COMMUNITY ACTIVIST TACKLES DEMOCRACY IN UPCOMING DOCUMENTARY

Interviewing Garry Gaines was like listening to Marvin
Gaye’s classic hit album “What’s Going On.” It helped
me open my eyes and mind to things that are occurring
in the world and how we can better ourselves and
community. Born in Brooklyn and currently residing in
Harlem, Gaines a graduate of Pace University, who
resembles the legendary Prince of Soul is becoming one
of many community activist, who’s using their talents
as a form of education and self-empowerment and by
following the lead Gaye did with his classic concept
album; Garry is using his talents and activism in his
latest documentary “Legends, Statement & Stars, which
documents the Gay Ball room scene as well as tackles
political/social issues; such as LGBT hate crimes,
homophobia and HIV/AIDS awareness.
I had the opportunity to meet with Gaines in Central
Park last week, where he spoke about his documentary,
working with choreographer Pony Zion and Social
Democracy.

RC: Tell the readers a few things about yourself.
GG: Well. Born and raised in Brooklyn. I consider
myself a community activist. Especially when it comes
to the Gay community, but I’m hoping to not only focus
on the Gay issues, but humanity issues as a whole.
For me my through line at the moment is Democracy now;
so I’m trying to remind people about democratic
morality and values that was implemented in the
Constitution by the so-called founders of the new
Americas. We’re straying away from Democratic
principles. Our Democracy needs to be revamped to a
Social Democracy. The government needs to fund public
sectors as opposed to private sectors. Funding of
public sector started to deteriorate in 1974 and from
then on things have gotten a lot worse for poor people
in this country. So my work's intention is to
propagandize Social Democracy indirectly without being
too didactic.

RC: What else do you do besides activism?
GG: Well at the moment, I’m working on my documentary
series “Legends, Statement & Stars.” I’m documenting
the New York underground ballroom scene, but at the
same time, I’m incorporating issues we as Queer folk
of color deal with in present day society. It’s a
three part series; the first episode “Rejoice in the
Madness” introduces viewers to the ballroom scene and
at the same time, projects the Rashawn Brazell vigil,
which is a consequence of the increase of LGBT hate
crimes in urban areas across the Americas as well as,
the world. Rashawn Brazell was this gay kid who was
killed and mutilated, because of his sexuality. I Also,
interviewed Duane Prince who is another survivor of
a LGBT hate crime. I admire and I'm grateful for his
courage to speak out about that horrendous experience.
I also interviewed the Legendary Father of the House
of Zion; Pion Zion, for the "Pony One and only
Episode" as well as other Legends from the scene
during the Ballroom Coalition Conference that was held
at GMHC in 2006 and they discussed their take on the
Various Houses and their dysfunctions and possible
intervention strrategies to enhance the Houses in the
ballroom scene.

RC: What made you decide to document Pony?
GG: The first time I saw Pony perform was at a POCC
ball in 2004. POCC sponsered this Great ball in Fort
Green Park in 2004. Pony performed and I was like this
young man is so talented. When he performs, he
perfroms for the people; he's doin it for the people.
When you watch him perform it elates your spirit just
for that moment and that a great gift to have. Fast
forward to the year 2006, I was in midtown and I saw
Pony walking in the neighborhood and I said ‘hey Pony
how ya doing? I’m Garry (and) I’m a big fan and I’m
working on a documentary and I would love for you to
be one of my subjects and he was gracious enough to
let me document his life, which was cool. He’s young,
but he has this old soul. I think that great artists
such as Pony, are true spiritual beings, because
they’re a lot more aware of the moment; they know how
to work a moment, create a miracle in the moment as
opposed to someone who looks at the world through
their evil eye creating judgment and misery. He has
this old soul that I respect and admire.

RC: What misconceptions do people have about the Gay
Ballroom scene?
GG: It's ignorance concerning sexuality and gender
issues as a whole; don't you think. The religious
right; unfortunately, is propagandizing this
ignorance. Jesus Christ is gagging right now at how
the religious right is spewing this ignorance in his
name. If you read or do your research on the "Gospel
of Thomas, which was discovered in 1945 or 46 in
northern Egypt, the same year Hiroshima was
nuclearized, Jesus's philosophy embraces the feminine
qualities of kingdom consciousness. Also, the ballroom
scene has a large influence in popular culture; which
for me is a blessing; progressives are beginning to
understand and accept; so thats cool.

RC: When will the documentaries be completed and what
future projects are you working on?
GG: The first and second episode are completed; as far
as post production. When I create something I work at
my own pace, when its a routine for me, it lacks
creativity. Sometimes I have to put it away and
rethink my strategy and vision; then go back and make
revisions. The third episode is a Homage to Willie
Ninja. I have all this great footage of Willie Ninja.
I’m working with Anthony Ninja; the executive producer
of that particular episode. He gave me all of this
great exclusive footage of Willie Ninja and I hope and
pray to create an illuminating sequence that Willie
Ninja and the House of Ninja will be pleased with. I’m
not looking for any monetary gains; my intention for
this project is to battle homophobia and to create a
sense of pride in our community. That’s my intention
and if that’s accomplished, I’m happy.

RC: What other projects are you working on?
GG: I do post production and edit/produce segments
for the Show, "Out at the Center," which airs on MNN or
you can watch the series on Gaycenter.org. I’m writing
some things. I spoke to a brother by the name of
Michael. He’s a journalist/reporter and we were
talking about creating a social political documentary
which deals with unions. I have some things in the air
I’m creating.

RC: What do you want viewers to get from this
documentary?
GG: A sense of pride, and when they see these young
kids in this documentary, I want them to say ‘he’s
Gay, but it’s ok because he’s talented and creative.
It’s not like these kids are robbing people or selling
drugs. They’re in this space having church in their
own way. It’s OK to be Gay; it’s not a bad thing. I
wish my kid was that creative and talented. I’m hoping
to create some allies in the Gay community and if
you’re Gay, I’m hoping to create a sense of pride and
inspire people to embrace all types of people. That’s
what I’m hoping the project will do.

THOUGHTS OF LIFE

It's six in the morning
And I'm up sharing my thoughts with you
Self Expression. Self Expression

Good morning.
I'm in a slight Pretty Ricky mode (no, I'm not gonna push it yet lol).
The past couple of days have been exhausting and cool for me. For the past couple of weeks, Ive been busy taking care of business, socializing, and conducting interviews, and it's finally caught up with me. I've been suffering from fatique, which has me physically tired to the point of xoming home and falling asleep with my clothes on and me not being able to attend events like my friend Rod's show this week. I planned to go after attending my college's alumni gathering, but I started to become physically tired so my friends treated me to dinner, and drove me home and was like 'You've been running again. Get some sleep.' That's what I did.
I'm stilling bad for not being able to attend my friend's performance like I wanted to, but I plan on making it up to him.
As I mentioned earlier, I went to my first college's first alumni gathering, and I had a great time meeting ohter BMCC alumni's who are doing well in their lives. I was suprised to bump into one of my classmates who I took African American Literature with at Brooklyn College. We had a blast talking about our experiences at both schools, and we even had a small Supreme fight. She's a huge fan of The Supremes like I am, and her last name is Ross. I recall letting her know that I was the sexy Supreme and the one who's keeping the legacy alive.
Attending that alumni made me think about classism. I've heard many people put down students who graduated from Cuny schools, because most of the students who attend are from urban areas, and it's affordable (except for the damn text books), but most students who graduated from Cuny have gotten just as many opprotunites as those who graduated from Ive League schools, and students who graduated from BMCC have went on to many of the top four year schools, and have done well.
Have you ever wandered how life would have been if things had been different for you in your life? I have. There were times when I wondered what it been like had I gone to a 4 year college out of state like I originally wanted to do? Would I have done well? Would I have been able to adapt to the city? Would I had clicked with other students? Would I have maintained long lasting friendships? Would I have came to grips with my sexuality? Those are questions that comes to mind from time to time, but I now realize that God had other plans for me, and attending both BMCC and Brooklyn College had many benefits. It was during my second year at BMCC where the seed was planted for me to start a career in media and journalism; I began writing for many of the schools publications, while volunteering with the Blackfilmmakers Foundation and interning at Arista Records where I continued working in the publicity department (I had worked at Columbia Records during the summer of 1991), and having the opporunity to meet Dionne Warwick, Usher, LA Reid & Chilli of TLC.
After graduating, I decided to enroll in Brooklyn College it had the feel of a real college though it doesn't have any dorms, where I originally planned to study film production, but it was stressful and my professor told me that though I didn't have what it took to direct, I had writing talent and I can do well as a writer and producer, and from then I switched my major to journalism and TV/Radio, and graduated in 2005. While I'm listening to Pretty Ricky's "Make It Last It Was," I'm thinking about my 15 years in college, and I didn't have the so-called college experience. Most students I met and knew had partied, traveled, and had lots of fun. Me on the other hand, I did have fun, during my BMCC years, but it wasn't as often as other students I knew. I always hung out with my friends who were studying Communications as well as people I'm cool with to this day, and when I did go to party, it was with the Black Filmmakers, screenings and after parties.
My Brooklyn College years were totally different. I was trying to stay in school while being a member of a church which I later realize is a fucking cult. I'll write about my experiences at a later day, but I'm glad that I'm enjoying me freedom to live my life without having to give account for what I do. Espeically to a bunch of clowns who wasn't supporting me finacially, but supporting their grand lifestyles with members money.

