Spring 2018

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DELUX MAGAZINE SPRING 2018

CONTENT

@deluxmagazine Keith N Griffin II

PUBLISHER/CO-FOUNDER @1CognacPapi Lawrence Bryant Co-Founder @lbfoto1 Michael Winfield Co-Founder @brklynstl

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Kyle A Griffin Co-Founder Brian Shields Co-Founder EDITOR IN CHIEF Shadress Burks Shadress@DeluxMag.com

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EXECUTIVE EDITOR Dewarren Smith DwSmith@DeluxMag.com MARKETING DIRECTOR ML Hunt Mario@DeluxMag.com Shai Clark Shai@Deluxmag.com

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Photographers McArthur Smith Allen B. Thompson Keith N Griffin II

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Sales Ads@deluxmag.com

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DELUX MAGAZINE SPRING 2018 · PUBLISHER Keith Griffin II GRAPHIC DESIGN G5IVE MEDIA GROUP 2525 January Ave St. Louis Mo 63110 DISTRIBUTOR Papers Unlimited MO IPAD APP Available in itunes store WEBSITE www.deluxmag.com ADVERTISING Email Ads@deluxmag.com SUBMISSIONS Email submissions@deluxmag.com PRESS RELEASES Email PR@deluxmag.com

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

D

ELUX turns 10!! I can’t believe DELUX has reached it’s 10year anniversary. The irony in all of this is that I am sitting here writing my first editor’s letter as the Editor-in-chief. It was exactly ten years ago I declared I wanted to be the EIC of a fashion or hip-hop magazine. I wanted to conquer New York City, and sit among the likes of Susan Johnson and Anna Wintour. I had big dreams and every time I would watch Brown Sugar, I would say, “That’s going to be me!” I wanted to write, and I wanted to design, so what better career to pursue than working for a magazine? I was getting the best of both worlds. Little did I know, my love for art, design, writing, and music lied within a magazine in the city that raised me. My start with DELUX began September 2015. I came on as a food writer because I loved to eat…LOL! For me, the position gave me a chance to write about cool places to eat while I was eating there. Now I’m here, three years later after joining the team, and ten years I made the affirmation.

Knowing all of this, how do you truly sum up ten years. Obviously, we have accomplished a lot along the way with a lot of help from countless people.

Our wins have been victorious, and our failures have been lessons learned.

Through it all, DELUX gets back up and comes back even stronger than before. Over these ten years, we have tried to give you the best magazine.

A quality representation of our culture, every time an issue has been published. And here we are, one month before we turn ten. Our February issue is a big one, and it’s the perfect time to show appreciation.

So, thank you to all the writers, editors, stylists, and makeup artists that worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make each issue fantastic. Thank you to all the photographers that contributed their time & eyes to produce some dope photos over the years. Thank you to all the co-founders and industry people for helping make the impossible happen. Thank you to all the businesses, advertisers, and promotors who supported us. And last, but not least, thank you to everyone in St. Louis that picked up an issue of DELUX to read. We are proud of what we’ve done these past ten years of our existence. To celebrate our 10-year anniversary, we though we would

dedicate this issue to the city that helped build us. On our cover, we have the beautiful, radio personality Tropikana. Inside we’ve featured Meghan O, DJ Shay Money, and Lashell Elk. We wanted to bring you the people who contribute to making St. Louis a better place in their own way.

This year, we plan to revisit our roots and highlight more movers, shakers, underground artists, and game changers right here at home. St. Louis has always been a talent pool with hidden, undiscovered gems, and we plan to feature them here, cover to cover. Everyone always says St. Louis people don’t support one another, and we’d like to be a part of changing that narrative. Don’t fret, we will still have a favorite celebrity or two grace our covers.

Anyway, for our future issues we are bringing you a new layout. We’re switching up our sections, content, giving you more photos, and double covers! Finally, this issue is special because it kicks off our new issue schedule. In the past, DELUX was a six issue, bi-monthly publication, but that will now change. To ensure we continue delivering fantastic content, and even better events, we’re reducing our issue count to four issues a year.

In 2018, we will be dropping a spring, summer, fall, and winter issues. We want to utilize our digital app more and expand our digital platform.

My final words are to shout out our publisher and founder, Keith Griffin II. He’s the lifeline of this magazine and without his passion for it, we wouldn’t still be here. Another shout out goes to LB for the dope photos of our cover feature, Tropikana. Thank you Tropikana, Young Addy and the entire photoshoot team. It was a long night, but the end results were worth it. This is the perfect start to the memory of ten years. We’re turning up all year so be sure to keep a watch out. We just may pop up anywhere!

To another ten St. Louis!

Editor-in-Chief @iamshadressdenise | Instagram @iamshadressdenise | Facebook shadress@deluxmag.com | Email

| delux stuff |

VINTAGE VIBE. SUPERIOR SERVICE.

BLACK PANTHER #BLACKEXCELLENCE

With Black Panther being the first black superhero movie from the Marvel franchise, I was a little nervous. But, they did us proud!

Not only was I ecstatic to see the immense amount of African American representation, I was proud to sit in front of a screen and see us portrayed in such a positive manner.

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Now don’t get me wrong, like every superhero movie, you must have a villain. But even the villain’s backstory developed into a positive spin and message.

From the fashion, to the actors and actresses, nothing was left untouched and underdeveloped. Whether it was the men or women, each character exuded their own level of strength.

Marvel managed to convey royalty, history and life lessons within it making the film even more astounding.

RELATIONSHIP ADDING A LITTLE SPICE TO LIFE

Every couple wants to have that spicy, passionate relationship that others set as #RelationshipGoals for social media. The very idea of being totally consumed and sexually free with your lover can be captivating, but you must first ask yourself if you are truly ready to drop all your inhibitions?

While there are multiple sexual adventures you and your partner can experience together, bringing a third party into your bedroom can certainly be one of the most rewarding.

The perfect way to get the best out of the situation is to first communicate.

Even though this is supposed to be a fun and spontaneous experience if there are no guidelines set ahead of time, your relationship could possibly suffer. Where’s the fun in that? You’re setting #RelationshipGoals, remember? Now that you’ve gotten all the seriousness out of it, let go, get your sexy on and don’t think too much.

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The two of you have picked your partner and nothing would suck more than there not being any chemistry between the three of you. A nightclub would be the perfect ambiance to feel out someone’s sexual vibe and a sure way to ignite the flame. Find somewhere that’s not too crowded and rowdy, pour a few drinks and allow the music to relax you.

Your level of comfort is important. Before your feet step across your bedroom door, speak now or forever hold your peace. Once you are in the bed, any misgivings you might have felt in the beginning should be gone. If you’re not really feeling it, it will show in how lackluster you perform. What would be the point of even doing this if you’re going to be frigid?

Protect yourself! No matter how much you may vibe or how anxious you are, remember that nothing is worth putting your health at risk.

You better show out! You have a visitor in the building and you must represent! Make sure your partner is doing the same. No one should be jealous of new moves that may or may not be used. Don’t worry about extra strokes or whatever energy you could possibly pick up on between your partner and the sex toy. Focus on you and the pleasure that you’re exuding.

Remember that every walk on the dark side could possibly come with repercussions. They could hook up behind your back or your moves that night could make your partner question who you are and force them away.

However, this could also happen while you’re playing it safe too. Somehow, heartbreak could hurt a little less with memories of a powerful orgasm.

The goal should always be for sexual pleasure for the both of you. Pushing your sexual exploits to new heights might be just the rejuvenation your relationship needs.

| opinion |

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YOU ARE A SNOB words by: orrin carter As a rapper, Jay-Z is trash to me. Wu Tang with the exception Method Man is also trash to me. Nas picks the worst beats I have ever heard in my life, and Kendrick Lamar is overrated. I’ve searched far and wide, and I have yet to find someone to give me a memorable Papoose line (yes there are people who think he has bars). I say all this while humming an old Lil Jon song thinking to myself, “how bad has music really gotten?”

I’m 33 years old and people from my generation will tell you how this generation of music is bad for our culture. From Big Boi (Outkast) to one of my closest friends, everyone is saying that this new generation of music is terrible and have dubbed the “new style” of music mumble rap. Because of this, I have dubbed them RAP SNOBS! Rap Snob: A person who has an unhealthy attachment to their generation of music, who can’t or won’t acknowledge the new culture and their music.

