Miss Minaj covers Complex !

Where do all your different voices come from?

Nicki Minaj: I have no idea. I think Wayne kind of influenced that. He has always been really carefree when he raps and I was like, "I don't have to stay in one cadence or stay in one tone when I rap—I can just do what I want."
But you've been saying in recent interviews that you might tone down the voices.

Nicki Minaj: Sometimes the shit I say is over people's heads and I feel like I need to dumb it down a bit so people can understand it. I think if I had said a lot of raps in a particular voice, people would go, "Yo, that shit was hard"—but when you change up your voice a little bit, they can't see past that. And they're lookin' at me like, "This bitch is stupid"—and I'm lookin' at them like, "No, bitch, you're stupid." [Laughs.]

So on your album and going forward, you're going to mellow out on the voices?

Nicki Minaj: I definitely made a conscious effort to tone the voices down a little bit.

The successful female rappers that have come before you each had a strong male counterpart. How do you make sure people don't say Lil Wayne is pulling the strings on your career?

Nicki Minaj: I always keep Nicki Minaj separate from Young Money. I allow Wayne to call the shots when we do group albums, but when I do other things and have other choices, I don't necessarily need everyone's go-ahead. I write my own raps, I go in the studio by myself. There are some female rappers who can't go in the studio unless they have a ghostwriter sitting right next to them. I'm the complete opposite—I'll go in and ghostwrite for someone.

It seems like Young Money as a whole doesn't get caught up in beef. Has Wayne sat you or Drake down and advised you to avoid that route?

Nicki Minaj: He's definitely told me, "Yo, leave that bullshit alone. That's for people who ain't got shit else to do." I've watched Wayne handle himself so well. I've seen people take shot after shot after shot at him and if it fazed him, I never saw it. People take shots because they're hoping for a little bit of your energy. They need fuel.


There's been a lot of speculation about your sexuality in the press. Your verse on Usher's "Lil' Freak" adds to the buzz that you're bisexual.

Nicki Minaj: When I rap, it's just an extension of how I speak, and that's how I talk. If you don't like it, don't listen. I'm also not going to explain something just because I said it in a rap. Take what you want from it. [In the press] I didn't say [I don't like women]. I said I don't have sex with women. I don't have sex with men right now either. If [bisexual is] what they wanna call me, then fine.

So right now Nicki Minaj is celibate?

Nicki Minaj: Yes, and I encourage all my young Barbies to do the same. I just don't have time.

Lindsay KAWS Trouble.

Lindsay Lohan "Kaws'" more trouble on the cover of the upcoming August/September issue of Complex Magazine. Do check out the issue coming to newsstands near you. i love her showing off her obsession or toys. ;)







Bad bitch like yours truly.

x and o's

Vado x Complex Mag!

Teeyon Winfree better known to everyone else as "Vado" is indeed even more 'Large in the Streets'. After his Summer Jam debut this past Sunday he is nothing but so much hotter right now! Out of Harlem he is the first artist signed to the U.N., Cam’ron’s newly formed music group. Complex magazine caught up with VADO (which is actually an acronym for “violence and drugs only”) to discuss his freshly dropped video for his Big L-inspired “Large In The Streets". Busy working on his solo debut, Slime Flu which is said to drop real soon, as well as the upcoming U.N. album, Gunz N’ Butta, Vado checked in with Complex to discuss how he met Cam, what “Large In The Streets” meant for his career, and his role in the upcoming Diplomats reunion.

Complex: Has anyone ever told you that you look like Shyne?

Vado: Ah, man, if I were to get a dollar for that every time I heard it, I would be a millionaire. That was one of the first things people used to say.

Complex: You’ve said before your style is more ’90s and the way you rap people can tell you still listen toIllmatic and It Was Written. What made you want to go in that direction?

Vado: I’m young with an old soul. I know music where every song is concepts. Every verse you have to talk about something. Paint some type of picture and make a person interested and if you not painting a picture, at least explain yourself. Like how you livin’? What you wear? What type of girls you like? What kind of cars you want to drive? That’s from the ’90s era. You know when Big, Cam, Pac and all those artist were spittin’, they was always talking about something. So that’s my style—and my clothing style is new, but it’s different.

Complex: Yeah, I noticed you wear Polo a lot.

Vado: Yeah I was a boat head, like a Nautica head. Then I started fuckin’ with Polo in 2000. My man put me on to the Rugby and I know a lot of people ain’t know about that because there is only one store in New York. Rugby is a clothing line where you can make your own clothes. You pick up a shirt and they give you patches and you make it hot so I started runnin’ with that and it stood out.

Complex: How old were you when you started to rap?

Vado: When I started to pick up the pen and take it serious, I was about 19. But I started rapping when I was 16.

Complex: When did it actually become something in your mind like “I’m going to try and do this?”

