Meet 12 YEARS A SLAVE STAR, CHiWETEL the First Nigerian In The Brink Of An Oscar Glory

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@CHRIS AIRE: "A Nigerian can succeed any where in the World"



cHRIS aIRE

This is the story of multimillion dollar Christopher Airemiokhai Iluobe, otherwise known as Chris Aire.
The adverts of his products that run on cable networks globally do not bear any linkage to the humility that of his persona. After leaving Nigeria at the age of 17years in 1983 for greener pastures abroad, Chris Aire has done well for himself. The jeweler and exotic watch maker, artist and designer, has as buddies some of the biggest names in American music, film, fashion, entertainment and sports industry.  jeweler

“He is called the Iceman on account of his trading in diamonds and other precious stones with which he has bedecked many of his superstar friends. Aire will qualify as one of the early prophets of the bling bling culture, a hip hop inspired phenomenon referring to the wearing and accessorizing of flashy, dazzling, sometimes outrageous, often outlandish jewelry.

In a world where the bold, big, flashy, loud and even outrageous are a fashion statement, this Nigerian kid has created a niche for himself in the risky jewelry business and, in the process, made a fortune for himself. In music where he once tried his hands out in his early days in the US, his friends and clients include Rihana, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Jay Z, Nelly, Usher, Celine Dion and 50 Cents. In the film and TV world, his pals include Will Smith, Bruce Willis, Adrian Brody, Eva Longoria, Angelina Jolie, Oprah Winfrey and Clint Eastwood.

In this interview with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting, ICIR , (icirnigeria.org ), Chris Aire speaks about his early struggles in America and how he switched from acting to exotic jewelry-making. Excerpts:

What does the Aire in your name mean? Is it Nigerian?
Yes it is Nigerian, a derivative of my Ishan name. The full name, Airemiokhai, is a derivative of two Ishan words, “Aire,” which means “drawing close” and “Okhai,” meaning “greatness.” So it means “drawing close to greatness.” I decided to adopt my middle name and cut of the second half first as a mark of my independence at that time and, since I was going abroad then, to make it easier for people to pronounce. I was born Christopher Airemiokhai Iluobe.

Growing up must have been tough; can we get to know more about you?
I was born and raised here. I left in December 1983 before I turned 18. I was born in Ivue – Uromi previously Agbazilo Local Government Area. It was Bendel State at that time but now Edo State. I grew up in the village and then attended Immaculate Conception College in Benin. After college, I went to work for my father. I graduated with distinction from high school so he figured that I would be able to run his business. My father had an oil business that I helped to run for about a year and a half before I traveled abroad.

cHRIS wITH sHAgGY

You were so young and ran such a big company?
I was, but I was able to run the company efficiently. Our head office was on Sapele Road in Benin and we had haulage trucks all over the country. We had about 100 trucks that transported diesel and petrol all over the country.

My father (Pa Iluobe) was a very successful businessman. He was into oil and building materials. He had a factory that produced galvanized roofing sheets. He was also into farming, exporting cocoa and palm kernel. He actually gave me my first lessons in business.

If you were doing so well why did you decide to go abroad?
My dad and I were very close growing up and he challenged me several times. But there was this particular time he did that and I decided that it was time to take him up on the challenge which is why I took the decision to be far away from home and his assistance and to use my middle name as my surname.

The challenge was that I couldn’t make it without him and his name. And looking back if I had remained with him then, I believe that I would not have made it without him.

Was the America you arrived in what you expected it to be?
No it wasn’t as I had imagined when I arrived, partly because I went to Memphis in Tennessee, in the south, which was still pretty segregated. It was not what I expected and I told myself I would rather return home than stay there. So I left Tennessee and moved to California.

How did you survive?
It was hard. I started by flipping burgers to put myself through college. One of the things that was ingrained in me back in Nigeria was the need to be educated. So in America, I struggled to get a bachelor’s degree. That was my first goal.

I met other Nigerians there who told me that the best jobs a Nigerian could were guard jobs or fast food jobs. That was how I started working in a fast food restaurant. But I soon decided it was not for me and that I could do better.

