Gracing Pages: Nicki Minaj Graces the Pages of YRB Magazine

Nicki Minaj is being featured in the latest issue of YRB magazine. Inside she addresses the haters and opens up about her life. The photos look DOPE!!

Check out some excerpts from her interview after the jump….

On “Monster” Being The Pivotal Moment In Her Career
That has to be the breakout Nicki Minaj moment. That was my moment “People paid attention because of who was on it and because I held my own and I stayed true to my crazy animation, and it’s like I didn’t have to take my fun stuff out. I was able to incorporate Nicki Minaj on a record with Jay-Z and Kanye West. And I think people know that’s a difficult task in itself.”

On Female Rappers Who Don’t Support Her
These girls aren’t mad at me. They’re mad at themselves,” she states, shooting down questions on why she never took Kim’s bait. “[It’s] jealousy, insecurity and being broke. When you haven’t capitalized and you see I’m about to capitalize on this sh*t like it’s never been done before, then you’re mad at yourself.

On being afraid to release her album
I was so afraid to put out an album for fear of failure. I wanted to put my album out on Valentine’s Day of 2011. And my label was like, are you f*cking crazy?”

On ‘Pink Friday’
I know that ‘Pink Friday’ is a classic album. I have never been this proud of anything in my life,” she says. “I just think that it’s such a dynamic body of work. I’m no longer afraid to drop it. Now, I know it’s time…..

Read the full interview over @ YRB Magazine.com.

Source: YRB

 

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• Nicki Minaj Was Once ‘Afraid’ To Release Pink Friday (mtv.com)
• Nicki Minaj In YRB: “I’m About To Capitalize Like It’s Never Been Done Before” (hellobeautiful.com)
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All On The Cover & Gracing Pages: La La Vasquez Covers JET and Graces the pages of YRB Magazine

La La Vazquez covers the new issue of JET magazine. She discusses her new reality series and says she is determined not to entertain the on-and-off-the-court drama that could potentially come with being an NBA wife to Carmelo Anthony. She dishes the inside scoop on life after marriage and the latest on her acting and producing projects, including her movie with rapper 50 Cent.

Make sure you check out the issue which will be out on stands Sept. 20 and the reality show, ‘LaLa’s Full Court Wedding’, starts Sunday on VH1. Will you be watching?

YRB spread after the jump….

OOH LA LA

La La is also gracing the pages of the Fall Fashion Issue of YRB magazine.

With a new show on VH1, production credits under her belt, a solid acting career and a bustling family life, Lala Vasquez has learned the art of mixing business with pleasure. And when it comes to her wardrobe, she’s right there on top with some of Fall’s hottest trends.

I love how the photos came out. She looks DOPE!!

Check out the photos from the spread below….

Laquan Smith puff sleeve jacket Thuy textured skirt Van Cleef& Arpel diamond earrings Roberto Coin tri-color diamond ring

Jovani cotton bustled shirt Jovani beaded vest American Apparel bodysuit Nicole Miller multi-strap boot AS Luxe silver bangles

Thuy printed dress DKNY textured stockings Sermoneta leather glovesCarolee diamond bracelets

Magalis Garcia ruffled top Magalis Garcia wool pant Cesare Paciotti suede/printed heels AS Luxe gold fringe bracelet Thuy gold ball braceletThuy gold beaded bracelet

Photography by Mike Ruiz
Styling by Darius Baptist
Hair by Nikki Nelms
Makeup by Sheika Daley

Source: YRB Magazine

All On The Cover: Kelly Rowland Covers YRB Magazine

Kelly Rowland covers the Fall Fashion Issue of YRB magazine and is ready to make her mark with her new album which releases in early 2011. She is looking super fierce in animal prints, a newly cut bob, and oh and we can’t forget those pink shoes…Woot Woot!

In her interview she talks about feeling good and being ready for her new album, breaking ties with Matthew Knowles, and how she feels about a Destiny’s Child reunion.

Check out some excerpts below from her interview…

About feeling confident and ready….

“I truly believe that what I have is special, and when they recognize, they will recognize, period,” she states, clutching her knees to her chest after slipping into a towel and taking a seat. “It’s not like I haven’t conquered it before. I’m going to do it again. I’ma get it.”

About her album….