Vado: When I was doing this popular public access show in New York called Mad Ciphers. It only plays in Manhattan and the Bronx. I was about 18 and I just put some bars together and went up there with Jae Millz and I started grabbing attention. People started diggin’ me, so that’s when I started to take it serious. When I was taking it serious, Millz had got on in ’03 to Warner Bros. so I started runnin’ around with Millz.
Complex: How did “Large On The Streets” come about?

Vado: V Don brought me the beat with the sample; honestly, I was sittin’ on it. He gave it to me in November and I didn’t record it until January. We knew the sample was going to be hard to clear. That’s why “Large On The Streets” has turned into a street record, ’cause we already changed the hook and everything.

Complex: You changed the hook from what’s in the video?

Vado: It’s a sample of one of my bars: “Niggas got no Morals, Values or Principles” [from "Ric Flair"]. The hook is now from “MVP,” I’m still givin’ a shout out to Big L. It’s just like the sample with Big L sayin’, “Large On The Streets.” It’s going to sound like that. It’s still gonna be good money ’cause that’s one of my popular quotes.

Complex: So you guys tried to clear it and couldn’t?

Vado: Yeah, so it was a choice we had to do.

Complex: What was Sony asking for?

Vado: Shit, let’s just put it like this: A mansion, a Phantom, and a jet flight. They asked for too much. So we had to change it up for BET and MTV.

Complex: I know it started off as Movado, then you shortened it to Vado. When did you pick up your rap name?

Vado: I think around 17. Money Out of Violence And Drugs Only. It was originally Cree. I made up a meaning. [Laughs.] The meaning was Cute Real and Everything Else. It was just a tag name I had. I would spray it up on walls in junior high. Me and Millz did graffiti and used to tag up whatever. We was on some ‘hood shit. We tried to, but we didn’t have the heart to go everywhere and tag up and go on trains. But we wanted fame, so we had fame in our area. I was just taggin’ that up and Millz was taggin’ his up. One day when we was rhymin’ and making up names and his name I think was Jarvis Milli-on and he said put “Movado on the end of that, Cree Movado.” I thought it sounded cool so I started runnin’ with it. Then I just took the Cree off and kept the Movado and then people just started callin’ me Vado for short.

Complex: Given that you’re thought of as a flashy Harlem dude, it’s interesting how you’ve mentioned not being into wearing jewelry.

Vado: Yeah, I don’t do the jewelry. Probably a nice little chain. Nothing big or crazy. Maybe a little diamond necklace and a good watch. I’m more into watches, I love watches. I started off wearin’ G-Shocks and toy watches, but now I’m into Rolexes, Cartiers, Audemars. I’m just a watch fanatic. Right now my level is just icing out G-Shocks, toy watches, and all that, but in a minute I should be in the Cartiers and Franck Mullers.

Complex: What is your dream watch?

Vado: A Rolex GMT.

Check out the rest of the interview over at Complex, we have a couple questions for Vado himself. .. Hopefully that interview will come sooner than you think! ;-)

Best of Both Worlds

*Gasp* That's what I did when I took a glance at this cover of Trey Songz on VIBE Magazine. Trey looks sexy, scary, hot, and handsome all at the same time. This is a two sided over also featuring Young Jeezy, and also features articles on Eyrka Badu, Buju Banton, Usher and more. Make sure you get that when it hits the stands.
April/May 2010 VIBE Magazine !

"Back in the day when I was young I'm not a kid any more, but some days I sit and wish I was a kid again"

-Ahmad

For some reason while looking at these pictures of Trey Songz ( featured on Complex Magazine) that quote from Ahmad popped up in my head. This shoot looks like Mr. Songz did a lot of growing up since his past album "READY." Trey takes it back to era of rhythm and blues, when record labels were perfectly dressed-downed and spiffy just as their record labels.

Nicki Minaj Goes Complex. .

The December/January issue features Young Money Mc/Vixen Nicki Minaj who claims she has more than one way to put the rap game on lock. She's featured in Complex's top 100 girls of the 2000's coming in at 89.




"You may know Nicki Minaj as that girl with the curvaceous frame that's been touring with Lil' Wayne. Maybe you've listened to one of her three mixtapes. If so, you've probably got an image of who you think she is: a potty-mouthed MC using sex to sell herself to the masses. Look harder, homie. The 24-year-old Queens, New York native may possess a gorgeous face and a body you could get lost in, but she's got more up her sleeve than diamond bracelets. With females not even part of the rap conversation these days, she's trying to make some noise and some loot. And we think she has just the right moneymaker to do it."

Complex: When people think of Nicki Minaj they envision stilettos, bustiers, and maybe a lollipop…

Nicki Minaj: This is the thing: I like being sexy when it's time to do a show, but to be honest, I hate wearing high heels, and I hate wearing anything tight. People do get taken aback when they see me in person because I'm in the jeans and the little slippers. I think it's cute when they see me transform, they see me go into my machine and come out as Nicki Minaj.

