Recessionista Tip #1: Adopt a Side Hustle
In the world of consumerism you’re either a buyer or a seller. However, you’d want to be the latter. Find something you like to do, and do relatively well, and market your services to the public. Some growing side jobs with little to no overheard include freelance writing (duh!), bookkeeping (if you’re a cracker-jack accountant) babysitting, and wardrobe organizing (hey, It’s how Kim Kardashian discovered her entrepreneurial spirit). Post a listing on a free classifieds site like Craigslist and watch for your phone to ring with leads.

Recessionista Tip #2: Dust Off Your Library Card
Weekly trips to Borders and Barnes & Noble can add up—quickly. Forget paying discount prices for bestsellers when you can visit your local library to catch up on the latest reads or check out an old favorite. Plus, the due dates will also give you the extra push you need to actually finish a book in one weekend.

Recessionista Tip #3: Get a Lower Rate on Your Credit Card
Credit card debt is a slippery slope. Fortunately, many credit lenders are willing to negotiate a lower interest rate if your account is in good standing and you pay more than the minimum each month on time. Call up your credit card company and ask that they reduce your rate to reflect that of the current market. If they won’t budge, you can simply threaten to transfer your balance to another card with a lower rate. It might seem a little pushy, but it’s a proven solution. Once the card is paid off, leave it open with a zero balance and within a couple months you’ll see your credit score increase.

Recessionista Tip #4: Host a Clothes Swap
If you hang with a fabulously fashionable circle then consider yourself lucky. Grab your girlfriends and host a clothes swap to keep your wardrobe up-to-date in these economic times. Have each friend bring over gently or never worn clothes, shoes and accessories, and trade off to add new pieces to your ensemble.

Recessionista Tip #5: Get Thee to Redbox
Proof that dinner and a movie can cost under $10. I have become a frequent visitor to my neighborhood Walgreens on Friday nights and it’s all because of that beautiful, glowing red kiosk in the front of the store. If you haven’t checked out the $1 recent DVD releases at your local Redbox, you should. (Like, today!) Visit www.redbox.com to find a retailer near you.

Recessionista Tip #6: Hit Up Your Local Beauty School
Don’t worry—we’re not asking you to give up your spa days. But, you can pay considerably less for your treatments by visiting a local, reputable beauty school. The hallways are chock-full of fresh talent in the esthetic arts…at a much cheaper price. And paying $5 for a manicure is sure to brighten your day.

Recessionista Tip #7: Make Your Own Beauty Treatments
Head down to your local health food emporium and stock up on essential oils, liquid Castile soap and sea salt to make your own body scrubs and hair concoctions. Does the name Lisa Price ring a bell? (Refer to Recessionista tip #1 for money-making potential.)

Recessionista Tip #8: Go Green
This seems like a no-brainer, but it bears repeating. Skip filling up the tank by walking, biking or taking public transportation to work. With the average cost of gas somewhere around $2.50 you’ll be amazed at how quickly those dollars can add up. Score one for your wallet and the planet!

So let the saving commence! If you have some tried-and-true recessionista tips, share them with the Clutch fam!

Clutch: When did you get your big start in acting?
Christian: My first big break came when I was blessed with the chance to tour nationally with the stageplay “All Men Can’t Be Dogs” with, A.J. Johnson, Regina Belle, Carvin Winans, John Gray and a bunch of other really talented people. That play led to me getting other work and it allowed me to develop supporters and fans on a national basis.

Clutch: How did you catch the attention of Tyler Perry?
Christian: I was the lead in a nationally touring with a play called “Not A Day Goes By”, and we swung through Atlanta and he came to see the show one night. After the show, we talked and he asked me if I would like to be the lead in Madea Goes To Jail. I said Hell Yeah…. We have been working together on and off, ever since.

Clutch: Did you always know you were going to in entertainment, whether through your music or on the big screen?
Christian: I always knew that I wanted to. I thought that music would take off first when I started out, but out of the blue, the acting work really started growing for me. So I took it for the blessing that it was, I put acting first and worked on music when I got free time. I started taking classes and reading every book I could get on acting technique, and the harder I worked at it the more work I got.

Clutch: What can listeners expect from your upcoming album?
Christian: They are gonna get some, classic love songs ( “I Know”, “Please Forgive Me”, “Precious”), some sexy but classy bedroom music (“So Sweet”, “Boots On”, “Whatever U Like”), some personal songs, songs from actual experiences (“Home”, “Gonna Love U”, “You Said”) and some hot club joints (“I’m Single”, “Bartender”, “Personal”). 16 songs in all including 2 remixes.

Clutch: Who are some of the artists you look up to?
Christian: I could never name them all, but Stevie Wonder, Donnie Hathaway, Lionel Richie, Babyface, Maxwell, Alicia Keys, Ledisi, Cheryl Pepsi Riley, and so many other great artists.

Clutch: Are you bringing in any new artists to your label, Fahrenheit Music Group.
Christian: Eventually, I would like to, but for right now, I am just going to focus on making this cd “PERSONAL” the best it can be.

Clutch: Have you been working simultaneously while recording the new album?
Christian: While I was recording over this last year, I did the last leg of Tyler Perry’s “What’s Done in the Dark”, where I was “Dr. Harris”. The dvd for the play came out in March of this year. I also was blessed to be in several commercials, as well as music videos with Ashanti (“The way that I Love You”), Ledisi (“In the Morning”), Keri Hilson (“Energy”) and Joe (“Why Just Be friends”). I will also be on “House Of Payne” later this fall.
>Clutch: One could say that you’re a Jack of All Trades; not only are you an actor and musician, you’ve also written a few screenplays. Which hat do you feel most comfortable in?
Christian: Actually, all of them. I believe God gives us talents for us to use to make our lives better. And I don’t want to be 60 or 70 wishing I would have at least tried to do some of these these things. I am going to use every gift ant skill God gave me to make my son’s life better, my life better and when I find one, my wife and whatever kids we have, better.

Clutch: You’re sort of a sex symbol (Ebony’s 50 Most Eligible Bachelor’s, Jet Calendars, etc). What do you think about that?
Christian: I certainly appreciate the love and support from the magazines and the fans, but being a sex-symbol isn’t important to me. I stay in shape for work (music and film), and so I can keep up with my 5 year old son, who never gets tired. I am just a regular dude, with a cool job. I’m down to earth, silly as hell and passionate about anything I do, work or play.

Clutch: So, what’s next for Christian Keyes?
Christian: What’s next? Well, besides this cd being well received and doing well. I have a few films I am looking at that shoot this fall and this winter, and lord willing a TV show. Who knows? Whatever God decides to bless me with next… Fans can reach me at www.myspace.com/christiankeyes1 or www.christiankeyes.com. These two are my only real pages, everything else is fake.

Last month we sat down with the smart and funny Ananda Lewis to pick her brain about any and everything under the sun. Here is part 2 of that conversation . . .