“[We did] so many remixes. Ones you would never even really think to put a sound to an urban record,” she reflects on her early tango with dance. “I think that’s what’s so interesting to me about the dance remixes. Somebody takes on a whole different life of the song. I love that.”

About breaking ties with her manager Matthew Knowles…

“It was a decision years in the making for me, and finally getting to that point and doing it,” she says of her split from Daddy Knowles. “Don’t let anybody dictate who you are and what you want to do. Like, it’s so easy to. You have to know how incredibly incredible you are. And that goes without the music industry. Everything that we do in life, we have to know what we’re bringing to the table.”

Talking fashion….

“I got involved with because they asked me,” exclaims Kelly, who describes her style as “casual chic with a funky twist” and counts Jennifer Lopez and Sophia Loren as her fashion muses. “I’ve thought about starting my own fashion line, but I haven’t had the time to sit down and flush out an idea. It takes a lot of work and proper planning, and as of now, music is my main focus.”

About a Destiny’s Child reunion….

“If they want to do that, then I’m all down. But the thing is that it would have to be a unified decision,” she says of the reunion chatter, claiming that bloggers have put words in her mouth about wanting to re-spark the flame. “It’s not a decision that I can make by myself. So unless people hear all three of us say it – shut up! The three of us have to make that decision.”

The pictures were taken by famed photographer Mike Ruiz who also shot Kelly’s album cover. He is the male model in the picture above.

For more on her interview check out YRB Magazine.

All On The Cover: T.I. Covers YRB Magazine

T.I. or Tip, whichever one is your preference is on the cover of the Fall Fashion issue of the YRB magazine. In his interview he gets into depth about how he became crowned ‘The King of the South’, the meaning of  “King Uncaged”, his latest movie ‘Takers’. He also speaks on his young fashion line AKOO. On some more serious issues,  the recent year of incarceration he had to serve out during 2009.

Below are a few excerpts from the interview as well as some photos from the shoot.

On how he became crowned ‘The King of the South’….

“I actually began rapping when I was nine years old and started looking for a deal when I was 11,” the 29-year-old ATL native recollects. “By the age of 18, when it still hadn’t happened for me, I was ready to focus on being a cocaine kingpin instead.”

Talks about the “King Uncaged” ….

“The title of the album signifies freedom in all senses,” he explains. “Physical freedom, mental freedom, financial freedom, artistic freedom, and also, just really taking advantage of all the opportunities around me.”

“On the album I’m Serious, I wrote the lyrics down,” he replies. “Everything from the “Urban Legend” album to “Paper Trail“ I didn’t write down. And on this new album, I’m doing a little bit of both.” Commenting on the difference between both methods, he says, “When I get into the booth without writing, it’s like a kinetic energy or spontaneous combustion with one continuous thought, but when I decide to sit down and write, it’s more about the technique and craftsmanship of the lyrics.”

On “Takers”….

“With Takers, my partner Jason Geter and I were fortunate to be the producers of the movie,” T.I. proudly states. “That means, we were responsible for picking the cast, choosing the director and, during the days of shooting, we made sure that what was on the script was being conveyed correctly to the screen.”

On his  fashion line AKOO…

“Well, first of all I can’t draw, so I don’t really get into the sketching and designing or anything. What I do is provide direction and guidance to the designers,” he explains. “You see, I shop a lot and take pictures of things that I like, and then I go back to my designers and I ask them, ‘Do we have one of this?’ or ‘Do we have this in our collection?’ The way I do business is that I look at areas that I spend thousands and thousands of dollars myself, and then I ask, ‘How can I start a company that provides the same kind of service or product?’”

His 2009 incarceration….

“There were several moments of reflection when I was away last year,” he solemnly confides, “but you know those were all just thoughts, and now it’s time to put those thoughts in action. As far as any specific resolutions I came up with, there are quite a few. It’s all about simplifying things down now, taking it one day at a time and executing.”

“Growing up in the ghetto, all you got is your pride, your ego and your resilience because everything else around you is saying to you that you ain’t shit,” he says of how he attained his indomitable drive to succeed. “So all you really have to keep you going is what you believe about yourself in your heart and your mind. I always knew the opportunity existed to be successful in music, it was just up to me to execute and navigate through the tougher periods of my life to get to where I’m at today.”

To check out the video of the shoot click on, T.I. – YRB.

Source: YRB Magazine