Fans ‘Can’t Get Enough’ of Tamia Sunday, Apr 8 2007 

The Hilltop Stacy A. Anderson 9:06 PM

 

By Stacy A. Anderson, The Hilltop

April 5, 2007

http://www.thehilltoponline.com/life_style/1.462422

 In the music industry where artists seem to come and go, fans still “can’t get enough” of veteran singer Tamia. She has defined her own musical style while taking her career into her own hands.

The singer, born Tamia Washington in Windsor, Ontario, independently released her fourth album “Between Friends” on her own record label Plus 1 Music Group, after building her career as an artist representing several major labels.

“I wanted to do an album of songs that spoke to me. I had no agenda or deadline,” Tamia said in an interview with The Hilltop. “During that time off, I went to South Africa and did some of the new material there and had a great response. It was a liberating process. I definitely grew and grew enough to trust my own guts and step out on faith to be more in control.”

Tamia, who has shuffled from Warner Brothers/Quest, Electra and Atlantic records, has finally found security in her own business.

“I wanted to be more stable in my career and in the home of where I put my records,” she said of the company she launched at the end of 2005. “The best way was to start my own label [and] to take charge of my own life.”

Tamia entered the music scene in 1994 with “You Put A Move on My Heart” followed by a duet with Babyface titled “Slow Jams,” both featured on Quincy Jones’ produced album. Tamia soon earned two Grammy nominations before she had even released her own album. She also worked with Brandy, Gladys Knight and Chaka Khan on “Missing You” for the soundtrack to the 1996 film “Set It Off.”

Two years later, she released her self-titled debut album with the lead single “Imagination,” produced by Jermaine Dupri. Tamia also garnered success the same year with her Grammy-nominated duet with Eric Benét, “Spend My Life with You.”

“I’ve been fortunate to work with a lot of people,” Tamia said. “Hopefully I learned a thing or two. It’s something I cherish,” she said.

Tamia later established herself as a lasting artist with her second album in 2000 titled “A Nu Day.” The certified gold album featured top singles “Can’t Go For That” and “Stranger In My House.”

After being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Tamia returned in 2003 with “More,” including “Questions,” a single produced by R. Kelly. The album also featured a collaboration with rapper Fabolous titled “Into You.”

Since the release of her current album “Between Friends” last November, Tamia has taken her promotional tour across the country, making some stops in Detroit, Atlanta, Orlando, Charlotte, Baltimore and Washington, D.C.

“It’s been so much fun,” she said as she talked about the live set with a full band. “We call it the ‘Between Friends Session’ and it’s been at intimate clubs.”

Tamia said the smaller venues often give a personal atmosphere to engage with fans.

“It’s been fun. That’s what I do. I love to see places like that, where you can touch people and have that interaction,” she said.

She added that her performance at H2O nightclub in the District last month was well received by a packed house.

“It was amazing,” she said. “Everyone was singing the music. That’s a performer’s dream, to have everyone singing your song.”

Tamia said she is also able to connect with her fans through her online account at Myspace.com/therealtamia and the redesigned site www.tamiaworld.com 

“It’s definitely time consuming, but I definitely check it and respond,” she said about her MySpace page. “I have very loyal fans. I wanted to give them the album that they told me to give.”

And appropriately so, her fans were able to vote online to select her next singles, which will be the storytelling ballad “Me” and “Too Grown for That” produced by Rodney Jerkins and featuring Jim Jones. Tamia said both women and men can identify with the up-tempo single by Jerkins.

“It’s about going out and not necessarily going to find someone, but to have a good time, not to be hampered by someone,” she said.

While sustaining her music career, Tamia has also handled the pressures of being a mother while performing on the road.

“It’s a part of the job. The goal is to keep balance and sometimes I feel like I’m in a circus,” said Tamia, who announced at her Washington,  D.C., show that she is four months pregnant with her second child. Tamia and her husband, NBA player Grant Hill, have a 5-year-old daughter named Myla Grace.

“I’d rather lean on the side of family, but everyone who works with me knows where I stand. That’s why I own the things that I do. That’s important, the way of multimedia. You can own what you do.”

Tamia will most likely never have to choose, since she attracts faithful fans such as freshman political science major Lauren Belcher.

“She might not have as much publicity as other artists, but her albums are consistent,” Belcher said. “I really like the sound of her voice. It’s pure. I like her consistency.”

 

One-On-One with Celebrity Stylist Misa Hylton Monday, Mar 5 2007 

The Hilltop Stacy A. Anderson 2:02 AM

 

By Stacy A. Anderson, The Hilltop

March 2, 2007

http://www.thehilltoponline.com/life_style/1.462710

Hip-hop celebrity stylist Misa Hylton, best known for creating Lil’ Kim’s daring appliqué one-shoulder ensemble years ago, has recently launched eboutique Madison Star Couture.

