Tonight on VH1 book a seat on Soul Train: The Hippest Trip in America for a bumpin’ ride down memory lane, and a lesson in the program’s historical and cultural significance. However, you might find yourself unable to stay seated as you travel through a soulful music history. Soul Train through the ages has been a source of fashion and style inspiration, a lesson in the latest dance moves and a showcase for the hottest musical talent. Soul Train was the last in the line-up of must-see Saturday morning programming (after the all-important 4-5 hours of Saturday morning cartoons) and was a catalyst for creating careers for those who wanted to break into the entertainment industry. Narrated by Oscar nominated Actor Terrence Howard and scored by Questlove from The Roots, Don Cornelius, the creator of Soul Train and living legends like Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin, Sly Stone to John Legend and Chrisette Michelle, who found inspiration in the show, contributed to the making of this documentary. We caught up with Associate Producer Dana Gills for a chat on her journey through the musical ages with a few of Soul Train’s legends.

Clutch: What can we expect this evening on Soul Train: The Hippest Trip in America?
Dana: The documentary covers how Don Cornelius created this platform for so many different people and its impact on Black culture from fashion, politics and hair, to bridging different cultures together. When Don created Soul Train, there were no other platforms for Black music artists in the 70’s. Soul Train was the first. It’s an awesome brand, and I’m glad it’s being paid its due.

Clutch: Were you able to get an interview with Don Cornelius?
Dana: Yes. He was our first interview. He discussed with us his mission behind creating the show, and Soul Train over the years.

Clutch: I can remember a few regulars on the show every weekend. Did you actually get a chance to talk with any of the famous Soul Train Dancers?
Dana: We did! We talked to a lot of the dancers and one of my favorites was Jody Watley. She was probably one of the biggest Soul Train dancers in terms of later success. She went on to become a model and recording artist. Don really took her under his wing and recognized her talent as a Soul Train dancer.

Clutch: It sounds like the historical significance of this show really runs deep and in many different directions.
Dana: The documentary really provides a vehicle for Soul Train to finally receive its due. It helps to immortalize the brand and reintroduces Soul Train to the people who grew-up on it, and to the newer generations. We interviewed a lot of artists that have appeared on the show from Teddy Pendergrass to Snoop. Soul Train was an opportunity for producers, camera operators, talent bookers and many others. It provided a way for Blacks to get their foot in the entertainment door. And, before Soul Train, there weren’t any ads directly targeted at Black people. Soul Train introduced that. The show has made such a huge impact in many categories, and this is the first time it has been explored historically.

Clutch: Can you provide us with any fun facts or “wow” moments you’ve had while filming the documentary?
Dana: Going to Joe Jackson’s house and begging him to convince Michael Jackson to grant us an interview was memorable. Unfortunately that didn’t happen. Also, Rosie Perez actually told us that Don would tell her to tone down her moves. In addition to that the Soul Train dancers were coming in for interviews and showing us moves. Both Louie Carr and The Lockers insisted thay we play music after their interviews so they could teach us some of their signature moves.

Soul Train: The Hippest Trip in America airs on VH1 Saturday, February 6 at 9:30 pm. You’ll also be able to catch throughout Black History Month on BET and Centric.

Nicole K. Garner is indisputably ambitious. Her firm, The Garner Circle is a full services agency offering public relations, lifestyle marketing and event execution. With added offices in both New York and Los Angeles, The Garner Circle boasts an extensive client list of celebrities, luxury brands and non-profits. Considered one of the most influential and fastest growing PR agencies, The Garner Circle continues to yield results with tactics grounded in principle and integrity.

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Clutch spoke with Nicole about her motivation and where she’s taking it from here.

Clutch: How did you launch your career and get to where you are today?
Nicole: My career aspirations started in college. I knew I had a passion for writing, planning events and dealing with people. There began my love for public relations. Majoring in public relations and grabbing every chance at an internship that I could find, I began to perfect my craft with hands–on experience. Continuing my education at FIT in New York, I began to delve more into the niche of fashion, beauty and lifestyle public relations. Opening my firm not long after graduating from college, I brought the energy of these niche industries to untraditional markets including my home, Atlanta. Today my firm operates in Atlanta, New York and Los Angeles and we have worked with a variety of exciting brands including Xbox 360, New Era Cap, BET, Porsche, Adidas, Janelle Monae, and more.

Clutch: What have you had to sacrifice along the way, if anything?
Nicole: Sleep. In my line of work there are very long days and very long nights. Staying ahead of the curve and at the brink of what’s next is what keeps us in business but also calls for a lot of time dedication.

Clutch: How do you define success?
Nicole: Being in control of your time, feeling a sense of accomplishment, experiencing growth and change with gratitude and candor.

Clutch: How do you balance work and life?
Nicole: It is hard but I have grown to realize that it is a necessity. I prioritize. I plan as far out in advance as possible. I leave buffer time in my schedule so I can plan for the unexpected and alleviate the stress, not to mention the technology I depend on (e.g. blackberry, e- marketing tools, synchronized calendars, etc).

Clutch: Who is your role model or mentor?
Nicole: In my personal life: my parents. In regards to work, I look up to women who manage to balance it all, business, family and personal life who are Marvet Britto, Patti Webster and those who are not scared to dream big.

Clutch: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Nicole: Expanding the agency’s presence in major and sub-markets, a national book tour for my book “Are You In… Publicity’s Alter Ego”, expanding our publicity workshops, and launching my nail lacquer collection “White Lies/ Color Truths in Spring 2010.

For more on Nicole and The Garner Circle PR visit: www.TheGarnerCircle.com and www.WhiteLiesColorTruths.com .

