The STL Hive Vol. 1 Issue 1

EDITOR'S NOTE

To everyone who has sent over a kind word, suggestion, or tip, I want to thank you for your support. This concept was inspired by St. Louis natives Jenny Hill, MJ Imani, and Anthony Redd Williams. These amazing creators have made such an impact on me as well as St Louis It was so amazing to see each person give back in their own special way and opened my eyes to see that I can create great things right here in St Louis

To everyone who has helped me get this far I can never truly pay you for what you've helped me accomplish Jennifer Silverberg thank you for taking amazing photos for our premier issue.

Arik Sexton thank you for putting together our branding kit, typography, giving designing tips, and for all of your encouragement Kyesha Robinson thank you for making the investment into The STL Hive to even make our first issue possible Kenny Kole Robinson thank you for always being a key investor in my dreams and helping turn them into reality.

To St Louis, I am overwhelmed with the support and positive response to The STL Hive. This is for us and I can't wait to see the opportunities that are to come in this first year!

To my daughter Kaleesi This is all for you and I just hope that I make you proud

PG 10-18

PG 19-27

PG 28-34

PG 35-40

PG 41-49

PG 50-55

PG 56-65

PG 66-75

PG 76-81

PG 82-92

hustle /'h s()l/

e e

Verb

Obtainbyforcefulactionorpersuasion.

Tohavethecouragetogooutthereandwork itoutuntilyoufindtheopportunitiesyou wantinlife.

Example

NobodyhustlesharderthatSt.Louis.

VINTAGE

STL is really small. Everyone loves to support local. Once you're in the know and people start saying your name, it's really easy to get momentum and growth. I think it's an awesome place to start a business, run a store, and get your name going because I feel like people's names spread so fast in the city.

ily Kiti took her talents to LIM College in New York to study fashion Due to a disagreement with her Residential Assistant Lily Kiti was kicked out of college and found her way back to St Louis Eight months later while working at a restaurant called Taste COVID-19 shuts everything down Leaning into her original talents Lily Kiti looks inward to bring out something for the girls

FIRST RELEASE

During COVID-19 everyone was stuck inside and we were all just down bad The Grocery store, park, that's all you could do Getting dressed is such an essential part of the day. It helps me feel like I’m ready to start my day and that feeling was stripped of us during COVID.

So I started to think about what I could do to excite the girls I wanted to do something to boost your mood and confidence Make you feel like you can still stunt wherever you go, or just be at home So I started to find a lot of lacey pieces, robes, and little lacey body suits you could tuck into your jeans I found a lot of comfy pieces you could work from home in Then at the same time when quarantine would be lifted, you could wear that same piece out

Every day just felt the same as being in my house I needed to switch it up, and that's when I released my Quarantini collection.

FINDING YOUR CONFIDENCE

I love being me I am truly myself I wouldn’t want to be anyone else. I have one life why not own it and try out different stuff Why not play around? Clothes are meant to play around in and people can be so scared to do something different. Do whatever you feel comfortable with. One piece can have so many moments

HOW HAS YOUR STYLE CHANGED?

It's more refined I’m a little more minimalistic with what I wear I try to keep it very simple I like to accentuate my waist and have my pieces tight on top and loose on the bottom Figuring out proportions is very important and key to doing an outfit the right way So I just pay close attention to what fits my body I highlight what looks good and work on mastering that.

HOW TO ACHIEVE ORGANIC GROWTH

Don't do something just because someone else is doing it Do it because it fits with your lifestyle and your vibe I know people that have tried to thrift but don't end up keeping up with it because they are trying to do something that they saw someone else do

I encourage everyone to take inspiration from other people but only if it flows with what you're doing You have to be consistent and patient because growth doesn’t happen overnight That first thousand dollars of sales will take some time Just be honest and don't try to put on a facade

Everyone is so different in this world and has so much to offer Be funny, be yourself You will thrive if you just do you and don’t try to be like someone else

MUST HAVE ITEM

A silky button-down top We can French tuck (half tuck, half loose), have one button, buttoned, and have a little cleavage. If you’re pregnant you can have one button done and show off your bump You can tie it over your shoulder, it's just such a versatile top. You can run errands in it you can wear it on a date It's flowy, silky, and it moves with the body It’s a vibe

BEAUTY

Beauty to me is confidence. If I could think of a beautiful woman it's someone who just owns themselves and is completely transparent about who they are. They are one hundred percent themselves.

