Bun B keeping it Trill on Choosing a Mate and Claiming Your Power

OG Bun B keeps it Trill about every aspect you can think of. He seems to be the focal point with a banging new album and a solid legacy. With all the fame behind him, he still holding a solid 12-yr-relationship with his wife, married for 7 years. In the entertainment world, an average marriage lasts as long as the movie Inception.

So we all want to know how to maintain a solid relationship in the entertainment. Seems as tho Bun B got the answer. I found the interview he did with Parlour Magazine that I would like to share.

Bun B on marriage in the entertainment industry. Besides with the Dream/Milian speed dating and Alicia and Swiss shacking up, it's a good time to hear real advice

Source via NecoleBitchie and Parlour Magazine

PARLOUR: Let’s say a couple’s been together for two or three years and are planning on moving in together instead of getting married. What’s your take?

BUN B: I’m not a big fan of that. They’ve been together for three years, they’re probably already having sex and the only thing separating them is their personal space. If they’re not ready to commit fully, then it can only hamper the situation. Once you allow people into your personal space, it usually doesn’t strengthen the bond, it tends to separate it and if they haven’t already become engaged or really ready to move to that next level anyway, moving in together is a minor technicality. I wouldn’t suggest it at all. It’s always good to keep as much personal space from someone as possible until you’re ready to share everything.

PARLOUR: What’s your advice on choosing a mate?

The most important is to choose someone with whom you feel you can build something. As a woman you don’t just want to get with a man that’s a good provider because if anything happens to that provider, you’ll be left to find another one and you’ll never learn how to provide for yourself. If you’re a woman in that type of relationship, there will eventually be a child involved and you don’t want to be that type of mother to your child. So before you look to get married, make sure you have some sort of training or that you’ve learned a way to contribute and make money should your provider fall by the way side. But the best scenario is to have two like minded individuals working towards the same goals both of them equally enjoy building up something until they establish that foundation where one of them can choose to take the time off to raise a child, that’s the perfect situation. Well, actually the really perfect situation is that they grind hard so they can retire and raise a child together. Good luck finding that.

PARLOUR: We just finished Aliya S. King’s novel called “Platinum” which made life as a rapper who’s committed to his wife or girlfriend seem damn near impossible. What’s your advice on staying true as a husband and an MC in the entertainment business?

First, let me address the stigmatization that comes with that statement. I don’t think that it’s strictly something that deals with rappers, of course you see it in the entertainment industry, actors and athletes, but a lot of that just means the person might have money but they definitely have notoriety. A lot of people compromise themselves for some sort of notoriety, but if everyone knew who really had money in this world, things would be much different. We have lots of millionaires and billionaires that no one notices because what they earn money from isn’t in the public eye.

The entertainment industry actually fosters adoration—come let me entertain you and come let you adore me—that’s the exchange that goes on in the entertainment industry. It’s where the athlete becomes the performer and you have these big arenas that seat thousands of people to watch them. To both the adoring fan and the entertainer, this dynamic can be a little bit overwhelming, especially if you weren’t the star quarterback in high school for example. It’s very hard for people not to embrace that attention, though it’s easier for a woman not to embrace it because of how women are raised and taught. A woman doesn’t have to be famous for men to fawn over her, so usually when women become famous it’s not a big thing. Men, however, are totally different. Most come into fame stable but trying to build a relationship with people who don’t want them for a sincere purpose.

The advice I usually offer young entertainers and athletes is be smarter than your dick because your dick is going to make decisions that your brain would be totally against. The hardest thing for mankind, men and women, to deal with is the attraction of the flesh. It’s a daily struggle. For example, I used to smoke cigarettes for years and I quit. Do I still want cigarettes? Yes, every time I see someone smoking a cigarette I’m jealous, but I won’t have one because I know it’s bad for me. These are personal choices that people have to make, now have I been in a situation where I’ve almost taken a cigarette because I was just that down and out? Yes, that’s when you have to really reach for strength. No one is perfect. Relationships can be difficult just based on who left the lights on last night, or who ate the last pork chop—that kind of shit will bring the roof down much less infidelity. I know many households where privacy is a bigger violation than infidelity, it all depends on the individual involved.

