I watched the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards this past Sunday night, not because I really wanted to, but because my cable has been shut off and there’s only so much Family Guy I can take on a weekly basis. Like many (or maybe it was just me) I was admittedly impressed with the performances, a little underwhelmed by the fashion, and completely caught off guard with the award recipients. Well…specifically one award recipient. As we all know in this day and age how talented you are doesn’t always outshine how pretty you are or how easily you take your clothes off. Talent doesn’t pay the bills anymore, and apparently it doesn’t win you any awards either. Taylor Swift is all of 17 years old, has sold out numerous venues, made appearances in movies, and has messed around with that one Jonas brother, and while yes she has a bit of talent, I’ll be damned if that talent is worthy of the Grammy Awards highest honor: Album of the Year.
First off, lets take a look at the people she was up against, specifically the powerhouse combo platter that is Beyonce and Lady Gaga. In that threesome alone Taylor didn’t stand a chance. If we were going off record sales, endorsements, showmanship, lace front wigs, and glittered headpieces, there would be a different winner. Personally I think Lady Gaga deserved that award more than any of the nominees. She’s changed the face of not only music, but fashion, and performance, and whether you love her or love to hate her, you KNOW that (insert dirty word here) puts in WORK.
Aside from the Lady Gaga’s and Beyonce’s who seemed a little more deserving, I can’t help but think of one name who made this possible for Taylor. The one arrogant ass wipe that made her star shine a bit brighter. Can you guess who I’m thinking of? KANYE WEST. The now infamous MTV Video Music Award moment that shocked millions, made it to daytime, prime time, and the 11 o’clock news, and caused Kanye to go into hiding, has obviously given Taylor Swift the sympathy she needed to win Album of the Year. Yes, I said it: SYMPATHY. Lets be honest for a moment shall we? How much exposure was Taylor getting BEFORE Kanye snatched a mic from her hand and shouted from the rooftops Queen Creole had the greatest video of all time? Now lets examine how much sympathy she received in the aftermath. Can you see what I see? Hell, I’m not the only person who’s sitting on a laptop wondering about this travesty. There are polls dedicated to gathering public opinion on whether or nit Taylor was deserving enough of Album of the Year. POLLS! Kanye Shrug for sure.
I’m in no way shape or form a Taylor Swift hater. I have her album. I’ve vibed out to her song ‘Forever & Always’ many times, especially when I find myself having a self loathing emo moment. I even enjoyed her episode hosting Saturday Night Live. No, I am no ones hater, but I am a consumer, and avid music listener and lover, which I feel gives me the balls I need to say she didn’t deserve that award. There were people who sang better (and on pitch), had better sales, and a put in work this year. They didn’t win an award because someone ripped a mic out of their hand and made them cry. But then again that’s just my opinion. Right?
Long before she made a cameo on The Hills or was fired by Yigal Azrouël for seating hooker with a heart of gold Ashley Dupré front row at his show during fashion week, I was borderline obsessed with Kelly Cutrone. Her no-nonsense attitude, impressive list of clients and the fact that People’s Revolution holds a record for most fashion shows produced on September 11, 2002 is one of the main reasons I began dabbling in PR in the first place. So it comes as no surprise that I was a bit excited when I heard that she was finally getting her own reality show and dropping her first book all in one month.
This single mother turned authoress, didn’t miss a beat while filming two reality shows, prepping for fashion week, and writing her self help book, “If You Have to Cry Go Outside and Other Things Your Mother Never Told You”, this past summer. According to Cutrone the book deals with what it means to be feminine and reaches out to young women giving them advice served up in her usual shoot from the hip tone. With chapters like “A Bitch is Not a Bad Word” and “It’s not a Break Down, It’s a Breakthrough”, the book could either be fun and filled with witty advice or overly cliché but a best seller because its author happens to be a brilliant publicist. While I may be on the fence about her ability to translate her pearls of wisdom into an awesome tome, I am more than confident her reality show will be one to watch.
After being fed bits of Cutrone’s straight talk and love of the color black via cameos on MTV’s The Hills and The City, the channel responsible for bringing Rachel Zoe and Brad to the masses, is now bringing People’s Rev and fashion PR to the forefront. On the plus side I know Kelly and her staff are way cooler than Taylor and Brad which will make for beyond interesting TV. In addition, 70 percent of her clients have agreed to appear on the show, meaning we actually get to see Jeremy Scott come in the office instead of listening to one side of a conversation with him. The down side is, the promotion of fashion public relations will make it twice as hard for me to find a j-o-b, but I digress.
