Documentos de Académico
Documentos de Profesional
Documentos de Cultura
I can’t believe this issue is finally being released. It’s taken so much for this issue to reach you.2009
has been a year that I learned a lot about people. I’ve lost friendships and relationships that I
thought were solid. I’ve gained new relationships with people that add a lot of positive energy
to my life. It has taken a lot of tears, frustration, anger, rejection, insecurity, and persistence to
make this dream a reality. First and foremost, I thank God for allowing me to still be here. I want
to especially thank my first love and the person who never lost faith in me, my mama. Mama we
MADE IT and I hope you are proud. To my family and all of the families that have adopted me and
gave encouraging words, thank you. I want to also thank everyone who is featured in these pages
for believing in me and allowing me to interview you and use your photos. To Brandie, you have
been my friend for over 10 years, I love you and thank you.To Tinesha, thank you for EVERYTHING!
Gigi, thank you for believing in and supporting me. L, there is no way possible I would be here
in this moment, in this time and space without you. Trevis, thank you for all of the motivational
speeches, and being a shoulder to lean on through all the madness. Anastasia, you are a life saver,
there are not enough words to thank you. My Aunties Catherine, Rita, Barbara, Edna,Harolyn and
Valerie thank you for believing. Mama Dee, I love you forever and I thank you for opening your
heart and home to me. To the Customer Service, Data Entry and others at the AJC thank you for the
support and words of encouragement. Eve, you are the best sister I could ever ask for thank you. To
all of the people that I’ve lost; I love you and miss you every single day.
If I forgot to thank you place your name here____________________ and know you are in my
heart.
To all of the backstabbers and haters, thank you for the supplying the motivation I needed
to work harder, to prove you wrong and elevate my game. Finally, to all of the people reading this
that have a dream; have the faith to step out and try. You owe it to yourself to give your dreams
a chance to grow. Life throws us curveballs and obstacles but remember it makes you better
prepared for success. I’m looking forward to what the future has to offer and I hope it will be a
positive and productive future for all of us. Until next time....................................
Goldyn aka Mizz Relentless
Currency Matters
I was always told that the definition of insanity was to do the same thing over and over again
expecting different results. If that’s true and we apply that to our finances; ask yourself if
you are economically insane. Its not going to be Presidents Obama`s fault if you buy a car or a
house that leaves you with no money left over to survive. And if that is your economic trend,
then you quite possibly could be economically insane. Its time to stop the madness! We have
got to be real about what we can and can not afford in our budgets comfortably. The truth
is, we want what we want and we go out and buy it. This is the mind set of most Americans
even myself. The reality is that we do serious harm to our financial long term picture. Never
plan your income out to the very last dollar. If you find yourself in a situation that calls for
your immediate attention, you will more than likely find that you will have to suffer the
consequences. We pay thousands of dollars a month in late fees and penalties that we do not
have to just because we refuse to look at our financial picture realistically. Reversing this
behavior could mean more money to go to the movies, or more nights at the club. Here is a
good idea, create a savings account. We don’t think about it until we are in the pinch. Avoid the
pinch and avoid the habit of always ending up in the pinch AKA economic insanity. What is the
cure you might ask? The cure is simple, take responsibility over the money you have coming in
and budget yourself according to the things that are most important. For example your house,
transportation, and food for you and your family. Also make sure that you have a few dollars
left for any emergencies that we know will show up. Now this may or may not leave you with
the funds for the kind of lifestyle that you would want. Your next job is to find a way to upgrade
the income that you are making. More of the things you want to do will start to fall inside of
your budget as more money is available to cover those expenses. Get a part time job or start
looking for a new position that might pay you more. That will fix what you are missing out on.
It’s all about you and yours. Now the girls can’t depend on the boys and the boys can’t rely on
the girls. I’m talking to you as an individual because even if you are in a relationship, it’s still
your responsibility to stand on your own two feet. Actually doing so will make your relationship
much better but, that’s a talk for another time. You can impact the effect that the economy
has on you by making simple decisions and sacrifices; whether the economy is in a depression
or if it’s booming. The choice is yours, sit and complain about how bad things are; or make the
needed adjustments to improve your situation. These are big boy and big girl decisions to make.
