Local Looks Magazine

3347152 6201955

$2.00 USA

PHOTOGRAPHER CRAY /MODEL: TASHARAY/ PHOTO TAKEN IN DOWNTOWN CHARLOTTE

PHOTOGRAPHER CRAY /MODEL: TASHARAY/ PHOTO TAKEN IN DOWNTOWN CHARLOTTE

JAMARIOUS allows

us to get personal with him about his life, his love and his future.

CHRIS M takes a

moment to discuss Charlotte and the local talent that we have around us, plus gives his point of view on how we support each other.

Calvin Bethea and his

succeed in Charlotte, NC as a barber

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

PHOTO DIRECTOR CONTRUBUTING WRITERS

ADVERTISING

GENERAL INFORMATION

KISSHA CASSELLS [email protected] YOLANDA CASSELLS [email protected] DONSEERAY MASSEY DENNIS SMITH KHAI GREEN BANKS [email protected] [email protected] PO BOX 680323 CHARLOTTE, NC 28269 980.522.8403

This being the first issue of Local Looks Magazine, I would like to first thank you, the reader for picking up this publication and taking time out to read what we have put together for you. Thank those of you who have awaited it’s release and checked out the website on at least one occasion. All I ask is that you flip through the pages and know that each person in it is within your touch! It’s time to know what is going on in “our world” in addition to “celebrity world”. Realize that these people should matter to you because they could potentially effect your everyday living situation in someway or another. This Premiere issue is just a sample of what’s to come. We pride ourselves on bring to you the most talented individuals that we have living in North and South Carolina. You will find local rap & R&B artist, local business owners, authors and film makers and many other talents in the future of this magazine. You will also continue to get the inside scoop in our Behind the Walls section where we feature prisoners from the local area, their thoughts and concerns while being incarcerated as well as some of their poetry and artwork. Please feel free to give us your feedback by emailing us at [email protected] or visiting our website @ WWW.LLMAG.COM! I am going to start this issue out by taking a moment to thank those who have made this possible from the beginning! Lets Go!

Personal Thanks

I would like to thank all of the people that have supported me from the beginning of this amaz-

ing creation! Miss Willie Mae Cheeks (RIP) You know everything I do...I do it to impress you! I miss you, and

I lova you forever! Yolanda Cassells, for you’re my sister and my support my everything! I love you. My

Brother Ty Boger, if it wasn't for you I don’t know who I would be ( I’m Ty’s lil’ sister)! Tiffany McCleave,

if you never knew you were not just a friend, you helped me grow mentally and professionally , I look up to

you and you have always supported me no matter what and I love you for that! Shetara McClendon, no

words can explain our bond and how much I care for you... nothing else to be said between you and

me...You’re the Bestie! Chris Steele, Thank you for going hard for the magazine, giving more support than

I could ever ask for! You’re the best! Mrs. Carol Toms, Thanks for looking after me!Kisha Lee, thanks for

being there when I needed you! Shell Wilson, thanks for always being a true friend. To Tina Miller,

Thanks for being there for me sister! I love you. To my adoptive family...Geneva for always keeping me in

line and supporting me, I love you. But to my brothers who always kept me safe Curt, Suge, Freddie and

Ronnie, I love you guys! You have all touched my life in different ways. Special thanks to Curtis Williams

for spending time with me and helping to develop some of my “boyish” ways. Jamarious, Chris M , Ronald

and Tamara you have supported me since the day I contacted you! Thanks for giving Local Looks a

chance. Jamarious, a special thanks for going the extra mile! Howard McCall, Thanks for starting me off

and adding a nice touch to this magazine. Your ideas have assisted in a section that Is sure to draw atten-

tion. I love you for that! Darryl Mills thanks for spreading the word and willing to share a story with us!

Dennis Smith, you didn't even know me and helped make this happen by producing articles from the start!

This is what Local Looks is all about. Donseeray Massey, My photographer you have supported me since

our first meeting. Keytoe Boyd, thanks for everything! Ms. Khai Green-Banks thanks for producing the

best articles ever to assist me with making this magazine happen. There are so many people that have

supported me and will ride with Local Looks to the death, so I thank all of you. To my father Albert Heath

for praying for me and believing in me. Last and not least, the reason for Local Looks Magazine even exists

is because of Miss Ann Bradley, my mother. Her devotion and dedication to our schools, families, children

and neighborhoods has inspired me to become active in my community. She has taught me to help my

neighbor , so what if I don't know them, what will it hurt to give a lending hand. She has taught me to

respect myself as well as others and to stand up for what I think is right. She has fought for our neighbor-

hoods, assisted other parents with understanding paperwork and laws, stood up for many children’s edu-

cational rights. Now it is time for us (younger generations) and make sure that we can survive and sup-

port our kids in this struggle to become a productive citizen, whether in Charlotte, North Carolina or in

any City or country around the world! Enough said…..

Kissha Cassells

Editor-In-Chief

MAY.JUNE 2011 LLMAG.COM 5

AROUND

TOWN

ON SCENE

6 MAY.JUNE 2011 LLMAG.COM

LLMAG—Where are you from?

H. McCall—I was born and raised in Charlotte, NC, and I’ve lived there all my life. But, I’ve lived all over Charlotte, in many different neighbor-hoods around town … mostly the west side. I was arrested in the Belmont neighborhood aka North Charlotte. This is where I was living be-fore this situation happened in 2005. I’ve lived off Betties Ford Road, Statesville Avenue, Hol-land Avenue, in the Oakview Terrence neighbor-hood, West Boulevard… I’m welcomed on every set in this town.

Why are you incarcerated? I was indicted in 2005 for a conspiracy charge with 24 other guys, but I only associated with 3 because they’re my family. This was a drug con-spiracy, and how you get charged in a conspiracy case is … you talk to someone about a crime and you agree to engage in that crime or agree to be a part of the scheme that’s discussed during that conversation. If you look up how a conspiracy comes to begin, it will say two or more people in agreement to commit a crime. This only happens with two of the defendants in this case—the head guy (a Mexican) and my cousin. I only dealt with someone who had a buyer/seller relation-ship as I did. I never met the headman or any of the other men on this case. I made a transaction with someone in the case, which was related to one of the original defendants in the case. Clearly, I was not part of the conspiracy, but the government makes the jury believe the charge because the jury really doesn’t understand what a conspiracy is. The government just painted a picture of lies that made it look like all of the

defendants knew each other and/or hang out together. Also, they use the main defendants to point fingers at the other defendants to get their time cut (a lower sentence).

