I’ve always been a fan of humorous songs, and when I started working on ‘The Mix Up‘, I really wanted work a bit more comedy into the music I was putting together. The song “White Gurls” is funny because of both the content in it, and the subject matter itself. Verses from Lil Wayne and Nas, mixed with samples from Jay-Z, E40, Joe Buddens, and Kanye West all blend together to create when I still think is one of the best songs on ‘The Mix Up‘. Click the pic to take a listen.
I’m always trying to find new ways to improve on anything I do, as an entertainer, an engineer, a manager, or as a friend, and the blog is no different. I’ve interviewed quite a few people from Los Angeles to London, and I figured I’d step it up a bit, and get into a video interview. With the 250,000 views this blog gets now a days, I knew my first video interview on the blog had to be with someone who wasn’t shy in front of the camera, someone articulate, succinct, and unique. The first person to come to mind was Miss Arie Rose, who I knew from her work on the show Street Files.
The next thing I needed was a video crew who I had the utmost confidence in, and after working with Ben Einhorn on Duckworth’s “Don’t Forget Your Mind” video, I knew I had it. I’m familiar with graphic design, photography, and obviously music, but I’m always amazed video crews and their gear. Ben an his crew swarmed the set, and had everything set up in record time, and were ready for action before I could figure out how to clip my mic on.
All in all I had a great time, and I have to say thanks again to the wonderful Arie Rose, my assistant Ashley F. for snapping the behind the scenes photos for this post, the staff at Sugar Cafe in San Francisco, CA for always letting me do pretty much whatever I want there, and of course Ben Einhorn and his crew for making everything look sexy. The final interview should drop 4th of July along with photos and all sorts of information about Miss Arie Rose for readers to soak up.
Every so often I have to get from behind the tables, and go out and have some fun. Mike Vegas, David Ali and the Above Ground crew hosted an event over at Club Noble last week in which I did just that. I saw some of my favorite people, and even ran into some unexpected friends (Shout out to Quincy, Nicoletta, Derran, Ashleigh, Dom, and Sway, who I drunkenly saw that night) I got a little (too) drunk, had a lot of fun, and enjoyed myself, so if you ever happen to be in the Bay Area, and you have a few extra dollars to spend, come through to Noble the next time Above Ground has an event. And thank you to Ashleigh Reddy for the photos.
Duckworth of Tokoy 24 has been killing the scene for quite some time, and is proving his talent with a constant barge of lyrical goodness entitled “A Swell Arrival”. The fourth installment of the collection, named “Yellow Subterrain” is available for download by clicking the picture. Team Backpack also recently had another cypher featuring Duckworth. The video is below, but the swag is everywhere.
Ricky Rossay in Concert at the ''I Am Still Music Show''
I put my footage of the “I Am Still Music” Tour on my twitter (@YoungStark) online, and I was very sad that I stopped one set of footage right at the most exciting part, as were my follwers. When E40 and Rick Ross were on stage and 40 performed “B*tch”, I cut the camera off to enjoy the performance, but luckily Rosay had his cameras on to catch what I missed. Check the method below.
(Shout out to my assistant Ashley F. as well as Kris, San, Brit, and Jenna for bein there at the same time.)
I’ve worked with ton’s of artists on different projects from all around the globe, but its always refreshing to find great talent when you weren’t looking for it. The female emcee KJ represents just that, a lyrical smack in the face, just when you thought it was a good day. Click the pic to take a listen to the freestyle track “Practice Round” to hear KJ prove her skills without even trying. To learn more about KJ, just read below.
Born in the Bay Area in Hayward, California, K.J. grew up with a musician family. Raised by her mother in a single parent home, she was brought up in the C.O.G.I.C. church learning to play many instruments by ear. Her love of music flows through her bloodstream as music is the architecture in her heart. She fell in love with Hip-Hop at age 12, when listening to artists like Da Brat, MC Lyte and Southern California’s own Snoop Dogg. Being inspired by the sound of a beat K.J. she began to compose songs from the heart and tell stories from a woman’s perspective. Representing the Female MC’s throughout high school upgrading to local music competitions and performances. Moving to Ohio to receive her second degree K.J. was discovered by producer William “Dino” Perry and 3rd Eye Enterprise. K.J.’s music brings a hype, crunk and different style to ordinary music. While very hardworking and full of potential energy K.J. is the “Hyphy” new sound for all to hear. Third Eye Enterprise is an inspiration to K.J. to keep pursuing the music and make it “feel good” for the people.
With certain blog posts, I unintentionally cause some sort of an uproar. (And then I get inbox full of emails from angry people, then I make my staff go through it, then they complain, and its just not pretty) BUT, that being said, this post is meant to cause some discussions. My person top 10 movie villains, is a list made out of personal opinion, and a list that I hope people will give me suggestions on. I haven’t seen every movie, and if you think there’s a bad-ass that I’ve left off the list, please let me know. But before I get to it, I want to explain why I left one person off the list. ‘The Dark Knight‘s joker is one of the best most compelling villains I’ve ever seen. But there is too much speculation about Heath Ledgers death being the reason people loved his performance, or about how he went crazy while playing the role, yadda yadda. So although I took Joker off the list, I still had to put up one of my favorite scenes from The Dark Knight by one of the most iconic antagonists in modern American cinema. Click the pic to see the scene.