The online fashion store, which is named after her daughter, opened at the end of February although it has been in the making for several years.

“Timing is everything, and things have been busy with me having a large clientele,” said Hylton, who has dressed everyone from comedian Chris Rock to tennis pro Serena Williams. “Initially, I wanted to do a boutique or flagship store. But now everyone can access it nationally and globally. It’s the way of the future.”

Fashionistas can now access rare pieces from up and coming designers at  www.madisonstarcouture.com. The Web site has military-themed pieces by Mik Serfontaine’s Bambu Tyger and Asian-inspired blouses by Meghan Fabulous, who has dressed Vivica A. Fox and Mya.

“They are established, but not as common as say Gucci. It’s of something with the same luxury level and quality level, [but] you won’t see a lot of people with it on,” she said. “I’m big on details. It’s about being different and having items that stand out.”

Hylton said she is working on a denim line for Madison Star Couture, which will be available in the fall. Plus sizes and a broader range of accessories will also be available later this year.

Hylton joined the fashion industry when she began to style R&B group Jodeci and Mary J. Blige in the early 1990s. She has also dressed The Notorious B.I.G., Missy Elliot, Faith Evans, Foxy Brown and P. Diddy, who is the father of her eldest son, Justin.

In 1995, she started Chyna Doll Enterprises to additionally provide product placement and image consulting for brands like Apple Bottoms, Marc Bouwer, Enyce, Fendi, Versace and Jacob the Jeweler.  In 2004, she served as costume designer for the comedy “The Cook Out,” starring Danny Glover and Queen Latifah.

Similar to the way she handles business, the mother of three also follows her own path when it comes to fashion.

“I’m more into confidence and representing your own personal style. People make the trend, so be your own trendsetter,” said Hylton, who has sported everything from a platinum blonde, cropped cut to her current jet-black, tousled curls.

Howard University, one of two HBCUs to offer fashion merchandising as a major, houses an array of aspiring talent for the fashion world. Hylton advised them to start honing in on their skills now.

“You should become knowledgeable about the industry you want to get into. A lot of things cannot be taught; you need to experience it,” she said.

Hylton’s recent projects include styling for new VH1 shows “Wifey’s” and Kimora Lee Simmon’s reality series, both set to air in the fall. She also styled Gabrielle Union, Morris Chestnut, Terrence Howard and other cast members for “The Perfect Christmas,” opening later this year for the holidays.

 

Black Celebrity Blogs Dish News 24/7 Sunday, Jan 28 2007 

The Hilltop Stacy A. Anderson 2:14 AM

 Stacy A. Anderson, The Hilltop/Black College Wire

November 15, 2006

http://www.blackcollegewire.org/culture/070110_blogs/

 Students are turning increasingly to Web sites for news. And for breaking news on black celebrities, blogs are beating the competition.

Over the past two years, black celebrity blogs have joined such frequently visited entertainment sites as AllHipHop.com and MTVnews.com.

Concrete Loop, which celebrated its one-year anniversary in November, claims 60,000 hits per day. Its creator, a 22-year old college junior in Jacksonville, N.C., who calls herself Angel La, started the blog after noticing a lack of black celebrities in entertainment blogs.

“We need our voice out there, too. We have the same things they do, people just choose not to post about it. Blacks have events, we have drama and there’s another side to it,” Angel La said. “People want news right now. They don’t want to wait a month, a week or day.”

Angel La said she collects her information from industry insiders, e-mails from readers and what she learns surfing the Internet. “Everything is in the Net; you just need to know the right people and sites,” she said.

Angel La credits one of the first black entertainment blogs, Crunk and Disorderly, as an inspiration. Although many black entertainment blogs post similar information, she said, it’s all in the way each presents it.

Natasha Eubanks, 24, started a black entertainment blog last summer, Young, Black and Fabulous. Eubanks, a law student who recently relocated to the Washington area, said she gets about 99 percent of the information she posts simply from researching the Internet out of her own curiosity and interest.

Young, Black and Fabulous, which was called “a blog to watch” by Newsweek magazine, accumulated 6 million users since it started in July, Eubanks said.

Eubanks, who often consulted her law professors, has run into some legal issues, like most other blog creators. “I never cut and paste people’s words; that’s just not cool. It’s no need to copy from other people,” she said.

She has taken down leaked pictures of R&B singer Mya, as well as a song by Jennifer Hudson for the “Dreamgirls” movie.

Angel La said she was concerned after posting photos of singer Ne-Yo photographing himself in a sexual situation with a back-up dancer. She said the crooner later e-mailed her and assured he would not take any legal action, since the photos were allegedly stolen from his Sidekick device.

