@Blumbros: The Evolution of Philly

So much has changed in hip-hop, but when you look at areas like Philly, the evolution has gotten even bigger. Hip-hop newcomers Blumbros have best onto the scene to wild popularity, and their riding a train that shows no sign of slowing down. While easily compared to groups like Rae Sremmurd, this Philly duo have certainly developed their own style and following. We recently caught up with the fellas to talk about their latest single, Everybody”, and their plans for maneuvering through this industry.

U.G. Digital Mag: It’s awesome to connect with you brothers for this feature. First and foremost, we’re grateful to you. I think what you have is awesome for hip-hop. I appreciate what you bring. So much has changed in hip-hop, and no one is having the kind of fun you’re having. You’re bringing that feel back to music. Is that something you’re starting to hear from people?

Blumbros: We’re hearing that a lot. We also get compared a lot to Rae Sremmurd. Other than that, people are amazed at our vibe.

U.G. Digital Mag: It’s good and you really have something. You work well together, and that goes a long way when you’re dealing with so many people. Who were your influences, coming from Philly and there being so many people from there in music?

Blumbros: I say Quavo and Kendrick Lamar inspired me to do music.

U.G. Digital Mag: And that’s how. People see that, but they also see you have your own style.

Blumbros: For me, it’s Meek Mill and PNB Rock. I saw them go from nothing.

U.G. Digital Mag: How did you guys really want to be seen as artists coming into this?

Blumbros: We really wanted to let people know how different we were. We wanted them to see we bring a different vibe. We’re more positive than a lot of things you see.

U.G. Digital Mag: So talk more about the overall scene of Philly. Like, I’ve been into hp-hop for years, and when you think of the people who have come out in the last 10-15 years, nobody has come the way you are. Artists have been more like they have to have that “hard” or tough persona to come out and be respected, and they’re not really high spirited and having fun, especially in Philly. Some artists enjoy ti a lot more than they let on, and they feel like they have to cover up that fun side of it to be respected. You guys aren’t afraid to be who you are. With that in mind, do you see the respect from Philly?

Blumbros: They support us. It’s like 50/50.

U.G. Digital Mag: That’s good. Any support is good, but no one can dispute how different you guys are from everything else in the city.

Blumbros: People used to that battle rap and all that (laughing).

U.G. Digital Mag: I do think it’s dope. I love what you guys have, and it takes me into the single, Everybody. What separates you guys, because what I got from the song is “this is us and this is what we’re offering, we’re doing this and everybody else is doing that”.

Blumbros: What separates us aside from the music is our shows as well. We do choreographed dance and everything. We want people to look at us positively. We make our shows fun to come to.

U.G. Digital Mag: You’re proving that music can be something really big. You hear a lot of negative, and not just with hip-hop. It’s in all music. I think back to being 17, knowing I wanted to work in this, and the thing my mother always warned about was drugs and how a lot of people get turned around on that sort of thing. It’s not just hip-hop. It’s just a lifestyle that has come with entertainment period. You guys have consciously made an effort to separate from that.

Blumbros: We try to be positive. We come from Blumberg projects. People have a different perspective on us, but we try to prove them otherwise. Just because we from the hood don’t mean we got to be ghetto. It’s still positive people out here.

U.G. Digital Mag: Things are really growing for you guys. You’ve had other songs, and I’m actually hooked on “Wanna Be Grown”. I think it’s really hot. What do you see over the next year with your brand?

Blumbros: I think we’ll be doing more touring for sure. We have a mixtape dropping July 22. We’ll have a release party for it when the time comes.

U.G. Digital Mag: That’s awesome. We’d love to see you guys here. Everyone is into what you’re doing.

Blumbros: We appreciate that.

U.G. Digital Mag: Where should everyone be checking you guys out at?

Blumbros: All of our social media is @blumbros, and we’re also on Soundcloud and Youtube.

U.G. Digital Mag: Any final thoughts at all?

Blumbros: Our mixtape is “Something’s Gotta Give”. We feel like we’re kicking our way into the industry. Being broke, and needing help sometimes, it’s like something’s gotta give.

U.G. Digital Mag: People can relate to it, so it’s cool. Young people especially can relate to that. We’re looking forward to it.

[FEATURE] NASHIEM MYRICK [ @TheProducerNash ]: LIFE AFTER DEATH [THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G. TRIBUTE]

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For as much as we felt we already knew about The Notorious B.I.G. and the classic double LP, Life After Death, the process of completing the various features we have has been quite eye opening. It’s been an opportunity to look deeper into the lyrics that he truly lived, and the words that have lived posthumously for 20 years now. 

In this particular feature, we connect with Nashiem Myrick, who was an intricate part of Bad Boy’s Hitmen, the in-house production team that ultimately crafted a majority of the songs we all knew an loved, not just from Biggie, but from many other artists on the booming roster. Myrick has been lauded for his work through the year, especially the personal touch he added to Life After Death. Having developed a relationship with B.I.G. that began during the “Ready to Die” days, it wasn’t difficult for him to know exactly what the King wanted. Myrick definitely delivered with four of the album’s most revered tracks: “Somebody’s Gotta Die”, “Niggas Bleed”, “My Downfall”, and “What’s Beef”. We talk to Myrick not only about these powerful tracks, but also the legacy that has lived now for two decades, and continues to grow with each passing day. He also gives us a glimpse into what he has going on right now, and what we can be on the lookout for. 

U.G. Digital Mag: I’m immensely grateful to you for your time man. As someone who religiously read album credits, I've wanted to connect with you definitely this entire 20 years. This is really awesome to talk so someone I feel was majorly vital for the overall creativity in this project. Clearly we're honoring the legacy of Biggie in Life After Death, but you're responsible for a bulk of the album in terms of production. What was that like at the time, knowing you would contribute, and then what's it like now, looking at how inspirational it's been to so many people?

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Nashiem Myrick: Well, you know, it was the hitmen, and we got a chance to do a bulk of the album. Me and B.I.G. were in tune, and we had a connection when it came to music. He liked the stuff that I liked. With Somebody’s Gotta Die,  I got that to him well before the album started. We were still working Ready to Die, and I have him the track. It pretty much started the direction of the new album. Not to say that it was the maiden fact for the album, which it is on the album, it’s the first track, but he got into that new vibe at that time when he started to wrote to that song. If you listen to Life After Death, and then you go back to the first album, you can tell his rhyme style changed a little. 

U.G. Digital Magazine: Oh it changed a whole lot. 

Nashiem Myrick: Right. It got way more intricate and sophisticated. I got a head start before everyone else. I had an opportunity to do way more tracks for him. 

U.G. Digital Mag: I felt like there was something in I’m that, while not trying to be like anyone else or prove anything, it’s like he was saying “look, I can roll with the best of ‘em, no matter who It is”. Coming from Cleveland, People here really looked out for Notorious Thugs featuring Bone Thugs, and he clearly switched his entire flow. He did stuff many were scared to do. 