Although fros and locs has proven its resilience in our cultural memory and the continued commodification of Black hair aesthetics appear everywhere from the Louis Vuitton Spring 2010 runway shows to the “we can do Black too” pages of the Italian Vogue, there is still a need to affirm the beauty of natural hair. There is still a need for comedic documentaries like Chris Rock’s “Good Hair” to blow open the closet on Black cultural intricacies. When Philly-based designer, Andrea Pippins decided to turn her Temple University MFA thesis into the brand, I Love My Hair she instinctively became apart of the field of natural hair soldiers.

At a reasonable price, Andrea affirms in screen-printed turquoise blue on chocolate Murano paper, “You can call my hair kinky coily curly whatever it’s mine, its me and I love it.”

In a market of anti-coil messages, Andrea’s I Love My Hair is a celebratory and honest extension of Black self-love arts that can be perfect for holiday gifting or for the walls of our own pads. Calling upon the liberating feeling of going and gone natural, Clutch caught up with Andrea to discuss I Love My Hair and why this statement is still necessary to affirm.

Clutch: Why did you decide to go natural?
Andrea: I went natural because I was tired of getting a relaxer. One day I just asked myself, why am I doing this? Although my permed hair was visibly healthy who knows what those chemicals were doing to me internally. The process was unappealing, uncomfortable and felt completely unnecessary. Besides, I wanted to try something different. Back then there weren’t any natural hair blogs or magazines for me to get ideas, or ask questions so I had to look completely within myself to make the decision and once I did I felt so free. That was eight years ago.

Clutch: How did this transition propel you to create I Love My Hair?
Andrea: The transition of going natural is so beautiful to me. The internal debate of whether or not to do it, then the journey once one finally decides to do it, and the sisterhood and friendships that evolve between women who have gone through the same process. When I was developing I Love My Hair for my thesis project all these things came to mind. I wanted to take those elements and interpret them into a very simple image that encouraged Black women to embrace their natural coils. Although the overall going-natural journey is unique to each individual, most women have identical experiences within the process. So when creating the campaign I felt it was important to suggest those parallels. When women, mainly naturals, see the images they can always relate in some way. Those personal connections inspired me to create the brand.

Clutch: Your work clearly falls along the trajectory of the Black is beautiful/Black arts movement. Marcus Garvey affirmed the beauty of Blackness in the early twentieth century. Nearly a century later, why do you think we still have to affirm the beauty of natural hair?
Andrea: We still have to affirm our hair because we still have so many issues with these coils. A lot of us still hate our hair, are ashamed of it and think that it’s inferior. Just the other day someone close to me said that they hated their hair. Not like “I hate brussel sprouts” but like “why did God give us hair like this?” kind of hate. It is just hair, but the relationships we have with our hair is just the tip of some deeply rooted issues. If it is just hair then why are we the ones spending billions of dollars on products and tons of hours in the salon to change the way it naturally is?

Let’s face it the media has an extreme impact on how we see ourselves and how we define our own beauty. It also plays a big role in how we see or don’t see our hair. Clearly, naturally coily hair is not a part of the standard of beauty the media imposes. As a matter-of-fact, there are many anti-coil messages all over the media. Although it’s a problem, forget the media! Until we own and love ourselves (and our hair) we will never see changes in magazines, in hair salons, and beauty/hair supply stores. Once you love yourself (and hair for this matter) you will demand high-quality hair products and services. Hair salons will have to figure out ways to attract your business instead of turning up their noses when you walk in with a head full of thick coils. Lord knows that has happened to me a number of times. The media will then take notice and cater to the growing number of naturally coily ladies.

Clutch: Some of your works are hybrids of text and images. You declare in your “Self Love” piece, “I went natural for me and my daughter. I wanted to be an example of self-love.” What is the process like for creating these affirmations?
Andrea: At first, when writing the messages I was thinking about my own natural hair experiences. But I also wanted to speak from different points of view (i.e. a mother to her daughter). I spoke to natural friends and read a lot of hair blogs to see what was being said about the going natural experience. Then I developed my own brief versions of those stories.

The messages are affirmations, ones I would think a woman might say to herself when she thinks about her natural hair and why she loves it. But they could also be viewed as answers to someone asking why they went natural. In the end the viewer is looking at a confident women expressing her story through her hair, both visually and metaphorically.

Clutch: Who are you speaking to?
Andrea: Mainly I’m speaking to women who are natural because they can be vehicles of positive re-enforcement. These images remind us that we are beautiful and when we feel beautiful, our self-confidence inspires others. I’m also speaking to those who have and who have not thought about going natural. Instead of being anti-perm, I wanted these stories to be pro-coil. I have to say I really believe that you should do whatever you want with your hair, so I would never impose my natural beliefs on anyone. The I Love My Hair messages are here to say to Black women that coily hair is not ugly, not inferior, but should be embraced and loved.

Clutch: Tell us who some of your influences are?
Andrea: Marian Bantjes. She is a phenomenal hand-lettering artist and I always look to her work for inspiration. Luba Lukova is another designer I LOVE! She’s known for her poster illustrations that simplify heavy global issues into graphic shapes in very limited palettes. And I also love graphic designer Roberto De Vicq who is just brilliant! I love how he uses type to tell a visual story.

That’s what I love about art and design, taking a boring, difficult, or heavy topic and communicating it in a way that is digestible and beautiful.

Clutch: What’s next for I Love My Hair?
Andrea: More artwork. A very small run of t-shirts, stationery, and some other things I’d like to keep a secret. I hope to reveal when the time is right.

[Photo Credit: Photo by Emily Wren]

Check out I Love My Hair at www.ilovemyhair.com and Andrea’s blog, Fly at www.flygirls.typepad.com.

Clutch: Who are you likely to pop in on a long drive, Amel Larrieux or India Arie?
Algebra: Amel Larrieux

Clutch: Which up and coming artist(s) do you feel like people should get excited about?
Algebra: Ha!!! ALGEBRA BLESSETT Ha!!!!

