men's fashion + entertainment + fitness +
bleumagazine.com
ISSUE 30 bleumagazine.com
style Watch 2014
NAACP Image Award Nominee
Lawrence Saint-Victor
Side Effects of Success pg 38
Portland Trailblazers’
Thomas Robinson
Nick Cannon
DO YOU BEDLOO?
www.bedloo.com
bleu magazine
Contents
2
12 It’s Me, It’s YoU…AmerICAN HusTle & ASCAP'S 5th AnnUAl GrAmmy nomInEE BrUnCh
14 tHe 20StylE mAvErICkS to wAtCh In 2014
16 GAGDetsPArty of onE
18 rIDeChEvy CEntEnnIAl
24 BoDYGIvE mE A BEAt
26 GrooMInGtIE-InG thE knot
28 FUeLBlEU EAtS rEd
34 trAVeLlEt'S CoASt: A SoUth AfrICAn joUrnEy
38 oP-eD: whEn yoU wIn, yoU loSE
40 ArtFUL LIVInG:VICtorIA ForDPhoto roAdIE
44 trenD AVe.SEASon PICkS
56 FAsHIon: tHoMAs roBInsonfIndS hIS nIChE In fAShIon
62 FeAtUre: CHArLes
MICHAeL DAVIsrevAmPEd
64 sPotLIGHt: BrenDAn DooLInGdoolInG'S joUrnAl
65 sPotLIGHt: DJ ZeKe tHoMAsSPInnInG And wInnInG
72 FeAtUre: McKInLeY FreeMAndoES It All
74 ProFILetwo tEnorS And A BArAtonE
78 FAsHIon:LAwrenCe sAInt-VICtordAytImE tElEvISIon'SnEw lEAdInG mAn
84 sCoreSPortS roUndUP
86 on tHe rIseroUnd two
88 MAnCAVehIt thE SloPES
91 ICon: roBert townsenD tInSEltown ShUfflE
FEATURES50 nICK CAnnon
moGUl In thE mAkInG
66 LIL MAMAmorE thAn lIPGloSS
CoVer storY: nick cannon
bleumagazine.com 3
bleumagazine.com@bleumagazine
fashion health culture entertainment interviews
bleu magazine4
MAstHeAD
on the cover: nick Cannon Photography by Elton AndersonStyled by Ugo mozieGrooming by kase Glenn
Bleulife Media & Entertainment Inc. | 262 West 38th Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10018 | E-Mail: [email protected] | Online: bleulife.comPrinted in the USA. Opinions expressed by advertisers, columnists, feature writers or other contributors are not necessarily the opinions of Bleu Magazine or its staff.
All advertisements, photographs, text or illustrations are published with the understanding that the advertisers are fully authorized to have secured proper consent for the use thereof. Bleu Magazine shall not be held responsible for any errors, loss, expense or liabilities on advertisements accepted after the deadline. Publication of the name or photograph of any
person or advertisement in Bleu Magazine is not to be constructed as an indication of sexual orientation of such persons, advertiser or organization. Partial or complete reproduction of an advertisement, news article, feature or photograph from Bleu Magazine is strictly prohibited as Bleu Magazine is a registered trademark. A $25 or 1.5% (whichever is greater)
fee will be charged for all NSF checks. All rights reserved.
teAM BLeU
Publisher & Creative Director
dévon Christopher johnson
editor
rae holliday
Managing editor
reginald larkin
Art Director
nia Blackmon
Digital Content Manager
Erica vain
Fashion editor-At-Large
Alishia Crutchfield
Apuje kalu
Grooming editor
Cantaanda j
Fashion Market editor
Chris Sandford
Brand Coordinator
Carlotta harrington
Assistant to the Publisher
Gary dickson
Contributing editors
terrell Allen, regi Booker, larrsye Brown,
owen duckett, dorielle jackson,
Patrick neree, Shawn thomas
Contributing writers
jasmine Aspinall, kiara Gillette, kirsten lewis,
kent olden, Gary thomas, oj williams,
lamont wilson
Contributing Photographers
Elton Anderson, nina duncan, Shameer khan,
Evan lanes, keith major, mike miller, dex rob
Interns
Ebony Allison, yvette Brown, Antonio jackson,
yisreal richardson, Edric robinson
tHe BLeULIFe GroUP
Chairman, Ceo & President
dévon Christopher johnson
Account Managers
todd Evans @rivendell media
908.232.2021
kenyon Clemons
917.500.1331
Media relations
janelle langford @Suite Pr
Integrated Brand Partnerships
kim j. ford @Brand whisperer
973.580.4476
Brand Marketing Manager
Cheryl Singleton @Circa2001
Legal & Business Affairs
thomas j. wilson, Esq
Golenbock Eisman Assor Bell & Peskoe llP
Accounting
Aaron t. Smyle
Smyle & Associate, llC
newsstand Distribution
kable distribution
212.705.4627
submissions
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262 west 38th Street
new york, ny 10018
bleumagazine.com
PUBLIsHer's Letter
5
"Lost ones" by Lauren Hill
Can't slick talk on the day of judgment. Your
movement's similar to a serpent. Tried to
play straight, how your whole style bent?
Consequence is no coincidence. Hypocrites
always want to play innocent. Always want
to take it to the full out extent. Always want
to make it seem like good intent. Never want
to face it when it's time for punishment. I
know that you don't wanna hear my opinion.
But there come many paths and you must
choose one. And if you don't change then
the rain soon come. see you might win some
but you just lost one.
If your 2013 were anything like mine, then this new year was welcomed with open arms. thirteen
has always had a negative reputation. It is most often depicted in horror movies, especially when
it falls on a friday. things weren’t has terrifying as a night in the woods with jason chasing you,
but it did have many challenges.
for me, the lessons learned last year have limitless value. what I discovered about friends, family,
business relationships and myself, will forever stay with me. People have a funny way of showing
who the really are.
my charge to you [and me] is to take these lessons and press forward. don’t let last year’s head-
aches weigh you down. “let go and let God,” as my grandmother says. there are simply some
things you have shrug off as badges of honor.
look ahead with the BlEU team for an amazing year. we have so many exciting experiences for
you, the reader, in store.
As you do with every issue, sit back, relax and enjoy your BlEU.
DéVon Christopher Johnson
@devonisbleu
PHoto BY eLton AnDerson
bleu magazine6
eDrIC roBInson Writer
1. What I'm jamming to: counting
stars by one republic (its an ear
worm)
2. If you weren't writing you
would be? Doing anything that
allows me to travel all the time.
3. Favorite interview moment:
hanging out with a former suda-
nese slave with an inspiring story,
keer Deng, singing along to a
selena Gomez song during a car
ride in massachusetts.
4. What is your social media
handle? @smartear
JAsMIne AsPInALL Writer
1. Where else have we seen your
work? ViBe/ViBe Vixen magazines
and the Jasmine Brand.
2. Who is your celebrity spirit an-
imal? the oh so wonderful tracee
ellis ross. she's beautiful, quirky
and hilarious! (check out her insta-
gram page) i like that she doesn't
seem to take herself too seriously
which is exactly me because i'll
forever be 15 at heart.
3. Favorite fashion trend: Give
me a good flannel shirt , a pair of
dirty chuck taylor's,
some fashion-
able sweat-
pants and i'm
set!
4. What is
your social media
handle? eh, i should up the ante
on my social media but it's
@iheartjas
ContrIBUtors
KIrsten LewIs Writer
1. What is your favorite quote?
“The only thing worse than being
blind is having sight and no vision”
– helen keller
2. Who is your
celebrity Spirit
Animal? Gwen
stefani (confi-
dent, girly
with an edge,
creative)
3. Whats on your Blog Roll? ne-
colebitchie.com, abelleinbrooklyn.
com, sofurious.com, madisonave-
nuespy.blogspot.com,
4. What is your social media
handle? iG: kayLova
twitter: @kayLova27
Kent oLDen Writer
1. What I'm jamming to: "Slow
down / grab the wall / wiggle like
you tryina make dat ass fall off..."
sage the Gemini's "Gas Pedal" has
been stuck in my head for a while.
the Worker Beys keep buzzing in
my ear about "Drunk in Love" and
"Partition," but i can't bring myself
to listen to it until it's not so popu-
lar anymore (i'm weird...it's fine).
2. Where else have we seen your
work? celebrity stylist tim B.'s
fashion site epikstyle.com (i wrote
his bio), and the kappa alpha Psi
Journal.
3. If you weren't writing, you
would be? a doctor. i majored
in biochemical engineering in
high school, and came danger-
ously close to getting a
pharmacy degree after
college, but i
studied public
relations
instead. my
aP Biology
teacher is
actually the
one who told me to consider
writing as a career.
4. What is your social media
handle? on instagram and twitter
i'm @theoldenDaZe (because this
is how i see the world...)
bleumagazine.com
eDItor's Letter
7
PHoto BY nAJ wAreHAM
“Feeling Good” by nina simone
Birds flyin' high, you know how I feel. sun in
the sky, you know how I feel. Breeze driftin'
on by, you know how I feel. It's a new dawn,
it's a new day, it's a new life for me. Yeah, it's
a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life for
me, And I'm feelin' good.
If you wait till everything "feels" right, it will never happen. If you wait till you're in a great mood,
that could actually take forever. And If you're waiting for a sign, you probably missed it because
you're too busy waiting on the first two. the bottom line? make it happen.
this issue is dedicated to those who have put their feelings aside and pushed to be the absolute
best! those artist, designers & entrepreneurs who never gave up, starting with our cover guy!
