BlackBook: The Meteoric Rise of Nicki Minaj
Check out BlackBook’s interview with Nicki Minaj..
The first rule of a Nicki Minaj interview is simple: do not ask about her ass. Although I’d intended to do no such thing, I find myself nodding in deference when warned against it by the 26-year-old rapper’s publicist while riding an elevator up to the 50th floor of Midtown Manhattan’s London hotel. “It won’t go over well,” she says as we approach the door to Minaj’s suite, which is flanked by three heavy-duty takeout bags from Red Lobster—evidence of a recent feast, and perhaps the secret to that globular, mythologized, and strictly off-limits derrière (an idea that wouldn’t have crossed my mind only moments ago).
Harper’s Bazaar Interviews Amy Winehouse, Unplugged
Even from a distance, and despite the fact that she is really very small indeed, Amy Winehouse, 27, is unmistakable. I recognize her instantly: that diminutive frame adorned with the beehive of black hair, the big mouth (which, in the tradition of Mick Jagger, seems designed to draw attention to the very point of Winehouse: her big and beautiful voice), and the pronounced curve of her bosom, which may or may not be cosmetically enhanced. (Winehouse has not commented on the rumors of breast-augmentation surgery that surfaced in October of 2009, but the bosom certainly appears much larger than it did a few years ago.)
Blackbook Features Liza Minelli
There are few performers capable of captivating the world’s attention like Liza Minnelli. Some of that attention has been good (her Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards; her “Single Ladies” cameo earlier this year in Sex and the City 2), some of it bad (her stint at the Betty Ford Center in 1984; her serious bout of viral encephalitis in 2000), and some of it downright ugly (her nasty divorce from concert promoter David Gest in 2007, just five years after the three-ring circus that was their wedding).
Vogue Cover: Gwyneth Paltrow
One day a few months ago, I was told that Oscar-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow had written a cookbook, and I was asked if I would like to write about it. After all, food is my field. Eating is my business. The idea was that I would spend some time cooking with Paltrow. As you might imagine, this could be a perilous assignment. If I discovered that Paltrow’s cooking was all pretense or, even worse, not very good to eat, I’d be trapped. She was scheduled for the August cover. Nobody would care to read a story disclosing that Gwyneth Paltrow is a bad cook. I would need to lie. But in sharp contrast to my everyday behavior, I never lie in my writing, and I certainly wouldn’t want to start now. The whole idea was impossibly risky.
Gwyneth Paltrow Cookbook
The Gwyneth Paltrow Cookbook comes with 150 great receipts for breakfast, sandwiches, burgers, soups, salads, entrees, sides and desserts.
Buy Gwyneth Paltrow Cookbook: My Father’s Daughter
Music to Me: The Soul Music of Mariyo Deon
By Brian Bowers
Oftentimes, when people think of a “soul artist” they are inclined to assume that the artist is some variety of singer or vocalist. If I said an young up-and-coming rapper by the name of Mariyo Deon is a soul artist many people would think I’ve officially lost my mind. Well, I’ve said it more than once thus far, and the fact remains that that I do believe Mariyo Deon is in fact a soul artist. This is less in the sense of industry “categories” and more from this fact: his music is from his soul, his life and his experience. With a style that fuses hip-hop and R&B, his sound is the direct result of being surrounded by musicians and music. Whether it was his Grandmother directing the church choir, or his father singing on Sunday morning, he is an heir to a natural, honest musical expression that is his own.
When conversing with Mariyo about his music it becomes apparent that Mariyo is fearlessly aggressive and passionate about music and success. “Michael and I have this thing where we say good is not enough. Don’t just be good, be great. You gotta be great.” The Michael he is referring to is Michael Redmond, an impassioned future music executive who serves as Mariyo’s manager. Both seem to possess an insatiable desire for success and at this rate, it seems the two are poised to take his career to the next level.
