hi all! welcome back to The Bloom Blog and “Just A Girl..in this digital world”! hope you’ve all had a blessed week and thanks for checking back to meet our newest feature:

GLENNISHA MORGAN.

as the founder and publisher of The Fembassy, a website that is solely dedicated to female MC’s and women in Hip Hop, she is a sista after my own heart! supporting women in Hip Hop, for those of you who don’t know, is very important to me and I first met Glennisha last summer via our phone interview and we’ve kept in touch via the various forms of social networking and communication since. not to mention the fact that she came through to “She’s So Fresh” Showcase II that took place in November! again, I support all those who support women in Hip Hop!

Glennisha is also a freelance journalist currently contributing to Clutch Magazine and Autostraddle.com. she’s had her work appear in the Michigan Front Page, Digiwaxx Media’s The Blast, Street Logik, and AOL’s Spinner.com, just to name a few. During her writing career she has had the wonderful opportunity to interview people like MC Lyte, Deborah Cox, Jesse Dayton, Bobby Valentino, Bahamadia, and Chester French. currently residing in Detroit, Michigan with plans to relocate to NYC, she took some time answer a few questions for us:

me: how much time on average do you spend online?
Glennisha Morgan: I honestly spend entirely too much time online but, the majority of everything that I do requires me to use the internet. If you want to count using the internet on my phone you could probably say that I spend about 12-14 hours a day online.

me: any fave sites or apps you’re loving right now?
Glennisha Morgan: On the daily I make several stops at Clutch Magazine, Concrete Loop, Kidd U Not, and Necole Bitchie. I hate to admit it but, I’m a junkie for celebrity news. I’m also a Twitter addict so you can imagine how many times I visit that site. I like to log into Hip Hop Sisters a few times a week at least. As far as applications my favorite one is the dictionary on my Macbook. I’m always checking the spelling of words. Also, if I come across something that I don’t know the meaning of I’m going to look it up. I also can’t forget about Google. Google should be everybody’s best friend.

me: do you feel that social media is becoming saturated?
Glennisha Morgan: There are so many different sites out here that I want to say yes but, then again everybody has certain things that they are attracted to. People also have their own reasons for using different sites. What may be addictive and fun for one person may not to be to another. Also, I may not like how one person delivers media but, someone else may love it.
The thing with media today is almost anyone can create it. It’s great because we don’t just have to accept media from one source. The downside is because just anyone can create media whose to say what’s official, what isn’t, and who’s genuine and who is not. On the flip side for someone like myself who is a journalist and also a blogger I’m able to profit off of the media that I create vs. having to always depend on a “gig” or job to support myself. Not saying that you can make tons of money overnight but, you can definitely profit from what you create.

me: where do you see social networking going in the next 3-5 years?
Glennisha Morgan: Social networking is already explosive. In the next 3-5 years I see social networking providing a great percentage of jobs. I’ve already seen jobs who look for people that are great on Twitter and Facebook. It’s funny and crazy at the same time that companies already want to hire people just to social network for them. Even with my last two 9-5 jobs I created blogs and Myspace pages for them. For one I even proposed setting up a Blog Talk Radio show. It was amazing for me to be able to use something for work that I use for leisure all of the time.

me: do you feel that social networking is an advantage or disadvantage for independent artists?
Glennisha Morgan: I think social networking is definitely an advantage for indie artists. I run across tons of really dope independent artists all of the time online. In fact the majority of the people that I post about on my blog I find through either Twitter or Youtube. Besides look at artists like Dondria, Soulja Boy, and Priscilla Renea. All of them were discovered on Youtube. You never know who is watching.