How did you feel when the judge ordered 20

years of federal prison time?

Man ... I thought to myself, I can’t do that.

Do you feel like you got a fair trial? No, I don’t believe I had a fair trial because I was unable to go to trial by myself. I had to go to trial with three other defendants in this case … all of us at one time. This isn’t fair, because if the jury finds one guilty, they find all of them guilty. The government knows that they don’t stand a chance if you give each defendant a separate trial. Doing them all at once makes it look as though you worked as a team. Whether you’re guilty or not, the courts want convictions, and this has been going on for decades … pure injus-tice. If you could do anything different, what would it be? If I could do anything different, I would’ve just stuck to working a legal job and I should have never associated with some of the people I was dealing with. I would've continued to pursue my business and just progressed in it. The only thing I would wish to do different would be to live life on life’s terms positively and be around my true loved ones and family… Trust no one!!

When you are released, will you return to Char-

lotte?

When I am released, yes, I will return to Char-lotte. This is my life and where I love to be. My woman is there, and she’s very supportive of me. All of my family is there, and all the chances in life to be successful are there. Many of the guys in federal prison have become puppets for the government (snitches) and can’t return to their hometowns. I have a new life ahead of me upon my return to Charlotte, and I plan to be success-ful on the legit side of things this go around. For real! Any last words, comments, and/or shoutouts? My last words to Local Looks readers are to let you know that you all play a big part in how our government handles cases. You all have a say in how these proceedings go, how we’re sentenced, how much time we deserve for our crimes, and the public should get more involved in politics. It seems that they are using the weak people to convict anyone by putting fear in them to say everyone was involved in something that they weren’t. This clearly isn’t justice at all. Let’s fight for justice for our people locked away for no reason but being black in America. Last but not least I would like to give a shoutout to all the real stand-up souljas in the world, keeping their mouths shut and doing them to the fullest, to my hood Creek Town for life! And all the west side, where we keep it gully in the streets. To all my Queen City Riders getting legal money, stay up. To the whole Shine family, stay true. Love, Peace, and Happiness to all of the Local Looks readers … Let’s make this magazine #1 ya’ll!

The disparities are even more dramatic for males and particularly for males in their twenties and thirties. The incarceration rate for African-American males in these age groups is seven to eight times higher than the rate for white males and two-and-a-half to three times higher than the rate for Hispanic males. When these rates are expressed as percent-

ages, they reveal that 8.4 percent of all African-American males age twenty-five to twenty-nine were in prison in 2004, compared with 2.5 percent of Hispanic males and 1.2 percent of white males in this age group. Although the absolute numbers are much smaller, the pattern for females is similar. The incarceration rate for African-American fe-

males was more than twice the rate for Hispanic females and four times the rate for white females.


Loving You I woke up this morning and

before I brushed my teeth I rushed to

the mirror. As I lifted my shirt up, I

saw a little bulge tipping over the

brim of my boy shorts. I quickly

turned around, looked at my der-

rière, and then said to myself, “I don’t

want a big booty just a little lift

would do.” Look I have been working

out for a month and just wanted to

see if I could see any results. After all,

the summer is soon approaching and

it would be nice to get bikini body

ready right? Let’s face it! We are our

toughest critic when it comes to our

body image. Now, there is nothing

wrong with wanting to be healthy

and look your best. However, issues

arise when we resent our physical

appearance ultimately

Some have resorted to eating one

cracker a day, wearing weaves until

they are balding around their edges,

and turning into human Mr. and Mrs.

Potato Heads. You know, if you don’t

like the appearance of your nose,

breast, or hair can just pop it off and

replace it with one that pleases you.

Through music videos, television

shows, and magazines we have been

brained washed to accept a European

definition of beauty. Truth is, it

would be easy for us to blame society

forcing this view upon us, but when

are we going to take full responsibil-

ity for our own actions? It is time for

us as a society to stop attempting to

fix something that isn’t broken and

work on what is… our image of self.

When one obsesses over their body-

image, there are more issues that lie

beneath than what you see at the

surface. It’s not just about how they

feel about their body, but also how

they feel about self. Recognizing that

there is nothing wrong with being

unique and that we are all beautifully

and wonderfully made is the first

step towards building a positive im-

age of self. There is no doubt that

there are some things that need to be

changed such as our poor eating

habits and lack of exercising. As for

the things we can’t change, without

the help of a plastic surgeon that is,

there is no need to worry about it!

Let us finally take a stance and pro-

claim the revolution of

self-acceptance. Rather

than just accepting the

status-quo we need to em-

bed steadfast teachings of

self-acceptance and inner

beauty to ourselves and our fu-

ture generation. We can no longer

blame the media, educational sys-

tem, or society as a whole for our

misconception of what beauty really

is. Today is the day we take responsi-

bility for our own actions! Self-

education can indeed be the best

education. From the mole on your

face, to the scar on your arm, to the

curves mounting your physique, to

the pigment of your skin, accept who

you are and embrace the mere es-

sence of your individuality. Instead

of trying to re-create what has al-

ready been intentionally put in place,

enjoy being

yourself.

“SELF EDUCATION CAN INDEED BE THE BEST EDUCATION” Do you have an idea or topic for Local Looks

magazine? We are open to all comments ideas and submissions. Please con-

tact us by visiting our website at

WWW.LLMAG.COM

Written by: Khai Green-Banks Photo by: CRAY


Sadies soulful experience

FAMILY.COMFORT.FRIENDSHIP

The perfect Ingredients for the perfect Restaurant Atmosphere

O pening the door to Sadie’s Restaurant was like walking into a place full of joy. The first time I entered the door a smil-ing face appeared and said, “Welcome to

Sadie’s!” The lights were dim, music was playing softly, customers were eating and talking, and the smell of fresh fish and sweet potatoes was in the air. Or maybe I was imagining the smell after see-ing how good it looked on a plate. Tamara Thompson, owner, takes a mo-ment out of her busy schedule to discuss Sadie’s and Tamara.

The Business

LLM: Where did the name Sadie’s come from? Tamara Thompson: Sadie was my grandmother’s name. Why did you decide to name the restaurant after your grandmother? When my business partner and I came up with the concept of having a restaurant, we wanted an atmosphere where our customers could feel com-fortable, where you could be yourself, meet with old friends, make new ones, or talk business. We wanted it to feel as comfortable as going to grandma’s house. How long have you been in business? 4.5 years. We opened January 16, 2006. To look back and see where we were then and where we are now—that’s amazing to us! (huge smile) What sets Sadie’s apart from other local soul food restaurants? “I would like to think that the atmosphere is differ-ent. Customers come and they stay for hours.” Do you think that the black-owned businesses in this area (Charlotte Metro) do enough net-working and support each other?

