Wednesday, 14 February 2007
21 year Natalie Leona, hailing from the South Eazy ends met up with FIP for an interview on the good old MSN. Apart from being a legal secretary, a mother, and an artist manager, the illustrious Natalie is also a model.
Being a model is not easy, well not as easy as it looks. Its not just catwalks, make up artists, flashing cameras and tantrums. A model is someone who sets an example for others to follow. Don’t believe me, look it up in a dictionary.
For Natalie being a mother is sometimes like a tug-o-war, which she has just learnt to perfect... it was not easy. It’s been one of her major pressures and has pushed her career. Like all of us Nat been influenced by others in her arena. When I asked to name figures she has found an inspiration from, we ended up talking about Rachel Ritfeild. Another young woman who has accomplished a lot in a short space of time. just like our Natz.
"boiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii, i think people think being a model is posing for pics and skinning out in vids and you are a model, na its more than that ".
Being the co-manager of the label she is signed to, has given Natalie the perfect perspective to analyse the game from. The game is too small, and there is not a lot of opportunity for the average model in England. We compared the music game and the modelling game, surprisingly there were striking similarities, down to the point where the two worlds collide... (Check Natalie out in Stryders new video).
Natalie remarked that the models that have been in the music videos so far could in most cases have been shown in a better light than they have. The word "skinning" came up again, (these kids and their slang, eh..). Natalie’s advice is try not skinning out in every video because it can make or break your career. But it depends how you would categorise yourself if you are going for high calibre image then being a model is a way of life, its the way you carry yourself on and off the job and being able to perform at all times. so all the "skinning" out can just carry you in one direction.
Going back full circle, we talked about how her career came about after coming out from a controlling relationship to becoming a model for Black hair and beauty and being spotted at the show. This is where it really all began for Natalie. She remembers always being told to model because she had the height for it, more recently she gets comments about her eyes... and we all know that eyes don’t lie.
“Boi! this all im always being told about my eyes, everyone use to tell me to model because of my height”.
Reading about Natalie is great, but if I didn’t tell you where to find her, I'd be teasing... you can hear Natalie’s voice on genesis radio (91.6 fm) from 2-4pm every Monday talking hot topics interviews music debates all sorts so please do lock in to the radio and also genesis radio myspace. You can see Natalie in Tinchy Stryders new video "breakaway". In addition, those of you who are serious about working with her can find her on the web at www.myspace.com/diplonats, and also at the company she co manages, www.hotgirlent.com.
Lastly but not least Natalie would like to big up all the HGE Model Management ladies Jay, Kam, Katrina, Helen, Jennifer, Nicola, Nicole, it goes on a and my partner and CEO TigerLee, oh yes and Hoodstars and her girl Marsha.
Read the full interview on the myspace.
FIP
WWW.MYSPACE.COM/FIPMAG
Monday, 5 February 2007
Thursday, 1 February 2007
The M.O.V.E.M.E.N.T
The M.O.V.E.M.E.N.T
Top 3 selected crews in the game.
Since the commercial success of So Solid, the “crew” has been the functional unit of our emcee based format in grime. Each era of grime has been braced by a new click, from Pay As You Go, to Heartless, Roll Deep, to SLK, and so on.
The M.O.V.E.M.E.N.T are closer to the streets than any other click in the scene; the raw element they possess is often breath taking. But are they the best individually? Or is their crew status that has catapulted them into the forefront of the scene?
Funnily enough, this group do not see themselves as a ‘crew’, and seem to have conformed to this structure because it is the set standard for the UK right now…
Like most, the M.O.V.E.M.E.N.T is a group of like-minded people who came together through a mutual cause. The inspiration lay with scorcher, the phone calls were made, the meetings were set up, and the rest is history.
“scorcher had an idea for us to unite and become 1, we spoke about it on the phone decided who we thought would be good in the team; we then had a few meetings and became the movement.”
The M.O.V.E.M.E.N.T is an apt name. ‘Movement is defined as a group, a progression or a transfer… The ethos behind the group fits the name…. They are all about progression, raising the levels of music in the UK, and raising the balance of their bank accounts while getting more recognition.
At this moment in time, the supremacy for the best music unit in the UK music scene is being vied for. The pace seems to be set by the ‘Boy Better Know’ team (Headed by JME) and the M.O.V.E.M.E.N.T. You can get a copy of Logan Sama's war report and make your own mind up. If you are fan of grime you would have noticed that in the second half of 2006, there was a feirce battle between the two camps (Similar to the beef between Roll Deep and SLK).
These battles seem to define the scene and move it on. For SLK, the battle may have been the nails in the coffin. This may not be the case for Boy Better Know (BBK) and The M.O.V.E.M.E.N.T.
Recent words from Wretch show that the beef was just musical. Logan Sama has been playing tracks with both camps on, the hatchet has clearly been buried. Both camps have even done a tune together portraying a very strong message; this was either a publicity stunt or just friendly competition. Either way it has brought the scenes leaders closer together.
"Well I would say we are tempo specialist, this is because we can control any tempo we choose to".
For those who don't know, the members of the M.O.V.E.M.E.N.T are as follows, GHETTO, WRETCH 32, SCORCHER, MERCSTON (FREE MERCS, possibly April), LIGHTNIN, DEVLIN, DJ UNIQUE AND CAMERA MAN RSKY. This is an impressive CV. Each emcee/artist is a trendsetters in their own right. They define their sound as tempo specialists, meaning they don't just do grime, or the typical BPM people associate with grime. ‘Tempo Specialists’ is also the name of a collective mixtape, which was released late last year (2006) not surprisingly featuring the movement camp members over a range of tempos.
The grime scene, or UK scene, seems to have the most influence on them, as they cite the people that have gone clear such as Kano, Sway and So Solid. However, they also rate the new bloods in the scene. In terms of production, they see Magic Fingers, Terror Danger, Da vinche, Rapid, Naughty Boy, and Scorcher as people that are moving the sound of grime forward.
"What are your ambitions as the M.O.V.E.M.E.N.T? We wish to continue to raise the level of the UK music scene, until we get a lot more recognition as well as money."
Everybody knows you can not make a movement with no money, so like most other crews, they are all working on their solo projects and using the momentum of the group to push their personal movements forward. Getting paid seems to be on their minds, but the issue of majors versus independent routes is something they are not decided on… But don't worry you will be getting a M.O.V.E.M.E.N.T album, funded or unfunded.
"Also watch out for solo projects, mixtapes, DVDS, and a few surprises…"
Last but not least the crew wanted to shout out Living Production and also the whole of the music scene. LET’S RAISE THE LEVELS!!
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Myspace madness
http://www.myspace.com/ghettomc
http://www.myspace.com/rsky_riskyroadz
http://www.myspace.com/wretchclart
http://www.myspace.com/mercston
http://www.myspace.com/lightninmc
http://www.myspace.com/devlinot
http://www.myspace.com/scorchercb
Discology
Simply The Best – Scorcher
Learn From My Mixtape – wretch 32
2000&Life – Ghetto
Tales From The Crypt – Devlin
The End of the Beginning – Mercston
Written by HOG
A version of this also appears in JWG.
Make sure you get you copy NOW!
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