Soulja Boy Heads to Rehab!!!!

As we all know Soulja Boy was recently blasted by Kat Stacks as being a coke head.  Now these were allegations and she didn't prove that he actually snorted the coke that was in the video that I previously posted, but and inside rep out of Soulja's camp stated that he is indeed going to rehab.  While they stated that Soulja isn't "addicted" to cocaine, they said that he wants to go to rehab to get it out of his system.  In the video Kat Stacks called him a "coke head" but he insists that he is not.  Coke Head or not, I'm happy that he is getting himself some help.  Soulja Boy has a large fan base and a lot of people would be hurt if something were to happen to him.  So good for you Soulja!!!  I must add that either he is great at keeping his cool, or he has a damn good PR rep because he really didn't address Kat Stacks on Twitter and make a fool of himself as some of her other victims have.

Soulja Boy

~Dior

Are These Rappers/Singers Just Saying What We Want to Hear or is There Any Truth in Their Lyrics?

Is music what it used to be?  Now you have to question if these rappers and singers mean what they say in their songs.  T.I. and Lyfe Jennings are two phenomenal artist that deliver some strong lyrics in their songs and have us all believing that they mean what they say.  Rapper T.I., as we all know, ran into some big trouble with the law and vowed that he would change his life around for the better.  He had a show called "Road to Redemption" on MTV about changing his life as well as others lives and getting ready to do his time in prison for his mistakes.  Not even a full year out of jail and he's back in trouble with the law!  I am a huge fan of T.I. and his music really touched me and I understood his situation about the guns and death threats and how he had to protect his family.  A man's got to do what a man's got to do.  However, I just don't understand this drug scandal.  Everyone makes mistakes and I can judge no one.  Writing a song about no more mistakes and putting your family first and being a change man, then getting caught with drugs and back in court again is like a slap in the face to your fans.  I am still a fan of T.I. hopefully everything works out for him.  There are rumors of him facing 15 years in prison that have not be verified, but I truly hope this isn't true for him.  On the other hand we have Lyfe Jennings, this is a man who writes and sings songs and respect for women and self-respect.  He's a man who did 10 years in prison and was a self-proclaimed "changed man" and was just sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison.  Lyfe and his former manager/mother of his child Joy, got into an altercation where he got upset and was shooting in the air and drove drunk in a high-speed chase from the police.  This first thing I thought when I heard this was, no he wouldn't do anything like that.  Apparently he did.  Things like this make you question the meaning and passion behind their songs.  Are they singing/rapping these lyrics because they mean it? Or is it just to make a hit?

Lyfe Jennings

T.I.

The Face Behind Veria Poche: Nini Robinson Talks About How She Got Started, Who Her Competition is, and More!!

Ms. Veria Poche in a dress from her line

St. Louis Fashion Week has started so this is the perfect time to get to know some of the fashionable designers and people of St. Louis.  The STL urban fashion scene has some great designers and I had the opportunity to interview some of them.  Recently St. Louis was turned up with the sexy yet tasteful designs of Veria Poche.  Behind the brand lies a 21 year old designer who finally turned her dreams into reality and is the "rookie" on the STL urban fashion scene.

Me:    How long have you been sewing?

Nini:   Well I've only been sewing for about two months now

Me:    Okay, when did you decide that you wanted to be a designer?

Nini:   I've actually wanted to be a designer since I was about 17.  I'm
          just now finding the open doorway to do it and take advantage
          of what I want to do.

Me:    So what type of clothes do you design?

Nini:   I design....currently I'm only designing women and children
          clothes, but I want to convert over to men clothing as well. 
          And it's more of a like junior clothing, or more younger clothing.

Me:    Like urban hip hop or urban clothing?

Nini:   Yeah

Me:    Okay....who's your favorite clothing designer?

Nini:   (Pause)....umm I would say my favorite designer....I like
          Roberto Cavalli

Me:    Okay...yeah he is a good designer.  In the St. Louis urban
          scene, who do you think your biggest competition would be
          as far as designers?

Nini:   I would have to say Young Addy because she is a great
         designer, but I don't feel that this is a competition. We're all
         just doing what we love and pursuing our dreams.

Me:    And what sets you aside from other designers in the area?