I was once told by someone far smarter than myself that “Music isn’t supposed to stay the same, because if the music stays the same the culture stays the same. So, if the culture doesn’t move forward the culture will die.” Rap snobs make the indictment that the new wave of music is lacking talent, lacking drive, and lacking creativity. Which is funny as hell to me, because I remember the generation before ours hated everything about the music that we still play today and made the exact same indictments.

To be completely honest, the world has been hating on the South anyway. That is until they need our help to stay relevant, but that’s another story for another day. The reality is artists like the Migos have defined the Millennial generation and have become a mainstay in not only the southern music scene, but on a national level. Respect. Young Thug, while there is a slew of things in question about his masculinity or his weird love for dresses; the brother has been constantly making music even the grumpiest of rap snobs have listened to and enjoyed.

I mean can we really act like everyone from our generation had bars? D4L had bars?

Not. Dem Franchise Boys had bars? Definitely Not. The Eastside Boys had bars? Bruh really? Do you want me to keep going? Nas’s wannabe Wu Tang group, Bravehearts had bars? Nelly’s group, the St. Lunatics. The same group that gave you “Air Force Ones” and “Shake Ya Tail Feather”, did not have bars and I cannot nor will I be convinced otherwise.

And this is just a sample size of rappers from our generation, we try to sweep under the rug and turn our noses up at the new class like everyone who had an instrumental was giving once in a generation rhymes. We need to take a deep breath and realize that today’s music just isn’t made for our ears. The way they wear their clothes isn’t our style. But weren’t we the same people wearing 4x t-shirts and over starched jeans?

Weren’t the women of our generation wearing jersey dresses and skorts? So chill Rap Snobs!

Let these lil dudes love the Playboi Cartis of the world. The Lil Uzi Verts of this generation. Yes, the Kodak Blacks are wack to you and that’s cool, but I can guarantee you no one from any generation before ours is trying to listen to Cuckoo Cal, “In My Projects” and that’s someone we can all in unison we can all laugh at and call wack together. Mask off.

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| lifestyle |

IS SOCIAL MEDIA AFFECTING YOUR SELF-CARE?

BY TIERRA WILSON

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ocial media has gotten us all super confused and way too disconnected from reality.

There is a strange obsession that the millennial generation has with keeping up with the lives of others through social media.

We are obsessed with perfectly posed images of love, joy, happiness, and success. Social media allows us to live vicariously through the lives of others; however, sometimes we end up scrolling endlessly in search of self-fulfillment. The problem with social media is that it is a censored reality. We can control when people see us and how people see us. It is unfortunate that so many of us are falling in false love with these posed images of people who are supposedly #GOALS. Isn’t it ironic that no one posts about the bills they couldn’t afford to pay this month, or the times they spent all week crying over their relationship. Maybe, just maybe...we focus so heavily on building social media friendships, because we really need real friends. Or maybe, we feel the need to feel validated by thousands of virtual hearts, because what we need most is real love.

Now I am very guilty of some of these things myself, but the more time I spend researching self-care, the more I’ve realized that social media can have a lot of negative effects on self-care. Recently, I had the opportunity to present a self-care workshop to a room full of college women through my motivational speaking business, Tierra True. It was extremely refreshing to be surrounded by so many phenomenal young women. In my first exercise, I asked them to write down their daily routine. To my surprise, almost every one of the young ladies expressed that the first thing they do when they wake up in the morning is grab their cellphones. First, to turn off their alarm clocks, and secondly, to check their social media accounts.

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Now, this is a real issue for me, because if you have read my article Protecting Your Positive Energy on the mag’s website, then you know the first things you do in the morning, effect the trajectory of your day. If our millennial generation is set on social media being a part of their morning routines, then it is necessary that we do it in ways that will support personal and professional development, but most importantly, SELF CARE! UNFOLLOW As you are taking the time to scroll through your newsfeed, be mindful of the images that people are sending daily. If there is constant negativity flooding your timeline, then it is time that you tap that unfollow button. You are in control of what you allow into your virtual world, so take advantage of that and eliminate all images that distract you from your positive energy.

TURN OFF YOUR NOTIFICATIONS Give your mind a break from the constant notifications by going into your settings and turning them off. By doing so, you will regain control, and you are less likely to feel the need to check your social media accounts as frequently as you would with the constant notifications.

USE SOCIAL MEDIA AS INSPIRATION Most of us continue to scroll down our timelines looking for something to catch our attention to like, share or retweet. What is it that we are looking for?

What many of us fail to realize is that we are looking for inspiration, motivation, or validation of some

kind. If you are going to commit to daily scrolling, at least do yourself a favor and keep a record of what images attract your attention and use that as a basis of inspiration to self-reflect on the wants and needs that are not being met in your personal life. I challenge myself to only follow other motivational and lifestyle social media pages with a mission and vision that align with my own. If you want to protect your positive energy, I suggest that you follow motivational social media accounts, so that when you begin your scrolling spree first thing in the morning, you are flooded with positivity and motivation.

CONNECT WITH REAL FRIENDS Social media has minimized a lot of face-to-face interactions, and this can lead to a real problem down the line. Challenge yourself to go out to lunch or dinner with friends to strengthen your interpersonal skills. You will be doing yourself a favor in the future, because it will help you improve your personal and professional development, by boosting your confidence in future interviews and networking events.

I hope this article has encouraged you to invest less time admiring the lives of others, and to spend more time admiring the beautiful and talent person that you already are! If you are not where you desire to be in your life right now, that’s great, because we should all be aspiring to be better! Don’t be discouraged, let your flaws be what motivates you to spend more time investing in yourself, so that when you look at your own captured beauty in an image, even you can’t resist the urge to give yourself thumbs up!

DELUX MAGAZINE PRESENTS

Women Who Inspire

W

e are currently gathering some of the most influential Women Entrepreneurs, Politicians, and Business Professionals while 50 of St. Louis’s Most Intriguing Women. Not only are we creating a platform for amazing motivational speakers, we plan to help build a sisterhood, connect with local business owner’s, offer valuable skills and information that will encourage individual and community growth, while continuing to push the culture forward by controlling our narrative.

Our 2018 theme is “A Year Of ACTION” and we are excited to usher in the year with you!

SPRING 2018 visit www.deluxmag.com for more details

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TRO PIK ANA T

ROPIKANA IS RIDING HER WAVE TO THE TOP. There are no shortcuts and nothing she has done thus far has been without hard work, passion, and a deep-rooted love for what she does every day. Whether you are going to work or coming home, the radio personality from across the world rocks the mic from 2pm-7pm in a cozy studio she calls, THE TROPHOUSE. Yet, on this Sunday afternoon, she’s on the opposite side of the microphone as she tells DELUX how she came to be Tropikana. She’s actively building her own legacy as she sits in front of me, recording drops for her shows in different cities. To say she loves what she does is an understatement.

Her charismatic voice has captured a wide audience in a profession she has so much respect for. Today’s conversation comes just three days after a five-hour photoshoot, featuring her on the cover. For DELUX, the choice was perfect since the radio station celebrated their 10-year anniversary not long ago. The pairing is appropriate -- the collaboration represents two platforms of STL culture, the trailblazers to carry the baton and continue pushing the culture forward. DELUX sat down the newest voice to hit your airwaves to discuss her love for music and her future in radio.

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DELUX: First off, tell our readers a little bit about yourself.

TROP: Well my name is Tropikana and I’m from all over the world, but I came here from Cleveland. I’ve been on the radio since I was seventeen years old.

Wow, really?

TROP: [Laughs] Yes, and I’m not going to tell you how old I am, but it’s been over ten years. I love what I do. Currently, I do afternoons here in St. Louis, from 2-7pm on Hot 104.1.

How did you get started with doing the radio? Are you and emcee, a DJ, what you classify yourself as?