Clutch: Which old school album do you like to unwind to or dance around the house in?
Algebra: Not just one!!! Impossible!!! Outkast-Southernplayalistic, 80’s Whitney Houston, Deniece Williams, KLYMAXX, New Edition, MJ!!! (all on shuffle).

Clutch:What’s artists are in heavy rotation in your iPod?
Algebra: 80′S Whitney Houston, David Ryan Harris, J Moss, Drake, Gucci Mane, Keri Hilson, Fiest, Emotions, Anita Baker.

Clutch:What can you tell us about your next project?
Algebra: It will have a few features and interesting concoctions of music, live of course!!! Good music!!

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For more on Algebra please visit  www.myspace.com/algebrablessett and Facebook.

With a ceaselessly fur-clad Grandmother (even to the grocery store) and a mother who industriously discovered a full Chanel suit at a thrift store, Ivirlei is from a matrilineal tradition of glamour. The creator and editor-in-chief of The League Magazine and today, the woman behind the first production from Q3030, a digital media network and distributor of online programming was revealed amid an insightful and largely giggly chat. Ivirlei is about the business of sharing the “in glam we trust” lifestyle with women who look like her.

Clutch: Who is Ivirlei and how did your interest in fashion and beauty come about?
Ivirlei: I moved to Atlanta to be a singer and songwriter. I was writing and recording and realized I was way more interested in the styling and the photo-shoots. My whole life I’ve been a magazine fanatic. I would write articles about the other singer when I should be recording. I was obviously not in the right area.

I’ve always had these sketchbooks. I would cut a bunch of pictures out of magazines, clue them into the sketchbooks and write articles to inspire me. It’s like a diary but there were pictures and designs. I had 6 or 7 books filled up and called them “Gasoline Books.” While singing, I would continue to work on my books. They were all about fashion, beauty, staying confident and even dealing with haters. They became something that I could rely on like a vision board, my fuel to keep going. My sister encouraged me start my own magazine and I started The League Magazine in 2007. I turned The League into an urban women’s magazine. I put the ‘blackest’ Black girl in it and everything that applies to us, showing us in a positive light. By chance, a friend of mine told me that Marq Sears, the owner of Q3030 really loved the magazine. Marq pushed me to turn it into a show.

Clutch: Tell us about your vision for This is Glam and why this show is catered to urban women?
Ivirlei: My vision for This is Glam is to focus on all designers and products but to it gear to an urban perspective. We want to be an online resource for everything style and beauty giving you an honest view. We’ll feature experts in the industry and women in the Luxe Mob. The Luxe Mob is a group of up and coming urban women in all creative fields. It’s a sisterhood and network for women based all over the country. We hope to get to the point where we have over 100,000 women. Most of the Luxe Mob will be featured on This is Glam.

Clutch: I watched the first pilot and I loved it! There are other online shows like the new B. Scott Show that are catered to the online urban community. But you have a distributor through Q3030. This is super clever and brings a sophistication to online media. Why webisodes? Why do you think online media is such a timely power move right now?
Ivirlei: Whenever I wanted to learn how to do a smoky eye, I would go to YouTube. There are hundreds of tutorials, but I found a lack of videos catered to urban women. The webisodes are short, quick and to the point and you’ll learn something new. I could have easily went into my bathroom with my laptop and applied some makeup, but This is Glam is an entire production with original content. I wanted to be viral because so many young women are looking for this.

Clutch: Do you have plans to shop the series to television networks? If so, what would be your ideal network?
Ivirlei: Yes, and this is the goal for most of the shows that will be on Q3030. Marq wants to produce the shows, build a following and then approach networks.

I would love to be featured on the Style Network, I’m a big fan. It lacks a lot of urban content and I think This is Glam would be a good fit.

Clutch: Why should women in the urban community watch This is Glam? What kind of shows and features can we look forward to?
Ivirlei: All of the content is based around us. Even though I’m a host and I created the show, I’m still a viewer. It’s an honest show and I won’t feature anything I don’t believe in. We want to introduce our demographic to new designers and new beauty trends. We’re planning to feature celebrities and celebrity stylists to talk about their personal style. We want to go shopping with them and discuss their beauty tips, giving viewers the real deal. I don’t see a limit to This is Glam. The pilot season is a test-drive. We encourage viewer feedback, so please send comments.

Clutch: Well, since Ivirlei is all glam, what’s in your Clutch?
Ivirlei:
Nars Blush in “Craze”
Demeter for Women “Pure Soap” cologne spray
Mac “Oh Baby” Lip-glass
Trident gum
Maybelline “Great Lash” mascara
1409 Perfume roller
Flash drive
Z Gallerie Business cardholder
Mac Bronzing Powder Compact
Nature Made vitamins
Advil
True Blue Spa lotion
iPhone and money, of course!

This is Glam webisodes posts every Monday. The next show will focus on hair! For more information on This is Glam please visit www.thisisglam.com and follow Ivirlei @ twitter.com/Ivirlei.

Clutch: You lay out the fifteen principles in a very upfront way, how did you determine these principles as aspects to succeed in dating and marriage?
OKEEBA: These principles came from years of experience in dating and marriage. The wheels do not change…just the people that are rolling on them. I have seen firsthand, through my own relationships and relationships of those around me, the do’s and don’ts of dating and marriage. Regardless of what others think, dating and marriage is a game you must understand in order to be successful. It’s not about getting over on your woman, it’s about understanding your woman.

ZACH: We addressed the most common problems we saw and heard from men and their dealings with women. Regardless if they were dating, in a serious relationship, or in a
marriage we felt these were the most common things that men have to deal with – the questions that needed answers.

Clutch: What is your current status, married, single, dating?
OKEEBA: My current status is that I am happily divorced and a full-time single father of two wonderful little girls (eight & six years old). Some may ask, “How can he give us advice on winning in marriage?” The truth is, I left my marriage because I married a dead beat and I saw that this was heading nowhere fast.

