of the most well-known artists and fashion magazines in the world. Do you remember the infamous Vibe cover with Mary J. Blige in which she stated that she was not happy with the image? Well, although Mary was not pleased with the cover picture, she was pleased with the styling of Mary Lafayette. Mary’s other clients have included Busta Rhymes, Prodigy, Xzibit, Ginuwine, En Vogue, Usher, Nas, Chris Tucker and Kimora Lee Simmons. Her work has been featured in such magazines as Vibe, WWD, Essence, Ebony, and Teen People just to name a few.

As a trend-setter, Mary has embodied the meaning of fashionista and does not take her business lightly as this New York City lady always in travel, forever seeking knowledge of growing trends in order to create them and enhance them. In 2001, Mary founded her fashion consultant, styling and design company Fashion Luv Joenz in order to provide assistance to those looking to create an image that would enhance their personal and business image. The name is from the deep love jones she has for fashion, but the spelling is a tribute to her late grandfather, Joe Davis. In May 2001, she landed her first styling assistant gig and from that day she knew that she wanted to be a full-time stylist and decided to start her own business.
As of recently, she has just signed with the Victoria Agency for representation adding to the many major moves that Mary has set for herself this year. “I am very excited about joining the Victoria Agency, and look forward to successful representation," she said. With the representation of this agency she will possibly add to her already famous list of clientele and her schedule will become more hectic than ever before.

We recently had the opportunity to speak with our friend Mary Lafayette about her decision to become a fashionista and she has become such a fashion success.

What made you choose to be a fashionista?
I shared with a former co-worker, while working in Marketing and Events for Vanguarde Media, Inc. in 2001 that I was interested in Fashion Styling, and she introduced me to a stylist.

How long have you been in fashion?
As a professional, 6 years, but on a personal level I have been styling and into fashion since I was born. If you see pictures of me as a baby and into my youth, my mother always dressed me well from head to toe. She made sure I was always on point!

How did you know that you have this talent?
I guess because my mother made sure I was always in the latest fashions or at least looking fashionable. I’ve always been into fashion, and my friends would always want me to go shopping with them to help them pick out an outfit for a school dance, a date, prom, the club, etc. I never knew that I could make a career out of shopping for and dressing people.

How important is fashion to you?
Very! I read magazines, I’m always online researching the latest fashions, and I write articles periodically for magazines, online publications or organizations who want to offer ideas to their customers on the latest fashion trends. I love to people watch and see what others are rocking on the street. I must say that Brooklyn has the best fashion dons and divas in terms of creating original fashion ideas.

Where did you get your inspiration for your styles?
From designers, fashion ads and shows, street fashion, vintage films and photos.

How do you define success?
Being mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally healthy. Achieving this is always a work in progress, but with prayer and positive people in your circle, you will always be successful in anything you pursue.

What advice would you give to aspiring stylists?
Get exposure by going out to fashion events and let people know that you are interested in pursuing fashion styling as a career. If you have time to go to school, it’s not a bad idea so that you gain the technical experience that will enhance your skills and make you more marketable, because the competition is serious.

What is your goal for 2007?
Continued success! Staying focused and in prayer!

To learn more about Mary Lafayette and her company, visit: http://www.fashionluvjoenz.com/ and www.myspace.com/fashionluvjoenz

Heather Elitou-Reviewer

Literary Review- Black People: For Entertainment Purposes ONLY

2007-08-11T23:44:00.000-04:00

Who would have thought that there was a book out there that gave a powerful message and at the same time gave you action, love, conspiracy and murder? Of course there are plenty of books out there that deliver but only a few deliver like, Black People: For Entertainment Purposes Only.

W. Ivan Wright’s, Black People: For Entertainment Purposes Only is an compelling tale about a successful African American author named Jurney who delivers a book with the same title and becomes one of the most hated people amongst the people he wrote it for: African Americans. Although he has tried to explain what the meaning and the purpose behind his book, it doesn’t stop a crazed veteran named Cephas from trying to kill him. Also to add to the list of drama, he learns that he has a daughter from a past relationship and the mother is trying to get in his pockets.