Critics often question the credibility and newsworthiness of some Web logs, since they can be created by virtually any user with a blog host.

Robert L. Asher, a member of the Howard University journalism faculty and an editorial writer for the Washington Post, said, “I’m not sure that most people do rely more on blogs and Web sites than TV or radio. I hope not,” he said. “Anybody with a computer can babble a blog or put anything on a Web site with no proof whatsoever. Maybe some people think the blogs and sites are more personal, but it’s like believing anything any stranger tells you.”

Tracy Scott, a producer at BET Interactive, said readers want a human element in addition to hard-hitting news.

“People want more context with their news facts,” she said. “Blogs have a tendency to give that human perspective and impact that hard-news reports sometimes neglect either because of time, space limitations or dedication to objectivity.”

Both blog creators agreed that some sites have posted untrue stories to spike daily hits. But they said those sites often remain viable only for a short time, since accurate blogs prevail.

Although blogging can entail hours of research and fact checking, it can be lucrative. Hollywood blogger Perez Hilton, a 28-year-old whose real name is Mario Lavandeira, told the Los Angeles Times in November that he makes six figures. The newspaper said he has combined his three failed occupations — actor, publicist and journalist — to strike gold.

Eubanks said blogging has opened doors for her career as well. Eubanks recently began to blog for King Magazine’s Web site and Sohh.com, a hip-hop weekly news site.

Angel La said reader feedback is key.

“Industry people want to know what the fans know. Feedback is like 80 percent of the site. If it wasn’t for visitors, we wouldn’t have a site.”

Shari Hinds, a senior pre-physical therapy major at Howard, said she visits blogs on a regular basis.

“Everything is there. I don’t have to visit each individual Web site to get information,” she said. “Concrete Loop reviews new music and has random pictures, and shows how award shows play out. It’s easy access and up to date. I tell everybody about it.”

 

‘Turn It Up’: Johnta Austin Album Sounds ‘Promising’ Saturday, Oct 7 2006 

The Hilltop Stacy A. Anderson 8:28 PM

By Stacy A. Anderson, The Hilltop

 October 5, 2006

http://www.thehilltoponline.com/life_style/1.463752

“If at first you don’t succeed, try again.”

 The old-age cliché is the phrase that music producer and upcoming vocalist Johnta Austin lives by. His first single, “Turn It Up,” featuring Jermaine Dupri, can now be heard on the radio, but Austin has been in the music industry for over a decade.

Most recently, Austin helped write the majority of Janet Jackson’s new album, 20Y.O. and is currently in the studio with Jessica Simpson and Mary J. Blige, but his career is not without humble beginnings.

He started in the entertainment business as a host for teen programs on CNN and Turner Broadcasting Station in Atlanta at the age of 12. One guest he interviewed for a show ignited his future musical aspirations.

“I interviewed Arsenio Hall and the stipulation was that if I interviewed him, he could interview me,” Austin said in an interview with The Hilltop. “He asked me on the show if there was anything else I wanted to do and I said music, so I sang a hook.”

A record producer was in the audience of the late night show and Austin soon signed a record deal with RCA records in 1994 at 13 years old. Austin’s deal grew sour over time and he was soon replaced by another upcoming R&B teen star by the name of Tyrese.

“Basically at that point, I learned at an early age that you can be bitter about what happens to you or do something about it,” Austin explained of his disappointment. “I put my pen to the paper and tried to write something. It was the only option at the time to stay in the music business.”

Austin continued to wait for his big break as a solo artist, while writing for other singers. Although Tyrese took away  his first chance to shine, Austin received much success at 16 from writing “Sweet Lady,” which became a hit for Tyrese in 1998.

Austin went on to write and co-write memorable tracks like Ideal’s no. 2 hit “Get Gone,” “I Don’t Wanna” by Aaliyah, and Toni Braxton’s “Just Be A Man (About It).” Austin also reached  the no. 1 spot with Aaliyah’s “Miss You.” He has collaborated with various talents in the music industry such as Faith Evans, Ginuwine, B2K, Ciara, Ruben Studdard, Fantasia and Mario.

Austin eventually returned to his own singing roots, and in 2005 he released  the single, “Lil More Love” on So So Def and Virgin Records. A debut album was set to follow soon after, but the release date was pushed back. Austin, who still remained in the limelight with his cameo in Dupri’s “Gotta Getcha,” said the album needed more time to be perfected.

“‘A Li’l More Love’ was a buzz record. We wanted people to get a taste,” he said. “‘Turn It Up’ is the official single with a video. Jermaine wanted to give it more time, since it was originally supposed to come out in October.”

Austin spent the time improving his debut and learning from his mentor and friend Dupri, who has guided the careers of artists like Mariah Carey and Bow Wow.