Set that alarm clock and when it goes off, take flight. you see, life is not about how you "feel" it's
about what you do, so put your feelings on the table, and get to work! like, now, your future will
thank you later.
rae Holliday
@raeholliday
bleu magazine8
American Hustle
special screening
After Party Los Angeles, CA
December 3, 2013
Director David O. russell, Jeremy renner and Amy Adams
Amy Adams and sony Pictures entertainment Co-Chairman Amy Pascal
eli roth and lorenza IzzoJohn singleton and Jeremy renner
eli roth and Director/Producer/Writer David O. russell
Its Me, Its YoU, Its BLeU
bleumagazine.com
seCtIon ArtICLe tItLe
9
AKoo Clothing Co. Pop-Up at AsCAP's
5th Annual Grammy nominee Brunch
Beverly Hills, CA
January 25, 2014
Julianne moore and Chloe Grace moretz
VP of marketing for AKOO Clothing Co. sabai Burnett and T.I.
T.I.Guests at the 5th Annual AsCAP Grammy Brunch
Actor, AlBe Black, eileen Arias, AKOO Clothing Co. Pr, and AKOO Clothing Co. Co-Founder and Grand Hustle CeO, Jason Geter
AsCAP VP, rhythm & soul/urban Nicole George-middleton and Ne-YO
tHe 20
10
Best Dressed Men of 2013
001
Amaré
Stoudemire
002
Big
Sean
003
Idris
Elba
004
tyson
Chandler
005
jay
Ellis
006
Eric
west
007
Pharrell
williams 008
George
Clooney
2013 proved to be the year of the peacock as men everyone embraced their
inner satorialist. Whether he is on the red carpet or strutting to the grocery
store, these guys do it in style. there is no better way to close out the year
than to salute the men who gave us our style ques.
017
Scott
disick
011
nick
wooster
009
terrence j
016
jay Z
014
kid
Cudi
013
kanye
west
012
russell
westbrook
010
david
Beckham
015
leBron
james
018
ryan
Gosling
020
james
franco
019
Channing
tatum
bleu magazine
GADGets
12
mother nature’s turndown is an opportunity for you to turn up the volume. Chilly temperatures aside these fresh headphones have the ability to rejuvenate your ward-robe during these dreary months. Instead of purchasing earmuffs, replace them with white headphones that can instantly lighten up your outfit and your mood.
Apple
Earpods with remote
and mic
(29.00)
battle for
bleumagazine.com 13
Sony
ZX Series Stereo
headphones
(19.99)
Monster
dnA on-Ear
headphones
(149.99)
Beats by Dre
Beats Studio over-
the-Ear headphones
(299.99)
Flips Audio
flips Collapsible hd
headphones & Stereo
Speakers
(120.00)
bleu magazine
rIDe
14
Starting at $25,57516/23 est mpg
Features
·mylink with a 4.2-inch or 8-inch color
touch screen radio
·Steering wheel with integrated controls
safety
·driver Alert Package sends vibrations
through driver's seat corresponding with
lane departure warning and forward Colli-
sion Alert systems
2014 Silverado 1500
Starting at $43,60021 est mpg
Features
·towing capability of up to 8,500 lbs
·Seating for up to 9 passengers
safety
·5 Star frontal Crash and Side Crash ratings
from the national highway traffic Safety
Administration
·onStar Automatic Crash response
2014 Tahoe LS
Starting at $14,17040 est mpg
Features
·most affordable In-dash navigation System
in its class
·ECotEC® 1.8l 4-cylinder engine
·remote keyless-Entry
safety
·named 2013 top Safety Picks in IIhS (In-
surance Institute for highway Safety)
·5 Star overall Safety rating
2014 Sonic sedan
bleumagazine.com 15
With Chevrolet celebrating 100 years, it’s important that we say Happy Birthday! Chevrolet has created a variety of cars and trucks that have never disappointed their fans and collectors. Some of which have been defined as iconic with its style and dependability, making Chev-rolet a popular name in itself.
Starting at $23,55530 est mpg
Features·Siri Eyes-free (for iPhone users)·rear vision camera·v6 engine that boasts 323 horsepower
safety·received 5 stars in every individual safety rating segment in nhtSA
2014 Camaro coupe
the Chevy:
bleu magazine16
BoDY
FItBIt:
forCE fItnESS trACkEr
BrACElEt with Smartwatch
technology
measures your activity through
caloric intake and movement. the
bracelet is so engaged it syncs with
your smartphone.
www.fitbie.com
$129.95
Hardwire Your Healthtechnology is the cornerstone of 21 century living. more then ever tech-
nology is helping to make our lives healthier. the gadgets in this issue
have been designed to encourage a healthy life style. After all, improving
the quality of life for the human condition is the least we could use tech for.
bleumagazine.com 17
VALenCeLL:
v-lInC EArBUdS
measures real time biometric and
physiological data, heart rate, respi-
ration rate, energy expenditure
www.valencell.com
(Prices vary according to the
retailer)
UnDer ArMoUr:
ArmoUr39
PErformAnCE BAnd
2GB of storage data, monitors per-
formance issues, bluetooths data to
coaches and scouts.
www.engadget.com
$149.00 (unreleased)
wItHInG:
SmArt Body AnAlyZEr
measures BmI, weight, temperature,
Co² levels, blue tooth
www.withings.com
$149.99
bleu magazine18
How to Tie a Windsor
learning to tie a tie is a rite of passage for men everywhere. that moment when you tie your knot for the first time embodies an unrivaled sense of ac-
complishment. this month Bleu is going to take back to the basics by remind-ing our readers the importance of the windsor knot. hey ignore the saying
because old dogs and new dogs alike can learn new tricks.
GrooMInG
Photography by owen duckett
bleumagazine.com 19
Step 1: Cross the wide end over the narrow end. Step2: Pull the wide end up through the loop by your collar bringing the
wide end back down.
Step3: taking the wide end, pull it under the narrow end and to the
right, through the loop and to the right. the wide end should be facing
inside out.
Step 4: Pull the wide end across the front, then place it through the loop
bringing the wide end through the knot in the front.
Step 5: tighten the knot drawing it up to your collar for the perfect finish
on your windsor knot.
finished.
bleu magazine
FUeL
20
NourritureDe L'amour
NourritureDe L'amour
who says red is just for valentine's day? who says cupid gets it right anyway? well here is a solution that doesn't require someone sitting across the table from you. our editors picked some of their favorite crimson foods that make the best date.
Red Velvet Cake you can never go wrong with a delicious yet
simple pastry to indulge in with your sweet-
heart. Spice it up by getting this cake in the
shape of heart to show them that the cake is
just as sweet as they are.
Red Foods to Set the Valentine Mood
bleumagazine.com 21
Strawberriesdipped in white chocolate with a dark choco-
late drizzle, this seductive fruit can be dressed
up in every way to set the mood right. Plus
who doesn't love strawberries, you can get
them anywhere and play with them after
dessert.
Red Chocolate BoxA simple red box of chocolates never fails to
please. with so many flavors and styles it's
sure to satisfy for dessert or even as a gift.
Red Winewith so many red wines, Bleu chose Cabernet
Sauvignon, it's the perfect drink to go with
dinner or dessert. An added plus, red wine
also happens to be heart healthy and the go
to aphrodisiac to set the mood.
bleu magazine
trAVeL
22
Words by: Edric Robinson
South Africa Love an amazing experience
South Africa 2013 - A destination fulfilled! After years of desiring to visit, along with a
little nudge from the 2010 FIFA World Cup that was hosted there, I found a great deal and took a
leap of faith for a week-long trip to johannesburg. never would I have imagined that in addition
to the country’s historical sites, music and food, that the end of my trip would coincide with the
death of the global icon, nelson mandela.
I travelled on thanksgiving night with my best friend jocelyn kearney, flying about 17 hours with
a layover in Paris. we touched down in joburg or jozi, as the locals call johannesburg. It was a
beaming Saturday afternoon. first things first, we took precautions – johannesburg has been
known for its crime and it was important for us to be as vigilant as we could for our personal
safety. little things like making sure not to flash our cellular phones or cameras went a long way.
thankfully we encountered no incident.
on night one of our trip we attended a concert hosted by one of the country’s most popular mu-
sic groups, freshly Ground. known for their collaboration with Shakira on the official 2010 World
Cup song, “waka waka,” the group entertained a packed arena for 2-hours. Its music was a mix
of indigenous African melodies and contemporary urban pop and dance. Such a welcome felt
like the official opening ceremony of the trip. South African native, Zolani mahola, is the group’s
lead singer and she never missed a beat and kept her energy up throughout the entire show.
dinner that night was traditional. the menu hosted more than just the average chicken and beef.
Entrées like ostrich burger, ostrich Pie, kudu Steak, Impala Steak and every other game meat
the country is known for lined its pages. I cowered and went the safe route with a chicken dish,
while my adventurous friend dove right into a game meat platter- she loved it.
bleumagazine.com 23
bleu magazine
trAVeL
24
bleumagazine.com
soUtH AFrICA
25
our next few days were spent
touring historical sites in the
city; visiting landmarks like the
Apartheid museum, the mandela
Bridge, its Constitution house, and the ever
burning flame of democracy which symbol-
izes its people’s inner strength after the hard-
won freedoms.
one day for a visit to Soweto, the South west-
ern townships. this township was the area
where blacks were banished to live by city and
state authorities during apartheid. the area
today is a mix of very poor living and some
upscale homes – it’s an intriguing mix but a
truly a humbling experience. Soweto was also
home to local giants mandela, and desmond
tutu.
to celebrate my birthday on dec. 3rd, I spent
the day on a Safari! Unlike r&B singer jazmine
Sullivan, I was a little nervous about viewing
lions and tigers in a jeep – at least the adult
ones. our Safari tour guide did warn us to
keep our hands inside of the caged vehicles
while on the tour and if we dropped our
phones or cameras out of the vehicle while
snapping pics – they were not stopping to get
it. heeding the warning, I behaved according-
ly. while touring, we saw zebras, springboks–
the national animal, giraffes, wild dogs, and
of course lions. one of the most memorable
experiences was visiting a petting area at the
lion Park where we were allowed to mingle
with lion cubs. I felt like an extra in the lion
King kicking it with Simba and nala. All was
great until these cubs started to play with me
like I was also a cub. I have a scar to prove it,
but how many people could say they got bit by
a lion and lived.