Never enough networking because there is not enough time. We get caught up into what we’re doing in our own lives and just never get to it. We all have the same agenda pretty much, It’s just hard to get someone to coordinate everything.

What is the best thing on your menu? The best thing on the menu is the chicken and sweet potato waffle or the crazy apple berry salad.

What is your favorite recipe? The sweet potato waffle. I guess because it’s something different that we created. Customers come in and they say, “I’ve never heard of that before.” I feel good be-cause we created something new.

Describe Sadie’s in three words.

Family, Comfort, and Friendship

What do you say to the critics that may be dis-satisfied with Sadie’s? There are some people that just don’t like some things, and we understand that. There are some things that we could do better, but we can’t do anything about it if we don’t know about it. We’re always open for feedback.

The Person

Who inspires you? The customers…When I’ve had the worst day and I decide that I don’t want to do this anymore... that I’m tired of being broke [pause], that one customer comes in and says, “I like this place. I’m glad you’re here.” That just makes it easier to go an-other day. We all know the saying “a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach”! You have the perfect talent to prove that fact. Are you single? Single, yes, I am single.

Are you waiting? Why don't you have that sig-nificant other? (Laughter) I’m waiting! Owning a business takes so much out of you, and I can lose focus. I'm at a point where I have to give this my all, and this takes up all my time. At the end of the day, I’m tired. What do you like to do for fun? I like things like going to the movies and to plays. I love the theatre. When I’m not sleeping, I enjoy those activities. If you could say one thing to aspiring restau-rant/business owners, what would it be? It can be done. Don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t do it.

What’s your favorite restaurant? Favorite restaurant besides Sadie’s? (Laughter) When we’re not working, we like to eat at Bite Your Tongue. Their shrimp and grits is a good dish.

Do you have any words for your local competi-tors, meaning other soul food restaurant own-ers in the Charlotte area? To other local soul food restaurants, let’s all come together and see what we can do together. Whether it be a nonprofit organization, creating a Charlotte Soul Food Association, or just a commu-nity support organization. Let’s be a shoulder to lean on for each other. Just come together and see how we can prosper.

“I would like to think that the atmosphere

is different,

customers come and they stay for hours.”

A little under the weather, but today

will be a great day. Never tried to read

a mind, just to get my face straight. I

Am about to take it to the altar to see

what my savior says. Cause he won’t let

my faults come in the way when I come

to pray. The game is already won, so I

ain’t came to play. It’s a new day on

this earth, God for this life, I wanna

thank today. “Preciate dat DAD!!”

Ferlandos M White


FULL PAGE— $300 HALF PAGE—$150

1/4 PAGE—$80 BUSINESS CARD—$40

Media Kits available

@ www.llmag.com Contact us at

[email protected] Or

980.522.8403

CAROLINA STUNNERS

IMPALA SS

PLEASE VISIT WWW.LLMAG.COM TO SEE

MORE CAROLINA STUNNERS. CONTACT US AT

980.522.8403 TO SUBMIT YOUR CAR AS A

CAROLINA STUNNER

A s I was sitting at my desk in my office look-ing out the window, I noticed a Brazilian mini-mart across the street and a Dominican spa right next to it. I de-cided to take a walk

within a two block radius to note how many cultural businesses were present. Just walking down the street I spotted a Jamaican restau-rant, African grocery store, and an Indian church. I said to myself, “there is so much culture in one neighborhood, such a beautiful sight to see.” Indirectly I knew I had many cultural cuisine options to choose from. One day Brazilian, the next day Jamaican, and another day Chi-nese! But I never realized until this day that I could celebrate and embrace not just the various food options, but the beauty of culture right in one neighbor-hood.

Many of us would prefer the comfort of embracing our own individual culture whether it is individually, with family, or through our educational endeavors. We enjoy eat-ing our own types of food, dancing styles, music, art, ways of living, and so forth. Our children become the product of our lack of willingness to learn about other cultures. They shun at the sight of anything that looks or speak differently than what

We need to broaden our cultural perspective! There is so much information we can learn from one another. It is an experience within itself to learn what differences and similari-ties we share with others from other cultures. Children and adults alike should be introduced to some cultural, ethnic, lin-guistic, gender role, or racial variety. There are so many ways that we can obtain knowledge about those who are not like us by

eating at cultural restaurants, taking cross-cultural trips, enrolling in a cultural dance class, or

simply reading a book. Just think of how boring the world

would be if everyone looked, thought, and spoke exactly the

way we do. We have a grand opportunity to experience vari-ety with one another and in every neighborhood. Wouldn’t it be an awesome idea to bring together all the cultural busi-

nesses in your neighborhood and have the ultimate Neighborhood

Culture Celebration? Have a block party with the various vendors! It will

give the community a chance to try the selection of food, learn history about their

neighbors, and bring the community closer together. We need to break down the walls and barriers of being unin-formed about our brothers and sisters. We cannot continue to walk around this earth blindly and uniformed of our neighbors thinking we are the only ones that matter and is of some signifi-cance. We all matter and are of equal significance. The only way that we can function in harmony is if we are willing to put our comfort aside and be willingly to embrace and accept the beauty of other cultures around us.

A

NEIGHBOHOOD

CULTURE

CELEBRATION


F or the adrenaline rush, to feel young again, for the adventure, and to take a trip on the wild side! Are all

reasons one might decide to take up bike riding as a hobby. Not your traditional mountain bike ride of course, but riding the beast, the motor-cycle. Of all the striking reasons to take a joy ride on a motorcycle leaving all your worries behind, nothing can amount to riding for free-dom for the sake of slaying inequality. Two justice driven individuals, Adrienne Barnette (an African American female from the east coast) and Zachariah Cashion (a Caucasian male from the west coast) have decided to take their motorcycles and collaborate to take on some unfinished business that began in 1961.

In 1961, a group of interracial Civil Rights activists decided to test a law that failed to uphold its own ruling, the 1960 Boynton vs. Virginia decision. The Boynton vs. Virginia decision, which was in fact ruled by the United States Supreme Court, forbade racial segrega-tion. Unfortunately, the law was proven to be feeble when African Americans were mis-treated, beaten, arrested, and harassed for exercising their rights to choose where they wanted to dine or where they wanted to sit on public transportation amongst other rights. Enough was enough for Civil Rights activist, it was time to give government officials a wakeup call and make a statement!