Nini:   Well the thing that sets me aside from other designers in the
          area is (Pause)...let me see...well one thing is that I'm very
          versatile.  I can have something urban and simple and have
          something wild and outrageous.

Me:     Okay....and what's the name of your line and how did you
           come up with it?

Nini:    Veria Poche...I came up with the name because my mother's
           maiden name is Laveria Williams and I took Veria from her
           name and Poche is the architecture desing, which I get from
           my father; he has a construction business.

Me:     Okay that's creative...who would you say your inspirations
           are? Your biggest inspirations to inspire you to do what you
           do?

Nini:    Umm well actually I have been wanting to do it for a long time,
           but actually getting to know Afton Johnson and her motivation,
           it kinda motivated me and showed me that there is a way I
           can become a fashion designer

Me:    Okay so she was like a push for you?

Nini:   Yes

Me:    What are your price ranges for your pieces?

Nini:   Well the price ranges for my pieces...it depends.  For my
          dresses I'm actually kind of low I start down at $50-$65
          depending on how you want it.  I actually go out and get
          the material for the person, I kinda try to make it easy, I
          kinda make it where you kinda place an order and suggest
          ideas but I get a lot of freestyles also.

Me:    Okay and where can we...or if someone wanted to purchase
          your pieces or if they wanted to contact you or see any of
          your pieces do you have any websites?  What's your Twitter
          name and your FaceBook name?

Nini:   Okay well right now I have pictures on FaceBook.  My
          FaceBook name is Nini D Robinson and I also have a Veria
          Poche actual web page on FaceBook and then my Twitter
          name is MsVeriaPoche. You can follow me on Twitter.  And
          right now my items are currently going to be in Boutique
          Ten0Eight.  They're also currently going to be in...these are for
          the people in the Bay...they're going to be in Live Fashion
          Boutique in Santa Rosa, California and Ukiah, California and
          upcoming I'm going to have some items in Boutique Pink

Me:    Okay well thank you for your time it was very interesting and
          fun interviewing you and I wish you the Best with your clothing
          line.

Nini:   Thanks Dior!!!

Nini in another one of her pieces

Hip Hop's New Beef: Loso, Soulja Boy, and 50 Cent

Is this real beef or is it just a publicity stunt? This question has been lingering around all day on Twitter.  Last night Soulja Boy shot some tweets at Fabolous aka Loso but quickly removed them from his page.  As we all remember a few weeks ago, Soulja Boy caught up in a scandal with a jumpoff (Kat Stacks) and allegedly using coke.  Loso went in on Soulja Boy and made a trending topic about the issue.  Its really unclear why Soulja is just NOW responding but he is going in on Twitter.  He sent numerous tweets to Loso threatening that he would "beat his ass" and even going as far as to say that he is better than Loso and Loso has been in the game 10 years and isn't seeing him.  As we all know, Loso is my favorite rapper so of course I had a lot to say.  I like Soulja Boy's music because it is something I can dance to.  HOWEVER, just because you have a nice beat and a nice hook does not make you a great rapper.  Loso is an extremely talented rapper and raps about real life situations not just the latest dance moves.  Soulja Boy has a larger fan base because 80% of his fans are kids.  And we know the kids go hard for their dance songs.  But I'll let you be the judge of who you feel is better.  Everything took a dramatic turn when 50 Cent jumped in the beef and began to send out death threats towards Loso and his Street Fam team.  He tweeted "I get all you niggas killed fuck that. I dear you niggas touch him. Soulja say what ever you wantNiggas aint gone do shit."  And yes this is the way he spelled everything.  With the deaths and beef hip hop has seen, I feel that it was plain stupid and childish for 50 to send these type of tweets.  Everyone knows he is the bully of hip hop but he took it way too far and especially for some beef that wasn't his.  Rather this is a publicity stunt or serious, it was not needed.  It just so happens that Loso and Soulja Boy were both in Vegas this past weekend and Soulja Boy allegedly ran from Fabolous' Street Fam team.  There is a video floating around of Soulja Boy running from the Street Fam member Ocean, at the airport.  Hopefully this doesn't lead to anyone getting hurt or anyone in jail.  Boys please grow up and leave the twitter beef to the low-life's.