me: do you feel our easy access to information is a positive or a negative?
Glennisha Morgan: I think it’s positive and negative. At least in my profession it makes research so much easier. I don’t think that there is any excuse for being ignorant about any matter because with the click of a button we can learn about anything. We don’t have to leave our homes or commute to a library to learn about something. You can even complete high school and college online. And that’s amazing but, the downside is some people get so caught up that they tend to cease real human interaction. Sometimes the convenience of getting things from the information highway can keep you from enjoying doing things the good old fashion way. Instead of visiting the wonderful King Tut exhibit someone may just Google him instead. Or instead of experiencing the joy of sitting in a bookstore for half a day we may spend less than 15 minutes and order books from Amazon.
Most of all I worry about children having access to so much information. They already are exposed to so much at school and the internet and television just bombards them with even more. Sometimes its so much that children can’t really be children. Instead of enjoying playing tag or a game of jacks kids are worried about if Jay Z and Beyonce are going to have kids or if Wendy Williams is really a man. I find it a bit much that my 13 year old sister feels like she needs to record Keeping Up With the Kardashians and Tyra Bank’s show everyday. It’s not let me rush home from school to do my homework. It’s let me rush home from school to see what Tyra was talking about. When I was 13 it was nothing of the sort. When I came home from school I wanted to hurry and finish my homework so that I could go outside and play. Not so I could watch Tyra or be on Youtube until bedtime.

I know that’s right! and that’s part of what this blog is about…understanding our use of technology and social media and it’s impact on the world around us. so shouts to Glennisha Morgan for not only embracing it all but keeping it in perspective! and of course, supporting women in Hip Hop while she’s doing it!

so, til next week fam! I hope you’re all excited for the weekend and planning good things where ever you are gonna be, stay up stay strong, stay positive and I’ll stay giving you updates on the shapes reshaping the online landscape!

© J.A.G. Music and Media

wassup all, welcome back to this week’s “Just A Girl..in this digital world”!! I hope everybody’s had a blessed week and looking forward to the weekend and good things.

This week our feature is the star behind GangStarrGirl.com:

Starrene Rhett.

a NYC based freelance journalist, contributing to BET.com as a resident blogger, Vibe.com as a content producer, Honey magazine, XXL Magazine and Dr. Jay’s, she has hosted/produced “Roc the Town”, a bi-monthly webisode series and served as fashion editor for Hiphopdx.com. throughout her career she’s interviewed everyone from Ice T to Keke Palmer to Common and has had her work appear in The Amsterdam News, Elemental magazine, Scripps Howard Newswire, AllHipHop.com and VibeVixen.com. and now she’s created GangStarrGirl.com as “an outlet to post her ideas without being filtered and as a means of controlling the content she wishes to see more of in the media.”

this is definitely a woman that is handling her business. and having cut her teeth in the world of mainstream media, and now being at the forefront of blogging via her site GangStarrGirl.com, I wanted to get her perspective on this digital world…

me: what are some of your fave sites right now?
Starrene Rhett: GangStarrGirl.com (shameless plug lol), Jezebel.com, Subwaydouchery.com, ClumpsofMascara.com

me: how much time do you usually spend online?
Starrene Rhett: A LOT! Let’s just say, I get on the comp at about 9 am and I’m on until about midnight, maybe later. I can’t believe I even admitted that smh.

me: have you found social media to be an advantage or disadvantage for the independent artist, writer, entrepreneur?
Starrene Rhett: It’s a gift and a curse. A gift because you can reach more people, but a curse because it’s like sensory overload. Now everyone thinks they’re going to blow up via their web page and that’s simple not the way things work. But I can say, I’ve gotten a lot of freelance gigs from having my blog so I’d rather take it for the good that it can do.

me: I’ve heard there’s some debate about the validity of bloggers vs. journalists, as both a journalist and a blogger, what’s your take?
Starrene Rhett: Bloggers feel that journalists are outdated and that no one wants the news, that they just want bits of information fast and cheap. Journalists feel that bloggers have no integrity and no scruples about the information that they sometimes blindly release without doing research or fact checking. Plus, a lot of times bloggers become personalities who are known for their name and how fast they get the info (which is why it’s often only 50% accurate) and not really the quality of their work. I often find myself torn because I was a journalist first and I see both sides yet ironically, blogging has become the way that I’ve been making freelance money. In a lot of ways, magazines and newspapers that used to be reputable have tried to adopt the blogger format in the way they disseminate information because they feel that whatever the blogs are doing is working and they want to cash in. But the thing is, blogging has cheapened what journalism truly is and should be. That’s not to diss anyone but it’s true. Now everyone just wants to gossip and spread lies and sensationalism to get more hits to their site, which drives me nuts. Blogging is to blame for that. Also, there was a time where journalists would write opinion pieces and actually have a valid argument for what they were saying but now, since everyone can blog, it has become opinion overload but more in the direction of trash talking and judgment and not a well thought out argument presented with actual facts. It’s a complicated thing that I think about every day. I sometimes even get offended when people call me a blogger because I feel like I’m so much more than what they think blogging is. And even though I am technically a blogger, I always put journalism first and try to merge both worlds in my posts. I’ve wanted to be a journalist since I was nine so I looked up to people like Barbara Walters, Oprah Winfrey, Brenda Blackman, Sue Simmons, etc. Now, people can look up to people like Perez Hilton who draws insults on celebrity pictures or Necole Bitchie who posts celebrity news blurbs. That’s not to knock what they do but if you thinking about the people who have built careers off of journalism vs people who have built careers off of blogging, you have to look at the difference in the quality of work that is reflected. It’s a huge difference. There’s a way to balance the two though, and that’s what I try to do.