Clutch: In watching your interviews, you seem to have this natural ability to open up and get people talking, which is the true measurement of a really great interviewer. Where does it come from?
Ananda: I’m kind of figuring that out as I go along, too. I didn’t have very good relationships with my family growing up. And more recently, I’ve really made a concerted effort to make those relationships work and to get closer to people I’m connected to by blood . . . and I’m talking about my immediate family. I didn’t get along with my mother much; I didn’t see my dad much, and my grandmother was a hugely instrumental part of my life. Maybe a lot of it comes from my grandmother. She was a very straight talking, no BS [person]. I don’t know—maybe it’s coming from experiences. I’ve been hurt a lot by people, and you learn the most when you’re in pain because now life has got your attention because you’re hurt! I’ve had my heart broken enough to learn things about myself in relationships; I’ve pointed figures at other people enough [for my own problems] to finally realize that you can only do that so long before that finger comes back at you and you’re the only real solution. I was standing in my own way on a lot of things in my life. I guess it’s just perspective. I don’t feel embarrassed about anything that I’ve been through, so it’s easy for me to talk about things. I don’t feel like there’s anything that anyone can hold over my head at this point in my life or throw in my face. I don’t believe in that. I think it’s a weak tool for weak-minded people. And those kinds of people are easy to defeat when you just shine the truth on them. I don’t have a lot to hide, so maybe that has a lot to do with it.

Clutch: Along with your work in journalism, you’ve acquired quite the celebrity status. How has that been for you?
Ananda: That is such a hard concept for me to wrap my brain around! In my life, there is no celebrity. I have tools; a workshop full of tools. I’m studying for my carpentry license. I shoot guns, I throw knives . . . I’m a real active, aggressive kind of woman. I like to do physical stuff. I get out and four wheel drive in my truck. So for me, that whole TV world is almost like five planets away from my actual life. I can adapt to it when I’m in it. But I think because it wasn’t my goal for my life, I didn’t really feel like I needed to adjust myself to become a part of it. I never felt like I was in it or of it. I was just in it, working, getting my money and getting myself to where I wanted to be on that level. But I never looked at it like, “This is who I am.” It never defined me. I’ve always had a real sense of who I am outside of that.

Celebrity is a made-up phenomenon. It isn’t real. People should not be on pedestals just because they have certain talents and gifts. Because it makes other people feel like they don’t have those talents and that somehow, those people are special. And that’s not true! They’re not special. They worked harder or focused more, but they’re not any different than you or whoever else. And also, it makes people watching tend to believe that in this fantasy world there are no problems, there are no issues and these people must be perfect. Well, that’s BS, too. The longer you’re going to be in this industry, the longer you’re going to realize these are the walking wounded! Plenty of people fall in this industry because they’re looking for that approval or they’re looking for that hyping up of their ego, because they didn’t get it from somewhere else. I’m not saying that’s not true for everybody; there are some people who are very well adjusted in this industry. But some of the best comedians will tell you, they’re really good because they’ve been through so much pain. Actors and actresses are really good because they’ve had some really difficult lives. The more you hear people’s stories when they’re honest, the more you hear that it’s true. Celebrity just seems . . . I don’t know? Anybody who gets on TV and acts crazy can be a celebrity. I don’t know if I want that title.

Clutch: Do you keep a list of things you want to accomplish before all is said and done? You have a degree in history; do you think you’ll pursue a field in that?
Ananda: Not anymore. I think my life has changed so much and I’ve grown so much that I’ve grown past those desires. But yeah, I keep a running list of places I want to visit, trips I want to take. I love traveling. I look at life as what you enjoy doing every day. No one wants to be stuck in a boring job they don’t really love, so if something I love can turn into a job, that’s great. If not, I’ll keep taking jobs for the money and the support; we all got to survive. But my love is really in construction; I’ll probably own an animal rescue at some point in my life. The things that really make my heart soar have to do with using my hands a lot. Shooting guns; I go to the gun range a lot.

Clutch: Wow, Ananda! You keep mentioning this gun thing. People ought to know better than to mess with you!
Ananda: My grandma carried a .45! In my mind, I never accepted some idea that women aren’t supposed to do certain things. I never saw that in my reality. I was raised by women and I saw them doing everything and anything they wanted to do. I never saw any kind of barrier placed upon them because they were women. If anything, it was because they were women that they were smart enough, creative enough and resourceful enough to get done everything they got done. My aunt, my mom, my grandma. . . . there were women doing their thing all around me. It was never like, “Oh, that’s a girl thing,” or “That’s a guy thing.” I heard that being said in society, but that wasn’t in my life or my household. I never felt like there was something I couldn’t do because it was a boy thing. I’ve been fixing my truck since I was 16. So it’s a natural thing for me to use my hands. I never look at things like, “Oh, I can’t do it.” I look at things like, “All I have to do is figure out how to do it.”

Clutch: There are some songs of yours posted on MySpace. How did you get involved with singing and songwriting?
Ananda: First, I want to clarify that I’m not trying to be a singer. I don’t know how that misconception got out. I’m definitely not out looking for songs. I am a songwriter who sings because I want my songs to sound like I hear them. There is music in my head and I have to get it out or it makes me crazy! That’s really how this all started. I kind of haphazardly wrote a song with Malcolm Jamal-Warner called “Summertime”. It was the first time I heard my voice playing back at me…and I liked it! Malcolm used it on his album, then John Salley played that song on the radio and for a few guests who came through. D’wayne Wiggins heard it when he was on the morning radio show with us one time and was like “you can sing!? You need to do that, come jam with us in Oakland and see what it does.” I was still really hesitant and shy about singing at the time, but I ended up in Oakland one weekend and called D’Wayne . He scooped me up and brought me to his House of Music. It was a magical night for me. Charlie-O, Robb Traxx (producers) and I were up the entire 1st night and “where dat go?” was just POURING out of me. By morning I had written my 1st full song and we jammed on it for the entire next day. It was crazy and exciting and amazingly freeing. From that weekend on, I’ve given into the music instead of fighting it. The down side is that right now I really don’t have time to focus 100 percent on music; it’s something that happens when it happens. I love it, but I haven’t yet found the time in my life to devote three months to churning out an album. And I’m not sure if that’s what I want to do with my music, so I’m kind of stuck on my decision with that. But I did want to share it with the fans that were looking for me on MySpace and couldn’t find me [because there were a bunch of fake Ananda's on there, so I had to get those removed and put my real one up]. People said on there, “What are you doing,” and literally, what I’m doing sometimes is in and out of friend’s studios just having fun recording stuff. It is another side of me that people don’t know, and it’s a more real side than what they’ve seen for ten years (chuckle)!

Clutch: So speaking of your MySpace page and removing the “fake” Ananda’s from the site, what do you think about this huge Internet phenomenon, social networking movement, blogging, and how we now disseminate information and communicate with each other?
Ananda: The upside is that the more people are more in touch with each other the better; you hear from your friends more. In junior high, we only had phones, so if you were on phone restriction—that was it! But there are a lot of different ways to get in touch with your friends now, and I think that’s great. But also, because it’s so faceless and you don’t know who you’re talking to unless it’s your friend and you know it’s them, at least 90 percent of the time, you’re talking to strangers. I think because people can hide behind these screen names and throw whatever picture they want up, sometimes that can be a really scary territory. But again, until we have individual thinkers, independent thinkers, people who think for themselves to determine what makes sense and what doesn’t, a lot of this stuff will be easy for people to get away with. Common sense will tell you don’t meet up with someone if you don’t know who that is. But there’s not a lot of common sense running around the world these days. I think common sense and logic are on a vacation together in Mexico . . . and I wish they would come back because we need them. A lot of people need to just check themselves. The deception is that people can make you feel like you know them. The reality is that you don’t know them.