Nashiem Myrick: Right, and it’s like, if you wasn’t from the midwest, you wasn’t doing that Bone Thugs n Harmony record. At that time, he surprised everybody, but we knew he had it in him. Him and Jay were just on another level at that time. I can’t explain it, and no one can, but they was just on another level when it came to the rhymes, it was like out of this world. 

U.G. Digital Mag: My own interpretation with Life After Death was that you had the most introspective tracks on the album. Not really any of the uptempos, but the more gritty cuts. Was that a conscious move? How would it be determined what you worked on versus what everyone else in the hitmen worked on?

Nashiem Myrick: We all had different styles, and that was the beauty of it. It was never a case of us having to preplan anything. I had linked up with a guy names Carlos Broady a little before the album started. He and I collaborated on those songs, and we had the same ear, and the same style. When it came to the rest of the hitmen, D-Dot, Stevie, Ron Lawrence, you know, we were just different. Even though Ron Lawrence and D-Dot were a team, basically everybody had their own style. When it came to making the album, B.I.G. and Puff pretty much knew what each element; the elements being Me, Carlos, and Stevie, they knew what each one of us individually would bring. That would make a more broader album as far as music was concerned. You gotta understand; we was new at the time. I had a track record from Who Shot Ya, and a couple other joints floating out there like Queen Bitch. 

U.G. Digital Mag: It’s crazy because a lot of people really don’t know, and I look at how big some names have gotten in production. There’s so many songs you’ve done out there, from Queen Bitch, and Who Shot Ya, and you’ve worked with Mary, Jay-Z, Scarface, and a lot of people don’t recognize. You brought something to the table with B.I.G. that so many people fell in love with. Even looking at the samples you used, You figure the Isley brothers, Al Green, Richard Evans, The Dramatics, Run DMC, you introduced a lot of people to music before that time. Today, many artists don’t know about the predecessors, let alone even having respect for the predecessors. I talked to DMC last week about “My Downfall”, and we talked about the fact that musicians today don’t know those before them. 

Nashiem Myrick: I know, and that behooves me because I grew up on music since I was so little, and I was always interested in the credits, even before I was really making music, I always understood it was a process to make these songs. I was reading the sleeves at such an early age that I knew this guys also played in Funkadelic, and Bootsy Collins, or they derived from James Brown’s era. I always put it all together. My father was a big music fan, and he was also a DJ, and had a record collection that would blow your mind. That’s all I did was gain knowledge, and he was into every type of music. If it had soul, he introduced it to me. I don’t understand these kids. You’re not going to last if you don’t know your past. Period! Everything on earth relied on the elements that came before. 

U.G. Digital Mag: I appreciate hearing that from you because I was somebody that read the liner notes to see who was involved, where the sample came from, and everything. You speak of Carlos, and that was my introduction to him; reading the liner notes for the album. I remember listening to “Anotha”, and learning ti came from Barbara Mason. Before reading that, I had no clue. It’s good to hear this from you. Also, the people you sample, my son picks it up, even at 10. He knows “Stay With Me” by El Debarge was sampled for One More Chance; He knows Al Green, and so on. 

Nashiem Myrick: I had an advantage that these young kids don’t have today. I was born in 1970, so I was born when hip-hop was created. I lived through it, so I don’t really have to go back in time. I didn’t have to do too much history because it was right there for me, and since we as a culture, our music comes from what we have around us. We’re not band players. We actually developed through technology, so we relied on old records that were already done. You have to know your history. I was a guy who always knew the break beats. I collected break beats. Since I grew up around music, I always knew the samples as people were coming out with them. I always knew it, and if I didn’t, I went back into my record collection, or I would read the notes. I used to know, down to the drum loop, what songs were used. Even if they used a snare and a kick, I could name the snare kick when I was young, and it was crazy. I was a buff, and people would be amazed. That’s one thing Puff loved about me when we met. I met Puff when we was at Howard. He was DJ’ing and hosting parties. When he got his job at Uptown, he would call me over for studio setups. I would sit with him and go through break beats all night. 

U.G. Digital Mag: It had to be a good feeling in your heart to be involved from the very beginning of Uptown with him. 

Nashiem Myrick: Yea, when he got the job interning, I can remember he was still going to Howard. I knew like, I know this guy so somehow we’ll connect. Plus, I was in the group with one of his friends, one of my beats friends, Harve Pierre, and our friend Davie, we had the connection, and he was trying to get into the music business. We already had the record deal. He was promoting parties, and we was always in cahoots with each other. 

U.G. Digital Mag: How did you end up being production them?

Nashiem Myrick: Well, the record deal that me, Harve, and Dave had, Sticks and Stones was the name of our group, they dropped us. We was on Pay Day Records, and was managed by Empire management. That’s Group Home and Gangstarr, they was down with them also. They dropped us on my birthday and I’ll never forget. I got the call on my birthday, so from there, Puff had gotten fired from Uptown, and started shopping Bad Boy. He had already asked me to work for him when he was at Uptown, but it was more clerical stuff. I knew that could open doors for me, but I didn’t know nothing about clerical work. When he got his deal at Bad Boy, Mark Pitts was working for him. He invited Harve up there, and Harve was working for him. He didn’t really have a staff at the time. He had a studio in the crib, and needed an intern. I was interning under Poke of the Trackmasters. They were taking care of the studio and I worked under them, but two weeks later, I guess they had a break-up over something, and Puff wanted me to take a bigger part in this. He wanted me to step up, and I said let’s do it. He already knew I wanted to be a producer, and I knew the street essence of the hip-hop game as far as music was concerned. I was already heavy into the samples, and he already knew that from me being a DJ. Gradually it formed. 

U.G. Digital Mag: Of all the songs you worked with, you had “Somebody’s Gotta Die”, “What’s Beef”, “Niggas Bleed”, and “My Downfall”. What did those songs specifically do for the album to lend it the credibility it has maintained for 20 years now?

Nashiem Myrick: I think they were the glue for certain moments in the album. You could tell a couple of them were storytelling joints, which B.I.G. was incredible out. 

U.G. Digital Mag: Exactly. 

Nashiem Myrick: He had to display that. They were the glue. It’s like, you make a dish and you need something to keep the certain ingredients together. Those tracks gave it that grit. That’s where I came in at. It was to hold the album together. having an album with just video joints, there’s no depth involved. You need something to take with you. You need legs to an album to where it keeps with you for a while. If you have all radio joints, it gets exploited on the radio and in the club, and then you’re through with the album. This is so you can have something to take you into the future. They keep the album together and make it do beautiful. 

U.G. Digital Mag: It’s funny, though, how you speak of the radio tracks. You have “Hypnotize”, ‘Going Back to Cali”, “Mo Money, Mo Problems”, and by far, they took the album to the next level, but when you look at even “My Downfall” specifically, it has carried the album for this time. You had the more introspective joints where you could listen to what he was saying and relate it to your own life. Theycarried the album. 