You were also going to school at the same time you were working?
Yes. I would go to school from 9 am to about 4 pm or 5 pm, go home to rest and then go to work around 10 pm till 6 am. I did that until I graduated college. It was really tough. Here I was moving from running a major company to having to virtually work myself to death. But I am intractable and a very focused person. When I decide to do something I keep at it. But there was a time I really thought seriously of coming back home when it got unbearable. I thought of coming home for one summer but then it didn’t work out.

Now, how did you get into the jewelry business?
I always had a love for jewelry and knew that jewelry was also a profitable business and wanted to ultimately invest in it. I had hoped to create a successful career in the entertainment industry in the USA and invest the money I made into the jewelry business.

sOME of Chris’s mASTER pIECE

You wanted to be an actor?
Yes, my degree was in acting and directing. But what happened was when I finished college it was impossible for me to go into acting. If you were not connected you could not get into the acting business at the time and I wasn’t connected. When I realised that I could not break into it, I put a group together and started making music.

Our brand label was Raw Silk. We did that for a few years and then broke up and I went solo and started doing my own thing. I actually got up to number 8 on the American Street chart once and had a video on BET.

Back to your involvement in the jewelry business?
Well, I talked to a friend of mine about my interest in the jewelry business and his father happened to be a jeweler. This was during my foray into music. One day his father called me and asked me if I was really serious about pursuing a career in music because it was not taking me anywhere. He invited me to come and learn about the jewelry business since I was always yapping about investing in one. He said at least I would have a job and be earning some money while waiting for my big break. I thought it was a good idea and started working for him. It eventually became a full-time thing. I started sketching unique jewelry pieces for him and that was really how I started to re-apply my creative skills into designing jewelry.

How did you start your own company?
 I apprenticed under my friend’s father for six years and then started my own company.
How did you start your own company?

I worked for him for six years and I had been able to save $5,000. That amount in starting a jewelry company was absolutely nothing. But what happened in those six years was that I met a lot of high net worth individuals within the jewelry community. The jewelry business is a very small community. We all go to the same shows, hang out together. So, working for him gave me a platform which catapulted me into the game. Unbeknownst to me, people had watched me for six years and had an insight into my character. They knew I could be trusted and that I was a serious minded person, this made it easier for them to take a chance on me.

How did you start with $5,000?
The $5,000 was just enough for me to rent a small office space where I was my own secretary, designer, salesman, manufacturer and everything rolled in together. I started in 1996 with that small amount of money but the goodwill I had built was what pushed me over the edge.

What exactly did you have to do?
I did all the designs and since I had befriended so many people in the business, I approached somebody with a manufacturing facility that would help me with the gold and other raw materials to extend credit terms to me. I then produced the pieces, put them in my bag and hawked them to the people I thought would buy them. I was given about 30 days to sell pay off my creditor. I would sell the pieces and repeat the process.

What gave you that real break in the business?
The turning point for me was when I met Gary Paton. He used to play for the Seattle Supersonics. That year they were playing the Los Angeles Lakers in the playoffs. I knew Gary was going to be staying at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, Marina Del Rey, so I went early and waited for him to show up. I waited for a few hours and when he finally showed up, I walked up and talked to him in the middle of the press frenzy. I will never forget how gracious he was. I had never met him before. I just walked up to him and introduced myself and my business. He put his arms around me and pointed to his body guard and asked me to talk to him and exchange addresses and phone numbers.

I stayed in touch with them after the playoffs. In the summer they were in Miami and invited me over to show them the stuff I had and I went over. When I got there he gave me an order for $50,000.

What exactly did you sell to him?
A bunch of gold and diamond basketball pendants. He bought for himself and his friends. It was a big order at the time. The interesting thing is that I had maxed out my credit card making that trip and if he hadn’t bought anything it would have been difficult for me to go back home. But it was worth the risk. Apart from him, I met a number of other people on the trip with whom I later did business.

Our clientele cuts across business, entertainment, Sports and so on. When I first started it was mostly entertainers.