So what’s left to do after all of that; we ex-
plored a rooftop club looking over the skyline
of the city at night and did local shopping by
day. finally, our trip had come to an end, we
spent days enjoying the best and worst parts
of joburg, meeting great people along the
way. mandela’s passing occurred the day we
returned to new york City. for a week my
friend and I enjoyed our time in the bustling
city, visiting mandela’s former home and
hearing firsthand about the impact his fight still
has on the locals today. Although we were not
there to experience and take part in the cele-
brations that erupted after his passing, I think
I can speak for both of us in saying – we were
just happy to have visited this great place – an
amazing destination indeed! ★
Oppostie page (l to r): Soweto's orlando tower; Burning
flame of democracy; map of South Africa.
This page (l to r): Safari visit; poster from 2010 fIfA world
Cup in South Africa; nelson mandela
bleu magazine
oP-eD
26
The Side Effects of Successwords by Shawn thomas
bleumagazine.com 27
there are the michael jacksons of the
world, and then there are the dead-
beat dads. there are the oprahs
of our society, and then there are
the unemployed, mentally unstable
homeless. there are the Steve jobs
of our generation and then there are
the high school drop outs turned
street thugs. Some people are just
more successful than others; a simple reality that establish-
es a bold, brazen line between the haves, and have nots.
Success is a culmination of goal setting, risk taking, hard
work, energy, and support all coalesced in what some
would call one “lucky” person. without any of these nec-
essary ingredients, success borders more on misfortune
and “almost had it.” there are thousands of quotes from
thousands of successful people about the thousands of
ways to become successful. they’re read as though a
formula exists, as though following this advice begets more
success when in actuality, unconventional measures breed
unconventional results; the one take-a-away from (almost)
every success story out there.
what isn’t formulaic, in any sense, are the side effects of
having finally made it. there are ways success influences
and impacts life and our relationships, and changes occur
that no one is ever really prepared for. one change in par-
ticular that occurs is the acute awareness that you’re doing
better than those around you. Being immediately faced
with the decision to keep making strides forward or slow
things down to a pace that keeps up with friends and family
is a choice most successfuls must deal with. It’s the first ma-
jor choice, and it has a lot riding on it. for most successfuls,
the former option works best, and they make every attempt
at eating a huge slice of humble pie every chance they get
to assume as little criticism for ego and pride as possible.
on the other hand, many others take to social media to
showcase and spotlight the achievements of their life; a
side effect that only recently cropped up with the millennial
generation. facebook, twitter, and Instagram have become
the staple channels through which success and achieve-
ment are shared. So interestingly enough, successfuls
make attempts at remaining humble while still seeking
out attention and admiration; a way to have their cake
and eat it too.It would seem as though the less fortunate
didn’t follow the same route and don’t enjoy the luxuries
of success: wealth, following dreams, happiness. with
achievement granting these types of benefits, it’s easy to
see how successfuls might believe envy and jealousy are
the initial reactions coming from the “have nots.” the term
“hater” was created simply for successfuls to use when ad-
dressing someone who suffers from bouts of jealousy and
envy. In fact, successfuls are more likely to modestly point
out jealousy and envy once the accomplishments, trophies,
and awards come trickling in.
however, many successfuls have found a way to curb hate
and envy as success also has the effect of being used as
a motivator. Inspiration to work harder can be seen spilling
from successfuls into the “have nots” daily. look at any
great motivational speaker and you’ll see how using one’s
own story can be used to deflect the negativity of being
“better than,” and ignite the positivity of “you’re just as
good” ( just read any one of those quotes referred to earli-
er; instant motivation!).
Success also becomes the playing field for competition
between two succesfuls and even between those who
aren’t as successful. An air of competition is created when
the gap between two success stories is paper thin. Some of
the best achievements of mankind have come from fierce
competitions of success. from the race to the moon to the
olympics, the competitive nature of successfuls can mark
history and transform the word.
yes, success in itself is a phenomenon that warrants atten-
tion, but keep in mind: Success is relative. Success is what
one makes it, and to compare two versions of success is
like comparing apples to oranges. who’s to say that finally
finding a job as a factory worker after being laid off 3 years
prior isn’t as successful as finally being promoted past
entry-level at a fortune 500 company? they both mean
something to the individual person, and that is all it really
boils down to in the end. Success is anything that pushes
you forward, anything that gets you past where you are
right now. ★
bleu magazine
ArtFUL LIVInG
28
seeInG tHe worLD tHroUGH tHe eYes oF VICtorIA ForD
words by Gary thomasPhotography by victoria ford
Capturing the perfect moment
VICtorIA ForD
HaVE YOu EVER left a concert, wishing you could relive the entire
performance over again? have you ever engraved a vision of your
favorite artist in action in the crevices of your brain so you could remem-
ber it forever? If there was a word in the dictionary that would serve as a
more affirmative way to say yes, that would be victoria ford’s response.
ford speaks with a contagious energy. despite being out late the night
before at a janelle monae concert in north Carolina, she approached
the interview with irresistible charm and professionalism from start to
finish. her passion for her craft exudes in every word adding to the awe-
some concert and artist stories she has to tell. Speaking with victoria is
nothing less of a pleasure and learning experience.
Born and raised in middle class washington d.C. this self-taught photog-
rapher can easily be described as a music enthusiast. ford's exposure
to music heightened within her own household and family. Growing up,
her mother would always have music playing around the house. “She
took me to my first show like maybe, when I was 7 or 8; new Edition.
the second was michael jackson’s victory tour” says ford in describing
her mother's influence of music on her life.
victoria’s passion for music carried over into her photography. She de-
scribes herself as being able to hold a note, but not be able to fully sing
or play an instrument, but photography was always within her. She says,
“It inspires me to see the world differently. made me pay attention to
my surroundings more. It made me open my eyes. when I was younger
and didn’t have a camera, the camera was my brain." ford remembers
as early as her first concert wanting to “capture the moment”, vividly
remembering the moment the spotlight first shined on ralph tresvant.
Although she has kept this in her brain, she’s always had the urge to
show these memories to the world so others could share in the feelings
she had. It was around the age of 10 is when victoria began to fulfill this
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ArtFUL LIVInG
30
urge, using all the film in her mother’s Polaroid
to document these moments in music.
victoria began to take her craft more seriously
in 2008. working on street teams and having
a good friend that works in concert promotion
allowed her access into a lot of shows when
she first began. over the years she gain more
experience and relationships having shot
photographs of music artist in the likes of
miguel, Erykah Badu, Usher, drake, and has
even worked large events such as the made in
America Festival. In a quest to not be known
for one shot, ford draws inspiration from the
artists’ songs, crowd reactions, and personal
situations that may or may not be relate to the
music.
victoria ford specializes in concept photog-
raphy. She has the ability to shoot within any
arena or venue, but finds comfort in areas with
natural lighting. Some places you may also
find "this photographer" shooting with ease
are the 9:30 Club in d.C., and the highline
Ballroom in new york. with an editing process
most likely longer than the actual photograph-
ing, ford knows what she’s looking for and
you can find her “throwaways”, photographs
she isn’t professionally utilizing, on her Insta-
gram or facebook.
HoW iS youR WoRk A REFLECTion oF
you?
“It captures my spirit. So, I’m showing you
what I see. I think with me I want you to see
the artist. I want you to look past whatever,
whoever they are and just enjoy that moment.
like enjoy that picture. I just want you to feel
something, even if you weren’t there, feel
something.”
WHAT iS youR DREAM pHoTo SHooT oR
ARTiST To WoRk WiTH?
“jay-Z is on my must shoot list. It’s more so
his personality and touch with mentality. I’ve
always connected with jay-Z’s music. jay-Z
the person of course I don’t know. jay-Z the
artist, I feel that I can relate to certain things.
bleumagazine.com 31
I’m chasing Pharrell. the way that I love jay-Z
I love Pharrell more. Every time I try to shoot
him the lighting is awful. I’m still chasing that
perfect shot. “
WHAT ADViCE Do you HAVE FoR up AnD
CoMing pHoTogRApHERS AnD ARTiST
WHo WAnT To WoRk WiTHin youR AREA?
“have a website. you know there are a bunch
of blogs and sites that need photographers.
And unfortunately we aren’t always talking
about paid, but you would gain some type of
experience and you will make connections to
different people that will help you. work your
circle until you get to the square. when you
go to different events, if you go to a show, just
shoot. just bring a camera and shoot. ”
WHAT CAn WE ExpECT FRoM ViCToRiA
FoRD in THE nEAR FuTuRE?
“I did a t-shirt collaboration with someone; I’m
on the tail end of that. right now I’m work-
ing on a joint exhibition with another fellow
photographer for April 2014. It’s going to be in
new york at the art gallery called the Bishop.