Click the pic to watch.
And now that we have THAT out of the way, let me go into a bit more detail about my hard thought list. There is always a very worthy antagonist for every good movie, but my selections weren’t based on the money the movie made, or how well it received by the general public. When I say best villains, I mean just that. I’ve picked the most devious, reckless, demented, mischievous rapscallions ever captured on film, and portrayed by great actors, but keep in mind this list is not in any specific order. This is just my personal top 10, not how they rank. I also did my best not to over-saturate the list with over played persona’s like Jack Nicholson in The Shining. Essentially I tried to stay away from a whole list of “possessed crazed white people”, there’s an abundance of that in good movies (Ryan Reynolds in ‘Amityvillie Horror’, Katie from ‘Paranormal Activity’, and so on). The second category I stayed away from were the action movie bad guys, who are a normally a dime a dozen, and all either want money or have a personal vendetta with the good guy, which is why I tried my hardest to deviate from that as well. I’ll explain my reasons for picking each person on the list, but basically I wanted to stick to truly unique, one of a kind, malicious bad-assery (more like John Doe in ‘Seven’ which would have came 11th on the list) so I’m pretty sure I picked 10 winners. Check the method.
Patrick Bateman – (American Psycho)
What I consider a master of deception, Bateman is insane, and can keep it all in his pants when it matters most, but I think is the most unsettling thing about him is when his “crazy” slips out, like in the classic ‘business card’ scene from American Psycho. Interesting, intriguing, while still unsettling and disturbing, this simple scene doesn’t depict any of his murders, but it shows just how the mind of a person that deranged just might work.
Adrian Veidt – (Watchmen)
I consider Adrian an unparalleled monster, for the simple fact that in his movie, he did something no other villains tend to do… Succeed. He carried out his master-plan, killed a billion people, and had one of the sickest evil lines in ANY movie. “I’m not a comic book villain. Do you seriously think I would explain my master stroke to you if there were even the slightest possibility you could affect the outcome? I triggered it 35 minutes ago.“ Not to mention in his universe, he’s the smartest man alive. Check it out.
Hannibal Lecter – (Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal, Red Dragon, Hannibal Rising.)
When the original ‘Silence of the Lambs’ came out, I was far too young to appreciate it. All I remember thinking was that Buffalo Bill not having a d*ck was downright disturbing in every sense of the word. But years and years later, when the sequel ‘Hannibal’ came out, my sister sat me down and made me watch the original, and it warped my mind as to how brilliant and insidious the character of Hannibal Lecter really was. Check out a scene or two from one of my favorite evil genius’s. (B.T.W. if you haven’t seen any of the movies, he eats people.)
Blue – (Sucker Punch)
‘Sucker Punch’ is a relatively new movie, its an original, and most people are unfamiliar with its basic cast of characters. But all that being said, Blue, the movies main villain is ridiculously malicious, and carries out one of the most shocking acts in any movie I’ve seen in years. Seeing as how when this post was written, ‘Sucker Punch’ was still clocking dollars at the box office, I won’t put any spoilers into this post. But I do have to reiterate that Blue is a gentleman, a low down scheeming liar, a man of great emotional depth, a disturbed m*ther f*cker, and still one of the biggest pimps I’ve ever seen on screen. The scene below (has no spoilers) but is immediately before Blue shows his “true colors” and rockets himself into villain history. If you’ve seen the movie, you know what happens next.
Simon Phoenix – (Demolition Man)
I feel like if people were satisfied with my choices so far, they may not be after this. I know I tried to stray away from action movie villians, but if you’re a fan of the 1993 movie ‘Demolition Man’, you know exactly why Simon Phoenix breaks the action villain mold. He’s planning, methodical, and absolutely insane. Not only does he get pure joy from destruction, he carries out most of his acts in a world where people are innocent and crime doesn’t exist. He prays on the innocent not for any motive or reason, but simply because he just LOVES doing it. Which makes him a great villain. Check out exactly what I mean below.
Castor Troy – (Face Off)
Now when it comes to vile, demented, horrid, despicable, and utterly hilarious characters, no one can tell me that Castor Troy doesn’t deserve to be on this list. A great sense of humor is always something that makes an antagonist greater than the ‘evil-brooding-angry-man-sitting-in-a-chair-petting-a-cat’ stereotype that villains can have. But the mental disturbance level of Castor Troy throughout the entire movie “Face Off” is what I think gives Mr. Troy the chops to make it onto this list. Check out one of the opening scenes of ‘Face Off’ and you’ll see what I mean.
Alonzo Harris – (Training Day)
Yes… the photo above is of Denzel Washington playing Alonzo Harris in the 2001 hit ‘Training Day’… (AND yes he’s pointing a shotgun at a small boy) So now that we have an idea of how gutter the villain Alonzo Harris was, I have to say that what puts him on this list (for me) is the fact that when you watch this movie, you feel the character’s plight. You don’t care that he’s an evil, vindictive, deceitful, murderer, you just want him to succeed. And I’ll admit this whole-heartedly, when I’m alone, I can’t watch the end of ‘Training Day’. It just pushes a bad button to see Officer Harris go down the way he does. After all, he’s responsible for one of the most classic lines in current urban culture…. “King Kong ain’t got S*HT on ME!” (tell me you’ve never heard anyone say that in real life.)