I think the other problem . . . and it’s not so much a problem as it is people tending to be cowards, hiding behind a screen name and talking shit about people on line. I don’t think that’s right, but it’s a reflection of them. If that’s the kind of people they want to be, then that’s who they are and that’s the kind of life they’re living. They’re cowards. They’re saying things they wouldn’t DARE say to someone’s face because they know they’d get knocked the hell out. And I think that’s unfortunate because it allows people to be shady. And there’s enough of that. I don’t think that’s healthy. But who am I to judge them. If they’re happy doing that, then God bless them.

Clutch: So what’s next on the agenda for Ananda? Where can we see you?
Ananda: Well I’m 120 years late, but I’m finally building my first Web site. Someone has been sitting on AnandaLewis.com for about six years and won’t give it up, so I had to abandon the idea of owning my own name! So for the record, that’s not mine; if anyone puts something on it, it’s not from me. Anandalewis.net is not mine either, but that just seems like a fan site, which is great because I’m cool with the love. And the fan sites on MySpace I left up [also], because I’m cool with the love. I just don’t want somebody impersonating me and responding to people as if they’re me, which some of them were doing. That’s wrong. But the ones that were innocent and weren’t trying to say they were me, I have no problem with that. But I’ve decided to go with something that could encompass all the different facets of me that I wanted to share, which will be www.NANDINATION.com. I look at it like my own little country where I can share all all the stuff I’m involved in. You can see all my photography I do, T-shirts I design, some of my interior work and construction stuff, tips for healthier living, my video blogs, photos of me with folks I’ve interviewed or worked with. I might post all the Teen Summit shows I have because people seem to still really want to see that show and the topics we dealt with are still so relevant. The site is still under construction, but I am growing it slowly with lots of love and truth about who I am now, and who I am growing into.

I think people need another impression of how to be, if they’re going to be out there emulating something. And I’ll have ‘how-to’ tips from building your own shoe rack (which I did in my house) to doing natural hair so that it doesn’t frizz on you, because I don’t believe there is any contradiction with women being sexy, girly, cute and feminine, but also being able to build a house from scratch. I want to be able to do that. I’m working toward that right now. Like I said, a lot of those skills I already had, but I want to really learn the craft well. I’ve had some shows pitched to me [home improvement], because those shows are really big right now. But again, the things that I love, it’s difficult for me to agree to put them on TV because that makes it something other than what I love. Maybe that’s just me being . . . stupid. I don’t know. I’m working on feeling not so much like TV corrupts things, but TV does corrupt things. But I haven’t decided whether or not I want to share myself like that on a TV show. The things I want to do now will be all that I control and I will share with you through a site that I control, so that no one can edit me. So those are the kinds of projects you will see me doing; those that I actually have some ownership in and some say so in it. [Something] I can present in a way that I approve of and that I like and say, “Yeah, that’s actually me. That’s a true representation of me, and it’s not someone else’s version of me.” Unless I’m just in it for the check (chuckle)!

For more information on Ananda Lewis please visit www.nandination.com, www.myspace.com/anandalewis.

Ananda is also conducting a series of on-air workshops for young women who want access to all of the knowledge, tips, and personal insight she has gained over 10 years of doing all types of television. The first one in the series will take place in Baltimore for more information on the workshops please visit hollywoodinabottle.com

(Photo Credit: Ananda Lewis)

If you’ve been anywhere near a TV, computer or newspaper these past few weeks, then you’ve heard about the moving two-part CNN documentary, Black in America, which airs today and tomorrow. Each segment will focus on the struggles and stereotypes of the black community and how its relates to two particular themes: The Black Woman and Family, and The Black Man. Tune in to watch frank and honest dialogue on the plights of our community and its impact on the nation.

CNN Presents: Black in America

The Black Woman & Family; premieres Wednesday, July 23, 9 p.m. ET.

The Black Man; premieres Thursday, July 24, 9 p.m. ET.

For more information about Black in America please visit www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2008/black.in.america

Clutch: How have you been . . . how are things going?
Boris: Things are great. I’m in LA right now. I have a little break from this movie I’m shooting in Atlanta, but I’m going back next week. I’m also working on a movie for Disney with Bruce Willis called The Surrogate. It’s a sort of a futuristic take on cloning, surrogates, and a murder happens and we investigate it.

Clutch: Wow, that sounds interesting! Now, you also have a new movie coming out, All About Us, which boasts a knockout cast (Morgan Freeman, Ruby Dee, LaTanya Richardson Jackson). Tell us about it.
Boris: It’s a true story about a couple who are both filmmakers in Hollywood, who become disillusioned with the politics of the industry and the roadblocks they constantly encounter on their way to realizing their dream of being successful filmmakers. They travel all the way to Mississippi to find Morgan Freeman and persuade him to be in their movie. While on the road, they answer questions that have gone unanswered about what’s important in their life; what their priorities are and where family falls within the whole system of being successful. It’s a very interesting movie. I was attracted to it because it was a role that I usually don¢t get offered. I loved the passion Christine and Michael Swanson had for their script, and I wanted to be part of their journey. It was a true labor of love and teamwork was essential. The experience left me high on life and on family, and clear about one thing: When you put family first, the happiness that comes from that makes everything else fall into place.

Clutch: How was it working with such an amazing group of seasoned actors?
Boris: Well, Morgan Freeman made a cameo appearance, so I didn’t get to work with him at all actually. But, Ruby Dee, obviously is a legend on the screen. The energy on the set was just amazing. She’s just so wise, and talking to her and being in her presence was such an honor to me and everybody else as well. It was something I will never forget; it was truly an amazing experience.

Clutch: Since the movie is essentially about family, let’s talk about that. You and your wife (Nicole Ari Parker) are the proud parents of two beautiful children (Sophie, 3 and Nicolas, 1). What has fatherhood been like for you?
Boris: It’s absolutely amazing. It’s turned my life upside down. I could have never imagined it having such an impact, but it’s been the best experience of my life. It’s amazing every day. When you see those little people grow up and you start to notice little things in their personalities that remind you of yourself and your wife. They’ve taught me so much about myself and what’s truly important in life. Children give you invincibility in a way. Because all of a sudden, everything else becomes so unimportant and falls by the wayside. It makes you very relaxed about everything else. It takes the pressure off, but at the same time, it gives you a newfound purpose. It’s funny because we’re always talking about how we never remember what we were doing before kids. There was really no purpose in doing what we were doing, until we had children.

Clutch: Is it difficult juggling your home life with your hectic work schedule?
Boris: It’s a challenge; it’s harder sometimes than others. But I have an amazing wife who is on the same page when it comes to family. We decided that family comes first and that everything else comes second. So once you make that choice, it becomes a little easier because you’ve stripped yourself of those anxieties of not being in LA so much or not getting a certain job. All that stuff becomes unimportant very quickly. Once you embrace family and your kids and marriage, that becomes the nucleus of your life. Everything else happens sort of by itself. Everything falls into place.