ZACH: I am currently married with one daughter, and although we’ve only been married for five years we have been in a relationship for almost ten years.

Clutch: How have your experiences shaped the book’s content and why did you take on this topic?
OKEEBA: As an artist I feel I can easily step outside of myself and any situation and see it for what it is. Regardless of who is involved it’s important to look at the building blocks that caused any relationship to be successful or to fail. Both the man and woman had something to do with the rise and fall of it. We took this on for the opportunity to put men up on how this thing works. Society has us so twisted up and thinking that it is one thing when it’s another. Men need to know the truth! We won’t hear it on Oprah or any other talk show. We are hardly ever the focus of these shows, unless it’s something negative or some way to coach us into running backwards.

ZACH: After high school I went into the military and in those travels I dated a wide variety of women from different cultural backgrounds, but often found out they had the same issues. Women are women regardless of race bottom line, so a lot of problems or differences that come with women don’t change. Some men need a nudge in the right directions when dealing with women, some don’t know how to act in a relationship or towards women because they may not have had the best male role models in a time where a fatherless home is more common. Also a lot of men won’t ask just anyone about relationships or talk about their problems, so I felt men needed a source to get answers to the questions they had.

Clutch: We know there is a new societal outlook on relationships, what advice do you offer men today?
OKEEBA: Men make the mistake of not being able to man-up and leave a bad situation that will never get better. Recognize that you are dealing with a loser and do not make that mistake again.

ZACH: The best advice I can give any man is be honest with your woman or any woman your dealing with, this will save a lot of headache and heartbreak.

BOTH: The second best advice is get “Roses & Brass Knuckles”, read and comprehend, it too will save you a lot of headaches and heartbreak!

Clutch: Any insight on how today’s woman should handle her man?
OKEEBA: Same kind of advice — Recognize that you are dealing with a loser and do not make that mistake again. I was young when I got involved with my ex, and I am very thankful for that experience. She opened my eyes even wider to how marriage works and how it does not work. Can’t plant good seed in bad soil…

ZACH: I’d say figure out what you want in a man, how real those expectations are, and what makes you as a woman a good catch. Also remember he can’t love you until you do, so work on yourself from the inside out, you have to be happy alone before you can be happy with someone else.

Roses and Brass Knuckles: A Man’s Pocket Guide to Winning the Dating and Marriage Game is available online at www.amazon.com and www.rosesnbrassknuckles.com.

She’s So Ambitious: Rhonesha Byng, Founder of HerAgenda.com

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A girl with dreams that stack much higher than her petite 5-foot-2 inch frame, Rhonesha Byng knows a thing or two about getting things done. Balancing college, launching her own company and interning, this 20-year-old Clutchette seems to already have her hands full, and she hasn’t even begun to embark upon her master plan.

Her philosophy in life is established by her acronym of N.E.S.H.A. – No One Ever Slows Her Agenda, which was also the inspiration for her first venture – HerAgenda.com. The site highlights 30 “Power Agenda” bloggers, each representing a specific aspect of female leadership, providing young women with positive role models.

Clutch caught up with Rhonesha to find out exactly how she gets it all done.

Clutch: How did you launch your career and get to where you are today?
Rhonesha: Growing up I was always an honor roll student. I knew that I was smart but I had no idea what I wanted to do as a career. Then, journalism found me, almost like an epiphany when I wrote my first story ever and got such good feedback. From there I began to live for journalism and joined every professional network possible in addition to working for small papers and running my high school paper. My mentors have been tremendous support, and I was lucky enough to find my “calling” early in life. I love media, but I don’t see myself working for anyone else, so I started my own company and work daily to build my brand. My business partner/brand manager told me age should never be a limit or excuse. So I went ahead and claimed it, told everyone I met what I wanted to do and who I saw myself being and that made all the difference.

Clutch: What have you had to sacrifice along the way, if anything?
Rhonesha: The care-free life of a 20-year-old. Once I started getting serious about my media endeavors, it began to consume my life. Because I am still in school, I have double the work of any normal college student. I don’t have much of a personal life, in terms of dating, and I don’t get to go out as much as I would like. I have to pick and choose carefully what I do with my time. I can never just “chill.”

Clutch: How do you define success?
Rhonesha: I have a quote on my wall that says, “Success is the sum of small actions completed day in and day out.” I truly believe that is the path. There are a lot of little things, little failures, little successes, that amount to the big picture. Success is embracing your talents to the fullest and being acknowledged for all the work and passion you put into your life. There is more to success than a career, but if you are doing what you love, your life is your career and you are your own business.

Clutch: How do you balance work and life?
Rhonesha: I still haven’t quite figured that out yet, because my work is my life. But I think my friends help me in that area a lot; they force me to remember that at the end of the day, sometimes you need to just take a break and go see a movie. I also practice yoga which helps me relax and stay healthy. My family also helps and my father is a reverend, so Sundays are exclusively set for church and family time. I don’t plan these things into my life, I am sort of forced to, because honestly if I had my way, I would probably work 24/7.

Clutch: Who is your role model or mentor?
Rhonesha: My ultimate role model is Oprah. She is the epitome of where I see myself going. She started out in journalism and evolved to a media entity through her talk show. In terms of mentors, I have several. Two of them that have been with me the longest are Raqiyah Mays and Erika Kendrick. Raqiyah is a seasoned journalist, who embraces various platforms. She writes, has worked in radio, does TV stuff and is always giving back to the community in some way. I interned with her as a senior in high school and it really changed my life. Erika Kendrick is always rooting for me, guiding me and reminding me of my purpose. She’s like an older version of me and I love her for all the talks we have. I admire her ambition and vision she has for her work.