Beauty is how you carry yourself, and how you show up in a room. There's power in being yourself. Beauty is also about being vulnerable, open, and soft. I think that is beauty.

GRAP ILLUSTR

I’m not one of those artists who goes off of what is trending. I’m not for the trends I’m for statements and art that will last forever.

rt Culture King is a self-taught illustrator that naturally goes against the grain. Being a multitalented artist, Art Culture King finds meaning in everything he does.

After being diagnosed with Congested Heart failure, Art Kulture King re-evaluates what brings joy in his life and focuses on living his life in the most authentic way he can.

Using his son as a key motivator to push towards becoming a fulltime artist the King never forgets to take his breaks.

The I'M SAD drop which was base health and depression. I'M SAD I'm surviving after depression So i word When the collection dropped time capsule with the shirts in the sage for each eople reached changed the ple to see an

I get inspiration mostly from things that happened in my life that I'm able to turn into colorful moments. Right now my son is my biggest inspiration. He acts just like my paintings. He's super colorful and vibrant with his energy and that inspires me to create when it's necessary.

WHAT ABOUT WHEN IT'S NOT NECESSARY? HOW DO YOU KEEP YOURSELF MOTIVATED?

My son is a driving factor when it comes to my creativity but I’m one of those artists that don’t like to force it. I feel like as an artist you need to let your brain recuperate after you create a piece of art I like to put my all into one piece take a break and then get back into creating another one I don’t like to force it but I just think a lot of things are forced nowadays, especially with social media. You shouldn’t be trying to compete with the next person, you should just keep focusing on what you’re doing I like my breaks because it's healthy I’m not trying to lose my creativity

Inspiration Inspiration Inspiration

When it comes to where I am at today I would say my brother Brock Seals made an impact on me by going all in on my craft I used to shoot videos for him way back in the day. Then he saw my drawings and asked me why I never took a chance on my paintings It honestly didn't occur to me to take a chance on my artistic ability since in school I was primarily focused on being the best athlete and it wasn’t until my friend made the recommendation is when I decided to go in on it and learn how to perfect my craft.

If it wasn’t for him I would still be trying to focus on being a physical ed teacher or doing some basic freelance work, but definitely not what I’m working on right now

I’m working on a solo exhibition I don’t really tell anyone my business It's inspired by a lot of recent events just what I’m going through. Basic life things. Something I feel like the city needs and something that I need to do I haven’t been out here in a long time and I’m on a journey, figuring out who I am as a human being and not just an artist.

WRITER

St Louis has had the biggest impact on my upbringing I've lived most of my life here and this is where I've experienced the most grief The worst things that has happened to me has happened here so that has definitely impacted my story and has made me more empathetic

V is no stranger when it comes to writing Experiencing the death of two family members back to back kept KV's pen to paper as she primarily writes about her own personal experiences Hoping to leave an impact with her written word she is like an open book

In 2010 I lost my dad to gun violence. Six years later I lost my brother to gun violence as well So that period was a really rough time for me. In 2017 I had all these poems I had written about love, loss, and grief So I turned it into a book and it was amazing how well received it was

Writing Writing really saved my life

When I lost my dad I started blogging. One of the first pieces I wrote and shared with everyone got really big on Facebook and ended up going viral

I always revert to writing when anything in life gets hard. I journal every single day about my life experiences

I like expressing myself. Sometimes the outlet is different but it is always about me telling a story. Whether that is rapping, writing a novel, or creating a poem It's all about trying to expel whatever thoughts are on my mind

ThroughGriefCreaTING

HOW DO YOU BECOME VULNERABLE IN YOUR WRITING?

I’m just a sharing person. I don't feel ashamed Everyone has been through something and I shouldn't be ashamed of my experiences It's not like I'm a bad person, so i don’t have a problem sharing my personal experiences through my writing

LOOKING BACK AT YOUR ALBUM LOVE SUCKS! WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON DATING NOW?

I can’t believe that much time has passed since that album. It feels like 2020 took some time off my life because time hasn’t been the same since I’m dating women now I was dating a guy then. She is my bestfriend Its a really good relationship and I feel great about dating because I’m not outside

HOW DID YOU TELL YOUR FRIENDS & FAMILY?