Clutch: Are you shooting throughout the summer? Are there any Kodjoe family vacations coming up soon?
Boris: Right now my wife is shooting in LA so we’re here with her. We’ll probably go to Boston where I filmed another movie, and we’re going to spend a bunch of time in Atlanta—where our main residence is. That’s always family time when we’re back in Atlanta. It’s all about the kids and us. It’s peaceful and you get to exhale and do one thing every day. Everything is constantly about family.

Clutch: Is that the reason why you two decided to make Atlanta home, as opposed to LA or NYC?
Boris: Absolutely. I mean, LA is a very convenient place in terms of working, but that’s about it. It’s not a very appropriate place to raise kids. There are a lot of influences that you want to keep away from your kids and it’s not a very healthy environment. Atlanta is much better that way. There are great schools, playgrounds, there’s the [Georgia] Aquarium; there’s so much to do on all kinds of levels. And Atlanta’s very central, since our families are in Baltimore. They get to see the kids more often than when we’re in LA. And you know Atlanta is now an emerging force in film. There are all these great tax incentives, so you’re going to see more and more production taking place in Atlanta.

>Clutch: You and Nicole have starred alongside each other quite a few times. Will fans get a chance to see more of you acting together in projects?
Boris: Yeah. We’re in talks about staring in a stage play together. That’s another thing we haven’t explored together yet. We love working together; it’s always a lot of fun. I know she makes me better, so that’s always something I look forward to. You know, we don’t try to stay away from each other. We embrace those times . . . but also there are times when we’re forced to go our own individual ways in terms of work and working with other people.

Clutch: Besides acting, what are some other passions that you have?
Boris: Well, besides my wife and my kids, my passions are really multifaceted. I love to travel and getting to know different cultures and exposing my kids to that. I’m still an athlete at heart. I play golf; I do a lot of physical activity because it sort of keeps my mind clear. And I have a couple businesses that I run, which brings out the entrepreneurial spirit in me. I have a bunch of other things that I’m doing. You know, every day is filled with passion. Every day I get up, I’m blessed to be there.

Clutch: Lastly, let the fans know where all they can see next?
Boris: Well, like I said, All About Us is coming out July 1 in video stores. Check it out, because it’s a great, great movie! The Bruce Willis movie (The Surrogates) comes out next year. I have another movie coming out on DVD, Starship Troopers 3: Marauder. I think that hits mid-July. And everything else, we’ll keep you posted!

Ananda Lewis is a great big ball of energy. Her mind moves at a million miles per hour, speaking in quick-witted, rapid-fire responses—a trait that most media personalities will work toward their entire career. But with Ananda, she doesn’t see it as a secret to a successful stint in the industry. It’s just plain who she is. Raised by her grandmother amidst a rocky relationship with her own parents, things could’ve turned out very different for the San Diego native. And despite a life filled with ups and downs, she’s a testament to the old adage, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. One thing is for sure, whatever this strong-willed chick puts her mind to, she does it . . . and does it well. From interviewing high-profile celebrities and making music for her friends and family to digging trenches in her backyard (yes, she’s a master of the DIY home improvement), she’s more like a real-life Wonder Woman. In a candid two-part interview with Clutch, Ananda speaks her brilliant mind and tells us the honest—and sometimes painful—truth as if it were going out of style.

Clutch: You’ve been working for quite some time now in radio, television . . . all across the board in terms of national media. How did you get your start?
Ananda: My first kind of national start was with Teen Summit on BET. I think the only reason I got Teen Summit and went out for the audition pretty much had to do with my background in youth work. I’d been doing about eight years of conflict resolution, violence prevention and all kinds of work with young people from the time I was a teenager actually. So it started as peer work and it grew into youth work. And it just really where my heart was. I went to school to be a teacher. I still feel like I should’ve taken that route (chuckle)! But you know, the left turn was cool.

Clutch: BET is a former employer of yours . . .
Ananda: BET calls me to do all kinds of stuff, so I’m still in good cahoots with them.

Clutch: Within the past seven or eight years, programming for the channel has taken a major turn from what it was, to what it is currently. It’s safe to say that they are aware of the negative feedback their programming has garnered, but for some reason, the network is still slow to change. Why do you think that is?
Ananda: That they’re slow to change? I think BET—especially after Bob Johnson sold it and now they’re owned by Viacom—they are a network like any other network that bases it success or failure or the success or failure of the shows that they air on ratings. I think it’s great if they’re getting feedback through email and people are letting them know what they do or don’t want to see. But that’s not really where it makes a difference. If you really don’t want something on air you have to stop watching it and supporting it. And if there are enough people out there watching and supporting it, that’s not BETs fault, that’s the viewers’ fault. Though, I think it’s a matter of being more discerning about what we’re willing to accept into our minds and our homes through the television. Until we get to that point, networks don’t have to change a thing. And for what? They’re making their money; that’s what they’re in it for. They’re not righteous, social systems that we can depend on to educate our kids. And I think it’s wrong for us to assume that they are.

Clutch: Ten years ago you wrote a sort of manifesto for YM Magazine explaining why you decided to become celibate for six months, and urging other young women to think about their actions before engaging in sex. Fast forward to today—considering the way modern media has transformed our ideas about sex and female sexuality; do you think an article like this is realistic for today’s youth?
Ananda: You know, being that that article was so long ago I barely remember it. I know that it was true for me at the moment. Usually when I speak on things, that is true for the moment. I’m not psychic and I don’t tend to dwell on the past. So whatever was true for me then, may or may not be true for me now. And I’m sure may or may not be true for people reading it ten years later. I barely remember what I said, but I do remember that it wasn’t some manifesto necessarily. I didn’t set out to tell people to be celibate. The person who was interviewing me, we got onto some pretty personal issues. I shared with her the fact that I was raped at fourteen. That turned into a conversation about why I had decided to not have sex at that point in my life. I still felt like I was dealing with anger issues from the rape. I felt like I was dealing with aggression issues toward men that I was channeling through sex. And I knew even then that it wasn’t a healthy way for me, spiritually and emotionally, to be living.

I will say that I don’t think there’s anything wrong with sex. I don’t think it’s fair to use it to sell products and to get people to buy stuff, but then turn around and say to kids, “Oh, it’s so bad.” You know, it’s how we all got here. God gave us the ability to have sex for a reason. Every animal in the kingdom does it, and I don’t think we should be so hung up about it. I think we have a very repressed society in a lot of fundamental ways, and it’s affecting us in really bad ways because we won’t let that repression go. I think we adopt other people’s morals as normal and we don’t even question for ourselves if it’s right or wrong for us. That said, I went through a period of celibacy even after that article. I was probably back and forth for a minute, and then there was like a three-and-a-half-year window where I just wasn’t having sex. It’s not something that I go, “Oh, I want to take a stand and represent the people.” I make decisions in my life solely for myself—as all people should. That’s the only way you make right decisions . . . when they’re just about what’s good for you. [But] because I was in a position of having an impact on young people at the time, especially young women, I think it was taken as me saying what they should or shouldn’t do. More of it was for me sharing my own personal experience; why I was doing what I was doing and letting them know it’s OK if you don’t, because there is so much pressure to do it. You shouldn’t be doing it if you don’t want to. You shouldn’t be doing it if it’s not the right decision for you. And you shouldn’t be doing it if you don’t know enough about it to know your body and be getting the most out of the experience, you know what I mean? It was all a very personal reflection for me on a time in my life that was really chaotic and dramatic, and that I was never was able to share with anybody at the time, and it has taken a very long time for me to heal from it.