Songs played while this article was being typed

Pretty Ricky
Late Night Special
Blue Star/Atlantic Records
# 1 Pop & R&B
RIAA Certification-Gold

MY THOUGHTS FOR THE MOMENT

Hello everybody. Hope and pray that things are going well with you. I've been totally busy with many things during the past week and I finally decided that I got to make time to write on my blog. (What's the sense of me having one if I don't use it on a regular basis)?
Anyhow I've had a interesting and touching weekend. I sat in on by friend DJ Baker's show at Cosci's and had a good time. He interviewed Ronne Hayne, a good friend of mine I've known since 1999 as well as James Earl Hardy, rappers Kin, Soce and blogger Adam Benjamin who's blog page is very great, informative and real and inspirational.
I also attended the memorial for the late Michael J. Sandy, the Black Gay/SGL brother who was set up by a bunch of morons who intended to rob him, by logging onto the Gay chat line as a way of luring him to his unexpected death on a highway near Sheepshead Bay last year.
Attending his memorial brought many mixed emotions that I couldn't control or stop thinking about. I was sad that he died without having the opportunity to finish pursuing his career and dreams, but I'm also pissed of how someone would do something as evil as to set up a person like that to attack, with the assumption that the person was weak and wouldn't get away? Those fools who did this got what they deserved; charge with a hate crime and the thing that really pisses me off is one of the defendants saying (or claiming) that he's gay to get off easy!!
Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He was there when the other morons decided to target Mr. Sandy and he was there at the beach when the attact happened so he's as guilty as they are. The reason why I'm pissed is because there are many Gau/SGL people who are still afraid to express their sexuality due to shame and fear of abandonment by loved ones and homophobic remarks by ignorant ass people, and when I heard about this, I thought to myself, what a slap in the face to the gay community. I had issues with coming to grips with my sexuality and learning to love myself (which is still an on-going process), but using that as a way to get off the hook from a crime that he took part in is totally unexcusable, and he should have thought about that while his so-called friends went looking for a person to rob.
The memorial also made me realize that one must be careful nowadays because there's no telling what can happen to a person who's on the chatline looking for companionship (even if it's to release themselves sexually), and I pray that everybody (myself included) will take extra caution when looking for a jumpoff.