Don’t get it twisted at all; you are not going to want to cut back on some of the things that
you know you love to do. You have to make this work. Sometimes, we continue to give these
establishments our money; come home and look in the fridge and it looks like a ghost town. It
sounds like a joke but, there are a few of us that are making life decisions not only at the gas
pump but at the club and mall as well. You know who you are. You can do your best to maintain
until things improve, for you to see a brighter day. You have to want it to change. Don’t think
reading this article will magically change it for you. Be cool, be real and stay sane. T.L Bishop
USAA Makes Deposits Easier With Iphone App
USAA takes electronic banking to a new, innovative height. This past August, USAA have
provided their banking customer with a more convenient way of making deposits. The
updated application lets customers take a photo of the check front and back you wish to
deposit with the iPhone, send the image to USAA where it is verified and deposited. The
USAA application is the mobile banking addition for their customers. USAA customers have
this service available to them from home with the Deposit@Home feature. USAA’s Deposit@
Home lets customers scan and deposit checks using a PC and scanner. With USAA’s feature
available to its customer base, they prove themselves ahead of the curve. The feature also
allows the customers to have flexibility with mobile banking. Within the first three days of
its launch, the bank received a total of $1.5 million dollars in deposited checks. USAA has
decided to also make this service available to all Palm and Blackberry users in the near
future. So far, this application has been a hit with customers, USAA has stuck gold and
a great profit margin. In the long run, all banks will have to offer a comparable feature
to allow their customers the same convenience. Technology is truly amazing and with
customers wanting access on demand it’s a win – win for USAA.
Power Moves
When news first started to circulate that 50 had teamed up with Robert Greene for The
50th Law, a lot of people were intrigued myself included. The 50th Law according to
Greene, is a new book and the latest effort for Greene who’s past works included 48 Laws
of Power, and Art of Seduction and others. The 50th Law, set for release on September 8th
has potential to be one of Greene’s best works. The foreword, release a few months ago,
tells the story of how Greene met 50 and why he agreed to collaborate with him on this
book. In the foreword, Greene recounts observing 50 as he moves through business deals,
the neighborhood he was raised in, and his travels around the world. Greene calls 50 a “Hip
Hop Napoleon Bonaparte” referring to his observations of 50 and the similar traits between
the two. Greene, an expert strategist worked with 50 for almost 2 years to complete the
project. With Greene’s past works, the anticipation is very high for this porject. Hopefully,
this book will live up to the great work we’ve seen from Greene in the past. According to
reports, the book’s theme is about fear and “the reverse power that you can obtain by
overcoming it”. Greene shows 50 has traits of others including Fredrick Douglass, Malcolm
X, Joan of Arc and other. This book should make for an interesting read and should open a
dialogue between Greene and 50 fans alike.
Elevation
LCD is a producer I found once I heard some of his work with Ice The Villan.
Once I heard the music I had to have him featured. This issue’s Elevation belongs
to him. He’s truly taking his talent to the next level. Here is our conversation.
When did you know music was something you wanted to do professionally? Probably about 5
years ago… that’s when I first starting realizing that the beats I was messing around making were
starting to sound pretty good. At first I wouldn’t let anybody hear em since it was just stress
relief more than anything… but bout 5 years ago I realized if I really worked at it I might be on
to something. You have a lot of titles – Songwriter, engineer, producer and blogger. Are you
really a jack of all trades and which role are you most comfortable with? Well first PLEASE take
that “blogger” title off me lol. I do have a blog to keep people updated with my stuff though.
(www.boutdatblog.com) But seriously, out of everything I’m most comfortable producing. I can
write songs because I used to rap seriously til about 2 years ago but I just don’t have a rapper’s
personality…. I got tired of tryna be that limelight dude. But with production I can just chill and do
me, plus its nothing like the feeling you get when you’re making a beat and u first realize it’s about
to be a BANGER. It’s like Christmas everyday. How would you classify your sound as a producer?