Clyde Shelton – (Law Abiding Citizen)
Clyde Shelton is another relatively new bad guy, but never the less, he deserves to be on this list. I don’t know the percentage of people who have seen “Law Abiding Citizen” but if you haven’t, Shelton is one of the most brilliant bad-asses I’ve seen in a long time. He manages to keep the audience guessing as to his next move, while keeping the audience guessing as to how he’s doing it all, while keeping the audience saying “I don’t understand why your doing what your doing, but go on sir.” Perfect example is the courtroom scene below. Half the time your wondering what the hell is wrong with this man, but you can’t take your eyes of the screen. Dope.
Agent Smith – (The Matrix)
This list is all about the qualities that make antagonists extra evil, and counting those qualities. Agent Smith is unique because for the first time we have to disregard a few things. Lets just forget that the man has an army of HIMSELF. Lets forget the fact that he technically cannot die. Lets just forget the fact that he can kill you with one touch. Lets just focus on the little part where he doesn’t have one main enemy, Smith just hates the ENTIRE HUMAN SPECIES as a whole. Just for having that much hatred in your blood, you deserve a good spot on the list. Check out Smith’s explanation for his angry disposition below.
Alex – (A Clockwork Orange)
Click the pic to watch this final villain in action.
Due to restrictions put on me by the people who pay me, there is a certain bracket of content I can’t post directly onto this site. Alex from ‘A Clockwork Orange’ falls directly into that bracket like 27 times. And that’s one of the things that makes him one of the greatest Villains in movie history. Deranged beyond all comprehension, crazed, angry, disturbed, and any other synonym you can come up with, are all things to describe this character. If the “disturbing” level of ’2 Girl’s 1 Cup’ made you want to drop kick a baby stroller, then after watching the “Singing In The Rain” scene from ‘A Clockwork Orange’ you may just look like this when it’s over. The best part is, unlike ’2 Girls 1 Cup’, people actually ENJOY watching this movie, which is why Alex is one of the top ranking bad guys on my list. Enjoy.
The Vote.
So as I said in the beginning of this post, I’m very open to speculation, conversation, and mediation on this topic, and I’m really curious to hear other people’s opinions. If I’ve missed anyone I’d like to take them into consideration. So I’ve set up a vote in which you can vote on the list as to who your favorite is, or you can write your own answers in. Lets see what happens.
330 Ritch has been host to many different talented acts from all around the world. But on the 23rd of March 2011, The Above Ground entertainment company put together a perfect storm of music, musicians, and madness that made the night magic. Yours truly, DJ Storm, Tokyo 24, C -Plus, DJ King Most, 87 Stickup Kids, Kreayshawn, Alexander Spits, and Theophilus London all played a part in tearing the house to the ground. Check the Above Ground footage below.
Ton’s of people have been talking about the video above, and even among my closest friends, this video caused a discussion that upset a few people. The story I’ve heard about whats taking place in the video is that during ‘Black College Reunion’ week, 2 women were in Burger King, waiting to be served, and the wait was so unbearable for the obese women, they started senselessly tearing up the Burger King and accosting the staff. (This is the story I seem to keep hearing over and over.)
My first question is why do people have to act like that in the first place? The world may never know, so lets just move along. One question that came to my mind immediately after watching the video, and seeing the comments underneath the video from random viewers on YouTube. WHY are people so racially driven when talking about these peoples actions. Yes, its quite obvious that everyone that was causing trouble appeared African American, but why does that spark comments about an entire race? Because of one group of rowdy people, an entire race seems to get put into a box and labeled, which I personally think is very unfair.
The comments that I saw are in the picture below, and you can click the picture to enlarge the photo, but people really said some wild sh*t. Where my questions lie, when there are videos of crazy drunk white kids during spring break, no one classifies ALL white people as being that ridiculous, its just openly accepted that the group of people being observed in the video are idiots. When there are videos of a group of girls flashing people during Mardi Gras, not all women are labeled as sluts who will show off their tits for a necklace they’ll lose before the end of the week, so why is it that all black people are being labeled (by some) as ignorant, destructive, or disorderly just because of the actions of a few fat girls?
One of the things that really threw gas onto the raging fire of a discussion my friends and I had, was when we saw someone comment that they themselves were black, and then proceeded to say that most people of the black race can be ignorant or absent minded. No one person can speak for an entire race, and I think people seem to forget that. Its unfortunate that whoever the person was that made that comment has black friends that can be ignorant and absent minded, but please don’t do the SAME thing everyone else is doing by labeling your own race as predominately ignorant and absent minded.
The other wild comment I read was about the ‘Obama Entitlement’ class. I’ve never heard this term prior to reading these comments, but I can naturally assume it means that there exists a class of black people who feel “entitled” to something, or to act a certain way because President Obama is office. And regardless of weather I’m 100% on the mean or not, people seem to be under the impression this is an iron clad, rock solid phenomenon. I’m a stickler for details, so let me just examine that one for a second…
1. President Obama is half black, and half white, so either the “Obama Entitlement Class” applies to both black and white people. OR, it only applies to mulatto children who have both a black and a white parent.
2. I would presume this “Obama Entitlement” suggests that the attributes of the president in office can effect the actions of the people who share the presidents most publicized qualities. If that’s the case liars would have been tearing up Burger Kings when Nixon was in office, promiscuous men would have been at it when Clinton was in office, and vast number of less than intelligent former cocaine addicted rich kids would have been pulling things apart when Bush lived in the white house.