Oh they already knew They all were like okay, yeah whatever. Even my mom was like oh okay My dad asked me if I was gay at fifteen. I wasn't as comfortable with myself at the time so I didn't know what to say but everybody knows. I like to think of myself as queer because I'm attracted to men and women I'm more comfortable being my true self because don't nobody got to live my life but me

My father was born ass first. Jumped through his mother's womb base before body face still sleeping in the cushion of before attention and tension.

Maybe he thought that in this life if he came out on the bottom he would have nowhere to go but up.

Father was born downside first and doctors turn you upside down and mothers wash you right side up so my father was born with direction. This way and that way and each way we went my child’s mind only saw decision and determine and there’s still more places to visit Let’s not settle here for this for what we have been told for what we have been given for what we tell ourselves.

A still mind never sits well when it dwells within a wanderer.

Dreaming is just scheming before purpose And scheming is just fiending for less working

Where is your life if that’s all you do?

So we moved our minds to dream of better worlds and worldly desires were less interesting than spirit finding and spirit fighting

My father died. But something about his backwards birth or maybe him aging backwards taught me that we are not born disoriented but with visions of paths and purpose and that direction is only determined by the sureness of our step.

SINGER

Whether you're looking to be an independent artist or your goal is to be signed. You will still need to know how to distribute and protect your work. Learning how to split royalties and read basic contracts. My best business advice for anyone in music is to actually take the time to study the business in general before making decisions

alencia Rush started her artistic journey singing backup for various artists around St Louis It didn't take Valencia long to go solo right before COVID-19 threw a wrench in her plans Not allowing the pandemic to slow her growth she actively sought out virtual networking opportunities and dug into the business side of her art. Taking the time to learn about distribution, royalties, and how to manage artists Valencia moved in faith toward her dreams

BECOMING INDEPENDENT

Releasing my first single I was really uncomfortable in the studio at first I didn’t know what I was doing I just knew I needed to get my music out I used to be a rapper and I used to have freestyles Then when people actually started coming up to me and asking for my music I didn't have anything to offer them. I wasn't sure what genre I wanted to do I just knew that I wanted to make music I started studying and looking at how to release my own music Believe it or not, I wasn't scared doing it on my own I just knew I needed to release some of my own music I really dove into learning about the music production side of the industry and gained more of an understanding of my work going out into the world

One thing about being is there is so much that goe other than making good mus One is learning how to things on your own Whethe looking to be an independe or your goal is to be signed still need to know how to d and protect your work L how to split royalties and re contracts

My best business ad anyone in music is to actua the time to study the bus general before making de So before you hire a man learn how to be a manager when the time does com you're ready to hire a mana will know exactly what nee done so you don't get played

Releasing Vibe during C helped increase my follow allowed me to rebran eventually release amen I idea from Mvstermind t hosting a podcast called W and every week once a would go live with another producer and we would j about the industry I also t time during the pandemic what was next Plan my vide for amen COVID presente roadblocks but it was a challenge my creative m made me a better artist for it

TAKING CREATIVE RISKS

When I directed my first music video Amen I learned I need to plan better You really need a team for all of the various moving parts of the shoot You need them to know the script because it was the most hectic thing I've ever done. I realized you can never be too detailed when it comes to preparing for a music video I had to learn how to be more organized and now that I have a creative director on my team it feels good I don’t feel overwhelmed. That definitely was a creative risk I learned a lot from.

VALENCIA IN 2026

I know that I am making a living off of my artistry as well as my team. Touring is also something that comes very naturally to me as well so I would love to go on tour I would love to make enough money to help the homeless situation and give back to the community. Being able to partner with brands that I'm passionate about and basically securing my artistry is the plan.

CHOREOGRAPHER

her projects MJ is no stranger to taking on multiple roles Using all of her talents MJ collaborates with local St Louis artists on live performances and music videos

For me, when I think of successful representation in St Louis I think back to an interview I saw with Issa Rae She talks about networking around and not trying to network up Utilizing the talent and projects here before we just kind of shoot for mainstream success.

