Diamond Magazine Issue #1

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VOL 1 | NO 1 PUBLISHER / EDITOR AT LARGE: BIG KEESH DAWG (@_KCNVRMND) EDITOR IN CHIEF: STU DAWG (@_STU07) ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER: BINO PHOTOGRAPHY: BINO (@BINOSTUDIOS) EDITORIALS: FASHION: YAZMIN ROSADO MUSIC: NICK ROZAY (@NICKYROZAY / @ NICKYROZAYYY) ACCENT CHALLENGE: WAG (@ITSVINCIBIH / @TRU_WAG) FRONT PAGE: ZAE (@ZAEAHEAD / WHYPRAYFORME)

I MADE THIS MAGAZINE FOR ALL THE HUSTLERS IN THE CITY, WHO TRYNA GET IT, AND MAKE IT THEIR OWN. I'M TRYING TO GIVE THEM A PLATFORM TO CREATE WITH, AND JUST TO GET NOTICED BY. I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE A LOT OF UNDERGROUND TALENT THAT NEEDS EXPOSURE, SO I WANT TO CREATE A PLACE, TO BRING IT ALL INTO ONE PLACE. THIS PLACE NEEDS TO BE AUTHENTICALLY, AND GENUINELY BLACK. IT HAS TO SOUND LIKE US. IT HAS TO LOOK LIKE US. WE NEED A PROPER REPRESENTATION, AND THIS IS THAT. I WANT EVERYONE IN SAINT LOUIS DOING SOMETHING TO BE A PART OF THIS. THIS AIN'T LIMITED TO NOBODY. THIS IS FOR EVERYBODY DOING SOMETHING, AND FOR US. I WANTED TO CREATE SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR THE CITY, AND MORE SPECIFICALLY, FOR PPL WHO LOOK AND SOUND LIKE ME. WE FINNA SHOW THE WORLD THE GEM HIDDEN IN THE MIDWEST. CAN'T SPELL HUSTLE WITHOUT STL.

REAL ESTATE: WHITNEY LOVE (C.WHITNEYLOVE@GMAIL.COM) THE ART OF FRIENDSHIP: BENNY GREENHEART (@POLITEASFLANNELS) FOOD: CHEF ANTOINE BAILEY (@ CHEFBAILEYSTL_ / @CHEFBAILEYSTL) JIGGAJUICE: JASMINE ARMSTRONG (@ JIGGAJUICEDUP) DAVE, THE TRAPSTAR: DAVE (@ TRAPSTARMUSICGROUP)

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PRAY 4 ME Allow me to introduce y‘all to Zae Ahead. The founder of brand Pray4Me, a true mud kid, and the voice of the new generation. With flashy pieces filled with rhinestones, airbrush collages, and innovative takes on his vision, Zae wears many hats.

The voice of the new generation, he’s been creating art through multiple mediums such as visual design, painting, and has been pursuing his own personal creative direction for years.

He played basketball for a large majority of his life, and even won a state championship in High School. After his basketball life ended, he decided to go a different direction. He decided to fully pursue the arts shortly after.

Known as a ‘mud kid’, which Zae coins from one Because he was so invested in athletics of his designs, Mud Kids Want Blessings, it’s during that time, it was all that he knew. His someone who grew up with limited resources, passions had taken a backseat to athletics, and and has experienced racism in different forms, we all know how things get when ball is life, like systemic, systematic, or institutional. and the pressure that comes along with that.

Someone that is a product of their environment, a flower that grew out the concrete, a seed Once Zae got to college, he made a that grew in infertile land. Mud is rhetoric for promise to himself that paid off in the long struggle and nothingness. “In this world I feel run. “I promised myself I would lock in and like I’m a mud kid, I really got to understand the express myself more through design and true meaning. It’s amazing that we’re creating painting while also monetizing my talents.” this art, purely from our traumas and lifestyles.”