me: where do see journalism heading in next 3-5 years?
Starrene Rhett: Straight to hell if people don’t stop jumping on the gossip blogger and sensationalist band wagon. America is a society that’s obsessed with celebrity and now, the internet, which reflects in the way people think. People don’t even question why all these so called informative sites post the same information. People don’t even question the validity of the info they read even if it sounds ridiculous. Sadly, now, like I mentioned earlier, even some reputable magazines and newspapers are moving their brand more toward the web but in doing so, they’re trying to be like top bloggers. So if things keep up like this, then journalism is going down, for real.

me: what suggestions would you have for young women that want to explore your field?
Starrene Rhett: Get a tough skin because it’s HARD. Network not just online but in person. It’s easy to reach out via facebook and twitter but you have to put yourself in places where you’ll meet people in your field. People always respond to you better and remember you more when they meet you in person. Don’t get discouraged and don’t let other people discourage you. It’s HARD, like I said–really, really hard. Plus, one great thing about blogging that i failed to mention earlier is that it allows you to shine on your own terms and build your own brand. Really think about what you want to put out there because blogging is going to be like your portfolio in a way. Oh and it’s hard like I said lol…but not impossible. Know that going in and you’ve already won half the battle.

there you have it..def check for GangStarrGirl.com! and currently Starrene Rhett is vying for an opportunity to be head blogger for Alicia Keys new website, IAmASuperwoman.com, and she’s one of 60 finalists so check out her vlogs/blogs that she’s posted just click the link and leave a comment!!

so thanks for stopping through this week for “Just A Girl..”, see you all next week, we’ll talk about Facebook privacy policies, that should be fun..-_-. BUT always remember, stay up stay strong stay positive!!

peaces

rox.

© 2010 J.A.G. Music and Media

hey all! welcome back to another installment of “Just A Girl..”! I’m very excited because this week we have the pleasure of chatting with the founder of Harriet’s Alter Ego, which was a Brooklyn staple, Ngozi Odita!

if you’ve spent anytime in Brooklyn walking and /or shopping, you would have past Harriet’s Alter Ego on Flatbush Ave. an integral part of the neighborhood for over 6 years, Harriet’s was and is known for forward fashion, positively embracing culture and independent designers and artists.

a couple of years ago, I noticed that it wasn’t there anymore . heartbroken, I came to find out that…yay!!! they were still around! and guess what?! now we can all support them and their most amazing clothing, accessories and vibes because after closing the physical address of the store, they’re now virtually located at www.societyHAE.com.

Ngozi, as you can imagine is extremely busy, but she took time to bless us with her insights into the world of doing business solely online:

me: I know Harriet’s Alter Ego (HAE) actually had a physical storefront in Brooklyn. What was the driving force behind the decision to move to an exclusively online storefront?
Ngozi Odita: I’m a firm believer that the universe always provides and has a funny way of creating scenarios that place you on the path you’re suppose to be on. In 2008 with the economy being in flux it was becoming increasingly harder to generate the same revenue that we had in previous years, our overhead was going up but customers were spending less. So we found ourselves in a position were it no longer made economical sense to operate a brick and mortar store because our profit margin had decreased significantly. But Harriet’s Alter Ego (HAE) was more than a store, we were a neighborhood fixture for over 6 years, we contributed to the landscape of Brooklyn offering a unique voice for borough residents and the greater NYC community. Our boutique and art gallery was a destination for music, fashion and art enthusiasts, we were able to create a base from which our network grew beyond Brooklyn to include people from across the nation and overseas. So upon closing we decided to create a website, Society HAE (www.societyhae.com), so everyone who came to the store could stay connected. Once we put up the site we quickly realized that it was so much more than just a way for Harriet’s customers to connect. Society HAE resonated with people who had never been to our store but appreciated its artistic and cultural aesthetic. Our intent when we opened Harriet’s Alter Ego Boutique and Art Gallery and when we launched Society HAE was and continues to be to incorporate emerging art of all mediums into the daily lives of the community and encourage people to interact with one another in new and creative ways.

