Saturday, February 18, 2017

JC aka Triple Threat, Behind the Scenes Interview with The Artist

Listen to JC  aka Triple Threat's latest single - Don't Stop


Arizona's open and spacious scenery along with (mostly) fantastic weather offers perfect venues to hold concerts, plays in the park, paddle boating on Tempe Town Lake, or just taking a stroll through one of the many greenbelts throughout the Valley of the Sun.

From time to time we here at Film and Fashion Futures like to give you a sneak peak into the lives of artist outside of the fashion realm. Although we LOVE our fashion and film family we want you to be right here with us in all aspects of entertainment. Remarkably, there is a tremendous amount of talent right here in the valley. 

I would like to introduce you to an East Valley young man that comes to us on a blossoming music career. He goes by the name JC also to be known as JC aka Triple Threat. 



He brings an urban pop vibe infused with his personality of voice acting showing just how skilled this young man is. A classic sound intermixed with today's pop culture lends to his unique sound. 

Since the release of his latest singles "Light Switch", "Don't Stop" and "I Know",  JC's recognition has reached international airspace. How wonderful it is to see one of our very own Phoenix-based rising star realize their dreams.

I was thrilled when we finally caught up with JC for some one on one conversating...

For some of those who don’t know already, why Triple Threat?
"There are a few reasons behind the name, but the biggest reason is that I brought it on field, in the classroom and on the stage as a student athlete & performer. In reference to football,  I played on Offence, Defense, as well as special teams. In the classroom, my grade point average was 3.7 & above. Finally, on stage, I can sing, rap & dance. These are the three main categories that led to the nickname “Triple Threat.”  My philosophy was to never cheat the drills, perfect practice makes perfect & always give a hundred percent in the game. I take that same discipline from football and put it into every practice and performance. I left it all on the field and in correlation I leave it all on the stage."



Do you write your own lyrics?
"Yes, I do. I write all my lyrics. If you listen to my lyrics, carefully, you’ll notice that I have a little  fun and create my own words and sometimes “juxtapose” phrases together. You’ll also notice that I’m heavily influenced Shakespeare.  I‘ve written a song for an all female punk band and intro’s for animated series and machinimas (this is the use of real time computer graphic engines to create a cinematic productions) too."

What else differentiates you from other artists?
"I don’t just spit rhymes on stage.  I come to perform and give you a show. I’m always thinking of ways to take my performances to the next level. A few months ago, to increase entertainment value, we added dancers to the production.  Based on the crowd’s response I can tell  they definitely love it.  Big shout out to Jenzi Russell (#Jenzi #JenziTaughtMe) for the amazing choreography and hours of rehearsal."

Have you always been a music enthusiast?
"From day 1, I have always love music. My first love was classical - composers like Beethoven and Vivaldi. From there, my parents exposed me to an eclectic range of music genres from old school hip-hop, jazz, rock, rap, to even country. I had love for all music in all its expressions then and now."

Any other musical interest? Instrument?
"I used to play the Alto sax and I really want to learn the piano."


Describe your sound.
"My sound is my voice, my thoughts, my emotions, my experiences in life. What I mean is on some days I feel more rock than pop, or more hip-hop than rap. My sound IS music. I want my sound to be ever changing and always improving."


Any particular genre that influences your sound? Or even another artist?
"All music influenced me, from classical to classic rock, and from R&B to even 90's grunge. Growing up in my household music was always playing. From singing Carmen (Opera) to rapping 2pac, we all share a love for music."

I noticed that you do not use curse words or any sort of degrading lyrics that offend. Do you find that to be a struggle on stage NOT conforming to the style of the rap game?
Disclaimer {OPINION ALERT}, "I feel that I should fill a song with real content instead of all this cursing filler. If you hear my song on the radio, I don’t want a parent have to turn off the song. On the other hand, there are some songs that wouldn’t be the same without the curse words. I get it!  Some people refer to me as a conscious rapper and it’s probably because I think words matter. I choose to use the best words to convey a thought or an idea. I rather help people up and have more peers, than put people down to feel special. Sorry, but this “Rap Game” thing to me is sooo played out. I don’t want to promote violence, perpetuate stereotypes and put people down. I’ve been through a lot in my short time of being alive. I don’t want anyone to experience or feel the despair that I’ve felt and faced. Is it hard being different? Yes, it would it be easier to conform to the Rap game standards? Again,Yes. See I don’t make music because it’s easy, in fact, I don’t want it to be easy because what wouldn't challenge me to become better."