Do you ever get carried away, being this young Nigeria making it big, and hobnobbing with superstars?
Sometimes I still pinch myself because I have been very fortunate. I consider myself lucky. Everything I have done I can only say is by the grace of the Almighty God.

You were away from Nigeria for a long time. What made you come back?
When I left Nigeria the idea was to go and study, better myself and then come back and apply the knowledge here, but the people who came back returned and told us how horrible it was. So coming back home was the last thing on my mind at the time. Also, the things that we were getting popular for in the USA were not your standard run off the mill designs. They were cutting edge and a lot of people did not understand it. They used to ask who would wear a clock? I could never have come home at that time with the pieces I was making. When I left, Nigeria was a conservative place. We were used to small flat wrist watches. So I never thought there would be a market for what I was doing in Nigeria.

As I got older, I started rethinking because most of the raw materials I use come from the African continent and most Africans are exploited and never really given the opportunity to add value to our raw materials, I decided it would be good to come back and set up something that would start to change that. So I started thinking of coming to set up here and contribute in my own way and share the knowledge I have accumulated in the United States. But I didn’t come to Nigeria right away. I went to Sierra Leone and Conakry, Guinea, and then gradually started coming to Nigeria. We set up the jewelry Boutique at Transcorp Hilton.

Where and how do you source you raw materials from, particularly diamonds?
We deal only in blood -free diamonds. Some of the raw materials like semi-precious stones and precious stones we get here in Nigeria. We have investment interest in mines in and outside Nigeria and we get some of our gold and others materials from there.

You see, blood diamonds are diamonds that fund wars and conflicts. Sierra Leone has been peaceful for quite some time, but there are diamonds in Canada, and there is no war in Canada. There are beautiful diamonds in Australia and there is no war there. Most of the yellow diamonds are from Australia. Some of the best diamonds are from Africa – South Africa, Botswana, Angola, and many other places.

Apart from jewelry you also went into wrist watches and other products. Can you tell us more about your businesses?

When I started I didn’t have much money so I started with what I felt most comfortable with which was bridals – designing bridal rings and accessories and expanded into other areas later. But I felt restricted and I couldn’t express myself much. I wanted to serve a clientele of artists, actors, celebrities and people like that who had different tastes, certainly not conservative. So I started creating these pieces my peers called “crazy designs”. But I always went out and sold them. By the time I had built up a big clientele I realized that they were looking up to me for direction in terms of the design of their jewelry and so I started recommending other brands to them. One day I woke up and said I was going to create something that was mine and present it to them. I created my own brand of watches and put it out and it sold out within two weeks and people were sending me their Rolex watches to trade it in for the Chris Aire watches.

How much was it?
When we first came out with the watch, the Aire Traveler, the basic model was $4,600. Then we had the diamond model that was $6,000 to $7,500. Some were $22,000 each and the most expensive one at the time $50,000. But today we have watches that sell in the million dollar range.
Looking at some of the stuff you have done, it takes an utterly crazy person to do them?
You call me crazy? (Laughs). Yeah, I get called that sometimes. Most of my clients are my friends now. When you are in the public eye you become extremely suspicious of people. Most celebrities are guarded. I misread this when I was starting out. I didn’t know it was a protective shield. I thought they were just being jerks because I would walk up to some of them and they would look down on me like I was a thief or something. As a Nigerian, I have an innate sense of pride but I had to swallow that pride because I had to eat. And that is why I say I was lucky. Imagine if the first 100 people I walked up to had told me to go to hell. It would have been a different story today.

Has being a Nigerian even worked against you abroad?
My belief is that if you do not feel comfortable or confident in your own skin, everything will work against you no matter where you are from. Yes I am a Nigerian, a black man and I am proud of it. What my story has shown is that a Nigerian can make it anywhere in the world. Nigerians are great people. We are hardworking and immensely blessed by God that is why Nigerians excel wherever they go.

It is a high risk business. And you have been in the US for a long time. Have you ever been scammed? And have you also ever had any problems with the law?