“It’s an honor. I think about it all the time,” Austin said.

“Jermaine’s track record is amazing. You can feel the magic. It’s like playing with Michael Jordan or for the Yankees.”

Dupri also helped Austin with the clever title for his album now set with a December 26 release date. “Ocean Drive is a strip in Miami,” he said. “It’s a mentality; when we hear Ocean Drive, we think fun, sexy, no inhibitions—and that’s what we want this album to be.”

Austin, who helped write Carey’s “Shake It Off,” “It’s Like That” and “Don’t Forget About Us” won his first Grammy last year from her no. 1 hit “We Belong Together.”

“Now I feel like Dwayne Wade when he won a championship so early in the game,” Austin said of winning one of the most prestigious music awards. “It’s out of the way and now I can really experiment. It’s truly all about the music now. The pressure is not there anymore to win. Some people spend their whole careers to get that. Don’t get me wrong, I would like to win more awards, but I have one and it can’t be taken away.”

Austin, who is no stranger to the District, performed at Howard’s Yardfest last year and again this summer at Club H20. He also stopped by WHBC radio station yesterday to chat with DJs about his career and upcoming album. The student-run radio station added Austin to the rotation earlier this school year, with several requests in Austin’s favor as a result.

“He’s gotten a better response than most new artists in the past,” said sophomore audio production major Anthony Poole.

Poole, who is also music director for WHBC said, “He’s real humble and down to earth, a real cool cat. His album is promising.”

 

Hobbyist Builds Beauty ‘Empire’ Saturday, Oct 7 2006 

The Hilltop Stacy A. Anderson 7:43 PM

By Stacy A. Anderson, The Hilltop

September 20, 2006

http://www.thehilltoponline.com/2.4800/1.463937

Lisa Price filed for bankruptcy at the tender age of 28 years old. Over a decade later, Price reportedly makes more than $2 million annually—all because she chose to follow her heart.

Price is the creator of Carol’s Daughter, a body and hair care line that has well-known loyal fans and investors such as Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige, Erykah Badu, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith.

Price said blending fragrances was just a hobby until 1993, when her mother, the late Carol Hutson, encouraged her to sell her goods at local flea markets and craft fairs. Word of mouth spread quickly about her unique fragrances and customers soon came knocking on her door. After years of continuing to sell products from the comfort of her home, she opened a Brooklyn-based store in 1999.

Carol’s Daughter, which follows the mantra “beauty by nature,” boasts catching fragrant blends and products with rich concentration compared to beauty products in local malls. Price said her products consist of higher percentages of cocoa and shea, as well as fats instead of water, providing more moisture. She also said the key lies in the scent.
“We are very particular about the fragrance,” she said.

“Everything starts with the fragrance, it needs to be intense.”

These distinct blends and products range from Almond Cookie Body Butter to Mimosa Hair Honey, with the names often defining the content or initial thought when first smelled. The scent “SweetHoneyDipChocolateBrownSugah” came from a day of experimenting in her kitchen five years ago, while grooving to the poetic flows of D’Angelo and Jill Scott.

“I didn’t want to have products that everyone had, that’s why I started blending for myself. It’s hard to make something that is just one scent,” she  said. For example, green tea-scented items also have a dash of honey suckle, apple, and honey dew.

Carol’s Daughter, which continues to thrive by mail orders, online services and the Brooklyn location, also opened a flagship store in Harlem last October. Earlier this year, products became available through more than 25 Sephora locations, as well as the popular beauty emporium’s website.

In August, the Howard University Bookstore even welcomed Carol’s Daughter to the shelves. Price said she hopes her products bring some comfort to students far away from home.

“Being broke, not eating home-cooked meals…but having your favorite shampoo or moisturizer is a great way to bring some of those comforts. That smell will remind them of something their grandmother baked, like a piece of home in your dorm. I hope that it can get some people through exams and stress and love affairs– and keeping these memories,” Price said.

Donna Morris-Powell, operations manager of the HUB said there has been an excellent response to the first shipment of Carol’s Daughter products. Also, Powell said the success story of a young black woman serves as an example to students seeking their own business endeavors.

“She makes students aware that they can achieve whatever they want and be successful at whatever they want. As women, we often have the stigma against us, we are a double minority, but we have a chance in this world.”

Powell added that the bookstore would continue to keep Carol’s Daughter in stock and unveil a full display on the second floor before Homecoming.

Along with the title of entrepreneur, Price is also an author, penning a book about her life experiences in 2004, titled “Success Never Smelled So Sweet: How I Followed My Nose and Found My Passion.” 

Price described the memoir as a combined self-help, business and aromatherapy guidebook. “It’s telling the story of how things in your life guide you to where you should be.”