It’s myself and Corey thompson. maybe a
book, I’m still toying around the idea of a small
coffee table book.” ★
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etro
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MArC JACoBs
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MICHAeL BAstAIn
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PAUL & Joe
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Ports 1961
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nICK CAnnon
bleumagazine.com 39
Nick Cannon has redefined the definition of multifaceted through his endeavors. Maintaining a
positive attitude in the face of challenges, Cannon emerges victorious in all aspects of life.
all hail
the
mediamonarch
“Imma do something wild, Imma come with you it. I’m all the
way in. we doing the nae nae, the gas pedal, the dances you
see in the hood are coming to middle America. you can’t have
soul Train without the soul train line.” nick Cannon utters,
expressing his excitement about the soul Train revival he is spearhead-
ing. Associating nick with a project in hollywood has become common-
place. Cannon is functioning in every capacity of production and judging
by his upcoming projects he does not intend to slow down.
I recently caught up with the budding mogul and asked about his
experience shooting with Americas Got Talent (AGt). After misjudg-
ing his schedule, he politely corrects me stating, “we are filming real
Husbands of Hollywood right now. I only shoot America’s Got Talent at
this point, when I’m flying to different cities. At the top of the year we go
a little more consistently and in late spring we go about twice a week.”
After providing a slither of what his schedule is like, the nickelodeon vP
precedes to describe the previous 24 hours.
Words by reginald LarkinPhotography by elton anderson
fashion by Ugo mozieGrooming by kase Glenn
bleu magazine
CoVer storY
40
nick quickly begins with an
array of appointments that
sounds more like a checklist
than a schedule. his day in-
cluded meetings for planning
his various television projects
at Paramount Studios, upon its conclusion
Cannon walks to tapings of real House
Husbands. After taping there is a meeting with
NCredible consumer’s product to discuss a
tablet he is creating and his headphones. After
the business meeting Cannon heads to his
studio in the valley to prep for a music video
for a song he recorded. By this time it is 2am
and nick is heading to the gym.
Cannon has come a long way from his days on
nickelodeon’s All That. the 90’s sketch come-
dy show served as an incubator for the talents
of keenan thomas and Amanda Bynnes.
when asked about an All That reunion Can-
non says, “Absolutely. I love all those people. I
love that experience in my life. keenan is like a
brother to me and is one of my closet friends.”
maintaining personal bonds seems to be a
guiding theme that he applies to friends and
family alike.
he expounds about the role of family when
he says, “I make sure I’m home for a couple of
days. I think it brings everyone closer.” no day
out with the kids is complete without the per-
fect outfit. Cannon describes his fatherhood
style when he states, “you know my style has
to be next level. Even though my gear is crazy,
and my wife’s gear is crazy, my kids probably
have better style than the both of us. we kind
of dictate off what they wear.”
no stranger to style, nick Cannon can be seen
channeling his inner peacock on red carpets
and Instagram posts alike. during his cover
shoot nick was able to wear a plethora of
audacious pieces. “that blue Gucci coat was
crazy, Im still looking for that,” expresses the
comedian turned mogul. Although he enjoys
spiked louboutin loafers, the San diego native
admits that his fashion sensibilities were
shaped through a love for old hollywood.
“Sinatra back in the day had effortless swag,”
says Cannon. he continues when he states,
“the classic double-breasted tuxedo, lapels,
french collars, all of that classic hollywood
stuff. I would snatch everything from that
dude’s closet. “
men’s fashion received an injection of
Cannon’s signature style in September when
macy’s released the news that the media titian
and the department giant joined forces to re-
lease nick Cannon’s ties. Sold in 25 locations
nation wide the, the ties boasts myriad of bold
colors and patterns. the collection will release
25 ties a month. Sold in store beginning on
december 6th, Cannon’s ties made it just in
time for the Christmas rush. “we’re starting
with ties because it’s how ralph lauren start-
ed. we are going with socks, pocket squares. I
want to take my time, instead of saying here is
a nick Cannon clothing line.” he quickly adds,
“I think I can build a real line that people can
believe in. the same way they believe in ralph
lauren.”
Amidst discussing his promising apparel
empire, Cannon took a moment to describe
his ideal tie. “I like a pop of color. I always say
“classy, yet flashy.” It can go with any blue or
gray suit. It’s not too out there. It allows you to
Sinatra back in the day had effortless swag, I would snatch everything from that dude’s closet.“
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nICK CAnnon
41
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42
express your self.“ Cannon not only values a great exterior
but, he encourages we maintain the interior as well.
In 2012, Cannon was the poster child of great health when
he experienced a bout of kidney failure that sent him to the
hospital where he received his diagnosis of lupus nephritis.
the rare form of lupus that attacks the kidneys propelled
the star toward adjustments to his lifestyle. “I have doctors
orders to get a certain amount of sleep. I used to go to a
week or two without sleep, only taking naps.” he continues
the first thing is that hydration is key, I try to drink 6-8 oz of
water a day.”
Increasing his water intake and resting more were only the
beginning, nick soon found himself modifying his fitness
routine as well. “It’s a lot of stretching and meditating, be-
fore I would lift weights. now it’s a total body workout. It’s
a blood condition and you have to make sure your blood
is flowing properly. “he breaks for a second and states in
an almost reflective manner nick says, “the condition has
made me better, made me better.“
After spitting some profound knowledge, Cannon began to
spread the good news about juicing when he says, “I juice
a lot. I enjoy vegetables.” I admit my ignorance to juicing
culture and ask nick where is a good place to start, he in-
structs me, “I’m weird with mine. A lot of people put carrots
and ginger together that taste is strange.”
After taking a few personal juicing notes from the master
himself, I ask, “what would you be doing if you weren’t nick
Cannon?” nick quickly responds, “you want the real an-
swer?” I reply with a yes with helter-skelter in my voice. he
responds, “I probably would be doing one of three things.
the military was an option, the ministry, and I have few
drug dealers in my family. those were the three options,
all three take a certain kind of hustle.” It is interesting that
no matter what road nick would have taken he still would
have touched many people lives and had an impact. As our
interview came to a close, I kept pondering how nick left
and impression on me. nick is one celebrity who is making
it count with everyday. ★
“I think I can build a
real line that people can believe in. The
same way they believe in Ralph Lauren.
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nICK CAnnon
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bleu magazine44
jacket JoyricH
jeans HudSon
t-shirt & sweatshirt lPd neW york
watch dieSel
bleumagazine.com 45
Bleu caught up with Portland trailblazer, thomas robin-
son on a recent visit to the Big Apple. he shed his uni-
form for us and hit the streets in the latest fashion trends.
we also had a chance to chat with the rising nBA player
about his personal style, what he likes to eat and the best
perks of being on a popular team.
trAilBlAZertrAilBlAZerto the cityphotography & Fashion by Dex Rob
bleu magazine
FAsHIon
46
jacket Fred Perry
shirt ASoS
pants kitH
watch BrerA orologi
when asked about his favorite city to shop...
bleumagazine.com
"New York by far, not even close. But then you have cities like LA of course, and Boston, people sleepon them."
bleu magazine
FAsHIon
48
jacket rAF SimonS x Fred Perry
pants ZAneroBe
watch nixon
shoes doc mArtenS
socks lorenZo uomo
shirt JoHn VArVAtoS
bleumagazine.com 49
jersey lPd neW york
pants en noir
"I'd probably have to go with the euro look, but more urban mixed in with it."
when asked about his favorite fashion trend...
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FeAtUre
50
bleumagazine.com 51
I f you haven’t been tuning in to the Cw’s
latest hit series The Originals, you may
be living under a rock. the series is a
steamy spinoff to The Vampire Diaries,
following the original family of vampires
to their former home of new orleans,
louisiana. re-igniting the once dead
zone of tuesday nights, the success of
the show is in part due to the chemistry
of its cast. Such a cast member Charles
michael davis who plays marcel Gerad.
Born in dayton, ohio, most will recog-
nize Charles michael davis from his
recurring roles in television shows the
Game and more recently ABC’s Grey’s
Anatomy. however, davis did not always
have dreams of becoming an actor, only
discovering his talent while in college.
Growing up playing football, Charles
got his start as a print model. with his
natural charm, fun-loving personality,
and disarming smile, he began landing
acting auditions. deciding to quit college,
Charles moved to los Angeles to pursue
acting. one constant that he takes with
him from said decision is the mantra,
“know thyself. Be thyself.” In talking with
him, the decision seems to be one that
not only proved to be successful for his
career, but deeply introspective,
“for me, when I moved out to l.A. I really
had to have a talk with myself. worst case
scenario, best case scenario, what’s the
value that I want to get out of it? I went
to school to learn a lot of things, I went to
college to learn a lot of things, but I really
didn’t have an affinity for it. So I said
if anything, I just want to know myself
and grow… And to not only know myself,
but to be myself and to be rewarded for
being the same, good person that grew
up in ohio. Because obviously you can
become successful and succeed and not
struggle, but what else do you have left
except for discovering yourself.”
discovering the man behind the villain
is much like peeling an onion, in that,
each question leads to layer after layer.
however, what is always apparent is the
talent that he possesses, which extends
beyond the million dollar smile and sultry
voice that we have come to know. Aside
from acting and modeling, Charles paints
and plays the piano. A natural in front of
the camera, he is gifted behind the lens
as well. his website bolsters a growing
portfolio of portraits and lifestyle photos.
from rappers and actors to motivation-
al speakers, Charles’ influences are
as diverse as his talents. they offer a
glimpse into the kind of performances
that capture his attention, and the kind of
impact that he hopes to one day achieve
through his work. he says of his influ-
ences, “jay-Z… I actually took to Anthony
robins and some of the stuff that he says.
through him, I learned about jim rohn…
[and] Eric thomas. As far as actors go, I
like anyone who’s really intense - Phillip
Seymour hoffman. will Smith and every-
thing that he’s accomplished. And tupac.
love tupac!”
much like his influences, he has a myriad
of personalities, describing himself as
philosophical, introspective, outgoing,
and fun-loving. one personality trait he
left out, but is not short of, is dedication.
his role as marcel marks his first leading
role in a series. davis was able to secure
the role of marcel Gerard by taking a
lesson from another starlets’ playbook.
who? none other than The Hunger
Games’ jennifer lawrence. he says, “[t]
he thing I realized is that there are only
certain roles that I feel that I can excel
at… And then it’s important for me to
believe that I could actually play the role.