I have been in America for 30 years now. And I have been in a business of trust. But I have never had any run with the law and I have not had any problem with anybody. You know the jewelry industry is replete with stories about quark jewelers. We have been very fortunate and have not been involved in any controversies; thank God! I would prevaricate if I tell you that I am not aware of the international community’s perception of the Nigerian brand. I know most people think that a lot of us cannot be trusted and there is a strong argument in favor of that. My take on that is that you cannot indict a whole group of people based on the actions of a select few.

This is why I always let people know that I am a Nigerian, because even though some people have given us a bad name, not every Nigerian is a conman. As far as being scammed, I wouldn’t say I have been scammed in the US but I have lost money in Sierra Leone and Guinea. I have not had any problems in Nigeria.


Having made it outside this shores there are many young Nigerians who would look up to you as a role model. In what way are you giving back to society, in building up our youths, for example?

I think it is a privilege to be in my position and I do not take the responsibility of giving back lightly. But on a serious note, that is one aspect of my life that I do not make too much noise about. But what I can talk about is I have tried to give some of our young ones the kind of opportunity and exposure that I have enjoyed. I was the one who introduced D’banj to Snoop Dogg and orchestrated the deal with the collaboration. I have also worked with Duncan Mighty and a host of other guys helping to strengthen the Nigerian entertainment community. And none of it was business. I never got a dime from helping any of them.

You said you had invested in mines in Sierra Leone. Do you have similar investments in Nigeria?
Yes we have some investments in Nigeria as well. We support small scale miners in the country from whom we source some of our raw materials use in some of our products in our Transcorp Hilton Hotel Boutique.

Do you have a factory In Nigeria?
No not yet. We are working on it but we need to get our electricity and other things sorted out first.

That is a disincentive to investing in Nigeria isn’t it?
I think it is a very import one. I am told that the government is working round the clock to fix it. There are other discouraging factors. I have been extremely encouraged by the support

http://www.chrisaire.com/

that we have received from majority of Nigerians in our efforts here, but there are a few people who are grounded in negativity that they believe the only way to excel is by bringing others down...Gossipciti-Magazine

NY SP' DESIGNER Chris Aire Chats With Rocco Leo Gaglioti at S/S  New York Fashion Week 

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Ticket details

Rick Ross "Mastermind" tour

ORCHESTRA SEATING

US $39.50 - US $69.50

US $39.50 Ticket + US $11.85 Fees =
US $51.35 US $69.50 Ticket + US $12.60 Fees =
US $82.10

MEZZANINE SEATING

US $49.50

US $49.50 Ticket + US $12.10 Fees =
US $61.60

BALCONY SEATING

US $39.50 - US $49.50 US $39.50 Ticket + US $11.85 Fees =
US $51.35 US $49.50 Ticket + US $12.10 Fees =
US $61.60

You can view the dates below.
Nov. 14: Boston, MA - Orpheum Theatre
Nov. 15: New York, NY - Beacon Theatre
^{Tour Details}

wHATZAPP bEAN!!! bOSTON'S tOP nOVEMBER eVENT LiSTINGS

Events You  Don't Wanna Miss 

  "Mastermind"

"Mastermind" This November Rick Ross will be embarking on his "Mastermind" tour.Beginning on November 12 in Detroit, the 37-year-old rapper from Carol City will perform in eight cities across the East Coast before ending the tour in his hometown of Miami. Ross has tapped 1500 or Nothin as his backing live band, who have worked with artists like Snoop Dogg and Game in the past.Last December Rick Ross cancelled a string of tour dates due to "lack of organization" from the tour promoter, though word spread that it was because of threats from a gang. Ross would later deny the claim. Either way, let's hope nothing goes wrong this time around.

Click link Tickets Details

Nov. 14: Boston, MA - Orpheum Theatre
Nov. 15: New York, NY - Beacon Theatre

The Boston Home Show & Bridal Expo

The expo is where to go for the latest in products and services for your home and wedding! Each year, in one location, industry experts gather with everything from kitchen and bath appliances to windows and siding. Thousands of homeowners will walk through the doors of Cruiseport Boston looking for ideas and trends designed for their biggest investment- their home and the best day of their lives, their wedding. A jam-packed event complete with hundreds of exhibitors and over $40,000 in giveaways, including 2 all inclusive getaways to the Tamarijin Aruba, homeowners and brides will find everything they need all in one weekend. You don’t want to miss this, – stop by the Boston Home Show & Bridal Expo at Cruiseport Boston.

