So FN Dope Magazine Issue 12

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY: Teddy Labissiere WWW.SOFNDOPEMAGAZINE.COM

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BE FLY...

BE ORIGINAL...

BE SO DOPE...

FN

Photographer: Teddy Labissiere of Caravan Film Crews Makeup: Shabana Buksh of Creative Beauty Boutique Wardrobe Stylist: Amanda Massi

FOUNDERS / Editors in Chief

W

hat’s good! Thank you for your interest in So FN Dope Magazine. We are a fairly new magazine based on the West Coast looking to make an impact in the entertainment industry by highlighting music, performance, and the entrepreneurial spirit of independent artists, all across the country.

Our staff constantly spends countless hours scouring for dope content to feature including, but not limited to, new music, music videos, artwork, interviews, comedy, models, live performances, photographers and bloggers. In other words, we are always looking for new content for our digital magazine as well as our website.

It is going to take dope independent artists like you to help build our brand, but it will also take magazines like us to give indie artists a platform to be heard. We would love to feature your music, videos, mix-tapes, photography, artwork, as well as set up interview arrangements for future issues of So FN Dope Magazine.

Let’s work together and leave our mark on the industry to show the world why we are So FN Dope!

DISCLAIMER: Here at So FN Dope Magazine, we have done our best to provide content that is up to date and correct. However, changes may have occurred since the content was submitted that may affect the accuracy of this issue for which So FN Dope Magazine holds no responsibility. The views and opinions of our contributors are not necessarily shared with So Fn Dope Magazine or its staff nor are we liable for their views and opinions or how they may be interpreted.

FOR SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES PLEASE VISIT WWW.SOFNDOPEMAGAZINE.COM

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Walter Michael Welch Jr. Corey Norwood Sr. Director of Marketing and Advertising Servon Moss Director of Arts and Entertainment Ashton Francois CONTRIBUTORS Axum 1$t Letter Eaden Myles Tree Hugger Creative Beauty Boutique Hype-Radio.com JB & Benny Blue Review Curve Brows Caravan Film Crews #DOPE IN REAL LIFE Shadow Promotions INKK JUNKIES TATTOOS Bryan McKinney Photography COVER STORY MACY GRAY FEATURED Nilla Allin Lupe Fuentes Brik.Liam Macy Gray GUEST WRITERS Merc B Chayo Briggs COVER PHOTOGRAPHER Teddy Labissiere CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Teddy Labissiere Rosebeth Akharamen Joseph Brown Bryan McKinney Corona Photography Kelly Parkson DESIGNER CREDITS Kenneth Barlis / @realkennethbarlis Wasee / @houseofwasee ABODI / @abodi_official_ Leciel Design / @leciel.design The Archives & Showroom Private Collection / @thearchshow Mahrukh Akuly / @mahrukh.akuly.jewelry Jonathan Marc Stein @jonathanmarcstein Joanna Hadfield @joannahadfield Wardrobe Stylist: Amanda Massi / @MassiStyles

MAGAZINE

INSIDESFND SEPT / OCT 2019

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10) 16)

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MERCENARY CHRONICLES: 7 LESSONS LEARNED IN 2019 Merc B gives his take on some hard lessons learned in 2019 and some advice on what not to take with you into the New Year.

ON THE VERGE: Lupe Fuentes On the Verge artist, Lupe Fuentes is flexing a little “girl power” as she makes strides to break the stereotypes of female producers in the industry.

BRIK.LIAM Check out our interview with this brilliant Houston singer / songwriter Brik.Liam as he gives So FN Dope an exclusive about his new EP “What’s the Matter , Brik?”

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42)

DOPE QUOTES Stay Positive! Dive into some inspirational quotes both the past and present from some very influential people in entertainment.

48)

SPOTLIGHT: NILLA ALLIN Check out our interview as we shine the spotlight on a fresh new L.A. rap artist Nilla Allin.

54)

MACY GRAY Grammy award winning R&B / Soul icon Macy Gray sits down with So FN Dope Magazine for an in depth interview about her 10th studio album Ruby as well her advocacy for mental health.

DOES CREDIT REPAIR REALLY WORK Real Estate investor Chayo Briggs gives vital tips on how improve your credit score.

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Photography: Joseph Brown

VISIT US ONLINE WWW.SOFNDOPEMAGAZINE.COM

FNDOPE

SO

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

BRIK.LIAM

MAGAZINE

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LETTER FROM THE FOUNDERS

“12”

LETTER FROM THE FOUNDERS

I

ssue 12 is a special number for so many reasons. The number “12” is related to completion, perfection, harmony, motivation, achievement, and independence.

We have learned so much about ourselves as well as the process of what it actually takes to operate a magazine this past year. Being a complete, motivated, and independent magazine was a goal we obtained and achieved so it only seems befitting to end the year with an Iconic issue like this one! We are humbled and honored to have had the opportunity to interview and collaborate with some of the most talented, and dedicated individuals in their respective fields.

Issue 12 features Grammy Award

ISSUE # 12

Winning R&B and soul singer-songwriter, actor and producer - Macy Gray. It also features “The Columbiana” of the turn tables and mixing board, House Music Artist-(DJ and Producer)- Lupe Fuentes, LA’s Next in line - beauty, brains, and barsNilla Allin and one of the reasons Houston has a problem, dynamic creative- Brik.Liam. Our goal has always been and will always be to give a platform to the FLY, Original, and So FN Dope. We hope you have as much fun reading Issue 12 as we had putting it together for you. Special thanks to everyone that participated and contributed to make this issue of So FN Dope happen. If you are not So FN Dope then what are you?

MACY GRAY Cover Photographer: Teddy Labissiere of Caravan Film Crews

Walter M. Welch Jr. Co-Founder So FN Dope Magazine

Corey Norwood Sr. Co-Founder So FN Dope Magazine

Makeup: Shabana Buksh of Creative Beauty Boutique Wardrobe Stylist: Amanda Massi Fur Coat: ABODI Metallic Gold Blouse: Equipment Velvet wide leg pants: Alice + Olivia Earrings: Leciel Design Rings: Vintage Python printed boots: Chloe

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HOT TOPIC

Y R A N E C MER

S E L C I N O R H

C

I

LESSONS LEARNED IN 2019 Article by Merc B.

t’s almost 2020 and all I can say at this point is that the year 2019 was... “Something.” Like it’s been so many things, for myself in particular that there isn’t just one adjective that I can think of to describe it. I will say that it was filled with PLENTY of “lessons.” I’m going to share a few with you guys and if you feel me... well follow me on social media because you can’t like this post! Lol!

1.

When people show you who they are, BELIEVE THEM! Listen. I know this is a cliché, often used Maya Angelou quote but it’s totally true. We want to give people the benefit of the doubt and see the good most times in folks but the truth is some folks just are who they are. The best thing we can do is

accept it and let the good Lord handle the rest. When we don’t do that, we hurt and run ourselves crazy trying to understand something that has always been right in our faces the entire time. Acceptance over understanding.