TROP: Girl. Ok, so it’s so funny you asked that because people say that all the time and real DJ’s be mad at us because their always like, “She can’t DJ. She don’t have any turn tables.” [Laughs]. I’m not a DJ because a DJ is a disc jockey. They are the people you hear at 5 o’clock, so like DJ Cuddy, DJ Sir Thurl, DJ Cinnamon, oh and DJ Shay Money. I’m considered to be a radio personality or emcee falls under that title as well.

DELUX: So how did this all start? How did you get into being a radio personality?

TROP: I was seventeen and there was a contest in Oklahoma called Making the DJ. It was so cool, but it was so corny. I don’t know what made me want to do it. [She pauses and then smiles]. No, wait, to be 100 percent honest, I know exactly what made me want to do it. I had my first little heartbreak, my first lil boyfriend, you know how it is when you’re young.

DELUX: You wanted to get on there and clown [Laughs].

TROP: I know right. Truthfully, I’m so thankful for it. I had so many ambitions at the time. I wanted to be a flight attendant. I wanted to fly for Southwest, I wanted to get married, and become a kindergarten teacher. That’s it. I had my whole life planned out. I wanted to teach Monday – Friday, and then fly and see the world on the weekends.

DELUX: Really? Are you serious?

TROP: Yes, I am, and it made so much sense at the time. I mean that was just it. That was the span of my thoughts and he came to me and said he wanted me to see the world. He told me there was something special about me.

Wow, seems like he really loved you wouldn’t you say?

TROP: Yeah, but at seventeen I couldn’t really understand what he was telling me. He was in college and I was in high school. I basically flipped it and made it seem like he wanted to see other girls.

DELUX: [Laughs] TROP: No, but for real, I’m grateful he did it. It turned out to be the best thing to ever happen to me.

So, at that moment, I had decided that if we were going to break up, I was going to make sure he never forgot my name. Stupid and silly, when I should’ve been doing something for me. Ironically, it turned out to be what God had planned for me. I went through the contest stages over the course of eight weeks. It started with 30 contestants, no one ever knew your name because you were a number. I was contestant number five and you just had to get on the radio and say something. I thought I was so cool you couldn’t tell me nothing, but I was so corny.

D: [laughs] TROP: I’m for real I was so corny, but when the smoke cleared, I was the last one standing. The prize pack was concert tickets to Usher and Kanye West, and you get a shift on the radio from 6am – noon, and a CD prize pack. It was the shift nobody wanted to do and now that I think about it, it was so janky [laughs].

No, for real, now that I’m on the radio I’m like dang they got me. But that’s how I ended up here.

D: So that was it huh?

TROP: Yes, that was it, but at seventeen you’re like wow. I was on the air at six in the morning and they raised me. Your city raises you and I don’t think there’s a better way to get on the radio because you don’t know what you’re doing, and at that point you’re learning. I didn’t know what I was doing, but I was eager to learn. I ended up going to college for radio, even though I was already on. Despite the education, school doesn’t teach you how to become a radio personality. It’s coming in at six in the morning, when you’re tired and dragging, and you have listeners calling in giving you feedback. I grew up on the radio. The listeners, they taught me. They were my program directors and my mentors before I had any.

D: That’s dope. Okay knowing that, who would you say is your biggest inspiration?

TROP: Well, I would say my mother. My mother has always been my inspiration, but like career wise, back then Lil Jon had a show, Tigger had a show, and Angie was on the radio. Tigger was everything. He had a countdown on the weekends, and since I was on the weekends I would grab the CD’s and just ride around and listen to his breaks over-and-over again until I had them down. Truthfully, nobody knows this but while I was on the radio down there, Shorty was on the radio here. My program director was new and really didn’t know how to teach us how to be on the air, so he would download Shorty’s breaks since they were online and use those as teaching tools.

D: That’s so ironic and then you end up working with him.

TROP: Yeah, that’s what I said when I moved here and started working at the station.

D: Who would you say you have a lot of respect for in this industry?

TROP: In our industry, who would I say? Hmmm, I would probably say people that nobody really knows about. For instance, our Vice President of Programming of the Company, his name is Colby Tyner. Colby is one of the best programmers that you will ever hear. If you ever hear a station that you are excited to hear, he was probably behind programming that station. There isn’t another programmer in the country as good as him. Tough as shit sometimes [laughs] and hard on people he cares about, but he’s the best at what he does. And then there’s a lady name Terri Thomas. She was one of my biggest mentors.

What would you say is the hardest thing about being a female radio personality?

TROP: You’ll have to forfeit your personal life. It’s the hardest thing. If you don’t genuinely have a heart for the people makes it difficult. One of the biggest misconceptions about people on the radio is that they do it for popularity, and it’s one of my biggest pet peeves too. But, there are so many sacrifices that come along with it. I wouldn’t tell anyone to sign up for this if you have a desire to be a wife, a stayat-home mom, or have a steady relationship. I would say those are the hardest parts. Depending on what type of talent you are you can get uprooted often. In my career, I move probably every two to three years depending on the stations.

Why is that?

TROP: Well for starters, a lot of different stations call me, need me, or my program director will feel like I’ve outgrown where I am rather quickly and it’s time for me to move on to the next level. So, I’ve always had to move, and with that sometimes you don’t get to build solid foundations in this type of industry.

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I would have never thought that being a radio personality.

TROP: I know, but it’s hard. Unless you get an opportunity to stay in your same market you are already in; however, that can also short stop your ability to grow and move onto something better. For me that’s the hardest thing.

What would you say is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

TROP: Okay so like I fuss, fight and can act crazy for real, but I grew up in church. My mother is minister, so seeing where God has been able to use me and do stuff has been a blessing to experience. A lot of people think being on the radio makes you a celebrity and it doesn’t.

Being on the radio makes you a public servant, it’s a public service commission. You are in front of people just like an Alderman, and a Councilman. You’re a person of influence. Your job is to inspire, educate, push people to their next dreams, or just help people get through their day. I’ve been blessed to be around people I never would’ve met. And I don’t mean celebrities, I mean the listeners. The people who you help motivate before their work day or at the end of their work day.

The people who accept you as a part of their family and you’ve never met them.

“The best you can do is not take yourself to seriously and to just have fun. I would also say every time you reach a goal, start over like you’ve never won before.”

TROP: Yes, well actually I interviewed him three times, and Michelle. I don’t know maybe that’s why I kept my name as Tropikana because Barack knows my name [laughs].

Hell yes, who would change their name after talking to Barack Obama [laughs]?

TROP: I know right. I wish I could pull up this clip I have. I’m going to have to look for it, but yes, I interviewed them both. Like at the end of the interview, he was like, “I just want to tell you thank you for what you’re doing in the community, and Michelle said to tell you hey.” Girl I was like “Oh my God, Michelle said what? Michelle said to tell me hi? Tell her I said hey girl.” [Laughs] What else do you say? Like that was so dope to me.

I know you have worked a lot of different shifts over the years. What would you say is your secret to turning yourself on and keeping yourself on until the end of your shift?

TROP: It’s fun, so just have fun. Seriously, if you’re doing this and you’re not having fun, then you’re doing the wrong thing, and this isn’t for you. No matter what shift it is it should be fun. Don’t get it twisted though, those early morning shifts can kick your butt.

I would just approach it like I’m having a one-on-one conversation with my best friend. I don’t look at it like I’m talking to a million people. When I crack the mic, I look at it like I’m talking to one person, whomever it may be. I’ll tell you something funny. When I used to work that early morning shift, I used to have the dope boys calling in to talk to me and ask me what I’m going to talk about that day.

That’s beautiful to know you affect people in that way.

TROP: Yeah it really is. To hear people tell you, you help them survive their day, or you motivate them, that’s what pushes me to keep going.

Let’s get to the fun part of your job. What would you say has been your most memorable moment as a radio personality?

TROP: My most memorable moment…. hmmm. I have a lot of those [laughs]. The best one though would be when I interviewed President Obama. I interviewed him twice.

What! Oh my God, are you serious? He is on my interview wish list! I would love to interview him and Michelle one day.

are important, and you can’t go far in this industry if you’re not genuine. You just can’t teach authenticity.

You either have it or you don’t.

Then what would your advice to that be?

TROP: I don’t know that’s a good question.

[Laughs] Find a new career maybe?