When asked by WWD if she was planning on moving away from the PR biz to focus on her own personal brand Cutron had this to say…
“P.r. is what I know how to do to make money and it’s what I’m really good at, I think it’s a natural thing to say, ‘Oh, OK. Well, now Kelly Cutrone has to leave p.r., but that would be an old model and I’m not really interested in old models….Do I want to stick around when I’m making a fortune writing books and producing television, taking s–t from a designer who pays $6,000 a month who doesn’t want to pay their bills for three months? No. Does being on TV and writing books give me the freedom to kick their asses out of my office before they f–k me over? Yeah. That’s the reality”
Well said.
Kell On Earth premiers on Bravo on Feb 1 and “If You Have to Cry Go Outside and Other Things Your Mother Never Told You” hits your local bookstores on Feb 2.
Kid Sister rockin' Kerin Rose frames at a recent performance
It could have been the bad speakerphone reception, the apparent exhaustion of the artist, or the general goofiness of the interviewer (moi), but my recent conversation with up-and-coming recording star Kid Sister was – well – kinda awkward. She was bored with the questions about A-Trak (her boyfriend and the executive producer of debut album, Ultraviolet) and seemingly annoyed at the mention of the “rough draft” titles of her album (including Koko B. Ware and Dream Date). Also, I was nervous – ’cause I LUH HER.
But as the interview progressed, Kid Sister Melisa perked up at the mention of the Cosby show and when we spoke of her former employer Bath and Body Works, we bonded over our mutual disgust for all things Sun-Ripened Raspberry-scented.
Check out these highlights from our conversation, including her describing her struggles with losing weight (“You can make it, even if you have cottage-cheese thighs”) and her proclamation that she is “just who she is; not constructed in a boardroom.”
The Brand New Heavies were leaders of the acid jazz movement in the 1980s and 1990s.
One of my favorite musical genres just happens to acid jazz. As an avid lover a hip-hop, jazz, funk, and soul music, one of the things I love the most about acid jazz is that it combines all these elements of music into one big ball of awesomeness! Its origins are often linked back to the UK in 1980s and 1990s with DJs and crate diggers bringing it to the forefront. One of the frontrunners in the “acid jazz movement” definitely had to be one of my favorite groups ever: The Brand New Heavies. The Brand New Heavies made inspiring and positive music that you could dance to. I remember coming home from school and throwing one of their CDs into my stereo regularly. I would dance around my bedroom pretending that I looked and sounded like leading vocalist N’Dea Davenport while my stuffed animals held it down as the guys in the band. For many of us that grew up in the 1990s, The Brand New Heavies bring back memories of when all genres of music could be considered “mainstream”. They introduced the world to acid jazz in baby steps by making songs that also had a pop appeal to them. The Brand New Heavies had an ever changing roster of group members, but die hard fans like myself who believed in the truly good music that they made. Just ask M.I.S.S. contributor Randi who sang the song “Fake” from the album Brother, Sister with her brother’s band! She also loved the Brand New Heavies so much that she sent away for label stickers in middle school!
The Brand New Heavies consist of Andrew Levy, Jan Kincaid, Simon Bartholomew, and N'Dea Davenport.
The Brand New Heavies formed in 1985 under the name of Brother International. Long time friends Jan Kincaid (drummer/keyboardist), Simon Bartholomew (guitar/vocalist), and Andrew Levy (bassist/keyboardist ) began as an instrumental acid jazz group that quickly gained a cult following within the London club scene. Inspired and influenced by their love of 1960’s and 1970’s soul and funk music, the group later changed their name to “Brand New Heavies” by borrowing from the title “Minister of New Super Heavy Funk” given to soul singer James Brown. They gained huge exposure when their demo tracks were spun at various clubs, especially the influential Cat in the Hat Club in London. Acid house and jazz music began to take over the London club circuit and would slowly make its way to the United States with the Brand New Heavies arrival.