Over the years, several groups of Civil Rights activist were determined to ride interstate buses into the segregated southern states. The journey of the Freedom Ride began

on May 4, 1961 in Washing-ton DC. The original plan was to arrive in New Orleans on May 17th which also would have been the seventeenth anniversary of the Brown vs. Board decision. Despite all the turmoil and violence, the groups of Civil Rights activist were determined to state their claim to justice and equality. However, the at-tempts seemed to be unsuc-cessful when safety and lives began to come at stake and the journey of the Freedom Riders seemed to come to an end, until now. Through the Carolina Charac-

ter project a new era of Freedom Riders Adri-enne and Zach have resurrected and are deter-mined to make mission impossible, mission accomplished. Adrienne the accomplished school counselor and Zachariah an adventur-ous world traveler, intend on bringing the history books to life by educating anyone who is receptive and retracing the trail of the origi-nal freedom riders of 1961 while riding their motorcycles. Many philosophers have argued that students learn intentionally through actual experiences and thanks to Adrienne and Zach we now have the chance to relive and be a part of such a monumental time in history. The purpose of the Carolina Character Route 1961 project is to empower students “to become active in their search for their own history and become active in the forming of their future and character.” What is the symbolism behind traveling via motorcycle? According to www.route1961.blogspot.com, “The culture of motorcycles and freedom goes hand and hand... America was founded on the vary principal of freedom…due to the freedom riders of 1961[we] are able to experience the exercising of freedom that they worked so tirelessly at achieving.” Only the daring, resilient, and cou-rageous can indulge euphoric aura of bike riding. Just as our previous and current unwav-ering Freedom Riders desire to indulge in the euphoric aura of education, freedom, equality, and justice. For more information please log on to www.route1961.blogspot.com and choose your seat on this triumphant ride.

SPECIAL THANKS FROM LLMAG TO ADRIENNE BARNETTE AND SHAREE MORRIS

http://www.route1961.blogspot.com


UP NEXT

onald (Desert Eagle Traum) Murchison, born in Baltimore M.D. and Adriel (A’cemetic) Lockhart, born in Charlotte N.C. started off in 1994 as BlackFri-day. Young and eager, we teamed up with Tony Twice in “94” under twice productions. We put together three(3) albums for the streets which sold more than Five thousand copies a piece. During the time of selling all these records, we weren’t getting paid any money from album sales, which then started to paint a picture. We stayed under Twice Productions, doing multiple shows from “West Fest” to “Summer Fest”. We opened for “Outkast” in 1997 at Club Tunnel, which gave us a good name in the city for opening acts at the time. We then went on to doing interviews with maga-zine companies, such as The Source for the Unsigned Hype and promoting ourselves with Major Record Labels. By the time of 1999, we had magazine interviews, uncountable shows, and 5 albums recorded and done. We was then introduced to Darian (Diggie Die) Curry, Owner of Liquor House Records, which was based in Charlotte NC at that time. Diggie Die thEn started to shop our (BlackFriday) music along with his artist. It was June of 1999 when Diggie

ran into Sean (Puff) Combs, who liked our music. Puff then charged Diggie a thousand dollars to reserve a contract while Die and Twice worked out an agreement between the 20% manage-ment agreement that we (BlackFriday) agreed to in 1996 under twice produc-tions. Later that year, we got word that we were on the verge of losing the deal due to negotiations produced by Tony Twice. By the beginning of the year 2000, we (BlackFriday) was back to the starting point. Deal had gone sour due to bad management and us signing contracts that we really should not have. We then were released from under Twice Production and ended up signing another management deal with Liquor House Records later that year. We went back to opening shows for Major Colleges throughout North Carolina and openings for Major Acts as well. It was later that year when the tragedy happened again, Liquor House Records was raided by the police due to one of its members affiliation with a drug trafficking ring. The Label was then moved to Atlanta Georgia unan-nounced, which left us out in the open with no contact numbers or addresses to contact anyone. Those contracts stayed in effect until June 2006. After-

wards, we began our on Indie Label called, Dundeal Ent, a production com-pany, and a unit roster of some of the best unsigned talent around. I call them the Trauma U.N.I.T. Tha Kingz ultimately became a unstoppable rap duo in the Charlotte Metro area. We are producers, Managers of young art-ist, label owners, and songwriting and arranging. We have our own studio now as well called Trauma UNIT Stu-dios. We continue to hustle our music today. In 2007, We dropped the hood single (Im So Gansta) which went on to move uncountable units between Char-lotte NC and Baltimore MD, being that Desert Eagle Traum was from Balti-more MD. We then released locally, Tha Alpha Album, A solo album by Desert Eagle Traum in the summer of 2008 which sold uncountable units underground. We are now currently working on production for other al-bums, as well as promoting ourselves to the labels . We got a feeling that this is our year. Check us out at www.myspace.com/kingzofcharlotte where we got over 1.5million spins in our first year of being on the network. **Desert Eagle Traum

DESERT EAGLE TRAUM

O ver the years it was never a concern that I was getting older. In my mind I always felt that I would age gracefully, be like a vintage fine wine ~ better with time… Now that forty is in my grasp I have started to question those thoughts and feel-ings. I have always known that I needed to get enough sleep, drink plenty of water, stay away from drugs and alcohol, etc. I have!!!! Still my body has begun to ache, my stretch marks are

stretching; cellulite is multiplying times thirty, my breasts are longer, the list goes on. What hap-pened to the elasticity that once held it all to-gether? Can’t help but feel that my body is going down hill fast when I see the likes of Nicki Minaj and Kim Kardishian; even though they rely on booty shots, implants, plastic surgery and photoshop… I desire for my body to look like that! I’m hold-ing on to dear life for what remains of the body that use to be, can’t live in the past – just watch my intake for a picture per-

fect future. When the dust settles and all I said is done…. It’s not what others think and say it’s what I know. I’m beautiful inside and out and age will not define me. Forty will be the new twenty for me; I spoke it so it is…… Remember always that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and despite the aging process it can be slowed down by your thoughts and feelings. You’re only as old as you feel. ~YOLANDA

Will be featured in the next issue of Local Looks we will dig deep into

his thoughts and background as one of Charlotte’s most talented artist.

You can log onto WWW.LLMAG.COM to listen to some

of his music.