TROP: Right. [Laughs] No I’m just kidding, I’m joking. The best you can do is not take yourself to seriously and just have fun. I would also say every time you reach a goal, start over like you’ve never won before, and always be open to learn something new. That’s the best thing I can tell someone.

Now I need to ask, because as a listener I get tired of hearing the same song 20 times a day. Where do you think the music industry is headed?

TROP: You just had to ask me this didn’t you?

[Laughs] No the truth is this is a very unique time in music because it’s forcing people to grow and change.

It’s shifting us from being stuck in this one type of music because we feel this is cool versus that. There is representation for everyone out there now. No one is left out and I think that’s kind of cool.

I can’t lie, I don’t know who half these people are anymore. I remember being able to identify rappers by their sound. Now, everybody sounds the same.

TROP: You are so funny, but yes, I feel you on that.

DELUX: [Laughs] No stop, I can’t take it. Not the dope boys.

TROP: I know girl. It’s crazy, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I love my life because it really be from one end of the spectrum to the next. From the dope boys on one end to the President on the next. It would be like you here for everybody today Trop. Everybody is a potential friend or listener.

What is the biggest mistake you see up and coming personalities making that you would give them advise not to make?

TROP: There are no shortcuts in this and I think that’s in anything you love to do. There are no shortcuts and a lot of new people think doing the work is enough for the grind, but there are so many other aspects you need. Qualities like character building and personality

I’m a music lover and my answer to this may be bias, but I need to ask. What genre do you feel is underrated and underappreciated?

TROP: R&B. Definitely, R&B and i miss it.

Yes! I’m glad you said that because I thought it was just me. Why do you say we lost it?

TROP: We lost R&B because we created this society were men are supposed to be hyper-masculine and they can’t be romantic. We told all these men they were soft and needed to toughen up, and that’s what they did.

We made it to where showing your woman you love her isn’t cool anymore. As a society, we made it seem like if they weren’t saying b**** this and b**** that, we didn’t support it. We created this space where sex is better than love. Now we have all these songs where they are oversexualized, disrespecting women and there is no one singing about love. Nobody really sings about love anymore.

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TROP STATS: SOUNDTRACK OF YOUR YOUTH: The Roots - Things Fall Apart BIGGEST VICE: Pleasing people CELEBRITY HYPE MAN WOULD BE: OJ the Juice Man...LOL!!

FAVORITE SPORTS TEAM: Cleveland Cavaliers 2 WORDS THAT DESCRIBE YOU: optimistic & tenacious CELEBRITY CRUSH: (bearded) Michael Ealy

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Yes, I miss those Quiet Storm and Midnight Love days. The days when the slow songs came on in the club at the end and you had that one last dance before you went home.

TROP: Right because when you heard those songs, you knew what time it was.

Fun Question, if you could be stuck in any music era, what era would choose?

TROP: Aww man, let’s see. If I could pick any era, it would probably be an era before I was born. Somewhere around the time the Bee Gees, or Marvin Gaye was making music.

Maybe even Roberta Flack when my heart was broken. I grew up overseas the first half of my life, so music was the connection I had to what black people were doing in this country, and what was cool. Seventies music is what I grew up due to my parents.

Prince for me. I cried for a whole week when he died.

TROP: Ooh that’s a good one. Alive, I would say Oprah. She’s so transparent and in our industry, we don’t have a lot of women to look up to. Nobody comes back for us so there’s no clear leadership, and I would like to pick her brain about some of the things she’s had to sacrifice to be Oprah. Dead, hmmm I would say Michael. You know, to perfectly honest, the people I want to talk to, I don’t want to talk to them on the air. I’ve had the best conversations with the people I’ve interview off air. I recently interviewed Remy Ma about her new single, Melanin Magic. I was only supposed to be interviewing her for about five minutes, but we ended up talking for thirty minutes about life and other stuff. Those are the kind of conversations I want to have if I had to bring someone back.

Girl me too. My parents were old school. So much so, we knew what time is was when we heard that Al Green start playing on Saturday mornings.

Well this has been a fun, Sunday afternoon. Thank you so much for taking the time out to do this. We are glad to have you be the first issue to kick off our 10-year Anniversary.

TROP: Okay! Your momma would be like, “I know you smell this Pine-Sol, get on up and come on.”

TROP: No thank you for choosing me. I am so honored to do this. I can’t wait to read it.

[Laughs] That’s crazy how most black people have the same childhood memories no matter where we grew up.

Follow Tropikana on Instagram at @iamtropikana and be sure to listen to her, Monday – Friday from 2pm-7pm, on Hot 104.1.

TROP: Yes, the same experience! Truthfully speaking, now that I’m grown I can’t clean without music. I don’t want to clean because it’s not going to be right [laughs].

Last question, if you could interview anybody, dead or alive who would it be? It would be WWW.D E L U X MA G.C O M

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Photogapher: McArthur25 Photography Make Up: Cymbal’s Beat Model: Shay Monet Fashion: Toi Box Couture Location: The Thaxton

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6-MINUTE INTERVIEW WITH AVERI WOODLEY

BY SHADRESS BURKS

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“PEOPLE DON’T HAVE REALISTIC BODY GOALS FOR THEMSELVES. I HAVE FOUND THAT NO ONE WANTS TO LOOK LIKE A BETTER VERSION OF THEMSELVES.”

I

t’s not easy being a woman these days. We’re expected to be smart, pretty, wives, mothers, career women, and look good while doing it. Women are often faced with the challenges and pressures of getting their bodies back in shape right after giving birth. Sometimes, depending on your day-to-day life, this isn’t always easy to do. With the late-night feedings, diaper changes, going back to work, and tending to other children; exhaustion sets in. Let’s not forget the many women who battle with post-partum depression, hormonal imbalances, and stress. It’s a very real situation that leads to a multitude of other health problems if not carefully treated and managed.

Life happens, and pregnancy overall can take a toll on a woman’s body. Not to mention, unnecessary pressure of snapping back doesn’t always help. DELUX took six minutes to chat with Averi Woodley, owner of Bad Bish Fitness about why she started her company and some advice for women on getting back in shape and being comfortable with who you are inside and out.

DELUX: When did you fall in love with fitness?

AW: I fell in love with fitness after having my second child in 2011. I was newly married and my husband and I both had one child each. His career started taking off and we had just opened a business. Within a year and a half of all this happening, I felt like I had lost myself. I started to get depressed and I really started to question myself. I honestly felt like I was getting lost to my children, my husband and my business.

I felt like I had lost control and my body and my health was the only thing I felt like I could control, so that became my focus. I had decided to start taking care of myself from the inside out. I started getting stronger mentally, physically, and emotionally.

DELUX: Did you ever struggle with weight?

AW: Like most people, in high school I ate a lot of junk and bad stuff, but I had a fast metabolism. I was 115lbs when I graduated. Then I went to college and continued to eat like crap. After my first son, I had jumped up to 210lbs. I was under the impression once I had the baby I would lose all the weight I’d gained. When I was discharged, my papers stated I was 204lbs. The conception for me was I would lose all this weight as soon as I had the baby, so I was really like what is this? (laughs). I never really ate great, but I was always skinny.

Once I started gaining weight it was like, “Oh she’s thick, and oh she has curves.” What I didn’t realize was it was unhealthy weight and curves. Adding pregnancy weight on top of all of that was just a mess. At that point, I knew I had to get it together fast.

DELUX: Tell our readers about Bad Bish Fitness. What made you start this business?

AW: When I first started working out, I really became involved with learning about fitness. I was concerned with making a lifestyle change and not just working out. I went to a gym my husband was training at and when I walked in I felt like I didn’t belong. I felt like I had to look a certain way or be a certain shape to be in there. I had several people look at me like why was I here and I was like hmmm. There was a trainer there who took me under her wing. She trained and taught me everything she knew. From there I decided to start my company because I knew what it felt like to feel like you didn’t belong somewhere. I wanted to create something for all the women who walked into gyms and possibly felt like I did.

needs time to heal. Even though our bodies are built for motherhood, it still needs time to find its balance again. For some women, this may be the case, but not all women and you have to know your body type. Magazines, commercials, and social media has this “right now” mentality and that’s where a lot of people go wrong. Also, each pregnancy is different and your body does different things each time you become pregnant. You can’t judge this one like the last one. You also must have a persistent mindset and understand it’s a process to get back in shape. Nothing happens overnight.