“I JUST WANT TO KEEP MAKING The journey to get where he is now hasn’t THE 17 YEAR OLD VERSION OF always been the easiest, or his first choice.“I MYSELF PROUD LIKE VIRGIL SAID.” was never the most verbal person,” Zae Artists like Kanye, Nelly, Lil Wayne, and Pharrell says. “Designing and painting has always were his main influences that kind of shaped him been my way of expressing myself.” at a young age. The Pray4Me rhinestone logo Other passions came first, like photography, takes strong inspiration from Pharrell’s Star Trak producing, and styling. He’s always been creative Entertainment merch, and many of his pieces are and loved all forms of art, though. In high school, he true originals. The city ain’t the only ones who really had his hand in everything before deciding see it for Zae. He’s designed clothing for artists to lock in with visual arts, specifically painting and Young Thug, Smino, Iman Shumpert, Veeze, clothing design. But, there was one thing that and many others. Zae’s current goal is to take overshadowed his creative passions: basketball. Pray4Me global, and impact the world on a larger scale. He’s still at the very early stages of all this Like many young black boys in The Lou, he journey, so a lot is new and so much is changing. definitely had hoop dreams. “GROWING UP AS A KID I LITERALLY WANTED TO BE “I feel like I’m a generational talent and one LIKE ALLEN IVERSON, LEBRON, KOBE.” of the most innovative talents to come out of the Midwest Area. I’m just starting my journey.

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“I don’t care to be known or receive attention/clout,” says Zae. “This is what I believe sets Pray4Me apart from other brands, the brand is built on storytelling and all of these designs are meaningful and thought provoking.”

“MY SOLE PURPOSE OF CREATING IS DESIGNING TO EXPRESS MYSELF, AND TO MAKE TIMELESS AND MEANINGFUL ART THAT WILL LAST WHEN I’M GONE.”

When we asked Zae for some advice for someone getting into designing or fashion, he highlighted a major thing to know early on is to know your story and purpose. Build a foundation and team of likeminded individuals, and just put your head down and work. The hardest part is starting and building that foundation. Don’t be afraid to bet on yourself endlessly and take risks that you haven’t before.

Be a tireless learner and open to failing. At the end, focus on your vision and don’t doubt it.

“I feel like a lot of life is trial and error, so you really just have to be open to enter unknown territory as a creative. Slow motion over none really, you’ll see the progress once you start to get active.”

I feel like I’ve made a crazy impact in my city.

Everybody always says they run their city or they’re the hottest, but none of that shit really ever mattered to me. I just wanted to make a direct impact through Pray4Me, influence others, and create a lane for myself.

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by Nick Rozay

Remain Calm is the latest offering from St. Louis artist Jordan Ward. The six song ep is a perfect introduction into the multifaceted artist. Jordan’s smooth vocals and writing ability makes this project an amazing offering to his fans and people just getting into his music.

Matty Wood$ Autotone is an enjoyable listen and insight into the Backwood Bandit.

Wood$ has constantly improved with his projects and Autotone is another solid project from Matty. His laidback rapping style and melodic flow mesh well over the beautiful production on this project.

The second Installment of Big Neph’s PTSD series is a reminder of Neph’s talent. For 50 minutes you are enthralled by the gritty production and Neph’s unique voice. Neph is one of the most promising rappers out of St louis and PTSD proves and exceeds expectations.

Black Onyx is the long awaited debut project from the St. Louis Emcee. The 12 track album features appearances from fellow STL rappers Big Neph, Benny Greenheart, Femdot, and Manasseh, just to name a few features. Black Onyx is a spectacular body of work from start to finish.

The Big Gang Theory is the spectacular debut project by the St. Louis collective 4Deep.

Each of the members’ style is fresh and their chemistry makes TBGT a fun and exciting listen. The span time is over 40 minutes, & with each listen there is something new and refreshing that the listener can catch. It is a must listen.

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COLORS FOR SPRING/SUMMER 2022 INCLUDE A WIDE RANGE OF SOFT PASTELS, COUPLED WITH EXTREME BOLDS AND TO MELLOW EVERYTHING OUT, A FEW NEUTRALS.

THOUGH IT MAY SEEM WE’VE COME “STRAIGHT OUT THE 70’S” WITH BEAUTIFUL BOLD COLORS AND HINTS OF CALM IT DOWN COLORS. WE’RE DEFINITELY “TAKING OVER FOR THE 99 & THE 2000’S” WITH STYLE. WHO WOULD’VE SEEN THE DAY WHEN LOW RISE SKIRTS AND JEANS COME BACK? WELL THEY’RE COMING! JUST WHEN U THOUGHT HEMLINES COULDN’T GET ANY SHORTER! WE GOT THE MINI MINIS “HIDE YO HUSBANDS AND HIDE YO WIVES” CAUSE WE GOT ACTION FOR SURE. ◦

WE’RE SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST AND THAT’S THE MULTITUDE OF FABRIC CHOICES WE HAVE THIS UPCOMING SEASON. BUT, THE OVERALL MOOD IS SENSUAL AND SEDUCTIVE. HEYYY SENSUAL SEDUCTION OOP TOO MUCH!