Although the book had one of the most boring openings, I continued to read and begin to really enjoy the message that all blacks are interested in being or acting like basketball players or rappers. I also appreciated the mild action that did not leave you thinking of blood, guts and gore.

If you like a book that starts off slow but builds to a book of great meaning and purpose then this is the book for you. W. Ivan Wright will truly deliver in the end.

Agasa Elitou-Reviewer

Literary Review- Harlem Heat by 50 Cent and Mark Anthony

2007-08-11T22:53:00.000-04:00

If you like Bonny and Clyde or Thelma and Louise then you’ll like Harlem Heat. This is a story about two women Roxy Reynolds and her daughter Chyna who run a gun trafficking ring. These women take charge and rule the streets all on their own but with a price to pay.

Roxy a young mother and her daughter Chyna who is following in her footsteps are real hustlers. They have done it all from exotic dancing to prostitution, and now they are the leaders of a successful gun-trafficing ring. Roxy had been a member of a powerful gang for many years before most of the members were incarcerated many years ago. She gained plenty of experience as a hustler of all trades and she has taught her daughter Chyna everything that she knows especially loyalty and keeping her mouth shut. Although the business was a success, things began to get shaky when old-time gangster Panama Pete is released from prison and has to stay with the Reynold's women.

Chyna is given a tip that Panama Pete is no good and that he has broken one of the major laws of the streets— don’t snitch. It is being said that he is working as an agent for the cops. When Chyna learns this information, she decides to watch his actions to be sure that what she hears is not just bad wax in the ears. When suspicious acts begin to unravel including the rape of Chyna and the theft of all the money that the women had to keep her gun clients happy is stolen by a few thugs, Chyna confronts her mother and tells her that she is being played by her long time friend and things get heated.

Roxy and Chyna are forced to get their money back in a way neither of them expected and now there are cops and gangsters chasing them. Will they manage to get away? Will they be able to keep their heads? Will one of them die?

Filled with heart racing action, Harlem Heat is a one-day reader that you never want to put down. Mark Anthony caught my attention with this book and I hope that there is a Harlem Heat 2.

Agasa Elitou- Book Reviewer

The Truth About Grant Money and Businesses

2007-08-02T17:26:00.000-04:00

Urban legends, old wives tales, community myths, misinformation, and misconceptions – no matter what you call it – they continue to plague the community.

We've all seen the headlines: "Millions in free government money for your business." Late-night infomercials, reference guides and websites promote the availability of grant money to entrepreneurs for starting and expanding businesses. Does it sound too good to be true? Well, it is! Your small business resource, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) (http://www.sba.gov/), has valuable information to help turn your entrepreneurial dream into a thriving new business.

Would-be entrepreneurs often ask the Small Business Administration “Where can I get find grants to start a business?” And, sadly, some of these individuals pay big money to attend business financing seminars that travel from city to city focusing on “free” government money for their business. All you have to do is pay these folks up front and they will fill out some paperwork for you to apply for these “grants.”

The trouble is the rare few grants that are available are so highly specialized in research fields that the odds of getting them are astronomical. In other words, it’s a dead end. Forget about government grants to start a new business. It won’t happen.

The truth is that federal and state governments do not provide grants for starting and expanding small businesses.

The Small Business Administration or banks will not give money to anyone unless they meet a certain criteria. They have several lending programs, which makes it easier for a small business to borrow money. SBA administers these three separate, but equally important loan programs: 1) The 7A Loan Guarantee Program, 2) The SBA Low-Document Program, and 3) SBS 504.

To apply for an SBA loan, you need to visit your local participating bank or lending institution. General lending criteria for the Small Business Administration include: 1) outstanding credit history (FICO/Credit Score of over 700), 2) cash flow adequate to service the debt, 3) collateral, 4) equity, 5) character, and 6) experience.