2.

How people treat you is THEIR karma. How you treat them is YOURS. It’s kind of an extension of number one but you get it. Definitely treat folks how you’d like to be treated but don’t always expect to be treated the same in return. You teach people how to treat you. Always remember that.

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3.

Delayed does not mean denied and “no” sometimes means not right now. I can’t begin to tell you how many times I heard the word “no” this year. I heard it so much I almost thought it was my name at one point. Lol. It had gotten to a point that every opportunity that I submitted or went out for I was expecting “no.” But then a “yes” was sprinkled in here and there to remind me that more preparation was needed before my no could be a yes.

4.

Because of #3 I learned that if you stay ready then you never have to get ready. Even during the countless rejections and “no’s” on so many levels and in so many aspects I never stopped work

HOT TOPIC

Photographer: Bryan McKinney Photography (@bryan_mckinney1)

ing and preparing. See so many times we pray for opportunity but never pray for the preparation for it when it comes.

I always knew that if I did the work that the opportunities would come. I just had to make sure I was prepared when it came. Not if, but WHEN. (that’s a word for somebody!). I got the opportunity to open for one of my comedic idols the legendary Rickey Smiley. Not because I’m funny (and I am funny IN REAL LIFE but because I was ready!

5.

When people choose to walk out of your life, let them. Look I know it’s easier said than done. Trust me I’m LITERALLY living this as I type right now. But it’s imperative for you and your destiny to allow people to walk away if that’s what they so choose to do. Doesn’t matter if it’s family, girlfriend, boyfriend, friend, or whoever. Grown people are go-

ing to do what grown people are going to do. Apply #1 and let them folks go mane.

You’ll be better for it in the long run.

6.

Jail is terrible! Lol! I perform bit or joke where I talk about how jail isn’t for me. I found out first hand a few months ago. Man that ain’t the place to be. Trust me when I tell you. You want to get humbled real quick, man sit in a jail cell. Now granted I was only in there for a few hours but believe me when I tell you that few hours felt like an eternity. Now y’all share that! Lol!

7.

Trust the process aka “God don’t need no help!” This is hard for me because I like to be in control to a

certain extent and when I’m not it’s hard for me to trust that everything is going to turn out for my good. But you have to trust the process. You can’t skip steps.

Can’t take shortcuts. Can’t “finesse” it.

You HAVE to go through it to get to it. It sucks but it’s totally necessary.

That’s all I got! I truly believe that 2020 is going to be an amazing year for myself and for you guys as well. Everything that you’ve experience and gone through this year was simply to get you prepared for everything that’s to come this year. I have no doubt that the best is yet to come for all of us. I’ll leave you with a piece of advice that a loved one shared with me.

He said “Don’t be afraid of your light!”

We all have one and it’s meant to shine and shine bright. Don’t be afraid of it.

Embrace your light and shine on mane.

Stay Up. Stay Blessed. Stay FREE! Y’all share that...

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ON THE VERGE

LUPE

FUENTES

Our first featured artist is truly a diamond in the rough. Statistically there are not many female music producers in the industry right now but this young woman is doing her part to change all that. Check out our “On the Verge” interview with Latin Hip-hop and dance, DJ, and fitness model Lupe Fuentes.

CALI, COLOMBIA Photography: Corona Photography

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ON THE VERGE

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S

ON THE VERGE

FND MAG: First and foremost, Lupe we want to thank you for interviewing with So FN Dope Magazine. We are definitely glad to have you. How have you been?

LUPE FUENTES: I have been great!

Currently in LA, enjoying warm holidays.

SFND MAG: Tell our readers a little bit about yourself... Where are you from?

LUPE FUENTES: I was born in Cali, Colombia, and I grew up in Spain but I currently live in Los Angeles. I love it here. I am an obsessed creative person who has her hands in many different projects, Music, Beauty, Fashion, Art, Social Media, and Business. I thrive on being busy…and I love my three dogs!

SFND MAG: Obviously, you are a music lover but how did you initially get into artistry of actually producing music for yourself and others?

LUPE FUENTES: Music has always been a huge part of my life since I was kid, Colombia and Spain have such rich music culture that I feel grateful that I was able to appreciate those sounds when I was a kid, you can definitely hear my Latin roots in the music I produce.

SFND MAG: There are not very many female producers out there; in fact, I was reading somewhere that female producers only make up about 2% of all the producers in the industry. That number seems really low. Why do you think that is?

LUPE FUENTES: The Electronic music scene is a boy’s club. There is so much change that still needs to happen for a woman to have equal opportunity; I hope we can get there one day soon.

You can check out my 100 plus releases on Spotify, iTunes, Beatport etc. Too many DJ’s and lack of inclusion keep

that industry in the past. Kind of sad that the industry is controlled primarily by men, who are mostly DJ’s themselves too, but I am optimistic that the world is changing for the better.

SFND MAG: Let’s switch gears a bit, who are some of your heavier musical influences growing up?

LUPE FUENTES: I don’t know about growing up, but I am currently obsessed with Ozzy. Diary of a Madman is my jam right now.

SFND MAG: What are some things that feel help mold you into the artist/ producer that you are today?

LUPE FUENTES: What has molded me into the woman and producer I am today are the experiences I have been through, and the emotions that came from those experiences. Other artists influence me and inspire me to create music that evokes emotion. If I can make you feel something, and I feel something from the music I produce, it’s a success to me!

SFND MAG: Let us talk a little about “your” music specifically. How would you describe it to someone who’s never heard it?

LUPE FUENTES: I play underground house and techno. My sets are not about the hits, or playing popular songs. My sets are about creating a vibe, about taking you on a ride, or a journey of sound.

SFND MAG: You have accumulated millions of plays on Spotify as well as other platforms and have a sizable following on social media. What do you think set you apart from other artists to achieve such success?

LUPE FUENTES: I am unapologetically myself, my life has been a wild ride, and my fans have been with me through it all, we grew up together.

I’m excited to see where the journey is going next…

SFND MAG: What can we expect to hear on your latest projects? Do you have a name for the project or perhaps

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“If I can make you feel something, and I feel something from the music I produce, it’s a success to me!

-LUPE FUENTES

ON THE VERGE

Photography: Corona Photography NOV / DEC 2019- SOFNDOPEMAGAZINE.COM -

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ON THE VERGE

-Cimo Fränkel

Photography: Corona Photography

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“

Photography: Corona Photography

“I am unapologetically myself,

my life has been a wild ride, and my fans have been with me through it all.”

-LUPE FUENTES

an official release date?