And finally, 3, it’s ignorant in itself to assume that an entire “class” of people feel exactly the same way about themselves because of the current president being elected. If some people feel entitled because our president is half black, that’s fine, but how can you tell from a YouTube video that the people there that day were part of that group?
But lets move past the Obama point, past the “all black people are destructive in large groups” thing, and even past the racism aspect of it. All in all, I’m not trying to preach, or make some sort of major political, racial, or jump on any type of high horse. All I’m trying to say is this… Two fat b*tches had to wait too long for a Whopper at Burger King… what did you think would happen?
There are quite a few pretty ridiculous artists in the hip hop community that I feel don’t get the appropriate recognition, and Theophilus London is a prime example. Lyrically and conceptually a step ahead of other artists in his bracket, Theo has been on my radar for quite some time, and when I heard that the Above Ground crew was bringing him out to perform at 330, I was juiced. The show goes down March 23rd at 330 Ritch downtown San Francisco. Among the list of performers to be standing on the same stage is my good ol’ boy Duckworth, so it’s sure to be a night of great music. ‘The 87 Stick Up Kids’, Alexander Spit, C Plus and DJ King Most will also be in the building. All the rest of the info is below, check the method and come through.
So every since the turn of the new year, promoters, and DJ’s alike have been asking me where I get all my drops from. For those of you outside the club scene, a drop is like your signature if your a DJ, they aren’t easy to make on your own, and if they don’t sound right, its hard to take someone seriously as a professional. But luckily my boys over at Night Life Audio have been hooking it up with high quality services for respectable prices. I’ve ordered custom drops from everything to whole mix CD’s, to one-time party ads, and everything has been better than perfect. Super quick turnaround time, and I always have people in the clubs asking me where I got the drops. But better than that, NLA has many more services up its sleeve, they specialize in work for Radio, Bands, Video, and all ranges of musical advertising. Check their website here, and just remember anytime you hear a drop from me in a party, it came from NLA.
So I’m not sure what area of what country you may live in, but in California you can ski and surf in the same day. I’ve never done both in the same day (in fact, I rarely ever ski) but by a strange turn of events I was invited out to Tahoe for a ski trip recently. So in preparation for the big weekend, I looked up some skiing videos, and below is one of the best ones I’ve found. Check the method below.
Not too long ago, I had a got a little pep-talk from my management about the fact that I don’t go out too often if I’m not working at the club. I was reminded that it’s very important to be social if your a public figure (unless your Eminem, who stayed home for 5 years, and is still famous). So I decided to head out to the newly opened Club Noble in downtown San Francisco to chill with the Above Ground crew, and what ensued was a night of fun, laughs, and ridiculous drinking challenges. F.Y.I. (Fly Young Industries) was one of the first events to be held at the newly opened Club Noble, and all in all it was an amazing outing. The club was buzzing with the young ‘who’s who’ of the Bay Area, and people like Jeff Gaines of the Brooklyn Circus, B Fladd, Tokyo 24, and Street Files host Young Dolo, were amongst some of the club goers in attendance. Check the pics below, and hit me up if you want any more info on the next F.Y.I. event.
So I want to make this perfectly clear before I begin, I have nothing against Jersey Shore, Jerseylicious, or The Real House Wives Of New Jersey. So now that we have that out of the way, I’m writing this because DJ Pauly D was in San Francisco recently, spinning at one of the largest clubs in the bay. (And congrats to him, I spun that club when I was 21, but it only took him 2 years of being famous and 30 years of life to get on the same tables). But after his club appearance, I was hit with a blazing tempest of questions about New Jersey from people… Questions like if everyone in NJ is like the cast of Jersey Shore/Jerseylicious, or folks asking me how it feels to have the most influential people out of New Jersey to be J-Wow and Snookie. I even had someone ask if my mother was like one of the “Real Housewives of New Jersey”. So I just want to make this clear to a few folks, and make a ”short” list of people who have done something substantial that were born or raised in New Jersey, just so were clear. Check the method below.
People From New Jersey.
Lauren Hill - Singer/Songer Writer - South Orange, NJ
Chelsea Handler - Comedian/TV Host - Livingston, NJ
I’ve been asked many a time who the “hottest” woman on my blog is, and while the answer to that is always a matter of opinion… a matter my boys and I argue about weekly, one thing that doesn’t falter are the numbers. Right now the incredible Ms. Gianna DeNinno has managed (in a little under 6 short weeks) to cruise to the top of a list of women that have been publicized on my blog for a little under a year. Being the highest viewed woman on one of the fastest growing blogs in Bay deserves far more than a picture and a paragraph, so I decided to hit Gianna up and have talk with her about everything from her career, to her life at school, to her taste in music, to Call Of Duty, to the misconceptions people have about models. I have to admit I had a great time getting to pick the brain of my Blog’s number 1 stunner. Although my request for some new pictures was denied, every answer to each of my questions was an informative insight to one of the hottest girls in the urban modeling game, and solid proof that there’s a whole lot more to that booty than what meets men’s eyes. Check the method below.