I know 95% of producers say this nowadays but I don’t have one sound. But my primary lane is a
southern sound with heavy 808s. I make ANTHEMS & HITS. I’m in the lane of cats like Drumma Boi,
The Runners, Zaytoven, DJ Toomp
And I feel my tracks are in that same caliber. But also know I can do almost anything. Pop, rock,
whatever…. and on the low, I’m really an R&B dude at heart. You have a your own company
and brand. Tell me more about why you started the company and what type of business you
conduct. Bout Dat Money Music is my production company. It’s pretty simple… I’m all about growth
and development. There’s too much BS associated with the rap game right now… I’m not bout any
of that. But I’m definitely bout dat money, ya know? So if you’re looking for quality production
without the usual politics, holla at me! Plus like I said before I’m an engineer so I offer mixing &
mastering services and package deals. As a producer, what would your dream project be? Let
me start by saying R.I.P. Michael Jackson… my dream project would be for me to wake up from
this bad dream and make an undeniable worldwide hit with him! But for what can be done I have
2 main goals right now. #1 I NEED to be on T.I.’s next album after he comes home. That’s one of
my favorite artists right there and I think our sounds would be complimentary to one another. #2
Anything with Dr. Dre as Executive Producer. I’d just fall back and listen cause the man is a genius.
Right now, you are working a lot with Ice The Villain, Lil Dee and others tell me more about
your projects with them. I’m glad u mentioned them… those two are both incredible artists. Ice
the Villain is the best lyricist I’ve ever met. Period. Soon the world will see… we’re working on
this project right now called “The Relationship”. I promise the rap game has never heard anything
like this. He’s incredibly versatile and genuine. Those 2 qualities are missing from the rap game
right now…. Badly. Lil Dee is a certified hitmaker… he demands your attention when he gets on
the microphone and you wanna talk about being versatile?? Maaaaan, we got tracks I can’t even
tell u bout yet that’ll have u like “That’s the same dude?” We’re working on the FNFG mixtape
and his solo mixtape that’ll be out soon. What more can we expect from you in the near future?
If everything continues to go as planned, you should hear that “Bout Dat Money” tag on a lotta
stuff over the next few months. I stay in the DC area but I’m about to move to Atlanta where my
signature sound is definitely more welcomed. Be on the lookout for that new single called “White
V” from Kia Shine and his new group The P.R.E.P.S. It’s already killin the south! Plus I got some
things in the works with artists you wouldn’t expect me to work with. What do you know now that
you wished you had known before getting into the industry? How shady it is! I mean, you hear
the horror stories and you think you know… but until u start dealing with it first hand, you have
no idea. From rappers all the way up the ladder to label execs. There’s a lot of falsehood in
this game so you gotta choose your circle wisely. How do people find out more about you and
the future projects you have coming out? Follow me on Twitter! Lol twitter.com/boutdatmoney
That thing is amazing… the networking capabilities… I mean, it got me in Xposure! Also hit
the blog up to hear new music and keep up to date. www.boutdatblog.com. Last words to the
readers? “BOUT DAT MONEY!” Quick shouts to the whole FNFG and 368 Music Group… B. Lee what
it do? T-Byrd what it do? Wale, wassup homie? Atlanta… get ready for me! Bout Dat Money Music is
going to be a major player in this game very shortly.
Next On Deck
We caught up with Ike Dirty to ask a few questions. Here is the conversation. His company,
Chart Control started in 2001, just started as a producer. He’s worked with Tamar Braxton,
Redman, Keith Murray, Sam Salter, Scrappy, Ying yang Twins, Chamillionaire, Mario, J. Holiday.
8 songs in A.T.L and new music for the ZacEfron film 17 Again. His process for soundtracks -
It’s basically a license request, asking for permission to use the song in a film. It was little bit
different with A.T.L because the Music Supervisor chose a record at random. It was a great
opportunity, because I’m working on the Step Up 3 project as well. How he got his start in
production and being from a musical family and how he separates from his father’s shadow.