Banks do give out loans, but they typically aren’t a good source for new companies unless you have built a relationship with the banks.

The four main types of loans that banks offer are: 1) Installment loans, on which the business makes monthly payments over a certain number of years, 2) Term Loans, with which the entire loan is paid off after a predetermined term (usually one, two, or five years), 3) Asset-based loans, which might be for inventory or equipment, and 4) Revolving lines of credit, which businesses can draw upon when cash is low and then pay off when cash flow is high.

Remember that 90% of all start-up money for a business comes from private sources such as moonlighting jobs, working part time, divorce settlements, child support payments, yearly income tax returns, 401K’s and other private and government pensions. Over 25% of all companies are started with less than $5000.

Raising money for your company is hard work and it can be completed only with careful planning and research. And again, don’t wait around on grant money to start your business.

Successful steps to opening a business is listed at (www.angelspress.com/businesslevels.html) Top business mistakes are listed at (http://www.angelspress.com/10topbusinessmistakes.html).

Cathy Harris (http://www.cathyharrisspeaks.com/) is a motivational speaker and business consultant.

Copyright © 2007. Cathy Harris. All Rights Reserved

ASK DEDAN

2007-08-02T16:51:00.000-04:00

A Reader’s Question:
What’s up? I’ve been with my girl for a year now and I’m very displeased with our sex life... or lack thereof. We only have sex once a week, if that. When we finally do it, its horrible. All she does is lay there. She’s very inexperienced when it comes to sex, which is actually a good thing although sometimes I wish she had a little more “skills”. I’m actually the second person that she’s been with.
I try to get my girlfriend to try different things to spice up our sex life but she just isn't interested in experimenting. My question to you is, am I doing something wrong or are my requests unfair or unreasonable? I think I have a right to enjoy having sex with my woman. I love my girl and would never want to step out on her but the temptation is there. What can be done?

My Advice:

First, let me commend you for being a stand up guy and remaining faithful to your relationship. When faced with similar circumstances, many men turn to the comfort of other women to satisfy their sexual appetite.
You need to keep in mind that all women are different. The things that arouse one woman may not arouse another woman. Have you tried talking to your girlfriend about things that could possibly improve your sex life? Maybe she’s willing to experiment with new things but is just too shy to bring it up.
Another thing to consider would be your girlfriends religious beliefs. The Bible teaches us that sex before marriage is wrong. If your girlfriend shares these beliefs, she could feel very guilty after having sex with you, which may cause her not to be as into it as you would like. If this is the case, then you need to be respectful of her beliefs. The guilt that she may be feeling may be overwhelming and she may not know how to talk to you about this subject because she’s not sure how you feel about it. This is exactly why good communication is essential in all relationships.
As far as your girlfriend being inexperienced is concerned, you should be grateful because many men have to deal with the fact that their girlfriend was promiscuous in college and slept with multiple guys. My advice to you would be to continue to be faithful, understanding and respectful in your relationship.
Too many couples place too much emphasis on their sex life. There are way more important things to focus on in a relationship. If you really care about one another, your sex life or lackthereof should never be a reason to be unfaithful.

Hopefully, I’ve shed some light on this subject for you.

“Ask Dedan” Sex, Dating & Relationships- Volume I available now at: www.dedantolbert.com

The Sensationnel Road to $25,000

2007-08-01T15:27:00.001-04:00

Have you ever heard the saying “beauty comes with a price”? Well, let me tell you there was a price to pay for the contestants in the Sensationnel Hair Idol Model Search. There was a lot of practice, getting pictures taken; getting your hair done, getting make-up before and during the big day arrived at the Convention Center in Philadelphia, PA.