LUPE FUENTES: I am currently focused on working in the studio, working on my new sound, so expect more music for 2020 but this time more experimental. I have been dabbling in modern hip-hop production and experimenting with live instruments, musicians, singers, rappers etc. We will have to all wait to see what it is going to sound like!

SFND MAG: Other than music production, do you have any other endeavors outside of music?

LUPE FUENTES: Yes, I have been working around the clock on few interesting project that I will be announcing in the beginning of 2020, stay tuned!

SFND MAG: Where can people find out more about Lupe Fuentes on social media?

that you feel is So FN Dope and why?

LUPE FUENTES: Rosalia, she is Spanish so reminds me of my old friends and because she is so original.

SFND MAG: Well, we appreciate you for taking the time to interview with us.

Wishing you much continued success.

LUPE FUENTES: Follow me on Instagram @lupefuentes for music, art, business, and motivation.

SFND MAG: Last question. Before we let you go, could you name another artist

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Photographer: Dre McGregory

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FEATURED

BRIK.LIAM HOUSTON, TEXAS

Every once in a while, the world is blessed with an artist that literally has the potential changes the trajectory of music. They do not follow the blueprint left by those before them. They simply create. There are no boundaries or restrictions, rules or regulations within their creativity and the outcome is something so amazing it is nearly impossible to duplicate. We have had the distinct honor to meet an artist who possesses these unique characteristics. Check out this brilliant creative Brik.Liam in his exclusive interview with So FN Dope Magazine.

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S FEATURED

FND MAG: Thank you my brother for finding time in your busy schedule to interview with us! We definitely appreciate the opportunity man!

BRIK.LIAM: I really appreciate the opportunity as well. I don’t take it lightly that people want to speak with me or have a conversation with me especially concerning music.

SFND MAG: No doubt, well your music is definitely dope. We have been seeing you on your social media touring all over and we were not sure if we would be able to make this happen, so we are very excited to have you. So, let us just start from the beginning man. Where are you from?

BRIK.LIAM: So… that question is always funny to answer. I’m a military brat. I was born in Petersburg, Virginia, but we moved around a lot since then. So, I usually tell people I’m from Houston because I lived there a long time and my mother’s side of the family is from there. Even growing up, I spent a lot of time childhood there so I’ll say Houston, but I was born in Virginia. I also lived in Germany for like seven years so a big part of my adolescence was in Germany.

SFND MAG: Wow! So do you think that some of your influences in music can be credited to your surroundings in Germany?

BRIK.LIAM: I wouldn’t say Germany specifically, but I would say having to move around like that and be around different types of people definitely influenced my taste in music and what I was able to listen to and have access to. I was actually raised on Gospel music so a lot of my earlier influences were Gospel music and Disney movies. Once I got to high school, being around different types of people from different backgrounds introduced me to different genres and different kinds of music. That played a big part in the way I write and sing the way I do now.

SFND MAG: Brik.Liam is such an interesting name. Is that your real name, or does is mean something?

BRIK.LIAM: Yes. So… My real name is Jacoby. When I graduated college, I was continuing to pursue music and I think I just wanted to “start over.” I wanted to give myself a personality that I could rise to. I separated the two because I felt like my real name was pretty personal and as people were beginning to know my music it just didn’t feel right to go by that name. So red is my favorite color and I started looking up synonyms for the color red and “brick” was the one that stood out. My last name is Williams and so I just shortened it and put the dot in the middle just be different. I saw India.

Arie do it and ever since then I’ve wanted a dot in the middle of my name so…

[LAUGHS] SFND MAG: So we’ve been watching you for a few months now and you’ve really been spreading your wings man. It’s really cool when we get to watch talented artists grow. How have things been since you signed with Morton Records?

BRIK.LIAM: It’s been good man. To be honest I never really fathomed getting the opportunity. Just watching PJ over the years and being a genuine fan of his movement, and seeing how he has always been able to be himself has been cool. I wanted to make sure I had the opportunity to be a part of something that would allow me to be myself and that is ultimately what that situation was.

He had me be on his tour last summer. It was my first time touring nationally and I guess from that situation he saw that I was pretty serious about my craft, my performance, writing my own music and making sure I get things done, along with all the parts of my creativity and he respected that and decided that he wanted to be able to put something behind it. It’s been really cool to be able to figure things out, because technically it is an Indie label. He is allowing me to be a creatively independent as well so it’s more of a home for him to support and not necessarily control, if that makes sense. So it’s been a really cool experience to have somebody especially like him, someone that I respect so much, want to support me to that extent. I’ve been learning more

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than anything. I just want to use this time to learn what I like and what I don’t like and how I want to continue to move forward in my career.

SFND MAG: Your voice is absolutely insane man! Your tone, your vocal ability, everything about it is dope and we love your music. Obviously, you have been singing all your life. At what point did you realize that this was something that you wanted to do professionally?

BRIK.LIAM: I think I always wanted to do it professionally as long as I can remember. As a kid, I spend a lot of time indoors in my room either playing video games or performing in the mirror, just loving to sing. It’s always been something that I “wanted” to do I just didn’t think that I would, if that make sense. However, I just couldn’t think of anything else that I would be able to do. So even when I went to college, I majored in Mass Communications Radio, assuming that eventually one day Radio would take me in to Music and I think it just ended up happening before I could even think about starting my career there. I think I started doing music heavily when social media and Soundcloud became a thing so I feel really blessed I started and hadn’t stopped doing what I’ve been doing.

As seasons continue to change, more things are coming my way and I’m just super humbled and appreciative because again, as much as I wanted to do it, I never thought it would happen for me at least not in this capacity, independently.

People see me as I am and I don’t have to sound a different way or switch to a specific type of music. People actually listen to the words that I’m saying and they really want to support. That is the best thing in the world to me, to be able to be myself to be supported for that.

SFND MAG: Now are you a songwriter as well or just strictly a vocalist?

BRIK.LIAM: Oh absolutely! Absolutely!

I have to write my own music. I think there is a divine connection for a singer/ songwriter. Now I’m not against others that just do one or the other because there is a whole profession of people. I’m inspired by some of the most amazing songwriters in the world, but for me, to be able to execute my art, I have to

FEATURED

Photography: Joseph Brown

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“

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW FEATURED

“For me it is all about the feeling more than anything else. ” --BRIK.LIAM

Photographer: Diana Ragland Groomer: Thea Istenes Wardrobe Stylist: Gaelle Paul

“I’m a very firm believer that the youth are our future and so what they do tomorrow is going to be influenced by what is happening today. ”

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FEATURED Photography: Joseph Brown

--DENIM RICHARDS

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“

FEATURED

“I recognize that being an artist, I have to be completely vulnerable and completely transparent and just completely

“all in”

for it to really work in my favor.”