The name Ike Dirty is the first thing, somebody gave me the name so I kind of wanted to have
a name that gave me a little separation due to me being named after my father. The primary
difference is I came in on the rap side and I liked doing those kind of records. My early success
came from doing Hip hop along with R&B. If you had to classify your sound, how would you
classify it? I don’t know, I don’t want to say I have one sound when I have all different kinds
of sound. I like the fact that you probably wouldn’t know I did a record unless I told you. I like
for people to be surprised I did the record as opposed to knowing I did the record. At what age
did you decide production was something you wanted to do professionally? Probably when
I was like 17, I was getting ready to head off to college. I produced my older sister’s demo,
she was looking for a producer and really hadn’t found the one she wanted. She gave me a
shot and I did like 3 songs over a weekend. This was before Pro Tools and digital recording so
it had to be right. I think that was when I got the edge to want to push forward and produce.
Can you breakdown the difference between a producer and a beat maker? A beat maker
is someone who doesn’t know how to continue forward with a record. The technical term for
a producer is someone who brings a finished master back to the record company. Whatever it
takes to get the job done, a producer is a problem solver and gets the job done. If you have to
bring in a writer, arranger, or instrumentation you have to know how to bring all of those things
together. . If you are a beat maker, that’s the extent of what they do, from that point on there is
really nothing they know how to do.
There are successful beat makers and producers, you have to to be what a director is to a
movie. Producing doesn’t mean being extremely hands on but you have to be able to direct the
project. You have to know when things are wrong, you can make beats but not know how to
arrange. Let’s talk about the YouTube video you made about the A&Rs. What inspired the
video? Coming from the position of a producer that isn’t as successful as I would like to be, I
got frustrated with the politics of the industry. First and foremost, I am a fan of music. I used
to enjoy going to the store every Tuesday and getting new music and hearing new projects no
matter who it was. I think music has gotten away from the creative aspect, that raw creative
energy. It’s now become revenue based . The A&R’s in those positions only look toward the
producers that generate revenue and consider them to be the answer for every new artist. Some
superstar producers, just because they are superstar producers are not the answer for everything
Unless you are on the level of put in 110% , that does not mean necessarily he is the right person
for a Ciara record. He was the right person for Chris Brown but not Ciara. The A&R doesn’t really
pay attention to the artist and is not paying attention to what the public wants from the artist.
That’s where the A&R video came from was the fact that record companies need to get back
to recognizing who is right for what artist. Timbaland and Missy were perfect for Aaliyah, JD
was perfect for Usher but maybe JD and Aaliyah wouldn’t have made a good match because the
chemistry wasn’t right. What are the other things you see wrong with the industry and how
would you correct it? I’m not in the position of an executive like Jimmy Iovine, Kevin Liles or
LA Reid, they run publicly traded companies so they have to generate revenue. The people they
answer to want revenue. The music industry survives off of catalogs, the records my dad made
still sell today. Records that are being made right now, will not be selling 10 or 20 years from
now. A lot of record companies go after records that are disposable, it’s a mainstream culture.
They will absorb everything they can out of it and throw it away. People can’t be upset with
people like Soulja Boy, people like what they like. With records like Stanky Leg and others, the
really great music gets lost. I love those types of records and I love really great music. There
has to be a balance. So what has the response been like to the video? I’ve made a lot of new
friends and probably a lot of enemies. Some are messing it up for the 15 year old kid at home
that really likes music because they are not getting what they want. I do the videos for the kid
that’s looking for the next Whitney Houston or the next Bobby Brown and that whole album
which will change their lives. I do it for the kids that will listen to an album and want to do
music for the love of music. When A&R’s see me, they say they don’t want me to call them out
so they are getting on their jobs. I’m letting people know how it should be done, if it’s not being
done that way don’t go to the record store and but anything. I think the public has had enough,
after seeing American Idol they realize they control the industry. The public feels there is no
need to buy the album when you have Limewire or can download the ringtone. The low album
sales reflect that, the superstars that sell no records is the direct result of the record companies
and artists not listening to the public. I hear you are working on a project incorporating your
father’s music. I am currently working on a compilation that will allow younger and older fans
to bridge the gap, come together and enjoy his music. How do we find out more about you and
what you have going on? You can find me on Twitter www.twitter.com/issachayes3.