I was thankful for the opportunity to be a part of this great event that was brought to Philly by the infamous Glynn Jackson of the Glynn Jackson Agency and Sensationnel Hair. Glynn Jackson, also known as the founder of the largest hair shows in the country, including the Golden Scissor Awards was a great coach to all of the models. At every practice along with Cyndi Lane of Iconz Models, we had to look good. Our walks had to show that we were going to serve the runway and we did.

The day before the actual event, we had to get prepared for the Press Party that took place at the World Live Café which included entertainment and a brief conference that explained the purpose of the Sensationnel Hair Idol Model Search which is to recognize the winner in each and every woman. There were women of various shapes and sizes that participated in the event. There were also young women who were working mothers that received recognition for their efforts to stay strong and beautiful (inside and out) during their struggles with hardship. These women received wonderful makeovers and gifts from various sponsors.

The night was filled with wonderful music which included the featured appearance of Carol Riddick. She is an amazing talent and wow, can she sing. She swept everyone away with her jazzy and soulful song “Brown Eyed Girl”. After Ms. Riddick’s performance, Mr. Glynn Jackson called all of the contestants to the stage so that they could introduce themselves to the awaiting people who would be seeing us model at the hair show which included press and photographers so that they could get good pictures (kind of a before and after). Professional photographer for Infinite MagaZine (and my dad) Aalim Elitou got fantastic shots of me and the other models (thanks Nux).

Personally, I had the pleasure of meeting Nikki Tucker, stylist to Alicia Keys. She was there to teach stylists some of the new trends that would be set for the year to come. She was so nice and I look forward to meeting up with her again in the future.

Near the close of the evening, the models and I danced and had a great time. I was soon ready to go home because I knew that I had a long day ahead of me and tomorrow was going to start very early.

The next day; the big day; the day that I had been waiting for finally arrived. At ten in the morning I was ready to have my makeup done and that was a long wait because there were more than forty ladies waiting to get theirs done as well. While I was waiting to get my make-up done, I got the chance to talk to some of the contestants. Karita and Ashley my Iconz sisters asked me if I was nervous. I thought about it and I told them, “No, I am ready and very excited.” I had been waiting for this day to come so nervousness just never set in.
After my makeup was applied I looked in the mirrors and almost didn’t recognize myself. I had never had makeup done before and I looked so different. I was definitely ready now to serve the runway. “You look so nice,” said Kerry Scott of Fatboy Hype. I begin to practice with runway coach for Fat Boy and Tarantula designer Kevin Parker who has always been a support.
Hair was simple and easy for me because I was told to wear it wild and big and all that took was for me to tease it out and it looked fabulous. I was really impressed with some of the creativity that was surrounding me. There were people transforming right before my eyes. There were styles that were unique and wild and some that were simple and classy but nevertheless they all made a statement. I think that some of the fantasy styles were my favorite.

When the doors opened at 6:00 pm the downstairs began to fill up with family, friends, and media. I think that people with daughters, sisters, mothers, etc were more nervous and excited for us than we were. Come on!!! This was only the hottest hair show in Philly. Not to mention someone was going to win $3,000 and then be on their way to winning $25,000. The place was jammed packed in fifteen minutes and the show was soon to begin, on time.

This was my first hair show and I was not aware of what I was going to see. At the hair shows there is a lot of entertainment from the stylists and the models in which some dance and some walk the runway. The best of the night was the skit of women who were stealing a Sensationnel wig, the women who were robotic puppets (they really did it up), and the wild Barbie dolls that broke out of their boxes. I loved it.
The excitement backstage was also interesting because people had to change into their costumes as fast as possible so that they could appear on stage again. It was not long before we had to come out and be judged. It really all began to set in with me that I may win. What would happen next? Who will win? How will I do?