me: As a woman entrepreneur and owner of a business that exists primarily online, how do you manage your time online?
Ngozi Odita: I’m very task orientated. I create a do list the night before and then go through my list and check tasks off as I complete them. I spend the majority of my day on the computer. I start my day at around 3am, this allows me to get the bulk of my writing done uninterrupted before the business days starts. So by 10am when folks are calling me and sending emails that need immediate replies I don’t have to worry about being distracted. I get over 200 emails a day so it pretty easy to get off track and consumed with all those messages. I try and schedule meetings between 11am and 4pm. My day is a wrap by 5pm. I’m generally still online after 5pm but my activity is reading postings on my networks or on websites that I follow. When you work for yourself you really need to be focused because there are so many distractions I find “to do lists” are the best way to keep me focused and on task.

me: Do you have any particular merchant sites or small business sites/tools that you’ve found that have not only made doing business easier, but have actually increased your productivity?
Ngozi Odita: I’m a huge fan of skype. Our featured bloggers/writers live all over the world so we have been able to coordinate conference calls and editorial meetings via skype. My iPhone is indispensable I have all kinds of applications that allow me to be more productive and efficient. I use google calendar and ical to keep track of appointments, project deadlines and my daily tasks list. I use SKYPE for international calls on the go, Analytics Lite to keep up with my website’s traffic stats, MyBudget for managing budgets for different projects and itrans NYC so I never find myself wasting precious minutes on the train platform waiting on a train. I’m also a big fan of Behance who designs products and services to help creative professionals be more organized. I use their Action Method paper products and iphone app.

me: How do you see technology and social networking enhancing the vision you have for Society HAE in the next 5 years?
Ngozi Odita: Technology and social media will play an integral role in the growth of Society HAE. Our vision is to truly be a global brand with the intent of eliminating geographic boundaries and bringing folks together across the globe that share similar interests as it relates to emerging art and culture. Tools like twitter and facebook are allowing us to do this. Social Media allows us amplify our message through our various online networks. I can type 140 characters and instantaneously a 1,000 people can see my message and forward it on to hundreds of their friends. That’s powerful; imagine all the outreach and organizing one can do… Haiti is a perfect example.

There are people all over the world doing amazing things that enhance the cultural landscape of their communities. Society HAE wants to be a point of convergence for these individuals whether you live in Lagos, Nigeria; Austin, TX; Paris, France or Tokyo, Japan you can feel at home on Society HAE and connect with other likeminds. With everything we do our goal is to encourage people to go out and create and let their creative output impact the lives of those around them. Whether what you create is art or film or baked goods we all have the ability to give the gift of creativity and share what we do with others… and so we hope through our website and our events to inspire and empower people to practice our mantra, which is “Change The World, Create Something”

werd. I’m going to have to investigate some of these sites and suggestions myself because the goal is to always find a way to work smarter and not harder, always with the focus on time management, right? right. so shouts out to Ngozi Odita, Harriet’s Alter Ego and SocietyHAE for supporting art, artists and being an example for all independent entrepreneurs!

I hope to see you all next week again and if you’re in NY, make sure and stop by “She’s So Fresh” Showcase IV, The “Freshest on Film” Edition! it’s going down on May 8, 2010 at Centerstage in NYC, 48 West 21st from 2p-6p. we are doing something new and different by turning our focus to the sistas that document our lives, film makers and photographers.

PLEASE NOTE: this is a film event, and as such guests will be required to sit, and so for capacity reasons, only the first 85 people will be allowed in to screening space to see the films. there won’t be performances, but we will have wine, beer and snacks, as well as a Q&A with our film makers and photography display with images available for purchase. so please come through and support these woman artists because they real FRESH!

so, til next week good peoples!! stay up stay strong stay positive and let’s go make differences! have a blessed week,
peaces,
rox.