HONORING A TALENTED AND SWEET TEMPTATION
BY Ra SHAWN CHISOLM

Eddie Kendricks won the hearts of millions with his school boy charm, pretty boy looks, and sweet and smooth tenor voice that helped him become a legend. As a member of The Temptations, his falsetto helped the group score classic hits with “The Way You Do The Things You Do,” “Get Ready” and “Just My Imagination,” but he fared better as a solo artist conquering the Disco scene and earning more fans, and recognition. Sadly lung cancer robbed the world of this talented man, and this article highlights his career and contribution to music history. Kendricks was born on December 17, 1939 in Union Alabama to John and Lee Belle Kendrick as one of five children, and like many Blacks living in the south, he grew up singing Gospel music in church, and eating southern cuisine, including corn bread, which was his favorite food, and would later become his nickname. A few years after moving to Birmingham, he became friends with his next door neighbor Paul Williams, a talented singer and dancer who would encourage Kendricks to pursue a career in music, and seeing that the south didn’t have many opportunities for aspiring singers at that time, he decided to move with Paul to Cleveland, Ohio, where they formed their first group The Calaivers. A few years later, they moved to Detroit Michigan and met with Kell Osborne, and formed The Primes who would perform at record hops and talent shows with a sister group The Primates (later to become The Supremes), often sharing the bill with Otis Williams & The Distants, who admired them for their singing and chorography. In 1961, Kendricks and Paul joined forces with Otis, Melvin Franklin and Eldrige Bryant and became The Elgins and signed with songwriter Berry Gordy’s fledging label Motown Records, but after learning there was another group using the name, they became The Temptations and released their first singles “Dream Come True." before embarking on their first tour, with Kendricks coordinating their wardrobe. “Eddie always dressed beautifully” Otis wrote in his autobiography “Temptations” “He had a knack for picking out sharp colors and cuts that looked hip yet classy, so he began putting together our stage uniforms.” In 1963, the group was still struggling to get a hit record, which made Bryant drink heavily and cause problems with in the group, and he was replaced by David Ruffin, whose raspy vocals and stage performances gave the group an edge. In January 1964, the group teamed with Smokey Robinson who co-wrote their breakthrough hit “The Way You Do The Things You Do” which peaked at # 11 on the Pop charts and became one of many classics to feature Eddie’s trademark tenor vocals. The following year, the group scored their first # 1 hit with the classic “My Girl,” which featured Ruffin’s powerful and dramatic vocals, which would be featured on the follow up singles “My Baby” and “It’s Growing.” but wanting to balance the group’s lead vocal performances, Robinson wrote and produced the Eddie led hit “Get Ready” while the group recorded “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg” with Norman Whitfield. To satisfy both producers, Gordy decided to release “Get Ready” but told him if the single didn’t reach the top ten, Whitfield would have the next release. “Get Ready” only reached # 29, while the latter peaked at # 13, allowing Whitfield to have a long run of hits with the group, including “You’re My Everything” co-written with their guitarist Cornelius Grant and Roger Penzabenze. “I had just come off the road” Grant said in the liner notes of The Temptations Get Ready: The Definitive Collection” And I was telling Roger, ’Man you need to write a song for Eddie because those girls really flip over this guy when he’s singing. We need to write a love song, something that he can directly to those girls that would just make them wet in their pants.’ By 1968, the group would undergo some personal and musical changes; Ruffin’s ego and drug use forced him to be replaced by Dennis Edwards of the Contours, who Eddie recommended after seeing him perform at the Howard Theatre. They also began performing Psychedelic Soul music, which consisted of the group sharing lead vocals, and singing social conscious lyrics about the ghetto, Vietnam War, and politics, staring with “Cloud Nine” which earned them Motown’s first Grammy award, “Runaway Child, Running Wild, “Pscydelic Shack,” and “Ball of Confusion (That’s What The World Is Today)” They also scored their second top charter with the love song “I Can’t Get Next To You” which featured a stiff legged dance routine inspired by Kendricks’ kids as well as recorded two hit television shows and albums with The Supremes with the single “I’m Going to Make You Love Me” with Eddie sharing lead vocals with Diana Ross, hitting number two. Though Eddie was living his childhood dreams, he was growing unhappy with his professional career and his personal life. He grew tired of seeing Psychedelic Soul. He was also trying to deal with Paul’s heavy drinking and failing health, and he felt that Motown was cheating the group out of money. He also wanted to record a solo album while remaining with the group, but after his request was denied, he decided to leave. “I’ve never, ever wanted to leave the group,” Kendricks said in the Billboard Book of Number One Hits. “I never thought about leaving. The only reason I left because I wasn’t allowed to record on my own. His mother agrees. “When I talked to him about it, he ‘Momma, let me handle it’ she said in the liner notes of the group’s boxed set “Emperors of Soul” “He hated having to choose.” Eddie didn’t leave his group hanging; he left them with “Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)” which has been dubbed as one of Motown’s prettiest ballads, and captures Kendricks’ best vocal performance to date, topping both the Pop and R&B charts and selling over two million copies. The group recruited Damon Harris to fill his spot while Kendricks began his solo career recording two albums that didn’t produce any hits, but his single “Girl You Need a Chance of Mind” became a hit with the Women’s liberation movement and in New York Discos, but his career came to a temporary halt after learning that his childhood friend and band mate Paul (who was suffering from sickle cell anemia, alcoholism and depression from being forced to retire from performing) had committed suicide in Detroit. After taking time off to mourn, Eddie linked up with producer Frank Wilson who co-wrote and produced his classic hit “Keep On Truckin’” which ignited his career. Not only did it top the Pop & R&B charts, it was also named the first disco recording and did well with in the Country market as well. He also scored with “Boogie Down,” and “My Friend.” After leaving Motown, he recorded for Arista and Atlantic Records, but didn‘t have any further hits due to the demise of Disco, and Kendricks' voice becoming weak due to his chain smoking cigarettes. In 1982, both Eddie and David rejoined the Temptations for a reunion album and tour, and scored a top ten hit with “Standing On The Top” written and produced by Rick James who had Kendricks sing in a lower range. The sold out tour had gotten off to a good start with hopes of both rejoining the group on a permeate basis, which unfortunately didn’t happen due to Ruffin’s behavior and Kendricks‘ mistrust of Motown. In 1985, Kendricks and Ruffin performed with singing duo Daryl Hall & John Oates at Live Aid, and at the reopening of The Apollo Theatre, where their live recording of “They Way You Do The Things You Do” and “My Girl” hit # 20 and earned them a deal with RCA Records where they scored a top twenty R&B hit. On January, 18, 1989, The Temptations were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, where Eddie accepted both his and Paul’s awards, and while the guests were happy to see the group onstage accepting that honor, no one would have guest that it would be the last time they would share the stage. Eddie and David did some tours with former label mates Mary Wells and Martha Reeves before joining Edwards and performing as the Former Leads of The Temptations which came to a halt in June 1991 after Ruffin died from a drug overdose. Five months later, Kendricks was diagnosed with lung cancer and underwent surgery to have his infected lung removed, and gave up smoking. “I’ll never smoke another cigarette as long as I live” he told reporters shortly after his surgery. He visited high schools to encourage kids from smoking and continued touring, playing the US, Europe and Japan before entering the hospital for the final time, where he made peace with God and Otis, who wrote about how they cracked jokes with each other. “I love you Eddie, but you are one crazy one boy!” Otis wrote. “Well it takes one to know one!” he shot back and we both laughed. Then he explained to me that he had made his peace and that he felt ready to make the transition.” On Monday, October 5, 1992, Eddie died, and his funeral was held in a Baptist church in Ensley, Alabama attended by his parents, siblings, children and the Temptations who celebrated his life. Shortly after his death, singer Bobby Womack coordinated two benefit concerts to raise money for Eddie’s family and three children Aika, Paul and Parris while Jimi Dougans, the music director of his touring band the Young Senators formed the Eddie Kendricks memorial foundation in Washington DC, which tells youth the dangers of smoking cigarettes as well as provide inner city youth with opportunities to develop their music talents. In 1998, actor/singer Terron Brooks won wave reviews portraying Eddie in the award winning mini-series “The Temptations” while rappers and singer Lil’Kim, Mr. Cheeks and Jennifer Lopez each sampled “Keep On Truckin’” for their singles “Who’s Number One,” “Lights, Camera Action” and “Do It Well” while Talib Kweli and singer Bilal sampled “Can I’ for their single “Talk To You (Lil’ Darlin’).” In 2006, The Temptations platinum selling DVD “Get Ready” was released, giving fans a chance to see Kendricks‘ classic performances with the group, including “Just My Imagination“ on the Ed Sullivan show, (which was the only time he performed the classic on television before leaving two months later). Eddie Kendricks left an impressive mark on the music industry, paving the way for many singers who pattern themselves after him, and, though he’s been gone, his music continues to have fans trucking to the dance floor and the bedroom.

SUPREME WRITER GETS RADIO HOST ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MIC
By Ra SHAWN CHISOLM

Cosci’s restaurant is one of the most popular eateries in the village that’s known for their pizza, salads, sandwiches and their famous caramel apple cider. It’s also the place where I interview DJ Baker, the host of the online radio show the DJ Doo Dirty show, which is one of the most popular online broadcasts show the hit the internet. A former child actor, Baker has been keeping fans tuned in with his wit, sense of humor, and for speaking his mind about issues concerning the Gay community as well as providing an outlet for many Gay singers, rappers, poets, party promoters and producers to be heard. I met with the crazy cool host at Cosci’s where he spoke about his career during a taping of his show.

RC: How did it feel to have celebrated your one year anniversary?
DJ: It was a milestone. It was something big. I never thought I would celebrate my one year anniversary. I though I would be shut down by six months, but I lasted one year and it motivated me to do many more years.

RC: What was your inspiration for you starting your show?
DJ: The inspiration for the show came from going to forums and hearing a lot of gay men complain that there wasn’t gay man in the media and if they were gay men in the media, they wasn’t representing the average Joe, and I decided I would do it. I would be the one to step forward, and be confident to be out, proud and stand up for something missing in the gay media.

RC: I understand you started as a child actor. What shows did you star in?
DJ: (Singing) More park sausages mom. Please. I did that commercial when I was a kid. I think I was an understudy in a Broadway play. I think it was Annie. My father was a musician, so I was heavily in the studio. I was heavily going on auditions for commwecials and stuff like that. That's how I started on the business. Then I started doing plays when I was in high school. I was very successful in that.

RC: How was it up for you coping with your sexuality while living in a Caribbean household?
DJ: I really didn’t grow up in a Caribbean household. My mother was American, so it was an American household. Then I moved in with my father and that was a Caribbean household. That’s when I came out. I just did it. I don’t think I wasn’t concerned about their closeted and ignorant views.

RC: From your perspective, why are so many Caribbean men homophobic?
DJ: As far as they’re concerned, its part of their culture, but it’s weird because most of the women are masculine. If you’ve been around Jamaican women are more masculine than their man and their man be like ‘yeah baby. Whatever.’ It’s very odd that they refer to us as anti-man, but when you think about their relationships, they’re the anti-man. Even in their relationships because their women is more masculine than they are.

RC: You also play music by many SGL and Gay artists. How important is it for you to showcase these artists?
DJ: It’s very important. I think the more and more we realize that these artists are talent and have a lot to say, and then they can get respect. They’re people and I don’t feel that someone is gay that their drama is less important than anybody else. We need artists like King Jabari, Shorty Roc to spit the truth.

RC: I’ve notice that most media shows Black Gay people being rich, famous and flamboyant but they don’t show gay people who are down to earth, working, struggling and going to school.
DJ: Wow! That’s the reason I had a problem with the gay elite at the time. It was a different between the gays who had money and the gays who didn’t have money and it seemed to be no bridge in between. That’s why I wanted to be a part of this community to bridge the gap. The ballroom kids are usually the broke kids. The hustlers are usually the broke kids while the gay media, the magazines, they’re the ones who’s wealthy. They’re not passing any of that money down; they’re not investing any of that money. That’s the problem we have with Blacks not investing that money in the Black community. I don’t think the Black gays are investing any money into their own gay community.