Real talk

Be your own dream catcher

H as anyone ever told you your dreams would not amount to anything? Does a lack of valida-tion from family, friends, or significant other cause you to put your aspirations on the back burner? Do you have goals

in mind that are half way executed or never got your dream project quite off the ground yet? Rest assure, you are not alone! Anyone who was ever “successful” and even the ones we feel were not have endured an encounter with a dream crusher in one form or another. Nevertheless, sometimes “others” are not always the ones that attempt to crush our dreams; we can be our own forefront dream crusher as well. Fortunately for us, there is one way for us to put a stop to all dream crushers including ourselves and that is to learn how to become our own dream catcher. Remember going to camp and making a dreamed catcher? It was an arts and craft project that was made up of a circular webbed base and feathers hanging from the bottom. Dream catch-ers originated from the Native American culture. The legend was that grandparents created dream catchers for their newborn grandchildren and

hung them over their cribs to bring forth good dreams. The good dreams would pass through descending through the feathers of the dream catcher down to the newborn, while bad dreams would get caught up in the webbing halted from getting anywhere near the newborn. You see, if we become our own dream catcher, all positive energy will empower us to keep moving forward and consequently our dreams will be realized. On the contrary, when we sense negative energy we would stop it in its tracks prohibiting it from in-terfering with our perseverance. When we think of reaching our goals and living our dreams we automatically equate these things with success. Now if you read any “successful” celebrity’s biography, you will most likely read within the pages that someone told them or made them feel like they would not amount to anything. Just as any non-successful person would also say that someone told them or made them feel like they would not amount to anything. Which brings us to the question, if both successful individuals and non-successful indi-viduals endure similar ridicule, why aren’t non-successful individuals successful? Well, there are three answers to this question. For one, non-

successful individuals are not successful because they do not fully grasp the realm of success. Two, they allowed dream crushers to prevail. Lastly, they have been plagued by the spirit of sloth.

It is not difficult to fully grasp the

realm of success, all you have to do is change your

mindset. Just as beauty is in the eyes of the be-

holder, success is in the mind of the beholder. If

you take two steps forward towards your ultimate

goal and that defines success for you thus far,

then indeed it is! No need to seek validation from

anyone else. There is not one successful person

who has not had their dream questioned by some-

one close to them. However, that did not stop

them from moving forward because of someone

else’s lack of support. We need to be our own

motivators and stop using scapegoats for us not

accomplishing our goals. No more excuses! No

more allowing others or ourselves get in our way

of our progress which ultimately welcomes a

slothful spirit within us. The time is now my be-

loved to get yourself together and be your own

dream catcher!

BLOCK CHECK

Be on the look out for Local Looks photographers checking out neighborhoods and looking for someone to check the block! This portion of the magazine is here to remind you that we should know our neighbors. Not only should we know them but help and respect them. Check your block by being a part of the community, keeping the neighborhood clean, protecting the children and/or elderly or just by being friendly to your neighbors! We must remember that if we take care of what belongs to us, we have nothing more to worry about.

Bernardo D.

Checking Belmont Ave

Local Looks Magazine

is always looking to feature new

contributors.

FOR EDITORIAL OR/PHOTO

REQUEST AND SUBMISSIONS: [email protected] OR

VISIT WWW.LLMAG.COM


LLM: This is a local magazine … so w/ that being said which neighborhood are you representing?

CHRIS M :I represent all sides because I represent the city and my birthplace Rock Hill, SC, but I have lived on the West Side all the time.

Where did you get your name? My stage name derives

from my legal name Chris Walker, but

the M is the W upside down to symbolize a turning point in my life when I experienced a lot of things that had a big impact on who I am today. How long have you been rap-ping? I have been rapping for 15 years … since I was about 12 years old. Why do you rap? (Do you have a story to tell, or

do you do it for fame and fortune?) I rap to convey my truths and my feel-ings on certain things that we all experi-ence. It’s my means of escaping the harsh realities of the world. I like to be entertaining while at the same time producing real music that people can relate to without stepping outside of my character.

What label are you signed to? (Independent or Major) Zone Starz Entertainment LLC (Independent) Who is your favorite rapper? I would say that I have several favorite rappers because they offer different styles, and all bring something differ-ent to the table. They can’t be com-pared with one another because they each portray something different with their music. My favorite rappers would be 2pac, Eminem, Andre 3000, Nas, Lil Wayne, Kanye West, Common, and Bun B in no specific order.

Is he/she your inspiration? I would say that they are all my inspira-tion in different aspects. They offer vari-ous styles, stories, and give a different outlook on the subjects that they speak about. If you could do a collabo w/ any rapper, who would it be? Kayne West because of his creativity from production to his uniqueness in rap and dress. I like that he isn’t afraid to push his limits and test his bounda-

ries. What makes your style different from any other rapper? My style is different from any rapper because I don’t follow trends. I stay true to myself and express only how I feel about certain subjects. I remain authen-tic and genuine. I don’t fear being overly creative. I remain versatile and keep continuing to grow with each and every project. Why do you think rappers in Charlotte have not made that big come up? I would have to honestly say it comes down to a few factors. 1. There is no unity amongst the artists here. They don’t support each other with the things that they do. They are not doing collabs with people who are not their friends. They are forming cliques and not ven-turing off with different people. 2. The artists in Charlotte are afraid to push their limits and create music that is different from what is going on in the industry now. 3. Most but not all are not pushing themselves and allowing them-selves to be heard here or in any other cities. 4. The lack of community support whether it’s the local radio stations down to the public itself. Charlotte is more of a city that tends to support you when you have already made it, not while you’re in the brick-and-mortar stages. Do you think that crime and rap go hand-in-hand? No. I believe that some people just take

things a little too far. Some people take music for a little more than what it is. Music is entertainment. An artist por-trays things in most cases to tell you what they have been through, not to convince you to go out and do the same things. Artists provide an experience. They are not promoting the actual vio-lence that may have been committed by themselves or their associates. They are opening up their lives to you so you can see where they’re from and what they have been through. Give me 3 words to sum up your CD? “A Must Have” How can someone hear your music? www.Zonestarz.com, www.datboichrism.com, www.itunes.com, www.emusic.com, www.yahoomusic.com, www.ilike.com, www.facebook.com/chrismzse, www.myspace.com/chrismzse, www.datboichrism.blogspot.com, www.datpiff.com, www.amazon.com, Google: Chrismzse and find it all. What do you want the people to know that they may not know? There’s more to the music than the mu-sic itself. You also have to be prepared for the business side of things. Make sure you know what you’re getting into cause people in the industry can turn you dream into a nightmare if you don’t know your worth. Keep your creative control and just don’t jump at any and every opportunity that comes your way. Be precise about your decisions and make the best ones for you. Do you have any advice to up-and-coming artists? To maintain who you are and don’t get lost in what others expect you to be. Stay true to yourself and your beliefs. Any shoutouts? Big shout to Pokey G my big bro for all the support and my family and friends for all the love over the years. My West Coast Knockout family. To Grand Art-istry Radio for putting me on in Chicago. To Washara Productions for all the love in Long Beach, Cali. Lux Cash for the Texas love. To the Rhymology Camp, in Boise, Idaho, for keeping me on mix tapes out there. A big thanks to the city of Charlotte, NC, for showing love and my birthplace, Rock Hill, SC. Also to every person that helped me with my dream.