Kanye West Live In Boston *Yeezuz Tour*
TD Garden, Boston, MA


Sun, Nov 17, 2013 07:00 PM Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar

The Boston concert @ the TD Garden, Boston, MA will serve as one of the 35 concerts slated for the Yeezus Tour. West's first solo concert tour in five years and will feature special guest, American rapper Kendrick Lamar on eighteen dates. The tour will be supporting West's sixth solo studio album, Yeezus.
Kendrick Lamar will serve as supporting act on the majority of the tour, with "special guests" replacing him on the dates he will miss. At the October 25, 2013 show, GOOD Music signee Pusha T will serve as the opening act. On October 15, 2013, it was revealed that two of the four New York shows will feature A Tribe Called Quest as supporting acts instead of Lamar. These will be A Tribe Called Quest's final performances ever.

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bOStON's cENTRIC sOUL mONTHLy sHOWCAsE


Event Details

BOSTON's CENTRIC SOUL MONTHLY SHOWCASE
FUTURISTIC SOUL: INSTRUMENTAL SERIES
THURSDAY
NOVEMBER 21, 2013
SOUNDS BY l DJ OWT LAW + LIVE BAND
HOSTED BY APRIL STANFORD & MELISSA GREEN
LIVE ** MUSIC** POETRY **SOUL **FUNK **HIP HOP
FUTURISTIC SOUL MUSIC & SPECIAL GUESTS **
WAZIR GRAY EP Release Party

F.E.A.T.U.R.I.N.G
ALAGE.  OA.  SHAUNI & P GOODS.  ARAFAT.   OFATS.  SEAN ROSATI.  BIG BROTHA SADI.  MICHAEL WEFERLING

21+ EVENT l STATE ID REQUIRED
DOORS OPEN 9PM l $10 AT THE DOOR
RSVP ON $5 GUEST LIST

Milky Way Lounge
The Brewery Complex
284 Amory Street - Jamaica Plain - MA -02130
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MassConnect-Boston November NetworkinEvent @Julep Bar
MassConnect

Wednesday, November 20, 2013 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM (EST)
Boston, United States
Wednesday November 20th, MassConnect-Boston is happy to announce it's next Boston area professional networking event at Julep Bar in the heart of the Financial District.
Join us from 6-9pm for free appetizers and a casual business afterhours to build and develop business connections.
If you would like to get on the list to receive info on upcoming events, simply leave your email by clicking 'contact the organizer' button on the right side of the screen.
You can also join the Linkedin group for MassConnect-Boston
For a full calendar of area events or sign up for the newsletter,
You can follow the organizer (Nate Therrien) on twitter @nathantherrien
On the lookout to get free tickets to upcoming events? Sure, who isn't. Join MassConnect's gaggle on GaggleAMP and help spread the word and earn free tickets to upcoming events!

Join MassConnect on facebook Look forward to seeing everyone there.



25th Boston Jewish Film Festival - The Dewey Stone Connection
Sunday, Nov 17 6:30p to 8:00p
Museum of Fine Arts Boston, MA

This is the incredible saga of the late Dewey Stone of Brockton, MA, “an unsung hero for Israel.” A Zionist philanthropist in the 1940s, Dewey purchased and smuggled arms to the Haganah, outfitted the Exodus, the ship carrying Holocaust survivors to Palestine, and helped to establish the Weizmann Institute of Science. Members and friends of the Stone family will join us to share their stories of life with Dewey. Preceded by "Ben-Gurion Hosting."