Allure
Allow me to introduce you to your new obsession. You may have caught a glimpse of her in
Transformers 2 Revenge Of The Fallen, codename is Sideswipe®. This Autobot® is the latest
sensation GM has teased us with. For now, this new Corvette Stingray is just a concept car
that debuted this past February at the Chicago Auto Show. The original Stingray debuted in
1959 as the premier racing car from Chevrolet, this model unites the past with the future.
Although we are a little less than 2 years away from the new generation of Corvettes (the
c7 series) we can dream this model would be in the collection. While there has not been
a lot of details coming from GM regarding the new series, the plan to have a mid designed
engine was scrapped due to cost. GM also stated they would consider making the Corvette
a sedan like Porsche Panamera® or Aston Martin Rapide®. As usual with concept cars, with
enough public interest the Corvette Stingray will most likely be forwarded to production.
The Bumblebee Camaro first was a concept and now is ready for purchase. Until GM makes a
decision we only have these photos to keep the dream alive.
Art & Soul
Dale Chihuly the man may not be recognizable but, his work is recognized worldwide. He’s a great
businessman, who’s worth 29 million per year which includes profits from books, DVDs, retail store
etc. Not too bad for a man that taught himself how to blow glass. In a recent interview Chihuly
told how he found his calling “I had an oven where I could melt glass, and I knew something about
blowing glass because I had a photograph of a glass blower on my wall,” he says. “So one night
I just melted some glass in between four bricks, and put a pipe in there - not a blowpipe, just a
regular old piece of pipe and blew a little bubble. It was pretty hard to do. I was lucky to have
gotten it to bubble. From that moment on that’s all I really ever wanted to be was a glass blower.”
A few weeks he blew his first vase, he graduated from Washington, he enrolled and completed his
masters at Wisconsin and established the glass department at Rhode Island School of Design. While
at Rhode Island, he received a grant that allowed him to study in Italy for a year. It was in Italy,
where he saw in the factories how everyone worked as a team. Chihuly came back to the States
and in 1974 debuted his first series of cylinders. Chihuly’s cylinders featured a Venetian style of
drawing on glass. Chihuly used pieces of colored glass to create a pattern and rolled hot glass over
the pattern to create a unique piece of art. Chihuly’s collections have included baskets, seaforms,
installations, sculptures, and chandeliers. Chihuly has permanent collections in the United States,
Canada, England and the United Arab Emirates. Due to two accidents, Chihuly can no longer blow
glass, he stated in a 2006 interview “Once I stepped back, I liked the view” adding “ I’m more
choreographer than dancer, more supervisor than participant, more director than actor.” His
client list includes Bill Gates, the Clintons, Elton John and others. His work can be seen in various
galleries worldwide and at various exhibitions or you can visit his studio in Washington. You can
also own a Chihuly by visiting his retail store in Las Vegas at the Bellagio. Dale Chihuly was and is
an artist that continues to inspire people to dream in color worldwide. For more information visit
www.chihuly.com.
Haute Plate
Summer Rayne is a young lady a great friend told me about. He told me about her movie Sure
Looks Good and after seeing the teaser, I had to interview her.
How did you get your start in acting?
Acting sort of fell in my lap. It was never something I gave much thought to as being a career. I
have not gone to school or received formal training. It all started with me just wanting to help out
a friend who is a union actor and is currently working on producing and directing his own films. The
closest career I ever gave thought to exploring was becoming a voice over actor. As a small child I
was always fascinated with cartoon character voices and impersonations. I often mimicked certain
characters, people, family members and even came up with a few of my own. Sometimes I would
call friends or family and they would have no idea it was me until I burst out in laughter. “Sure Looks
Good” is a romantic drama that takes an introspective look into the lives of four black women as
they go through a series of events that will change them forever. Staring Nicole Tucker, Merissa Kay,
Kenya Banks, Leigha Mai-Ling, Skye Dennis, and Omillio Sparks Directed by Lionel Anthony Cook,
Co-Owner/CEO of R.A.G. Productions. I’m good friends with the film director, Lionel Anthony Cook
.