And not only that, but I learned this from
reading about jennifer lawrence when
she wanted Winter’s Bone she actually
flew to new york and knocked on the di-
rector’s door… she just felt protective and
she felt like she didn’t want anyone else
to play that role … And that’s the way I
felt when I got the role for The Originals.
I knew it was mine and I wanted to bring
life to it and I didn’t want anybody else
to.” while going through the initial cast-
ing for the role, he was often questioned
about his level of comfort in playing a
villain. Charles, however, doesn’t choose
to see his role as a challenge or even to
see the character as villainous. Instead,
he greets it as an opportunity to change
minds, “I hope the fans take from it that
[marcel]’s not an evil character… no char-
acters are really evil and you can’t label
them and put them in a box.”
And as for the on-screen love triangle
between his character and that of re-
bekah (played by Claire holt) and Camille
(played by leah Pipes), he couldn’t
say much about how that will play out,
except, “honestly, I’m rooting for team
Cami. I can’t lie. I’m team Cami all the
way!” ★
The Man BehinD The VillainCharles michael Davis plays everybody’s favorite
bad guy on the CW’s Originals words by Kiara Gillette
sPotLIGHt
YoU think YoU knoW, BUt YoU haVe no iDea…
words by Kent olden
Airing fridays at 8:00 pm ESt on
the Cw, The Carrie Diaries chroni-
cles the teen years of Sex and the
City’s Carrie Bradshaw, a new york
City writer fixed on fashion and
looking for love. now in its second
season, the show dares to shed
light on the struggles that show
themselves while a group of teens
try to make it in the city that never
sleeps.
As walt reynolds, Brooklyn actor
Brendan dooling takes on the task
of telling one of the most controver-
sial of stories, being a homosexual
high schooler in 1980s new york
City.
HoW HAS youR ExpERiEnCE
BEEn STARRing in A SHoW
THAT’S SET in A TiME BEFoRE
you WERE BoRn?
well it’s been a learning experi-
ence. It’s brought me closer to my
mother and sister. we discuss their
experiences from the era, and that
makes it fun trying to meet the
challenges of the project.
HAS BEing on THE SHoW MADE
you WAnT To START WATCHing
SEX AND THE CITY?
It’s sparked more interest for me to
watch it more, but I used to watch
it anyway, and it’s still not really
my kind of show. I’m not big on
[watching] television in general and
sex and the City doesn’t really do
it for me.
HAVE you guyS BEEn ABLE To
MEET Any oF THE SEX AND THE
CITY CAST MEMBERS?
I haven’t, but Sarah jessica Parker
wrote AnnaSophia [robb] a letter
prior to Season 1, and lindsey
[Gort] has spoken to kim Cattrall on
twitter. that’s about it.
WHAT’S THE BEST pART ABouT
pLAying WALT REynoLDS?
the best part for me is the story is
so relatable to so many kids who
might be struggling with the same
issues. the twitter following is
great, and I get messages all the
time from people telling me how
inspiring walt is to them. It feels re-
ally great to increase the humanity
in others.
WHAT’S THE WoRST pART
ABouT pLAying WALT
REynoDS?
I wouldn’t say there’s a worst part.
I enjoy getting outside myself, por-
traying someone that’s not like me.
Playing young is always nice too;
it’s like a compliment to me!
WHAT iS youR DREAM RoLE?
that’s tough. I can’t say there’s any
one role I’m dying to play. there
are little benchmarks I’d like to
reach, like maybe doing a zombie
movie or [something about the]
apocalypse. A military film is high
up there too. with specific roles,
I see things like The Fighter and
that’s something I’d really like
to do, but it’s not something I’ve
researched to know myself.
Any upCoMing SnEAk pRE-
ViEWS you CAn giVE ABouT
THE SHoW?
All I can say is that people keep
questioning how accurate we’re
going to be as far as what the gay
community dealt with in the ‘80s,
and we dabble in all the hardships
that were felt by people at the time.
I think the audience will enjoy see-
ing us try to tackle the hard issues.
WHAT’S CoMing up FoR
BREnDAn DooLing?
there’s a film directed by ty hodg-
es called Dr. me that is eventually
going to get distributed, starring
toby hemingway. It’s a modern
take on Alice in Wonderland. I have
a supporting role [as junebug] in it,
and it’s gonna be a really great sto-
ry. I’m very important to one of the
lead characters. Also, a Guy Pierce
movie called Breathe In that will be
coming out next year that I’ll be in.
It’s a real pleasure to work them…a
wonderful experience. ★
BrenDAn DooLInG
Photo by nina Duncan
tracks on Wax
words by Kirsten Lewis
DJ ZeKe tHoMAs
If “last night a dj saved your life”
then it very well could have been
dj Zeke thomas, who has spent
the last 10 years reviving party-go-
ers of major cities around the na-
tion. Since his first time as a young
boy in detroit, michigan playing
around on his older cousin’s turnta-
bles, dj Zeke has felt a connection
with music. Growing up as the
son of Isiah thomas, nBA hall of
famer, joshua, who adopted his
disk jockey name “Zeke” from his
father, was projected by most to
be an athlete prodigy. Zeke found
his talents better administered
through provided music to the
world. dj Zeke is also producing
music and has partnered up with
some big names in the music and
entertainment industry, gearing
up to release original music in the
new year.
WHo WERE youR BiggEST
inSpiRATionS in THE MuSiC
inDuSTRy?
Barry Gordy has always been a big
role model for me. there has never
been someone to build what Barry
Gordy built with motown. Even at a
young age growing up in detroit I
always looked at him as “wow.” An-
other person who is a bit misunder-
stood sometimes diddy. diddy has
perfected the art of branding. he
is one of the first of few that name
is synonymous with any brand he
promotes.
gRoWing up AS THE Son oF
A BASkETBALL LEgEnD i CAn
ASSuME MAny pRojECTED
FoR you To HAVE A CAREER in
BASkETBALL?
yes, of course, but it’s one of those
things where just because a plumb-
er has a son doesn’t mean that his
son is going to be a plumber. you
want your children to do what they
love and be all that they can be,
that is the beauty of growing up
in America. music is something I
gravitated towards and my father
and family have always supported
me in that decision.
Do you EVER FEEL Any
pRESSuRE To BE SuCCESSFuL
BECAuSE oF THE LEgACy oF
youR FATHER?
I will start by saying that I 1000%
feel pressure, but I don’t feel the
pressure of having to live up to my
father accolades. my father is a
hall of famer and he is one of the
best men to ever play the game of
basketball. he’s done it all when
it comes to professional ball, from
being a player, to a general man-
ager, to an owner, to a coach, so
for that to be the measure of failure
that is just putting way too much
pressure of myself. I definitely feel
the pressure of wanting to continue
his legacy as a man. I feel the
pressure of continuing the legacy
of the thomas family of being good
people and good men. that is the
pressure I put on myself when
it comes to continuing my dad’s
legacy.
you’VE HAD A LoT oF SuCCESS
THuS FAR AS A Dj AnD noW
you ARE VEnTuRing inTo pRo-
DuCing MuSiC. WHy BoTH?
I was always going to end up
producing music, I played violin
when I was younger and trained at
Indiana University jacob School of
music and eventually I wanted to
make music. It just so happens that
having a name as a disc jockey I
am able to do both synonymously.
HoW WouLD you DESCRiBE
youR STyLE oF MuSiC BoTH AS
A Dj AnD A pRoDuCER?
hip-hop electro, there are definite-
ly a lot of disco undertones as well.
So if I to could name my particular
style and genre of music it would
be luxury disco or something like
that.
WHAT CAn WE ExpECT in THiS
upCoMing yEAR FRoM you?
I will be releasing music through
tommy Boy records, my first single
will come out jan 28 that features
an artist named jared Evan. I just
landed a residency at Underground
in Chicago, Il, one of the top clubs
in Chicago so I’m excited about
working with those operators.
Anyone that wants to keep track of
where I am can follow me on twitter
@Zeke_thomas or visit my website
djzekethomas.com. ★
Ph
oto
by J
on
sta
r
bleu magazine
BoMBsHeLL
54
there is something different about lil mama, the rap-per and former judge (Amercia’s Best Dance Crew) has changed lanes. making her debut as a thespian in the vh1 produced, Crazy sexy Cool: The TlC story. mama’s portrayal of the troubled rapper, lisa ‘leftEye” lopes was met with much praise from acting vets Gabrielle Union and jurnee Smollett. riding high off the film’s success the newly flourished actress stripped down for an intimate interview with Bleu magazine to discuss her future and her experience on set.
MAMA SAID...
Words by oj Williams
photos submitted by Shameer khan
bleu magazine
BoMBsHeLL
56
LIL MAMA
TELL uS HoW you goT THE RoLE oF LiSA “LEFT EyE” LopES in
CRAzY SEXY Cool: THE TlC SToRY?
I pretty much just went right out for it, and what basically happened was
in the beginning the producers they knew of me from music and things
like that, so they hadn’t heard anything or saw any reel from acting. So
at first it just like everyone was just kind of guessing what I was going to
do, and when I went out and auditioned they were impressed and one
thing led to another and I got the role.