DJ Storm: So as I understand it, your in school right now, whats it like for you walking around your campus? Do other students know you model, and what effect does your work life have on life for you at school? You must be a campus celebrity. Gianna DeNinno:Actually I live in Denver most of the time, travel to Atl and Mia for business and personal reasons!! I’ll say personal instead of pleasure, haha!! I actually go to school online now, because of that very reason!! I’ve been in college for more than four straight years now and the first three were filled with holla’s and me hearing, “Shawty!! Shawwty!!! Aye shawtty!!! SHAWTY!!!” Wow, I felt when I’d walk around between classes, like I was being F’d (I’ll call it) by their eyes!! Haha…but for the most part I had lots of buddies! We’d actually pop our car doors while on campus and blast some Gucci or “Dallas swag music” and get our dougie or jerk on. I love that kind of sh*t…it’s real!! That’s enjoying life to me—catchin’ a stanky leg when the moment calls!
DJS: Its super critical for everyone who really intends to be somebody to have a team behind them, including people like your managers, and your photographer, who else is on your team, and what roles do they play in your work life? GDN:My photographer is my “modeling everything”!! He’s my photographer, web-designer, editor. He takes care of me when I’m in Miami. Lol I make him nervous though, he freaks out when he sees guys surround me. I’m like, “Yo chill the f*ck out dude!! Don’t have a panic attack over there!!” lol But that’s my muthaf*ckin’ homie! Think of a cross between Mr. Rogers and Eminem! Haha, he’s going to kill me for saying that, but it’s true.
DJS: A cross between Mr. Rogers and Eminem is a fierce combination. How did you guys link up? GDN:Through Joanna and I’s Mixed Magazine cover shoot!
DJS: Congratulations on the All Star weekend gig. Thats gotta be super exciting, and I hear Derrick Rose knows how to party, so “Rose Pedals” should be a good time. What other event hosting gigs have you done recently, and whats it like running around in those types of parties? GDN:Thank you!!! Not recently! But I have danced for Young Buck and Dorrough when they performed in Colorado last year. Dancing is my forte’! I was in a very well known hip hop crew back when I lived in Seattle. I was only 11 years old then! I think it’s just in my blood!
DJS: When your not hosting events, what spots do you like to party at in locally?
GDN:The best you’re going to get is I’m at the gym about 6 days a week! 24 Hour, you guys will just have to figure out which one!
DJS: So I know you have quite the following on twitter, and just like every other woman in the urban modeling industry, i’m sure you’ve had men say some outlandish sh*t to get your attention. (Even I couldn’t help making a comment about bringing you sweets someday if were at the same party.) But what are a few of the most ridiculous things you’ve had men say to you, either on twitter, or in a public social setting? GDN:The one occurrence I always remember–I was at the gym doing cardio and some guy walked up to me and rubbed his hand across me. I looked at him like, “What the f*ck are you doin’?!!!!” He said, “Sorry to bother you, you’re just so sexy that I had to see if some of that sexiness could rub off on me!” lol I was so shocked, I even didn’t know what to say! Funny thing now is, we are good friends now! My Iz! Lol Also, many times in the club, I’ll be walking and men are always grabbing my arms. I usually just yank my arm away and keep walking, I never even see who does it. One night I did that and all of a sudden I felt liquid splash on me. I turned around and the guy was looking at me like, “What you gonna’ do?” lol I went and told my two buddies who were with me. I’ll say they ended it pretty well! Though I vow next time I’ll come at him first! Lol
DJS: Like I said, I follow you on twitter, (What can I say, I’m a fan… as is every other male on my staff) and I see its almost every day that you hit the gym. Do you have a personal trainer that you work with, or do you just have your own routine you follow, and if so, what is it? GDN:Love the gym!! Been working out since I was 11. No trainer! I always felt like I could do it better. I just do a lot of cardio, abt an hour to two hours daily and legs about 2-3 times per week! I like to keep my ass jiggly with my little middle
DJS: I’ve seen the Mixed magazine featuring you and Joanna Shari, so I’m somewhat familiar with the story between you guys, but some people reading may not be. How did she have an influence on your modeling career, and whats your relationship with Joanna Shari like right now? GDN:Joanna is who found me!! All thanks go to her!!! I love that girl, she’s like a sister to me. I’d do anything for her. She watches out for me, my Italiana! J We also know how to put down some food!!! haha
DJS: So I know you’ve done shoots for Mixed Magazine, As-Is ,YORaps, you’re the first lady of the Brick Squad Divas, and you’ve won the coveted Booty of the Year last year. But all in all what’s been your top 3 favorite working experiences? Like your favorite locations, favorite people to work with, or the most fun you’ve ever had on a shoot.
GDN:My favorite places are Georgia and Florida. I think I lived In Georgia in another life! Everything about it is familiar to me. It have this vibe, this feel, this enegy that is amazing. It feels like I was there before, real talk. Joanna is cool, very real, nothing fake about her, so probably our Mixed Mag photoshoot, is in my top favorites. Waka is a f*cking blast! Lol This nigga is on some other sh*t! He’s funny as f*ck, he keeps everything real and his energy when he performs is nothing like I’ve ever seen. He gives every song, every lyric, every dread shake his all. He has trademarked that sh*t again! That’s my favorite artist right there.
DJS: Let me go back for a quick second, to the Booty of the Year award, because I’m sure that just sparked the interest of many readers. Who runs the Booty of the Year contest, and how did you get involved with the competition?