Photography Credits: Jess, Dave Moore, and Henry T

MThis year is the most performing I've done since I've been back in St. Louis I have been pitching ideas to local artists suggesting they use dancers to amp up their performances Not telling them what they have isn’t right it's not about that, it's about elevating what they already have

You want to make sure that when people come to see you live you give them an experience So most of my risks came from reaching out to different local artists and collaborating with Big Weezy is the collaboration I was most nervous about but it was just us sitting down and having a creative conversation about how to create that experience and trying different things

HOW HAVE YOU GROWN FROM PAST FAILURES

I’m still failing if that makes sense It's always a process I have to be patient with myself If you audition or go to a class and you don’t get picked you can start to get in your head and start freaking out Start crying and throwing all your dance stuff out and talking crazy about how you’re just going to quit and get a nine-to-five! Learning how to take failure is a step towards growth

If you're not failing you're not growing Another thing is not to compare yourself to other people and as a dancer, it can be hard seeing people that got picked over you Sometimes I have to delete my apps because sometimes I can just start comparing myself and saying I wish that was me Everyone's timing is different and it's a balance As a dancer or artist in general you are always going to be a student Make sure you are still training and taking in as much as you’re giving.

HOW HAVE YOU GROWN FROM PAST FAILURES

I always wanted to bring something back to St. Louis when I returned from Atlanta and I was contemplating what that would exactly be but I knew I wanted it to involve dance. I always wanted to open a studio, so I did. I am so blessed to have had it open for a year and serve so many different people. We had a lot of navigating to do as far as regulations in dance studios when COVID-19 happened. I think I learned a lot not only on the business side of things.

NEXT MOVES FOR THE 314 MOVEMENT LAB

I didn’t want to let go of this idea and concept of the 314 movement Lab even though I wouldn’t have an actual space anymore. I actually got the idea from Anthony Redd William. We had a conversation about being over having a studio and he just encouraged me to keep my website and my page. Long story short I plan to transform the page to a platform specifically for St. Louis dance-related content. People teaching classes, workshops, intensives, and visuals, all of which will be centered around St. Louis dancers and artists that live here. So people can see who is in their own backyard. That is the number one thing that everyone asks me when I closed my door. So this is the place to go to keep up with all dancerelated content in St. Louis. For different dance styles and it will have all the information you need to be your one-stop shop for dance.

MJ IN 2025

Fulfilling more of my role as choreographer/creative director I love educating and I love teaching. Right now I love teaching my college students because they already have this hunger and I don’t have to pull it out of them as I do with my younger kids but I want to get into my creative directing. Music videos, directing, lighting, and being a part of the music experience Particularly with music videos

CHOREOGRAPHER

Build a good support system, learn your resources, and I encourage you not to get too wrapped up in the details. Find a balance. You can talk yourself out of what you're doing if you try to plan out too many details. There's never a right time.

shley Tate started dancing as soon as she could walk Being put in dance classes at the age of three Ashley still continues to practice her craft Opening the Ashleyliane Dance Company in 2007 she has played an instrumental role in shaping the dance community here in St Louis

PIVOTAL MOMENT IN YOUR CAREER

There are so many because my dance pathway has taken so many turns I think there are two different points where I figured out what my real calling was I was working as an NHL Cheerleader for the Rams and working with a lot of community organizations It was the moment I decided to go back to grad school in 2017, to get my MFA in dance I started reading all of these books and nerding out on dance Having those two years to look inward and evaluate what I have been doing and try to see what else I can do I took time to focus on my craft and get some feedback from my mentors

I worked with a woman named Joan Lipkin She is an active community leader in St Louis and I was able to work with her and she is the one that inspired me to merge my social activism with my dancing This changed the trajectory of the Ashleyliane dance company

We found each other very randomly, I had only been in business for roughly a year I'm not exactly sure how Joan found out about me but we met at a random gathering through a mutual friend in the arts Joan ended up giving me her info and hired me to choreograph a piece for her upcoming event

When she asked me to come on for this really big social activism project I was taken out of my element As before I primarily choreographed for entertainment purposes and now I was moving into creating more activism pieces. It was with my mentor that I found my creative process.

My time as an NFL Cheerleader for the St. Louis Rams was a super exciting gig I cheered from 2005 to 2008 I've always been a dance team girl I had just graduated college and was still in that mindset. I never saw myself being an NFL Cheerleader.