RC: What have other projects you’ve been working on besides the show?
DJ: I just finished wrapping a commercial. I was an extra in “American Gangster.” Hosting a number of parties. I just want to be a part of this community.

RC: Congratulations on your relationship. How do you manage to have a relationship while maintain your career?
DJ: It’s so hard. It’s very difficult to hold a relationship down. One, you have your man that you want to satisfy your man, but you have this business which at the drop of the dime, someone’s saying there’s a red carpet you need to be at. Sometimes there’s not enough time. Especially since it’s new and we’re trying to get to know each other and that when we go out in public, people are drawn to me because they know who I am and sometimes I can’t give him all the attention that he needs, and I have to avert my attention to other places. But if you truly in love with the person and love is the root of why you’re with the person, then it won’t be any problems.

RC: Where do you see yourself in the next five and ten years?
DJ: I see this show on satellite radio. I see us having a TV/Video show with gay, lesbian, transgender artists. I do see myself being a celebrity. I do, I do, I do. I also see us being a better community. As a Black and Latino gay community, we’re be definitely be stronger in bigger numbers and definitely more visuaable, seen, powerful and respected.

RC: How is the show making an impact on with people?
DJ: It’s making an impact with the gay community is because we’re playing gay artists. Gay artists are having a problem being played by regular broadcast media and mediums. We’re gonna play them, and not only we’re playing just so people want to hear them, we’re playing them so people who want to hear, but don’t where to hear this type of music, they know where to go. They need a place to come and be heard.

RC: From your opinion, why mainstream radio refuses to play music by gay artists?
DJ: Ignorance! One word. There’s nothing else to say on why they won’t be played. I can throw a lot of money at a disk jockey, and they’ll play it, but once they know what it’s about, then they’ll take it off. It’s just ignorance.

RC: What advice would you give to an open gay person wanting to pursue a career in entertainment and media?
DJ: Stay strong and stay focused. You need to know that you’re not gonna waiver on your sexuality. There are so many things you can waiver on your life; in sense you can waiver the way you deliver the news or you can waiver the way you format your show, and hold it with confidence because in this business, confidence goes a long way and insecurity goes no where.

CHIRSTOPHER STREET SERIES CREATOR SPEAKS ABOUT CAREER AND THE NEED TO EDUCATE YOUNG GAY PEOPLE
BY Ra SHAWN CHISOLM

Whenever you meet Dwight Allen O’Neal, you’re immediately are attracted to his outgoing personality, his style of fashion and his southern hospitality. This young guy has a lot going for himself. Originally from Arkansas, O’Neal or Allen as his called from time to time, got his start in the entertainment industry by modeling while beginning his freshman year in high school. Wanting to expand his creativity, he moved to New York, and studied acting while working at various magazines, and while he was studying his craft, he was seeing that many young gay teens and adults needed guidance and direction which inspired him to create the television series Christopher Street, which is about four young Black Gay males, surviving in New York, which has gotten rave reviews and praise by fans who’s dubbed the show the realist version of Noah’s Arc. He’s also runs his own fashion website and has a coming benefit in the works. I’ve had the opportunity to speak to this young role model via telephone.

RC: Tell us about the concept of “Christopher Street.”
DAO: Christopher Street is about four friends living in the city and dealing with the trials and tribulations of being a young gay man that’s coming out the closet. We deal with finding yourself and how to live in a society where your lifestyle isn’t accepted. How to deal with living a gay lifestyle and a straight lifestyle as well.

RC What inspired you to create the series?
DAO: I was inspired by the lack of young people having no role models to look up to. I was inspired by the fact that I would go out to the village and to the club and see misguided youth who didn’t have a positive role model. Me, myself coming up,
I didn’t have anyone to look up to but my mother and my best friend, and alot of times, he hadn't expericne too much more than I did. I mean he's just a year older than myself.

RC: You’ve brought up a great point about youth not having role models. Why is that?
DAO: A lot of people who are doing positive things and living positive lives aren’t coming aboard. They’re not speaking their stories. They’re not mentoring these people and the other side of things, young people look up to these artists, these singers and these people who are celebrities and they’re blindsided by person who they thought was doing something positive by someone who’s doing something oblivious.

RC: I attended your screening and a lot of the guests were saying they loved how your show dealt with issues that many gay youth deal with living in New York. What was it like attending your first screening?
DAO: Being at my first screening was nerve wrecking, actually. I was showing my piece to my peers, James Earl Hardy, thank you for attending you there. It was a blessing having you there. It was nerve wracking, but I was really excited to see the feedback that everybody gave me. I’m just twenty three and I don’t have a lot of money in my pocket, so I’m looking for an investor, and just knowing that most people was like the storyline was great and the acting was great and I want to see where the characters can go from here so that was great to hear.

RC: You mentioned about looking for funding. Has it been hard to receive funding?
DAO: Absoltouely. I’m still meeting with people trying to get money and things like that. I do hope that money and things like that come through.

RC: In addition to the show, what other projects have you been participating in?
DAO: I’m on the Christopher Street tour, hitting thirteen to fifth teen cities, educating young people on how to protect themselves from homophobia, how to protect themselves sexually. Basically what the show is dealing with, we’re tackling those issues with the audience and they watched the episode and we have a rap session about what exactly the characters deal with and how the characters survive. I’m currently working on my fashion magazine you can check it out fashionblog.com. I’m currently party events and promoting the show and I’m a make up artist and I’m promoting Smash Box Cosmetics.

RC: Congratulations on receiving your award from Entrepreneur of the month.
DAO: Thank you very much. It was a honor to receive the entrepreneur of the month award, and selected as one of Clike Magazine’s bachelors of 2007. It really feels good that people are seeing my work and are appreciating me.

RC: Another point you brought up is the importance of educating young people about homophobia and police harassment. How important is for young people to be educated about these subjects.
DAO: It’s very important. Even myself experienced something very similar where I was myself was pulled out on the subway because of my sexuality. I’ve dealt with I’ve had other incidents with the police where I was totally mistrusted because basically who I am and people putting stereotypes on our generation and because people among people who look just like me, you don’t get the love and support and justice you need. A lot of police stereotype us because you’re a young Black Gay man, there’s a strike against you, and basically we’re showcasing needs like that and letting know what to do when they’re put into that type of situation.

RC: I was speaking with DJ Baker, about many Reggae artists who record songs about killing gay males, and how some young people who are familiar with the lyrics still dance to the song and don’t take action. From your perspective, why d
DAO: A lot of people, young people don’t know what saying anyway. They’re grinding to the beat. They’re grinding to the hot dance step. They’re doing the Scooby Doo. They’re really not paying attention to what that person (the artist) is saying, and honestly, if they knew what they were saying, then they’re view point on how they would respond would be different. It all goes to educating; we need to educate our audience. We need to educate young people. We need to educate one another and know what’s going on the world. So many people don’t know what’s going on in that song. So many people don’t know what’s going on in Jamaica. So many people don’t know that and we have to bring that to life. Education is key, and knowledge is the power.

RC: I know that you’re doing a benefit for the late Rashawn Bazell, the male who’s body parts was found in the Nostrand Avenue train station. Though he didn’t become know before his death, how important is it for him to be honored and remembered?
DAO: It’s very important for him to be honored. He’s my brother. He’s your brother, and it’s really a tragedy what happened to him, and anything we can do to give knowledge about protecting yourself, the same thing won’t happen. No one deserves to be butchered and killed. That’s really sad, so his legacy continues to live on today, and his family is very supportive.


RC: How do you want to make an impact on the entertainment and fashion industry?
DAO: That’s a really good question. I want to make an impact by making Dwight Allen O’Neal a household name. Dwight Allen O’Neal a household name. Dwight O’Neal being executive producer of Off the Clock Productions and Allen O’Neal being an entertainer across the board.

RC: Is there anybody in the entertainment industry you would love to work with?
DAO: There’s a lot of people in the entertainment industry I would love to work with. There’s one key person I love to work with is Angela Bassett.