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YOU ALREADY KNOW HOW THIS THING GOES - GONE HEAD AND TRY IT, RECORD YOURSELF DOING IT, AND USE THE HASHTAG #314ACCENTCHALLENGE 1.

OIL

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SCARED

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THERE

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RYAN

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FRYER

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AIR

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VAMPIRE

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AARON

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FEAR

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MARRY

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ERICA

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BEER

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HAIR

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TERRENCE

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IRON

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MARINARA

It’s not easy though. It’s hard to accept help especially when we’re dealing with matters of the heart and feelings. I’ve been given advice from my friends and even though I knew they were correct I didn’t listen to what they taught me and I learned the hard way.

I always believed it’s better for me to be hurt by the right advice rather than me experiencing the hurt in real time from not taking the right advice.

Setting the standard for friendships is another part about friendship that’s important. I’m not talking standards in terms of beauty, materialism, popularity. You can be in a 96 Acura and I’m in Ferrari. If I rock with you I rock with you. I fuck with character, integrity, morals, and respect. You can be lame with money and materials and you can be lame without money and materials. Are you solid is what’s important. Setting the standard of friendships needs to be practiced more. If there’s standards set for respect and good character in the friendship then your circle is honorable. An honorable circle always wins.

BY BENNY GREENHEART

Friendship is defined differently by different people. You have people who believe friendship is dependent on loyalty. Right or wrong.

Accountability. If you can’t hold your friends accountable then you don’t care about the friendship. If my friends on some fuck shit I’m letting them know immediately. I’ve never had friends that did terrible things such as being an absent parent, abuse or rape so I have no experience in holding people close to me accountable for those severe types of actions. I have zero tolerance for shit like that so nobody would be around me after some shit like that.

You have people who believe friendships are about the favors you do for each other. You have people who believe friendships are based on getting money together. There are so many definitions of friendship. It’s up to those people to figure out what the definition of friendship means to them.

For me, the older I get the more I look at the tough parts of friendship. The hard shit. Me going out for drinks, smoking the

On a safer scale, the things I hold my friends accountable for have always been in private. It’s always been in a conversation between us. I look at accountability as protection. I want to protect you from moving weird and suffering consequences from your actions. Accountability aligns with setting boundaries too. Boundaries should always be set and if you have to keep having conversations about boundaries and accountability then you don’t need that friend around you anymore. If you lose yourself in a friendship then it’s time to end that shit.

finest of trees, having things in common with each other is cool and needed but I can do that with strangers. I’ve never fallen out with a friend in my life but knowing my personality, if I fell out with a friend I’d think about the conversations we had more than I’d think about a fun drunk night. It’s the brotherhood I would miss.

Although the drunk nights at bowling alleys and lounges are a part of the brotherhood it doesn’t define brotherhood or sisterhood.

It’s the times of vulnerability with each other. It’s learning from

Encouragement and support are the obvious acts in friendship that the majority believes should be in every friendship. Everybody supports each other in different ways. Letting your friends know you’re in their corner by actually showing it feels great on both sides. Some people really need to see that support. Some people don’t need to see it. The easiest solution is to just be there in some capacity. Reciprocation is key. Encouragement and support can’t be one sided. Actually give a fuck about what your friends are into. If they start a business and you don’t buy anything, at least market it for them to potential buyers. If you know they’re having a rough day buy them some food, send them kind words.

each other’s differences and embracing those differences. It’s knowledge.

Sharing knowledge and information that adds to the growth of your friends is an underrated aspect of friendships and rarely discussed because it’s rarely done in most friendships. When you have friends that can TEACH you things you have a different level of trust because your friend is contributing to your growth. You have to have patience to teach anybody anything. You need patience to teach because you have to let people think for themselves. It’s up to them on what they do with the knowledge you teach them.

Having friends is a blessing. Grow with each other, learn from each other, and enjoy life to the fullest with each other.

You can lead people to knowledge but you can’t make them think.

You’re here to help your friends help themselves.

Love, Benny

It’s not easy though. It’s hard to accept help especially when we’re dealing with matters of the heart and feelings. I’ve been given advice from my friends and even though I knew they were correct

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REAL ESTATE | 101 WHITNEY LOVE Q: Do I need an 800 credit score to qualify for a mortgage loan?

factor when the seller decides which offer to entertain.

A: No, you do not need an 800 credit score. There are a variety of loan options available and many have different criteria.