Nashiem Myrick: Yea, and that’s the basis of a classic album. You gotta have a joint that’s not going to be exploited on the radio. it’s just for the album. You have to buy the album to get certain cuts. A lot of times, it can be worthy of a single, but let’s keep it on the album. That’s a trick I guess they learned long ago. 

U.G. Digital Mag: It’s definitely dope though. When you look at hip-hop today, how has this album aided the evolution of hip-hop? 

Nashiem Myrick: Wow, first of all the production on that album is fucking ridiculous. People wasn’t taking the time and effort to put into the production what we were doing, you know, we were taking sample based records but making them so orchestra-like, and bigger than they could be. You go back to like Dre would do it. He would get people to come in and play the parts of the sample and take it into a live form. What we were doing was the same, keeping the sample there, and creating on top of that. We added new material, new tracks, and new instrumentation on top of that sample, making it extraordinary. That’s where it took a shift, as far as I’m concerned as a producer. Hip-Hop took a shift, and if they didn’t learn from Dre that you had to do more with the music, and make it more extraordinary, they saw it with the Hitmen and how we did it on that album, and the Mary album prior to that. 

U.G. Digital Mag: I agree. I know for a fact that people were sampled who only cleared the samples because of who you were and what they knew your track record to be. 

Nashiem Myrick: Right. 

U.G. Digital Mag: I look at “Rise” from Herb Alpert, and I know so many artists were trying to clear that, and nobody could, but he immediately cleared it for the Hitmen and for B.I.G., which was amazing. 

Nashiem Myrick: We thought we wasn’t gonna clear it too. 

U.G. Digital Mag: Angela Winbush, the joint with her was absolutely amazing. 

Nashiem Myrick: And we had her come in and sing. 

U.G. Digital Mag: I know. That’s just what I mean. It’s a sample, but she sang on top of it, and killed it. Til’ this day, it’s one of the dopest. 

Nashiem Myrick: Took her song, and wrote a version just for that sample. 

U.G. Digital Mag: You won’t get that with anyone else man. 

Nashiem Myrick: No! Especially not anyone with her credibility. 

U.G. Digital Mag: So yea, there’s a lot of people who appreciate that. Where does the legacy go in the years to come? People are still buying?

Nashiem Myrick: It’s going to be there forever because of the untimely death of my man. That’s just going to grow the legacy more because it’s the last offering he had. He didn’t even get to hear the album. He didn’t get to hear “Somebody’s Gotta Die” in it’s latest form. 60% of that song was produced after he had passed. 

U.G. Digital Mag: Wow. 

Nashiem Myrick: It’s a lot of songs on there like that. 

U.G. Digital Mag: I would have thought he had finished it all before, seeing as how it released two weeks after he passed. It speaks volumes in terms of the connection everyone had. Now, going back a little, everybody knows you were behind “Who Shot Ya”. The song made people think so much. Was there ever any though just of any drama that could come from what people thought?

Nashiem Myrick: Not at all. We never thought that. I mean, emcees were going at each other unknown, subliminally, but he wasn’t. I was there during the session as it came out. It was never that. it was all fantasy-based. You never thought about drama. His lyrical skills were so amazing that it would make you believe that. But that never entered our minds. We just thought we had a dope record. 

U.G. Digital Mag: I really want people to know the many things you’ve done production-wise. Mary J, Scarface, Nas, Lil’ Kim, Jay-Z, Push T, Mariah Carey, and the list goes on. 

Nashiem Myrick: I worked with Mobb Deep. It’s a blessing. it was one point where people didn’t know my name. Then one record, and everybody wanted to work with me. That was cool. I wanted to produce for as many of these great artists as I could. I went from being an in-house producer to being one of the hottest producers in the industry. 

U.G. Digital Mag: What is there for everyone to see and follow right now?

Nashiem Myrick: I’m trying to put together a Hitmen album. I have a few artists I’m recording now who I will be putting out. it may take a couple years to get it out there, but I’m still working with artists. You just have to look out for it. I will be promoting it. I’ll be out there. 

[EXCLUSIVE] Mya: Smoove Talkin'

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We’ve literally watched R&B songstress Mya grow before our very eyes. We saw her come into this industry as a new artist, and she has since become a major force in the independent world. We all know how fickle the music world can be at times, and unfortunately, that can correlate to lower sales figures when in actuality, your core audience is definitely rockin’ with you 100%. As a trickle effect, the major labels may not be as supportive as they once were, and as an artist, it can leave you in a state of shock and ultimately become more difficult to release your projects. Mya has become that example of what can be done when you simply want more as an artist, and you believe in yourself and your product. In a few short years, she has taken the reigns of her career and is reaching amazing heights like never before.

Following a series of independent releases on her own label, Planet 9, Mya has dropped an extraordinary project titled Smoove Jones. Not only is she flexing her growth as an artist, but she’s showing the world that she is high-powered businesswoman. Taking from all she’s learned throughout her journey from others along the way, she’s now handling the marketing, advertising, promotion, overall vision, and so much more. We see so many artists who don’t make it after their time with the majors, but she’s showing that it can be done when the hard work it put in. Obviously representing how much Mya has grown musically throughout the years, Smoove Jones also represents her true independence in this music business.

In our exclusive with Mya, she talks about the process of putting this album together, the difficult, yet exciting parts of being an independent artist, and whether we could see her with another major label in the future. She also leaves us with some amazing advice for all the artists out there considering an independent route. So as Mya would say, sit back, recline, and sip some wine, because it’s time for a little Smoove Talk!

UG Digital Mag: It’s such an honor to be able to connect with you finally. Many of our loyal subscribers have been asking and requesting that we run a feature with you, and we, too, have always wanted to do this, so we’re tremendously grateful to you for your time.

Mya: Thanks so much for having me.

UG Digital Mag: So, getting right into Smoove Jones. I feel like this is some of your best work to date. Every artist wants to feel in their heart that they are not just progressing with the times, but progressing within themselves and their craft. What are your feelings on this body of work, in respect to progression?

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Mya: I’m very proud of this body of work.  It was birthed from a very pure, free place with no pressure, no interference, no deadlines, just simply the love of music.  So to create from that space is progression itself. I have musical influences from the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s throughout the project, with some complimentary hints of now with joints like “Team You” & “Spoil Me”. 

UG Digital Mag: Talk about the progression of your work in general. You’ve always brought your A-Game in terms of being sexy, sensual, and the overall theme of love with your work, even beginning with your single “All About Me”. I remember you doing “My Love Is Like Wo” and thinking damn, she is really taking us there. Of course, you did your thing in Chicago with the musical numbers there, and moving forward over the years, you seem to elevate. So now we’re at Smoove Jones, which is a Valentine’s Day release, and you seem to be at an even higher level. How did you plan for this project in terms of what you wanted to bring forward?