Complex: How do you transform for that special someone?

Nicki Minaj: Thigh-high boots or some real crazy pumps, some thongs, and curly hair, that's it. [Laughs.] Nothing else—nothing less, nothing more.

Complex: What is it about curly hair that makes you feel sexy?

Nicki Minaj: I feel like I'm a girl. The curly hair gives the impression that like, "Oh, I'm well-behaved," but I take the trench coat off and boom! It doesn't have to be too curly; it just looks like I did my hair.

Complex: So is romancing and seduction part of your repertoire when it comes to the bedroom?

Nicki Minaj: I don't like romancing and I don't like seduction. It's corny to me. I like role-playing, but that's not one of my characters. [Laughs.]

Complex: With all the touring you've been doing, do you have time for a boyfriend?

Nicki Minaj: I have no dating life, I can only hope and wish and imagine and fantasize. They demand too much. In life there's always going to be one thing that takes precedence, and when you're as hungry as I am you have tunnel vision. So I can't really cater to a dude right now—I love them and I think they're cute, but I can't do what they want me to do for them right now.

Amerie x Complex

The beautiful Amerie was featured in Complex's October/November issue. With the release of her fourth album, In Love & War which was released on Tuesday, the sultry R&B diva dishes on cheating and wanting space.

Men say: If I’ve only been seeing a woman for a month, I’m not expected to be exclusive.

Amerie says: Unless it’s been explicitly stated that you two are exclusive, it’s best to assume you’re not. Women date men—as in going out on “dates”—and feel awkward if they run into him on a date with someone else. Trust me, if a man doesn’t say so, he’s not exclusive and probably sleeping with someone else.

Men say: Cheating is only an issue if you get caught.Amerie says: One of the consequences of cheating is that you only trust somebody as much as you trust yourself. Even the whole line of “wanting space”—they’ve probably already cheated at least once. It’s thinking, “I don’t want to risk losing this person, so instead of being honest, I’ll put them on the side while I get all this stuff out my system.”

Men say: Women settle more easily than men.

Amerie says: Men rarely settle; they won’t wife up someone they don’t feel is worthy of them. A woman can persistently chase a man, and he may sleep with her, but it’ll never make him love her. Yet a guy that a woman’s not interested in can hound her, and if he’s persistent enough, he’ll wear her down. Women are more malleable. Yet, we’re still the smarter sex. Men can’t handle the truth about women—that we can be as noncommittal, manipulative, and promiscuous as they are.

KAWS x Complex. .

Complex’s August/September Style & Design Issue is FEATURING Brian Donnelly, 34-year-old a.k.a. the man behind KAWS. Brain "Kaws" Donnelly started with his street graffiti work in the ’90s. Then evolved to clothing collaborations and toys. The Jersey-raised Brooklyn rep has managed to walk the line between art and commercialism and still be respected. Over the past year he’s created the cover for Kanye’s 808s & Heartbreak, debuted exhibitions at major NYC and L.A. galleries, and seen his clothing line, Original Fake, kill it globally. In short, the man is Style and Design.

Check out the extended online cut of the magazine interview...

You've been doing more exhibitions recently; what motivated that move?

KAWS: As far as exhibiting work, that’s newer, but I’ve been painting nonstop since the ‘90s. I started doing commissions early on for Nigo [of A Bathing Ape], and later, for Pharrell. That made it easy, because I like to sell the work to people who know what I’m doing and to people who I respect.
So you were essentially able to skip the whole exhibition step in the art hustle and work directly with collectors from the start.

KAWS: Well, I learned to be guarded with where I exhibited my stuff. I grew up under Futura and Dondi White; CRASH was one of my best friends. They were all glamorized during the ’80s in the art scene, and then it dropped them. [The art] is kind of like a kid, or like letting someone watch your pet: You want to be careful with where it winds up.

What about Clipse? You did their new album art.

KAWS: I met Clipse through Pharrell. I’m a huge fan of theirs to start, so when they wanted to work together it was like immediately, “Yes.” I didn’t really need to know the details.

It’s funny how the blogs were labeling the single, “Clipse x Kanye x KAWS.”

KAWS: For the first Clipse song that leaked ["Kind of Like a Big Deal"], I just adjusted their logo as a fun, quick thing before I got the album art done. I had no idea how much that was going to get out there. That was kind of nuts.

Do you design all of Original Fake?

KAWS: I don’t design the shapes of the clothes, but I do all of the graphics and I design and direct the line aesthetics.

Was that a new step, moving into clothing?

KAWS: Actually, no. I’ve worked with BAPE, Undercover, Supreme—all brands that gave me insight into those worlds—since I was like 16. Designing Original Fake was the next step, and it allows me to do projects that don’t have anything specific to do with one thing. If you work with another company you kind of have to fit the product within their image.