All the girls that went before seemed to be focused on their walk and they did their best. Mr. Jackson called “Contestant 24” which was me and everyone clapped. I wore a beautiful mint green dress that looked like it was straight out of Vogue Magazine. I did my pose and walked my walk to the T. The runway seemed to be so long and it seemed to last forever. I was not able to hear anything around me— not the sound of the music, not the sound of cheering, nothing. When I got down the steps of the stage I could hear again. When I got backstage, I walked up to a girl and asked, “How do you think you did?” She replied, “I am so sad that I am about to cry. I think I did a bad job”. However, before she could finish another girl said, “you did well” and that lifted the girl’s spirit.

The moment of truth was here and someone was going to get 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. All the models called to the stage for the finale walk. Before Glynn Jackson called the 10 finalists, he said that five women would be coming with him to Washington, DC to participate in another event. I was one of the five finalists invited to go to DC. I was very happy. When everyone got to the back of the stage Glynn Jackson called the 10 finalists and everyone went crazy and began screaming. They seemed to be pleased with the outcome. Contestant 60 came in third place winning $500, Contestant 21 in second place winning $1,500, and Contestant 56 won the grand prize $3,000. All three of them will be going to DC to finish the contest in November in order to win $25,000 in cash and prizes.

I had a wonderful time and it was a great experience. I want to thank Glynn Jackson and his team for all of their support, Cyndi Lane, and most importantly my parents for always being there for me.

Can’t wait to talk about next year, but in the meantime check out the images.

Share the love...

Tweety Elitou

Literature Review- Kick Back with Ida B.

2007-07-31T16:52:00.002-04:00

Ida B. (also known as Uptown Dreams) is one of Karen Q. Miller’s best books ever!

Ida B. is a mind-gripping, true to life novel about Brenda Carver, a young unwed mother who wished to pursue a career as a writer. Hot and sassy Rosa Rivera who has dreams of becoming a major celebrity, and Sharif Goldsby a young black activist who lives to protect his people and his privacy, especially his life as a homosexual.

In Harlem life has always been vivid in the Ida B. complex but things become shaded when three deaths occur and causes the people of Ida B. to come together and help those in need.

As Brenda and her mother work together to keep things afloat, they are shocked by a rumor that after more than twenty years, the Ida B. will be closed and the people will have to find a new place to live. The Ida B. community goes to their gracious, humble and most respected activist Sharif to get to the bottom of the rumors but in the midst of getting an answer another death occurs and the entire building in devastated.

Who could have done such a horrendous act? Did it happen in the building? Was it someone in the building? Were there any witnesses? Those were the questions that continued to rock the boat giving it a "whodunit" mystery feel.

What makes this book a great read is the amount of unity throughout the book. No matter what goes on, the people of Ida B. stick together. You tend to forget that these are people who just live in the same building because they are so much like family. It takes you back to a time when people would throw rent parties for the tenants that needed help; when communities would come together and clean the neighborhoods; when a child would get in trouble with everyone on the block before getting home to their parents. A village helping the only way it could to keep the people alive and safe from harm.

The other characters in the book were way familiar from the nosy neighbor Ms. Jackie who knew the business of everyone in the building and spread rumors. The bad boy friend Vincent who was always a stone throw away from doing hard time, and Mrs. Marcie, the older woman who kept people in check. You could love them or hate them, but they laid the bricks in building the story Ida B.

If you have this book, read it again and reminisce with Brenda and her Ida B. family. If you never read it, believe it when we say that you will never read a book more focused on togetherness than Ida B.

Get ready for Karen's soon to be released book, "Passin."

Heather Elitou-Reviewer

Harlem Book Fair 2007

2007-07-31T16:45:00.000-04:00

While we were on a business trip in one of our favorite cities, we went to the Harlem Book Fair in NY.

We ran into a few of our closest friends. Check out the images below:

Who is the Grandfather of Hip Hop?