In his blatant refusal to adhere to musical genres and expectations, he is naturally a rebel. With a diverse and eclectic musical pallette, his musical interests and experience ranges from techno, to rock, to R&B—yes, he can sing as well. “I’ve worked with artists from Canada, from England…done pop, the techno thing…all of those things I am very capable of doing and I am comfortable with. But the music I am doing right now I am great at.” Later on, he admits somewhat shyly that he is “better at rapping, good at singing…I can hold a note. It comes from being around music.” Although he cites stars such as Drake and Kanye West as influences, he also mentions musical figures such as Maroon 5 and the iconic Quincy Jones. “If it were a perfect world…if I could do a track, it would have to be a band — Maroon 5. They have a very soulful sound…not far fetched from what I am living and experiencing.”
With the advent of social media and social networking sites, the sheer volume of music released digitally is overwhelming. Many artists face difficulty trying to stand out in an oversaturated music market . Despite these challenges, Mariyo has garnered a rather large following both locally and on the web. The viral internet campaign “Who is Mariyo Deon” launched by Michael Redmond and his associates was effectively used to raise interest in the artist amongst the blogosphere and internet community. 
Most recently, Deon released “Who is Mariyo Deon,” a mixtape featuring a wide range of original music, interpretations and styles. Tackling “coming of age” issues dealing with relationships and love on songs such as “Silly Love Song” to radio friendly anthems like “Chucks,” it is a solid musical offerring. After listening to the project, the one thing that remains clear is that Mariyo is human, fluid, growing and evolving. “I work hard to improve all the time…I’ve not always made the best decisions in life, but I’ve done things that I thought were best for me at the time.” In a business of smoke and mirrors, Mariyo is determined to remain true to himself. When asked whether or not he feels pressure to conform to industry expectations of young, Black male rappers Mariyo responds “I don’t feel pressure…I don’t change anything to fit, or to be marketable. Everything I do is all real life.” “Who is Mariyo Deon” showcases the natural ability and talent of a burgeoning young artist who is coming into his own both as an artist and as a young man. “I want people to know, feel and connect to me.”
Being a recording artist is hard. There are those who enter in and change with the times while trying to “fit in.” Then there are those who come and go because of an inability to find a niche. One can only believe that Deon will last beyond both of these scenarios and find success in this industry of constant change. The fearlessness and audacity of Mariyo suggests not only is he ready and willing to sacrifice all to reach his desired level of success to reach success, but he has the follow through and passion to make it. This idea was evident when Mariyo said confidently and unabashedly, “Everything is something I have lived, its all music to me.”
Elle’s March Cover Girl: Keira Knightley
On her character in The Misanthrope: “Jennifer’s kind of a crazy mix of being a complete bitch—confident and terrifying—yet she’s incredibly young and is probably being exploited way more than she actually realizes.”
On criticism of her acting skills: “Oh, they still say that! Every time I do an interview with the English press, one of their questions is, ‘How do you feel knowing that everyone thinks you’re a shit actress?’ ”
Ethan Hawke on ‘Daybreakers’
To prepare for his fang duty in “Daybreakers,” actor Ethan Hawke says he studied “the greats” among past cinematic vampire performances, among them the acclaimed 2000 film “Shadow of the Vampire” featuring his “Daybreakers” costar Willem Dafoe.
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Blackbook – The New Legacy: Zoe Kazan
In 2001, Zoe Kazan enrolled in her first semester at Yale. One week later, the Twin Towers were attacked and the granddaughter of the late filmmaker Elia Kazan first encountered the baggage that comes with being part of a legacy. Read More
Harper’s Bazaar Cover: Tina Fey
The comical TIna Fey is feature on this month’s issue of Harper’s Bazaar. The once political stand-in for Sarah Palin speaks on balancing her career and life with her family!
Beat-Boxing Legend Scratch Sits Down with GoTV Networks
Scratch speaks with Go TV Networks about launching his career, latest and upcoming projects. Check it out!
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