On the Phone with Paul Wall by Xavier Douglas.

Xavier Douglas is a Sophmore at the Urban Assembly Academy of History & Citizenship for Young Men.

Xavier Douglas:  So what have you been up to?

Paul Wall: I’ve been on the road. I’m about to go back on the road with Slim Thug.

Xavier: I heard you have a new album Fast Life.
Paul: It comes out May 12th.

Xavier: What can we expect from that?
Paul: Well, we have a nice list of productions and collaborations. We have Travis Bakar, Plain Skillz.  On the collaboration side we have Too Short, Gorilla Zo,Yung Joc.   We have Trey Zero little Ki Ki. We have Akon on the album, Webby, Mouse, Baby Bash, Pitbull.  I have Chamillionaire, it’s almost like a compilation.

Xavier: That sounds cool.  I can’t wait for it to come out.
Paul: Thank you.

Xavier: Who inspired the album?
Paul: Well we call it the Fast Life because that’s the name of a store that my friend owns in L.A. It sells different clothing lines, one of my friends own a clothing line and I own a clothing line. I love the name the Fast Life.  It’s just that fast up-tempo lifestyle of grinding, non-stop hustling trying to achieve your goals.  For me it’s to support my family and ball out of control.  So, I’m grinding non-stop, from sun up to sun down. I’m trying to stack my paper up and the music is just a reflection of that.  It’s motivated by that same universal theme of grinding.

Xavier: What was it like for you as a teen growing up?
Paul: I had my fair share of hardships, but I try to focus on more of the positive things I had growing up.  My mother was a really big inspiration for me and I did a song about her on this album.  It’s kind of like a “Dear Mama” type of song. I don’t think there are enough songs about our mothers in hip-hop or just music in general.  There are only a few, so, I felt like doing one to show the love I have for my mother.

Like I said, I had my hardships growing up but I wouldn’t trade my childhood for nothing, because it helped make me who I am today.  If you don’t have sorrow you can’t appreciate the sweet. If I didn’t have those hardships I would take a lot of things for granted.

Xavier: What are your views on education?
Paul: When I graduated from high school I went straight to college, the University of Houston.  I went there for three years. I stopped going because my music was taking off for me.

I feel like you can only learn so much from books, I think we learn most on the job through experiences and other people.  But, at the same time you have to have the compromise of what you learn from the books too.  You can’t learn everything just from people. You have to learn from the books too.    You have to compromise because there are some people who put all their eggs in the book basket and some people who put all there eggs into learning from the streets basket or from other people.  You can’t do one or the other, you have to have that compromise of both in order to be well rounded enough to be successful.

Xavier: There is so much going on with Barack Obama being President and all. What is your advice to the younger generation?

Paul: It was so great seeing him get elected.  It’s just been a huge change in the atmosphere not only in the country, but, all around the world.  When George Bush was in office, everybody was depressed, everybody was complaining about everything, but know body wanted to do anything about it.   Everybody kind of just accepted where we were.  As soon as President Obama got put into office, elected, now people are motivated to go get it.  They are ready to grind and make a change for themselves instead of waiting for someone to do it.  To see people get off their butts and go grind is a beautiful thing.  Even I feel more motivated now.

Xavier: It’s good to hear you say that.  What things would you like to see change in the world?
Paul: Man, I support these troupes so much, I just hope that he can find a way to bring them home and create some type of peace. But, that’s a lot to ask, I’ve been over there and seen it first hand, doing tours with the U.S. soldiers.   It’s not something that’s likely to happen any time soon, or, even in our generation or the next.  These wars have been going on for years, so it’s kind of hard to ask somebody to do that.

Also, hopefully he can find a way to bring this country out of this recession.

Xavier: I heard you were doing another film with Raquel Cepeda.
Paul: Yeah, yeah, yeah, with my boy, my partner Johnny Dang who I did Grills with.   He’s from Vietnam.  We already started doing a documentary on Vietnam and Iraq, about comparing the wars and the effects that the wars have on the people.  We went to Iraq a couple of times. We plan on going to Vietnam pretty soon.

Xavier: When do you expect it to be done?
Paul: I’m not sure.  It will take a while.  When we went to Sierra Leone, it was the same.  It took a long while for it to be done.   For this film we are going to focus on the war and the after effects and how things are going to be for the Veterans when they return from the war.   I think we have heroes fighting for our freedom and the freedom of others and we should respect our heroes.   But, when they return home they don’t get that same respect.