Mya: For this project, I just wanted all positivity, uplifting feel-good vibes, drama-free, elevation music, whether on the dance floor, in the car, at the club, in the living room, at work or behind closed doors. Smoove Jones is a radio personality & show who serves her listeners based on their special requests.  They have consistently said they don’t listen to the radio anymore and asked me for some “Real R&B.”  So they inspired me to create my own fantasy world and radio station. Somethin’ for the fans that have grown up with me over these last 18 years, you know? We grown folk now. (laugh)

UG Digital Mag: You worked with some pretty amazing people for Smoove Jones in terms of writing. Obviously Terry Lewis had his hand in things, Kalenna Harper worked with you on “Hold On”, a track which I especially love. How did you, and do you, determine who you want to work with for your projects? What were your plans, or expectations, in respect to Smoove Jones and what you wanted fans to get for the final outcome?  

Mya: I am always writing, recording, experimenting and practically live in the studio. Being an independent artist allows me a limitless playground to create.  Over time, I’ve worked with so many different people.  There’s really no one particular process to getting in the studio with folks.  We chop it up on the phone or email, set up a time, and take it from there creatively or they’ll send me something to download, I vibe to it in a completely different city, state or country… and we build from there.  For this project, I wanted to give more of an experience with musicality & R&B roots.

UG Digital Mag: What was timing in putting this together? How long did you work on this project?

Mya: There was no particular in timing in putting the project together.  With the exception of the intro, the outro & Coolin’, I’d recorded the other songs over the course of the last 3 and a half years which were just sitting amongst an archive of unreleased music. I handpicked what I thought would work best together for another grown & sexy themed project to complete the EP of the Planet 9 EP Series.  The Smoove Jones title came to me around October 2015, when I started going through pictures to assemble the 2016 Calendar… I said “That’s it…that’s the cover right there! That’s Smoove Jones. That is HER & that’s going to be the title of the next EP.” Now, the crafting of the calendar, the digital booklet, all of the paperwork, mixing, mastering, design, packaging, metadata organization & manufacturing of the physical CD was all done in-house through my label, Planet 9… I’d say it was at least a 2 1/2 month process.

UG Digital Mag: I’m not one who watches the charts constantly, but from what I can see in terms of your fans, the album is doing great. 

Mya: That’s great, because I certain don’t pay attention either.  I’m just happy that my music is in the universe having folks feel some type of way (laughs) and is being received well.  

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UG Digital Mag: So let’s talk a little about the independent world. You’ve been independent for a number of years now. You’ve released a number of projects, which in my eyes have been quite successful, and you’re now on your latest which is doing phenomenally. What difficulties have you had along the way? How have those things gotten better over the years?

Mya: Well being independent and managing to pay for your projects & put them out into the universe yourself is quite a success.  But coming from the major label world, my independent projects might be looked at as a failure from some. Some of the difficulties have been not having enough time in the day to wear every hat. I enjoy the process and making sure the product is right, but damn it is a struggle trying to be 20 different people in one day (laughs).  And I often laugh at & even question myself… “like damn… you are either super passionate or you are just insane.” I guess the two go hand in hand. Difficulties… Well because I am not supported by a major budget which pays for marketing, promo, advertising, radio & TV time, the perception has been that I quit singing. But it’s actually been the complete opposite. I’ve never traveled, performed, recorded so much, pushed out this many projects or actually recouped & profited this much in my life… the way I have in my independent journey. There are many things that could be better, but many things that could be worse. But one thing that’s gotten better is my art, self love & knowledge of business that only doing time in the trenches can teach you. 

UG Digital Mag: I have the debate with artists often in regard to being independent, and I’ve always felt like it was so much better being independent, in terms of freedom, marketing and promotion abilities, and so on. I’ve always felt that nobody can sell or promote you better than YOU. Having been independent for a good deal of time now, would you go back to a major label deal? 

Mya: I will not entertain any traditional new artist deals.  Been there, done that.  I am however open to entertaining the proper partnership deal. 

UG Digital Mag: So back to Smoove Jones. What are your plans in terms of promo, touring, etc? Have you even had time to think of shows yet?

Mya: I’ve already done some spot dates prior to and during the release. I’m in rehearsals & live band rehearsals right now for a Smoove Jones promo tour. All dates can be found on myamya.com/events

UG Digital Mag: “Welcome to My World” and “Team You” have done amazing. Have you looked at additional singles at all?

Mya: I’m letting the fans decide what they want on radio and/or video. Now that they have it in their hands and they can live with it a little bit, whatever they say goes & will be. I’ve been listening.

UG Digital Mag: I applaud you for the work you have done with your career, transitioning from the majors to being independent. You’ve managed to stay afloat, taking full control of your artistry and product, and the results have been nothing short of amazing. What are you most proud of with your transition in music?

Mya: Thank you so much. Well I’m most proud of my faith, strength & resilience. I’ve discovered first hand that there are great lessons to be learned about self and life in every devastation, loss, change, etc.  The greatest gift in my life has been the gift of music and all of the wonderful possibilities it possesses.  I’m also proud to say I’ve finally arrived at the beginning of true artistry, craftsmanship & knowing what I’m made of which is a beautiful place to be, create & share from. 

UG Digital Mag: I always ask artists what type of encouraging comments they like to offer to fans who are looking to pursue and do similar things in music, but I open this question up to you in regard to other artists. Given the experiences you have had in music, beginning with the major labels, and ultimately becoming this major force in the independent world, what advice do you offer to other artists who are considering an independent route, or are in a situation where independent may be their only option?

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Mya: Faith first.  Stick with it.  Love it by breathing it. Treat it like school. Do the work and calculate every year as a grade that you’ve passed. Graduation takes time. It may take years, it may not.  But usually great preparation for long term goals will & most certainly do.  Live smart & simply so that you may invest in YOU, the quality of your product, brand & presentation. The pay off is not now. The pay off comes later after you’ve delivered several great meals whether operating as a small restaurant or a large one. Go out and meet as many creative, artsy & business folks that you can benefit from and be a benefit to. Ask for help. Build your team & create from a place of freedom. Remember.. it ain’t just about you.  It’s about how you can serve people & raise them up. And remember to help or repay those who have helped you reach your goals for free.

UG Digital Mag: Finally, what final comments do you have to your fans?

Mya: Thank you, thank you, thank you for the opportunity to serve you at Mya’s (vegan) Chi’kin & Waffles. I’m sure y’all are so ti’ed of these daggone sides & appetizers. But we are currently developing what I believe will be our most popular main course.  So for now, lay back, recline, sip some wine and enjoy these taste testers on Planet 9.  The grind is for realz!  Appreciate your patience.  