In my personal situation with the woman I married—been together for 12 years married for seven—has demanded honesty from me. Initially I wasn’t used to that because most people in relationships prior to her had just accepted whatever I told them to be part of the ride, but my wife actually cared about me as a person so she wasn’t impressed by my fame. With her, she said ‘I know this isn’t going to be easy, you just have to be honest with me at all times. If you don’t want to be with me, don’t take the time to fall out of love with me, meet other people, fall in love with someone else and then say you don’t want to be with me. Tell me when you fall out of love and that you don’t want to be with me because of me and I can deal with that. Don’t bring other people into this.’

I don’t think these kinds of line are laid out for people. Women have to do a better job of defining the parameters of their relationships and they have to be willing to stick to it.

PARLOUR: Do you think women don’t utilize the power we have in relationships? How can we be better?

You have to stop using your power in relationships for purses and shoes. There’s nothing wrong with wanting nice things, but if all you’ve built your relationship around is making sure you can maintain these nice things then that’s the only parameter to which he’s going to be loyal and faithful. So when you get mad about other things, he’s going to say ‘all you ever wanted was this and I gave you this all the time. You never said this was going to be an issue.’ There’s no such thing as implicit understanding in the bowels of a relationship. I’m going to tweet that.

PARLOUR: Hm, we figured it’s better to ask you, a guy who’s been in a relationship for 12 years, dating and marriage advice rather than someone who’s single or recently wed.

I’ll be honest, when my wife and I got together, we had the same issues that everyone else had. I was not a mature person and I made some very poor choices. It came down to me having to accept a certain amount of responsibility as a man. Once we got married and the things that weren’t normally an issue, like money and infidelity, were no longer an issue, that still doesn’t mean that there are no issues. Now because we spend so much time in each other’s personal space, that becomes a problem.

PARLOUR: Where’s your personal space at home?

I tend to go and stand in our formal dining room, that’s my space. Of course I can’t sit in there because those are the good chairs.

Got a relationship question for Uncle Bun? Email us at info@parlourmagazine.com with the subject “Ask Uncle Bun” and we’ll get him your query!

Scarface "Disrespected" By VH1 Hip Hop Honors

Previously they invited the legend Scarface to be honored at this year's show. He declined. At first you would think why. Then more bullish came up. After reading what Scarface said in his interview with Ozone magazine, you will have a better understanding why.

Personally I was chopped and screwed when i realized Outkast is not on the show. There's NO Hip hop history without Outkast. Anyway, this is what Scarface has to say:

I was nominated [to be honored at the Dirty South Hip Hop Honors] but I declined to accept because I don’t wanna be classified as just “Dirty South.” I’m Hip Hop, man. I’m not going because I feel slighted. Even though it was a nice gesture, I feel like it’s just a pacifier. They’re like, “Let’s give these niggas down there a pacifier so they can stop feeling left out. We’ll make Luke and all these niggas down there look funny,” you know? “Let’s put a plate of fried chicken and some watermelon and let’s just do some nigga-ass shit.” (laughs) Quote, end quote. “Some nigga-ass shit.” Fried chicken and watermelon. “Shit, the faster we get this over with, the better.”

Honoring [Uncle] Luke and James [Prince] and [Master] P and Timbaland and JD and Dungeon Family is a good thing. I don’t wanna fuck their Honors up. They helped lay the foundation. More power to ‘em. I respect what they do and I respect what they’ve done for Hip Hop, but to put us in a category is disrespectful. Why would you categorize us as “Dirty South”? Why can’t you just honor some muthafuckers from down here and leave it like that? You ain’t gotta make us look extra country. We know where we’re from and we know where you’re from. We know where Hip Hop came from, man. We’re cool with that. I’m proud to be from Houston but don’t make a mockery of my accomplishments. We’re not “dirty” down here in the South anyway. This shit down here probably cleaner than the rest of the country, cause we got grandmas down here. Our grandmas don’t play that shit.

I was a part of the Slick Rick and De La Soul and Too $hort and Public Enemy [Hip Hop Honors]. I felt good about being a part of that. I went [to Hip Hop Honors] when they honored Def Jam because I wanted to be a part of that. I felt honored that they would even call me to do it. But this year, I totally disagree with how they’re trying to categorize us. You know how they make us look on TV? Like we live on the front porch with flies and shit flying around us, with our stomachs all big eating watermelon rinds? That ain’t us, man. Don’t fuckin’ make a mockery of us because we come from down here and you have no fuckin’ idea what it looks like. They’re gonna try to put us with some cows and just make us look fucked up, man, like we don’t know what the fuck we doin’ down here. We’re smart, man. Our life is slowed down so we don’t miss nothing. When shit gets moving too fast you miss everything. Shit’s slowed down here so we see it all.