2007-07-26T16:41:00.000-04:00

Hip Hop has been around as an artistic expression for a long time however most people are clueless as to how long since documentation and records have been misconstrued. It is rarely mentioned that the first DJ/MC to make rhyme a hip and cool thing was a man named Doug “Jocko” Henderson, Sr. born March 8, 1918 in Baltimore and died July 15, 2000. Broadcast Pioneers member Gerry Wilkinson (former WDAS Operations Manager) said, "Jocko had one of the most unique and pleasant voices in the industry. He was everything legends are made of. He had class and elegance." "Hello, Daddy-O and Mommy-O, This is Jocko,” was all the rage in Philadelphia and later in New York City. He was known for rhyming words like, "eee-tiddlee-yock, this is the Jock,” or "oo-papa-doo, how do you do.” Later oo-papa-doo turned into “hip, hop, a hippy to the hip hip hop you don’t stop” which came from the Sugar Hill Gang, and the name Hip Hop stuck although it was not the original name.

In the July 2007 issue of Vibe Magazine, Polow Da Don’s stated, “I don’t feel like I need to appease the Hip Hop audience. I don’t owe them anything”. Again, the term Hip Hop is not the original name... it was originally called “Rhythm Talk”. As with all art, the actual founders and contributors are soon forgotten as some of the newcomers try not to acknowledge the contributions of the past because they were not there in the beginning, and therefore do not have the fond memories and experiences shared during those days.

Now it is being said that Hip Hop is dead or better yet, the spirit of Hip Hop is dead which is most likely because of the new additions to Hip Hop who seem more interested in making money than making music. Back in the day, when dudes like the Treacherous Three with LA, Sunshine, and Kool Mo Dee made “Body Rock” to rock music and the Sugar Hill Gang made one of their raps using a funky beat and electric guitar, it was still considered Hip Hop or Rhythm Talk. Run Dee MC made quite a few of their raps using rock music and they were all hot. The block parties were always on fire making memories that would last forever. It did not matter what kind of music was used to rap it was still rap.

Of course that was before rap was accepted by the big bosses of the music industry. The themes of Hip Hop were boisterous and bold, however most of them had a message. Back then, none of them talked of harming anyone but rather moving the crowd. Rakim redefined MC as “Move the Crowd” and it was on.
It was hoped that Hip Hop or Rap would lose it’s momentum but it was born in determination and creativity. Jocko held down multiple DJing jobs in both Philly and New York. He was also a music promoter and taught children about life through music. Jocko made records of himself teaching our youth everything from math to American history with rap lyrics. He also made mixed albums of talents that he had featured on his show called Jocko's Show Stoppers that contained many of the recordings he played on the air, including two narrations and his own Album called Rhythm Talk. He set up a studio in his basement where he taped the New York programs while adding Boston, St. Louis, Detriot and Miami.
As described he was quite an entrepreneur and being an entrepreneur is one of the key elements of Hip Hop which led to another element that was very important to the growing popularity of the music: to become a teacher and give back to the community through music and lyrical skills. Please refer to great artist like KRS-One.

To make the point clear, when the pioneers of rap were forgotten the spirit and accomplishments of the skill were forgotten as well. It is no different than the Doo Wop days when people like Jerry Blavit claimed that he was a part of the era and helped foster the careers of some of the well known entertainers, but according to some Doo Wop DJ’s he was too young to be involved.
Have you ever noticed that the people who gave birth to Doo Wop aren’t making money from the music that they created? If you were to do some research, you will find that the people who made money from the music are those who were once against the new sound that the teenagers loved. It is no different with Hip Hop. The Doo Wop youth are now the cooperate junkies that once opposed Hip Hop and were never true to the cause, allowing all kinds of lyrics to be produced, packaged and sold to our youth. But no matter how we look at it, it is always the fans who ultimately decide whether or not an artist will eat and be continuously played on the airwaves and the internet.

So Polow got it twisted— he does owe fans something because if the fans support his music and he is eating from it, then a little gratitude would be nice.

What do you think? Do you have something to add? Drop me a comment and let me know.

Aalim Elitou

What’s Up with Britain?