[EXCLUSIVES][THE MAGAZINE] Faith20

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Without a doubt, this has been the opportunity of a lifetime. On a humble, our love for Faith Evans and her musical legacy brought along the idea of commemorating her debut album, FAITH. As many of you know, this classic LP that changed the landscape of R&B music was released in 1995. The 20-year anniversary was August 29, 2015, so to commemorate this special album, we put together a special issue with #NothingButFaith! That's right, there's now an issue of Urban Grandstand Digital devoted to everything there is about Faith Evans' debut! In that issue, we had the amazing opportunities of catching up with some of the masterminds that worked together in putting this album together. We have exclusives with Prince Charles Alexander, Herb Middleton, and in the final hour, we caught up with Q. Parker from the R&B group 112. In the issue, we also talk about the singles that were released, as well as the remixes that resulted, and how the entire recording process went along. Access our Special Issue by clicking HERE!

Now, We're thrilled to present to you a super-exclusive interview with the lady of the hour! Yes, we have an exclusive with Faith Evans herself, and she gives us the rundown on the album, the process of putting it together, BIG's influence throughout the process, and so much more. You definitely don't want to miss this!     Access FAITH20 by clicking HERE!

[Visual] Penny Shaw: Questions

Peep the latest visual from Penny Shaw & the hip-hop classic #IllCityBlues, titled Questions!! Then. Check out our exclusive with the man himself! The Art of Integrity is now available here at UGDigital.com

[Music] Penny Shaw: The Art of Integrity

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For all the interviews I do, there’s always an artists who sticks out like a sore thumb, and Penny Shaw stands strong in that bunch. I’m so proud, beyond words, to have the opportunity of presenting him to you and the ever-growing audience here at U.G. Digital Magazine. Much like we’re selective in regard to what we cover and present here, he’s an artist of the same nature. In an industry that has become saturated with nonsense, Shaw stands mightily on his own level. He’s taken the time to build a brand, not from what he’s been surrounded by, but what he, himself, wants to see from an artist. His brand is based on what he wants to represent, how he wants to be remembered, and ultimately, what he represents in life. As the title suggests, it’s all in the Art of Integrity.

Never is it about bashing anyone here, but I will be honest though. Integrity in this business is at an all-time low. There’s so many who conform based on what the rest of the crowd is doing, and it’s beyond refreshing to come across an artist who, although they want popularity, is not willing to budge against their own beliefs, style, and character to attain it. What also reigns clear, not only from this conversation, but just from looking at his journey is when you’re free and willing to be yourself, the popularity is inevitable. Penny Shaw is coasting at an all-time high, and as he puts it himself, he hasn’t even reached the pinnacle yet. Trust, it is coming though. It’s only a matter of time.

In our exclusive, we talk, not just about the simple stuff, but we really get into his mind about his journey thus far in the industry, and how Ill City Blues has put him on that level that so many aspire for. He talks openly about the work he’s putting in as an independent artist to build his brand, who inspired him from his own neighborhood of Queens, the unity he’s built among his team that is ultimately pushing him to the top, and so much more. I’m proud of this feature because among everything, Penny Shaw represents the type of artists that I as the publisher LOVE to present here. His artistry and character is what I envisioned in the artists that we would spotlight with U.G. Digital. Hopefully, you all love his story!

With that being said, I present to you: Penny Shaw: The Art of Integrity.

U.G. Digital Mag: Again, I appreciate you for your time. I love how different you are from everything else out today. I talk to a lot of people in general about the changes in hip-hop. I’m almost 40, and I never want to sound like my parents, but I feel like a lot of the direction hip-hop has gone, I struggle to get into it. The good thing is there are a number of people like yourself who are taking it back to the roots and the essence, if you will, and they really have something to talk about. I believe you’re one of those artists. How difficult is it for you to remain different, and be yourself, given the climate of music?

Penny Shaw: I appreciate you saying that. At one point, it was really frustrating for me. To take a step back, everything that’s on the radio that’s popular, it has a certain sound to it. The way rappers are flowing, it’s almost a copy of someone before them. I think maybe two years ago, it was frustrating. I questioned if I was taking the right path. It felt right, but it’s like everyone else is doing something different. I guess you just kinda navigate through life. With my last project, it was really about finding myself, going through a slump, and just getting through it. It helped to find myself. I’m so comfortable right now that it’s not even funny. I’m comfortable with what I do, and I understand a lot of people who are pushing the envelope and doing different things, it won’t be the most popular immediately, but in the long run people will look back at my catalog and understand that this kid is rapping about what his life is really like; the things that others are scared to talk about.

U.G. Digital Mag: I’m glad you touch on popularity. To me, what you have should be revered a bit more. You think of the artists like Kendrick Lamar, and I place you at that level. I think in the beginning, people weren’t necessarily leery, but they didn’t tap into Kendrick Lamar the way I thought they would have. Now, obviously, the world is behind him. I look at J. Cole, who I feel still doesn’t really get what due to him, but I feel like he’s one of the dopest out there. Does it bother you, knowing that it takes so long for people to catch on, or they sleep on what you have due to the differential content? You speak of being comfortable, but is there ever that part of you that wants to tailor your music to what people have grown accustomed to in hip-hop? Even relating it to our mag, there’s certain things that I’ll admit to watching, but you’ll never find that type of content in our pages because of what I feel like I want to offer the reader. It makes us suffer a bit in comparison to all the other digital mags, blogs, and such, but for me it’s the principle, and it’s non-negotiable for me.

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Penny Shaw: That’s a loaded question in itself. A lot of it is somewhat perspective man, because I definitely agree. A lot of people around me, they say people really slept on me. Even when I do shows, people come up and ask if I’m signed, and I say I’m doing it all myself. That’s technically the reason why I incorporated the name Penny, because it’s often overlooked. I said OK. This is a lot of people where I come from, so I’m going to embrace this and speak for them people. It’s really perspective because if you take a Kendrick or J. Cole, they may not get the props I feel they deserve, but it’s perspective because J. Cole is doing a million with no features. His fan base it crazy. Kendrick Lamar with the Grammys, I mean, he has a couple classics. Some people are lucky if they even get one. I feel like longevity-wise, they will get theirs. I’m not too worried. I’m not going to say I want to be underground forever. I want people to hear my music. I’m not one of those guys who wants to sit underneath, but I’m not willing to do certain things just to get there.

U.G. Digital Mag: You also mention doing it all on your own. I look at artistry, and I feel like independence should be the goal. I know that’s backwards considering how most begin, but I do believe that. I look at the big picture, or grand scheme of it all. There’s a lot more money to be made, and a lot more respect to be gained. There’s a lot that goes into being independent obviously, and a lot of artists are not ready to put in that kind of work. Where do you sit in regard to that? Would you want to be anything aside from independent? Would you sign to a major label, or any label for that matter?