You can listen to music from this artist

as well as get more information by visit-

ing WWW.LLMAG.COM

“A beautiful mind doesn’t equal a beautiful face,

When loves in your heart the world is a beautiful place.

So I retrace my steps and I review the

LOCAL LOOKS SITS DOWN FOR OUR FIRST LOCAL ARTIST INTERVIEW WITH RAP ARTIST CHRIS M. HE GIVES US A LITTLE BACKGROUND

ON WHO HE IS AS WELL AS WHAT HIS MUSIC REPRESENTS. LO-

CAL SUPPORT? WELL, CHRIS GIVES US HIS TOP FOUR REASONS THAT CHARLOTTE ARTIST ARENT MAKING THAT “BIG COME UP”.

http://www.Zonestarz.com

http://www.datboichrism.com

http://www.itunes.com

http://www.emusic.com

http://www.yahoomusic.com

http://www.ilike.com

http://www.facebook.com/chrismzse

http://www.myspace.com/chrismzse

http://www.datboichrism.blogspot.com

http://www.datpiff.com

http://www.amazon.com


Everything around us seems to be moving at a fast pace. Peo-ple get traffic tickets every day for speeding. Parents become younger and younger in age. You can now obtain a four year degree in less than four years. You can even make a whole dinner in less than 7 minutes. It seems as if mov-ing fast is the new fad. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes you need to put “pep” in your step. Like when Macy’s is having a 24 hour sale and you are just pulling into their drive way during the 23rd hour. The trick is we have to be wise enough to decipher what things will benefit us moving quicker and what things will have us in doom due to lack of patience. Children lack it. Adults lack it. Even animals lack it! We have all heard the stories, the stories when the ending goes a little something like this, “if I would have known what I know now I would have waited.” I know you can think of many things that having a lack of patience may have caused you.

You might have been able to finish your educational goals. You might have been able to save some money. You might have been with the person of your dreams at this very moment. I can go on for days to list how impatience has shaped our lives. Basically, we know our lives overall could have been a little easier if we were just wise enough to know the right time to act on what we wanted. Displaying a lack of pa-tience may have caused us at one time or another to settle. At first, we feel horribly about our unwise decision. But as soon as someone says something about our unwise action suddenly what we settled for has become our blessing in disguise. We defend or poor deci-sions but saying phrases such as “everything happens for a reason”, “this was a test I had to pass”, or the infa-mous “it is the will of God.” After all was said and done, we might have learned a lifelong lesson and perhaps received a blessing at the end of the

very long tunnel. But let’s be real, it did not feel like a blessing as the monsoon was occurring. Since youth we have been told that good things come to those who wait and right after we all think a sec-ond later, how long is this wait going to be? Look at patience as a parent, al-though we may not want to listen and may not agree with its reasoning at the time, it definitely has our best interest at hand. If thinking what chaos not hav-ing patience could bring will not con-vince you to remain steadfast, think of all the joys exhibiting patience will bring. Granted it will not be easy prac-ticing patience and mastering the skill will indeed take some time. But there is no need to rush chaos into your life when you reap the blessings you have been patiently waiting for.

PR

AC

TIC

ING

PA

TIE

NC

E



J amarious McCullough aspiring Model and Actor is one of our very own Charlotte Local attractions. He is truly one for the showing and those who know him personally can attest to the fact that he is not only good looking yet; it is a fact that his personality is attractive as well.

LLM:Can you give me a little back-ground information about yourself (where are you from, what part of the city, what school did you attend)? Jamarious: Well, I am from Charlotte, NC, born and raised. From the west side…Beatties Ford Road to be exact! I started out in private school. I at-tended VVCS, and then about 7th grade, I transferred to public…why they do that? lol! But it was a whole different world! Off the chain I was. lol!! I ended up attending WC high! Had to have been one of the greatest schools ever (the years I went there anyways). What words do you have for those who hate on WC? You know there are many people who say we suck! Lol! Yea, there are a lot of haters! Let ’em hate! To our young WC LIONS, we need you to prove them wrong! We gotta turn it back into what it used to be like when I was there and before me. WC pride—where we at?? Let’s get it (I personally think we need to bring back the WC parade.) That was good for the com-munity as well! (I know because I am from over there.) On starting to model—how and when did you begin thinking of modeling as a career? Were your family members supportive of your choice? I actually started modeling when I was in 9th grade, but I really didn’t take it serious. I started with a company called S.A.S.S. that I randomly saw in the hiring part of the newspaper. Their company put me in a movie as an extra back then called Shake, rattle, and roll. It was a rock and roll movie, featuring KC and Jo-Jo and that light-skin girl that used to go wit Dawayne Wayne from A Different World. But after that I did-n’t really pursue it anymore. I wanted to be a basketball player! That’s all I knew back then. All the way till about 2006, when I met a girl

named Crista Hayze through my boy Teddy, and she through fashion shows and wanted me to be in hers. But still after that I didn’t take it serious! A year or so later I went on vacation, which was only about 5 months ago to LA, and I was just clubbing one night in Hollywood, and it was a casting director in there, and they were having auditions for

Kelly Rowland’s video (Forever and a Day), and they actually took me past all the people auditioning, and I signed the papers right there! That was it. Ever since then, I dedicated myself to do this…to always thank GOD be-cause without U GOD, nothing is possible!!!, and to let this light inside me shine as bright as possi-ble for “everybody” to see. And last but certainly not least to al-ways strive to be the best in all I do!! What is your career objective? My ultimate career venture is into the movie world. I really want to see myself on that big screen!! Starring in a movie. If there was one movie role that you could take an actor out of and replace yourself with, what movie and role would that be? Oh, I got that one! Love and Bas-ketball! I would play Omar Epps of course! I love Sanaa Lathan in that movie. Turned me into a fan! Do you feel that your career goals can be fulfilled while living in the “queen city”? Why or why not? Yea, I feel they will! Charlotte will always be my home. But I know that I do and will have to travel a lot!! That’s part of the dedication though! (Go hard or go home)

Tell me about your professional plans. Apart from modeling, what else would you like to pursue, or are you already pursuing something? I’m trying to really get into the acting thing. I know it goes hand and hand. I’m gonna conquer one mountain at a time though! (Shout out to Alva for that advice) Continued on next page


AT

TR

AC

TIO

N

Ja

ma

rio

us

mc

Co

ul

lo

ug

h

How often do you work out to keep up you current look? I actually work out 5 days a week. No specific order. Do you ever get tired of working out? Or doing whatever it is to keep pursuing your goals? Yessss, I do get tired, but those days I go work out wit my cousin Maine or Shawty lo my uncle. They motivate me a lot! Either that or I pop my Jezzy or drake in and get it anyways!