Xavier: In what ways do you give back to the community?

Paul: We always have something going on, whether it be with the Boys and Girls Club or  I do a lot with the Robert Clemens foundation here.  He does a lot for the youth in sports.  We stay busy doing things with the Make A Wish foundation, going into schools and speaking with the kids.  We just did something with the Grammy Foundation.  We went to a school in Galveston, Texas, a school that was hit by the hurricane.  They lost every single instrument in their music program.  So we did a big fundraiser where people donated their instruments.  We raised $50,000 in money and instruments.  Michelle Williams from Destiny’s Child was with this program too.   It was called the Grammy’s Giving Back to the Gulf.

Xavier: What are your goals in music in life?
Paul: In music,  my goal is to just become a better musician album after album.  My goal is not to put out platinum albums but to become a better musician.  In life, my goal has always been to just have a family that loves me.  I have the wife. I have the kids, so it just has been a wonderful thing for me.  My goal now is just to be able to spend time with them, support them and give them the things I didn’t have growing up.

Xavier: That’s cool.  Thanks for the interview.

Paul: Thank you.  Much Love and Respect.

So What Do You Think? David Banner on Black Women and Perms

Say it LOUD! wants to hear thoughts about David Banner’s comments on Black women and perms.   So what do you think?

Here’s something to think about.  During a panel at South Carolina State University, rapper and educator, David Banner, compared the perming of hair as a form of Black on Black crime. Check out this article below from the Times and Democrat.com, and tell us what you think.

Blacks ‘don’t love themselves,’ rapper David Banner tells crowd

By RODNEY BROWN, T&D Correspondent

Rapper, actor and philanthropist David Banner told students gathered at South Carolina State University’s Martin Luther King Jr. Auditorium that black people should not accept media portrayals of African-Americans.

In the midst of Black History Month, Banner, the graduate of two historically black colleges and universities, stunned an audience of more than 300

African-Americans with the accusation: “African-Americans don’t love themselves.”

“Black people have accepted what the media have portrayed them to be,” Banner said. “We have to work to repaint the picture of black folks.”

Banner’s appearance kicked off the second annual Hip-Hop Symposium, sponsored by the Miller F. Whittaker Library in collaboration with the Campus Activity Board’s “Awakening Lecture Series.”

The theme this year is “Black on Black Crime.”

In a question-and-answer session, Banner challenged black women in attendance to explain why they perm and straighten their hair.

In response came the defense that “hair perming” is equated with being able to get a decent job as a professional and not being viewed as a threat by bosses who are usually of a different race.

“This is what I mean when I say black people don’t love themselves,” Banner said. “Perming your hair is a clear example of ‘black-on-black crime’ and media control. Black-on-black crime is not just a black person committing a violent act against another black person.”

Focusing deeper on the media’s impact, Banner said the continuing depiction of blacks as aggressive and as a threat to society lowers the value of black life.

“Blacks have accepted the way they are portrayed in the media as a reality,” Banner said. “This sad reality makes it easier for a black person to commit a crime against other people of color.”

Touching on a recent issue in the news, Banner labeled as unfair the media coverage of domestic violence allegations against singer Chris Brown regarding striking his girlfriend, Pop singer Rihanna.

“Chris Brown is being convicted and character assassinated in the media and we don’t even know what Rihanna did yet,” Banner said.

Banner emphasized the importance of African-American couples staying together to properly raise a child in a world much different from when their parents were growing up.

“It’s up to you to raise your children,” Banner said. “If you don’t, someone else will.”

The mission of the Hip-Hop Symposium is to inform students about the crisis of black-on-black crime and encourage dialogue.

“We hope that this symposium will bring awareness to a very important social issue in our community,” said Sherman Pyatt, coordinator of collection development.

“We hope to encourage our students, faculty, staff and the Orangeburg community to identify problems, search for answers and discuss these issues in a critical manner,” he said.

T&D Correspondent Rodney Brown is a student in the Mass Communications Department at Claflin University.

On the Phone with Buju Banton

By Jennifer Safara  Perry

SIL: What was your experience like growing up in Jamaica?
Buju: Humble, simple and comely.

SIL: What influence has Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey had on you?
Buju: A whole lot. A thousand percent influence.

SIL: Who are your inspirations?
Buju: Haile Selassie I the First, the King, the Ruling Emperor of Ethiopia.