I went to auditions because all they can do is tell me no Back then there were hundreds of people auditioning. We started by learning a game day routine and the next day doing a pom, jazz hybrid You had to do direct camera interaction and answer personal and professional questions It was a two-week process before finding out if you made the team. You really had to think about aesthetics and beauty on the field. This made me really realize how important shapes and lines are because when you are in the game you never know where the cameras are

I stepped into a captain role in my second and third years on the team and that helped me get started in my leadership skills I was able to learn different teaching and learning methods, travel all over the country, and hang out with different types of people

The misconception is that we just dance and go to games but a lot of our time was spent connecting with people, engaging in community service, and giving back to the community

S TARTING A BUSINES S

I officially started Ashleyliane Dance Company in 2007. I was teaching in St. Louis County and we were wanting to recruit for the studio, I loved every minute of it. I loved picking out costumes and all of the behind-the-scenes work

I decided right then that this is what I wanted to do Bring together adult dancers with other jobs and obligations that still wanted to dance I had my first auditions in 2007, I just went on myspace and built my community from there.

I’m also glad I did it the way I did because it was so authentic I was able to find things I was doing right and find my mistakes so that I could be open and honest about my journey when dancers would ask me

It wasn't until 2020 that ADC became an LLC. My biggest advice for anyone looking to start their own business would be to have people in your corner that have a small business and can guide you. I know that the paperwork is essential but that’s the easy part What is your mission? What is your purpose? You really have to set that up beforehand

It started off as a selfish need for me to keep dancing so what really helped me was learning my mission and my reason why.

What my boundaries are. What contracts look like Build a good support system, and learn your resources I encourage you not to get too wrapped up in the details Find a balance You can talk yourself out of what you're doing if you try to plan out too many details There's never a right time

azbsnappin is a developed creator that allows the past to influence how she snaps the future Being able to blend into any role in front of or behind

the camera Jaz wants to be a photographer you can trust Jaz takes grief and loss and turns them into a superpower Jazbsnappin takes on a new responsibility to capture racism raw and unfiltered

CAPTURINGJAZ

St Louis has shaped how I do my art because of the racism I've experienced while being here I look at a lot of black photographers and what they did back in the day and what they did to capture the world around them. That's what inspired me to capture the current world around me - good or bad I just want people to see how they see us in this world So when I first started in 2016 when Donald Trump was in office and I wanted to capture the protests I wanted to show what young black kids are going through today. A lot of the time you couldn't really see what was going on with the protests and the media kept trying to sugar coat what was going on So I took that on as my responsibility Asking myself what would the photographers back then have done

Mike Brown was really a defining moment in my career That was when I was at a point where I was really fed up with what was going on My dad was not going to let me go take photos of the protests because he was scared I was going to lose my life I did lose my father in 2016 and so that is what really woke me up I know my father was worried for me as a black child in this world I did not do this to spite him but when Trump was elected that just fueled me to capture what was really going on in Ferguson

I'm so used to being behind the camera I was definitely uncomfortable when I first changed into a model role. It takes a minute to get comfortable but since I"m a creative director I'm able to be creative and see what works. You have to take time and effort when you're modeling. If you have a photographer that is comfortable directing people then you will be better off but if you don't have one that does and you don't know how to direct then you're just out of luck. So even if they don't know what they want I know what I want. I do a lot of looking at the camera when I'm modeling. I do the thrifting and see what type of garment I want for what I'm trying to do.

I love to sit on Pinterest for hours and I even have a folder for my poses. There are going to be times I don't know everything and sometimes I will need that inspiration and it's nothing to hop on your phone and look at some images from time to time. The other day I did a photo shoot and I got to be creative and try all these weird poses and they actually turned out amazing.

Know what you're trying to emphasize. Knowing what I want and the overall vision and mood then I know I"m on the right track. Once I find a pose I'll try different angles so we can get other distances and movement, but I am constantly moving on the set. I always have a mirror when I'm modeling and that gives me the confidence to see what I look like and if I like something or if I don't and adjust from there.

I'm very particular about my photoshoots and how I want them to look. I want everything to look a certain way and a specific type of mood I do wear all the hats but I enjoy doing all the parts of the process.