DELUX: What have you found to be most difficult about fitness?

AW: I love it (laughs), no I’m just kidding. It’s one of those terms that started out as funny, but now it contains so much power. To me, the drawbacks of it are now women feel they need to snap back after having baby and you’re not. After having kids, focusing on things like snapback you can possibly trigger or worsen post-partum depression. Many times, people only hear about the dramatic occurrences of it, but it’s not always the case. A lot of times, you put this pressure on yourself and when you don’t snapback, you find yourself in this rut. You can have post-partum years after have a child. It can be a cute term, but if I’m being real, it’s a struggle. Everybody doesn’t look like Teyanna Taylor after a kid, and that’s what I want women to understand and be comfortable with while working towards a healthy body.

AW: People having realistic goals for themselves. Not the social media pictures or the images you see in the magazines, but realistic goals. So many people see these unrealistic body goals out there and like most things, they become ingrained in their heads. I have found that no one wants to look like a better version of themselves. I am not God or a magician, so I will not lie to anyone. I cannot make you look like someone and your body type is nowhere near what theirs is. You can enhance your curves and tone your body, but you can’t create something that is not already there. I’m not coming from a mean place, I’m just being real.

DELUX: As a mother, what have you found to be most exhausting about working out?

AW: Exhaustion (laughs). Once you become a mother, you’re going to be tired for the rest of your life. It’s like you hit different levels of tired because of your schedule. A lot of times, even if you do workout, you’re mentally somewhere else. Also, a lot of women let themselves go because they have other children, and they feel like everything they do should be for the children, so they stop taking care of themselves.

It’s not because they don’t want to workout to regain their pre-pregnancy body, but we feel like we’re being selfish. It was my dad who told me if I don’t take care of myself, I won’t be any good to my family. I realized I was their role model, so I had to be better. You must find time to do things for you. The world isn’t going to fall apart if you take an hour to yourself.

DELUX: There’s a new word floating around out there and it is causing some women to look at themselves differently after giving birth. What do you think about the term snap back?

DELUX: Last question, as a personal trainer and a mother, what would you say a realistic time line is for a woman to have regarding getting her shape back after having a baby?

AW: A realistic time line should start once they have been cleared by the doctor. Vaginal birth healing will be different from C-section births which can range from 6-12 weeks. After you have allowed your body has had time to heal, I would say a year. This gives you an opportunity for your body to heal and to adjust to the changes motherhood will have on your body. I do believe within a year, you can look how you want to look. Remembering to start with small exercises at home and working your way up to full workouts will help in becoming more disciplined.

DELUX: What pressures do you feel women face after having a baby?

AW: Once again, it’s all about realistic body goals & timeline. A lot of women feel like they should have a baby and two weeks later, they should be back to a size two. Your body

For more workout tips and information on Bad Bish Fitness, be sure to follow her on IG @badbishbootcamp.

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| women on the move |

LASHELL EIKERENKOETTER r u o r o f t h g fi o t y t u d r “It is ou , n i w o t y t u d r u o s i t i freedom, h c a e t r o p p u s d n a e v o we must l e s o l o t g n i h t no e v a h other, we r u k a h S a t a s s A ” . s n i a h c but our words by: shadress burks 28

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photography: allen b thompson

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| women on the move | DELUX: Tell our readers who you are and the role you have been playing in community organizing and protesting?

LE: My name is LaShell, I’m 27 years old and my background is in Multimedia. My role in the movement has transitioned since I began in 2014.

Initially, my role was more media related. I would shoot photography, and record videos during the Ferguson Uprising and post them to my social media platforms. I wanted people around the world to get a view of what was really happening from those on the ground of Ferguson and not be persuaded by the lies of mainstream media. That role has now transitioned to more organizing and livestreaming. However, I will play whatever role is necessary.

DELUX: Would you call yourself an activist?

LE: No. I do activism work but I am not an activist. Titles typically mean you have to fit into some sort of category and that’s not me. I am an upset Black woman against the systematic oppression being upheld by police and government in St. Louis. When Black women are upset, we do what we need to, to seek the changes we desire.

DELUX: What prompted you to become involved with community organizing and social justice issues?

LE: The death of Michael Brown Jr. changed my life. I’ve been aware about the racial inequality embedded in the system since Troy Davis was executed by government in 2011, but Ferguson put me into action. My eyes were opened to just how segregated St. Louis really is. The Delmar Divide, the lack of resources in Black communities, the brutalizing police tactics, cash bail, poverty, and more. The realization became overwhelming and I knew I had to do something. In 2014, I stayed behind my camera lens. I followed the leaders of Ferguson and in 2017, I felt prompted to speak up more and begin organizing. Deep down we all knew the verdict for Jason Stockley was going to be “not guilty”, and we also knew action had to be taken. For the past three years, I had watched the leaders in Ferguson and I knew it had become my turn to help organize.

DELUX: Tell me about some of the social injustices have you witnessed here in St. Louis?

LE: Social injustice comes in various forms. There’s policing, government investment in communities, lack of resources, education disparities, lack of jobs, community aesthetics, you name it. St. Louis seems to have issues in all of these areas. Since 2011, St. Louis City Police, have murdered 24 people. Out of those 24, 20 of them where Black, and not one officer has been held accountable. Another issue is “Hot spot policing” where police frequent “high-crime-areas” in Black neighborhoods, and are utilized instead of community engagement. No money is being put into our failing education system, but the Mayor proposed a half-cent sales tax increase

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to go to police for higher pay, pensions and to hire more officers. By this being approved, it equals $19.5 million dollars annually. The mayor will leave about $4 million to be split between summer jobs, recreation, social work, mental health programs, and then education. That’s injustice to me.

I have watched the community be silenced in their outcries for jobs, resources, and opportunities. I have seen teenagers be shot by police without repercussions. I have even seen multiple people murdered at the hands of the police. St. Louis is a city built and sustained by injustices.

DELUX: What are your thoughts about the culture of St. Louis? The police department? City Hall?

LE: Unfortunately, the areas that are affluent are sustained in old money.

This means any new opportunities, new policies, and changes are stiffened because St. Louis is afraid to be progressive. That is the culture of St. Louis as a whole. It is entrenched with its racist upbringing and refuses to let it go.

DELUX: What do you feel are some of the issues you see occurring among races here?

LE: Some of the issues I see occurring amongst races in St. Louis are lack of communication, and failure to acknowledge the issues Black communities are facing. I have heard over and over again during protests, council meetings, any place where these different sides encounter one another to get jobs, get off of welfare, quit killing each other, and so much more.

These evasive responses are only meant to belittle protesters and people of color to silence the real issues. That is a major problem. Black communities, protesters, and citizens of St. Louis are not making this up. The lack of effective policing, budgeting, equity, and jobs are obvious. All anyone has to do is some brief research to see it.

DELUX: What are the misconceptions you feel a lot of people have about one another in St. Louis?

LE: Many of the misconceptions people have about activists are we have no jobs, we are on welfare, or we’re just whining about injustice because our narrative is false. In reality, we don’t protest because we don’t have anything to do, it’s because we HAVE a job to do. Protesting isn’t fun nor easy, but in St. Louis, a lot of communities full of Black people are struggling.

All of this is reinforced by the government system, police departments, and those who support the police blindly.

DELUX: Let’s expand outside of St. Louis, what do you feel this country’s issue with Black people may be?

LE: White supremacy, white privilege, and white security. White nation-

| lashell eikerenkoetter | alists chant, “You will not replace us” because of their fear that equality means they become less than. AmeriKKKa wants to keep the status quo. It doesn’t want to change in fear that change will reverse the roles of minorities with the majority. Honestly, those who are privileged enough to live the “American Dream” because of their skin color are terrified to live how Black people live. They are afraid of the very oppression that they say does not exist.

DELUX: What are some things or actions you feel will need to take place here in St. Louis before real change can be seen?

LE: There is one action that is necessary, stop killing black people.