Clutch: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Rhonesha: Doing the same thing I am doing now but on a larger level. I see myself in an office, with Her Agenda on the door. My site, HerAgenda.com, will have inspired millions of girls across the country, I’ll be writing in-depth features for magazines and also making regular television appearances. I’ll have my own show too, but it will be online.

Jeff Johnson is an award-winning investigative journalist, social activist, motivational speaker and political commentator. He’s served as a BET host, senior adviser for Media and Youth Outreach for People for the American Way, national director of the Youth & College division of the NAACP and vice president of the Russell Simmons Hip Hop Summit Action Network.

And now with the release of his first book, “Everything I’m Not Made Me Everything I Am: Discovering Your Personal Best,” Johnson can add published author to the list above.

Johnson talked with Clutch about his inspiration to write a self-help book, why he based its title on a Kanye West track, and why you should read it.

Clutch: This is your first book – what made you write “Everything I’m Not?”
Johnson: Well, I’ve been travelling around the country for the last 10 years lecturing on campuses, communities, and schools. And no matter whether I am lecturing around public policy, electoral politics, hip hop, or a social science of some kind, the question I’ve gotten more than any other is: how do I get to where I’m supposed to be? And it just seems as if no matter how academically successful we are or professionally successful, we continue to be bombarded with this notion that that is what being our best is. I’m attempting to dispel the myth that being your professional best is being your personal best, and also to create a practical roadmap to be able to get to that place. And that’s really what the book is about.

Clutch: How different do you think it would be for a younger person reading the book and starting out on this journey to his or her personal best than an older or more established person?
Johnson: I don’t know if it’s so much younger versus older, as much as it is personal experience. I think it really depends on where are you in your life right now and how do you feel about it. What does the reader want to get? Where does the reader want to be? Because I think there are those of us who are pretty successful professionals who would have to admit that we aren’t where we want to be in the rest of our lives. So for those people who only want to be single-faceted, those people who only want to focus on one aspect of their life and aren’t willing to do anything differently – the book’s really not for them at all. But if you are willing to accept the fact that look, no matter what I’ve been able to do professionally, there’s more of who I can be, there are aspects of me as a parent or as a spouse, or a community member that I know I haven’t paid attention to – those are the people who this book is for.

When you’re really walking in your personal best, you understand that you have options and you’re willing to step out and take risks.

Clutch: In the recession we’re in now, many people are being forced to find other careers and paths. How do you think the book is relevant now?
Johnson: I think that at the end of the day all of us are realizing that we’ve got to be more multi-faceted than we’ve been. If for no other reason than to be marketable and not get stuck in a place where if my job downsizes or if the economy shifts I’m stuck. When you’re really walking in your personal best, you understand that you have options and you’re willing to step out and take risks. In many cases, those risks are connected to your passion, your calling – what you were created to do. If you’re not looking at those things – then you’re only looking at how do I get a paycheck, how do I keep this job, how do I stay in this place that may be comfortable, but may not necessarily be where I’m supposed to be.

Clutch: Stepping back a bit into the development of the book – its title comes from a song by Kanye West, “Everything I Am.” What was it about this song that made you want to base your book’s title on it?
Johnson: The title of the song just really says it all. Many of us don’t find out who we are until we acknowledge who we’re not. Because so many of us have been stuck in these boxes and these titles, in these prisons of identity that are based on what the world says we are, what our parents say we should be, who our friends think we are, what media says is the best way to go. And until as individuals we attack those things and say I’m not this, I’m not this, I’m not this – seldom do many of us go the other way around and say, this is what I am. Most of us have to go through the process of saying, this ain’t me, this isn’t who I am, this isn’t what I do, this isn’t what I want, to get to the point where we say, well this is who I am. For me, the song really spoke to my own path and the path of so many of us who have to go through the first part before we go through the latter.

Clutch: Speaking of Kanye, your book was released a few days after Kanye West caused a stir at the VMA awards. What were your thoughts about your book coming out with a foreword from him right in the middle of his controversy?
Johnson: I watched it, and I was worried about Kanye as a person. It’s obvious that he continues to suffer from the loss of his mom and hasn’t really dealt with that pain in a real effective way. As opposed to being like, “Oh my God, he’s messing up my book sales; I can’t believe I asked that Negro to write this foreword,” I was really like, this is a tremendous opportunity because Kanye serves a perfect example that you can be at the top of your game professionally and still not be whole because you haven’t focused on the other areas of your life. To me, it was divine opportunity to say look, here’s this brother that wrote this song that speaks directly to the title and the subject matter, who has gone to the top of his game professionally and is still not whole. That to me is what I think the book is about. Because all of us get to that place. The easy part for us is that most of us never have to have our problems thrown up on TMZ, CNN, Fox News, MTV, VH1 and BET. I sometimes question if many of us would be able to make it if we were forced to deal with our problems publically. I just thought it was an awesome and divine way for the book to come out and I was encouraged by it more than I was upset by it.

Clutch: The book challenges the reader to really do some self-reflection on their life, their weaknesses, and where they would like to go. What are some of the hardest steps on the path for many people?
Johnson: I think first being honest with ourselves. It’s very difficult for many of us to be honest with ourselves about what we do well, what we don’t do well, what we need to do, what’s good for us, what’s not good for us, and the areas that we’ve punked out and fallen short of what we have the capacity to do. So much of that is woven throughout the book, which is, you’ve got to be honest with yourself. I talk about turning mistakes into opportunity. I think so many of us are afraid of making mistakes that it holds us and puts us in a place where we’re unable to move. And again, what this book is about is really managing fear to be able to not only challenge who we are right now, but to be courageous enough to take the steps necessary to get to that place that we want to be instead of simply talking about it.