EMPiRE •N•Y•E 2014 "Annual Formal Affair"

 Live @HILTON HOTEL(Burlington) 9pm-2am

Tuesday, December 31, 2013 at 9:00 PM - Wednesday, January 1, 2014 at 2:00 AM (EST)


Burlington, MA


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IVY 's Father ....King Jay

Jay Z..Not Just A Rapper, He is A Life Style"I'm not a businessman....I'm a business, man."-Jay-Z by Gossipciti

 Some people think Jay-Z is just another rapper. Others see him as just another celebrity/mega-star. The reality is, no matter what you think Jay-Z is, he first and foremost a business. And as much as Martha Stewart or Oprah, he has turned himself into a lifestyle.
You can wake up to the local radio station playing Jay-Z's latest hit, spritz yourself with his 9IX cologne, slip on a pair of his Rocawear jeans, lace up your Reebok S. Carter sneakers, catch a Nets basketball game in the afternoon, and grab dinner at The Spotted Pig before heading to an evening performance of the Jay-Z-backed Broadway musical Fela! and a nightcap at his 40/40 Club. He'll profit at every turn of your day
You can wake up to the local radio station playing Jay-Z's latest hit, spritz yourself with his 9IX cologne, slip on a pair of his Rocawear jeans, lace up your Reebok S. Carter sneakers, catch a Nets basketball game in the afternoon, and grab dinner at The Spotted Pig before heading to an evening performance of the Jay-Z-backed Broadway musical Fela! and a nightcap at his 40/40 Club. He'll profit at every turn of your day.

But despite Jay-Z's success, there are still many Americans whose impressions of him are foggy, outdated, or downright incorrect. Surprisingly to many, he honed his business philosophy not at a fancy B school, but on the streets of Brooklyn, New York and beyond as a drug dealer in the 1980s.

Empire State of Mind tells the story behind Jay-Z's rise to the top as told by the people who lived it with him- from classmates at Brooklyn's George Westinghouse High School; to the childhood friend who got him into the drug trade; to the DJ who convinced him to stop dealing and focus on music. This book explains just how Jay-Z propelled himself from the bleak streets of Brooklyn to the heights of the business world.

Zack O'Malley Greenburg draws on his one-on-one interviews with hip-hop luminaries such as DJ Clark Kent, Questlove of The Roots, Damon Dash, Fred "Fab 5 Freddy" Brathwaite, MC Serch; NBA stars Jamal Crawford and Sebastian Telfair; and recording industry executives including Craig Kallman, CEO of Atlantic Records.
He also includes new information on Jay-Z's various business dealings, such as:

* The feature movie about Jay-Z and his first basketball team that was filmed by Fab 5 Freddy in 2003 but never released.
* The Jay-Z branded Jeep that was scrapped just before going into production.
* The real story behind his association with Armand de Brignac champagne.
* The financial ramifications of his marriage to Beyonce.

Jay-Z's tale is compelling not just because of his celebrity, but because it embodies the rags-to-riches American dream and is a model for any entrepreneur looking to build a commercial empire.

Gossipciti Magazine

Any BIG Plans for 2015? Mark your calendars, because Lady Gaga is set to perform Gigs in SPACE billed for 2015 by Gossipciti

Not content to be confined by Earth's gravitational pull, Lady Gaga is planning to sing in space, Us Weekly reports. The gig will go down in 2015 in conjunction with the Zero-G Music Tech Festival at New Mexico's Spaceport America. She'll board a Virgin Galactic spaceship for a performance that is reportedly planned for dawn on the festival's third day. In preparation, Gaga will have to do a month of rehearsals because of the change in atmosphere. No word on the price tag to catch Gaga's space set, but expect it to cost a pretty penny. 
The pop star is trading in her little monsters for aliens in early 2015 with a performance at the high tech festival Zero G Colony before boarding a Virgin Galactic spaceship and being blasted into the ether. She’ll perform one song while orbiting the earth, and will have to train for a month prior to the event to make sure that her vocal cords can handle all the changes in atmospheric pressure.

Gaga isn't the only singer with her eye on the sky. English classical-crossover artist Sarah Brightman is also preparing for a space voyage in 2015, her rep said. Brightman is training with Russian cosmonauts for a 10-day journey to the International Space Station, where she she hopes to record a song.
News of Lady Gaga's cosmic aspirations comes as the singer is about to release her fourth album ARTPOP, which is now streaming on iTunes Radio. It was reported earlier this week that she recently split with her longtime manager, Troy Carter, who had a heavy hand in breaking her. She's set to take over Saturday Night Live on November 16th as both host and performer. So far, her space show is the only live show on the books.