At this point, several lists of demands have been given to government officials. Since 2014, the people have stated exactly what they wanted. The thing is, this government isn’t dumb. They know the officials that are not serving the people fairly. They know things like cash-bail is unjust. They understand that placing people in jail for traffic violations is inhumane. It’s up to them to want to change the system. It’s up to these politicians and officers with power to want to be just and fair. Until then, we the people and protesters will always be present.

We will always disrupt, and we will continuously affect the economy.

This system only seems to care when their money is being compromised. So, when they change, our tactics may change.

DELUX: We’ve heard the term “Stay Woke”. What does it mean to you?

LE: “Stay Woke” in itself means to simply think outside of the narrative we’ve been forced fed. It means stop accepting and allowing systems that we know are morally wrong to flourish because we have been taught to do so. Stay woke, means finding and being in tune with oneself, educating yourself, and being mentally, physically and emotionally healthy. To become that level of healthy means doing a lot of unlearning that the society has conditioned us to accept.

DELUX: If you have one, tell DELUX what your favorite quote is?

LE: “It is our duty to fight for our freedom, it is our duty to win, we must love and support each other, we have nothing to lose but our chains.” This quote was spoken by a beautiful, brave, black woman, by the name of Assata Shakur. This quote enables community outreach, unity and resilience. It speaks to the tone of freedom and forces you to wage what freedom actually is. Freedom looks and feels different for each individual, but she calls on loving and supporting each other. Building community, allowing spaces for us all to have a voice. The last line represents liberation. It’s the undoing of the physical and mental chains America is built on.

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| on the verge |

EMONI

HERRON LOVE FOR MUSIC CAME FROM: I’ve always had a love for music since I was a child. I took ballet, tap, and I also played the flute from ages 4-8 years old. I then started making beats on a free site when I was 9, and later created a group with my sister titled “Jerkin Divaz”, in which embarrassingly I went by the name of “Queezy E”. During our time as a group, we came out with an album titled “The Evolution” and sold our CD’s to neighbors, and family friends for $5.00. I’ve always had the urging passion for music, I just never knew how I would explore it.

DJING SINCE: 2011 FAVORITE MUSIC GENRE: R&B. Especially the 90’s Classics REASON STARTED DJING: When I was younger, my mom bought me a game titled “DJ Hero”. I would come home from school, do my homework, play for 5 hours, go to sleep, and do it all over again the next day. It took for me awhile, to become EXTREMELY addicted, before I realized that becoming a DJ was something that I really wanted to do.

ONE DJ PET PEEVE: When numerous people attempt to stand behind the booth with me during an event. Like seriously, why?

BRAVEST THING YOU’VE EVER DONE: Parasailing in Jamaica! Did I mention I’ll never do that again in my entire life?

CURRENT CAREER: I currently DJ, Own an Online Boutique “June Ave”, and I’m also a part-time associate at Kohl’s. Not quite sure how I still manage to get at least 6 hours of sleep every night.

DREAM JOB/CAREER: My dream career is to become a Fashion Designer and Stylist. I’m currently enrolled in North Technical High School’s Fashion Design program under instructor Shan Keith (noted Project Runway alumni)! #thebestinstructorever KENDRICK LAMAR OR TUPAC: Tupac! One of the greatest for his lyrical commentary, but Kendrick is not far behind with his conscious ability to make an individual think about this thing called Life!

HEELS OR SNEAKERS: I’m honestly a girl who rocks both! I usually wear sneakers for a comfortable day out with friends, and rock my heels while at an event or a night out to dinner.

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VINYL OR DIGITAL: Can I choose both? To be a DJ, you must know how to use Vinyl or at least know what it is because when DJ’ing was first originated, that’s what was used. But, on the flip side- I also absolutely love digital. Especially my SX2.

MUSIC INSPIRATION: 90’s hip hop most definitely! I am a huge fan of Mc Lyte, Queen Latifah, and Monie Love’s “Ladies First.” That’s my anthem for life!!

OLD SCHOOL OR NEW SCHOOL: Old School hands down. I say this because I feel as if the old school music and fashion was more authentic, unique, and had expression to it. Now, it’s almost like - it’s repeating itself.

WHO IS DJ DAZZLE E: DJ Dazzle E is an unstoppable, extraordinary, fearless, motivated, passionate and loving young woman. She puts her everything into all that she does and takes her craft very serious. Dazzle E is an avid music lover, and also very fashionable. She has her own sense of style, being sure to shy away from your everyday trends.

30 SECONDS TO IMPRESS ANY CELEBRITY, WHO WOULD IT BE: Master P! I say this because Master P is an Actor, Rapper, Author, Producer, Investor, and so much more. I honestly respect his mind, he is so business savvy!

AS TOLD TO SHADRESS BURKS

SIMONE

YAEL

Eclectic, outgoing, creatively driven, are just some of the characteristics of creator brand face, Simone Yael. Coming to the Lou, by way of Chicago the innovative soul has grabbed her passion by the reigns and is taking the art and fashion world by storm. She’s unapologetic, fearless and carving out her own lane.

NAME: Simone Yael BORN: Feb 18th HOMETOWN: Chicago, Illinois FIRST DATE RULE: Be fresh! Nothing worse than stinky breath or dirty nails.

BRAVEST THING I’VE DONE: Quit my “regular life” to pursue my passions CURRENT CAREER PATH: CEO/ Entrepreneur DREAM JOB: CEO/ Entrepreneur MUST SEE TV: America’s Next Top Model, Atlanta, & Insecure HEELS OR SNEAKERS? Boots!

CLAIM TO FAME WILL BE: “She innovated everything she touches. She took obstacles no one saw a solution to and solved them. AND, she did it her way!”

FAVORITE CLOTHING BRAND: mine! (Yael) or anything my friends design!

STYLE INSPIRATION: Kanye’s minimalism, anything vintage or classic with futuristic, colorful touches. Afro punk, 50s/60s style, etc.

WHO IS CREATOR: creator. Brand (lowercase ‘c’) is similar to a collective started in June 2017 after I moved her from Chicago. I’ve met so many young people of color in STL that create but need a hub or resources, creator. Strives to provide that. We recently wrapped our 5th guerilla (or pop) up fashion show with all original designs and concepts. We’ve performed at the Saint Louis Fashion Fund, the Arch, and even the 8th and Pine subway station.

IT YOU BLOW UP IT WILL BECAUSE: If I blow up, it was God’s plan. Not mine.

MOTTO YOU LIVE BY: God is the ultimate Creator. We just are made in His image to do what He’s asked and called us to. Any of the gifts and abilities we have are from Him. What we do with them is our responsibility and gift back to Him.

SIMONE YAEL | CREATOR BRAND

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| mind body soul |

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR YOUR SOULMATE?

By: Tierra Wilson

It’s February, but then again…we all knew that, because there’s not a store in town that lets us forget. Every year around this time, we are bombarded with endless aisles of balloons, chocolates, roses and giant teddy bears. Each item perfectly placed as a reminder to express your appreciation to the ones you love.

Personally, I think the holiday is overrated and I don’t need one day out of 365 days in a year to be loved and appreciated. We all deserve more than that and we don’t need to wait on the love of others, when the greatest love of all is the love we give to ourselves. Besides, if you are looking for the validation of love inside a box of chocolates, then you have a larger issue at hand.

The issue that many of us have is that we just don’t know how to love ourselves.

So instead of wasting your time worrying about what you don’t get from others this season, let’s be more productive by taking this month to focus on self-love.

Self-love is the appreciation of one’s own beauty and making your own happiness your priority. Self-love is so important, because without it you will never experience the full capacity of love. How could you know what you need or want from someone else, when you are still struggling with learning what you need and want from yourself? When you look in the mirror, do you love what you see?

Have you spent time soul searching your passions and your purpose? If not, then make today the day that you start giving yourself the love and appreciation that you deserve.

WRITE YOURSELF A LOVE LETTER I love the power of words and how they make me feel. I knew I found the love of my life when I found myself writing poems about how he made my heart smile. I had so much to say about how he makes me feel and I never missed an opportunity to let him know just how much he means to me. I am a firm believer that you should love yourself just as much as you love anyone else, so I sat down one night to write myself a love a letter. I challenged myself to fill in the blanks of phrases 34

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“I FOUND MY SOULMATE THE MOMENT I LET MYSELF MEET MY SOUL.” -TIERRA TRUE

like, I love you because…you are so beautiful because, and when I look at you I feel…and by the time I finished my letter, I felt proud of the woman that I was describing. I felt empowered and deserving of my own love and that much more deserving of someone else’s.