--BRIK.LIAM

have some kind of connection to the things I write about and the stories that I write about are extremely real and personal. I recognize that being an artist, I have to be completely vulnerable and completely transparent and just completely “all in” for it to really work in my favor. For me it is all about the feeling more than anything else. People connect to what’s real at least for the long haul. I just want to always be able to offer that, so the story has to come from me.

SFND MAG: Let us talk about your latest project. We’ve got to say that your entire EP What’s the Matter, Brik is definitely So FN Dope!

BRIK.LIAM: I appreciate that.

SFND MAG: Everything about it is on another level from the production to

the lyrics the harmonies and the modulations in the music. Even the song titles had us tripping as to how deep and well thought out this project really was? How did this project come about?

BRIK.LIAM: So I have to say, I’m super detail oriented. I love when people are intentional about their art. I met a producer originally from London who moved to Dallas around the same time I moved back to Houston and we connected online probably around 2015 and collaborated on one of his songs back then. Once he moved here we just started working together. That is when I was able to actually do songs where I could compose myself and express to him “Hey, I want a modulation here, I want it to break down here, and I want this instrument here.”

Being able to express to him in detail how I want a record produced is kind

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of what changed my music and how I did things moving forward because it almost felt like the creativity and the possibilities were endless. Because before, someone would just send me a beat or I would do something acapella and someone would produce over it and I couldn’t really do as much. I didn’t get a much input. I just did it, but in this situation, it put me in a position where I could tell a full story and be as detailed and intentional as possible.

So literally, everything that you hear in these songs are all ideas coming from us. Every little single break and every little change. I wanted the records to transition into each other because it’s hard for people to listen to music now days because we’re in an age where everybody’s doing music and it’s here today and gone tomorrow. Someone is always releasing something new every single day so I wanted to make it super

FEATURED special for the listeners to sit down and listen to the full project and not just find their favorite song. So, I knew that if I made them all transition even with the last song transitioning back to the first song that if someone wanted to start with track three, it wouldn’t matter because they would still listen to the full project and still have that full circle experience.

SFND MAG: That is a dope concept! So, our favorite songs from the EP are “Gas” and “Liquid” aka “Some Other Dude.”

Which songs mean the most to you from this project and why?

BRIK.LIAM: To be honest, all of them mean as much equally. I will say though, I was surprised to find that a lot of people loved ‘Plasma” because it’s such a sad song and it was the one song I knew that if I put it out there that it may not be what people would listen to because it was so emotional. A lot of times, people want “bops.” They want to be in love and they want the “Gas,” the “Liquid,” and the happier songs, but once I put the record out, surprisingly a lot of people gravitated towards “Plasma.” That is a testament to what I truly believe in. It is all about how it makes people feel and I think that song is heavy with truth and heavy with emotion and that is why people gravitated towards it. For me though, each song is equally important because I spent a much time as possible putting every single detail into every single song.

They are all connected because it all tells one story so every part of my story is equally important. So, all of them.

SFND MAG: So we just happened to see the teaser for the “Some Other Dude video and it looks super dope. When can we anticipate seeing the complete visuals for this?

BRIK.LIAM: Yea. It’s out now, but I’ve just finished the video for “Gas” aka Thinking About You, and it should be coming out soon. We’re still in the editing process, but we just finished that.

I love that record because it makes you want to move. I know that initially when I started doing this project I wanted a whole bunch of “ bops” and because I wanted to gear it towards the dance community. I think dance is super im-

portant. People feeling good enough and comfortable enough to want to move is super important to me, but I also remember having a conversation with PJ prior to him even signing me. I was just catching up with him and I was telling him I was having a hard time with the new records because a lot of stuff I wanted to write, just wasn’t coming to me and al lot of stuff I was naturally writing was all sad stuff. He was just like ”You’ve got to go through it and get the sad stuff out.” So, the project didn’t come out the way I wanted it to but, I think ultimately it came out the way it was supposed to and actually a little bit better. It just gives that balance and different perspectives when it comes to that story of relationships and heartbreak, wanting to be in love, finding love, the disappointment of love, feeling the anger and going through all those different emotions.

That is what the project was supposed to represent.

SFND MAG: With that being said, how does this EP differ from your last album The Ascension?

BRIK.LIAM: Basically, It’s kind of the same story, but I would say that the EP is the story before. So if we’re talking about a saga, the EP is low-key” the story before the last album. Also, this EP is pretty short. I can be pretty long-winded when it comes to my art because again I love details so I like to put as much in to it as possible. The last album was like 18 tracks or something like that, so in comparison this one is a lot shorter. I just wanted to give people a sample of where I had grown to and give something that I felt was solid. It got to the point where I was very intentional about keeping things a bit shorter just because I needed to get to the point because we only have so much of people’s attention span nowadays. So although it is shorter I do believe they both have just as much detail and as much emotion as possible.

That is always my goal; to make people feel something. I think I accomplished that with both of the projects. I feel like the only difference would be the length of the projects and the features, because I didn’t have any features on this EP. SFND MAG: Like we mentioned before you were recently signed to Morton

Records. What’s it like being on the label with such a talented roster? PJ is on fire right now, and The Amours are such talented artists as well. How does it feel being among such good company?

BRIK.LIAM: I’ve been doing some spot dates with him on the Paul Tour with them. They were in Dallas last night so of course I went to the show to support and just kind of watch him from the side out. It’s kind of mind-boggling. It’s like one of those things where you have to step back, close your eyes, and take in the moment, because it took a moment for me to actually realize that I had actually been on a full national tour with him. Not just going on tour but going on tour with someone that I highly respect and someone that inspires me and has the same value points and vision and desire for musical integrity as me. For it to be PJ, coming from the similar background, I feel like I’ve always been inspired by his journey, so to be a part of his story and for him to be a part of mine is crazy. I actually met him back in 2015 from someone asking me to host a meet and greet event for him during his live show. I just remember hosting the event and trying to connect with him then. Fast forward to now I’ve been on a tour with him and signed to his label. For someone to see enough in me and for it to be PJ, not just anybody. So every once in a while I just have to stop and take it in and realize that this is really happening. It’s a super humbling experience.

SFND MAG: You all are really building something special over there. When we look at the caliber of artists and the unique styles and sounds that are coming from Morton records it is so refreshing. Traditional R&B music has certainly changed over the last few years, as expected. However, it seems that many of the true R&B artists have become unappreciated due to the catchy melodic hip-hop tracks and auto tune. You have managed to capture the essence of a true R&B sound but still managed to make it your own and keep it fresh and new. Honestly, it seems like artists like yourself and others on Morton Records are carving your own lane while simultaneously preserving the spirit true R&B music. With that being said, where do

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FEATURED you see R&B genre in the next 5 years or so?

BRIK.LIAM: The genre? The next five years…I feel like it is so unpredictable.