RC: That would be great. She’s a noble and humble person and an excellent actress.
DAO: She’s amazing

RC: She was the only one who could play Tina Turner
DAO: Yeah she did that, and then playing Michael Jackson’s mother, also playing in “Vampire in Brooklyn” and her amazing role in “Waiting to Exhale” where she burned down the car and left with the cigarette. (Both laugh while I imitated Bassett’s character)

RC: What advice would you give to something who wants to be in the entertainment industry without having to hide their sexuality?
DAO: If you want to be in entertainment, make a crucial decision as of what type of entertainment you want to be in. You need to make a plan of where you want to be so I would suggest be true to what you want to be true to. If you want to hide your sexuality, that’s completely a choice you have to make. If you want to be open with your sexuality, that’s a choice you have to make, but there’s gonna be consequences you have to pay. Some of the consequences you can deal with and there’s some you can’t deal with.

PHILADELPHIA AUTHOR'S NOVEL ABOUT THUG LOVE ENTICES FANTASIES, FEELINGS AND THOUGHTS

BY Ra SHAWN CHISOLM

Reginald L. Hall’s latest novel “In Love with a Thug” is one of the hottest and deepest pieces of literature to be released this year, and once you read it, you’ll find it hard to put it down. The story is about Juan Jiles, an openly gay male, whose love and admiration for street thugs adds drama to his life which results in serious and painful consequences.
The story begins with Jiles and his first thugged out boyfriend Darnell having hot passionate sex in the shower, which is later followed by Darnell asking Jiles to help him rob in a bank robbery. At first he refuses, explaining his fears and morals, but he unfortunately changes his mind Darnell uses violence and guilt tactics to get him to participate in his crime, which turns deadly after Darnell and a bank teller are killed, during the process, while Juan gets away with close to two-hundred thousand dollars, which he uses to pursue his dreams of opening a popular celebrity hair salon. Shortly after the opening, he meets street vendor and thug Bryant Thompson, whose physique, swagger and skills in the bedroom forces the intelligent Juan to succumb to Bryant’s addictive and deceptive world, failing to realize that he may have gotten in way over his head. After their second date, Juan begins to support him financially by buying him clothes, loaning him money and even posting his bail after he was charged with resisting arrest after he attempted to assault his baby’s mother for putting crazy glue in their daughter’s eye, and while he’s head over heals for Bryant, he starts to have doubts after learning that he’s engaged to a female who’s expecting his second child. Juan confronts him about his lady, but Bryant puts on the charm to keep him under his spell.
Another aspect of the book is his friendships with his friends Anthony and Rob, who the manager of his shop, who not only support Juan and his career, they don’t hesitate to speak their minds. Especially when it comes to his relationship and how it’s affecting his professionalism, and operation of the shop. Especially when he learns that one of his employees is stealing and breaking the policy of moonlighting and when his people constantly start fights in his shop making the customers and staff unhappy. Their friendship becomes deeper when Anthony is hospitalized after being attacked, and when Rob helps Juan after he gets arrested for unknowingly having drugs in his apartment. The book also deals with the betrayal he endured from his parents especially his mother who not only kicked him out because of his sexuality, but for refusing to believe that her husband sexually molested him. Her actions forced him to become independent and possibly looking for love in the wrong places and people. When visits his parents to show them how well he’s done, not only does his mother act real shady towards him, she slaps him after he confronts his father for the acts he did to him as a child, forcing him to move on with or without their support or blessings. After leaving his former childhood home, he head to Bryant’s grandmother’s house for a party where Juan, high off ecstasy thinks that’s having dreams of having a three some with Bryant and his cousin, which in reality is real causing Bryant to attack him and throw him out, leaving him to wonder why he would do that when he was the one got him hooked on drugs and encouraged the sexual rendezvous. Adding things complicated was his trial, seeing the lady who attacked his employees in court with the prosecutors, and coping with the deaths of his friends and father and deciding to give Bryant another chance at their relationship, which comes with a price for his part in the bank robbery.
Reginald Hall penned a hot, deep and through provoking novel, which will have readers entertained and thinking about the choices they make when it comes to dating and picking a partner, and though it would have been nice for Juan’s mother to apologize for her denial of the abuse he endured, it explains many reasons why Juan strive for success and looked for love in the wrong places and person.

PORN STARS SPEAKS ON THE IMPACT AND MYTHS ABOUT THE ADULT ENTERTAINMENT INDUSRTY

BY Ra SHAWN CHISOLM

For the past seven decades, gay pornography has become one of the popular and biggest selling genres of entertainment. Like Hip-Hop, it began as an underground phenomenon, but it has become a part of our culture. From adult magazines, to DVDs, many Gay/SGL men enjoy looking at porn as a form of relaxation, stimulation, education, and to release sexual tension. Gay pornography represents using male on male activity with the main goal of making the viewers sexually aroused, dating back to Greek Anceiticy, but unfortunately had to remain underground due to obscenity laws that constituted evidence of illegal acts under many Sodom laws in many laws (Many men in the south would be arrested for participating in anal sex, even if it was behind closed doors, but the law was ruled unconstitutionally by the Supreme Court in 2003).
Another reason for remaining underground? Many Gay/SGL men were still closeted in the early 1940’s and 1950’s due to fear of being abandoned by loved ones as well as religious organizations which still unfairly condemns homosexuality, and the only form of porn were magazines featuring men either wearing a g-string or being totally nude, but that changed thanks to the late photographer Bob Mizer, founder of the AMC-Athletic Model Guild which was the first studio to commercially produce films for Gay/SGL men which was sold through mail in orders and by word of mouth, but by the late 1960’s the sexual revolution forced the courts to legalized porn legitimately and now fans have easier access to porn courtesy of peep shows, VCR’s DVD players and the internet.
What makes Gay porn appealing? “It’s more of a fantasy thing for people who’s watching” says Marc Williams, a LA Based porn star who’s appeared in “Big and Plenty”, and Black Inches Magazine. “There’s something out there for everyone.” Early porn normally featured muscular men with little or no body hair, but Black Inches have began to feature models who aren’t as buff and who has body hair, and most of today’s ethnic films features urban themes and models wearing Hip-Hop attire including fitted baseball caps, do-rags, boxers, timberlands and sneakers, appealing to viewers who like guys who are street, but sensual. ”I film a genre called ‘Thug Porn’ so I need to keep it as real as possible says model/producer Tiger Tyson who’s company is linked with Pittbull Productions whose film “The Show Part 2” was named Best Ethnic theme by the Gay VN award. “That’s the way we dress. I believe the person who buys my films wants to see the read deal.”
Another form of change in the industry has been the roles and labels of men in the industry; Men that have masculine characteristics were tops and dominators while guys with femine characteristics, were bottoms and submissive, but many of today’s films show the stars showing their versatility, including Tyson Cane and Kamrun, both who topped and bottomed in films they’ve appeared in. “I don’t think it’s right for them to be doing these moves, the CEO Tyson Cane Videos and first Black to appear to star in films by Kristen Bjorn says about companies who shows stereotypes of Black and Latino men. “I’m not a thug; I’m not from the ghetto. I mixed pretty boys with thugs. I have an urban style but I mix the world together.” When asked did he catch any negative feedback for not what viewers expected, Kamrun who ‘s starred in Black Balled 3, 4 and 5’ says he’s never gotten any flack about being label or perceived to be a certain way because of his looks. “Actually No. If you see me up close live and in person, I’m far from the Hip-Hop look.” Former Black Inches columnist Ty Lattimore is also appealing to viewers by shooting a large a variety of models including different races and ages and sizes including Tank a thick sized model who’s been getting lots of praise from fans who are happy to see someone large in porn industry. “I find the beauty in different kinds of men. A six pack don’t necessarily makes you an attractive person or even a better person” the Atlanta based star and director says of the ageism and typecasting that occurs in the community. “Our community has a lot of phobia and a lot of ways that we classified and disqualified people. I have a hard time being a producer telling a model to have six-pack abs when I don’t have six pack abs. Everybody wants to see themselves represented.”
Most of the guys entering the industry today are much younger than it was years ago. Models as young as 18 are entering the industry as opposed to years ago when most of the models were in their early 20’s. “These new guys are freakier When we were they’re age, we weren’t thinking about doing porn then!” says the late Delvin Wiley, operation officer for Flava Works who starred in three films before deciding to work more behind the scenes at the company. “We were sneaking and buying it.”
Most models enter the industry to make fast money and gain recognition. Tyson and Cane had started out working as strippers in clubs with the latter wanting to pursue a career in porn since the age of 18, many including who were discovered and approached by talent scouts and other stars to work for their companies. “A friend of mine was telling me ‘I know a guy who’s shooting porn and I didn’t think it was a good idea, but my boyfriend was like ‘let’s do this. It’s not different than what we’re doing” says Breion Diamond the star of Flava Works and the Dorm Life Series who originally started with Pittbull Productions and has a large following in South Africa.
But there were many who never intended on entering the industry at all including Baby Boi, another of Flava Works tops models. He wanted to pursue a career in modeling but after discovering the lack of outlets in his state, he discovered Flava Works while surfing the internet and after submitting his information, he was flown to Chicago the following week during his last semester of high school. “Doing porn was never my intention. It was mainly ‘I’m about to graduate from high school and don’t want to stay in Indianapolis.’ I was trying to get in the modeling industry while in high school, but being in Indianapolis that’s not a big hub for that.” Both have helped make their site become the most viewed site on the internet receiving numerous awards and nominations which is due to the non-sexual bond they have and living in the dorm where the movies are filmed. “We had to be honest with each other and real. Some of us have the same mentality. We’re trying to be movie stars and to be enemies with each other is stupid.”
Being in the public eye has many rewards such being able to travel around the world and meeting fans, but there is a downside to being in the porn industry such as negativity, maintaining a private life, being seen only as an sex object and misconceptions that all porn stars are drug addicts, sluts, infected with STD‘s. The biggest thing complaint from many journalist and health care professionals has been the number of bare backing films that’s been release. Many think that bare backing will influence viewers to participate in risky behavior increasing the numbers of HIV using Flava Works’ incident to prove their point. According to Diamond, the CEO of the company didn’t have the proper documents to film at his house and they were closed a week before they were scheduled to relocate of Miami and that it’s true that one of the models did have a STD and passed it to another, the company makes sure the models are tested and use protection. “These boys are having unsafe sex and they’re not supposed to. Everyone gets tested when they come in” Diamond said who also expressed his frustration by talking about how “whites porn stars be shooting cum into each other and no one makes any complaints. But we get slack for releasing Raw Thugs. Black People don’t like seeing Black people doing certain shit. I have a raw film and five of the six scenes are done with my boyfriend."
Another false myth is that models can‘t maintain relationships. “In the reality, I have models who are in long term relationships with other models” Cane said of the misconception. Williams and Diamond are in relationships with models and they manage to make their relationship work by keeping their professional life away from their personal life while others chose to spend time with family and friends when not filming. “My friends come first“ Kamrun replied.
Life after porn. There have been many stories about many porn stars who didn’t how to adjust to life after porn, and many of today’s porn stars are planning to pursue other career goals; Baby Boi plans to pursue a college degree in Business and Marketing while Diamond wants to be a fashion stylist and AIDS activist, but there are some who are working in the industry behind the scenes such as Lattimore, Tyson and Cane who produce and shot their own films while Kamrun who’s appeared in many coffee table books and hires go-go dancers for clubs while working in Immigration Law full time and the advice they give to those who want to enter the industry is to make sure it’s something they want to do as well as do research on the industry and the companies and to also remember it’s a business and to stay smart, safe and don’t do anything you're uncomfortable doing.