The most common two are conventional loans and FHA loans. Conventional loans require a 620 credit score, while FHA loans only require a minimum 580 credit score.

Q: Do I have to put 20% down on a home?

Q: What is a pre-approval, and why do I need it?

A:Pre-approval is as close as you can get to confirming your creditworthiness without having a purchase contract in place. You will complete a mortgage application and the lender will verify the information you provide. They’ll also perform a credit check. If you’re pre-approved, you’ll receive a preapproval letter, which is an offer (but not a commitment) to lend you a specific amount, good for 90 days.

Offering a seller a preapproval letter along with a purchase offer demonstrates that you've persuaded a lender to back your purchase. In a situation where another buyer lacks similar assurances, a preapproval letter can be the deciding

A: Down payment depends on your loan type. The average downpayment is about 3-5%.

Q: How much does it cost to hire a realtor?

A: To consult a realtor and work with a realtor there are no up front fees. Realtors compensation is 100% commission based and they do not receive any pay for the work they do until a home is sold. An agent that represents the buyer is typically paid their commission from the selling side. ____________________________ Whitney Love, Realtor The Covington Connection 314-718-0443 Office: 314-528-8000 c.whitneylove@gmail.com 247 S Florissant Rd, Ferguson, MO 63135 whitney.thecovingtonconnection.org

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AN INTERVIEW WITH DAVE, FOUNDER OF TRAPSTAR MUSIC GROUP

HOW DO YOU BALANCE BEING SUCH A MULTI TALENTED ARTIST? STAYING IN THE MOMENT BUT DEDICATING ALL OF MY TIME, FOCUS AND ENERGY INTO ONE CRAFT AT A TIME. I RARELY DJ OR TAKE PHOTOS ANYMORE, BUT I PLAN ON GETTING BACK TO THOSE THINGS EVENTUALLY. WHAT’S SOME MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT YOUR LINE OF WORK? THAT THINGS HAPPEN OVERNIGHT, IT DOES IN SOME VERY RARE CASES BUT BEING SUCCESSFUL IN THIS MUSIC GAME TAKES A LOT OF PLANNING, PREPARATION, PERSISTENCE, CONSISTENCY, AND A LOT OF NETWORKING WHAT MISTAKES HAVE YOU MADE THAT HELPED

WHAT INSPIRED YOUR BRAND NAME? STARTRAK, A RECORD LABEL FORMED BY THE NEPTUNES. PHARRELL IS ONE OF MY BIGGEST INFLUENCES MUSICALLY AND FASHION WISE. PLUS, WANTING TO GIVE THE CITY A HOUSEHOLD NAME THAT FEELS TRADITIONAL. IT’S ONE THAT I FEEL LIKE IS TRUE TO THE CULTURE OF MUSIC. PLUS, IT REPRESENTS THE STRUGGLE. FAVORITE CURRENT ARTISTS IN THE GAME? I’VE REALLY ONLY BEEN TAPPED INTO THE LABEL’S ARTISTS AS OF RECENTLY; WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT MUSIC ON THE WAY. BUT, THERE’S A LOT OF GREAT TALENTS OUT THERE. KENDRICK WILL ALWAYS BE TOP EVEN THOUGH HE HASN’T DROPPED & FUTURE. ANYONE YOU ADMIRED GROWING UP THAT SHAPED YOUR VISION TODAY? QUALITY CONTROL, BECAUSE THEY WERE TAKING A LOT OF ARTISTS FROM THEIR CITY AND GIVING THEM A SUPPORTIVE LOCAL PLATFORM.

YOU GROW? DOING THINGS FOR PEOPLE WITHOUT HAVING ANY PAPERWORK DONE. HAVING YOUR BUSINESS IN ORDER IS SO IMPORTANT. IT PROTECTS YOU. THE WORST FEELING IS INVESTING TIME, ENERGY, FUNDS AND RESOURCES INTO SOMETHING AND GETTING BURNED IN THE END. WHAT’S YOUR PROCESS FOR EVALUATING TALENT? I LOOK FOR THE “IT” FACTOR. WHAT’S THAT THING THE ARTIST HAS THAT SEPARATES THE ARTIST FROM ANYONE ELSE. WHETHER IT’S THEIR TALENT AND HOW CRAFTED THEY ARE, THEIR ABILITY TO ENTERTAIN, THEIR CHARISMA OR STORY. ANY ADVICE TO UP AND COMING ARTISTS?