I think we live in a time where everybody is acting as if they know what is going on. Even in the social media era everybody feels like they have some sort of formula to make things work or breaking records but what I think I like most about this time, I think we are able to see different sides of R&B. Of course, there is the true, true R&B sound and then there is the merge of rap music and R&B and rappers being able to be melodic which I also respect because a lot of them are really dope too. Then you have super alternative R&B which I’m enjoying as well with people like Frank Ocean, and SZA. I feel like everybody has their place and I think it is powerful because we all have the opportunity to build our own core of supporters. There is literally room for every single person. It’s all about minding your business and doing what you do best and making sure that at the end of the day, you’re making people

feel something. That is your job. Period.

That is the only job you really have. I think people should be allowed to experiment, and I think this era in time is allowing people to do that. When I do a record, it doesn’t have to sound like everything else and still be respected and honored. It may not get the awards but it is still being heard. There are no limits to R&B. We literally created every genre there is. I just don’t ever want us to put limits on what we can do because we’ve already done so much and there is still so much more to do Right now R&B can go anywhere and it’s a beautiful thing that everybody has the opportunity for people to support them. That is all that really matters.

other artist that you feel is So FN Dope who would it be and why?

SFND MAG: Where can people find out more about Brik.Liam?

SFND MAG: Thank you Brik.Liam for interviewing with us man! We sincerely appreciate your time. You are truly a breath of fresh air to the Industry and we cannot wait to see how successful you become!

BRIK.LIAM: Everything is @Brikliam on all social media or you can go to brikliam.com and find my social media, videos, and everything there too as well.

BRIK.LIAM: I’m sure ya’ll have heard of him. His name is Samoht. He is actually featured on my 2017 album.

He’s a guy from the Carolinas but he was living in New York. He’s just super dope, and super unique and he’s one of those who is genuine to himself. His music and the way he executes things is really about the people. He’s really about touching the people and that is why I think he is So FN Dope. You can tell that he takes a lot of time to not just perfect his craft but perfect his spirit to make sure he is able to give to people.

So… yeah, Samoht is that person.

BRIK.LIAM: Thank you

SFND MAG: If you could name an-

“There are no limits to R&B”.

--BRIK.LIAM

Photography: Joseph Brown

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FINANCE

DOES

CREDIT REPAIR REALLY WORK ???

Article by Chayo Briggs

A

s a highly successful real estate investor for over twenty years, Briggs is driven to obtain the highest standards for his clients. His successes as an effective motivational speaker and published author were developed from life experience. Through those exceptional skills, he learned the art of passive income. Chayo can assist his clients in procuring their prosperous future, breaking the chains of financial distress.

Your credit is something you can’t get away from, so ignoring it doesn’t make it go away. You can take these basic steps to improve your credit, so you have better financial opportunities. .

For more information about how he can help you rebuild your credit contact, Dr. Credit King AKA Chayo Briggs at (800) 216-8871 or text (760) 912-3472 We are ending 2019, I wanted to talk about getting serious on repairing your credit. In many cases, people wonder if credit repair really works. Most of them have fallen on hard times, and want to get back on track with their financial future. however, have read or been told repairing your credit is not possible without a tremendous amount of work and money.

HOW IS YOUR CREDIT Just like a mop in your house, cleaning up your credit is possible, and much easier than you might expect.

Now, there are some things you need to know before diving into repairing your credit. Yes, credit repair can work to remove certain negative items from your credit reports. But it doesn’t work for every type of item — and it definitely isn’t an instantaneous, magic credit score booster.

Basically, credit repair is the process of disputing errors on your credit report, unfair or inaccurate information representation of your financial history. The ability to file credit report disputes is provided to ensure your credit report isn’t full of false data that can be used against a lending decision.

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If you encounter an error, identify information in your file that is incomplete or inaccurate, and report it to the consumer reporting agency, the agency must investigate unless your dispute is frivolous.

Credit repair is not a way to remove fairly earned derogatory credit report marks, or dispose of legitimate debts.

These disputes will be rejected, but the credit bureaus do not investigate disputes that are considered frivolous.

“In the US alone, credit card debt was $868 billion in 2019, a 4.7% increase from the same time last year. The average credit card limit increased by 11.5% from $20,265 in 2018 to $22,589 by the end of 2019. Between 2018 and 2019, the average credit card debt per cardholder

FINANCE decreased 0.2% to $6,028. The number of new cards issued went down by 3.7% between June 2017 and June 2018, with an average of 5.54 million new credit cards originated per month in 2018.” (Lexington Law, n.d.)

Legitimate Errors The best way to succeed in repairing your credit report, is understanding, how the process works. If you go into it with an inflated sense of what you’ll accomplish, you’ll obviously be disappointed in the end. Realistic expectations can go a long way in credit repair (and finance in general).

It means, knowing what items you can correct.

The process was designed to ensure your reports are accurate, therefore the types of items that can typically be removed include items that are erroneous, fraudulent, outdated, or unsubstantiated.

Erroneous Items: The easiest type of item to dispute is one that is just flat-out erroneous. It covers basic errors, like spelling mistakes or misreported amounts, that can cause confusion or credit problems.

For example, a decimal point is in the wrong place, it may increase the amount of debt you owe. In many cases, simple mistakes take little effort for the credit bureau to investigate and can be fixed in a fairly short amount of time.

Outdated Items: Another disputable item that is generally easy to fix is outdated information. Nonetheless, most negative items can only remain on your credit report for a set amount of time before they need to be removed. Hard credit inquiries, for instance, last up to two years, while delinquent payments can last up to seven. Once these items hit their maxage, they should be removed from your report automatically, if not you can file a dispute to have them removed.

Fraudulent Items: If you’ve ever been the victim of identity theft, you could wind up with fraudulent accounts on your credit reports. At first, these accounts may seem legitimate, although with further investigation it can unveil their sinister origins. In addition to filing

disputes, be sure to report any cases of identity theft right away.

Unsubstantiated Items: While this is the last item on my list it is by far one to ignore. These accounts, cannot be substantiated by the information providers.

If they are unable to show that the debt or derogatory mark really belongs to you, the credit bureaus will remove the item.

credit monitoring products. Many of these plans run about twenty dollars a month and promise peace of mind. But are they worth the money?

Key Services to Request: Credit monitoring: The service will review up to three credit bureaus every day and will alert you to any changes in your report. If someone tries to open an account or cause a negative collection you will be notified. This can be especially important to watch during the holidays.

Taking Action on Your Credit Repair The initial step is requesting your complete accurate credit report. Not all reports are the same, and not all are accurate. My suggestion is annualcreditreport. com. They are free to anyone once a year.

Credit bureaus rely on third parties to report your financial behavior, so not every item is reported to all three consumer credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion).

In this situation, not all the errors will report on each report. Since you can’t predict which credit report(s) a creditor will use to determine your credit risk, all three of your reports should be in good condition to prevent missing out on credit in the future.