In 1990, the Brand New Heavies added a vocalist by the name of Jay Ella Ruth and signed a deal with the CoolTempo Records. They released the single “Got to Give” from their debut self-titled album Brand New Heavies. The single was hot and the album was even better! They were both met with widespread critical acclaim assuring the Brand New Heavies a spot on the music charts. Soon after the release of “Got to Give”, Jay Ella Ruth left the group and the band signed to a division of Chrysalis Records in the UK. American distribution was soon picked up by the independent label Delicious Vinyl which is known for signing west coast artists such as the Pharcyde, Tone Loc, and Masta Ace. With the Brand New Heavies added to the roster, the label hand picked a newly signed singer by the name of N’Dea Davenport to replace Jay Ella Ruth.
After joining The Brand New Heavies in 1990, leading vocalist N'Dea Davenport moved from Los Angeles, California to London, England.
Even though N’Dea Davenport would be the newest member of the group, she was certainly not a stranger to the music industry. She previously provided background vocals to a number of artists including Tone Loc, Young MC, and Madonna. She proved to have great chemistry with the Brand New Heavies and added the right element of funky and soulful vocals that were needed. Although N’ Dea had solo aspirations, she was drawn to the band out of a love of collaborating. A revamped version of the first album featuring vocals by N’Dea Davenport was then released, spawning the feel good singles “Dream Come True”, “Never Stop”, and “Stay This Way”. N’Dea Davenport’s strong, yet soulfully sweet voice was definitely one to envy. Her style was reminiscent of every popular 1990’s trend. At a time when the resurrection of 1970’s style and Seattle grunge fashion were all the rage, you could find N’Dea Davenport rocking a hippie vest made complete with a choker and a plaid baby doll dress with a knit ski hat. Fresh indeed!
Back in the good old days when MTV actually played music videos, The Brand New Heavies’ “Never Stop” was in constant rotation. The song landed on the American R&B charts making it one of their most successful singles to date. With the Brand New Heavies becoming the first British group to accomplish such a feat with a debut single since Soul II Soul several years earlier, they quickly hit the studio to record their second album, Heavy Rhyme Experience, Vol. 1. An earlier performance in New York City that also featured rappers Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest and MC Serch of 3rd Bass inspired the group to incorporate more elements of hip-hop into their music with this album. Heavy Rhyme Experience, Vol. 1 was met with widespread acclaim and included guest appearances by rappers Main Source, Gang Starr, Grand Puba, and the Pharcyde.
The Brand New Heavies became known for their hip-hop collaborations.
In 1994, The Brand New Heavies released their third studio album Brother, Sister. The title track to the album (which happens to be my personal favorite) featured a funkier, more soulful sound reminiscent of music legends James Brown, Sly & The Family Stone, Vicki Anderson, and Mallia Franklin all combined into one! Against the backdrop of Andrew, Simon, and Jan’s funky instrumentation, N’Dea offered advice that seemed to speak directly to the youth of the world. In words that still strongly resonate with me even to this day, here’s what she said.
“Grandma said, at times you’ll feel a sting. There’ll be sharp turns and up hills and closed doors. Then she said hold onto your faith ’cause in this world you’ve got to go and get yours. So you stand up! Be strong! Go out there! Hold on! To the real things that matter, ’cause no one’s gonna hand it to you on a silver platter.”
Singer N'Dea Davenport briefly stepped out on her own to pursue a solo career.
Although N’Dea Davenport’s solo aspirations were postponed to join the Brand New Heavies, she stepped out on her own and was featured on rapper Guru’s Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1 album in 1993. The single “Trust Me”, which had N’Dea singing the hook is considered a classic to fans of both N’Dea Davenport and Guru. She eventually left the group after the release of Brother, Sister in 1994 to pursue her solo career. Her self-titled debut was released on V2 Records in June of 1998. While it was only moderately successful, the album gave listeners the funky flavor that they had come to love and expect from her. The album featured production by Atlanta’s Dallas Austin and N’Dea Davenport herself. Singles released from this album include “Whatever You Want”, “Underneath A Red Moon”, “Bring It On” and “Bullsh**in”.