Penny Shaw: I always say I will never rule anything out of the equation. I was good at writing music, and making songs. I didn’t realize that for as long as it takes you to make you a song, you need to push it for just as long, if not longer, just for it to make it. Nobody will hear it otherwise. So myself, and one of the guys who also produced my project, he owns the studio that I record at. So it’s myself, him and this dude is a jack of all trades. He’s a producer, he does mixing, videography, and one of my other boys is into videography. So it’s really me and my peoples. We’re doing this, and they’re like “we’re going to make this work”. These guys are helping me. I would say independent artists, not even just making music but pushing yourself independently, it’s frustrating as hell. Sometimes it’s like, I don’t want to do this. I don’t want to email this person, or take care of these logistics. At the end of the day, if the right deal comes to me, then it’s really like, I’ve been paying for this, that, and the third. You need to be able to offer me better. I should not be able to do your job better than you.

U.G. Digital Mag: That’s perfect in that sense. Should the opportunity come along, you know immediately if they are trying to play you because you’ve already been doing it yourself, and doing it well I would add. With everything you’ve done already, you’ve built a massive amount of success alone. There’s not much they can offer you that you haven’t already provided for yourself.

Penny Shaw: Exactly. And it’s really just the dollar amount. That’s really it.

U.G. Digital Mag: I think the setup you have is perfect. You have a massive amount of success already, and it’s only going to get bigger.

Penny Shaw: Definitely. I’ve just been blessed. I don’t even think I’ve reached anywhere close to my potential, and I’m still being blessed with so many opportunities. Even artists that are “so-called” bigger or more popular, they don’t get some of the looks and opportunities. I’m just blessed that people look to me and my music for certain things.

U.G. Digital Mag: Obviously, you come from Queens, and there’s so many artists from there. You have L.L., you have Run DMC, and so many others man. Who were those artists that you listened to, and not so much emulated, but moreso who you looked up to? Who is or was doing it where you want to get to their level?

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Penny Shaw: Queens has a long list of artists man. I would say I didn’t necessarily grow up to them, but I’m a student of the game so I went back to all the classics. Actually, they just put up Phife Dawg Way around my neighborhood, right where A Tribe Called Quest was from, so I had to go back and listen to them. They’re one of my favorite groups. Mobb Deep, but my biggest inspiration from Queens is Nas.

U.G. Digital Mag: Surely he’s one of the dopest out there man.

Penny Shaw: Yea, most definitely. It’s funny because usually you had to pick which one, between Jay-Z and Nas (laughing). It was like, I remember being more partial to Jay-Z. I don’t know if I even understood what he was saying. I think I just liked it at the time. As I grew up, and understanding more about Nas, I realized his poetic flow was so intricate. I would say he inspired me because of his career, ups and downs. He pushed the envelope, whether it was with the Damian Marley album, or the song with his pops, but he did a lot of things to push his creativity forward. I really respect that.

U.G. Digital Mag: I look at him and Jay-Z both. Jay has clearly been out there, but so has Nas. 1995 and 1996, it was my first year of college, and I can remember Nas had out Street Dreams, and If I Ruled the World with Lauryn Hill, and that was like the introduction to him for me. It made me go back because he definitely had hits before that moment. Even just until that point, that was 25 years ago. Like, he’s done so much, and inspired so many. It still sounds fresh, even when you listen to him now. He’s not dated, but he still sounds fresh. I would also lean more toward Nas, looking at how he has maintained through it all.

Penny Shaw: Listen man. 25 years. I heard that artists are lucky if they get to two major albums.

U.G. Digital Mag: Definitely, because tapping back to the independent side, there’s a lot that you know because of your independent status, and most artists have someone doing those things for them. So when it comes down to sales being low, or people not knowing what they’re doing, or the labels don’t stay behind them, it results in them falling off. Keeping it real, many don’t get past the first album. For the time you’ve been here, and looking at careers of artists like Nas and Jay, it says a lot to be here and have that longevity. It’s hard out here artistically, especially as an independent because you’re fronting the money before you get any money. It takes time to put it together, and promote it, and it’s not cheap.

Penny Shaw: Right. It takes money to make money.

U.G. Digital Mag: So where do you see things moving? You’ve had a number of projects out. You get a lot of accolades for Ill City Blues.

Penny Shaw: We put it out in March, and we kinda just let it run. Then August and September I was basically doing shows in the Northeast. We did a few shows in New York. We went up to Boston and opened for Ras Kass, and I was able to go to D.C. and do this huge music festival they have called the H Street Music Festival, which brings thousands out. During that time, we’re filming all these videos. We just launched the first video, Questions, a few days ago. We haven’t even started our run for Ill City Blues yet. It’s just the first of many visuals we’re putting out. This weekend, I’m actually having my own pop-up shop in New York because we’re launching some merchandise to further my brand a little bit. So at the end of the year, I’ll have my own pop-up shop in Harlem. We’ll launch the merchandise and I’ll do some performances. I just want to expand the brand a lot more and promote a lot of this music, and give people a different angle of viewing it as well.

U.G. Digital Mag: So for the pop-up shop, what’s your big picture?  I’ll precursor that by saying that there could be a lot I just don’t understand in it all. Do you see a profit from that, or do you expect to see a profit at all?

Penny Shaw: I guess it depends on where your shop is, what you’re selling, and your venue. I’ve seen cases where it costs tens of thousands to get it. I do a lot of other people’s events, and go to different cities, so once a year, I throw my own event and push our own brand the way we want to. For this, it’ll be a real intimate performance. For anyone who has come to my shows, I don’t just get up and do things the way you hear it on the CD. I switch it up. We’re doing it at art galleries. Some of the painters I’ve connected with, we’re putting their work up on the walls. Everyone I’ve had relationships with, and really it’s for the brand. I want to connect with people. Of course, you want to be profitable at the end of the day, but its one thing to be profitable for the moment, and another thing to think long-term.

U.G. Digital Mag: I would imagine this will affect things long-term.

Penny Shaw: Exactly. You may take a hit in the short-term, but you come out better in the long run. It’s about how you look at it and what you want.

U.G. Digital Mag: Again, I look at the love and respect you get. What’s next for the project?

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Penny Shaw: We just dropped Questions. We’ll probably go into four more videos. We’re heavy into the visuals, and we’re really creative. Around the spring time, I want to do another batch of shows around the east coast, but perform the project in full for cities where I have a big supporting fan base.

U.G. Digital Mag: That’s like the dopest thing when an artist can come and perform every song from a project, especially when one song plays off the other and it’s like a story. Lately I’ve seen a lot of artists doing that. Notably, being based in Cleveland, Bone Thugs is from here, and lately they’ve been in that mode of basing their concerts off one entire album and performing each song from that project.

Penny Shaw: Definitely. I always tell people, everyone is different. I try to create moments. For the pop-up shop, I’ll do a special performance for that. I don’t want to do the same shows for people, so when I come back in the spring, it’ll be a different look. I just want people to come out and get their money’s worth, and get something different each time, and not expect the same thing.

U.G. Digital Mag: You sound like someone who enjoys crowd interaction and participation. Are you partial to smaller, more intimate sets like The House of Blues, or do you prefer the larger scale arenas?