MAKING A PLAN

AHStructure helps me create I have ADHD so I need structure in order to plan all my thoughts out I have been diagnosed by my primary care physician and medicated since I was a child to help me focus in school I have definitely talked to people over the years about my bipolar disorder and my ADHD has affected me over the years. It's been overwhelming to deal with I can't express how annoying it is to deal with something that will never go away This is something that you're always going to have and there is no cure for it You just have to learn how to navigate it There have been times where my ADHD and my bipolar disorder have had a negative effect on my career. One of the biggest negative affect my mental illnesses has had on my career is my social anxiety It has kept me from putting myself in rooms that I probably should have been in

I spent a lot of time couped up in my apartment alone not experiencing the world because I was so overwhelmed by what was going on with my mental illnesses

Today I actively go to therapy and see my doctors I still go through highs and lows but now I feel like I have a team. I'm also more self-aware and know what triggers me. It has helped me acknowledge where I need help and ask for help when it's needed

MAKE UP ARTIST

uke London jumped right into his craft after high school Using every tool to his disposal in cosmetology school Luke London understands the

importance of finding and maintaining a diverse clientele Taking the time to study what works and what doesn't work across the board Luke London shares his tips on building your kit and being your biggest advocate.

If you're going to believe in anything you need to believe in yourself. No one owes you anything If you really want to make it you have to be your number one advocate and your number one fan. You have to believe that what you're doing is what you're supposed to be doing

I started doing makeup about nine years ago I did hair before I did makeup I graduated from cosmetology school in 2013 so it will be ten years for hair Then a year into my career is when I started doing makeup

I had my regular hair clients and people would ask me to do their makeup At the time I would recommend them to someone else because I just wasn't comfortable doing it myself Then I started to ask myself why I was giving away all these potential clients to other people when I could just learn how to do makeup. It was something I had never really thought about doing, but once I sat down and really learned it actually came really easy to me. I loved doing it. The next thing I know I started building a clientele and have been doing makeup for the past nine years.

Not only is building your clientele very involved but so is building your kit You have to have all different types of tones and types of products If you want to be a good makeup artist you have to be prepared for what people want from you I do bridal, editorial, events, photoshoots all sorts of things so I never really know what type of jobs I'll be put into So I really need a kit that is prepared for any type of client That includes all different types of skin tones, ages, face shapes, body types, and genders

To build your clientele you have to be ready for anything I do editorial, bridal, soft flam, and more I work with different skin tones, ages, face types, body types, and genders Being a good makeup artist is about being well-rounded Building up your kit will take some time because you need to dive into what makes a good product you can pay $60 for a foundation but there are $12 drugstore foundations that can actually, do better. It's a lot of trial and error but it will take some time to build a kit that you can be proud of.

From day one I've always been big on embracing a diverse chair Being a queer POC, I'm Filipino and we're definitely not the majority So starting off I know what it's like to not feel represented all the time in every space

A lot of times in cosmetology school they only teach a certain curriculum for certain types of people While the fundamentals can be taught to anyone for a broader client base It's so important to have experience with different types of people

Even though the fundamentals you can learn and apply to everyone it's important to have experiences with all kinds of people Clients aren't going to just fall in your lap so you have to put in the work to get a diverse clientele I would also offer free work but I would also be selective about the jobs that you end up taking on

If you're going to believe in anything you need to believe in yourself No one owes you anything If you really want to make it you have to be your number one advocate and your number one fan You have to believe that what you're doing is what you're supposed to be doing

Sometimes I catch myself comparing myself to other makeup artists that might be younger than me and are doing stuff that I want to do but I always try to reframe it I just say okay this person is going for it so why can't I? Reframe those thoughts and situations in a different way It's all a journey

When I look back at my career, I've done things and I'm doing things that I have always dreamed of if you told me 10 years ago that I would be working for myself full time and have my own clients I would be so excited I never try to take that for granted Lead with gratitude

Leading up to the fall of 2020 I was working in cosmetics for 8 years and I worked for multiple companies like Ulta, Beauty Brands, Mac, and Dior. I was still practicing my business on the side when I wasn't working for them, I was working on my craft. The goal was to always build my artistry to where I can go full-time In 2020 when the pandemic happened I was laid off from my job in march and I was off work until about May during that time it was scary and stressful but I wanted to make the most of it I took the time to nourish my creativity, tried new looks at home, and experimented It really reminded me why I loved doing makeup