COMMUNITY ACTIVIST JUGGLES RUNNING BOOK CLUB, TOPIC DISCUSSIONS AND EVENTS WHILE BECOMING A FIXTURE IN THE URBAN GAY COMMUNITY

BY Ra SHAWN CHISOLM

Derrick L. Briggs has a lot going on with his professional career. In between working for POCC, running his monthly book club, promoting weekly parties and resuming his acting career, he’s also becoming a fixture in the urban Black and Latino Gay/SGL community. I first met Briggs last year at a panel discussion last November, and two months later, I attended one of his discussion groups, and was impressed with the various topics his groups have dealing with the community. Not only are his groups informative, they’re also motivational and life changing, which is one of the reasons I starred my own blog page.
I had the opportunity to meet with Derrick at POCC where he talked about the book, club, the inspirations behind the topics and themes for his parties.

Q: Tell us something about yourself.
A: Twenty-six years old. An actor. Community activist. I work for POCC which stand for People of Color in Crisis. I also facilitate and the creative director of the Derrick L. Briggs Book Club which I started four years ago. I’m just a creative spirit. A Black man trying to do his thing.

Q: What made you decide to form the book club?
A: The reason I started the book club because I had a personal experience with a friend of mine who I was dating at the time who had contracted HIV, and that was an eye opener for me. I later realized it was something missing in my community and current generation. I wanted to start reading some books and I wanted to do it with friends so basically an idea to do with friends and collective.

Q: How often does the book club meets?
A: Book club meets once a month. I’ll do the book club more so in the fall going into spring and then the end of spring through the summer I do more topic discussions and parties than events.

Q: In July you threw your first pajama underwear party. What was the inspiration for that theme?
A: It wasn’t my first party, but it was my first underwear/pajama party. Basically it was the summer time, and I was in student government and we would always through theme parties, so I figured let’s take it and I still have that student government mentality. I love underwear and I have an underwear fetish (both laugh). I worked with the Chocolate Bar, and I threw the idea with them cusp I wanted to do something big for them, and they agreed and we had our first successful party on July 20, 2007.

Q: Congratulations on your latest role. What’s the name of the movie you’ll be in?
A: The movie is called “Finding Me.” The website is called www.thanks4finding me.com I’m playing one of the main characters’ love interest. I’m in a lot of scenes. It’s a great script and a great cast of people. I’m excited because Acting was my first passion. To bring that back in the foreground is every exciting for me.

Q: What made you decide to get back into acting?
A: School and having an uncle and grandmother saying that acting isn’t gonna pay the bills, but when I was ten years old, I landed a KFC commercial. I’ve done a Sprite commercial. Coke Commercial. I’m familiar with TV and acted in theatre, so I decided to take a hiatus because I wanted to do something new. So I went to school for marketing and advertising. Now I feel my whole life went full circle cuz now I’m doing something for the people. I’m being creative at the same time I’m able to create and perform.

Q: What topics have your group have discussed?
A: My current discussion is Boys vs. Men and which one have you been dating. That topic was very good. That was during Black Gay Pride; Pride in the City. I did another one in Miami at Miami Sizzle called Naked. Which was about the online hook up. I have another discussion coming up in September called “The Jump off” and “The Rebound” and that’s gonna be a two-part discussion, talking about a jump off on the side and the other topic is rebound and how men and gay men do relate and don’t relate to being a rebound in the relationship. These topic discussions are inspired from real life experiences. Someone will come up with a story or idea and we’ll start talking and I’ll be like ‘maybe we should do that as a topic discussion.” One of my discussions next year is going to be about roommates and how far does it go.

Q: How did you become involved with POCC?
A: I was secretly a fan of POCC. I went to one of their retreats called Many Men, Many Voices” and Mike Roberson, who’s the new director approached me about merging the book club with POCC over a year ago. We’ve been in talks for a long time. Not only have we’ve merged the book club, I’m actually an employee.

Q: Where do you see yourself in the next five and ten years?
A; I want to see the book club and topic discussion on a national level. I want to have people outside myself running their own Derrick L Briggs book clubs and topic discussions. I have been talking to some people; I would like to have somebody do a Derrick L. Briggs book club in Philly, Boston, L.A. Atlanta. Just on a higher level and ten years, raising one of my kids. A kid of my own.