WAS ACTing SoMETHing you ALWAyS WAnTED To Do?
yes acting was always something I wanted to do. It was a challenge
because you really have to know how to shift your energy. this was a
movie (Crazy sexy Cool: The TlC story) that took place in two to three
different stages in this character’s life.
WHAT DiD you DiSCoVER ABouT LEFT EyE WHiLE poRTRAying
HER?
I always knew she was a very smart person who cared about the well
being of her and others. She was a phenomenal artist whose music
definitely broke barriers. I got a chance to know who she is, and who
she was. I learned where she was coming from, where she wanted to
go, and where she went. learning lisa was about playing the dynamics
of expectations, reality, and dream. All those different things and under-
standing how that story played out was more of a learning experience.
WERE THERE Any SiMiLARiTiES you noTiCED BETWEEn you AnD
LEFT EyE?
In the beginning of her career she lost her dad, and in the beginning of
my career I lost my mom, so just that loss of direction and help in that
crucial stage of your life of becoming a woman and losing a parent I
really connected with her on that level.
WE HEARD you WERE Doing A pRojECT WiTH MC LyTE. TELL uS
ABouT iT.
mc lyte is my manager. her company is called sunni Gyrl
Inc. She played a major part in my getting the the role in
Crazy sexy Cool because I really wanted to go out for it,
and didn’t have an agent, and I was like lyte do you know
anybody. But she basically worked it out for me where
I was able to get into that room and audition. At the
same time we were working on Hip Hop sisters, which
is mC lyte, the lady of rage, yo yo, Smooth, and mon-
ie love. All these hip hop sisters and I’m the youngest
one and they called me to be on board to be a part of
that society and she shot a sizzle reel for BEt for Hip Hop
sisters and then the show got picked up, so we’re going to
have a reality show on BEt coming up this year.
bleu magazine
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LearNiNg Lisa wAS AboUT plAying ThE dynAmicS oF expecTaTIonS, ReaLITY, And dReaM."
"
59
bleu magazine
FeAtUre
60
the phone rings, and as I was prepared for
the routine introduction via the publicist,
I was pleasantly surprised that mckinley
freeman was on the other end asking to
speak to me; a first in my career of conduct-
ing interviews, and a start to an insightful
and very inspirational conversation with the
star of vh1’s phenomenal new series, Hit
The Floor. far more complex than his great
looks, fit physique and bad boy televi-
sion persona, the one thing that parallels
freeman and his on screen character derek
roman are the layers that continuously
unfold.
“Congratulations, I’m happy to be your
first,” he said, with no pun intended, mckin-
ley laughs about my surprised reaction. A
testament to his humble beginnings and
hard work, he thought nothing of contacting
me directly to get the interview started. As
a University of Illinois alum and recruited
right out of his master’s program by IBm
to work in their international marketing
and development department, you would
imagine most people would be content. for
mckinley much more was in store for his
professional future.
“from a young age you are instilled with
things that are important, from your rela-
tives, educators, and close family friends,”
mckinley begins to talk about the moment
that propelled him into his future acting
endeavors. “further your education, buy a
house and a car, start a family; all tremen-
dous values, but within a year of graduating
I quickly obtained a lot of those things and I
still felt like there has to be more than this.”
with the mindset that there was always
something more to strive for, mckinley
subconsciously started on the road to his
acting career.
Beginning his journey as an Elite model
in Atlanta, GA, mckinley caught wind of
an opportunity to be a part of the popular
soap opera All my Children’s Sexiest man
in America competition. “I reluctantly went
to the audition, which was like a casting for
the show, but what did I know, it was the
first time I’d ever done anything like that.”
luckily his looks and charm were enough
to get him across the finish line. “I was just
cracking jokes and not seriously answering
the questions, but in the end everything
worked out and I was off to new york City
to do some work for All my Children.”
Always excited and optimistic about his
transition into the acting world, mckinley’s
hard work and ambition soon led him to
several guest star television roles and most
recently a co-starring role in the feature
film end of Watch. “I was never nervous
because I really believe that if peace fol-
lows your decisions then you’re headed in
the right direction,” says mckinley. his next
steps, he simply explained as “choosing
how I want to live the rest of my life and
dedicating myself to being as good as I
can be at whatever that was.” that same
dedication scored him his breakout role
as a professional basketball star on vh1’s
original series Hit the Floor.
mckinley’s character, derek roman, in the
sexy scripted drama that follows the lives of
the basketball players and dance team of
the legendary franchise los Angeles devils,
is mvP of the league and an irresistible,
bad boy athlete. roman, throughout the
season finds himself confronted with issues
of his past and an impromptu pursuit of
new devils’ girl dancer and lead character
Ahsha hayes (taylour Paige).
As if he had been destined to play this
role, mckinley always dreamed of being
a professional basketball player. Between
his time spent playing nCAA division 1
college basketball and his calming exercise
regimen, mckinley met the physical chal-
lenge of playing derek roman with a bit
of ease. “here it is, I’m a kid doing these
drills, spending hours in the park trying to
improve my game, it was all for something I
didn’t even recognize I was preparing for.”
Supporters of Hit the Floor and fans of
mckinley’s work are the driving force of
one of his newfound hobbies and recent
passion project, @mckinleyFreeman Vol-
ume I, a book of original poetry motivated
by his social media followers. what started
as an innocent proposition to write original
poems inspired by words tweeted to him,
turned into a chance to build a true connec-
tion with his followers.
receiving words such as pain, hurt, lost
in the midst of love, resilient, and faith
revealed to him the impact he could make
through this challenge. one follower in
particular who was looking for words of
encouragement after losing her husband
willed mckinley out of bed and pushed
him to complete his first poem that very
night. “I posted the poem that night and
her response alone was great and other
people seemed to enjoy it,” said mckinley.
more than the positive response, he felt the
most worthwhile part was “the chance to
produce a piece of work that people could
benefit and grow from.”
his book of original poetry can be pur-
chased on the iBookstore app and for the
Amazon kindle for $3.99. Unsure of what is
in store for his on-screen character derek
roman with the second season still on the
writing room floor, mckinley has full faith in
the writers to create a second season just
as exciting as the first. the one thing that
is certain is that 2014 is turning out to be a
pretty exciting year for mckinley and we will
all be courtside for the action. ★
one DynaMic DuDemcKinley Freeman is a man with a message
words by Kirsten Lewis
bleumagazine.com 61
follow mckinley freeman on twitter and
Instagram @mckinleyfreeman
Ph
oto
by e
va
n L
an
es
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words by jasmine Aspinall
Bleu Note
the allure and appeal of opera music has always been
something of regality, opulence and luxury. new york, the
central hub of music, talent and art is home to some of the
most famous opera houses including the metropolitan opera
house and the Carnegie hall. when I envision attending a
night at the opera thoughts of extraordinary silk ball gowns
and men in clean tuxedos; the vision is of pure affluence.
relatively hidden from the grand scale of music choices the
art form is still thriving and is being carried by young Afri-
can-American men who sing from their souls. It’s embedded
in a world where donation and monetary issues make it
hard for those who are not afforded those opportunities and
unfortunately this comprises of predominately Black men.
Although those roadblocks exist these featured men won’t
allow for their dreams to be squandered. Interpretations may
change but music will forever be a universal language engag-
ing people who would seldom cross paths.
bleumagazine.com 63
From humble beginnings frederick taylor
always knew that music was the right fit for
him. “I will never forget my earliest and most
treasured childhood memory involving music
was Christmas ‘92 or ’93,” said taylor. “my
mom brought me my first keyboard. it was a
small keyboard with about 30 keys, no bigger
than 3 feet with round speakers on each end.
I played that keyboard nonstop!” said taylor.
these early experiences with music set the
foundation for what would become a love and
passion for the art form. “that was the defining
moment that basically started it all; I became
interested in music and realized it was some-
thing I could do.”
WHAT CHALLEngES oR ADVERSiTiES HAVE
you HAD To oVERCoME AS A MuSiCiAn?
iS THERE AnyTHing you WiSH WAS DiF-
FEREnT ABouT THE ViEW oF BLACk MEn
in THE WoRLD oF opERA?
first, being a young male singing classical
music is not something that most choose to
do because of the difficulties that we can face.
Such as getting roles in operas, castings, and
just having people feel that you are not qual-
ified just from the first look. Second, we, as
African-Americans have the challenge on not
sounding too “Black” in our singing. we can
have a tendency to add native inflections to
our singing which may not work in the opera
“scene.” most want to know that we are able
to perform in big arenas and can be vocally
diverse for many different audiences.
WHo Do you SiTE AS An inSpiRATion?
my inspiration is first my mother. She always
pushed me, supported every decision I’ve
made and has been there for every musical
thing I’ve had to do. Secondly, church has
been a major inspiration in believing in the
talent that I have and being the one to say I
could do anything I wanted to do because I
have God on my side. lastly, my grandmother
played a huge part in me getting emerged into
doing what I loved to do, music
HoW HAS youR MuSiC DiRECTLy AFFECT-
ED you AnD THoSE ARounD you?
I have really grown, musically and as a person.
It has broadened my perceptions and ideas;
things that I would’ve never thought possible,
has been made possible through the opera
and classical music. Such as singing in front of
large audiences, singing with orchestras, work-
ing with many different artists. As well as the
opportunity to travel the world, at no expense
of mine, just doing what I love to do.
freDerick Taylor
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Jamal-Akil marshall was immersed in music from the time he could
remember. “my earliest interaction with music occurred when I was
only 3 years old,” said marshall. “my parents took me to see an African
dance performance. After the performance I fell in the love with the
drums to where I came back home, went to the lower cabinets, pulled
out some pots and pans, and started drumming all over them.” this type
of early on immersion spread to that of his father Akil marshall creating
the African dance company known as ‘dance Afrika dance.’ Being con-
stantly surrounded by the ebb and flow of music, art and culture had a
remarkable effect marshall’s interest in a wide variety towards expres-
sion. “this affected me as an artist substantially as dance Afrika dance
was the starting grounds, the roots, of all my musical journeys, first
beginning with the African drums, music, culture, and dance,” explained
marshall.