I come from the era when New York and L.A. had the only Hip Hop, and they weren’t fuckin’ with us, at all. If you think I’m lyin’, check the history of Hip Hop. Try to pull up some footage from the 1989/1990 New Music Seminar. That’s what I base my whole fuckin’ life on: the New Music Seminar 1989/1990. They was NOT fuckin’ with us. We sold records all over the fuckin’ country and New York made a mockery of it. They fuckin’ booed the Geto Boys in New York. They sure did.

Back when Luke had Skywalker Records and J had Rap-A-Lot Records, they weren’t tryin’ to do no South shit. “It didn’t come from New York, son, so fuck that.” That was their attitude. Just because a TV was made in Japan, is it a Japanese TV? Or is it just a fucking TV? If a lightbulb was made in China is it a Chinese lightbulb?

It was hard breaking through. It was hard getting respect from the East Coast. We didn’t get no fuckin’ love from nobody. Fab Five Freddy came down here early in our career to see what we were really about, and I respected and appreciated that. But we been having money down here. We been rollin’ fuckin’ Bentleys and Ferraris down here since the 80s. Muthafuckers ain’t just started rockin’ gold and platinum chains. We had that shit in high school. Shit, we just now started running out of money. (laughs) That’s how long we been had money down here.

Everybody throws up a fuckin’ smokescreen to make the picture look how they want it to look, but I know shit stank. I ain’t no goddamn fool. I was there in the beginning. We were fighting the power for real. Our raps were considered negative rap, and we got a lot of fuckin’ flak behind that shit. And we were just telling the truth. We were under immense scrutiny, from politicians to radio stations to the media. Luke got up there talkin’ about “Pop That Pussy” and had naked hoes on the stage; they were going to jail and shit. The Geto Boys were talkin’ this politicially-charged, racist-ass, system-ran, gangsta-ass dope-dealing whoopin’-ass shit, and it wasn’t accepted in New York.

Eventually New York came around and started fuckin’ with us. But for an East Coast-based show to call themselves showing some fuckin’ love by making a Southern watered-down version of what the show is supposed to be or what Hip Hop really is, man, I feel fucked up about that shit. Because we fought harder than a muthafucker. When [Ice] Cube was on Hip Hop Honors, it wasn’t the “Hip Hop West Coast Honors.” Every part of the ghetto is the same mu’fuckin’ story. Hip Hop is one machine, regardless if you come from New York or Bareback, Africa. It’s fuckin’ Hip Hop.

But that’s just [my opinion], and fuck me. I don’t mean nothing. I’m just a nigga who fought harder than a muthafucker to get our records played in New York and on the East Coast period. And now all a nigga needs to do is fart on a record and it gets played. So it’s fine by me. I’m cool with that. I’m not mad about it, I just feel disrespected. Whoever goes [to Hip Hop Honors], it’s fine and dandy by me. But if you wanted to do a Southern-based show you shoulda got a nigga DOWN SOUTH to do it in the South.

Monica backstage @ Hip Hop Relays

Shoutout to TysonGravityMedia and Black & Nobel as they got backstage at Hip Hop relays in Liacouras Center.

Monica shouting us out + Live performance of "Everything to Me"

DJ T-Dubb: The Commission (Album)

Whenever I think of "The Commission" in hip hop, i think of the supergroup that was supposed to come together, you know, Biggie, Jay-Z and Charli Baltimore. When DJ T-Dubb came together with The Commission, it's a similar concept; Bringing real hip-hop back to the forefront. Since the DJ is responsible, he's doing his job word for word. Just because you are not DJ Khaled doesn't mean you can make an album.