Once things started to open back up everyone was ready to start getting back to their life When I felt comfortable accepting appointments again It was like everyone wanted to book The wedding industry had a big boom from people who had to reschedule their weddings It got to a point where I had to continuously call off my job So I tried to switch to part-time at my current job and they actually gave me an ultimatum They told me it was all or nothing So I said it was nothing, and I quit my job That moment was so rewarding

If I can offer any advice that would be I know this shit is scary but you're never going to be in a position that feels like you're ready It's not going to happen until you force yourself over the edge and just take a chance on yourself and your abilities It may feel irresponsible and unstable which is the risk you take when you become an entrepreneur. You can set yourself up as much as you want but there is no knowing unless you take action and do it and I am so happy that I took this leap of faith in October 2020 so that I can be where I am today.

DJ

Sometimes it's unbelievable just how far I’ve come and I always think about how most of the stuff just kind of came to me I did work very hard to get where I am, but being a St. Louis artist is so much fun It’s a blessing All of the experiences I’ve gotten to have while doing what I love have been incredible I can’t even believe I’m practicing my craft and getting paid for it.

After doing one year at Avila University and then transferring to Northwest Missouri state it didn't take me very long to realize that college just wasn't for me I liked being away from home and learning new skills but just getting out of high school I had so much going on I just couldn't navigate it

I came home and tried to actually go back to school but it still just didn't end up working out The deciding factor in finally dropping out of school was seeing my friends doing all the artistic things that they wanted to do. AGame STL was one of them and we would meet up and I was able to look at their lifestyle and what they were doing. It showed me that following my artistic passions is possible

Sometimes it's unbelievable just how far I’ve come and I always think about how most of the stuff just kind of came to me I did work very hard to get where I am, but being a St Louis artist is so much fun It’s a blessing All of the experiences I’ve gotten to have while doing what I love have been incredible. I can’t even believe I’m practicing my craft and getting paid for it.

Being an artist in St Louis is fun but it's also a challenge This past year it took me a minute to learn the craft of DJing and actually going to buy the equipment. I didn't think I was actually going to be hired for parties As a DJ you set the tone for the party so it can be nervewracking but the love I've received from people has been so crazy

You're not going to please everybody If something doesn't resonate with you that is okay, don't do it. You can't be a yes man for everybody

Since working in a band I've had to work with other people There's been times when we'll work on something and our ideas will clash so I've had to learn to stand my ground and understand my worth. Sometimes people may want you to do a show for free or show up to an event and help build up their brand Which is definitely fine but I recommend being selective on which times you decide to perform for free That was something I had to learn about not being everyone's yes man and that I need to follow my gut

For me, I’ve always loved being a St. Louis artist. I think St. Louis produces some of the best talent across the field. There are so many talented people here.

I’ve always danced since I was a kid. Ask anyone in my family I’ve always loved music and movement. I didn’t take my first dance class until I was a teenager. Up until the point of me meeting Rita Harris anything I learned before then were things I learned from tv. I would record award shows and music videos, I would learn every routine from anyone who had choreography in their videos which back then was everybody. When I met Rita Harris I wandered into a class she was teaching and asked if I could take class with her. From that day forward I was with her dancing.

Louis artist. I think St. Louis produces some of the best talent across the field. There are so many talented people here. As it pertains to what I do I have always loved being from St. Louis and doing what I love in the city. Yes, I travel outside of St. Louis but I always come back to St. Louis. I've always loved and thrived in St. Louis.

A lot of my biggest opportunities have come right from St. Louis. I choreographed Nelly's European tour. I co-choreographed shake a tail feather with my god sister Eboni I was able to go to new york and teach Puff Daddy how to do the mono at that time. All of this happened with me living in St. Louis. Moving to another city wasn't even on my radar at the moment and I had already started working professionally. I've always had drive, passion, determination, and a love for my craft.

I would never mishandle my craft, and the one thing that everything came second to was dance. If I had a job and it got in the way of me performing, I would quit. There was no negotiating. When I look back I see how irresponsible that is as it pertains to what I was doing to other people, but dance was my number one. If it did not fit into the mode of what I had to do with dance, it had to go.