Clutch: Why was it important for you to incorporate examples from your own life into the book?
Johnson: Some things I’m great at today; some things still challenge me, but this (book) was about, let me show you a strategy that I’ve seen work. I can tell you right now that 2009 has been probably one of the most challenging years for me from a business perspective. With the economy being what it is, losing clients, not being in a place that I wanted to be, (and yet) I’ve not been in a place where I’m not happy. That I don’t love the work that I do and wake up still excited about the things I’m able to engage in. So it’s this time, more than any other, (that) has proven to me this stuff really works. But if I’m not willing to be transparent in my own life, then how can I possibly believe that someone else should think that this is worth their time?

Without wisdom, you could be moving gangsta in the wrong direction. And without a strategist, you may not be thinking about the four or five steps ahead.

Clutch: In the book you describe members of a personal team who can be assembled to help you become your personal best. How did you come up with the descriptions of the team members?
Johnson: I’m a chess player, and I think in chess you realize you have to use different pieces to checkmate the king. The team that you have, in essence, has to be the same way. It does no good to have everyone that has the same gifts, abilities and talents as opposed to a crew of people that all do very specific and helpful kind of tasks. So I thought about, well what are the attributes and skill sets necessary for someone to be successful, and how can you surround yourself with each of those so that when you’re deficient in one area somebody can fill in the gap. It’s always necessary to have somebody to push you, who can tell you things that nobody else will tell you – the enforcer. Without wisdom, you could be moving gangsta in the wrong direction. And without a strategist, you may not be thinking about the four or five steps ahead.

Clutch: What tips do you have for those who don’t have those team members in their life right now?
Johnson: You really have to be a talent scout. So people need to be able to write down: what are the holes in my team? The places that I need filled? And then who am I looking to draft? How can I begin to go out and scout people and see that they’ve been able to do these things in their own life and help other people? How can I make sure that they fit who I am? And then engage them and say, “Look, I really want you to be part of my team. I need somebody who can do A, B, C, D for me. I’d really appreciate you being that person,” and then go on from there. If they say no, then keep going and find somebody else.

Clutch: Toward end of book, you talk about always striving to be better and not getting comfortable. What do you have to say for those who are in that process?
Johnson: I’m very serious about making sure that people want to do this for their life and not just for a period of time. Because so often, we’re project driven, event driven. We want to reach a certain place and once we reach that place, then everything is all good. This is really about how do I become the best person I can be? And that doesn’t end until life is over. So people can’t be comfortable because when you get comfortable you stop growing. This (book) is really about how do I continue to grow and set new heights. Getting comfortable simply puts me in a place where I’ve stopped. And nobody needs that because if you’re given life that means there’s something more for you to do.

Clutch: For the readers, in your words, why should they pick your new book up and read it?
Johnson: I’m not egomaniacal enough to think that every person is going to pick the book up and every chapter is going to have something for them. I think what makes the book meaningful is that any reader of any age can get something out of it. Whether these are concepts that you used to do and you need to remind yourself of, or if there are one or two things in the book that are revelations of things that you need to do. I don’t think that there’s anybody who can’t be helped by this book. For those who would say, this is only for young people, then buy it for a young person you know and read it before you give it to them. Or read through some of the chapters that seem relevant to where you might be. At the end of the day I don’t think any of us have moved beyond the age of needing to continue to push, continue to learn, or to continue to be inspired.

For more information and to purchase “Everything I’m Not” please visit www.jeffsnation.com.

After graduating college as a business administration major, the singer/songwriter worked for five years pharmaceutical company Pfizer in the corporate compensation department. A far cry from any musical aspiration, but she had a game plan, “…being there I was able to channel some other music opportunities because I had a steady paycheck coming in.”

Rose went to open mics where she performed alongside big name talent including Carl Thomas and Faith Evans. Her opportunity came from the Overweight Lover himself Heavy D with a spot as a background singer.

“I just came through by being available at the time and economical. I don’t think they knew they were looking for me. I knew they were looking for me, but I don’t think they knew.”

From there she got her first touring experience with Kelly Price where after one conversation she was asked to tour with P. Diddy. After getting her feet wet being in the background Rose, was ready to claim the limelight for herself. “I think it was them believing in me and me also witnessing at someone else’s expense the business and the work that really goes into it. It kind of shaped my desire to really be in it. I think after doing all these background gigs I was like, ‘Okay, at some point I don’t want to keep chasing the next gig.’ Because you realize as much prestige is there, you’re still hired help. So when their albums don’t take off, we don’t go on the road. I didn’t want my career to be predicated on somebody else’s career.”

Which brings us to now. As a totally independent artist, KJ has a loyal three-man crew and cheering section made of friends and family. Together, they pound the pavement and get the word out about this incredibly driven chanteuse. And while the majors have come knocking, she doesn’t take it personally if nothing pans out. “I’ve had a few meetings and it used to be so discouraging because I didn’t get the response that I was looking for, but now it’s such a better feeling when I can walk out and say this meeting isn’t going to stop me because I’ve already chosen to succeed.”

One success is the release of “A Better Way” the first single from her debut album “All Heart, No Regrets.” A heartfelt ballad that’s sung with throaty, soulful passion, it more than your average love and relationships song, for Rose, “A Better Place comes from a place of healing. “It was just on my heart and I felt like in order for me to make room emotionally I had to get that out. So I can tell when it’s GOD working because the song didn’t take that long to come together. This song was probably written in like a half hour because it was so real. It went from my heart to the paper to the studio. There was no embellishing, it was what it was and I accepted that.”

With “All Heart, No Regrets” set to drop in October be prepared for a return to good music. Music that’s not heavy on the riffing or synthesized sound. Listen for tunes that are all about the melody and conveying a message. Be prepared for a return to real music.

For more information on KJ Rose please visit www.myspace.com/kjrosemusic.