I talked with the Spin Syndicate/Team Skyy captain/Virtual Assassin about this album:

"Well I did this album to get back to the essence of the DJ and Hip-Hop. A DJ’s job is (was) to break new music and give the people some new artist. And That’s all I'm trying to do with this project. Now you can do that with a mix tape and all but then with a mix tape you know us, we gonna talk on it and all. So what I did, I took a page from DJ Khalid and DJ Drama. They get a collab of various artist for their albums, so I did the same thing but on an indy level..
Now there are some majors on here, but its mostly new and upcoming artist that are really doing their thing in the area they are from. But with that being said, who's call is it to say who is major and who isn't. Its more like more known that the next one. But here are some of the artist, there is Credimac, Trigger The Gambler, Mike Carleon, J’Sar, Tony Moon, Freeze, Noah-O, Jah-I-Witness Emcee, Bad Seed, Talib, Mims, Nia The Fox (And man she is a fox too lol) Louie Millz and B-Palma, Canayda, Joey Gallo, Kleph Dollaz, Nottz Raw and others...
Its not on iTunes, but I will have a download link. I wanted to GIVE the people something good, something hot and let them see 1st hand that there is still really good and substantial music out there that just needs to come thru and get some light and play time. So that’s what this album is and hopefully will do for the whole series………Yep, there will be more lol! This is “The Commission” next will be “The Commission Strikes Back” and then later this year, “The Return Of The Commission" - DJ T-Dubb

Tracklist:

Intro - Credimac – (Produced by The Audio Unit)
No Where – Trigger The Gambler (Produced by Sickness Beatz)
Listen Up – Mike Carleon prod. By Sickness Beatz
Straight Poetry - Tony Moon (Produced by Sean Jones )
The Return – J Sar (Produced by G’z Beatz)
Game Of Fools – Illa (Produced By Kleph Dollaz)
Dot & Dash – Thad Reid (Produced by E-Minah)
From Sun Up – Freeze (Produced by Fire Marshall Skrilla & Lamont Flemming)
I Got It – Noah – O (Produced by Big Boy Sound or Big Boy Music)
Shine So Bright – Nottz Raw (Produced by Nottz Raw)
T.K.O. – Nia The Foxx ft. Pherelle (Produced by WoW Jones of Voltron Entertainment)
Fly - Young Cliff ft. Mica (Produced by Jas Deep Productions)
Here In The Ghetto/Hood Mix - Jai-I-Witness Emcee (Produced St. Paul)
The Hustle - Canadya (Produced By Kleph Dollaz)
Yankee Fitted – Badd Seed Ft. Talib Kweli & Mims (Produced by Kleph Dollaz)
Shine - Joey Gallo (Produced by Kleph Dollaz)
Sneaker Love - Mike Millions (Produced by HardWork)
Man’s Man – Bangem Smurf ft. Domination & Maybach Dice (Produced by Kurt Stock of Nameless Music)
Outtro - DJ Foolish (Produced by Big Keith Mr. Beat Renegade)
*Bonus Track* Cameras & Flashing Lights – Louie Millz Ft. B.Palma & Desean (Produced by Chemist & Louie Millz)

You can cop the album and get some real hip-hop by clicking here.

Commission is out now. Support the movement. Co-signed by moi.

STATE YOUR NAME CANNON: QUEEN YONASDA

I have the privilege of reminding the fans and introducing the newcomers to this special artist. I met her around a devastating time in my life. I was just leaving the point of sadness about the earthquake in Haiti and going towards determination to help. The question was.....how? This phenomenal woman answered that question by founding Hip Hop 4 Haiti, which I joined shortly after. She's all about helping the underdog and educating the youth, and looking fly doing it. She's probably not an artist. She's probably an activist but just took the artist route. So pay attention to this gangsta; Minister Louis Farrakhan's stepdaughter who collabed with Wu-Tang. A Queen. Queen Yonasda:


1. State your name cannon:

YoNasDa (pronounced Yo-Naja-Ha)

2. Tell the people about your upbringing. I read your bio and it was inspiring to say the least.

Well thank you I am a proud Native American and Black woman I was born in Washington DC during the Longest Walk a protest from the American Indian Movement. My mother was an activist and motivational speaker and my father was in and out of prison all my life. I lived everywhere, so I developed a national and bigger way of thinking.

3. Tell me what Yonasda mean.

It was given to me by a Navajo Medicine Man it means Precious Jewel in Dine which is the language of the Navajo people. I am Oglala Lakota, my mother and family is from Pine Ridge, South Dakota

4. How did you first meet Minister Louis Farrakhan and what important role does he play in your life?

He and my mother were great friends before I was born, my mother use to work for Muhammad Ali, when my mother went to prison, the Hon.Min.Louis Farrakhan and his family adopted my brother and I, he is like a father figure in my life.