What is your motivation?

The will of GOD first and foremost. I am following his directions. Secondly, my kids. I want to be able to do

everything for them, and last but not least myself! Motivation 101. lol!

Do you have any suggestions for other men try-ing to step up their swag? Be yourself!!!! That’s the best advice I can give you…real can tell the fake; swag should be natural. Would you say you get more hate or love from other men in this area when it comes down to your appearance? Honestly, I would say more love—love in my face but hate behind my back… It comes wit the territory, though, so I take it all in and turn it into motivation. “Just make me stronger and make me tougher” words of Ti How do you feel when females act overly excited over your appearance? Lol, I love it!! It makes me go harder! I love attention anyways. It also gives me confirmation…that I am doing something right!!

Have you ever thought about being an exotic dancer? Lol! Wow…naw, that’s funny because

me and my boys be joking about that. But naw, I never thought about that and never will be one unless it’s a role in a movie I am playing in (but

depending on who it is I will give you a private show) lol!

“DEPENDING ON

WHO IT IS, I’LL

GIVE YOU A

PRIVATE SHOW!”


Are you single? Yes, I am single, ladies!!! And right now I am enjoying it! But I still need me a ride or die chick… where are you????? I actually just got out of a relationship, though, so I’m still putting things together from that. What type of females are you attracted to, I mean What does a female have to do to get your attention? I am very attracted to my dark skin chocolate women! With real hair long or short as long as it’s real. Lol, but of course if you’re beautiful, then you’re beautiful and that’s in every race, color, shape, or size! If it’s in you, it’s in you. I feel it’s in every woman. You just gotta find it (that’s just me talking though. lol)...to get my attention is really not that hard to do. I am very laid back and love to meet people! But the thing that stops me in my tracks is a woman with a bad dress on wit a banging body to match...oh yeah, a beautiful smile too. lol What is it that you like most about living in the Charlotte area? Do you ever think about relocating for any reason? I love Charlotte because it’s home! It’s nothing like coming back in town and seeing them buildings downtown! All the way from 77. But I love to travel and may get stuck there for a sec, but Charlotte will always be my home. How can people contact you to see more pictures and/or discuss modeling engage-ments? You can reach me at [email protected] You can hit me on Facebook, as well at Jamarious Mccul-lough for more pics. And also modelmay-hem.com/jamarious Do you have any final words, acknowledg-ments, and/or comments? First and foremost, I want thank GOD for everything! For every door YOU have opened and every dead end YOU have closed. Secondly, I want say thank you mom. I love you so much and thank you for always having my back! I always got yours! My children Mani, Jayda, and Tez. I love y’all! The home team! What up doe? Oh yea, don’t forget about that ford bound

For more information on Jamarious or Local Looks Magazine Local Attraction please visit WWW.LLMAG.COM

mailto:[email protected]


http://modelmayhem.com/jamarious

http://modelmayhem.com/jamarious


Ce

le

br

itie

s o

n c

ha

rl

ot

te

W illiam Ray Norwood Jr. Is his name, but he usually goes by Ray J. You may know him as Brandi’s little brother or from his most recent dating show For the Love of Ray J, or maybe even some of his recent hits such as “Sexy Can I” or “One Wish”. Today Local Looks sit

down with Ray j to find out about what he thinks about Charlotte as well as his career and upcoming album.

LLM: How do you feel about Charlotte, NC. RAY J : I like it is pretty cool. Has a real nice vibe to it. I enjoy com-ing out here. I’ve been here over the past few years and its really growing fast. I like the feel of the city everyone is so welcoming here. But that’s how southerners are. I’m originally from Missis-sippi so it always feels good to be back in the south.

What advice would you give up and coming rappers in the city? I definitely would say stay focused and never lose sight of what you are trying to accomplish. The music business requires a lot of hard hard work. A lot of people have the wrong idea that you can just become an overnight success. The people that you see coming out now have been working hard for years trying to get there foot in. So you got to put in work to get where u wanna be. WHAT do you think about CIAA in charlotte? I love it… I get to party with some of my fam here in the city and it seems to bring everybody out here. Im glad that I get to be here every year and I enjoy it while im here. Unfortunately I don’t get to really catch the game because of my scheduling but maybe one year I’ll get to check a game and check it out. I do most definitely appreciate the city having me out here for the past 3 years and look forward to coming to the city whenever I get the chance.

Up and coming album: RAYDIATION 2

Would you say your new album will set u apart from other R&B Artist? IF so how? Yeah, I really touched on a lot of different situations that most R&B cats wouldn't touch on. What Inspires your music? I'm a big fan of R. Kelly, Usher and all of the young guys out there making their own lanes. I just wanted to make my own lane and have something original, fun and sexy. You also tell stories like a traditional R&B artist. Did anything particu-larly inspire you in terms of that? Lil Kim definitely inspired me. She motivated me to get back into storytelling and talk about my life and what I see around me. She's one of the illest female rappers ever. So for her to give me that hip hop inspiration and incorporate that into my R&B sound was really inspiring. That's what raised the bar for me to get back in and go that route creatively. Where do the songs usually start for you? Sometimes, I'm just sitting at the piano coming up with chords, and a song might come after I find the chords. Sometimes, I might hear a beat and create a song. Sometimes, I just hear sayings that people have. "Sexy can I come over to your house," and I'm like, "Sexy Can I? Let's make a song with a title like that." Or "Get it Crunk" and "That's what's up," I just try to find the popular say-ings outside and make them very catchy. How do you think you've grown and changed as an artist? I just think the light is shining on me a lot more as far as publicly. People want to know what's next for me. I'm giving them stuff that they're appreciating, liking and feeling good about. I just want to keep this ball rolling. We came out strong with "Sexy Can I," and we just want to keep it consistent and keep this whole thing rolling.

RA

Y J


LLM: David you were with the Jet's for a few years, how has the transition been, going from the Tri-State area to now being down south?