Q: I see a lot of Black Gay/SGL Men are becoming more active in the community and entertainment industry do you see mainstream media having no choice but to accept us?
A: I won’t say necessary accept, but they will tolerate because there’s gonna be so much you can’t ignore. I’m glad that there’s more topic discussions, there's people doing video blogs and web shows more magazines and more parties. We’ve come from a dark age there a lot of gay men passed away. Now we have a generation where people want to own their business and I see us getting to the level where they have to accept us. But sometimes saying you have to doens't mean they're going to cuz you know how the straights are. I see us at a level where we're very powerful and I;m focusing on the urban Latin and Black Gay comminity for us to stick togethr because we have alot of power and we have alot of work that has to be done.

Q: Good point. When I was growing up, there was many Gay men who were labeled and had to put on farcad and now there are lots of more young gay people coming out now then before.

A: They’re coming straight out the box. It’s great that they’re coming out early, but the sad thing is that we don’t have a lot of mentors and that’s what very, very important and I commend everyone to be mentors, fathers and mothers to these gay youth who are coming out. The pharcad thing is for the birds. I think now we’re at an age where people want to experirment with different colors and different fashions. We’re growing out the top the bottom and versatile labels so I think we’re in a good time and a time for change. It’s definitely a transformative year; so hopefully, it’ll grow for the better.

For further information about the movie, checkout www.thanks4findingme.com

SEXY & MATURE MODEL SPEAKS ABOUT THE ADULT AND MUSIC INDUSTRY

BY Ra SHAWN CHISOLM

During the middle of the spring, many fans flocked to the video stores to buy “Dreamgirls” and “Bringing Sexy Back” making them both number one in it’s first week of release, and while Jennifer Hudson was inspiring viewers to pursue their careers, Bobby Blaze, the star of the latter film had fans turned on with his muscular physique and the way he sexed his co-stars in the bedroom, making them have fantasies of hiring him as their personal trainer. Since entering the industry, Blaze has worked with directors Tyson Cane and Marvin Jones and starred in the films “Harold Episode Larry," "Kronic: Renee’s Story,“ “Thug Mug Shot,“ and the Lil’ Homies sequels, but there’s more to him than the sizes of his muscles and genitals; he’s an extremely well-rounded person who has a good head on his shoulder which has helped him maintain a successful career in the porn and music industry for the past couple of years. I had the opportunity to speak with him at his job about his career and the importance of mataining a professional and respectable attitude in the work place.

Q: Your film “Bringing Sexy Back” is hot. What is the theme and concept behind the film?
A: The theme of the film is that; bringing sexy back. A lot of people think I’m young, but I’m a little bit older than I look. It was just something for guys over thirty, middle age guys and guys hitting thirty and a little past thirty to know that they still got it.

Q: How did you become involved in the porn industry?
A: I was one of those who said ‘I wouldn’t do that’ and there was a time I fell on hard times and I had to survive and my way to survive was that. Actually I have no bad out look on it because it made me the person I am today.

Q: What was the first film you starred in?
A: It wasn’t a film, it was the internet. Street Life; the first film that came from that was Street Life 101, 111 and 112 was the following one.
Q: How did you become involved with Chocolate Cream Productions?
A: Through one of my best friends. He was doing some work at Chocolate Cream and hadn’t heard of that line at that time. He introduced me to Marvin and Marvin said he wanted me to do some work with him. Marvin being the CEO and owner of Chocolate Cream and BC productions wanted to work with me and I’ve been working with him.

Q: How do manage to manage working a regular job while working in the porn industry?
A: The industry job was first. I was working with some fellas and I was introduced to a guy who ran a temp agency and he said I was professional looking and he said should come to an interview. I look at my nine-to-five as my bread and butter because that’s what pays my bills, pays my rent and help to live and survive. The porn industry, it helps me, but it’s recreational money for clothing and going to parties.

Q: In addition to working with Marvin, you’ve also worked with Tyson Cane. What was it like working with both of them?
A: It was interesting. Different from the norm. Tyson’s fully into making movies. He goes from head to toe with the production as far as the lighting, sound, make up. Everything. Everyone else I worked with, you came as you were, and you worked. Tyson tries to make it good. Working with Marvin Jones has been the best experience I ever had with doing porn. He’s a very self conscious type of person to as he makes sure you think about yourself before doing anything. He makes sure you have a good head on your shoulder before he works with you, so I’ve learned a lot from him and that’s why I’m going into producing and directing part because he was like you got a good job and you don’t need to be continuously be in front of the camera.

Q: I know that you and the other models from Chocolate Cream have been appearing at Langston’s Lounge to promote your movies. How long has that been going on?
A: Actually it just started. The first one was for the “Bringing Sexy Back” release on March 29th. That’s something I believe Marvin is gonna be doing in the long run.

Q: Do you have any plans to do other things outside of adult entertainment?
A: I do a lot of different things. I do product management for artists. I also do artist development for up young up and coming artists. I do a lot of volunteer work. I’m well-rounded so there’s no telling where I would end up at.

Q: You brought up an interesting point about middle age people. In the Gay lifestyle most media sends messages that you have to be young to be accepted and if you’re above the age of 30, you can’t be sexy, attractive and intelligent. What is your take on that?
A: I think that’s bullshit! Reason being that your life is what you make of it. Your looks are what you make of it, and looks don’t last forever. Just because you’re sexy to 10 and 15 people doesn’t mean you’re sexy to everyone else in the room. Everybody has their own taste and what they want and what they’re looking for and there’s someone out there for everyone. Even if you’re 40 or 45, it’s the way you feel inside that’s gonna tell you if you’re the young person or old person.

Q: In the past most gay men and porn stars were labeled based on their looks, but in this generation, are not buying into labels and stigmas. What do you think of that?
A: I think that’s actually good. Labels are not bad. There are some people who fit one hundred percent top. Some people who fit one hundred percent bottom. Some people are one hundred percent versatile who don’t know what they want until they get it. I think the new era of deleting labels is kind of good because then you have the stigma of if you’re a top you have to masculine. You have to be hard. If you’re a bottom, you have to be feminine. When you delete that out, it actually gives equality to everybody because you can like what you like and act how you want to act.

Q: How do you manage to maintain a private life away from the porn industry?
A: I don’t mix the two. When I go to shoots and if I know the model, we’ll coincide, but I try not to fraternize too much with getting to know the models within the industry because I’ve had bad experiences with trying to build relationships, friendships and the two don’t mix so I keep my private life private.

Q: What do you think about the misconceptions that people have about the adult entertainment industry?
A: I think that some of it has some truth to it. Because it’s on how the person carries themselves and you have people who carry themselves on certain levels to have people talk about them. If you’re gonna be in the adult industry or the record industry and you’re gonna be seen by different people, you should present yourself in an orderly fashion. If someone comes up to you and ask ‘are you such and such,’ don’t tell them no because you’re stuck up because that might be the person who buys your movies. People put the stigma on themselves because you have people in it for drugs. You have people in it because they’re stone cold freaks and I happen to be one of them (both laughs). And you have some people who are in it for basic lifestyle needs and necessities, and you have those out there making the bad names for us. If you fit the mode of the bad ones, accept the ridicule.
If you fit the mode of ones who knows what you're in this for, and you do it professioally and respect all your fans. Not just some of them and not just the ones who are cute and slim, then you're get a good vibe.

Q: How did you become involved with artist development?
A: I was working with a company called Safire entertainment; the owner is one of my good friends. I went on the Funk Feast tour; that was the first tour I went on and that was in 2000 and she hired me from then to do artist development. I’m young acting but I’m actually older than the young people I work with and I have the character to pull on young people and it was basically my job to school them ‘you can’t become too big headed with this. It’s your life, it’s a job and you have to take this seriously. That was my way coming in because I knew somebody.