5. What got you to start rapping?

I looked at Hip Hop as an escape from the struggles I was going through, I started off engulfing myself in all aspects of hip hop from breakin, deejaying, graffiti and rhyming, I started doing spoken word and just rap with some of my high school crews, but I took it professionally when I met Ked from the Dungeon Family and he told me I should really do it forreal, he said that I gotta story to tell and a nice voice I should really go in and since then I went in =)

6. How did you link up with Raekwon and how was it when you went on tour with him out of your own pocket?

Well I met Cappadonna in 2004 and I woud be his hype-girl at his shows and pay my dues, recording songs with him, grinding out with Cappa. Well, being around Cappadonna I met the rest of the Clan, plus I was living in Staten Island so I met the Clan and affialiates,etc. So, I met management for the Clan members and they saw my hustle, heard my music and my first show I booked was at BB Kings in New York City with Raekwon and Cappadonna, it was funny cuz I rocked it and Cappa was shocked I booked that show. So from there I paid my dues on the Method Man & Redman tours, then the Footprints of Hip Hop Tour, the 8 Diagrams Tour with Wu Tang Clan and I would do spot dates or region dates. When I was about to do a few dates with Ghostface I got a call from Icewater INC and they gave me the go ahead that I can do the whole Built 4 Cuban Linx 2 Tour. I was estatic cuz bein a female rapper is hard and it was my opportunity to go to city to city and really show everyone that yes the female rapper is not dead. Yes, I recieved alot of naysayers like "Who is she? She doesn't deserve it, she isn't signed, who's vouching for her etc etc" But I put my best foot first and smashed every show. The love I recieved was overwhelming, yeah it was difficult at times but I stepped out on faith and went to over 25 cities with $2500 and I thank Raekwon and the whole IceWater Inc team and Capone for believing in me and showing me love and respect on that whole tour.




7. Talk about your album, "God, Love, and Music". How you linked up with legends like Cappadonna and Keith Murray?

I'm a very electic person, I love and experienced so much in life there isn't nothing that anyone can say that I cannot relate to, yeah it was hard but from my life experiences is what has me make music people from all various backgrounds can relate to and God.Love & Music is the 3 elements of the universal language of man. It has rock,soul,concious, salsa,reggae all on this album. I met Keith Murray surprisingly through myspace, he admired my music and of course I always loved his music and he is truly an emcee and performer. So after hours to months to years of building over the phone, he flew out here and we begin recording something raw and different but it didn't transpire to what we wanted to he did a guest appearance on a song I already had. But I pray there will be a Keith Murray and Queen YoNasDa collab very soon. In regards to Cappadonna and myself, well that's a book..... but I could say that we have songs for days together.. some on this album and some that either he or I would release in the near future. Thats over 5 years knowing eachother so we got stories,memories and music to last a lifetime.

8. Talk to me about your single "So Special" produced by NO ID.

Oh my God!!! I am soooo excited about this song. Because when No ID met me, he told me he wanted to work with me, and really produce me. After a year of talking he FINALLY gave me a beat and told me to write to it, tell my story but still make people dance, he gave me advice on what I need to do as an artist. Now, I admire No ID because he has wrked with the best of the best Common,Jay Z, Nas, Kanye West and the list goes on and on, and when I wrote So Special and emailed it back to him he said he loved it. Its very testimonial for me, every line I wrote is exaclty what I have been going through but at the end of the day through it all I am blessed!! And you are blessed as well!! I am shooting the video in 2 weeks and I believe people are gonna be surprised on how I flip it, its gonna be on some movie, Michael Jackson type of vibe.

9. When is "God, Love and Music" coming out?

Its out in stores now you can get it at Best Buy, on all digital stores I-Tunes, Rhapsody,Amazon and retail internationally. So please cop it today!

10. Are you signed under anybody or 100% independent?

I'm 100% independent

11. Besides Wu-Tang, who would you want to collab with?

I would love to collab with Rhymefest, Kanye West, Common, Talib Kweli, Mary J, Santogold, Eve, Lauryn Hill, Wyclef, The Neptunes, Jay Electronica, Jill Scott, Rakim, Nas, Eminem, Ludacris, Diddy, Maroon 5, Eric Sermon, Denaun Porter, 9th Wonder, Keyshia Cole, Monica, E.Badu, Stevie Wonder, Bono, Public Enemy, Melonie Fiona , Black Eyed Peas... I seriously could go on and on I just admire so many people old school, new school, I don't care if you got the number 1 song out, if its not raw talent I don't wanna work with you. I love realness and rawness.