In my humble opinion, the Brand New Heavies just didn’t feel the same without N’Dea Davenport present. After the release of her debut album, things remained relatively quiet on Davenport’s career front but the Brand New Heavies would continue to make music. A singer by the name of Siedah Garrett joined the group for their third studio album, Shelter that was then followed by a greatest hits album entitled Trunk Funk – The Best of The Brand New Heavies . On the greatest hits album, a singer by the name of Carleen Anderson provided vocals on some newly recorded tracks as Siedah Garrett left the group. An Japan only album entitled, We Won’t Stop, was released in 2003 and Allaboutthefunk featuring British singer Nicole Russo on vocals was released in 2004.
The Brand New Heavies continue to make music capturing the energy and funk that they became known for.
In 2006, the Brand New Heavies reunited with N’Dea Davenport for a new album entitled, Get Used to It. They released a live album in October 2009 entitled Live In London and plans to release two more studio albums in 2010. I couldn’t be happier! While the Brand New Heavies certainly continued to make good music without N’Dea Davenport on deck, the combination and chemistry of these two forces are simply magical. The revival of acid jazz is back and in full effect! When it comes to making music, I hope the Brand New Heavies never stop or give it up!
I’m sure you have heard of new Capitol recording artist Priscilla Renea – Her video for “Dollhouse” has been looped non-stop on MTV between their “cable” shows – and she has also penned a few songs for fellow singer Katy Perry. “Dollhouse” is a little too commercial for my taste, but I’m really feeling the YouTube videos where it’s just her and her guitar. Simple pleasures. We caught up with Ms. Renea via email and she told us a little bit about her start in the industry.
Still from "Dollhouse"
You just performed at Lollapalooza. Do you feel you perform differently when you are in front of a large audience (as opposed to in front of a digital camera for YouTube)?
I feel no difference when I’m performing in front of a super huge crowd like at Lollapalooza than when it’s just me singing to my YouTube audience because I don’t have to focus on just one person in either situation. There’s no awkwardness. It’s just me and the bright lights shining in my eyes.
Still from "Dollhouse"
What is it like working with Benny Blanco? Is he as pervy in real life as he was on Bangers & Cash with Spank Rock?
Benny is a nutcase. He’s crazy. He’s just about as pervy as he’s ever gonna get. lol. At least I hope he doesn’t get any worse!
Renea advertising the release of her EP Hello My Apple
Benny has worked with Katy Perry, and your song “Dollhouse” seems more like pop than some of the other tracks we’ve heard from you. Since “Dollhouse” came out, have people started comparing you to Katy Perry?
It’s natural that when you’re a new artist people need someone to compare you to just to give them an idea of what type of artist they think you might be. I’m grateful for the comparisons, must mean I’m doing something right.=]
We are following you on Twitter. Are you addicted to it, or do you just tweet occasionally?
I am addicted to Twitter. It’s ridiculous actually. I check my emails, calls, texts, and then Twitter.
Do you owe your success to Jennifer Hudson? Do you think it was just lucky that you chose “And I Am Telling You” right around the time Dreamgirls came out?
I owe my success to the GREAT team I have behind me. It’s a machine. I got where I am today because I was blessed to be doing all the right things at all the right times in all the right places. I chose the right song at the right time with “And I Am Telling You”. Hopefully I can continue to be so insightful. lol
If you HAD to choose, what is the one beauty product you CANNOT live without?
Eyelashes. I swear they make my face look different.
Renea on a casual day!
Priscilla dressed up as Mario from The Mario Bros. for Halloween
A Senior Search Marketing Manager for a major magazine publisher based in New York City, Erika L. Miller has expertise in how to grow business in the digital space. Her experience includes areas such as data research and analytics, website and product development, as well as business and consumer relationship management. Erika Miller has a passion for developing and executing sustainable business models. She has plans to start a non-profit consulting company to assist entrepreneurs in growing and promoting their businesses online.
Meet Erika Miller—today’s Women Making History.
Cabbage Patch dolls!
M.I.S.S.: What woman, besides your mom or grandmother, do you find inspirational?
Frida Kahlo- she inspires me both personally and professionally because against all odds she never played the victim. She assimilated into to groups and professional situations that she didn’t necessarily enjoy, but she did it because it allowed her to get that much closer to her goals and dreams. I admire Frida’s strength as a female to protect her place within a male dominated society. She inspires me to feel good about the struggle to success.
M.I.S.S.: You grew up and went to school in Northern California. How did the opportunity to volunteer in Jamaica come about?