Unfortunately, I think a lot of people in media—more so in online media and radio kind of people—took that and ran with it and really, I feel, threw it in my face and tried to meanly use it against me. It has made me not as open to media when I talk to people now, because I feel like things are twisted and misrepresented a lot of the time. And not just toward me; please, I’m the least of the people with the problems. I see it on the news all the time. Even watching Showbiz Tonight especially. Everything is so “surprising” and “scandalous” or “shocking.” Everything is so blown out of proportion it’s ridiculous! It’s like, calm down! I know you need ratings, but don’t manipulate people’s lives to get them. And I think it’s unfortunate what media has come to, when it used to be about journalism and telling the truth.

Clutch: Speaking of media, what role do you think music and television plays in the way our society views women?
Ananda: See, it always goes back to that personal thinking for yourself issue. Like, using your own brain. Japan has 80 percent more violence on TV than we have here, but probably the same percentage in terms of lower violence in their streets. We have to learn as a society, mainly as individuals, to not let every single thing we see become a part of what we actually do in our lives. Things are not out there—all things are not out there—to get you to do them. Some things are just there for your observation. Entertainment is called that because it’s supposed to entertain you, not tell you how to live your life. I do think that the increase of popularity in television—[increase] of television sets in people’s houses, the increase of channels that are available now as opposed to ten years ago—combined with the decreasing of family structure, especially in our communities and underserved communities, but also in every community. Even white families are falling apart too . . . it seems to be more of an economic division that’s happening right now more than a racial division. Either way, broke people, that doesn’t mean you can’t think for yourself. It’s ridiculous to think that you have to be rich to have some sort of common sense.

I think we all have to give ourselves a good shaking in the head and go, “Hey, does that work for me? Is that right for me? Should I be applying that to my life?” Unfortunately, young people don’t have a whole lot of guidance, so the easiest thing to do is to follow what’s right in front of you. They’re watching more TV than ever and that’s what’s right in front of them. I get why the influence is happening, I just don’t think it’s a proper influence—and you see the fallout from it. To me, it’s proof that it’s an improper influence because people are going down the wrong paths in their lives based on entertainment. Based on something that in and of itself is not even real! And so I think that’s a huge problem. I don’t know if I put all the blame on entertainment. I think people are going to do—just like we were talking about BET before—they’re going to do what sells. Period. It’s up to the consumer to say, “Do I want to buy that? Do I want to be a part of it? Do I want to represent that?” And at the same time, I grew up with N.W.A. and I know every single lyric to Eminem’s albums and all the lyrics to N.W.A. and Eazy-E songs, tough! I grew up cursing up a storm, listening to rap and it didn’t affect me in a negative way because I knew that it was not what I based my example for life on. I think that’s where we have to start making more progress. It shouldn’t matter what comes in your presence; you should have enough mental capacity and intelligence of your own that you can determine whether or not that belongs in your life. Make a determination that’s “No” and be able to live with that. I think we have a hard time saying no to things in our society. I don’t know where to place the responsibility for that. I kind of think that we all bear some responsibility to it.

Clutch: I hear what you’re saying. But I worry about kids. And when I say kids, I mean people under the age of 20 years old. I personally know people who have two, three kids, and will sit them in front of a television as some sort of babysitter. This is where they’re getting their influences; their training for what’s going on in the world. So if momma and daddy are the ones allowing this, then it’s showing them that maybe it is OK.
Ananda: But who do you hold responsible for that? Do you hold the parents responsible for putting the kids in front of the TV or do you hold the TV responsible for being on? But simultaneously, in addition for those negative things on TV, there are more positive influences on TV. You just have to turn the channel to where those things are. It’s setting your taste buds, if you will, to have those kinds of shows being more palatable than the flashy, blingy, bootied-out. What are you being turned on by? It still comes on to your own personal responsibility. If we’re talking about children, then yeah, [it's] their parent’s responsibility. When I have kids there isn’t going to be a TV in the house. There will be a TV in my bedroom for when I want to see it, but they’re not going to have access to it. I think parents have to put their foot down. Unfortunately, most of the really young people I know who are parents became parents accidentally. When you have “accidental” parents, they don’t tend to be—and I hate to say it, but it’s true—parents who really wanted that. They didn’t plan for that child. They didn’t make room in their life for that child. That child kind of came and now they’re accommodating their presence. They’re trying to keep up, scrambling to make ends meet and to accommodate that kid. But we need to be more responsible when we have children and when we’re ready for children. On some level as a society—individually, in our communities and even on a personal level—we have to get really clear that we just can’t keep bringing unwanted kids into this world. The worst-case scenario, it’s going to be things that you hear about all the time. It’s not the norm, but it’s certainly a big enough problem that we have to start looking at it.

We have to stop being so sensitive to people telling us we’re wrong. We are going to be wrong at some point in our lives. We have to be able to hear that “I’m wrong.” Self-correction has been a huge been thing for me in the past five or ten years. That even when it comes to jobs, I found that I didn’t want to be involved in this business to the extent that I was before. Because there was so much misrepresentation, bad representation, I didn’t want to be involved in that. So many projects would come up and I’m like, “Really, I can’t do that. For me as a person, as a human being, I don’t want to do that.” I left jobs that I didn’t want to be in, but I was stuck in contracts and couldn’t get out. And you have to learn from your experiences and say, “I made a bad decision and I want to fix that.” So the next time it’s time for me to make another decision, I’m not continuing to make the same decision over and over. I’m making new mistakes, but at least it’s not the same ones. We all have to get really clear with ourselves and say, “I’m wrong” or “I’m foul right now” or “I need to go get myself some help right now.” But we’re so used to being so placated and spoiled and being told that every thing is OK. Or being told, “No, you’re not fat” or “You can read fine,” when you can’t. If all of those things were true, we wouldn’t have the type of problems we have right now.

Stay tuned for Part Two, coming next month. . .

For more information on Ananda Lewis please visit www.nandination.com, www.myspace.com/anandalewis.

Ananda is also conducting a series of on-air workshops for young women who want access to all of the knowledge, tips, and personal insight she has gained over 10 years of doing all types of television. The first one in the series will take place in Baltimore for more information on the workshops please visit hollywoodinabottle.com

(Photo Credit: Ananda Lewis)

Clutch: So what all does Miss Chilli have going on these days?
Chilli: I’m very excited about my new single, “Dumb Dumb Dumb.” Right now I have a contest going on; I’m looking for a “Dumb Dumb Dumb” dance for the hook. People have been submitting videos to YouTube, but I’m still looking. So far everyone has to given me some real creativity.

Clutch: Tell us a little about your new album.
Chilli: The whole album is a dance album. I have a couple ballads. I like ballads, they’re not my favorite because I’m a performer, but there are a few on there. It’s definitely a girl powered-theme throughout. And that’s one thing about me–the fans will see a consistency. I’m doing the stuff that I did with TLC, having the uplifting songs and things of that nature. It was who we were then and who we are today. It wasn’t just a fad or gimmick.

