As long as I can remember I’ve been attracted to music with funk and soul. The first tapes I asked my mom to buy me were Stevie Wonder’s “Motown Legend” & “Greatest Hits II,” Fresh Prince’s “He’s the DJ, I’m the Rapper,” and LL’s “Walking with a Panther.” It expanded to Michael Jackson, Bobby Brown, the Drifters, Lionel Richie, Run DMC, and then the untouchable A Tribe called Quest. I appreciated some of the rock and alternative, and to this day love 80’s tunes, but at the time couldn’t put my finger on what attracted me so much to Rap and Motown. It went on … Ice Cube, Easy E, Wutang, Boys II Men, Snoop, Body Count, Us3, Fugees, Digable Planets, Cyprus Hill, ‘ Pac, Beastie Boys. Now living in the heart of Harlem I don’t have to look far; its all around me. I am a huge fan of Eminem, Jurassic 5, Dialated Peoples, Cee-Lo, Talib Kweli, Back Eyed Peas, John Legend, Kanye West, Akil Dasan, Common, Outkast, the Roots etc…Basically all the artists that have something to say, and give back. There are performers that head charities, build schools, buy booksand make a positive change. That is the road less taken, but it is the primary force that drives me.         Sometime around 18 I was introduced to tap dancing and the ole movie musical. I was floored and challenged by the caliber of performer; this is when I was introduced this incredible music. The more I learned ‘bout that time period and the music, the better it got. These performers rose to the occasion of being stars, they were more than familiar faces; they were personalities that the fans could count on and believe in. Music meant more to these people, who were going through The Depression and The World Wars, than just a catchy phrase and a hot video. And the songs the songs were gems that flowed out of these composers’ open hearts through these performer’s souls. I know it sounds corny, but listen to Billie sing “Strange Fruit” or Sarah Vaughn sing “‘Round Midnight” and disagree with me. In the 21st century we have some wonderful personalities, who fit the descriptionthat I’m referring to; I’d just like to join the ranks.          I’ve been in Off-Broadway shows, modeled, done TV and film, and sang with big bands, but know this music is where I can make my stamp. I want to bring brilliant and still relevant tunes back that the younger ears have never heard (sometimes with drastic interpretations, sometimes not), and write songs that will be as immortal as the ones from the American Songbook.          I know the power of a brilliant song is incomparable to any other art form. Whether it is expressing the words for how someone feels for the love of their life, inspiring someone to be the best person they can be, taking the listeners to a better world, or sharing oneself completely and singing about a broken heart. It is a wonderful gift to give, and I couldn’t dedicate my life to anything else.