David Clowney: “The Transition was actually a lot easier than most would think. Especially being that I’m from South Florida” What has been the biggest adjustment? “Just making sure I know the play book inside and out. Being with one team for 3 years and out of nowhere ending up with another team, you have to learn the plays very fast.” Did you know any of the Panther players be-forehand? “I played with 2 in College at Virginia Tech, Jeff King and James Anderson. I knew a couple of guys from playing against them in college or saw them on TV” I know there is a lockout right now, but how well do you think you guys will do in the upcom-ing season when/if it happens? You guys are a young team. “Well I’m not sure about all the other guys, but I’m still training everyday. Working out, lifting weights, and running routes. I will continue to do this until football starts. So I will be in shape and ready to go the minute we step on the field.” I hear you're a tattoo aficionado, what types of tattoos do you have, and what's your favorite ? “Yes I have a lot of tattoos. Everyone one of my tattoos are either biblical or the name of some-one important to me in my family. My most recent one is my left arm, it is covered up with angels. My favorite is my moms name over my heart.” Have you found a tattoo parlor here in the Queen City? “Yes the guy that did my sleeve” Tell me about the David Clowney Foundation? “The David Clowney Foundation is a non-profit organization to help benefit inner city youth and underprivileged kids to have a greater life and a greater education.”

I hear you went to Haiti and Africa last year, tell me a little bit about that? What prompted it? The Haiti trip was because of the earthquake. Myself (David Clowney Foundation) one of my teammates from the Jets, James Ihedidbo (Hope Africa Foundation) and Wyclef Jean (Yele Haiti) all thought it was a great idea to go to Haiti and help the children and families there. We were able to put up tents for the families that lost their homes, donated tons of clothes to the children’s orphanages, as well as water, diapers, food, etc .While being there we taught the kids American football. We put together an American football camp. The kids had a great time and I had a great time. After-wards we played their (Futbol) which is our soccer and they beat us down!!!! (chuckles at the memory) “The Africa trip was actually very similar ,only it was myself and Santonio Holmes (former Jets teammate). This time we donated $2000 to the children’s hospitals in Ghana as well as everything we did in Haiti. Both trips were such a success and I had a great time. You being a Florida boy and all, how well do think Florida and Florida St will do in the NCAA tournament? “Florida will bum out and Florida St should make it to the elite 8” Ok David I know you’re a very busy man, so I won't keep you, just one last question. Where do you see yourself post NFL? “Well I have a Degree in Residential Property Management and I graduate this May 14th with my Masters in Justice Studies (Criminoloy)(Criminal Justice) which ever you prefer to call it. I have a couple of different ideas I can run with. If God allows me I plan on playing football for about 8 more years.” Thank you for your time David. Good luck on the upcoming season. You can follow David Clowney on Twitter: @OfficialClowney for more information on The David Clowney Foundation Email: [email protected] Dennis Smith has a weekly blog where you can follow him http://opinionated-dennis.blogspot.com/

Dennis Smith for LLM is Speaking with Carolina Pan-thers wide receiver David Clowney about tattoos, March Madness and helping impoverished children.





A young man was passed his key to success through the hands of his

Grandfather. At that time the young man didn’t realize that what he possessed would break boundaries, break records, and definitely break necks. Through transi-tioning from a young man with many questions in mind to a man with all the answers in his hands, he has learned along the way that true success only comes through keeping God first, setting high goals, striving for only the best, and never giving up. From the streets of Rozzells Ferry Road in the Seversville neighborhood Charlotte North Carolina, a prodigy of visual arts was born and a pair of clippers has become Calvin Bethea’s key to success.

Growing up in a neighborhood where basket-ball was praised, Calvin naturally felt basketball was his passion, calling, and ultimately his future. However, his Grandfather foresaw something in him that no one else could see, not even Calvin. Before his passing he gave Calvin one of his most prized possessions, his old clip-pers, “the ones you squeeze to cut hair.” Cutting hair wasn’t something Calvin wanted to do in the future, nor was it something that he was interested in as a hobby. Ironically, upon the passing of his Grandfather Calvin did something he never thought he would do, enroll in barbering school. Somehow he took his appreciation for basketball and married it with his new found love for barbering by rebounding jacked up cuts and turning it them into dunks.

Calvin knew that being a prominent barber could give him an opportunity to be a business owner, network, create ground-breaking accomplishments, and make his Grandfather proud. That is what drove him to excel in his studies and take his education seri-ously. Working both efficiently and diligently, his hard work finally paid off; only being a barber for 3 ½ years he has perfected the craft and crushed the game. Bar-bers who have been in business for 20 years will never compare to the skills and gifts Calvin possess. He is a

barber that has great artistry skills, using heads as a canvas and his clippers as a brush, Calvin turns tradi-tional haircuts into a work of art.

The motivation to become the tonsorial mo-gul he is came from both his beloved Grandfather and witnessing mediocre cuts, “I wanted to become a bar-ber because I got tired of going to barbershops feeling like the work that was done could be done better. I got tired of barbers cutting my hair and messing it up. I felt like I could do better.” Anyone who has ever grazed upon the work of this barber will contest that the word “better” is an understatement; he does it best. His tal-ent stretches from monograms to cartoons using his creative juices, pictures, and drawings.

With all the notoriety and fortune being the ultimate tonsorial barber may bring, it is evident Calvin receives his momentous gratification from making cli-ents feel good and feel like a “celebrity.” He currently works his magic in Charlotte but is willing to expand his business within other shops in other cit-ies. In a few years from now, he will live his dream by becoming a celebrity barber and owning his own shop. Calvin feels, “the sky is the limit and he wants to reach it!” With his confidence to back him up and phenome-nal work to show for it, he has the power to be his own boss and “give himself a raise.” His advice to others attempting to pursue their dreams? “Get up in the morning, go out, and get it! Always put God first and try to hang around positive people, because the people around you can influence you to make bad decisions.” Calvin contributes his success to God most of all, his Grandfather, his determination, and to In the Cut Barber Shop and No Grease Barber School (where he gained his barbering skills). I urge you to witness the experience for yourself! You can see some of Calvin’s work by viewing his portfolio on www.LLMAG.com and checking him out on Facebook at H20 Barber. If you are really lucky, you just might bump into him at Industry Night every Monday night in Charlotte NC!

http://www.LLMAG.com


AROUND

TOWN

ON SCENE


NIGHTLIFE

PHOTOS

BY C-RAY

ON SCENE




3347152 6201955

$2.00 USA

Documents

Local Looks Magazine