Clutch: We see you’re dabbling in the world of fashion accessories with your Bags by Chili line. How did you get started creating handbags?
Chilli: It was something I had thought about for a long time. My first bag was given as a gift, and the person who had given it to me wasn’t doing them anymore. So I did a lot of research on starting my own company, and I’m very proud of myself! I carry my bags every day.

Clutch: When did the company officially launch?
Chilli: The first launch was right before thanksgiving, but the research took awhile. Whatever you do, it’s always a reflection of you, so I had to get everything right.

Clutch: Switching gears, let’s talk about motherhood. You have the most adorable photos of you and your son, Tron, on your Web site. Do you ever look at him and wonder where the time went?
Chilli: Yes! He’s ten years old now, and when Fanmail came out back in ’99, he wasn’t even a year old. But Tron totally knows what his mommy does; he even has fans of his own! I think I was born to be a mom and he’s definitely one of the best gifts that god has given me.

Clutch: Now, you’ve graced the small and big screen a time or two in your career. Are you working on any acting projects?
Chilli: I prefer television more so than the big screen. I like the time and how it works. It’s better for a working mom. Big screen takes you away from your family. When you’re shooting a movie you can’t tell them, “Now you have to start at this time because Tron’s still in school.” But television is something I really enjoy. I totally enjoy comedy; just let me get up there and act a fool!

Clutch: It’s been six years since the passing of your friend and band mate Left Eye. Unfortunately, you had to go through this very difficult time in the public eye. How hard was it for you to continue on personally and professionally?
Chilli: That was a very trying period because we didn’t get a chance to grieve properly. At that time T-Boz and I didn’t watch TV, listen to the radio . . . anything. We started out as a group doing 3D, and she passed before the album was done. So we had to go back into the studio and finish the album. It was very difficult for us to really accept something like that. Not until a few years ago have I been able to talk about her like she’s gone; I would still speak of her like she was here. But time heals everything. We’ll never get over the fact that she’s not here, but in time you can accept it better.

Clutch: You have such a laid back, very easy going attitude for someone who has millions of fans, sold out arenas, toured the world over, and was part of the biggest girl groups of all time. How do you stay grounded and not let this crazy industry get to you?
Chilli: I always tell people, you can learn from others mistakes and you don’t have go through everything. In this industry, I’ve seen people go through their ups and downs. You can’t get caught up in the hype of success. You have to look at it and use it for what it’s worth . . .and just don’t be rude. I never think of myself as being above someone. I can’t say I’ve never gone off on people, but when I did, I regretted it. But I’m no different from any other strong Christian woman who wants to do the right thing. I get that from my mother; she raised me to be that way. I have respect for myself and love for God. When you have morals like that, even if you stray away, it’s going to bring you back.

Clutch: You also went through a very public breakup with a certain male R&B star. And after all these years, people are still obsessed with the details surrounding it. Why do you think that is?
Chilli: I think because we were just that couple that people like so much. Usher and I just looked so cute together (chuckle)! So it’s hard for people to let that go. What people don’t understand is that in any relationship you have your ups and your downs. Sometimes people are good for you for a certain period of time. What’s that Iyanla Vanzant saying, people are put into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime; it wasn’t for a lifetime, but it was definitely longer than a season? It used to get on my nerves when people asked me about it, but not anymore. Until this day I’ll be in the mall and people will say, “Usher’s stupid!” But I just go on about my day.

Clutch: Our society has become increasingly obsessed with celebrity-gossip in the past years, which of course, it helps drive magazine sales and boost TV ratings. And it seems as though some celebs actually welcome the negative attention it brings. Do you ever think that we’ll ever get over being immersed in every detail of the celebrity lifestyle?
Chilli: I don’t ever think we’ll ever get to that point. It seems like we’ve lost our morals. And journalists can ask all the questions and have no feelings, no care in the world [on] how that other person feels. But until it happens to you as a journalist, that’s when you understand. There have been times when I’ve done interviews and I would get grilled, and I would turn around and ask them the same questions and say, “Hey, you wanted to know, so I want to know, too!” But do I think it will go away, no. Do I wish that it would, yes. My advice is to try and keep your personal life as private as you can. I still don’t understand celebs who feed into that. There are certain restaurants where the paparazzi will be and you’ll go there with the person you’re dating . . . because you want to be out there. So you can’t pick and choose when you want the media to be your friends and when you don’t.

Clutch: OK. . . forgive me for this, but in the same breath, I have to ask a personal question! We’ve heard little mumblings of you being romantically linked to a certain superstar boxer—just friends or more than friends?
Chilli: And I know you’re talking about Floyd Mayweather! Floyd and I are just friends. It’s unfortunate that as a woman, when you’re seen with man you can’t just be friends and hang out. I think he’s a great person, but he’s definitely not my man.

Clutch: Is there anyone throwing their hat in the ring to be with Miss Chilli (no pun intended)?
Chilli: I’m dating. I go on dates here and there. But have I met a guy that sweeps me off my feet and has the qualities on my long list of requirements? No.

Clutch: Fair enough! Now, your reality show, R U The Girl, gave us hope that a new TLC album would be in the works. Should fans still be on the lookout for a new album, or is it an up in the air kind of thing?
Chilli: Well, you know, T-boz and I talk about doing another TLC record. And if it’s something that we want to do, we’ll do it. But I’m not sure when that will happen, unfortunately.

Clutch: By the way, what is O’so Krispie up to?
Chilli: Oh, she lives in LA, doing a lot of choreography for people. She’s very talented and doing her thing.

Clutch: You’ve accomplished so much in your short life, what can you say have been your biggest accomplishments?
Chilli: Oh man, quite a few things. When I first got in TLC I used to tell them that I wanted us to be the biggest girl group ever. And when that happened, I almost fainted. That was an amazing accomplishment. The fact that we have touched so many lives, women and their self esteem, it’s like, “Man, we did that!” It’s probably two fans who’ve really stood out to me. There was a lady that came up to me in the grocery store with tears in her eyes. She told me that when “Unpretty” came out, she was contemplating killing herself. I just stood there and hugged her and told her that nothing was worth killing herself for and that you just have to go to God. There was also a lady who came up to me once and said she was thinking about getting breast implants–for a guy. But when she saw my part in the video, she decided against it because it wasn’t something she wanted to do for herself. We touch so many lives and that’s all I’ve ever wanted to do. I want people to always remember Chilli as the girl who wanted to help and did help. I am also developing my own nonprofit organization, Chilli’s Crew. It goes back to what I’ve been doing the past 17 years–helping young women and girls with self-esteem, loving themselves and helping them to succeed

Clutch: Any regrets or moments that you’ve looked back on and said, “What was I thinking?”
Chilli: I mean, shoot, I have a whole list! But because of those things it’s shaped and molded me into the woman I am today. As you live, you’ll continue to learn and grow. But as long as I’m not an old fool, I’m good. An old fool goes through stuff and never learns from it. I had a friend who was always complaining about things. Ten years later, she was still complaining about the same stuff. I had to clean house and get rid of her. I told her I couldn’t be her friend anymore because that’s not how I want to live my life.