WHAT BRougHT you To puRSuing THE STyLE oF opERA
Singing?
I first began singing opera my second semester freshman year at
wilberforce University. I wasn’t really drawn to the style of music. At first
I was a composition major and after finding out what that really meant
class wise, I changed over to being a vocal performance major, with
the only other option being piano, which I didn’t have enough skill level
to major in. with the vocal performance major, it’s mandatory to take a
one-on-one class with a vocal teacher who presents classical music for
you too sing. keep in mind that at first I didn’t enjoy singing or think that
I could sing. So I wasn’t really drawn to it or any other style of singing
like r&B.
WHEn DiD you FiRST START TAking opERA SERiouSLy AS A
pASSion?
I would play around in high school during Christmas singing “I’m
dreaming of a white Christmas” to my family but never took it remotely
seriously. In college it was mandatory to sing because of the one-on-
one class I mentioned earlier and because you had to take and be apart
of choir. So at first I didn’t enjoy the feeling of singing opera and art
songs. But over the course of time, after about two years, I fell in love
with singing opera and art songs. the feeling I get when I begin singing
is pure joy and fulfillment. I’m relaxed, although at sometimes nervous
about pitch and tone.
WHAT ARE SoME STigMAS THAT you SEE ExiST in BEing An AFRi-
CAn AMERiCAn opERA SingER?
I wish African Americans, some don’t do this or else you wouldn’t have
African American opera singers, male or female would stop looking at
opera and classical style singing and say “oh, that’s white,” or “Black
people don’t do that,” or, “that’s white people's music.” the ignorance
of not knowing that you can be and do anything despite your color or
gender is heavy in some mindsets across the nation but that will never
stop and has never stopped African Americans who know their worth
and know they can do whatever heart felt thing they want, from being in
the opera world or performing and music in general.
JaMal-akil Marshall
bleumagazine.com 65
Growing up singing in church in his early pre-teens he joined the kids
choir but an apprehension to sing in front of a crowd wasn’t some-
thing he was too fond of. “that was my first touch of actually singing in
front of people and I hated it. I really started getting into singing when I
got into high school,” says jackson. this planted the seed in what would
lead to his recent acceptance into to opera programs located in york-
shire, England and Canada set to start Summer of 2014. A recent class
of may 2013 from Bowling Green State University, Christopher jackson
has his goals and dreams for the future set on high.
WHAT ABouT THE opERA DREW you To puRSuE THAT ART FoRM
AS oppoSED To Any oTHER gEnRE oF MuSiC?
well I started out in musical theater and I did shows all through high
school so that’s where my love really lied at first. I actually didn’t see my
first opera or hear my first opera singer until beginning of my freshman
year of college. my teacher sent me home during the summer and said
to listen to all these people and come back and tell me what you think.
It was like wow, I could possibly be a turnaround for my generation be-
cause my parents knew about opera singers and I didn’t know that until
I started mentioning names
Do you STiLL FEEL THAT nERVouSnESS?
I do. I still get nervous but I think not, especially in college they help a lot
with changing our nervous energy into energy that we can use towards
a performance and actually using it for our expression and the power
within our voices. So I still get nervous and still get jitters but it’s more
of the thing that I know and have an expectation for myself. I know how
well I can do and I need to make sure I can do that.
HoW Do you RELATE To youR AuDiEnCE WHETHER iT’S WiTH 5
oR 500 pEopLE?
It really comes with knowing what you’re singing about and that’s the
hard part that comes with the art form. A lot of the songs are in different
languages. It’s really about understanding the text and making it your
own. Anyone can take a poem from a black and white piece of paper
and read it. But what effect are you really having on people? Is your in-
terpretation really reaching somebody? Can they really understand the
story from your body language? those are the biggest things to think
about when trying to express a piece.
chrisTopher Jackson
bleu magazine
FAsHIon
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blazer WlliAm WAtSon
shirt exPreSS
bleumagazine.com 67
he’s the latest African American actor to be casted in the
CBS television soap opera, The Bold and the Beautiful
(B&B). At 31, the rockland County new york native is ripe
for the picking as he’s been welcomed back into the folds
of the soap world with a fan base of millions following
his 2009 departure from cancelled soap opera Guiding
light. now, a wiser and evolved Saint-victor chats with
Bleu about his many roles as husband, actor, and writer.
yet he’s set to dominate his latest role as the strong and
willful character Carter walton, lawyer to the super power
forrester family in B&B. >>
words by Larryse Brown
Photography by keith major
fashion by alisha crutchfield
and raytell Bridges for styleWise
remember the name
LAwreNceSAiNt-Victor
bleu magazine
FAsHIon
68
you HAVE A LoT oF FoLLoWERS AnD
FAnS. HoW HAVE you RE-ADjuSTED To
BEing An oFFiCiAL SoAp STAR?
the fans are all like an extension of the family
so it was an easy adjustment.
WHAT HAS THE ExpERiEnCE BEEn LikE So
FAR WoRking WiTH youR nEW CAST AnD
kARLA MoSLEy (WHo pLAyS MAyA AVAnT,
CARTER WALTon’S FiAnCé)
the actors are so much fun, especially karla
starting the show was cool because it felt like I
had already had a friend coming into the show.
DoES THE BolD AND THE BEAuTIFul
SHooT EVERy DAy? WHAT ARE youR
TECHniquES FoR REMEMBERing youR
LinES/gETTing inTo youR CHARAC-
TER WiTH SuCH LiTTLE TiME BETWEEn
SCEnES?
we shoot monday wednesday and friday
depending on the story line and the character.
Sometimes we get weeks off. the technique is
repetition! just saying the lines over and over
is how we remember them. I just get Carter’s
script and read. I have no idea what’s going to
happen with my character! I get my lines the
day of and I’m just as surprised as the fans.
HoW DiD you gET WRiTTEn inTo THE
SoAp? WERE THEy Looking FoR SoME-
onE LikE CARTER?
I don’t know really. I don’t think they were
looking for a Carter. I met with Brad Bell from
The Bold and the Beautiful and CBS and they
were really gunning for the diversity initiative
at the time. they liked me and they already
had marcus (played by actor texas Battle, law-
rence’s on screen brother) they just brought
on his brother. I didn’t go into any audition at
all. I actually went in for a producer session for
Young and the restless first and the producer
at CBS saw me.
coat WlliAm WAtSon
shirt exPreSS
necklace g-StAr
bleumagazine.com
LAwrenCe sAInt-VICtor
THERE’S An ExTEnSion To THE BolD
AND THE BEAuTIFul CALLED THE Room 8
SERiES. iS iT A Spin oFF SHoW FRoM THE
BolD AND THE BEAuTIFul? HoW DiD THAT
CoME To BE?
the room 8 series is a throwback tGIf, sitcom
like Family matters. It started with maya and
Carter. the web series was created on the
show and after it was created the producers
came to us and pretty much asked “do you
guys want to write a real web series based off
of what we did in The Bold and the Beautiful?”
It’s actually really funny too, it takes you back
to the sitcom era. It’s available to see now on
CBS.com
WHAT ARE THE DynAMiCS BETWEEn you
AnD THE Co-STARS oFF CAMERA?
oh man…we laugh a lot. there are pranks all
day and a lot of jokes. lindsey Godfrey (Caro-
line Spencer) is the head of the comedic team.
Scott Clifton (“liam” Spencer III) and jacob
young (rick forrester) are complete clowns.
WHo iS youR FAVoRiTE CAST MATE?
my favorite is karla. karla and I have such a
history. I go way back, we were roommates
together. my first day on set was the kind
of thing where you were the new kid in
school and you’re relieved to see a familiar
face-someone that you knew. She’s my buddy
from new york.
AnyTHing you MiSS ABouT nEW yoRk
CiTy WHiLE LiVing in L.A?
I’ve lived in Queens for a little bit but I’m from
rockland County. I miss my pizzas! I can’t get
any good pizza’s here in l.A.
WHEn DiD you BEgin ACTing? WHAT’S
youR BACkgRounD WiTH ACTing?
I have training. I went to the Conservatory
hooded vest BAR III
bleu magazine
FAsHIon
70
coat & pants WlliAm WAtSon
shirt uniViBe
watch SPerry toP Sider
bleumagazine.com
LAwrenCe sAInt-VICtor
71
theater Arts and film. It’s up there with jul-
liard. It’s a four-year program. we trained and
got our butts kicked! when I was working on
Guiding light I couldn’t tell anyone while I was
going to school there because it’s against the
rules to work while in you were in school.
WHAT DiD you HopE To BECoME WHEn
you goT inTo ACTing? ARE you WHERE
you’VE HopED To BE?
when I first got into acting, it was a great time
for black actors. we still had The Best man,
love Jones, Brown sugar, Dead Presidents...
denzel washington and hallie Berry had just
got oscars! now, I still want to achieve all of
that and more. I’m very interested in produc-
ing, directing and of course acting in some of
my productions. I now produce and direct with
my wife.
WE knoW WHAT youR LoVE LiFE LikE iS
LikE AS CARTER BuT WHAT ABouT AS
LAWREnCE. WHEn DiD you gET MARRiED?
my wife became Shay Saint-victor in 2007.
WHEn DiD you knoW THAT SHE WAS iT?
She inspires me so much. just knowing that
I have a support system and knowing that
someone is proud of me but also won’t let me
off the hook if something I do is crappy. that’s
my inspiration.