Penny Shaw: I’ll be honest with you, it really doesn’t matter. I just realize performing is one of the best ways for me to connect with people. My visuals have been one of my strongest assets. I like to get out there and talk to people, take pictures, and have these memories.

U.G. Digital Mag: As far as touring, what type of line-up is set so far?

Penny Shaw: Right now, I’m focused on the Northeast. January 6 I’ll be in D.C., and as far as doing the project in full, I’ll start in New York, then New Jersey, and that whole Tri-State area.

U.G. Digital Mag: That’s cool knowing where your best places are to perform, but obviously, you’ll know that as an independent.

Penny Shaw: Definitely.

U.G. Digital Mag: In terms of final comments, you have a lot of people who read these because, they too, are artistic and want to do this for a living. What type of final comments do you have for them?

Penny Shaw: To anyone out there pursuing music, or anything, you have to keep going. There will be ups and downs. The frustrating moments are what take you to the next level. Push through it when it’s something you want to do. When I get frustrated, I know it’s just GOD testing me and preparing me. I’m not too much of a religious dude (I know I just sounded like it… laughing), but that’s really just how I think. As far as the project, I just want everyone to listen to it, and know that this is a project you can go back and listen to and pick up something new each time. It’s intricate and we put a lot of thought into it. If you don’t get it by listening, the visuals will help you. We just want to paint a full picture and give a full 360 video for us to connect.

[The Stage] Coffee Shop

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It’s always a pleasure to catch up with Shaneisha Dodson of Black Girlz Productions. Together with her amazing team of actors and actresses, she puts on some of the best stage plays the industry has to offer, and that holds strong with her latest production, Coffee Shop! Set to kick off in Houston, TX in January 2017, Coffee Shop will address the torturous effects of rape, not just on the victim, but their friends and families as well. The story gets pretty deep, and is definitely one the world needs to see. Following the upcoming Houston date, the play will then travel to Arkansas for another run. We caught up with Dodson to talk about the play and just what can be expected from the actors and actresses.

U.G. Digital Mag: As always, thank you for your time in discussing this project. The last time we spoke, I believe this project may not have really been on the horizon, or perhaps we just hadn’t discussed it. But I’m happy to join in on the promotion efforts. I’m excited about opening day. Talk about the basis of Coffee Shop?

Shaneisha Dodson: Coffee Shop centers around the owner, Carla, who hires a new stylist named Robin. Carla soon learns that Robin is being molested by her Step-father. The characters are completely opposite. The story opens a can of worms and forces them to walk in their own truth and talk about things that some people consider to be uncomfortable. I came up with the idea of Coffee Shop because so many people getting light sentences when involved with rape and sexual assault. I said we needed to bring this to the forefront to encourage people to speak out, and to show people what can happen if you do these things to people.

U.G. Digital Mag: I think it’s good that you touch on these things. You see it happen a lot, and many times people don’t get the charges that they likely should. Why do you think that this happens so much? Will the play get into the meat and potatoes of that?

Shaneisha Dodson: The story line does touch on that. It shows what happens in the case of four different victims. For one, it happened on a college campus. The officers of her campus said not to talk about it, and boys will be boys. He’s the star of the football team, and people are going to question you. So you have one person whose issues have been suppressed, and she’s been talked out of telling anyone. They try to make her feel like she did the right thing, but she ends up having years of pain. Then you have another character who ends up fighting this guy off, but it runs over into her personal relationships, so she doesn’t trust men at all. Then another character, it comes from her father, and she ends up pregnant, so she doesn’t know if the baby is her boyfriend’s or her father’s. So you have all these different things that come to light as far as why someone might talk and tell, and why they may take the secret to their grave.

U.G. Digital Mag: Obviously, with this story, when you deal with victims, you can go in many directions with what happens to them, how they deal with it, and ultimately get help. How deep does the story line go?

Shaneisha Dodson: You’ll definitely see it toward the end. You’ll see them pull themselves away from the world because they feel alone, and then you see the rebuilding process. The people around them blame themselves as well. You ultimately see them live normal lives in the end.

U.G. Digital Mag: It’s definitely a great topic to address. What other importance do you see in this story?

Shaneisha Dodson: It was important for me because I know people who have been raped. When I was a teenager, someone tried to rape me, and I was able to fight them off, but I know people who were not able to fight them off. It leaves a long term effect on people. I was a teenager, so I didn’t really realize how deep it was until I got older. I could have died. I could have been killed. What if I wasn’t able to fight them off? When you’re younger, you don’t look at how serious an issue is. It could have really gone wrong. It’s something that we need to discuss.

U.G. Digital Mag: A lot of us who look at this story, we know people who have been in similar situations. This will be something that proves to be helpful to so many. How does it help those who have not experienced it, or don’t know anyone who has suffered from it?

Shaneisha Dodson: I think it will help people to understand what’s going on, and how to not re-victimize those who have gone through it. I know someone who has a cousin who was raped, and when they get into arguments, it gets thrown in their face. It gets thrown in their face, and it’s not fair. They don’t realize the psychological effect it has. This will teach people empathy, and how to understand those who have gone through it.

U.G. Digital Mag: Looking at the full gamete, I think it’s amazing that you were able to put this together. Many of your story lines deal with things that help so many people. What is your ultimate goal for this play? How much further would you like to take this story?

Shaneisha Dodson: I would like to take it as far as possible. When you think about rape or sexual assault, it’s not something that people deal with in certain places. It happens all over the world. Our goal is to touch as many people as we can, to encourage them to speak out, and encourage them to get help. You don’t know the long-term psychological effect It can have on people.

U.G. Digital Mag: The actors in this play, you have an amazing roster. How did you go about selecting the final people to play the characters?

Shaneisha Dodson: I look for certain personality traits. A few people are new, but I also bring in actors and actresses whom I’ve worked with in the past. As I wrote the story, I was thinking of certain people for the roles, and I would reach out to them to see if they were interested. Everyone else, as we went through the auditions, if I saw he passion and drive, I selected those individuals.

U.G. Digital Mag: How was Houston selected as the opening location?

Shaneisha Dodson: This is where I live now. It’s a new city for me, and I wanted to reach out, get into the arts, and make new connections.

U.G. Digital Mag: What took you to Houston in terms of relocating?

Shaneisha Dodson: I had a younger sister here. Wanted to try a new area, and it was easier because I had family here.

U.G. Digital Mag: Many times with story lines like these, it makes you think of the area where it’s taking place. Houston is huge, so it should do well. I see you’re doing Arkansas as well. Will it go anywhere else?

Shaneisha Dodson: I’m still working it out, but having it my way, I would do as many as possible. April is sexual assault month. I would do college campuses if I could.

U.G. Digital Mag: Again, I think this is amazing. Bring me up to speed with Black Girlz Productions.

Shaneisha Dodson: Well we’re getting ready to do our annual scholarship announcement. Every year, I award a scholarship to a high school senior or college student, and people can always get info on our website. I’m working on a book. I’m working on a screenplay. I would like to transition into film.