Q: What Advice would you give to those wanting to pursue careers in both the adult entertainment and recording industry?
A: For the adult industry, I would say really think and reconsider your decision because it’s not for any and everyone, and you do have to remember once you come into the industry, you have to have thick skin, cause some people are gonna like you, some people are not gonna like you. Some people will appreciate you, some people are gonna turn their nose down on what you do. My advice is to evaluate, do your research. Just because its porn doesn’t mean it’s not serious. A lot of people get paid off this industry and survive off it. If you take it seriously you take out what you put in to it. Just think real hard before you get into it. Music industry, I would say be true to yourself; that’s the main thing cause it’s a very shrewd and evil industry, and the ones that’s the closest to you will rob you and swallow you up. You have to be very cautious and true to yourself.

HONORING A FLAVA WORKS ANGEL

BY Ra SHAWN CHISOLM

On July 14, Dekenric Daniel Wiley, former porn star and office manager of Flava Works productions had passed away from pneumonia, and like many who knew him, I was shocked and sadden by his untimely passing. I gotten to know Devin as he was known by family, friends and fans while requesting to conduct interviews with cast of Flava Works and Coco Dorm for an article I was writing for an online magazine that has yet to be published, and when he contacted me, he also asked if he could be interviewed, and I accepted his request. Before, during and after the interview, I got to know Devin, and I saw that he was a cool, professional, down to earth person with a great heart and sense of humor, which made the interview fun and smooth.
Born and raised in Texas, Wiley a who originally worked in real estate, became involved with the company by starring in the films Dorm Life 7 and 9 and Chino’s Dorm, which received an nomination for an Adult Industry Award. Wanting to have a post porn career, Devin became the office manager of the company where he worked on promotions, licensing and grooming the models on professionalism, which made the companies and models very popular and though he’s no longer here in the flesh, his legacy will continue to live in the hearts and memories of those he’s touched and since he was gracious enough to participate in the interview, I decided to published it to show my gratitude and to keep his memory alive. This interview was conducted via telephone in April 2007 shortly after he returned from a promotion tour in Atlanta and before heading back to Texas to attend his family reunion.

Q: How did you become involved in the porn industry?
A: Perhaps by accident. I had a web cam at home and I would be on cam any way with other guys doing whatever it is that we were doing and I decided that if a lot of people were logging on to see me do whatever for free that I can get paid for it.

Q: How did you become involved with Flava Works?
A: I was contacted. A friend suggested I apply with them and I was contacted by Lucas and they flew me down to Chicago. I didn’t actually apply. A friend applied for me.

Q: What was it like filming for the first time?
A: It’s a blur. My first scene was a group scene. When I made it to Chicago, I unpacked, took a shower and I prepared for my first scene. It happened so quickly, I didn’t have time to think about anything. The thing that was disturbing was the fact the lights were so hot that I was sweating like a pig in an electric chair.

Q: Now you’re working behind the scenes. What made you decide work away from the camera?
A: I was a bit older than a lot of the guys coming in the dorm. (I think that) my mind set was (much) different. Most guys coming in they want the glitz and glam sometimes and they don’t think about the future. I was thinking about making more money within the industry cause this industry has so much to offer. You have to get what you can when you can.

Q: What are you duties as office manager?
A: Running operations for Flava Works. Pretty much everything. I went from modeling, to filming to promoting the magazine when Flava Men magazine was being developed. I traveled to promote the magazine. All the licensing agreements. This all I had to learn and now we’re self distributing.

Q: Do you miss being in front of the camera?
A: No, not really. There are times when I be like ‘it’s time for me to come out of retirement’ because they’re be a model who I would be attracted to (both laugh). Anyone who knows me in the company pretty much knows that it wasn’t really about being in front of the camera.

Q: You brought up an interesting point about having a plan after porn. How important is it for those entering the industry to have a back-up plan?
A: It’s extremely important because in porn, you’re as good as your performance and if your performance starts to falter, then of course your popularity starts to falter. If you’re making five grand a month for doing scenes, then the next month you can make a thousand dollars because no one’s going to work with you if you’re not pulling the performances.

Q: You mentioned another interesting topic about the number of models being younger entering the industry. Why do you think that there are more models under the age of 21 entering the industry?
A: I think that the new guys are freakier than we were back in the days. At that age, we weren’t thinking about doing porn. We were thinking about sneaking and buying some (both laugh). There days, these boys are coming out the wood works.

Q: From you perspective, what makes the models and company so popular with consumers?
A: To tell the truth, I couldn’t tell you. Coco Dorm appeals to the voyisem in people. Just like seeing reality. That’s why reality TV is so popular. People like seeing things when they happen.
I know in the years I've been here, it's gone from a steady pace to overwhelming and it's because of the demand.

Q: What plans do you have in the future?
A: I really have not idea. Before starting here, I was working in real estate, and I thought that was something I would be doing forever and forever, but I have this fluctuating taste in life and once I started working in porn, I was like ‘I’m not doing real estate anymore’ I could always go back and get recertified. My focus right now is to help build up Flava Works to the point where someone else can run it.

Q: What advice would you give to those wanting to pursue a career in this industry?
A: Make sure it’s something you can handle. Not everybody has the will strong enough to handle whenever you’re put on display like that. People have to realize that even though people are looking at you crazy and calling you different names, they’re still purchasing you.


Devin was creamted and a public memorial was held in Miami on August 3, 2007

LEGENDARY SONGSTRESS CAPTURES FANS WITH SWEET LOVE SONGS AT BROOKLYN CONCERT
BY Ra SHAWN CHISOLM

Singer/songwriter Anita Baker had the crowd at Brooklyn’s Wingate Field under her musical and magical spell this past week. Known for her smooth and soulful jazzy voice phrasing and classic love songs, Baker became one of the top selling female artists of the 1980's, selling millions of records and winning numerous awards, and she showed the crowd that she still has what it takes to work a crowd.
Her set began with DJ Vaughn Harper from WBLS introducing the Grammy Award winning legend, who draped in a black sequenced gown, walked around her fabulously decorated stage blowing kisses to the crowd who in turn, shared their loved before she performed her singles “Mystery” and “Sweet Love” which had the crowd out their seats and applauding wildly. Baker so touched by the crowd’s positive reaction that she had them sing the chorus of the latter song before she began performing her breakthrough classic.
After expressing her love to the crowd, and telling them to have fun, she launched into “365 Days (Same Ole Love)," "No One in The World" and “Just Because” which had members of the audience hugging their loved ones. She later displayed her scatting skills while performing “Missing You Baby” and “Caught Up In The Rapture” where featured a nice call and response between her and the background vocalists and a hot solo by her saxophonist Rodney Taylor who received a wild round of applause. Before performing a Jazzy rendition of her classic “Giving You The Best That I Got,” Baker explained why she was constantly ad-libbing and scatting in between songs; ‘It’s to show you that there is no tape recorder” she told the crowd who showed her love for the remark in reference to many of today’s artist who lip-synch during their concerts. She then performed “Fairy Tales” and “You Bring Me Joy” and returned for the encore performance of her solo debut single “Angel” which she told the crowd they had to help her sing. “Fairy Tales" is usually the encore, but since I performed it earlier, you have to help me on this one” she told the audience.
Anita Baker’s concert was fabulous. Not only was the fans entertained by her music, the crowd loved her set, sense of humor, sassiness (especially when she told them that her show will always be a family show) and her voice, and though it would be nice for her to add her singles “Good Love,” “I Apologize” and “My Funny Valentine” to her repertoire, she still has the magic to capture fans with her rapture of timeless love songs.

Anita Baker will also be appearing at Seabreeze near Coney Island Thursday, August 16. Showtime is at 7:30 PM
Price $10.00 or you can bring your own chair.
For further informaion check out www.brooklynconcerts.com

MY INTRODUCTION

Good evening.
I hope all is good. I like to take this time to introduce myself
My name is Ra Shawn (easy and great pronouncation is Ray-Shaun). I'm residing in Brooklyn via Harlem, and I'm a graduate of BMCC & Brooklyn College where I majored in Communications, Journalism and TV/Radio and now I will be taking two courses at the New School where I will be learning how to improve my writing skills.
I decided to create my blog to showcase my writing and to write about various topics that are dear to me including music, and issues surrounding the Gay/SGL Community, and my goal is to not only showcase my skills, but to also help myself and others though my writing