How did you wind up in Japan initially?

KAWS: I first went there in 1997 to do some street work and billboards, and there was no graf on the street. But when I went back the next time, MQ had killed it with fill-ins, and then Barry [McGee] and other guys got over there. [Bringing graffiti to Tokyo] isn’t something I’m necessarily proud of, but it’s kind of funny. Now there is stuff in the streets like any other city. I don’t think there are any more untouched cities, or will ever be anything like that again.

HERE'S SOME KAWS ARTWORK:






Where’s the new studio?

KAWS: I’m working on a studio space in Brooklyn with Masamichi Katayama [of Japanese
architecture firm Wonderwall]. More on that to come.

What influences the new work?

KAWS: I don’t really know where the new stuff is coming from. It’s super-colorful and friendly looking, but for me it’s really dark. When I paint identifiable pop stuff like the SpongeBob series, I’m not seeing SpongeBob at all, and it’s weird to have someone connect it to the TV show because I forget that that’s how the viewer relates. Now I’m abstracting it and making it more about color and shape. As far as artists influencing my work, when I get into another artist, I try to work with them—like Hajime Sorayama, who we did the figure with.

How did you put the piece together?

KAWS: I’ve become friends with him through traveling to Japan. I wanted to take the figure work to another level, to do something totally outside of what I did. So, in 2006, I asked him to paint a version of the Companion, which I then worked on turning into the figure. I didn’t want to compromise the project at all, so I let it take as long as it needed to, and let it get as expensive as it needed to.

Amber Rose x Complex Magazine

The Beautiful Amber Rose is beginning to find the spot light on her own. The cameras, the paparrazi and of course MOB loves her. You cant even lie, in our words and all of our friends words "She's Bad" lol. The Ford Model who as of right now is Kanye West's girlfriend had a sexy poppin photo shoot with Complex Magazine where she talks about meeting Kanye, her sexuality, and all of the blog gossip. We're here to tell you Amber, fuck what they say, no matter what, MOB will love you anyway. Keep up the good work and we'll see you soon, real soon. Here are some pics and some of the interview with Complex which made me fuck with her even more.






On meeting Kanye :

" I was always a huge fan of him, like who isn’t? But he had a fiancée, it wasn’t like, “Ah, I’m gonna get with Kanye!” When I met him, it was strictly business. He wanted me for his “Robocop” video and he had the utmost respect for me, and we hung out on a friendship/business type of deal. You know, just as normal human beings when you hang out with somebody, you start to like them. Kanye knew my life, so when the blogs came out like, “Oh, Kanye do you know she was a stripper, that she used to date girls?” Kanye was like, “Tell me something I don’t know.” Everybody has a life and a past."

On her relationship being a publicity stunt :

Well, my intentions when I met Kanye was to do his video, keep it very professional and we really started to like each other. It just so happened that he started liking me and I started liking him. It’s not a publicity stunt, it’s just human beings, man. I love Kanye as a person, he’s a great person, he’s super-talented. I love him for a lot of different reasons.

On Being Bi-sexual:

"Yeah, they label me a bisexual freak stripper that f*cks Kanye on a daily basis. [Laughs.] You know: “Amber Rose, the f*cking bisexual, dyke, freak, whatever the f*ck.” To answer that: I’m extremely open with my sexuality. I can be in love with a woman, I can be in love with a man. I’m not into bestiality [laughs] but as far as humans go, I definitely find beauty in everybody, whether they’re heavy-set, super-skinny, if they’re white, black, Indian, Asian, Spanish. I can see beauty in anybody. I’m not into threesomes or orgies and shit like that. If I see a women and I think she’s beautiful and I like her, and she likes me back we can definitely try to be in a relationship together."

On her come up :

"Obviously, Kanye is a super-duper megastar so he definitely gave me the fast track to the top, and I love him and appreciate him so much for that."

On Being On The Blogs :

"This is my life, this is how my life’s been since I was a kid. I’ve always been popular, my name has always been in somebody’s mouth in high school. I don’t lose no sleep over this sh*t."

On The Perception that women who dress provocatively are wild in bed :

"If a girl wears a short skirt or dress, men automatically think, “She wants it, and she’s probably an animal in bed.” I just want to feel sexy today, I don’t want you. Men crack me up with that sh*t. Those rich college girls are the main ones who get it in and have orgy parties on tape. Then there’s me—who stripped for seven years—who’s a total prude. I have a raunchy mouth, but I’m so not into that stuff."

On Marriage :

"As of right now, I don’t believe in marriage. I was raised by a single mother, so I don’t feel I need to be married to be happy and live my life."



Random Thought : picture Amber Rose in a MOB shirt !!! HOT :)
x's and o's MOB lovers.

credit : Complex Magazine