© 2010 J.A.G. Music and Media

so ok, this week we are having a conversation with another phenomenal woman and we’re gonna switch it up, which I like to do from time to time..lol. Tara Cadenelli has been behind the scenes for years, cranking out audio engineers, DJ’s and producers. From SAE to The Dub Spot, Ms. Cadenelli is one of the truest music lovers I’ve know in my life and she has committed herself to sharing her passion with the world.

having defected from NY last year after a 12 year bid (jk I <3 NY!), I talked with her to get her perspective on the world of music and the world in general. she now runs an awesome blog and shares her voice with us via that medium and that makes her perfect for our series!

normally what I do is read over someone’s official bio and then build around that, but this time…I want to let you hear her in her own words as much possible because that voice is part of why she’s such an incredible person! please support her blog gorgeousbear.com and enjoy!

i really don’t like the word ‘blog.’ it always reminds me of ‘to blave’ from the princess bride. but i like to eavesdrop on other people’s lives on the interwebs, so i decided to join them. besides poetry and long walks on the beach, i like (read: am currently ridiculously obsessed with) everything to do with art, crafting, music, sherlock holmes, ‘da gorge’ (the love of my life), reading, murder she wrote, a certain french ex-porn star, forensic shows, cooking, my fam, italy, slim jims, trashy novels, coca-cola, home design, print gocco, the betty crocker cookbook, and hall & oates. in no particular order and subject to change at the drop of a hat (except da gorge and the fam, of course). i mostly talk about the fun stuff, but sometimes like to tackle the other ‘taboo’ stuff, too, like politics, religion, and sex. ’cause if you don’t include those, well, i’m not sure what the point is really! (but mama/that’s where the fun is…).

i’ve always leaned towards being obsessive (ok, so there is no ‘leaning’ involved). my major obsessions have always been rock stars, just like some people’s heroes having always been cowboys. the wonder of music never ceases to amaze me, and i have yet to come across any job cooler than rock star. not that i have first hand knowledge, but if i could be anything in the world, that would be it. these posts are for my fellow obsessors, who know what’s it like to love from afar. and dedicated to my brother, matt, who lives the dream! never underestimate the power of song. or rock stars.

me: how do you decide what to blog about?
Tara Cadenelli: my process for deciding what to post is pretty all over the place! when i decided to really focus on blogging regularly, i came up with the ‘song of the day’ posts to make sure that i would always have something to blog about. at first, even if i didn’t have anything relevant to say, i would post the song with a brief anecdote about why i liked the song, what it meant to me, memories attached to it. music has always been such an integral part of my existence, so i have found it a very motivating way to jump start the writing process. it’s also a way to engage readers more interactively, whether by listening to an mp3 or watching a video. it’s great that there is so much amazing technology for sharing discovering and revisiting music today; i find that always inspiring.

i also bookmark things to blog about when on surfing the interwebs, and often am driven to rant about something that makes me crazy in politics or society.

i have a clear idea of what subjects i want to focus on, at least as a general guideline, and that also helps to streamline the decision making process for me.

me: you’re blog is kind of quirky which I love! is this intentional or have you just decided to embrace you and share it with the world?
Tara Cadenelli: i guess i am quirky! . i never set out to have an intentional vibe to the blog in any kind of pretentious way. i was looking for a way to harness the words and ideas rambling about in my head. i have never liked writing in journals because i cringed when i would go back and read what i had previously written! but there is something about writing for an audience that allows me to express myself and find my own voice without too much self-criticism.

having said that, i definitely have a style in mind when designing the look of the blog and what i put in it. i think that’s key in defining your online presence. i know that i respond to a strong sense of aesthetic vision in others’ blogs and websites.

a great thing, i think, about what the internet can give us is a forum to express without immediate judgement. there is no immediate reaction based on looks or age or fashion . that lack of knee-jerk response can lead to a very different kind of connection, less likely to be colored by bias or assumption. it also allows you to present a kind of ‘idealized’ self to the world, which i think can be a very good thing. you choose the face you want to put forth. not in any kind of deceptive way, but in the sense that you are your own creation.