God blessed me with the opportunity to work for my mom since my mom is handicapped. She had been in nursing facilities for most of my teenage years and when she finally got back on her own I was able to work for her. Which allotted me more time to invest in my craft. That was the freedom I was given to wholeheartedly put myself in a position to better my career.

We didn't have a time of the day that was convenient for dance. We would dance whenever we wanted to, during business hours, and then go to another studio and dance until the wee hours of the morning. We would repeat that every day, for fun. There was nothing we hoped to gain except other than just getting together and expressing ourselves in the dance studio. The concept of night classes came from us here in St. Louis just going to the studio and dancing at night time. Back then no one was offering classes at no nine o'clock at night. We coined this term starting to go around and ask if people were coming to night class. The classes were a dollar and we would just vibe, create, and express ourselves with the privilege to be around dancers that wanted to learn.

Tonya Reed played a huge role in providing us with that space. One thing about Tonya is no matter where she worked, she was going to get us some studio space. When I met Tonya I was auditioning for the Breathe In Breathe Out music video at a nightclub behind Union Station. We've been dancing together from that moment on.

FINDING

The beautiful thing about what's happening now is I had to crawl so a lot of people here now, can run That started with building relationships and pouring back into the talent that was already here and letting it blossom Now those same people can pour back into the city It's all in networking Also, what's different now is social media has really changed how we navigate opportunity

For anyone saying they can't be seen and there is no opportunity, it's a prison that they have engulfed themselves in. It's insecurity and a way of not going for what they want full force because of the work that may entail A lot of times people are afraid of it not happening Not realizing that at the end of the day, it can happen for everybody, but when it happens is up to none of us Some people hit right away and for some people it takes years Everybody's journey is not and should not be the same You have to be down for the ride and you have to be willing to work your butt off for every second of it. Nothing is entitled to any of us.

Even if you feel like it's something you deserve is selfish At the end of the day, there are so many avenues for the current artist in any capacity to outlet, or network, that at this point it's up to you on how you benefit from those things So if you’re waiting for opportunities to fall in your lap you’re going to be sitting there waiting for a long time because you’re waiting for something that is not owed to you. At no point is anything entitled to you. When you create the mentality to work for everything you want that habit is so beneficial to your success Most of all beneficial to your mental health and to your outlook on situations and scenarios with people

It really helps to create a sense of gratitude that will help you from becoming jaded and bitter You can start to feel inferior to everything without gratitude If we stop trying to outdo each other and competing with one another we could go further. A lot of situations have real growth and overflows is because a lot of fo people in these scenarios are pouring into each other

New york aint new york because everyone trying to be better than everyone it's because they try to stick together and they push their people. In St. Louis, people are quicker to compete with you than they are to work with you. That is the biggest downfall in our community as a whole as it pertains to becoming more national and for people to want to come here for talent and use talent here We dilute ourselves when we compete on the level of trying to downplay what everyone in the city is doing because all that inner competition in the city just mutes St Louis

If that energy was put into being a community and working together all the time the level of material and content that would be pouring out would be huge. It would be tremendously beneficial to the community as a whole. I do see more often now that dancers are starting to share other dancers' classes I see what you're doing to promote art and great local things in the city It's needed but it's just one thing A lot of people see me sharing other people's stuff Now I've shared my platform and audience with you and as big as you think you are as an individual there are always people that don’t know who you are

So even Yes Honey Studio sharing my posts is creating a bridge between communities and a network that keeps circulating. Now how you use it is up to you and where the jade can come in because some people are happier to have a celebrity share their post than they are for me to share How are you so happy about Beyonce' or somebody sharing your content for the same reasons I would share your content? Then when I share your content it's frivolous to you it's just a share That's what signals to me that there is a sense of entitlement there that you are expecting more from me although I just did exactly what somebody didn't do that you are expecting.

Just sharing someone's content can take them from a zero to a thousand.

You don’t have to do anything negative to get where you want to go Your belief has to be matched with work So if you have bad habits and you're not putting in the right amount of work you can pick up and move to another city and you’ll still have the same amount of opportunities because you’re not working for them Part of the work is knowing the resources to get you where you need to go and not expecting things to fall into your lap.