GDN: Mixed Magazine! They saw me during one of our last photoshoots and said, “Yes hands down you won!” Yaay! Thanks guys, muah!
DJS: So after taking a look at your facebook page I noticed you have info for your Call Of Duty ID. In your spare time, are you a video game kinda girl (those are the sexiest kind), and if you are, what games are your favorite.
GDN: Unfortunately I gave my PS3 up, but Call of Duty Modern Warfare and Black Opps are my fav. I love anything that involves shooting or racing. Grand Theft is my sh*t too! lol Madden go hard I also like to read a lot. I was home schooled up until 10th grade before attending a public high school, so I’m used to teaching myself and constantly reading. I love being smarter than everyone else hehe heee! lol!
DJS: I had a chance to take a look at your website GiannaDeNinno.com the other day when my assistant hit you up, and I was very impressed, the entire site is dope. Who did you have set up your website, and how involved were your in the design process? GDN:My photographer does all my graphic work. My old website used to be GiaBooty.com now it’s GiannaDeNinno.com The first name just sounded as if all I had was a booty! Lol I’m an arrogant genius with an IQ of 143. Definitely not just “a booty”! All of the graphics are not finished with the new site, but it’s coming together well. I tell my web-designer exactly how I want it. He says I’m never happy with any of it, hahaha, I just want it perfect!
DJS: I know you’re down with Flocka, but what other types of music do you like to listen to when your at home chillin? Who are some of your favorite artists out right now? GDN:I listen to a lot of Waka, Gucci, Jeezy, OJ the Juice, T.I., and Rick Ross. But I think Wak and Gucci have the illest beats. That’s what I be bumpin’ in my car! Got two 15’s! …On some rare days I listen to some Indie music, like Colbe Calait, The Fray, One Republic, Coldplay etc. It feeds your soul. It’s real. I have many sides But hip hop is what I grew up to. I can fall asleep to it. Serious.
DJS: If you had the opportunity to work with any artist, either in print, or in music videos, who are the top 5 people in the music industry you’d want to work with and why? GDN:Eminem music video, Gucci music video, Waka photoshoot, New Boys or Cali Swag music video, T.I. music video. Eminem has a very powerful energy with aggression, a lot of passion, he’s amazing. Gucci is just Gucci, haha!!! Wak’s appeal is undenying! New Boys or Cali Swag cause I’d love to dance for them and T.I. is a classic of mine and I’m sure many others.
DJS: I happen to know a few young ladies that are very interested in getting into the same type of modeling that you dominate, they have the look, and the desire, but if you could give hints to women out there that in a few years want to be where you are now, what would you tell them? GDN:Don’t give up. Keep doing little things here and there, keep pushing. Pretty soon you go out and someone yells your name or ask, “Are you her!!!?” and you think, “D*mn this is really paying off!” This industry is like a Wall Street job, you have thousands, even millions of applicants you’re competing with. Your resumes has to be different than every other, if you want to stand out. You have to possess something no one else does. You’re lucky to even get in for an interview, so if you do, you better go hard in the paint my n*gga’, cause you only have one first impression. You can either be an applicant, a temp, an employee, or the boss. It’s up to you.
DJS: In your line of work, I’m sure you get to travel a lot, but what are some of the locations that you’d want to shoot in the most? And what are some concepts that you’d like to do for shoots in the future? GDN:I am in love with the Jamaican culture. I think it’s very grounded and raw—that’s beautiful. I’d love to shoot there and in downtown New York. …Can’t tell you concepts, you’ll have to wait and see!
DJS: One thing I know local readers would want to know is, have you ever done any work in the Bay Area, and what would it take to get you to come out this way?
GDN:I mostly just fly out there for photoshoots right now…Give me a good business prop and I’m sure you can get me to come out that way!
DJS: I know a lot of times people think models aren’t the smartest of people and that some girls do favors to get ahead. What can you tell me about that?
GDN:I witness a lot of attractive girls who are uneducated/“act stupid” not sure if they think it’s cute or if they are just really that way. I also believe with attraction you don’t have to work so hard to get your way, but proving yourself is a job in itself. I am a full time student, never partied in high school, kind of just do my own thing and mind my business. People believe because I pose in lingerie that I do other things. Nah don’t get it twisted! To be clear, I’d never do porn or ever will, EVER and I’d never do those acts for money. My values are strong, they’ve been tested a lot in this industry. I know myself and I’m proud of that. Because I model I get put into this very degrading category sometimes. I say, “I don’t need to do any of this!!” I do it because I want to. I was originally going to school to be a doctor; last year I switched over to Business and Communications. Once again I don’t need to do any of this, I do it while I look youthful and enjoy it while it lasts! J And when it comes to favors… I hear some models do favors to get on covers, etc. …I say Ya’ll can keep your f*ckin magazine!! …I’ll keep my values. Muah!
So every year, my mother will inevitably prompt me to engage in Black History activities much the same way a toddler pokes a sleeping dog with a stick for entrainment. But this year instead of having to prove to her that I’ve watched some program on Dr. King, or a documentary about Guion Bluford, I’ve decided to find some new faces relevant to black history in America. Now we all know that the gay rights movement is currently something that rotates in and out of our faces every so often, and there are some people who believe gay marriage is wrong. I’m not here to say weather it is or isn’t, but what I do want to do is remember a time when marriage between blacks and white was illegal. (It’s also called Miscegenation) Not being able to marry another race (to me) is ridiculous. I’ve, uh… copulated with women of every race there is, and to not be able to take any of those relationships further because of some law is absurd to me. But just like every boundary before and after it, the destruction of Miscegenation started with one incident, and then spread. Read the very important story Richard and below.