Related

• The New Immortals: Lady Gaga

• Lady Gaga Releases 'Do What U Want' With R.Kelly

This article originally appeared on Rolling Stone: Lady Gaga Books Gig in Space

LMAO Watch The Real Husbands of Hollywood BET Hip Hop Awards Cypher (Snippets)

 

BET’s resident squad The Real Husband’s of Hollywood (Kevin Hart, Nick Cannon, Nelly, Boris Kodjoe, Dwayne Martin, JB Smooth) will join the other hip-hop crews consisting of Kendrick Lamar, A$AP Rocky and Ferg, Joe Budden, Lil Kim, Schoolboy Q, Nelly, and Astro for their cypher of comedy during the 2013 BET Hip Hop Awards on Oct 15.
Kevin Hart sports no shirt and gold chains under his rapper pseudonym “Chocolate Drop,” while Nelly calls dibs on the rap game in the group: “The only rapper in this b*tch, no disrespect to Nick,” he rhymes. Boris Kodjoe flows in German, and Nick Cannon’s freestyle had him roasting his cast mates: “Watch me get this work off/ Fuck rapping, ya’ll should have had a twerk off,” he says.
Tune in on Oct. 15 on BET at 8PM for the 2013 BET Hip-Hop Awards hosted by Snoop Dogg.

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Citi Of Gossips

Just few months after “Crown” Which She produced on Jay Z's Holy Grail Album

16 year old Wondagurl goes on to score a Drake Session “Drizzy wants a banger”. She quips

Ebony Oshunrinde, aka WondaGurl, has been honing her craft since she was 9 years old.

WondaGurl’s talent first came to light at the 2011 Battle of the Beatmakers in Toronto, where as a 14 year old, she competed making it through to the quarter finals. She left an indelible impression with the quality of her work, and her calm, collected demeanour. It was this performance that caught the eye of super-producer Boi-1Da, who took her under his wing as he mentored her at the Remix Project Studio in Toronto. A year later, WondaGurl took the 2012 Battle of the Beatmakers title, resulting in a huge profile boost. Since the win, she has signed an exclusive management deal with Black Box (Shad, Classified), and placed cuts with French Montana, Travis Scott and just announced a cut (“Crown”) on JayZ’s much anticipated “Magna Carta Holy Grail”, which dropped July 4th.

As she completes 11th grade, WondaGurl continues to make waves as one of the game’s freshest and most exciting producers. Her age and the fact that she’s female have bent a lot of peoples ears, but her work is what has truly impressed people.
Landing a production credit on Jay Z's Magna Carta Holy Grail is already working its magic on Ebony "Wondagurl" Oshunrinde's career. The teenager, who constructed the sound for Hov's "Crown," is now in talks to work with

Drake.
"We went into the studio here in Toronto," the 16-year-old told The Hollywood Reporter. "He wants a banger. That's what he told me. So that is what I am going to make him."
Unfortunately, they haven't made much progress since their first studio session got cut short. "I had to go because my mom was calling me home," she explained.
Her "Wondagurl" alias is a nod to Drizzy's producer Boi-1Da, who gave "feedback" on beats she'd send his way. The two met after her Battle of the Beatmakers victory in 2009.
Now, with Drake and Jay in her corner, the talented youngster is swiftly becoming a sought-after commodity, juggling the music industry and high school. "I'll just continue to make beats at my house after I've done my homework," she said.
In the future, Oshunrinde hopes to work with Timbaland, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T and Kerri Hilson and wants to inspire fellow female beatmakers. "Before all of the beat battle stuff, I thought there were a lot of female producers. Now that I am in the industry, I see that there are none. It would be great to see more females in the game. You are never too young to just do it.

The producer is one of the most crucial yet anonymous figures in all of music. Every now and again we aim to illuminate these under-heralded artists with Beat Construction. For today we spoke to Ebony “Wondagurl” Oshunrinde, the 16-year-old producer who landed a Sizzla sample on a JAY Z album. Here, she talks about piano lessons, hacking her childhood computer and senior year.