Clutch: Lastly, what can your fans look forward to from you in the near future?
Chilli: We don’t have an album release date as of yet, but it will definitely be the end of summer/early fall. I really want people to get on the “Dumb, Dumb, Dumb” dance. I need that in my life, so send in those videos!

To learn more about Chilli please visit www.chilli-online.net, www.myspace.com/officialchillimusic and www.myspace.com/bagsbychilli.

Q: How long have you been singing and performing? [I've been] singing and performing in front of people ever since I was four years old. Professionally, about eight or nine years. I started singing when I was a little boy and once my mom found out I could sing, she put me in the choir. I’ve been doing leads and solos ever since.

Q: You’re currently signed to Kon Live, which is Akon’s distribution label. How did you meet up with Akon and his team?
I met up with ‘Kon after my father passed away. My folks moved to Cobb County, GA (suburb of Atlanta). I went to high school there and while I was in school, this guy met me and said he heard I could sing. He told me about a producer who loved for folks to come over and demo records to his songs. So I didn’t think it was anything big or serious, but I’d go just to go see. When I get over there, Akon opens the door. Back then he was just regular old Akon, a lot of people didn’t know who he was. He played some tracks for me and I feel in love with the tracks. I thought, “An African doing tracks? This is great!” And we’ve been together since that day.

Q: Did you ever think of working behind the scenes in the industry as a songwriter or producer or was it your dream to sing and perform?
I’ve always known that I was going to be a recording artist. Watching all the R&B artists that I listened to growing up and watching them on TV, it made me want to be just like them. Just watching them move, doing videos and having girls scream, I said, “I have to do that!” I had my mind made up.

Q: We hear that you’re a big R. Kelly fan, but who are some other artists that you look up to?
R. Kelly is one of the key players. He made me believe I could do it. I look up to Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke, Stevie Wonder, Freddie Jackson, Troop, Bell Biv DeVoe and Babyface. I was on the airplane coming to LA listening to this XM Satellite radio station called Suite 62, and they play all the R&B oldies. All of my favorites were on this channel! It took me right back to when I first heard these songs. That is the reason why I want to do what I’m doing. If I can be moved like that, remember the exact spot I was in when I heard a song for the first time, I have to be a part of that kind of movement. Have people listen to me and feel that way.

Q: Your album title has been changed from X-Rated to a self-title. What was the reason behind the change?
The reason I self-titled my album is because I want people to get to know me. I want people to know that my name is Ray Lavender—get familiar with it because I’m an artist that’s going to be a force for a long time. I’ve studied the game and I love the game. I love music. So I’m going to be here regardless.

Q: In your opinion, what’s the recipe for a perfect R&B album?
First there has to be love in your R&B album. Everybody wants to be loved at the end of the day—regardless of who it is. After that, there has to be sexy all over your album. When a lady’s coming home from a long day of work, to calm herself down she wants to feel sexy. If sexy isn’t on your album, you don’t have the elements for a great R&B album. When you want to wind down with your significant other, you have to have that kind of music playing. Slow and sexy to chill with your loved one. After that, you have to have a party. You gotta have a party because people want to dance and move. If you have movement on your album, they play it in the clubs too. That’s key, because some people don’t know about your album unless they hear it in the club. After that, there has to be something influential. Like Marvin’s “What’s Going On.” You have to talk about what’s going on in the world right now. We’re going through a recession, which effects our economy, is effecting our housing, our government. So of course, you have to talk about that and give listeners some inspirational music. So that’s my opinion of a perfect R&B album.

Q: You’ve been on the road a lot lately. What has the fan response been like?
Man, they lose their minds like I’m somebody; like I’m famous or something! I give a great show. People come to be entertained, so I entertain them. I watched people like Michael Jackson, Gerald Levert, R. Kelly—they’re great entertainers. And, I think you have to have a great show for people to go crazy over you. It’s one thing to hear a song on the radio but then it’s another thing to interpret your song.

Q: What keeps you grounded working in the crazy music industry?
My family. Ever since my father passed away I think my family has been relying on me to be the next top guy. They all look up to me and if anything ever happens to me or if I get too cocky, too big-headed, it trickles down to them. My mom always calls me. She called around 5:00 a.m. one morning playing one of my songs sky high telling me how much she loved it and was proud of me.

Q: After the passing of your father did you ever want to give up on singing or feel like you needed to reevaluate your priorities?
Actually, the death of my father made me want this more. I can remember him telling me, “Son, if I could sing like you, we wouldn’t be living like this. We’d be in a better place.” He wasn’t saying it was all about money, but we would’ve lived more comfortably. Our family could see each other a lot more. We could enjoy the fruits of our labor. I took that with me after he passed and went full force with my music. If he was here now I know he’d be bragging. I played basketball growing up, and whenever we had a game and I’d score all these points, he’d go back to work telling his co-workers about it. So I know if he was here now he’d be smiling and telling folks about me.

Q: What’s the most important thing you’ve learned as a recording artist?
Stay humble. If you don’t stay grounded this can be taken from you at any time. There are a lot of people out there who can sing. And they’re trying to take your spot. So stay grounded and work hard, because there’s another guy who can work just as hard as you. Just stay focused. There was one point when people didn’t know who I was, but people know now. So I’m taking somebody’s spot.

Q: There are a lot of male singers fighting for that R&B crown. But what makes you stand out from other artists?
I think I study music a lot. I listen to a lot of music, not just R&B. What I do know . . . it’s kind of like the new guy in high school. You can tell when someone’s the new guy. He can be lame or he can be the coolest guy in the world. But I’m the guy that’s very, very cool and I know what people like. That means, I know exactly what they want to hear and I’m going to tell them because I study it. I listen to every R&B artist and say, “I gotta come better than that.” I say things how it is. Plus I’m on some grown man stuff, too. So it gets real sexy when I open my mouth and start singing.

Q: What can we expect to see from Ray lavender in the future?
I got some movies and modeling stuff going on. I don’t know what it is, they think I’m cute or something! I’m the spokes model for ‘Kon’s Konvict clothing line. So I’ve been doing my pushups and taking my shirt off a lot (laugh)! ‘Kon also bought the rights to a film, Cocaine Cowboys, so I’m squeezing my way in it. I’ve got some more movie stuff coming, so I’m expanding my horizons a bit.

Q: Last question: tell us the first thing that comes to mind when you heard these words:
Love: Family
Power: God
Home: Monroe, LA
Passion: Ladies
Sex: Ladies (laugh!)
Ray Lavender: Sexy

For more information about Ray Lavender please visit www.myspace.com/raylavender and www.raylavender.com.

Clutch: Did you always have an interest in working in media?
I always wanted to get into entertainment. After the people in television received me well when I was working on cable access, we got good feedback from people. They would call up and say they liked the way the show was going; they liked the direction. And once people started embracing me I decided to embrace them back. I started really researching the role as a host, as an interviewer. From there I decided to take this on as a career move.