U.G. Digital Mag: Realistically, that’s a natural progression. Many who start off with stage move into film.

Shaneisha Dodson: That’s true, you do see it a lot. That’s my goal.

U.G. Digital Mag: What type of timeline, in your mind, is there with you moving to film.

Shaneisha Dodson: I would say a couple of years. What I’m doing is working on the screenplays. I’m trying to build a catalog. Right now I’m on my third screenplay, and I have a fourth in the back of my head [laughing], but right now I’m on my third. I’m always writing. It’s a never-ending process. I jot down notes everywhere, and it keeps going.

U.G. Digital Mag: I love creative minds. I could never sit and write a play. I’d be writing forever. The stories you have really need to be seen and heard. I love the story of Coffee Shop, and I love that it’s in Houston and that we’ll be out to cover.

Shaneisha Dodson: We all have different gifts. Everybody has a gift. I can write forever.

U.G. Digital Mag: It’s definitely a gift for you. It hasn’t been so long since we spoke on your last project. In the eyes of everything else that goes on, that is no time at all. I feel like you put this together in record time, and that’s huge. It solidifies your status as a professional. Any final comments and thoughts of encouragement?

Shaneisha Dodson: I would say just keep up with Black Girlz Productions? We have done cast introductions so you can get familiar with some of the faces. We’ll be doing Q&A’s with fans. We’ll let people ask questions, and we may do some giveaways. Just keep up and you’ll see what’s going on with upcoming productions.

U.G. Digital Mag: Will the updates hit the website?

Shaneisha Dodson: They can always hit the website, which is www.blackgirlzproductions.com, and through social media. Instagram is @blackgirlz12, Twitter is also @blackgirlz12, and we have a Black Girlz Productions fan page on Facebook. Those are the best ways.

[On the Screen] Sierra Alston: She Got Game

We recently had the chance to chat with Sierra Alston, formerly of the reality show, She's Got Game!. Who would have thought that right after our conversation, she would exit the show in the midst of productions.

Not sure any of us saw that coming, Nevertheless, we had a pretty good conversation, and you can catch that interview below, right HERE at Urban Grandstand Digital!

[BRINGING THE FUNNY] KOUNTRY WAYNE: RISE OF A KING

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Here at Urban Grandstand Digital, we’ve made it a point to connect with many of the comedians who roll through the Cleveland city limits to perform at the Cleveland Improv. This week, comedian Kountry Wayne will make his way into the city with his hilarious routine. He’s made quite the name for himself through many of the videos he has posted throughout Facebook and YouTube, and his fan base has grown tremendously because of them. It’s all pretty remarkable, considering most comedians are super active on the digital front. We had the opportunity to chat with him about his upcoming show, what we can expect, and what his future looks like.

Check out our exclusive HERE!

[BRINGING THE FUNNY] LUENELL: THE COMEDIC GODDESS

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It’s always great when Comedienne and Actress Luenell rolls into Cleveland. Currently, she’s here in town, performing at the Cleveland Improv. Regardless of how frequent we see her (she’s definitely here a lot), she always manages to give us something totally new, and in all, her performance is beyond amazing. Luenell has a way of capturing the audience’s attention commanding the stage like no other. What we’re most grateful about in it all is whenever she stops here in town, she’s always willing to sit down and break bread with us about her show, and all the other amazing things she has going on in her life and career. Today was much like any other when talking to Luenell. She has you laughing right out the gate, and it’s just an all around good conversation with someone you ultimately realize is just like you. She’s doing what she needs to do to move forward in this world, and having a little fun in the midst of it all. 

Check out our conversation HERE with the comedic goddess we all know as Luenell!

[BRINGING THE FUNNY] LUENELL: THE UGD EXCLUSIVE

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Comedienne Luenell has literally become a household name in comedy in just a few short years. Of course, she not new to comedy. Getting her start more than 20 years ago, she's been working hard, appearing in a number of films, television shows, and comedy specials throughout the years. It wasn't until appearing in Katt Williams' American Hustle that many began to take notice. 

Luenell offers a brand of comedy that is unmatched with any other comic. She has become one with her audience, and they love her for her brute honesty. If you've seen Ny of her performances, it's clear that she's always top notch and gives a stellar performance. 

Luenell's is here in Cleveland this week, and it's turned out to be a big gift to the fans, bigger than usual! Beginning a string of 7 shows at the Cleveland Improv tonight, it's also her birthday! What an honor it is to know that she's spending her birthday in Cleveland with us! For us at Urban Grandstand Digital, it gets even bigger. We were blessed to be granted an interview with Luenell while she's here, and the experience and opportunity was far beyond measure. We talked about everything going on in her booking career down to what she had planned for her shows. Take a moment to check out the Q&A below. And if you're here in the city, check her out this weekend at the Cleveland Improv!

Check out the exclusive HERE!

[BRINGING THE FUNNY] COCOA BROWN: MORE THAN FUNNY

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No stranger to entertainment, Cocoa Brown has been working for some time now, building her brand of entertainment and comedy. We’ve seen her in a variety of television shows and films. Most will immediately remember her from Tyler Perry’s For Better or Worse, but she’s done so much more in her time. At this point in her career, he goal has shift a bit. She’s focused now on proving to the world that she can master the dramatic role. Trust that she’s still doing her thing to make you laugh through her journey. Matter of fact, she’s here in Cleveland this weekend at The Improv, and I’ve already heard from a number of people that the show is off the hook. 

Cocoa takes a few moments in betweens hows to talk with us here at UG Digital about her journey into the world of comedy, her new role in American Crime Story: The People vs. O.J., her new fashion line, and so much more. It’s time for you to see just why Cocoa is indeed More than Funny!

[MUSIC] JOHARI NOELLE: THE CHASE CONTINUES

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Meet Johari Noelle! This beautiful, amazingly talented young lady has been part of the focus of Kelly Rowland's new docuseries, Chasing Destiny. Faced with the idea of putting together a girl group, or better yet, a supergroup, who would would not only duplicate the success of Destiny's Child, but take music to the next level. Johari was one of many young ladies who went after the opportunity, and ultimately one of close to 20 girls who were selected to compete at being selected to be a part of Rowland's new group. Unquestionably, Johari brought her A-game on this series, aiming to solidify her spot in what's geared to be one of music's biggest groups yet. Four episodes in, much to everyone's surprise, Johari was eliminated. The thing here, though, is it had nothing to do with talent, nor a lack thereof. Truth is, her talent is endless, much like everyone else who was vying for a role in Rowland's supergroup. Her star has definitely been bright throughout her time there, and the fact that she made it to that point was solid proof. 

Now, with that experience being behind her, Johari has a lot planned and in the works with her career. We had an opportunity to talk about her experience on the show and the projects she has coming up soon. For her, the chase continues.

Check out her story HERE!