LAST quESTion. WHERE Do you SEE
youR CAREER going in THE FuTuRE?
I want to have a flourished production compa-
ny. I really want to create moving pieces of art.
I want to be acting in those pieces in others. I
want to be will Smith with a little oprah sprin-
kled on top! ★
shirt BenSon
tie title oF Work
watch SPerry toP Sider
bleu magazine
sCore
72
competitive sports have always separated the exceptional from the already awesome pack. Baseball, football, and basketball each have their reigning kings. Dynasties rise and fall everyday and the question we must ask ourselves at Bleu magazine is who are our stars of tomorrow?
Which of these legions of neophytes has the goods to lead their teams to glory? team Bleu's resident sport addict, Lamont compiled a list of athletes to watch in the 2014-2015 seasons. no matter what your preference of sport, Bleu is holding you down with our picks
risinG StArSTaking over Football, Basketball and Baseball
words by lamont wilson
bleumagazine.com 73
Hollywood Gets a New Star
the los Angeles dodgers were essentially
dead in the water until the dodgers called up
yasiel Puig from the minors, which vaulted the
dodgers to the top of national league west
division. the 22 year old Puig came into the
league red hot, batting 319. In 104 games he
hit 19 home runs and batted in 42 rBI’s. Before
Puig played for los Angeles, the dodgers
were one of the worst teams in the national
league. time will tell if Puig can become
another los Angeles king.
Coming for the Crown By Way of Nap Town
the nBA is full of stars and no one shines
brighter than lébron james, but there seems
to be a star on the horizon in a small place
of Indianapolis and his name is Paul George.
George is leading the best team in the Eastern
Conference, the Indiana Pacers, to what most
people feel is a deep playoff push, and some
analyst say an mvP award. George is averag-
ing career highs across the board during his
fourth year in the nBA.
The Leader of "The Legion of Boom"
the best team in the nfl has the best de-
fense the league has seen in years. richard
Sherman had 49 tackles and 8 interceptions
and most opposing quarterbacks don’t look
to throw his way because of his superior
ball skills, mental toughness and his overall
quickness. Sherman is known throughout
the league as a trash talker, but his game on
the field backs up his mouth and as long as
the Seahawks continue to win Sherman will
continue to talk.
bleu magazine
on tHe rIse
74
TiTus MakinLookout, He's on the Verge
Words by Edric Robinson
Photo by sierra Prescott
T itus makin jr. has literally
flipped his way into the spot-
light. Starting his acting career as
an extra in scenes lasting just about
10 seconds, to becoming one of the
Cw network’s regular supporting
actors in its new highly anticipated
series, star-Crossed.
At age 24, you get the sense that
his youthful features, bright smile
and humorous personality hasn’t
changed much from his beginnings
in hawaii. All of these attributes are
qualities that make him a standout
on screen. “my sister was actual-
ly the original actor of the family,
growing up I was the dancer and
singer,” makin said.
“when I was a senior in high school,
I entered my first musical, and it
hit me that this acting thing isn’t so
bad.” Since then, it seems makin,
the self described lover of every-
thing from God to nutella, chose his
career path and has let the 3-letter
word “can” be his guide.
“I started off without management,
trying to book acting jobs on my
own,” he admits. his first acting role
was as an extra on nickelodeon’s
teen sitcom, Victorious. “one day
they needed someone who could
do some tumbling and flipping for
a scene and someone pointed me
out.” he nailed it, and that screen
credit would be all he needed to
acquire professional management.
Changing management only pro-
pelled makin as he became one of
the original "warblers" on fox's hit
show Glee for three seasons.
Based on the popularity of the
“warblers,” he was able to tour the
world with the Glee: live Concert. “I
think that was the most memorable
moment of Glee for me was touring
the world, selling out arenas. It was
incredible,” an overjoyed makin
recalls.
After Glee, makin went on to star as
the lead in the made-for-television
movie, Gamers and A Cinderella
story: Once upon a song. As a
huge Sci-fi nerd, makin’s current
role on Cw’s star-Crossed was an
immediate sell. “I read the script
and had to be a part of this.” star-
Crossed is set in the future and
features an alien race known as the
Atrians, who come to Earth and are
integrated into a small town high
school. these aliens aren’t like that
of the movie, District 9. they are a
set of attractive teens, whose inter-
actions range from love to hate, and
everything in between. makin plays
lukas, the friend of the female lead
character, Emery, who falls in love
with one of the aliens.
with star-Crossed set to premiere
this winter, makin is a triple threat
that is on the verge of attaining
a career like that of his idol, will
Smith. Check him out star-Crossed
on the Cw network. ★
bleumagazine.com 75
in the early 1990’s the los An-
geles riots ushered in an era of
music that showcased the anger,
frustration and desolation seeping
through the cities’ streets and the
California city was never the same
again. during this time rapper yG,
born keenan jackson, was a kid
who had a front row seat experi-
encing the neighboring musical
shift and territorial gang wars that
would forever influence the sound
of west Coast rap.
with much success from early
mixtapes and being featured on
hits with Big Sean and E-40, yG
is ready to take on the world. the
California rapper’s debut album
my Krazy life, originally slated for
a late 2013 release, was pushed
back to first quarter of 2014 due
to the success of his single “my
hitta,” featuring labelmate rich
homie Quan, and jeezy, his label
boss. “I feel like the singles are
for people that probably wouldn’t
hear my album or buy my album.
they hear my single and they like
it to work and then they come
back for the album,” said the
Compton native.
the unbelievable take off of the
single affected the release date
of the album as record executives
wanted to bask in the success
for as long as possible. the song
itself is a smash hit. featured on
a plethora of vine videos, these
short 7-second clips have taken
the song global and landed it on
Itunes top 20 list. If you compare
it to Soulja Boy’s youtube take-
over back in 2007, yG has taken
steps in the right direction to
land atop the international charts.
“the my hitta’ record, that’s like
a friendship record, that’s why
everybody relates to that song;
that’s why everybody likes the
song.”
yG has evolved into an artist
who’s ready to take back the
west Coast, but is patiently
waiting for his imminent overseas
success. “I already got fans fans
in Europe, Germany especial-
ly. I did an overseas tour in the
summertime,” he says. “So I know
when my album comes out all that
shit, it’s going to be like times ten
over there.” the album consists of
a mash-up of everything Califor-
nia coupled with a rock star party
vibe that’s made him a sensation
in clubs everywhere. Similar to
the music of 1980’s west Coast
yG has kept a finger on the pulse
of the ebbing tension present
in his generation and kids like
him are using music as a way to
release.
“I’m young, coming up . But at
the same time I got a lot of little
kids and a lot of people that look
up to me,” he utters. “At that time
I put out my [earlier music] that’s
just talking about stuff I went
through, stuff I go through and
stuff I do. But at the same time I
do other stuff to let people know I
got good in me.” yG has done just
that by giving back to the com-
munity that has made him who
he is today, but the music is still
his leading lady in this unscripted
hollywood story. “I’m so focused
on this right now. I’m not doing
nothing else.” ★
Photo by mike miller
yGYoung, Flashy and Free
Words by jasmine Aspinall
bleu magazine
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bleumagazine.com 77
bleu magazine
BLeU LIst
78
Kirsten holtz
Joimarie mckenzie
Querelle Turner
Keith major
gilbert Stowers
ivo E. philbert
Sammy Elashry
Karl griggs
Sergio nieto
Jerome Shaw
mariso bianco
Sidra Smith
Eren Ab
lamman Rucker
Florence Anthony
Ajahmure clovis
Kiran goraya
Shaun mckinley
Janelle langford
Evan Frost
mercedes glK250
lotus Esprit Turbo
chevrolet impala
Rolls-Royce wraith
lexus iS350
Jeep grand cherokee SRT
Audi RS7
infiniti Q50 S
mazda 323
bmw 435i
Thunderkats
gem
Voltron
Teenage mutant ninja Turtles
ghost busters
dragon ball Z
batman beyond
X-men
Justice league Unlimited
carebears
Smurfs
Flintstones
Jetsons
Samurai Jack
Johnny Quest
Avengers
Transformers beast wars
Robo cop
cowboy bebop
Space ghost
public School
Ralph lauren
Tommy hilfiger
misfit
Rocawear
Ted baker
brooks brothers
J crew
levis
del Toro
bleumagazine.com 79
ICon
words by yvette Brown
As an actor, comedian, film director and writer,
robert townsend has proven to be one of the
most hard-working successful men around.
this versatile entertainer was born in Chica-
go, Illinois on february 6, 1957. townsend
started his career as a child, acting in plays
and transforming into character so well, he
caught the eyes of Chicago’s Experimental
Bag theater, making a name for himself in his
hometown. he went on to new york where he
dabbled in the comedic scene, performing at
Improvisation, launching his career in stand-
up. townsend used his talents to star in great
movies like Cooley High and uptown Comedy
express. his determination and brilliance led
him to be known as one of the “Godfathers”
of the Independent film world. he found that
black actors had difficulty finding good work,
leading him to go behind the scenes and
create his first project, Hollywood shuffle. this
passionate visionary has made history, having
been nominated for over 30 nAACP Image
awards for film and television. he’s also found
time to be a speaker for the United negro Col-
lege fund and nAACP, having spoken to many
organizations and young people, encouraging
them to follow their dreams. So, thank you
robert townsend for showing us true talent
and inspiring us to be great. ★
robert townsend is a multifaceted man whose productions are a corner-stone in the African American com-munity. no matter if you enjoyed The Parenthood, The Five Heartbeats, or meteor man, townsend’s works have been enjoyed across generations.
r ert t ns DOB
OW
EN
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