SIL: On your Inna Heights album you reflected about how at age 12 you did a show and your friends encouraged you to pursue a career as a
music man.
Buju: I took it seriously and started writing my own songs, and start going to the studios and the dancehalls trying to have myself heard.

SIL: Can you please elaborate on your comment, “Being in the dancehall at such a young age, seeing people with microphones, hearing the music was the most mystical feeling I ever encountered. The first time I got the chance to make a song my head swell so big, I knew right there that there was no turning back.”
Buju: Oh yeah, I know I was never exposed to anything like that before. I mean the dancehall, you could hear the horns from miles away and you would try to figure out where those horns were coming from, and then when you finally found it, you’d be elated because the sounds you were hearing, and the people were just in a frenzy dancing, and the music and the bass and your intestines would be shaking. So I mean there’s no other experience to compare to it.

SIL: Growing up in the music industry how did you balance being a regular teen with a working teen?
Buju: When a guy like Bow Wow was 13, him ‘ave cameras running him down left, right, and center. When I was 13, I working hard, you know what I mean, in the dancehall. The reality is that two different type of tings very difficult for us. You don’t get the venues, you don’t get the radio play, we don’t get most of the tings that you guys are accustomed to and artists get here in America, so therefore we have to work extra hard…they would never ever open the doors to my culture like how they would the American culture. It’s as plain and simple as that.

SIL: How did it feel to record and release your latest album, Too Bad, on your own label Gargamel Music, Inc.?
Buju: I’ve had my own business for the past seven years now…I’m trying to reach out to the people from my independent perspective. We don’t only say ish we mean it, like ruling our destiny; you know what I mean, putting out our tracks and trying to get the music to the people. I know there’s a lot of haters out there and they pretend like they are with us, but they are not. We just want to make our music and make a record, because that’s what we’re used to doing. That’s what I love to do.

SIL: Your new album is called Too Bad…
Buju: Too Bad is a phenomenal success back in Jamaica, and the local community in the Caribbean, and also in the Americas where many people who know Buju Banton, know what I’m about. There are a lot of great songs on this album…I could blow my own horn which I don’t intend to do. What’s important is for guys to go check this record out and girls to go check this record out, I’m sure they will find favorites, something they do love, more than one thing.

SIL: Some lyrics that stood out from the song “Who Have It” are, “Who have the money and hide it from the youth? Who have the knowledge and withhold the truth? Who give dem gun and tell dem fi shoot? Who go make the ghetto youths have to revolute?”
Buju: Well a lot of that is going on every day in America, but youth of America do they want the truth? Youth of America do they want the knowledge… if you stand up and tell them you want the truth you will have it. I can’t blame the system no more; I have to straighten up the youth. I have seen how they have changed, I’ve seen what their ideologies are…few men want the realness of life they are all chasing an illusion or a dream and it’s far fetched from reality, most of them. Babylon give you what you want. The American dream is a dream just like it says. Who am I to say it is an illusion, it’s a dream. So Babylon will fulfill your
dream if it is a dream you actually should have. What about the realities of life? Let us leave it there.

SIL: What advice would you give to the youth?
Buju: Keep your hearts pure because within your heart lies the issues of life. There’s a war going on here. There’s wrong and right.

Floetry: Soulful Sistas from the U.K.