During my college years I was very active in volunteerism. I worked with Teach for America as a campus recruiter for their cause to get soon-to-be graduates to join and move to rural and urban areas to teach youth in areas that are under privileged. After college most young people want to travel, but for me travel was not enough. I also wanted to give back. That is how I found my way into a summer program volunteering in the rural mountains of Jamaica. I spent a few weeks that summer building roads, traveling the island and exchanging culture with the community. To this day I still talk to friends I made there 6 years ago.
While in Jamaica, Erika helped move large stones from the river bed and mixed concrete to build the support walls.
M.I.S.S.: What’s your favorite project that you’ve worked on?
To date my favorite project is on SEO + editorial training for print editors. It had been my experience that editors are traditionally trained to write for print magazines that sell advertising and monetize their production costs much differently than websites. Since the era upon us calls for “Digital Editors,” it is my job to turn a tradition editor into a “digital” one. It is my favorite project to help establish a whole new way of thinking about the same old thing.
Erika enjoys experimenting with nature in photography. A look at some of her favorite flowers.
M.I.S.S.: What part of SEO strategy is the most challenging and do you dislike the
most?
When I have to be aggressive. Many men- since men typically dominate in the publishing arena- aren’t used to that from a 20 something year old gal using acronym’s and technical jargon they never heard of!
M.I.S.S.: Any advice for ladies who are just starting out in a career path similar to
yours?
Read up on all the latest marketing trends all the time. Pick up some books at the store about search engine optimization and technology platforms that are conducive to optimization. Take some workshops. Get ready to enjoy your career. Make sure you are results oriented. Be prepared to have your professional expertise put to the test. Attend networking events. Think outside the box. Develop business management skills. Pick up HTML for dummies. Don’t let the challenge weaken your confidence.
Erika suggests that those interested in a career in consulting read up on all the latest marketing trends all the time.
M.I.S.S.: Who do you want to work with?
I want to work with small businesses that need digital marketing solutions to grow business online. Know anyone?
M.I.S.S.: What took you to NY?
My coming to New York was born out of a visit. When I came back from Jamaica my boyfriend at the time suggested I come see him in New York, where he was an engineering intern with IBM for the summer. Of course I said yes. The Internship was up in Westchester. Once set foot in Westchester, I visited and explored White Plains and decided that it was for me. The history of New York state is amazing, and the energy and intellect of New York City compelled me to want to be “in it.” 7 years later, I have grown into a woman and a professional within the digital media world.
M.I.S.S.: Learning SEO strategy and management is a very new field. When did you realize you were interested in SEO and how did you learn the skills for this position?
I always had a passion for tinkering- trying to figure out how things worked, from radios to computers, to the modern search engine. It all started with SEO when I was brought on at 10e20 as a client services coordinator. At the time 10e20 was a small start up with lots of SEO clients whom nobody managed. I knew nothing about SEO, but I knew that these clients wanted results and answers to their growing questions. I took it upon myself to learn this new field and began to manage these clients, and even started delivering results. I must honor Chris Winfield, the company President, for his role in my success. I would not be where I am today without the opportunity of working for that start up. By remaining dedicated to learning more, I have managed to push the limits of my advancement.
M.I.S.S.: What drew you to work for Elle.com?
The draw to a magazine publisher is easy- fun brands to promote. What more can I say?
Erika schmoozing at an event.
M.I.S.S.: Do you ever get to see the sample closets at Elle? If you could have anything from the closets what would it be?
As it turns out, I have only seen the sample closets from ELLE Magazine on The City, the MTV reality show featuring one of our print PR women. On the show you can see the closet has so many amazing accessories and shoes galore. It is like any womans heaven. If I could get anything I wanted from the ELLE closet, assuming they had it, I would totally want a Chanel leather cuff bracelet crusted with small diamonds. I have gotten some very cool “kick-downs” from our editors; products ranging from designer earrings to organic water.
From volunteering in Jamaica, to using your skills to help small businesses – there’s a strong theme of giving back. Where did you get these values from? Why do you think it’s important to give back?
Against all obstacles in my life everything has turned out for the better because I have always had faith in people. I think the virtue to giving back to people with hardship was built from when I was a child. I have always had sensitivities for those in need. As a kid, I brought home a lot of stray dogs- lol. I have always found a feeling of accomplishment when I know other people are getting what they need to sustain, from food and shelter to affordable business solutions. For me, giving back is inherent. As it has been said, “we must never take more than what we give in return!”