Clutch: After television, you moved into radio work and writing for magazines. How did that come about?
Well, I owe that to my manager! It was when I was doing television that he said, “you know what? TV is cool but we really need to start diversifying all your talent. I never knew I had a talent in radio, but we blocked some time out and see what we can do with this. Before that, I’d done stuff with Earl Chinn and Marley Marl, but when he blocked that time out in Long Island, that’s when I had a real feel for it. I had to direct the show for and produce it. That’s when I got onto Hot 97 and I got onto Shade 45/Sirius Satellite and from there that’s when more opportunities came along, but it was really him telling me “let’s open up this world of radio. And from radio, someone from the Connex List asked me to do a piece because they heard me on TV and radio and thought I could do something cool for the magazine. And from writing for the Connex List, I started writing for The Source, Urban Biker and different publications.

Clutch: Now, you’re of Dominican and Puerto Rican descent. Do you ever feel like there’s a lack of fair representation of Latinos in the media?
I feel that Latinos have always been present in the entertainment industry, but every couple years there’s this Latin explosion. I guess they forget that we’ve been here (chuckle) and they “discover” us every couple years. And that’s okay too, just as long as they’re aware that we’ve been in this industry. But, someone who’s had a really big biggest impact on me is Jennifer Lopez. She was a girl from the Bronx who went auditions; went for dancing, went for acting, did whatever she had to do because she had a bigger vision for herself than just living in the Bronx. I think that for a lot of people growing up in the inner city—or in the suburbs in Middle America—say they see something bigger than just living in their four walls or in their community. I can relate most to her. Every day she got on the train, every day she went on auditions, and she had in the back of her mind something bigger. She had the vision for herself. I love what she’s doing and the way she maneuvered in the industry.

Clutch: What are some of the struggles you’ve encountered while making a name for yourself in entertainment?
One thing I feel a lot females still go through today is not letting your sexuality define you, which is very hard in this industry. This is entertainment and we all know that sex sells. If you happen to have a body or pretty face, they say let’s work with that as opposed to going, “Oh, she has talent to produce, direct, write.” Once you go out there, you have to prove it to people that you bring more to the table. You kind of have to put it in their face because if not, they’ll take you and say, “This is what you will do. This is how you will look. This is what you will say.” With every project that I do I make sure I have a bigger hand in it than just being the face. When I was hosting Video City on cable access (or whatever TV shows that I’m doing), I make sure that what I’m saying is not what someone told me to say. I try to put my flavor into it and direct myself the way that I want to be presented and not let someone tell me how I was going to look or how I should be represented.

Clutch: You’re working with former VP Al Gore’s Current TV. Tell us about the project and how the experience has been so far.
The great thing about Current TV is they present news that’s happening around the world in a cool way that’s not boring or preachy. I hooked up with some of the producers of Current TV and I did pieces on AIDS/HIV in the neighborhood and on the stop snitching campaign, which I actually went on Fox’s 5 Mike & Juliette’s Morning Show to talk about that with the VP of The Source. It feels like a lot of people have the Hip-hop and urban community a little bit misunderstood. The feel like everybody here is misguided and ignorant. When I did the piece for Current TV, it opened up how everyone in the community feels about certain topics. With HIV/AIDS, not everybody wants to have sex and be loose. With the stop snitching thing, not everybody believes in this stop snitching thing. And when I did the pieces for Current TV, it showed that even though we all listen to Hip-hop or we all live in urban communities, we don’t all think the same way. It was entertaining, but it gave an outlook and enlightened people about what was really going on in the Hip-hop community.

Clutch: What do you credit as your biggest accomplishment so far?
My biggest accomplishment is when I go back to elementary schools and junior high school and speak to students. They ask me questions like, “Did you meet 50 Cent? Did you meet Chris Brown?” And I tell them yeah, but the first thing I tell them is don’t let anybody tell them they can’t do something. I always ask them what they want to be when they grow up. And a lot of them are cynical about where they see themselves. I tell them my story of growing up in the projects and coming from a single parent household. I let them know I may not be a 50 Cent or Jennifer Lopez, but I’m on my way to being successful. At the end of the day if you’re successful and you’re following what you want to do, then no can categorize you as anything less than what you see yourself as. That’s the biggest thing to me, to go back to these schools and show them I’m just like you and I’m on my way to success and you can be too.

Clutch: You’re constantly criss-crossing the nation from hosting events, doing radio work and participating in various media promotions. How do you juggle everything with your hectic schedule?
I don’t know! I actually just came back from Orlando and we had a delayed flight. As soon as we got there, all we could do is unpack. I rested for maybe two hours and got up, got dressed and did a twelve hour shift. But it’s my job and I have to make time for my work. When someone gets up at 5:00 a.m., they sacrifice half of their time and their day to go to work because they have to bring the bread and butter home for their families. They always look at the bigger picture and that’s what I do. I look at it as work. Although it is entertainment, it’s also my job. I just gotta do it. If I can’t sleep as much as I would like to, if I gotta run around looking crazy, I really don’t think about it. I just make sure I do it all.

Clutch: Working in radio, you have access to new music and hear about upcoming artists before the hit the airwaves. So who are some artists you’re listening to these days?
Some of the music I listen to, I have to admit, is dipping back to back-in-the-day music. I love Santogold, though. I think she’s doing some great things right now. I love Estelle, I think she’s doing great things too. But it’s something about music from back in the day. It makes you feel good, it makes you reminisce a little bit. I love Tina Turner. I love Sheena Easton. I’m listening to Prince right now and Journey. That’s the stuff I’m listening to.

Clutch: It’s safe to assume that you love fashion, being from the fashion capital of the world (NYC). Who are some designers that you’re rocking or stores that you frequent?
I can always depend on Urban Outfitters for the sales, so I love them! As for shopping, I love to into these up-and-coming designers’ closets. I love Miss Brucie, Katou. There are a lot of designers who have great stuff, so I like to go into their closets, find out what’s going on and pick up stuff from them. And it’s free, so that’s good, but at the same time you get to support the fashion world. So that’s the part I love.

Clutch: What advice would you give to others who are interested in working in media?
Be knowledgeable about your craft. If it’s entertainment, know what’s going on. If it’s music, know what’s going on. In media in general, know your research. Don’t get involved in your research or your craft—and what I mean by that is, you have to understand what’s going on, but you can’t too excited. I mean, it’s an exciting environment, but you have to understand what your position is in this world. Understand that it’s a career and a job, so professionalism is key. If you want to be successful, the only way you can be successful is if you keep your eye on your goal. So, know your craft and stay focused. Stay professional.

Clutch: Where do you see Dee Vazquez in five years?
I was asked that the other day and I have to admit, I really don’t know. Five years ago someone could’ve asked me if I would be in the position I’m in now and I wouldn’t have known it. I do know that I’m getting more into producing and I’m coming out with a couple of my own original works (check that out on the Internet). But all I know is I’m staying focused; I’m in it for success. So if I keep going on the same route that I’m on now, I know I will obtain success. How and what that will be, I really don’t know. Life has a way of throwing little oddballs at you, so I’m here to embrace it all and gain success and knowledge.

For more information on Dee Vazquez please visit www.deevazquez.com and www.myspace.com/deevazquez

He stole our hearts as a troubled seaman in Antwone Fisher, reminded us of our cocky, high school jock crush in Friday Night Lights, and he’s slated to star in the role of music mogul Sean “P. Diddy” Combs in the upcoming Notorious B.I.G. biopic. We here at Clutch are seriously feeling Derek Luke, and by the looks of his ever-evolving style game, we always will.