SIL: Can you tell us about Floetry and the culture you represent?
Marsha: I’m Marsha Ambrosius a.k.a “the Songstress”
Natalie: . . . and I’m Natalie Stewart, a.k.a “the Floacist,” collectively known as Floetry.
Marsha: I was born in Liverpool [England]. My mother’s father is African-American, Cuban, Liberian and
Guyanese and her mother was Polish. My father is Native-American and Liberian. Hey, I’m a child of the
earth. His mother German, we think. That makes me Guyalebliber…(laughs). So I’m completely original;
can’t carbon copy me.
Natalie: I was born in Germany and raised in England. Mother and father are Jamaican, grandparents
Jamaican. I’m also of the waters. I was a mermaid in my former life. What culture do we represent?
We represent whoever can relate.
SIL: How important is it for us to be knowledgeable about global issues?
Marsha: I think it’s important to stay current with global issues, regardless of where you are from.
There are things that are happening in this world that effect everyone. Regardless of your heritage,
where you’re from, or who you connect with; we’re all on this earth. I think things like Hurricane Katrina definitely
hit home, because I have family members in New Orleans. With Hurricane Rita, my grandfather lives in Texas, so I’m always on
the phone making sure people are cool. I can’t call people directly in Africa who are suffering there, but it definitely
hits home. Natalie: It’s very important to stay up-to-date because it’s humbling. It stops you from thinking your block is the only
block in the world, stops you from thinking your pain is the only pain, your challenge is the only challenge. This time
last year, Hurricane Ivan was ravishing the islands and no one really said anything. They say, “you know it’s the islands,
the people deal with it.” This year it’s Katrina and Rita, and they are continuing.
SIL: Can you tell us a little about your teenage years?
Marsha: The teenage years–the uncomfortable, the difficult, challenging, yet so much fun in learning one’s self years. It kind of makes you . .
Natalie: . . . or breaks you.
Marsha: You can go one of two ways.
Natalie: But in breaking you, it still makes you.
Marsha: Yeah? (laughs)
Natalie: I tell you this, adolescence you cannot pay me to do again. People are running around with this “stay young” business. But, my dear friends,
as a woman made in the image of the Mother, child of the All, I am glad to be out of adolescence,which I think is until you reach age twenty-five. It’s like, Peace, Adolescence! Cool while we rocked it. If I knew then what I know now, I could have done it better. But I didn’t. So, see you when my daughter gets there…Enjoy your teen years! Enjoy what you do, know that there are consequences to all actions. That’s just responsibility. Only do what you can handle
because you will only be given what you can handle. If you don’t want to handle things like the entire school talking about you and all that stuff, then there are ways to stay away from it.  This is a challenge but try to judge yourself by yourself. You don’t have to compare yourself to external standards. You should have a personal standard of excellence. Invest in hobbies. I thought I was older at 14 than I feel at 26. I made myself old. I tried to get big woman too quick. Enjoy your youth; it’s a beautiful thing. It’s a great time to learn, it’s a great time to study.
SIL: What can we look forward to on your new album?
Marsha: Two individuals who are being completely honest. They’ve made mistakes in their lives and openly share those mistakes… Flo’Ology.

Article by Fatimah Payne

On the Phone with Yummy

Tanange: What was it like growing up in Queens?
Yummy: It wasn’t easy living in Queens, especially where I’m from in South Jamaica. It was really
tough. I pretty much used music as an escape.
Tanange: When did you join the music industry?
Yummy: I entered the industry around age 12. My dad and I decided to work on my demo; that was during my 6th grade summer. The next year, we started shopping the demo. By the time I turned 14, I had my first record deal with Kay Gee, formerly of Naughty by Nature. I was signed to a girl group called the Rain.
Tanange: Which artists have you worked with?
Yummy: Ahh man, I’ve worked with numerous artists including, Busta Rhymes, Mya, Amerie, Puffy, and Christina Aguilera.
Tanange: Is it ever intimidating being a woman in the industry?
Yummy: In the beginning yes. It takes a lot to adapt to the understanding that it is a male dominated industry. Women are always secondary to everything, especially our opinions. It’s hard to be taken seriously when you’re talking about business. It used to be very unstable for women but thanks to women like Sylvia Rhone and myself. I am now CEO of Music Park Records–it’s no longer an intimidating thing. I’m trying to transform that whole thing.
Tanange: Do you think your music has a positive impact on people?
Yummy: I do, because it’s my message. I have a handful of sexy, edgy but tasteful songs. I arrange them in that sense because I have little brothers and sisters and there are things I don’t want them hearing. Still, at the end of the day I am trying to educate. Sex is no longer a thing to try to cover-up because it’s out there. My main purpose is to promote safe sex as hard as I can. I just don’t want people to be ignorant of what’s going on. I have a song called, “Time,” that is for anyone who can relate to losing someone you love. I have another
song called, “Just Leave,” that came from everytime I wanted to just pack my bags or just grab anything and get out of wherever I was and I know people can relate to that too. I just hope my album is positive.
Tanange: How was it working with Jadakiss ?
Yummy: Unfortunately, I didn’t get the opportunity to work with him on the song. It was more so us trying to hurry up and get the song out. The rapper I originally chose, I didn’t get because time and money did not permit, so the label had to handle that with Jadakiss.
Tanange: How long have you been a songwriter?
Yummy: I’ve been writing as long as I’ve been singing, since age 12. I have been writing for other people since I was 15; I wrote for every artist I told you I
worked with.
Tanange: Growing up in the music industry, how did you balance being a regular teen and a working teen?
Yummy: I’m a go getter. If I really want something, I’m going to get it as long as it isn’t hurting anybody. People acknowledge my work ethic as extreme. I work hard. I stay in the studio for hours, if not days at a time. I write songs for myself and others and I produce tracks. I had to balance all of that and just know what I wanted and fight for it.
Tanange: When people read your bio they may say “ Oh her godmother is Chaka Khan and her father produced for New Edition, she must have it made.” Is that true?
Yummy: It is definitely true. I am very fortunate to have these people in my life to use as examples of the do’s and don’ts.
Tanange: What would you like to say to our readers?
Yummy: Pretty much, I’m promoting safe sex hard as usual. Be open- minded and free-spirited and hold on to your dream. Always put yourself first with anything you do.
Tanange: Thanks!