HOW DID YOUR CHILDHOOD INFLUENCE WHO YOU ARE TODAY? AS A CHILD, I WOULD TAKE IN SO MUCH DIFFERENT MUSIC RIDING THROUGH THE CITY WITH MY MOM. I WOULD HEAR HER SAY THAT SHE WANTED TO BE A DJ, AND IT WASN’T UNTIL I GOT OLDER THAT I UNDERSTOOD AND REALIZED WHY SHE USED TO SAY THAT. HER RANGE AND TASTE OF MUSIC WAS CRAZY WHICH EVENTUALLY LED ME TO EVENTUALLY START DJ’ING & NOW I HAVE A RECORD LABEL THAT SHE SUPPORTS ME WITH.

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BE YOURSELF , BUT TAKE NOTES AND STUDY THE PEOPLE WHO MADE IT WORK THAT ARE SIMILAR TO YOUR STYLE. TAKE BREAKS AWAY FROM LISTENING TO MUSIC BECAUSE & BE MINDFUL OF YOUR DIET. GET OFF OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND FIND WAYS TO ENGAGE AND INTERACT WITH PEOPLE IN REAL LIFE TO BUILD YOUR NETWORK. WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU? FRIEND FEST. WE THREW ONE IN 2017 & 2018.

CURRENTLY WORKING ON BRINGING IT BACK IN 2022 FOR THE CULTURE.

MAGAZINE

PLACES TO EAT LOCALLY IN STL - BLACK OWNED Hungry? Just want somewhere to grab something to eat? We chose ten of Saint Louis’ staples in where to eat and drink locally, and highlighted them here. You can find more of these places on @fortheculturestl on IG!

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FOOD:

COFFEE, DESSERTS, TEA, SMOOTHIES:

Gourmet Soul

Yummy Sweetcakes

Who Dat Food Bar & Grill

Black Coffee

Sweet Art St Louis

Northwest Coffee Roasting Company

Freddie G’s Chicken

Teatopia

Cajun Seduction

JiggaJuicedUp

Doggie Mac’s

Grand Rising Fox Park

Just Chicken STL

Pharoah’s Donuts

Nephew’s Grille

PopaBubble

West End Bistro Prime 55

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GET GET JUICED UP WITH JIGGA JIGGA JUICED UP - JASMINE “JAY RETRO” ARMSTRONG A Saint Louis Hustler at it’s finest, we caught up with Jasmine, who the streets know as Jay Retro, to talk about her business, JiggaJuicedUp. Led by her faith, determination to excel, and a strong hustler’s spirit, JiggaJuicedUp is definitely a must have at your next turn up! You can currently find JiggaJuicedUp products being sold at Profield Reserve’s new snack shop, Ginkgo Snacks, located at 2304 Cherokee St. So, how’d this journey get started for you?

Honestly, it started when I sat down one day and started thinking about my purpose in life. I’m from The Lou and my experience growing up in the city has been adventurous and insightful for sure. It definitely helped mold me into the young woman I am today. From the hustle and drive, to helping cultivate a lot of my overall creativity in general, the city helped with that in a major way.

I really became inquisitive on how to make the best of my life, and started a self discovery journey. I was saying to myself, “It GOTTA be something more out here in this life for me to venture into.” So, I decided it was time to figure it out, and stepped out on faith in 2017.

I knew that there was more to life to discover, so I began the journey with creating JiggaJuicedup. I gained the confidence to start my brand when I decided that I wanted more in life than the regular mundane things. I haven’t looked back since then.

How does your faith tie into your purpose, your passions, and tie it all in together as one?

To step out on faith and discover my purpose, while not exactly knowing how or where to start, was a challenge.

My faith is very important, extremely important to me. It's how I got this far really. But, the important part was starting the journey for me. Doing things for myself. I knew I liked fashion, so I started there as a personal fashion stylist. I was discovering that I had a few gifts and talents, but I didn’t have exact answers on how to utilize them.

Honestly, I’m still discovering a lot but the more I seek and grow as a person, the more it’s becoming clear on what’s aligned for me. The brand itself is an ongoing journey of self passions & discoveries, so I’m basically cultivating all of my current passions into the brand. This includes fashion, juices, humanitarianism, and my faith.

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Sounds like you’ve put it all together well! What’s a miscon-

What’s the future looking like for JiggaJuicedUp?

ception about owning your own business and taking control of your brand?