SELF-REFLECT You may find that writing yourself a love letter is quite a challenge, especially if you have never taken a moment to consider how you feel about yourself. I challenge you to sit in front of a mirror and look at yourself without distractions.

Observe what you love about yourself and take note of the things that you don’t.

Why do you feel that way about yourself? Close your eyes and paint a picture in your mind of you as you best self. What does your best self-look like? How do you feel? What have you accomplished and what is your motivation?

DO MORE OF WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY Life is going to hit you hard some days, and it is going to take a lot more than a Valentine’s Day card and chocolates once a year to get you through your toughest days, so don’t rely on such things. Do more of what you love. Write a list of your favorite drinks, foods, and places, and then indulge as much as possible.

When you do more of what makes you happy, you feel happier. It is no coincidence that when you prioritize your own happiness you start to see life from a whole new perspective.

The beautiful thing about self-love is that it is not about being perfect or feeling perfect about where you are in your life right now. Self-love is about loving and accepting the beauty of the process. If you want to live a life of love, joy and peace, it must start from within.

First, fall in love with yourself, and then everything else will fall in place.

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Photographer Lawrence Bryant

KNOTS.

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DELUX MAGAZINE’S

Wedding Guide

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LB PHOTOGRAPHY Saint Louis, 314-445-9718 www.lbfoto1.com

TARA LOWERY 1430 Washington Ave 105, St Louis, 314-805-3587 www.Taralowerymakeup.com

ICED IMPRESSIONS 1111 Arsenal Ave, Saint Louis, (314) 219-9272 www.facebook.com /IcedImpressions

STYLE COUTURE EVENTS 5335 Highway N, Cottleville, 314-479-3204 www.stylecoutureevents.com

MCARTHUR PHOTOGRAPHY, www.mcarthur25.com 843 324 5432

NETTIE KELLY 3840 Washington Ave Studio 218, Saint Louis, 314-498-6299 www.nkmakeupstudio.com

SweetArt 2203 South 39th Street, St. Louis, 314-771-4278 www.sweetartstl.com

KAYDIS EVENT PLANNING, Saint Louis, 314-458-6425 www.kaydis.com

LANCE THURMAN 2609 S. Kingshighway, Saint Louis, 314-368-3599 www.lancethurman.com

Florists

La Patisserie Chouquette 1626 Tower Grove St Louis 314-805-3587 www.simonefaure.com

6 DEGREES EVENT PLANNING, Maryland Heights, 314-229-8007 www.6devents.com

SUTBERRY PHOTOGRAPHY Saint Louis/ Illinois 618-406-0041 www.sutberryphotographyblog.com

The Rebel Florist 1414 Park Ave St. Louis, 314-962-3232 www.therebelflorist.com

Sugaree Baking Company 1242 Tamm Avenue St. Louis, 314-645-5496 www.sugareebaking.com

Bella Daydream Events St. Louis, 314-537-1739 www.bella-daydreams.com

iDEX PHOTOGRAPHY, Saint Louis/Illinois 618-407-3288 www.dexine.me

Artistry Florist & Event Design 2734 LaSalle Street, St. Louis 314-772-1301 www.artistryflorist.com

La Bonne Bouchee 12344 Olive Blvd Creve Coeur 314-576-6606 www.labonnebouchee.com

Simcha’s Events 55 Chaminade Drive St. Louis, 314-458-5463 www.simchasevents.com

JOSEPH CAMPBELL Saint Louis/Kansas City/ Mid-Missouri Area 314-805-3587 www.josephncampbell.com

Wildflowers 1013 Ohio Avenue St. Louis, 314-772-9900 www.wildflowersstl.com

Sarah’s Cake Shop 10 Clarkson Wilson Centre - Chesterfield, 314-728-1140 www.sarahscakeshopstl.com

Cosmopolitan Events 18132 Big Bend Boulevard St. Louis 314-249-9107 www.cosmopolitanevents.com

CEDRIC SCOTT PHOTOGRAPHY 3840 Washington Av 218, Saint Louis , 314363-6303 cedricscottphotography.com

The Special Events Florist Call for Consult. Saint Louis, 314-845-3362 thespecialeventflorist.com

The Sweet Divine 1801 S 9th St St. Louis, 636-942-2900 www.thesweetdivine.com WWW.D E L U X MA G.C O M

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| destinations |

THE FOOD Dining on the island is nothing short of amazing for so many reasons. I can summarize it by having you imagine a location with no fast food, about seventyfive restaurants, tons of small snack type shops and waterside seating at most places. I haven’t even gotten to the fresh seafood like conch, red snapper, local lobster and grouper.

My first stop to eat was an oceanside, two-story restaurant called Somewhere that served Mexican inspired food. Open air rooftop bar, small tables and homemade salsa awaited. The seasoning on the chicken in the quesadilla was outstanding and the spice in the Jalapeno Mango Margarita made watching the sunset from the rooftop even better. Did I forget to mention the great walk on the beach to get there?

If I walked you through every meal I had, it will have me back on a flight before I can even finish writing this article. It was just that good. I do not think a bad meal or an item in any of them was served. Let me bring you along the rest of the food journey in a quick summary.

BY CHRIS MILLER Constant breezes from the east. Sands and beaches that make you want to walk them every day, and water so clear and blue it doesn’t seem real. Those are the things I immediately remember now when someone mentions the Turks and Caicos Islands. Until you experience them first hand most people will give a confused look in return. Everyone seems to have heard of them but cannot tell you exactly where they are. I can even recall seeing the island’s name when browsing for cruises or looking at maps of the Caribbean. However, I still could not tell you exactly where they were.

In February 2018, I decided to take the leap and spend time in this cluster of forty islands just to the southeast of the Bahamas. For an even better reference, it sits right above the Dominican Republic on the map.

Flights were easy to find with many carriers going there including American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines. I was able to pick and choose from some options of where I wanted to fly; therefore, making planning easy.

While they are a British Overseas Territory officially, they take US Dollars and use our same plug types for power. There is no need for currency exchange or power converters. I am not saying things are the same prices, you will pay a bit more than average while there.

On an island where the residents pay no income tax I expected it. They do move on island times often, meaning prepare to relax and just enjoy

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Finding exactly what you want in a hotel or resort is easy with many options and budget levels. There are all inclusive options all the way down to Airbnb availability, and you’ll pay more to get more. If you want to stay oceanside in a suite with a butler, it is an option. All the way down to a rented small room close enough to the beach to walk with a limited view.

For breakfast daily, I chose a continental option of fresh fruits, yogurt, oatmeal and juices. I was saving up for lunches and dinners and small snack shops. Jerk chicken was a staple all around and I made sure to try it more than once. Each seasoning was slightly different, and you could say they were all the best. I cannot pick a winner. However, the Conch Risotto Balls were a highlight. The Spicy Lobster Curry with giant pieces of lobster was incredible. Though, the seasoning on the grilled red snapper at Da Conch Shack made the week. Oh, I tried cracked conch and jerk chicken there too, but that red snapper keeps reminding me of sitting on the waterway with that breeze.

While I normally try and pick all-inclusive for ease of stay, I wanted to explore the island and restaurants, so I chose to find a resort on the beach that was midsized.

I wanted a nice pool, short walk to the sands of Grace Bay and a decent on-site restaurant in case I was too happy to move.

I would be wrong to not mention Thursday nights. The entire island comes together every Thursday night for a beach party. About twenty-five restaurants set up tents.

Live music is played and tourists and locals all party together. An amazing experience and it happens every single week. Amazing to think they do this constantly.

I managed to walk the beaches enough to explore a few resorts and hotels. From the ultra-luxurious Beaches family extravaganza to high end chic spots like Gansevoort and small single condo rental units. I was trying to get a rounded-out idea of accommodations for writing this article. I wish I had time while there to go inland and see more of the locals housing, but food was on my mind.