You may not know her name, but Mildred Loving was a civil rights activist. Like many who played a role in the civil rights movement Emmett Till, Rosa Parks Mrs. Loving wasn’t looking to change the world by her actions. All she was looking to do was be married to her husband, Richard. Richard was white, and Mildred was black and when they were married in 1958, interracial marriage ”miscegenation” is the pejorative was against the law in their home state of Virginia, as well as 16 other states. Interracial marriage was once a concept so odious that in 1912, Rep. Seaborn Roddenbery of Georgia tried to introduce an amendment to the Constitution banning such unions. To his colleagues in Congress he lectured, according to the Chicago Daily Tribune: ”It is contrary and averse to every sentiment of pure American spirit. It is contrary and averse to the very principles of a pure Saxon government. It is subversive of social peace. … No more voracious parasite ever sucked at the heart of pure society and moral status than the one which welcomes or recognizes everywhere the sacred ties of wedlock between Africa and America.”
Aren’t you glad we’re living in a time when politicians don’t use relationships between consenting adults as wedge issues? (sarcasm) The Lovings even spent time in jail for the high crime of being married to each other, and were forced to move from Virginia… Then, in June of 1967, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Lovings’ ACLU-supported challenge to the Virginia law banning interracial marriages. Forty years later, there’s something like 4.3 million mixed-marriage couples in the United States. Never mind the number of people legally allowed to love as they please, Mildred Loving never thought she personally had done anything special. “It was God’s work,” she told the Associated Press in an interview last year. Though their only desire was to be together, it was not meant to be for the Lovings. Richard was killed in a 1975 car accident. Well, they’re together again now, and bless them both.
I know Mildred and Richard’s name may not be mentioned in middle schools across the country every February, or they may not have a street in every major city named after them, but when it comes to the freedom of being with whoever you love, they are pioneers. February, aside from being Black History month, is also the month that holds valentines day. So if you (like myself) are emotionally involved with someone of a different race, take a second to thank the people who made it possible for you.
Because of certain companies and websites who invest in my blog to promote their products, services, and events, I haven’t been allowed to post certain content. But for one day, Friday the 11th of Feb. to take a day off from limits and restrictions. So right now I’ll say if anything posted up today offends you, shocks you, or isn’t content that you deem acceptable, just remember that this is MY site. These are the things I find interesting, amazing, and innovative, and these are the things I wish to share. Things today will be a bit more racy, sexual, provocative, racist, intense, and thought provoking than usual. But once again if it’s too much for you, I’ll let you know when it’s over. Enjoy.
So, while in L.A., I was chillin with my good friend and business partner, and we decided that the clubs were a bit boring. We’ve both clubbed a bit too much for the weekend, and we were over the scene for the night, so we decided to go back to my hotel and kick it with some folks. In the process, I’m pretty sure I created one of the most ridiculous drinking games I’ve come up with in the last few years. The HBO hit series Entourage has been one of my favorite shows for quite some time, so we started watching and put some rules into effect. With the help of a set of drinking dice that were labeled with phrases like “Sip”, “Drink 2 Cups”, “Bottoms Up”, “Drink Half Cup”, “No Drinks”, “Drink 2 Cups”, and “Drink At Will”, I devised one simple rule. Every time Ari Gold says the word “F*ck” or any derivative of said obscenity, we roll the dice, and drink as instructed. We started with season 5, and by the second episode, all parties involved were plastered, and by episode 4 we ran out of liquor. All in all it was a fun night, and I’m fairly certain that the next time I’m taking a break from work on the weekends, I’m sure to play the game again. And if your feeling a bit frisky, but you don’t have the dice we used, just take a simple shot of whatever you have whenever Mr. Gold utters the F word. Here’s a sample, enjoy the results.
Friday, February 11th, The Big Valentine’s Weekend: Cupid’s Arrow Edition is going down. If your in the Tri-State area, the event is at Club AllStar. 153 3rd St, Elizabeth, NJ 07206. For more info on the venue, check www.allstarnightclub.com Doors open at 9:30pm and they stay open until 3:00am. DJs for the night are DJ Klutch Johnson, VJ One and Pitbull’s own DJ Magic. The first 100 ladies receive a back massage and chocolate strawberry. VIP will have Moet Rose, all flavors of Ciroc and the strawberries all night. There will also be very special guest in the house celebrating a birthday. My good friend Red.
For more info, hit the website for Club Allstar or call Red personally at 908.418.5666 or Jamaal 908.265.6612
Not too many people may be aware that I try not to blog on the same topic too many times, unless some aspect about it drastically changes, or the issue takes an inescapable turn. But when I saw my good friend, the emcee Duckworth on the new Team Back Pack cypher, I had to post it up. I know some people had to remember his first cypher appearance just a month ago, but this is an entirely different beast. Team Back Pack is proficient in supply a wide variety of beats for artists to spit over, and is prolific in the way they showcase talent. check the method in the video below of Duckworth doing his thing, the way he does it best… (SWAG)
A few days ago, I was fortunate enough to be taken on a tour of the future Ear-Peace Records store in Berkley, California. My colleague and good friend Stu Lacero is in the process of opening up what will undoubtedly be one of the shining gems among the local businesses in Berkley. The store features a massive graffiti mural, a floating stage, and spaces for artists to come in and work on pieces live. One of the first things Stu showed me was the space on the floating stage for the DJ booth. (So rest assured I will be eating, sleeping and working in the store quite a bit), and the layout for the records, clothes, and merchandise he plans to sell. I’ve been excited for a while now to see what the store will look like when it’s finished, but after seeing the work in progress, I know the final product will be incredible.