On the Phone with Trey Songz

Rebekah: Hi Trey
Trey: What’s up babe.
Rebekah: What is your real name and how old
are you?
Trey: Tremaine Neverson, 20 years old. Are
you going to spell my name right?
Rebekah: Yes Tremaine, How did you get the
name Trey Songz?
Trey: Well I write all of my song. When I was about 16, I was looking for a name. So my
producer sent me a CD with all of my songs and on it was written Trey Songs. Trey without
the apostrophe and I was like that’s it Trey Songz. The white light shined in Ahhhhhh! and
I just put the Z on it and it made sense.
Rebekah: Where are you from?
Trey: Petersberg, Virginia. My whole family is from there. You know how they say it takes a
village to raise a kid? It was like that growing up.  Everyone knew you, they’ll say “you’re April’s boy” or
“you’re Rose’s grandchild’ It was real home like.
Rebekah: What would you be doing if you didn’t get into music?
Trey: Before I found music, I use to cut hair. I probably would still be cutting hair.
Rebekah: What is the name of your album and when is it going to be released?
Trey: I Gotta Make It, July26th.
Rebekah: What should people expect on this album?
Trey: My intro is a message from Aretha Franklin, she’s telling me to keep my head up
to the sky no matter what, I’m going to make it. That meant a lot to me, that’s Aretha
Franklin, the Queen of Soul. From that point  on, the single comes on and it’s just good
music all the way through, no lie. I got Troy Taylor on production, Scott Storch, Organized
Noise, Warren Campbell and a couple of new jacks, J.R. he did a couple of songs on 50’s
album. There’s also a song I produced, “Your Behind,” it’s going to be a club banger.
Rebekah: It’s called a “Your Behind”?
Trey: “Your Behind”…
Rebekah: Okay kay kay…
Trey: Um hum um hum…
Rebekah: Your new single “Gotta Make It” featuring Twista, seems to be doing very well, did you expect it to be like this?
Trey: It’s all a dream. I Gotta Make It because where I’m from, there is not too much getting
out. There ain’t too many people believing in anything. So, right now I’m happy.
Rebekah: In your music you seem to keep it real. I heard some of your mix tape and it’s
hot. You say exactly what teens are saying instead of watering it down. Do you think that
your audience will connect with you?
Trey: For sure. I want people to relate to me, because stars nowadays are so far away, like
you can’t reach them. When people feel like they can touch you, when people know that
you’re like them, you’re approachable, people like you more. I’m a regular dude.
Rebekah: What is your favorite movie?
Trey: Menace II Society.
Rebekah: What is your favorite food?
Trey: My grandmama’s
macaroni and cheese.
Rebekah: What advice would you give to high school students?
Trey: Follow your dreams. Don’t just follow them, follow them like you really want to get it, like it’s reachable.
Don’t let a hater tell you nothing, cuz’ a hater don’t want to see you get nothing, it’ll destroy their day. Follow
your dreams because no one ever thought little Tremaine would be where he’s at now so, I’m living proof that anybody
can do anything.
Rebekah: You go ahead – Tremaine!  What was your favorite subject in school?
Trey: My favorite subject in school was…Lunch nah. (laughs) my favorite subject in school was art. I luh’ to draw. I didn’t take music in
school. Barbering school as well, I took that from 10 – 5pm, sometimes later cuz I had crazy clientele..cheeew.
Rebekah: What do you say to all your dedicated fans?
Trey: I luh’ yall, I luh’ yall to def’ my fans, thanks for the support. Follow your boy and you’ll get nothin’ but the truth and vote for me
on 106th & Park (laughs). Nah I love my fans, my fans keep me going.
Rebekah: Did you enjoy the interview?
Trey: Of course Becky…
Rebekah Wilson is a 17-year-old junior at Queens
Gateway to the Health Sciences High School.