12. To all that doesn't know, you are the brainchild that started the Hip Hop 4 Haiti movement, which I am proud that I'm part of. Tell everyone how did you start it and the process of this growing from you to 35+ cities:

DJ Benz it was a pleasure that you reached out to make this happen. When I saw it all over the news I just couldn't text to send money when I am an activist and rapper and I know the influence hip hop has on making a difference. So I used all social networking sites and made Jan.30th a National Day of Obeservance for Hip Hop 4 Haiti. It was amazing that the Hip Hop Caucus and Allhiphop.com and other national media all helped us get the word out. We didn't have a huge budget, it was all people like you and I that said we are gonna put together events on this day and stream it live on ustream. It was sooo beautiful on that day. And we made sure that everyone in Haiti got all our money and our donations, we went through trusted Haitain American organizations that have history in Haitian Relief before the earthquake and tsunami which I am more proud of especially when so many people donated to other organizations and no one still havent gotten anything.

13. What's next for Hip Hop for Haiti and the Caucus? I'm still very much involved and will not stop, period. And I have my people that want join.

After Jan.30th we urged everyone to continue to stay informed with the Hip Hop Caucus Hip Hop Help Haiti, because they are an organization and Hip Hop 4 Haiti was a movement. On local levels many of the organizers met soo many people and continue to do things in their community. In Phoenix, the Haitian Church opened a Haitian Relief Center that goes directly to their familiies in Haiti. Next year I wanna have another Hip Hop 4 Haiti on Jan.30 so we can continue keeping people aware and the progress of Haiti.


14. You know how commercial Hip Hop is doing: Songs that just have a gimmick or a catchy phrase. How important is it to be intellectual and to teach lessons in our artform?

Its very important! A rapper's responsiablity whether they like it or not is to be a role model, children today are more being raised by media than their parents. I mean they use hip hop to teach kids now, so we have a huge resposiablity. I try not to be preachy cuz I don't want my songs to fall on a deaf ear, but I do tell my story and try to uplift at the same time.


15. Remember the conversation we had way back about your family in Wyoming? Tell me more about it. How important is it for everyone to know about poverty in our own country?

Huh, Wyoming? Hahaha South Dakota, Pine Ridge... it is the poorest community in the United States, 89 pecent of the people are unemployed, I have family living in makeshift homes, its really bad there I will be filing this summer when I go out there so people can see what I am talking about. And so hopefully people can help out my tribe.

16. As of now you reside in Phoenix, same city as my homegirl J Milly. Tell me about the AZ hip hop scene:

I am back and forth from the east coast and Arizona. Arizona is my hometown though, I grew up there, we had to develop our own hip hop scene, alot of greats passed through throughout the years DJ Z-tripp, Ice Cube, Adina Howard, CeCe Peniston, Kool G Rap, now its like a melting pot so many people are not from here and taking over the hip hop scene and saying they representing Arizona, I mean I heard the sayin "its not where you from its where you at" but see the probelm with that is Arizona hasn't developed a "sound" for Arizona, so people that go outside of here and say they from Arizona but really from other places they sound like the other places and not Arizona. When I was living in New York, they would ask me where I was from? Or when I go to Cali they would ask me where I was from even in Chicago they would ask me where I was from? So I know I don't sound like those other places, I'm not saying I have a sound for Arizona, but I do know all the real Arizona rappers need to come together and develop a sound for Arizona. I love Arizona, its peaceful to me, I went through everything with Arizona, the marching for the King Holiday, the harrassment from cops on Mill Ave, the Electric Ballroom, TMC days, the days of battling at Metro Center Mall, but we need to make a sound so Hip Hop can respect whats coming out of here.


17. One thing I picked up from your bio: Your mother participated in a journey from San Francisco Bay to Washington D.C and you were born there. I want to clarifiy: She was pregnant with you during the journey?? And did she travel by foot? Tell me more about the journey. I now know where you get your strength from.

No she did all the public relations and she traveled a city before the marchers and yes she was pregnant with me, so I came out fighting for freedom, justice and equality.



18. "I'm not here to beat people in the head with a sermon, I'm here to tell the truth." A strong message to tell people. But what do you do when people don't listen? how difficult can it get for your music to fall on deaf ears?

I just keep going until someone listens, if I can have at least one person listen then by the grace of God, they will turn my postive words into action that may change a nation... So I just keep telling the truth! The truth always gets heard whether in my lifetime or not.