The next step is deciding who will file the disputes. As with many things in life, credit repair is a process you can do yourself — or hire a professional. The option will depend on what your report shows. In other words, if the report has simple straightforward corrections, like spelling error, outdated items, then filing yourself may be fast and easy.

However, not all disputes are easy. It may be less stressful to hire an experienced credit repair company to act on your behalf. If the situation requires you to supply large amounts of evidence, to back up the claim, you may want some help. There are some of our top-rated credit repair companies that have decades of experience helping consumers remove items from their credit reports.

On another subject, I want to touch on is the growing concern over Identity theft.

Americans are afraid and, in an effort, to defend themselves, people are spending billions every year on protection and

Identity theft resolution services: If your identity is stolen, many companies will assign you a dedicated caseworker to manage the process. However, you will usually sign a limited power of attorney, and incur countless hours of phone calls and paperwork to fix the situation.

Insurance: Most companies offer coverage up to $1 million in case of identity theft. However, this coverage can be misleading. Federal law already protects you. So long as a report is filed within two days of discovery, you only have a $50 liability on your checking account and credit cards, and most banks offer no liability as a business practice. The insurance policies offered by these companies usually only cover expenses related to identity theft, including loss of wages.

For example, if you need to go to court to fight a fraudulent charge, the insurance could cover the cost of transport and the lost wages during that day. (Clements, n.d.)

Identity fraud, according to Wikipedia, “’is a crime where one person uses another person’s personal data, without authorization, to deceive or defraud someone else.’ To put numbers on it, a Javelin Strategy and Research report state financial fraud using false identity in 2016 added up to a cost of $16 billion.

The fastest rising category was online, with card-not-present (CNP) fraud rising by 40 percent. Another study, by CSIdentity, found that the cost of identity fraud to US businesses is in excess of $50 billion a year.” (Wikipedia, n.d.)

As innovation advances our lives with be completely intertwined online. It pro-

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FINANCE vides bad hats access to a treasure trove of PPI (Personally Identifiable Information. Many of us are only one data breach away from being exposed to fraudsters. Consider this, the problem is so prominent anyone can buy an ID card for a nominal amount to use on the dark web. Or, these same bad hats can create synthetic identities based on data points of real ID’s to use for activities.

Below are Five Ways to Help Protect Yourself The best way to stop a breach is before it happens. The first step is identity verification. It requires an Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) compliance and helps reduce fraud by noting data mismatches.

In certain circumstances, consider an additional layer of verification, by performing an identity document verification check. You can also use various fraud detection tools to provide further risk management options.

Understand How Fraudsters Think If you have an idea of how these bad hats work, you can diminish the threat.

As James D. Ratley, President, Association of Certified Fraud Examiners states,

“As fraudsters will continue to evolve with technology, it is important for anti-fraud professionals to stay on top of the current trends in order to prevent fraud before it’s able to occur.” (Ratley, n.d.)

For example, many fraudsters use prepaid phones, thereby checking the history of a phone number will tell the long-term number or suspect. The same applies to email addresses; has that email address been used by the prospect for a long period of time?

By knowing fraudsters tend to use bulk techniques, you can also watch for multiple applications at around the same time using the same phone number and email address. Another form of fraud gaining popularity is electronic gift card fraud, which accounted for 9.5% of all online fraud attempts in 2015. There again, especially during the holidays.

(Ratley, n.d.)

Keep a Watchful Eye Numerous suspicious patterns are common to ongoing monitoring.

Unusual purchases, locations, devices, volume and/or value can all be signs of trouble. Not all accounts are the same, so not all monitoring is the same.

Think in Advance

action plan, to anticipate various scenarios and have processes to deal effectively with them. Review and adjust these processes on an ongoing basis.

Learn the Process and Pass it Along Fraud prevention is a worldwide task. Some of the most successful fraud attacks use social engineering to gather sensitive information from users. So, share an occurrence if something happens, it could save someone else the heartache.

By using fraud prevention techniques, and up-to-date technology you can keep identity fraud in check. The more you know, the better you can protect yourself.

In today’s economy, something simple like getting a place to live requires a credit history report, “Therefore, I am committed to assisting people in understanding the importance of credit credibility.”

Briggs has a great deal of life experience, making him a skilled expert at helping people overcome their credit creditably issues. In return, he is able to establish a solid foundation for his clients to achieve their credit status goals.

Please, check out all my latest books on chayobriggs.com.

Follow me on Facebook and LinkdIn

Don’t wait until a breach happens, before you do something. You need an

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DOPE QUOTES

DOPEQUOTES

“Do what you want, if it’s something you’d regret the next day, sleep in late” - Wiz Khalifa

“I ain’t Martin Luther King.

I Don’t Need a Dream I have a Plan”- Spike Lee

“Don’t be upset with the results from the work you didn’t do”- Eric Thomas

“Love the life you live. Live “I cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we the life you used when we created them” love “- Bob Marley – Albert Einstein

“I never lose.

I either win or learn” -Nelson Mandela

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DOPEQUOTES

“This shit just got real”

– Martin Lawrence

DOPE QUOTES

“You can’t base your life on other people’s expectations”

Stevie Wonder

“Sometimes it takes years to become an overnight success”-Prince

“Every Exit is an Entrance to some”- Patti LaBelle “Fear will not allow you to be yourself” -Louis Farrakhan

“Never make someone a priority when all you are is an option” -Maya Angelou NOV / DEC 2019- SOFNDOPEMAGAZINE.COM -

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WWW.HYPE-R

RADIO.COM

NEW ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

S

FND MAG: Nilla Allin!

What good? How are you?

We are certainly appreciative of the time you took out of your schedule to be a part of this issue.

SFND MAG: Could you, in a nutshell, give our readers a little background on who you are and what city you represent?

NILLA ALLIN: Thank you for the opportunity! I am a graduating senior attending UCSD, representing Los Angeles, California. As a child, I pursued many ventures such as acting, singing, song writing, and dancing. Aside from being a full time student, I am also an employee at Raytheon Space & Airborne systems.

Some of my current hobbies aside that allow me to escape from work and school include YouTube, social media influencing and modeling, and rapping of course.

T

IGH L T O

SP

writing was just something I always excelled at. Ever since I was young, I enjoyed the art of music and storytelling, and as I got older, I began writing as something I did in my free time to de-stress from school. My raps were never shown to the public because I was never comfortable enough with sharing them. After my friends reassured me how talented I was, I decided to go public with my rapping abilities and posting short videos on my Instagram. I started pursuing rapping and taking it more seriously once my page started to be flooded with love, support, and fans who coerced me to get into music.

SFND MAG: Who would you say are some of your biggest influences?