Erika loves to travel. Above, she enjoys the wind and energy of Honolulu and it's amazing views.
M.I.S.S.: Any SEO tips for our readers who are bloggers?
If you are a small time blogger and you want to grow your audience, or even your web business you need to:
• Develop a targeted theme for yourself
• Cover very specific topics when writing blog posts
• Cover a very specific area of expertise to have success with search rankings
Search engines are very topical and rank sites based on their ability to dominate and attract attention for a specific keyword topic. There is so much information about SEO online, but if you ever have any questions, feel free to contact me at www.ELMConsulting.Org.
Erika on an IFB—Independent Fashion Bloggers—panel.
For anyone interested in learning more about SEO, Erika will be holding skill share workshops in the New York area, specific date/location TBA. She can be reached at elm@elmconsulting.org
Maria “Toofly” Castillo is a painter and illustrator from New York. Growing up Queens, Toofly immersed herself in graffiti culture and developed her own knack for handstyles and unique “around the way girl” characters.
“Brave Souls Illuminate” is a re-mix of new, and existing works that showcase Toofly’s growth as young woman drawing and writing on the walls to a mature well respected fine artist, designer, and visual arts producer.
Her existing works takes you on a journey of a self proclaimed, “around the way girl” using hard and fluid lines, handstyles, and self confidence to declare a spot in NYC’s graffiti subculture dominated by men, and fierce attitude.
Her new works re-introduce the shades of grey that originally helped her pull in the raw emotions she grew up with, and surfaces new and improved. As she travels to reconnect time and space, the new pieces not only feel and look more mature, yet bring you back to the core of her spirit: ”A brave being who looks to shine bright unapologetic from the inside out!”
”Brave Souls Illuminate” features new works and an installation on display at FIFTY24LA Gallery. November 11 – January 4, 2009.
Toofly is a graduate of the School of Visual Arts where she applied her artistic skills to illustration and graphic design coursework. Her signature “around the way girl” character is instantly recognizable from print to public street art projects. She and her partner Alice Mizrachi founded Younity, a female urban arts collective, in which they produce art exhibitions, books and mentorship art programs for young women in the arts. Toofly’s art and design work have appeared in books, video and magazines including Graffiti Women, Burning New York, Current TV, MTV Tr3, Trace, Mass Appeal, Juxtapoz, URB and Honey. Not to mention, Toofly is also apart of M.I.S.S., if you’ve missed her Women Making History, you can read it here.
This 26 year old beauty hails from Stockholm but her parents come by way of Asmara, that capital city of Eritrea in Africa, if your’e wondering where she gets her unique look not usually found in Sweden. Adiam got her start as a receptionist at a record company and ended up spending more time in the studio than answering the phones. One thing led to the next and her self titled debut album on Razzia Records is filled with soulful pop melodies, heavy hip hop beats, and rock and roll. As a self proclaimed “MTV-child” she credits The Notorious B.I.G, Wu Tang Clan, Nirvana, and Garbage as early influences, not bad.
Wasn’t it awesome when MTV played videos? The MTV kids today get weird dating shows and Heidi and Spencer, bummer. Back to Adiam. She’s got a full band which includes Thomas Rusiak, who produced the album and also plays the guitar, along with Harri, Mattias and Fredrik. Her brand of music is still very new, and I haven’t seen any tour dates released for the US but it will be interesting to see where her sound will go.
Here is the video for “Miss You” her lead single
I like this one, “Memory Loss,” it’s got more of an indie sound with sweeter vocals. I wanted to get a live performance but the sound quality wasn’t there. Which sound do you prefer?