19. What's next for the Queen?

I am releasing a mixtape called "All Hail the Queen" and it will be released on cellphone applications with other exclusive stuff that will be coming in June. I am heading back on the road hopefully by May and for the whole summer. I am basically just recording and collabing with alot of artists. I am really excited about whats transpiring and this will not be the last you hear from me!



20. What's your contact info so people can work with you?

For media inquiries you can contact Lila Brown with Ella Bee PR at lila@ellabeepr.com and my website at queenyonasda.com and my twitter.com/queenyonasda basically if you type in Queen YoNasDa on the engine thats me, I believe I'm the only YoNasDa in the world .

21. Any last words of wisdom?

I want to thank you DJ Benz you are a positve force, don't let no one tell you different. I want to tell the people that are pursuing your dreams that no matter how gray it looks there is always a light it may seem like you can't see it but God always has a way to get you out on HIS timing, there were times I wanted to end it all even my own life, but HE always showed me the light and hope and thats why I am here and able to be honored to do interviews and tell my story. I lost my mother in 2003, I was homeless, I lost children, I lost loved ones and was in horrible relationships but all this made me the strong queen I am today and that's why I was chosen to be called a Queen not because I have riches and act high and mighty but because I remained to be truthful and remain real and keep faith on God. I love you all !!!








Check out her new single" So Special" I've been spinning it crazy!
Download link under player:

Queen Yonasda - So Special

Lupe Fiasco ft Kenna - Resurrection(Video)

Looks like a powerful video. Let's not forget about Haiti. We need to continue to save them.

This is one of the songs for my Hip Hop 4 Haiti mixtape, which is still in the works. If you have a song about Haiti or positivity email me: benzitsp@gmail.com

Thank you

NY Oil - HH4H What's next ??? Show and Prove!

One of the forefronts of the Hip Hop 4 Haiti movement is none other than NY underground icon, NY Oil. He organized the event in Harlem, which was memorable. More importantly, he is driving the topic to save my country into everyone's heads long after the news stations stop reporting on it. He wrote an inspiring open letter about our movement. Simply....what's next? Understand, our quest to save and rebuild Haiti is just starting and it's a long road to our promise land. Check for yourself:

(If you are a part of hiphop4haiti.ning.com, you probably read this letter before. I just feel the need to post this to the rest of society. It's been one month that this nation was shaken off its core. I won't let people forget that.)


As HH4H (the national event) winds down, I am left with a few thoughts as my perspective gets wider. Initially I felt like all we had to do was get through the event, make it to Sunday (the event was Saturday Jan 30th
if you didn’t know), I was wrong. The event provided new realizations about not
only HipHop4Haiti and specifically HH4HNYC but also what our generation our
sub-culture needs.

A consistent question kept arising throughout the course of the night, “What’s Next!?!?” this sentiment was shared by so many that night that were “Fired Up and Ready to go!!”. What’s
next? As the night approached, began, and ended the realization that the event
was actually less about Haiti and more about “What’s Next!?!” became apparent.

Now listen, I’m not saying this to suggest in any way that the issues of Haiti have been resolved because we were able to through a nationwide event! What I am saying is that there were
layers lines and subtext that became evident to me (in an acute fashion as they
had always been evident, but not to this extent) that have to be addressed.

On this night so many people came together and worked together, that had never met, or worked together before and were able to accomplish a mission together. A momentum began in the
inspiration, unity and collective focus of all of us involved that none of us
want to relinquish. You see nothing succeeds like success, and we experienced a
success that night. We had set small goals in front of us and accomplished them
one and two and three at a time and each goal led to a large accomplishment.
Then, we completed the effort by delivering the monies collected, all $2,062.30
at the event to Dr. Ron Daniels (IBW/HRF) which was the crowning jewel to our
efforts.