You’re the youngest producer on JAY Z’s album, and the woman who won Canada’s big production tournament, Battle of the Beatmakers. Does the task to represent young, female producers feel like a lot of weight on your shoulders? No, not really. A lot of people ask this, but I never feel that way.

Why do you think there are so few female producers working? I don’t know. I feel like some female producers just feel like they can’t do it sometimes. Maybe, that’s probably why? I don’t know many female producers and I would like to know more. I have no idea. Everything is just really easy for me, but I’ve seen a lot of female producers struggling.

What’s easy for you? I’m not good with people, but I’m really good with programs. I started fixing computers at like age 9. I would go on my computer and try and fix the viruses and stuff that it had. The computer was so slow—I just tried to make it faster and it worked. Then I started learning how to use software and all that stuff. I’m a fast learner.

Have you ever been able to share those interests with other women? I think part of the reasons that I am the way I am today is because I didn’t have any friends. I wouldn’t talk to anyone, I would just go home and do stuff. A lot of people hit me up now, though. I’ve seen a lot of people post pictures of their daughters, saying “You inspired this girl to make beats.” That makes me feel really nice.

Now that you’re making music professionally, do you find that you’re better at making friends? I guess. I’m pretty quiet though. I’m more social on the internet, or text.

Ebony with Mum (Right) Jozie Oshorinde (Left) Ebony WondaGurl

How did you start making beats? I made my first beats on this really small Casio keyboard. There was these little tiny circle drum pads, these turbo drums on it, so I’d just make drum sounds and loops. It was kind of weird how it popped up and I just started. My mom was surprised, because when I was smaller I didn’t like music and I always went away when someone was playing music loud.
Your mum seems really supportive. Is she a music person as well? She doesn’t do music, but she loves music and she’s part of the reason why I do what I do right now. She used to listen to R. Kelly, so I started from R. Kelly, then went on to Aaliyah and to Timbaland, her producer. He’s my biggest inspiration.

What’s The Remix Project? I got into The Remix Project last year; it’s this big program for photographers, designers, rappers, singers and producers and a lot more. They just mentor you and they just teach you how to be successful I guess. They’re really supportive. Having all those people around me, helping me, I got so much better from when I started out.

Where did you start? I didn’t know how to do anything, but I was making beats. I had this thing called Mixcraft: there’s different loops in this part of the software, and you just put them together. So I was making beats and releasing them onto SoundClick and posting them up on Facebook. Eventually I started using FL Studio, and then I mastered FL studio, or sort of mastered it. [In 2010] I saw a pop-up on FL Studio that said Battle of the Beat-makers; they have this little internet spot when you’re making the beats that shows updates. I clicked it and I tried to join but they said I couldn’t join because it was 19+, so I emailed the guy. He said that he’d change the age restriction to all-ages. So that’s how I joined the Battle a year later, when I was 14.

What compelled you to send that email? I felt so ready for people to hear who was. I really felt like I was good.

When you returned to Battle of the Beatmakers in 2012, you won. Did Boi-1da, a former winner, give you any valuable advice? He gave me little tips for FL studio; the little tips helped a whole lot. And he told me what type of beats I needed to take to the battle. All he said was “bangers.” That’s it. And that really helped. 

NOV 4th Nomercy PIx Studios Unveils Its Block Buster Movie directed by Hollywood extraordinaire Noma Abbe

The stables of Nomercy PIx Studios the Premiers the much anticipated block buster movie “Need Each Other” . Although Debut to hit cinemas across Africa by November 28, The Movie already is set to be released in the United States NOV 4th 00.00/23c (12:00am)

Storyline
A rich, dark and beautiful drama about when we question ourselves for doing the wrong thing for the right reason or doing the right thing for wrong reason. . . All breaks lose in a foster home, leaving two teenagers to make a difficult decision that could change their lives for ever, including a little 7 year old. Hoping to stick together no matter what but things take a tragic turn when source of their problems shows up last minute.....

                             Click e-art  to view the whole movie courtesy Gossipciti Magazine