Dear Lauryn Hill: Why’d you run away from those styles you had, oh baby, oh baby, cause you had a lot, oh yeah, and anywhere you go, M.I.S.S Crew’s gonna catch up with you, you can’t hide from the block, oh no. Just playin, but the reclusive star was once such an adept wonder in the game. Her break from The Fugees in 1997 came just a year after The Score was released to much critical and mainstream acclaim, the album sold over 15 million copies worldwide and won them two Grammy Awards. Rumours swirled that relations between Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean were rough, and that the song “Lost Ones” off of Hill’s solo album, released in 1998, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was veiled in references to him, “It’s funny how money changes situations/
Miscommunication leads to complication/My emancipation don’t fit your equation,” that album was so good. Wycelf, Pras, and Lauryn tried putting rumours and ill feelings aside at Dave Chappelle’s Block Party in 2006 performing Lost Ones as well as hits like Fu-gee-La, Ready Or Not, and Killing Me Softly, an album was supposedly in the works. However interviews with both Pras and Wyclef have painted a bleak picture. Pras told Allhiphop.com, “Before I work with Lauryn Hill again, you will have a better chance of seeing Osama Bin Laden and [George W.] Bush in Starbucks having a latte, discussing foreign policies, before there will be a Fugees reunion,” Pras told AllHipHop.com. “At this point I really think it will take an act of God to change her, because she is that far out there.” Hill has a reputation for cancelling shows and distaste for the oversexualized music industry. Even though they haven’t produced much work over the years, in 2007 MTV named The Fugees the 9th greatest hip hop group ever.
Even though the group isn’t together each member has enjoyed success as a solo artist. Whether they are producing music or raising awareness of social issues, Pras and Wyclef continue to be active in the industry.
You know we had to go there. Everyone has covered Lady Gaga and we are no exception. What about her isn’t fashion? Her entire persona has been built up around the desire to provoke our curiosity and challenge what is “beautiful” through her elaborate ensembles that question reality, from the Kermit the Frog cape, nude body suits, and oh yes, those wigs. I first saw her perform a couple of years ago with long dark hair and a teeny tiny leather bra and panty set and thought, “who is this chick?”
Today, the same fearless energy is personified on stage, in interviews, and through photos of her parading around the world promoting her album, The Fame. It wasn’t until I saw one of her devotees, Fena Barbitall, a gorgeous performer from Boston, do “Poker Face” at Diva’s Nightclub in Northampton, MA, that I truly witnessed the reach that Lady Gaga has within the fashion subculture of drag queens. Fena’s performance was flawless and since then my appreciation for the “retro-sexual” phenomena has increased. After seeing her brave fashion statements and hearing in an interview that she loved David Bowie and 70’s glamour, I crossed over into Lady Gaga land. Once you can see beyond the surface of outlandish costume/fashion/makeup choices it is the music and her honesty that speaks to her fans. She is blatant with her vision and purpose and makes no excuses or apologies to which many can relate or aspire. When describing her album “The Fame”, she added
It’s really about intrinsic fame, penniless fame, camera-less fame. It’s about how even without money, you wear your artistry and your passion on your sleeve. That’s what I want people to take away from my album. (via channelnewsasia)
For this story I went back to the community in which Lady Gaga has been appointed to serve and protect. The venture took me back to Diva’s, famous for their weekly drag shows on Wednesdays. My host and dear friend, Bianca Dubois introduced me to performers Boots and Michael Avilango, all I had to do was simply mention Lady Gaga and they let me have it, giving me every piece of information and supporting love they had for her, dubbing her “the new Britney.” They also mentioned that her style and performance has influenced their stage show as of late. A friend once told me that subcultures lead to movements and that movements are the ultimate freedom. Lady Gaga has made it her mission to blur the lines of what is considered mainstream beauty to bring this gender bending sense of confidence that is refreshing in the sea of pop stars.
Playgirls and Horror
Her influence on the current scene has really shaken up the game by combining couture style fashion mixed with her street sensibility and using pop culture as her muse. Currently she is obsessed with monsters and playgirls, we will have to wait and see what she comes up with next and if the photos from OUT Magazine are any indication then look out! Coming this fall she teams up with Cyndi Lauper for a VIVA Glam campaign with M.A.C Cosmetics. Lots of collaborating in the fashion world by Gaga, she will be performing at the Marc Jacobs afterparty during fashion week, Marc himself said that they are throwing it for her. She’s wearing Marc Jacobs clothes and peel off sunglasses in her latest editorial for V Magazine, the mag comes encased in plastic to assure that your electric blue or hot pink electrostatic shades are in tact.
The Lady is a vamp
Lady Gaga is nominated for nine MTV VMA’s this year leading the pop pack along with VMA vet, Beyonce, or will Sasha Fierce show up to play? Nominations include Video of the Year and Best Female Video. She is also set to perform. The VMA’s take place September 13th at locations around New York City as well as at Radio City Music Hall.