The Nation of Gods and Earths say “Showing is to state it and Proving makes it valid”… now some people recite these things without real thought, but think about what’s being said. In our “revolutionary”
efforts we are often lent to more talk than action. And while the talk has some
therapeutic value for the people it provides no real equity to the cause of
uplifting the conditions of our communities, ultimately it is hollow comfort.
But to Show and Prove, now that’s something different! See talk is just a
verbal manifestation of thought, and where thought may lead to action it is NOT
action and the world we live in requires tangible action. Showing on the other
hand turns theory to reality by demonstrating these verbalized concepts into
tangible action items. Think of it in this light, going to a rally or meeting
and hearing people discuss what “WE AS A PEOPLE NEED TO DO…” and thinking to
yourself ‘oh boy here goes this B.S. again’ –vs.- someone standing up and
saying “THIS IS WHAT WE ARE DOING.. COME SEE FOR YOURSELF” That’s a whole
different world of experience and activity. So it is clear that in this day and
age, if it were not true at any other time in history, it is vital that we build
our movement on a foundation of Showing to state our case.
Proving makes things valid by providing a tangible instance that proves that
what has been shown actually WORKS. When we take HH4H NYC as an example of Show
and Prove instead of theorizing and talking about it Lyxn, Pat-ra, Shani, Oveta,
Lanell, myself and many other Showed we could unify a cross section of Hip Hop
artist activist and practitioners in the same space to raise money and awareness
for a focused objective. The proof came in the form of us accomplishing the
whole of the objective by successfully delivering the funds we’d collected to
the IBW/Haiti Relief fund. When we dropped $2,062.30 in the donation tray on
behalf of the HIP HOP Community, we proved! We showed what could be done and
proved it by completing the task.

So the question “What’s Next!?!” still begs an answer. The answer is to show and prove! By setting small goals concatenated towards a larger effort, by following each one through to conclusion, we can
begin to Show and Prove to our communities that not only is CHANGE possible, it
is inevitable, and that it is born from our efforts as individuals and collectively.
By showing and proving we can turn the momentum of our efforts into more than 1
day, 1 moment.. we can turn our efforts into a true MOVEMENT.

I hope you join us in our efforts to continue to do REAL WORK that produces REAL RESULTS by Showing and Proving it can be done!

To this ends HH4H NYC will now be known as HipHop 4H where the H stands for Humanity, Hunger, Help, Homeless, Her, Him, for Healing, and whatever else Hip Hop can address in a proactive
goal oriented fashion. HipHop 4H will not require you to leave what you already
have, or follow a doctrine, believe in a special GOD, abandon your friends,
edify a particular individual, HipHop 4H is about working to get specific
things completed, HipHop 4H is about ‘doing
things by priority, doing them properly, and then moving on to the next!’, HipHop
4H is about showing an proving.

If that’s something you’d like to work with us to accomplish.. results … give us a shout!

On behalf of HipHop 4H

My name is NYOIL and I approve this message!

Hip Hop 4 Haiti - Harlem (videos)

I also recorded some videos from the event. Already on Youtube. Check it...



This one touched my heart. 15 yr old girl pleading to you to help her orphanage in Haiti. 200 kids w/o food and shelter. Please help. lifeoftheworld.com.



When i jus got there...one of the performers from the Hip Hop 4 Haiti event in Harlem. True hip hop. Donate and help in any way you can. "Yele" to 501501



NY Oil hosting Hip Hop 4 Haiti in Harlem. How u feelin? Fired UP! O YEA!



A pledge to help our fellow people




Check these people out! 6 yr old kid doin backflips



Naughty By Nature performing live at Hip Hop 4 Haiti event in Harlem. Support the cause. We need to save lives in Haiti hiphop4haiti.ning.com

HIPHOP4HAITI.NING.COM TO SEE THE REST OF MY PICS/VIDEOS AND SUPPORT THE CAUSE

LIFEOFTHEWORLD.COM

L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE

Hip Hop 4 Haiti

TODAY IS A HISTORIC DAY AS MORE THAN 30 CITIES ARE HAVING AN EVENT NEAR YOU. DJIN, BEAT BOXIN, B-BOY DANCING, FAMILY ACTIVITIES AND ANYTHING TO HELP THE PEOPLe OF MY COUNTRY, HAITI. PLEASE TAKE THE TIME OUT TODAY TO COME OUT AND SUPPORT. DONATE A DOLLAR, SOCK, CAN FOOD, MEDICINE, ANYTHING! IF U CANT AT LEAST CLICK ON THE ICON AND WATCH THE EVENTS FROM EACH CITY ON USTREAM.

AS FAR AS ME I AM THE SPOKESPERSON OF THE RICHMOND, VA EVENT BUT BECAUSE OF THE SNOWSTORM IMMA HEAD UP TO HARLEM. AFRIKA BAMBATAA AS WELL AS 30 MORE ACTS ARE SUPPORTING THE CAUSE.

L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE! SUPPORT THE CAUSE!