Last week, Duckworth of Tokyo 24, his photographer, and myself sat down in my living room, and had a very intellectual conversation about the merrits of Black History Month, and its relation to African Americans, and Africans. Long story short, the conversation boiled down to us discovering one of the most bad-ass dark-skinned warriors of all time. Hannibal of Carthage would legit make Leonidas piss in his red banana-hammock. Check the video series below about this epic warrior who was credited as the father of advanced military strategy. And if your a youth who’s still in school, when Black History Month rolls around, tell your teachers you want to learn about Hannibal Barca Bey.
Emeryville police have detained two men who boarded a public shuttle bus with real-looking handgun replicas yesterday afternoon, a police spokesman said. The incident began at 3:43 p.m. when the Emeryville Police Department received a report of someone brandishing a gun at 40th and Watts streets, department spokesman Brian Head said. The suspect then boarded the free Emery Go Round shuttle. A minute later, police spotted the bus and pulled it over at the corner of Hollis and 40th streets. Seven police cars arrived on the scene, and officers pointed their guns at the bus as the roughly one dozen passengers exited one by one, walking backwards to the curb with their hands up. Police conducted a pat search of each passenger and found that two men were concealing replica guns — one in a jacket and one in a backpack. The guns looked “absolutely real,” Head said. “They’re pellet guns, but they’re made to look like actual working firearms that are brand-name.” Head had no information about the relationship between the two men or what may have prompted the incident. No arrests have been made. Head said police plan to speak to the victim who made the initial call in order to gather more information.
So in a recent post, I said that I had a pretty sh*tty day on the 18th, and if anyone spoke with me personally after 4:50 yesterday the 18th of January, I probably wasn’t in the best of moods. On my way to finish one of my professional evaluations on campus, and the bus had stopped at a green light, and I was a bit perplexed. I was sitting in the rear of the bus, with my back facing the curb, when I noticed 2 cop cars behind the bus, police behind their opened doors, and their guns drawn. What ensued was one of the most hazardous and by far the most annoying afternoon of my life.
So rewind about 5 minutes, and I was in the rear of a bus in Emeryville that was being stopped as the police, sitting between four 18 year olds that were deliberating on who would take the wrap for toting a BB gun painted as a real pistol around 40th in Oakland. Once they figured out that no one amongst them was willing to take the fall for what sounded like one person’s mistake, the entire bus looked around and realized that the cops were surrounding us, from all angles, (some were even hidden in the bushes). For WHATEVER reason, the 4 who instigated the entire incident, still thought something was funny, and let out a few loud laughs as cops were closing in. They threw whatever it was they had into a backpack, and were kicking it around between each other until the police forcefully let us know what it was they wanted.
A good samaritan came from the very rear of the bus, and decided to be the better person and give the police what the ‘suspects’ wouldn’t. (Either that, or 17 cops with guns pointed at him, because he was nearest to the back window, made him want to just end the entire stand off.) He had all weapons pointed towards him, and was instructed to put his hands up and walk towards the cops backwards.
At that point I thought the cops had what the wanted, and would let us get on our, but soon afterwards, everyone was instructed to do the exact same. Every single passenger had to walk out, hands up with guns pointed at them, was searched, and handcuffed on the sidewalk. An hour and 15 minutes later, there was a happy crowd of onlookers across the street that had grown tired of waiting for something exciting to happen, and traffic had resumed on the opposite side of the street.
At the end of day, everyone on the bus was annoyed, frustrated, embarrassed, sick of the cops, but no one was hurt. The whole ordeal was more of a pain in the ass than anything thing, especially because I personally was over an hour late for my professional evaluation… which wasn’t very professional. But I’m hoping that after my professor reads this post, I’ll get those extra 30 points tacked back onto my final grade.
So it’s been a long day, and I’ve been through quite a bit in the last 24 hours, but my boy Jeff just helped put a smile back on my face. He came in from New York, to my place to chill, and shared the beauty of “Baracka Flacka Flame”. I haven’t laughed this hard in days, and everyone else at the house is in stitches. The video features a very real looking “Baracka” parading around to one of the more popular Wacka Flacka Flame songs, with original lyrics looking far more fearsome than he already does to white people in the south. Rumor has it, the video already made it to CNN. Check the method below, and tell me you didn’t at least once.
For years I’ve wanted to spin a birthday party for any of my best friends. (Unfortunately, we all tend be knee-deep in some business venture that requires us to remain sober on our birthdays.) This year however, Reginald Sylvester broke the tradition, and decided to have his birthday celebration over at Otis in downtown San Francisco along with Ryan Jones, Lisa Gomez, and Fatima Olowo. So if your in the area, come by and party with us, the Above Ground promotional team, DJ King Most, and the Otis staff.