I’d love to have the juices in local grocery stores, but I really want to own a few juice lounges around the world. I want to contin-

A big misconception is that this work is something super easy

ue getting people “juiced up”. But, I really want to own a space

and effortless. That is NOT the case at all, especially being a

where I can showcase different small businesses, and give them

solo business owner, it definitely gets expensive purchasing each

the spotlight they deserve. It could be something like a pop up

product & the preparations in general becomes a bit overwhelm-

shop, dedicated to local businesses, drinking juice, while also

ing. But aye, hopefully all this hard work pays off one day!

doing karaoke, and kicking it with some good people!

I love that for you! What advice would you give to someone

Any words of wisdom for our readers?

that’s doing the same thing as you?

The best gem I can give anybody that wants to pursue something I would say, definitely believe in yourself, and know what you’re

they are passionate about, is to not give up on yourself. Whatev-

striving for. Don’t doubt yourself, and believe that you can truly

er you truly want to accomplish can be achieved, it’ll take a lot of

accomplish anything that you put your mind to. As long as you

hard work and dedication. So, take as much time as you need,

are making genuine efforts and putting in the work, pray for guid-

but keep going. Trust your gut, pray to God, and pursue some-

ance and help on your journey, you’ll be good.

thing great while you have the chance.

What role did the city play in getting you where you are

You only live once, so why not dream big and take it all the way

now?

to the top!

I’d say one of the biggest misconceptions is that St.Louis isn’t a creative city, and that it’s only known for being dangerous. It’s wayyyy more to the people and culture here than it’s stigmatized to be for real. It’s actually a pivotal place for a lot of legends worldwide.

I went to a lot of Made Monarch parties when the art scene was starting off, which definitely inspired me by showing that the city has way more fun creative scenes than it’s credited for. The fact that they were STL natives that were literally creating a safe and fun space for the artsy crowd was huge. Especially us that still enjoyed trap music, and it helped me find my crowd. Very organic and authentic.

Let’s talk about your product. What are you offering right now, and what are the health benefits of your drinks?

I’m offering fruit infused wines like Sangria, and Rose, and also Fruit Sparkling waters, like my Berry Blast and Tropical Blast flavors. There are plenty of health benefits, and that’s why I specifically like using real fruit in each drink. My drinks are vitamin rich with the help from fruit like oranges, that’s really good for your overall health. They are also filled with antioxidants, with help from fruit like strawberries & blueberries that boosts the immunity and helps with alkalizing the body.

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“YES CHEF! YES BLACK MAN!” You hungry? Before your girl can’t decide what she wants, or y’all are eating rotel and alfredo AGAIN, you gotta hit up Chef Bailey. Save date night and give your bae an experience they won’t forget. You want a private dining setup with amazing plates for you and your bae? Chef Bailey is the man you need to link with. From simple plates to amazing dinners, the experience is worth it.

We caught up with him briefly to ask about his journey.

What got you in the kitchen? You know somewhere, somebody’s brother and sister who can’t boil water has something to say about a man in the kitchen, but you’re proving them wrong, huh?

I didn’t know at an early age that this would be my only passion, but it paid off for me. I just used to watch cooking shows as a child with my mom before school and that’s how we spent our quality time together. So, it’s sentimental for me as well as it is rewarding.

What was your favorite dish growing up, and what was the first dish you made on your own?

My favorite dish growing up was bratwurst and cheddar broccoli rice, which sounds crazy put together, but it’s good. The first dish I remember making on my own was when I worked at the Chase Park Plaza. I made a roasted vegetable hash with pigeon with a spiced balsamic vinaigrette.

Okay, slight flex, I see you. What’s your favorite dish to make right now?

My favorite dish to make is osso bucco, which is braised veal shanks in a red wine and veal demi sauce. It’s served with Yukon potato purée, a fresh gremolata, and topped with herbs, cheese and bread crumbs and pine nuts .

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What’s your favorite place to eat that’s not serving up chicken strips and french fries?

I’m a simple guy. My favorite place to eat is Pastaria in Clayton, with food made by a very talented, Chef Gerad Craft. It’s a “sorta Italian” food spot, with pizza and pasta, and fresh seasonal gelato. You can get food from them on Doordash too though.

Any advice for anybody willing to get into the field?

Be prepared to work harder than you ever have.

This industry will give you anything you want from it, you just have to be willing and prepared to put the time in. There will be years worth of missing holidays, weekends, and things like that, but you signed up for this.

You just have to stay driven, and keep the fire burning inside and you will make it to the top.

Just never stop learning or teaching yourself about the industry.

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MAGAZINE

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MAGAZINE

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MAGAZINE

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