GETTING AROUND

the day.

THE HOTELS

You can rent a car but being a British Overseas Territory, they do drive on the left. If you have never done it, I would not suggest making this your first attempt. I decided I wanted to spend more time walking the beach than driving, so I opted for no car. Individually owned cabs are the way I got around. One thing you should know is that the travel is basically divided in zones. The further you are going into another zone the more you pay. But travel anywhere in that zone and the fare is always the same. Makes knowing what cash you need for the roundtrip very easy, but not cheap. A couple miles can be $23 flat for two people.

| turks and caicos | What is nice is when you find a driver you really like make sure to take their card.

All of them will want to hand you one. I liked all my drivers, but when you find that one driver that you really like, keep calling them. Deals can be made, and it seems they are never more than a few minutes away from getting you. I used the same two drivers the rest of the stay after the first day.

As we pulled into a restaurant with the first time we had a driver, he turned back and said you really want to go here? I replied it was just an option. He immediately put the van in reverse and said no way and took us basically two blocks away to another oceanside location that blew me away. Keep in mind it was the same zone, so he made no more money changing locations anyway. In some cities the drivers have agreement to get people places. In the Turks and Caicos, we found that the people just want you to have wonderful experience. He was one of my two drivers the rest of the week.

BEACHES, SAND, OCEAN AND WEATHER (OH MY) Until you put your feet on the sand of Grace Bay Beach, walk to the water and stare at the clarity of it, I just cannot make you understand how it should change you.

Grace Bay Beach is voted one of the best in the world and is miles long. It did not disappoint in that designation. The sand is not a powder but super fine. It just always stays cool. While so many beaches are hot to walk on, the sand here wanted you to dig in and walk forever.

The ocean was crystal clear as far as you could see. This allowed people to snorkel everywhere looking at the huge reef, tons of sea life and just see the ocean. One thing that was pointed out to me was that the water had no smell. Of course, it is salt water, but it was missing the fish odor you find in so many places. It was just clean. There was limited seaweed, the opposite of Cancun, and I do not recall seeing any trash as I think back.

Snorkeling and scuba diving are two top activities that bring travelers. For the middle of the road adventures you will find just about all motorized and nonavailable. Parasailing, paddle boats, Tiki-style party boats, fishing tours, dolphin and whale watching and scuba/snorkel excursions. Most every hotel offers free gear to hit Turtle Cove and the reefs to stare at fish.

The weather is a constant as I hinted at early on. The breeze is always blowing keeping you even cooler. And yes, everyone can get a sunburn there. Think I am kidding and watch. Do not send me an email/DM or snap when you did not listen to me. Even the locals will tell you. Quick rain showers are common and vanish as fast as they blow in. I only experienced one and had sun every other day. They do have a hurricane season late fall. They did suffer damages in the last hurricanes and my heart goes out to those that were still working away on rebuilding. But everywhere had power and water and I didn’t see too much leftover damages.

PLANNING Yes, you need a passport. Yes, you should look at tons of packages, hotels, deals and flights (see the DELUX blog for more tip on that soon). Yes, you should bring friends or make it a romantic getaway. Yes, you should be doing that now instead of reading the end of this article.

Seriously, the Turks and Caicos have won me over. The 34,000 residents welcome you, and the food is amazing. The weather is awesome. Not to mention, the beaches and water are stunning. Still, my words on it are useless. You must see this for yourself.

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Goldie.

photo graphy: l awren ce brya n t

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| art and culture |

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delux profiled

Words by: Shadress Burks // Photography: McArthur25

8

QUESTIONS WITH

DJ SHAY MONEY words by: shadress burks

photography: allen b. thompson

1. Tell our readers a little about yourself?

legacy like we planned.

DJ: Well first off I’m that number one zodiac sign whoop, whoop Aquarius......yassss [laughs]! I’m originally from Kansas City, MO, but I’ve been living in STL over fourteen years now. I originally came here as a flight attendant because my job stationed me here. I ended up having my son while I was here, so eventually I stopped flying and made a life for myself here. Most people may of know me prior to me Dj-ing from being a local business owner. I’m kind of a what you’d call a serial entrepreneur. I opened my first business Boutique Pink in 2010 in North County. We are still in business today! We’re currently located in the Benton Park/Soulard Area, and everywhere online at www. myboutiqueispink.com.

3. What would you say is the hardest thing about being a female DJ?

2. How did you land in the DJ-ing field?

DJ: Honestly, most people don’t know that my father was a professional DJ & musician my entire life. His name was DJ G-Money and is his band was the G-Money Band. That’s where my DJ name actually came from. We grew up like the Jacksons in my household. I have three brothers and they all can play just about every instrument fluently just like my dad. I can play the keyboard and the drums. Even today, I can still play the drums! I used to have to play the drums and sing on stage with my daddy at his shows when I was a little girl. One day we were talking and my dad was saying how none of his kids ever took after him regarding DJing. He fell ill and due to the disease, his health had really deteriorated over the years. Once that happened, it became my goal to learn how to DJ as fast as possible. I wanted my daddy to be able to see his only daughter accomplish his

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I’d say the skeptics and stereotypes. Now a days, a lot of women are coming into the DJ game using their looks or social media popularity to become DJ’s. They’re getting by with minimum DJ skills or abilities, and sadly, being sexy is getting them by. For those reasons, a lot of male DJ’s are very skeptical of up and coming female DJ’s. I’ve definitely had to earn my respect out here in these streets!

4. What has been the most memorable, single night out for you as a DJ? Hmmm…that’s a tough one because I’ve had so many amazing experiences on tour. I’d have to say DJ’ing in Philly on the Sevyn Streeter tour was the most memorable. The crowd there was just amazing and they showed me so much love. The fans were literally chanting my name during my set and after. They were yelling and telling me how bad and pretty I am. The ones in the front rows were holding up their phones showing me they were on my social media pages. It was surreal so that literally blew my mind!

5. You get to time travel to any music era, which era are you punching in the keypad?

Hmm..I’m so in love with the 80’s & the 90’s! That’s a toss up for me, because the music from both eras just felt so good and made you wanna dance! Every genre of music in the 90’s was straight jammin’, whether it was RnB, Hip Hop, or Pop! Then the 80’s music just reaches into your soul!

My daddy was deep into the funk era in the 80’s. His band practiced daily in our garage, so I grew up on everything 80’s! Hearing that bass line in those records gives me life.... sometimes chills!

6. What is one track that never gets old for you no matter how many times you hear it?

Right now I would have to say Blac Youngsta’ s song, Booty.

I can hear it 50 times a day and every time I’m still going to wanna twerk no matter where I am [laughs]. That’s the one record you can get away with playing more than once in the club. People always request it multiple times because that song just makes the ladies wanna shake it all night!

7. What is one track that got popular that you can’t stand?

Lil Yachty’s track, One Night. I hate that song. The beat was so off, weird, and I didn’t like the vocals or the words.

I never understood how that one made it to the radio, but then again the kids loved it!

8. You get phone call to DJ or announce for any celebrity, who would it be?

My DJ dream is 100% Rhianna! She has such a vibe and a dope spirit. I live for her energy and I love her music.

That’s a definite DJ goal on my list. In my mind, nothing is unachievable with hard work and dedication. You never know, you just might see me on stage with Rhi Rhi one day!

Be sure to listen to DJ Shay Money on Hot 104.1.

| DEC 17, 2018 • RITZ CARLTON |

photos courtesy of: lavell monger harris more images availble www.deluxmag.com

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| DEC 17, 2018 • RITZ CARLTON |

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WE HONOR THE LEGACY OF OUR ST. LOUIS HEROES IN THE FIGHT FOR EQUITY AND JUSTICE.

MARYVILLE UNIVERSITY PROUD MAJOR SPONSOR #1 in Civil Rights: The African American Freedom Struggle in St. Louis NOW THROUGH APRIL 15, 2018 MISSOURI HISTORY MUSEUM

BE YOURSELF AT MARYVILLE.

At Maryville University, diversity and inclusion are core principles of our learning environment, and multicultural understanding is

MARYVILLE. MANY CONNECTIONS. ONE U.

an essential measure of our student success.

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