The H-Town Chick, as the world so cleverly calls her, is back from a short break in the industry after the release of her platinum debut, LeToya in 2006. Her first album, which spawned such hits as Torn, She Don’t, and Obvious, helped her to break away from the ills in her Destiny’s Child past, and make a positive new name for herself as one of the Best New Artists of that year.

For her second turn at bat, she presents to the world, Lady Love, a collection of ballads, uptempo classics, heartbreaker themes, and infectious anthems that all read like the whispers from her personal diary slowly grazing the surface of steady yet fascinating beat. With the release of her first two singles, Not Anymore and She Ain’t Got, Luckett is carefully testing her limits as a singer but also quickly reminding us of the beauty that attaches itself to an artist who is in control of their invaluable instrument. By exploring new directions with her music, and stepping carefully out of her comfort zone, Luckett is poised to stay relevant with the times and the industry, by offering an album that’s both timeless and on time for its audience.

Aside from her well respected position as being a permanent fixture in the songwriting world and as a vocalist extraordinaire, Luckett has been fortunate enough to explore a world of endless opportunities and has now opened a new doorway towards the acting world, where she hopes to garner the same success.

With Lady Love, set for release August 25th, and a starring role in her new film Preachers Kid, which is due in theaters this October, Luckett is taking 2009 by storm while capturing a myriad of colorful rainbows that only come when you can conquer the world that resides in between each raindrop.

Clutch: Everyone is so caught up in the Destiny’s Child questions, Slim Thug rumors, and other issues that are long behind you as you grow as both a person and an artist. Let’s get to know the LeToya Luckett today. What have you been doing since you released your first solo album in 2006?
LeToya Luckett: A whole lot. I’ve done a lot of writing, especially with the Lady Love album. Just trying to grow as a person and an entertainer and learning a lot about this industry. It’s forever changing and trying to keep up with it is a handful. As you guys know, people always question, ‘Why did it take so long in between [albums]. Why this, Why that?’ Well, I got caught up in a merger between Capitol Records and Virgin Records and at that time with mergers you can’t really make any moves as an artist. You can’t release any material until there’s people put in place to do so. So while that was going on, I was doing a lot of writing like I said before, and I still got the chance to go in and work with producers and things like that. I opened up another Lady L Boutique in the Galleria Mall in my hometown of Houston, Texas. I did two movies in between that, one being The Preachers Kid and the other one being 5 Killers starring Ashton Kutcher and Katherine Heigl. Just working. Still traveling. I went to LA for a minute to work with an acting coach. Just growing and loving life.

Clutch: The world is already in love with your First single written by Neyo – Not Anymore. What is the tone of this new album and its tracks and what sets it apart from the first album?
LeToya Luckett: It’s different. It’s a lot different actually. Like She Ain’t Got… for instance. I don’t know if I would’ve been in a place to do that record on the last album. I probably would’ve been scared of it like, ‘Oh my God, that’s crazy. It’s so bad.’ I’m talking about stepping on home girls neck and I wouldn’t do that, even though I still wouldn’t do that now. But, I’m taking chances, trying things, and I’m having fun. I’m finally having fun. There’s a lot of mid tempo ballads on this record. It’s all about love; the ups and downs, the ins and outs, the being single, the dealing with being single- It’s all of those different things. All of those are emotions I was going through since my last release.

Clutch: With most of the tracks centered on the themes of love and heartbreak, were there any specific messages you were trying to send to your listeners that is indirectly speaking on your own personal experience?
LeToya Luckett: Yeah, my thing is this, love is something we all want, something we all fight for, but it’s a hard thing to keep or let go of. It has all those different emotions. If you’re in love with somebody, you sometimes give yourself or sacrifice yourself for this other person because you love them so much. Then when you’re out of love, you miss love, you want that affection, you want somebody around who loves you just as much as you love them- it’s all of those different things. Love is just complicated, but it feels good.

Clutch: Who are you currently listening to, that inspires you when you’re writing your own songs?
LeToya Luckett: Oh my God, I’ve always listened to Gladys Knight, Michael Jackson, of course, Sade’, Anita Baker and Luther. Those are my biggest influences.

Clutch: I love the idea of the fan participation in choosing your second single. With the industry already being overwhelmed by a plethora of female artists, how will you work to stay on top of the industry and continue to be a leader?
LeToya Luckett: It’s about getting up for work, every single day, and doing what you can do. Whatever you put into it, I believe that’s what you’ll get out of it. I’m a workaholic. I don’t stop. It’s hard keeping up with the different trends that come out day to day, or minute by minute. It’s just crazy. It’s forever changing. That’s what you have to do though. You have to work. You have to work hard at it too. You can’t be lazy in this industry at all.

Clutch: Now with the new single She Ain’t Got… you stepped out from behind both the microphone and the screen to personally edit your music video. Why?
LeToya Luckett: Well, the first couple of edits I was unhappy with. They were still trying to release it so I told my label, ‘Look, I’m either going to do this myself or we’re re-shooting.’ So, I just took a flight to LA and did it myself. It was the best thing I could’ve ever done and I will to continue to do it. I loved being in that room and going through the different shots we had done and somehow creating a story. Since I did do the treatment for it, it only made sense for me to be in the editing room anyway to tell my story. It was so much fun. I love it.

Clutch: Most artists are multifaceted, you being a prime example, how did your passion for singing and songwriting lead you down the avenue to pursue an acting career?
LeToya Luckett: I’ve always wanted to be an actress as well. I found myself doing a lot of musicals when I was in middle school and elementary school. When doing those plays you had to do both acting and singing. But of course once I got in Destiny’s Child, the group was the main focus, so all my time went into making sure we were all right, we were straight, and we were practicing and all those different things. Soon after that, the solo album came out. I finally found the time, and I guess God does everything for a reason. When the merger was going on I knew that I could do it now. So I went, got with my agent, got with an acting coach and hey, here we are today.