2007-07-25T00:58:00.000-04:00

So they say that the British media is under a lot of pressure about faking contests thrown on its broadcasts and reporting bogus news. This is reminiscent of the whole Milli Vanilli episode don’t you think? What is it with the Brits? I love the BBC News, but damn, do we have to weed out the info that they are dishing out double time. It seems as if the concept of quality (no matter what it is) has become a thing of the past. Whatever happened to the days of good, honest, and decent work?

What’s really scary is that this fake journalism comes from what is being called paid propagandists who work for the UK government. Normally they work in a little known outfit with the acronym BFBS, which stands for British Forces Broadcasting Service. They are kind of like the men in black of broadcasting and media. Our country and its government are also accused of the same hoax both within and without her boarders. Is that interesting?

The Brits just recently began flooding the U.S. airwaves with talent contests/reality shows and at least once or twice many people have suggested that it was rigged. Think about it...

In these days and times what is really real? Has the world gotten so hollow that nothing really matters and anything goes? Do you want to have propaganda fed to you as news? Or rigged contest as entertainment?

Leave a comment and let us know what you think.

Aalim Elitou

Literary Review- Derelict by 50 Cent and Relentless Aaron

2007-07-25T00:25:00.000-04:00

I have read a lot of books— some good and some bad. I enjoy books that stay focused because it keeps my interests. This brings me to my review of Derelict written by 50 Cent and Relentless Aaron. I was satisfied with the first two books in the G-Unit Series for the year 2007, but this one left me blank.

Derelict is about a convict named Jamel who went to jail for writing faulty checks. While serving his time, he slowly starts to make moves on a psychologist he thinks is sexy in the beginning, but he shows in the end how he truly felt about her, especially with the stories that he shares with his jail mates Box, Roy, and Twan.

Jamel talks about his two girlfriends Deadra and JoJo and his two kids throughout the story. He has a few pen pals that are female convicts and of course Dr. Kay the psychologist—he is a true pimp with nothing at all.
Dr. Kay falls for Jamel hard and they have relations nearing the end of the book. When Jamel finally gets out of jail, his friend Troy picks him up and they stop at a motel. Jamel supposedly puts his pimp down to scare Dr. Kay off, but his actions only turn her on and there is no escaping her clutches.
Jamel wants to surprise his women so he and Troy sit in a truck and wait for the women to get home. While waiting, Troy tells Jamel to feel under the seat. To Jamel’s discomfort he feels a M-16 assault rifle which freaks him out because he does not want to do another bid, but Troy is on a campaign to kill Mac a famous rapper who was responsible for putting Troy on life support six years earlier.

I am truly hoping that there is a part two to this book because I was left in a total daze with too many questions about what the hell is happening. What kept me reading the book was that I was expecting him to get out of jail and take revenge on someone. What happened to the probation officer that was supposed to be watching Jamel’s every move? Who was the mysterious person that had and agenda of his own and planned to take Jamel down at any price? None of this happened!!! Jamel stayed in jail most of the time which began to get boring, and it was the last 5 or 6 pages that the caged bird was free. He got out of jail only to dump Dr. Kay and sit in a truck.

The back of the book was much more interesting then the content. My view would totally change if there is a part two to this book. Hopefully this is what 50 Cent and Relentless Aaron have in mind.

Share your thoughts...

Agasa Elitou

Literary Review- Blow by 50 Cent and Kwan

2007-07-24T23:08:00.000-04:00

Many authors write about the ins and outs of street life but there are very few that give the impression that they write from experience. Blow is one of those few. From beginning to end whether you were a hustler or knew the life of hustlers, 50 Cent and Kwan draw you in with the realism of the streets in your face.