SFND MAG: Now, we’ve heard some really good things about you but after seeing your latest video, we must say that what we heard about you didn’t do you justice. You are definitely So FN Dope and the visual was amazing. Tell us a little about your new record “On n Off ” …

NILLA ALLIN: Growing up, I listened to a lot of YMCMB. My favorite rappers included Lil Wayne, Drake, and Nicki Minaj. Knowing that the rap game is male dominated; Nicki Minaj was one of my biggest influences. I fell in love with her desire to be different and her sound is very distinguishable.

NILLA ALLIN: I wrote “On n Off ” over the summer during my internship at Raytheon. When I had downtime on the job, I would use that time to write. I was inspired to write this song after a long “girl talk” I had with one of my friends. I wanted to make sure the song was relatable and tells a story that many girls are familiar with.

SFND MAG: With the emergence of other female rappers like Cardi B, Megan the Stallion, City Girls, and Kash Doll some have been saying that hip-hop 2020 will be dominated by female hip hop artists. As a female artist how does that make you feel knowing that female rappers are starting to become more of a dominant force in hip-hop?

SFND MAG: At what point did you realize that you wanted to become a rapper?

NILLA ALLIN: It’s very comforting to see the exponential growth of female representation within hip-hop. It is no surprise that women of color are more discredited, targeted, compared, and

NILLA ALLIN: I began writing raps and songs at the age of 9 years old. I never had any dreams of becoming a rapper;

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Photography: Kelly Parkson

NILLA ALLIN

receive more negative backlash than men in this industry. With the expansion of female representation within hip-hop, I hope to see more equality regarding the societal treatment of men and women in this industry.

SFND MAG: Can we expect a full-length project from you anytime soon?

NILLA ALLIN: I have been doing a lot of brainstorming and a lot of writing. I plan to take my time and make sure everything is perfect, to ensure the success of my full-length project!

SFND MAG: What producers are you working with right now?

NILLA ALLIN: I have worked with XL, Meez, Scum Beatz, and am currently working with KP Did It on a different project.

SFND MAG: From your perspective, what do you feel are the pros and cons of being independent artist in the industry currently?

NILLA ALLIN: Being a college student, being an independent artist is suitable for me at the moment due to my busy schedule. As an independent artist, I am able to write and release on my own terms,

NEW ARTIST SPOTLIGHT without outside influences. The cons of being independent are the heavy lifting I have to do on my own. I have to make my own connections, and figure out everything from studio time, to producing, to releasing, and everything in between.

Being an independent artist, I am also not able to quickly reach new listeners and grow my audience at the pace I would like to.

SFND MAG: In your opinion, name three up and coming artists that we should have on the radar for 2020.

NILLA ALLIN: I would say you should definitely keep an eye out for Blxst, Kaash Paige and Azjah. These are three talented artists that I can see making it in the industry.

SFND MAG: The Music industry is constantly changing. How would you describe your style and what sets you apart from other artists?

NILLA ALLIN: Coming out of LA, it is no surprise that I’m in love with west coast vibes, sound, and style. What sets me apart from other artists is authenticity. I have a desire to relate to my audience and be a role model they can genuinely relate to.

SFND MAG: How can your fans reach you on social media?

SFND MAG: Before you go, could you name another rapper that you think is “So FN Dope” and tell us why?

NILLA ALLIN: Another rapper from LA that is “So FN Dope” is Bino Rideaux. He is quickly on the rise as he is now known all over LA for his catchy music and distinct west coast sound.

SFND MAG: Once again, thank you so much Nilla Allin for interviewing with us. It has been a pleasure .We definitely wishes you much success and look forward to seeing you at the top.

NILLA ALLIN: You can reach me on Instagram at @official.nilla, on Twitter @official_nilla and on YouTube as Nilla Allin!

“It’s very comforting to see the exponential growth of female representation within hip-hop ” -NILLA ALLIN

.

Photography: Kelly Parkson

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Fur Coat: ABODI Metallic Gold Blouse: Equipment Velvet wide leg pants: Alice + Olivia Earrings: Leciel Design Rings: Vintage Python printed boots: Chloe

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COVER STORY Photographer: Teddy Labissiere of Caravan Film Crews Makeup: Shabana Buksh of Creative Beauty Boutique Wardrobe Stylist: Amanda Massi

MACY GRAY Our cover artist needs no introduction. Her career speaks for itself. For two decades, her distinctively soulful voice has captivated the masses with hits like “I Try” and “Still.” As a five-time Grammy nominee, she has performed all over the world and has sold millions of records worldwide. She is back now with her 10th studio album Ruby. Take some time to read our exclusive interview with Grammy award winning R&B and Soul icon Macy Gray.

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S COVER STORY

FND MAG: Macy, we want to thank you for interviewing with So FN Dope Magazine. We are so honored to have you! First of all we just want to say congratulations for not only all the success you’ve had over the years, but congrats on releasing you 10th full length studio album entitled “Ruby”.

That is a huge accomplishment in itself.

How did recording this album differ from the records early in your career?

MACY GRAY: Well, it was a lot more collaborative. I worked with a lot more writers and there are three producers on it that I hadn’t worked with before. I’m just a better artist and a better singer now so it was just different all around. I was open to doing different things this time.

SFND MAG: How did you come up with the name Ruby for this album? In addition, what is the significance behind the name?

MACY GRAY: It’s not a big story [LAUGHS] So… my favorite gem is a ruby and I also like the color red. I wanted to call it “Red” but there are a thousand other albums called “Red” so I ended up calling it Ruby. A lot went on. [LAUGHS] Let’s put it that way.

[LAUGHS]

SFND MAG: We listened to the album and loved it. It’s almost as if you took us on a journey through several eras. We hear the 20’s the 50’s, the 60’s and even early 2000’s. It’s absolutely amazing how they all complement each other.

MACY GRAY: Thank you… Thank You… SFND MAG: A few of the songs stuck out to us; “Sugar Daddy” “Cold World” “Just Like Jenny” just to name a few. Your single “Buddha” is amazing. What was the inspiration behind this particular record?

SFND MAG: It was more so about my own person growth. Just learning to focus on what really matters and being in the “present” and not being caught up in what I could have or should have done.

Also not putting your money on the future and instead just focus on where you are now and getting that right, because if you get that right, all the rest falls in place you know?

SFND MAG: The visuals to Buddha were really cool it was like watching a live time capsule of your career. What was it like working with Teyana Taylor on this video?

MACY GRAY: She is such a beautiful girl. She is so smart and she is super cool to be around. We had a good time. It was the shortest video I’ve ever shot. We were in and out in like eight hours, which speaks volumes about her as a director because it shows that she already knew what she wanted to get. I love that about her.

SFND MAG: Have you ever worked with her before the Buddha video? How did this collaboration come about?

MACY GRAY: No, We DM’d her on Instagram and she hit me back.