me: I’ve heard it said that bloggers should post multiple times a day to drive traffic, do you post once a day, a week? have you noticed a difference when you do?
Tara Cadenelli: my intention is to post at least once a day. not only does it seem to bring more visitors, but it keeps the writing in the groove, as it were . i also know that the blogs i tend to revisit are the ones that post frequently. not to the point where you are doing nothing but checking for new posts, but enough to keep from forgetting it’s there .

me: do you think it’s an advantage or disadvantage to have blogs as outlets in 2010? some have said that bloggers are a nuisance, agree or disagree?
Tara Cadenelli: i think it is definitely an advantage to have blogs as outlets. i think bloggers get a bad rap. .

as with much created by the internet and digital technology in general, blogs have made it much more accessible to put yourself and your thoughts out there where everyone can see them. it is no longer just the purview of the few who have the technology, in the same way that the advent of affordable digital recording took the music making process from big business studios to the home computer. there are obviously pros and cons to these changes, in any industry. with the addition of so many more voices and outlets, the content and quality can get watered down.

in my opinion, though, the outcome is generally positive. the ongoing corporate conglomeration of media outlets leads to fewer and fewer people disseminating information and therefore less and less diversity and depth of voice and example. we need independent and individual methods of expression to circumvent this trend.

blogs are really an easy and structured way for people to create a website, and so, good and bad, there are a ton of them. i think as with anything you need to use your own judgement to decide what sources are trustworthy and enriching to your own experience. everyone loves wikipedia, but we also know that just because stephen colbert writes in to say that elephants are no longer endangered, it doesn’t mean it’s true .

me: are there any sites in particular that you love and visit regularly, either for the arts, music, movies? any that you’ve found useful in your research and work?
Tara Cadenelli: i have so many blogs in my reader it gets a little overwhelming (pros and cons again!) so i definitely have a list of faves that i check before anything else. i always check out friends’ blogs, of course, and news and political sites like the huffington post or cnn. i am a craft and design blog junkie so i read blogs like design*sponge (designsponge.com) and a beautiful mess (www.abeautifulmess.typepad.com) daily. i design handmade stationery and am a huge fan and proponent of supporting independent artisans so i read the etsy blog (www.etsy.com/storque) to see what incredible new wares there are. i co-write a food blog (www.meatandtomatoes.com) so i check out a ton of those as well (try not to do this if hungry).

i don’t follow as many blogs that are strictly about music or the arts as much as i follow people’s individual blogs and am introduced to new artists and musicians that way. i am constantly bookmarking new bands to listen to, musicians i want to discover, or artists i don’t know that friends love. instead of going to commercial music blogs or sites, i find it more inspiring to be introduced by individuals that are so passionate about something that they have to write about it. i also like that the incredible variety of voices out there allows me to be introduced to differing tastes and viewpoints that i might not get in my everyday life.

me: you’ve done some radio, some audio engineering, as well as the administrative end of audio education, any words of wisdom for young people entering this music world via this digital world?
Tara Cadenelli: the world of music has changed so drastically with the advent of new technology. young people starting out in the industry have so many more options available to them, but the sheer number of choices and avenues can be overwhelming. it is no longer the norm that an artist is discovered by some A&R person at a big label and guided through a career, never having to think about anything but their art. while i personally think this is ultimately a good thing, it means that artists today have to wear a seemingly endless number of hats. not only do you have to create the product, but you have to produce, manufacture, design, distribute, and market it and yourself.

i think the most important thing that any young person can do is arm themselves with as much knowledge and expertise as they possibly can. embrace technology. teach yourself Garageband and Digital Performer or Logic or whatever digital audio software you can get your hands on. learn Photoshop and Illustrator and Final Cut. build a website yourself, start a blog . take your work into your own hands.

in many ways this is a wonderful time for young artists. when i went to music school there were really limited resources available to musicians starting out. now there are a myriad of options to help you find your voice. use these tools to get out there and make your mark.

I couldn’t have said it better myself! so, support gorgeousbear.com, you may find out about an artist for the first time or you may find out about an artist you’ve loved forever. either way, this is a true example of the upside of technology, the voice of the individual music lover and supporter being heard, gotta love it!

so, til next week, good peoples! make sure you check back and in the meantime, stay up stay strong and stay positive!
peaces
rox
© 2010 J.A.G. Music and Media