Blow is a gripping tale about fours hustlers— Prince, Killa-E, Daddy-O, and Danny who work for the neighborhood drug lord Diego on the streets of Harlem. Prince and his crew run the projects selling crack and cocaine and they’re good at it: they work well together, they make good money, and with the help of Sticks and Stone, two crazy killers, they get the respect that most people take years to achieve. After a while they start to want more— more money, more respect, better product to sell, and larger territory so they go to Diego and ask him for their own spot. Prince feels that since he was good at what he did then he should move up, but Diego rejects him.
When Prince meets a heroin connect, they get what they wish for but they are also plagued with greater enemies and bigger problems. The tables turn when Diego now wants in on the deal that Prince has made, and with the shoe being on the other foot, Prince declines. Of course this means war and Diego along with his killer Manny are looking to settle the score. In addition, there is a traitor in the mist and the police are on their backs, and with Diego at their fronts they’re trapped and blood spills.

This is a straight in your face book that keeps its focus with not too many twist and turns that leave you confused. Although the ending was kind of expected any other ending would have made the book seem unreal. Blow is a good book to read if you like urban street fiction and if you don’t, read it anyway because you might be surprised and agree with me.

Share your thoughts...

Agasa Elitou- Reviewer

ASK DEDAN- When Does No Really Mean No?

2007-07-24T00:51:00.000-04:00

Question:

I have a question about a situation that I am currently in. I have been seeing this girl for a month now and we are really feeling each other. We always have good conversations on the phone and we have gone to the movies, out to eat, walked in the park etc.

Everything was cool until the other night when things got a little out of control. We were watching a movie and one thing lead to another. The next thing I knew both of our clothes were off. We have come close to having sex before but nothing like this.

Since it seemed like it was about to go down, I went for the condom that was in my wallet. Even though she was looking right at me, she asked me what I was doing. At first I smiled, and then just ignored her. We went back to kissing and I put on the condom. I tried to put it in but she stopped me and told me not to put it in. I was a little frustrated but I respected her wishes and backed off. I start to get up but she pulled me back down on top of her. To make a long story short, after a few more minutes of kissing and touching, I tried to put it in again and this time she let me.We were doing it and all of a sudden, she starts trippin and tells me to get off her. She starts crying saying that I raped her and that she told me to stop. She threatened to call the police and tells me to leave.

I got my stuff and left. My question to you is based on my version of the story was I wrong for my actions, in your opinion, did I rape her or was she just playing games?

My Advice:

You really need to be careful in situations where sex is involved. Your friend could have easily pressed charges against you and there would have been nothing you could have done about it. The thing about rape is that its her word against your word and the jury usually tends to believe the woman.In your defense, many women play games where they say no when they really mean yes. For some reason, women think that its cute or sexy to tease men with sex, so when the time comes when they really mean no, many men do not take them seriously.

My advice to you would be to always play it safe when a woman says no. Just stop whatever it is that you are doing and remove yourself from the situation. Rape is a serious charge and no woman is worth losing your freedom over.

Anyone who reads my column on a regular basis knows that I keep it real and call it like I see it, whether the man or the woman is right.In your situation, I do not see you as being wrong. Your girl sat there and watched you go into your wallet to get the condom and then put it on. If she was not cool with what was about to go down, that would have been the time to tell you to stop. Instead, she waited until you were actually inside of her to say no.

A good rule of thumb for all relationships is to have good communication with each other. When dating someone, you need to be fully aware of their views regarding sex. Some women make it known that they want to wait until marriage to be intimate. Other women say they have to be in a committed relationship. And then there are the women who let you know that its going down right after you get home from TGI Fridays on thefirst date.

Normally, if a woman is willing to sleep with you, she makes it known in one form or another. But in the event that she does not make her intentions clear, you need to realize that no always means no. Never assume that her no means yes or maybe. A split second could change your life forever. Just ask Mike Tyson.

Hopefully, I shed some light on this subject for you.

Check out Dedan at: http://www.dedantolbert.com/

New book Ask Dedan: Sex, Dating &>Relationships - Volume I (available July 27th).