He mentioned that he had a small role he needed to fill and asked me if I would like to take a shot
at acting. I play Deena, a fanatical fan of famed book author Jason (Skye Dennis).You can catch a
glimpse of me in the bookstore scene at Jason’s book signing. Your readers will have to check out the
movie for further details! In the meantime the movie trailer can be viewed on www.youtube.com ,
search by movie title to locate it. “Sure Looks Good” will be available on DVD and in stores to purchase
sometime by the end of this year or early 2010.For more information please contact ragproductions@
gmail.com .
Your readers can expect to see me in another film real soon! Another good friend of mine, Matthew
Raymond Merz, is an independent film director. His film is a short comedy entitled “Operation: Get
Rid of Pinky.” I play the part of a getaway driver! I’m running for my life to get out of the path of
the infamous Pinky. I’m not at liberty to disclose too much information about this film which is still
in the early stages of production. The film trailer can be viewed on youtube. For more information
about Matthew Merz or his film, he can be contacted at mmerz@temple.edu.
What lessons have you learned that you would want to pass along to other aspiring actresses?
I’ve learned that being an actress is no easy task. It takes a lot of hard work, dedication of time,
integrity and being completely absorbed in your role. You must be determined to keep your focus
on mastering your character, their personality, mannerisms and etc. While on set, it’s almost like
you have to adopt a one track mind so to speak and actually become your character. I’ve also
learned that sometimes you can be your own worse critic, but if the director likes the take, you
should love it!
How do people find out more about you and the future projects you have coming out?
At the present time, I do not have an agent; therefore people can contact me directly at Jahsangel25@
aol.com. They can also follow me on www.twitter.com/Jahsangel25 for the latest updates.
Last words to the readers?
In life, you may come across an uncharted path, do not be afraid to explore it. It just might lead
you the fulfillment of a dream you never knew you had. It may inspire you to become more than
what you are. Exploring the path may unearth a talent you never knew you owned and it could
help you claim it.
Dedication
Ted Kennedy was a man that dealt with all the obstacles in his life in front of cameras. The
Kennedy family had its share of tragedies as well as great accomplishments. Ted took on the
patriarch role in his family as a result of all the tragedies. The Kennedy family fought for change to
enrich the lives of all Americans. Meals on Wheels, The Special Olympics, Civil Rights bills and the
like. Ted Kennedy entered into his Senate seat in 1962, and kept the seat all the way up until his
death. He was a man who recognized his faults and tried his best to move past them. An interesting
characteristic about Kennedy was once the events of 9/11 took place, he called the families of
the victims who were Massachusetts residents one by one to offer condolences. He called and or
wrote to the families every 9/11 to let them know he still cared. Kennedy did a lot of great things
behind the scenes, away from the glare of the cameras. He was respected by both parties as a
man who got things done by practical means. One of his last appearances was at the Democratic
Convention, the night President Obama received the nomination. Mr. Kennedy looked far from
ill; he gave a robust speech that had the crowd on its feet. Once President Obama was elected,
people questioned if Mr. Kennedy would attend the inauguration. The pundits all tossed the idea
of Mr. Kennedy being there and some doubted. As always Mr. Kennedy proved them all and was
there to witness the event in person. That day was significant for many reasons, one of which was
Mr. Kennedy worked tirelessly for Civil Rights and equal rights for African Americans. There was no
doubt in my mind that Mr. Kennedy would not be in attendance on that historical day. Mr. Kennedy
has left a legacy; some will debate if that is a good or bad legacy. One thing is clear; Mr. Kennedy’s
great works will last forever and be remembered hopefully a lot longer than the negative personal
things. Well done Mr. Kennedy, well done.
Thank You Michael Joseph Jackson. You will Live On In Our Hearts Forever