Clutch: Now there are some actors that frown upon singers that take the leap into the acting world because they feel they are receiving roles based solely on their popularity rather than their actual talent. How are you working to make your acting abilities as effortless as your singing talent so that Hollywood and your audience will both respect and take your transition serious?
LeToya Luckett: Yeah, I’ve been hearing a lot about that. It’s one of those things where – For one, I would frown upon it too if the person wasn’t working hard, sitting down with a coach, studying the craft and putting in as much work as someone that came into the industry that people only know as an actor. That’s the only difference. If you come in and you’re studying the craft just like someone people only know as an actor, if you’re working hard, knowing your lines, showing up on time, it is what it is. That’s what I’m doing. I’m taking it serious because this is something I wanted to do. I came on the scene as a singer and an artist, so that’s what people know me as, but that doesn’t say that I didn’t do acting before singing. So people can frown, but whatever God has for you is what God has for you. I work just as hard as anybody else.

Clutch: I understand that completely. People have to understand that just because you’re a singer doesn’t mean your fingers are broken and you can’t do anything else.
LeToya Luckett: Right, exactly. [Laughs] It’s like, is that the only thing I can do? People can do two or three things at one time. I think some people might think that, oh, it’s because of popularity or whatever. But if that played a part then that’s not on the actor. It’s not the actor’s decision. If you get cast for the role, you get cast for the role. Every role that I’ve gotten is because I went to the audition, I went to the callback, I went to the reading, I went through all of the protocol and all of the steps in getting that role just like every other actress that was in the audition room. So, they don’t play favorites in my experience. It’s always been about if you have what they’re looking for when you walk in that room, if you portrayed that character the way they wanted it to be portrayed, then you got the role or you don’t have the role. So, that’s my two cents.

Clutch: What was it like working on 5 Killers with Ashton Kutcher and Katherine Heigl, and tell me about your lead role in the upcoming release Preachers Kid?
LeToya Luckett: Oh man, working with Ashton Kutcher and Katherine Heigl- first of all, I have the highest respect for them. I see the way they work, I see the way they’re in there for long hours. Sometimes scenes might change even though you learned the script, but when you get on set it could be something totally different. That was a good learning experience for me. I was happy to just be apart of that and to be a fly on the wall. I will definitely take that experience with me. They were very nice people, very very nice. Everybody was just very respectful. There was no Hollywood extra stuff or whatever. Ashton even bought the whole crew smoothies. I think that was my favorite part of the whole thing. [Laughs] I think he went to Smoothie Planet and he had like those guys that dress up as a smoothie cup- the smoothie mascot out there, everything. It was so great and so thoughtful of him.

With Preachers Kid, that was my first movie. In fact when I first got to LA that was one of the first auditions I went on and got cast for another role in it, but four days before shooting, they threw me into the lead role. I had a lot of learning to do, a lot of adjusting. I was double time with my acting coach just so I could get it because I wanted it so bad, you know? Even though I didn’t have as much time as the other actors, I still went in there and did the best that I could and I hope that people will love it just as much as I loved shooting it. It’s a great movie. It’s a family movie.

Clutch: When can we see this movie?
LeToya Luckett: October 30th, it will be on the big screen.

Clutch: Now you acted in the nationwide stage play Rumors by JD Lawrence, what was the hardest adjustment for you when it came to acting on screen versus acting on stage?
LeToya Luckett: I thank God that I went on that play. It’s crazy because the movie is based around a gospel stage play, which is what I went on with Rumors since it is also a gospel stage play. That definitely helped me with the role. People need to see what happens behind the scenes because it’s way more interesting than what’s going on up on the stage. The difference in the two- with plays it’s a little bit more difficult. Once you’re on stage, it’s live. You can’t go back and say, ‘Let’s cut that again,’ ‘lighting was off,’ or ’she said the script the wrong way,’ or ’she said a line the wrong way,’ or ’she missed her line’ and this and this. No, you get one time because it’s a live show. It did help me as far as on the acting side with being able to get into that character and as far as with my being a musician, being able to switch in and out of that performer for when it came to time sing, and back into that character when the song was over. It was great practice.

Clutch: How is Lady L Boutique doing since you first opened up in 2006?
LeToya Luckett: We’re doing pretty good. With the recession and all we’re trying to find different ways to keep our customers excited and to learn different ways to market the store, have new products and offer lots of sales.

Clutch: You are such an admirable woman because you continually challenge yourself to step out of your comfort zone and explore every opportunity in the industry that there is. What is up next for you aside from your anticipated release dates?
LeToya Luckett: Hopefully more movies, a tour which I hope will be in the works really soon. I refuse to go on tour this time around without a band. I only got the chance to perform with a band on TV shows. I definitely want to work with a band. I think I’m going to come out with a line. Not necessarily a clothing line, but something special and unique.

Clutch: Much like the sweet lullaby’s you deliver so purely in your albums, is love in the cards for you one day, or at this moment are you solely focused on your amazing career?
LeToya Luckett: Hopefully there’s love in the cards. [Laughs] Love in the cards please, just let him be right. [Laughs]. He’s got to be right though. I’ll wait on the right one. Right now though, it’s my career. But if love decides to come my way, I’ll be here. Everyone wants to be loved.

Clutch: I’m sure you get asked the same questions all the time, so I know sometimes there may be a statement you care to make that no one ever touches on. Is there anything you would like to leave our readers with, that is unique to this particular interview.
LeToya Luckett: That’s a great question. I want to thank everyone who is seeing me for who I am and getting to know Letoya instead of all my other nicknames, ‘The Former Member,’ ‘The Girlfriend of,” ‘The Former Girlfriend of,’ you know what I mean? I am glad people are starting to get to know me and are taking an interest into knowing who Letoya is and getting to know my music. I am finally starting to stand out from the crowd and I’m loving every moment of it.