Velvet floral dress: Caroline Contas Vest: Joanna Hadfield Chain belt and bracelet: The Archives & Showroom Private Collection Choker and black crescent earrings: Mahrukh Akuly Rings: Vintage Loafers: Club Monaco

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“ Just focus on where you are now and getting that right, because if you get that right, all the rest falls in place...”

-MACY GRAY

COVER STORY Photographer: Teddy Labissiere of Caravan Film Crews Makeup: Shabana Buksh of Creative Beauty Boutique Wardrobe Stylist: Amanda Massi

Velvet floral dress: Caroline Contas Vest: Joanna Hadfield Chain belt and bracelet: The Archives & Showroom Private Collection Choker and black crescent earrings: Mahrukh Akuly Rings: Vintage Loafers: Club Monaco NOV / DEC 2019- SOFNDOPEMAGAZINE.COM -

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COVER STORY Photographer: Teddy Labissiere of Caravan Film Crews Makeup: Shabana Buksh of Creative Beauty Boutique Wardrobe Stylist: Amanda Massi

Bomber jacket: Kenneth Barlis Fur Vest: Jonathan Marc Stein Metallic leather pants: Stand Studio Earrings and rings: Vintage Necklace: Wasee Shoes: Winnie x Steve Madden

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COVER STORY

SFND MAG: The production of this project was dope. How did you link up with the producers for this album? Were they producers that you have worked with on previous projects?

Photographer: Teddy Labissiere of Caravan Film Crews Makeup: Shabana Buksh of Creative Beauty Boutique Wardrobe Stylist: Amanda Massi

MACY GRAY: No, I didn’t know them at all. I did the Ariana Grande record. I did a song called “Leave Me Lonely” and I went to the producer’s house, Tommy, to do my vocals. He said, “Why don’t you come back tomorrow,” and we started working on my album. That is really how it all started.

SFND MAG: The final product has so many complex layers. We are sure you all had an abundance of music and songs to choose from, what was the selection process like? Did you have to lots of songs that didn’t make the cut?

MACY GRAY: No. we actually had maybe three extra songs after we were done.

Everybody kind of knew the vision and we knew what we wanted and so there wasn’t a lot of unnecessary recording. We had a vision and we stuck to that and so it went a lot faster. We didn’t spend a lot of time doing stuff that we weren’t going to use, so that was great.

SFND MAG: The climate in the music industry has changed over the last decade with social media being such powerful tool…. Do you feel pressure to be more visible online than you would normally, because now so much relies on social media branding and fans are so internet crazy?

MACY GRAY: Umm… I don’t feel pressure. I know that it is important to the labels and I know promoters look at it for your tickets. Branding people will go on to look for people who have a lot of followers so I know it matters to the commercial world but me personally, I don’t.

It’s OK. I’m not really big on it. I’ll sit and scroll my Instagram feed when I’m spacing out like everyone else but, I don’t feel pressure. I’m not really an Influencer. It’s not a big deal for me. THANK GOD! SFND MAG: Obviously, you have made quite a name for yourself as a singer/ songwriter and you are also a great actor.

You have anything else on the radar?

--CRESS WILLIAMS

Fur Coat: ABODI Metallic Gold Blouse: Equipment Velvet wide leg pants: Alice + Olivia Earrings: Leciel Design Rings: Vintage Python printed boots: Chloe

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COVER STORY Photographer: Teddy Labissiere of Caravan Film Crews Makeup: Shabana Buksh of Creative Beauty Boutique Wardrobe Stylist: Amanda Massi

“I’ve been in the game twenty years just off pure hard work, and I haven’t had my popular moment. ” Velvet floral dress: Caroline Contas Vest: Joanna Hadfield Chain belt and bracelet: The Archives & Showroom Private Collection Choker and black crescent earrings: Mahrukh Akuly Rings: Vintage Loafers: Club Monaco

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--Allen Maldonado

COVER STORY MACY GRAY: Yes. We just released a song for a movie called Cracked Up, It is a documentary. The song is called “Hide the Hurt.” In addition, I have three movies coming out. One of them should be out this year. I’m not sure but yeah, it has been pretty busy. It’s going good.

SFND MAG: What is the news on the Macy Gray CBD products? We’ve heard you mention that you want to market it to female cannabis users. Is that still in the works?

MACY GRAY: Yeah! That is going to launch next year. It’s called Macy Jay’s. It’s proper weed. Guys can smoke it, but we have products that are going out to women like lip glosses, kush for cramps and stuff like that. The strands are good, you can smoke it, but we have special stuff that only women need. That’s all.

SFND MAG: We want to ask you about something we read in one of your recent interviews with Rolling Stone magazine.

You made a comment in reference to your battles with your mental health. You mentioned that “Though it has held me up and set me back many times, I was able to write this song because I am win-

ning my war with it”. How important is it for you to continue to be on the winning side and raise awareness about mental health?

SFND MAG: Last question before we let you go name another artist or producer that you feel is So FN Dope and why...

MACY GRAY: It is really important because I think most people don’t understand it. I think that when people think mental health they think Charles Manson or they think you’re crazy and that you’re going to go kill somebody, but Mental illness comes in all kinds of shapes and sizes. I really wanted to help, so I started a foundation called My Good and we’re focusing on teens and young adults who have mental health issues because that is the number one cause of failure in High School; emotional and social issues. It’s like 70% of kids in “Juvie” have a mental disorder so I really want to go after helping kids with it and providing their families with the means to get the help they need. So yes, I’m a big advocate of just helping people who suffer mentally.

MACY GRAY: Off the top of my head, I would probably say J Lo. She is gold.

Everything about her is just gold.

I think she is awesome, and no one expects me to say that. Off the top of my head, there are a lot of people, but you just want me to name one so…

SFND MAG: Any upcoming tour dates, shows, special events?

MACY GRAY: Thanks!

SFND MAG: Have you ever worked with J Lo. MACY GRAY: No, I have run into her a few times but we have never worked together.

SFND MAG: Thank you Macy. We cannot thank you enough for taking the time to interview with us. We sincerely appreciate you.

MACY GRAY: Yes... Upcoming U.S. tour begins March 2020 and European Tour begins June 2020.

Bomber jacket: Kenneth Barlis Fur Vest: Jonathan Marc Stein Metallic leather pants: Stand Studio Earrings and rings: Vintage Necklace: Wasee Shoes: Winnie x Steve Madden

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Photographer: Teddy Labissiere of Caravan Film Crews Makeup: Shabana Buksh of Creative Beauty Boutique Wardrobe Stylist: Amanda Massi Bomber jacket: Kenneth Barlis Fur Vest: Jonathan Marc Stein Metallic leather pants: Stand Studio Earrings and rings: Vintage Necklace: Wasee Shoes: Winnie x Steve Madden

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“I’m a big advocate of just helping people who suffer mentally. ” --MACY GRAY

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