So where does this inspiration to write your own songs come from? You are way too young to have any real-life issues.
"Everything I see can be a song. Anything you feel can be a song. I see it like this, the life you live is real. You can speak on your life experiences and make it a song. Age is not a true qualifier for a song’s value. I’ve experienced the following:

Racism - racism from both sides - Some Black people hating me for my whiteness and some White people hating me for my blackness. As a kid, I thought I would be loved twice as much and not half as less. The unfortunate thing about this is that each side feels that I don’t have a valid opinion on racial issues that absolutely affect me. So basically, on one side...I was the white friend who happened to be the “black.” At times, racial slurs were said in front of me regarding black people and I was expected to agree or go along with it. On the other side... I, simply, wasn’t black enough to hang out with the black kids. Through my travels with sports, education and performances, I’ve seen and been around many different types of people and the thing that I noticed the most is that there are no different races. You have the human race, different levels of melanin and different ethnicities. We all love the same. We all cry the same...We all hate the same. The tears we cry are the same regardless of ethnicity. The pain we feel is the same regardless of the level of melanin. The wanting of love and compassion is universal among all species. As Shakespeare wrote, “if you prick us, do we not bleed?” “If you tickle us, do we not laugh?” “If you poison us, do we not die?”

Sexism and learning disability - being treated differently in an educational environment, because of being a male. Instead of feeling nurtured and encouraged, I often felt humiliated. It was easy to see that certain teachers preferred girl students over boys. Being a boy who had dyslexia made me an easier target. For example First Grade Teacher: “JC, go to the front board and answer this question.” I replied, “I don’t know the answer.” Teacher says, “I know.” “Go to the board.” “Now class, anyone who scores lower than JC, no recess for any of you.” Needless to say, my spirit was broken"

Is there a juicy story behind ‘Lightswitch”?
"I don’t kiss and tell, but yes."

So a little birdy told me you used to play football. How was that?
"It’s really hard for me to talk about so I will say this...Football was a great experience for me. I made new friends and got to be apart of something bigger than me. Some would say there was a time when Football was all I lived for. Not like I watched it on TV or knew a statistic of some guy that doesn't even know I existed. I mean... I would train every day before my practice started, I ran a mile after each game. I loved football and that was my goal in life. To play college? Maybe even go Pro? Possible, but I will never know what all my practice, training, and all my sacrifices would have added up on the field. When I broke my back I could not play ball again. It hurt me, but I found a new passion that allowed my thoughts to become words, words to lyrics and  lyrics to songs. Music was my saving grace and ironically, I can thank my injury for that. All the hard work and dedication brought me to this point in my life. I would not change it for one moment, even if I could."

How far would you like to take your career?
"You ask as if there is an end for me. I want to do it all. Life's too short to pigeon hole yourself in just one thing. I want to make hit songs, make movies, act, voice act, I want to live life to the fullest."

Were was your coolest performance?
"SXSW was one of the coolest places I had performed. There were so many people. It was almost overwhelming. I’ve never experienced anything like it. The people...the characters...the music...the performances were over the top. We heard there were over 300,000 people in attendance. I will never forget the many experiences and people I met there. I have to give a shout out to Quincy “Big Heff” Taylor & DJ Jonny’O  of Nerve DJ’s Radio for the opportunity to perform at one of the biggest music festivals in the nation."

To keep up with all JC's success we will be following him with new music releases, local and national interviews, and tour dates. Film and Fashion Futures strives to keep the community informed of the success of talented performers such as JC aka Triple Threat.

Remember to Read.Like.Share.Follow JC on

Twitter-@akatriplethreat
Instagram-@jc_akatriplethreat
Facebook-JC aka Triple Threat Fan Page
Soundcloud - https://soundcloud.com/jc-aka-triple-threat/sets/jc-aka-triple-threat-playlist



Stay tuned for Part II with JC aka Triple Threat...


See you on the runway,

Toy Taylor



Photography provided by Artistry by Holly Lyn

Presented by www.chronicbehavior.com/   @chronicbehavior
www.facebook.com/FilmFashionFutures.com.

Thanks to the Chronic Behavior team. We appreciate you for your continued support.











Charmosa Swimwear Finds Its Way to Kate Upton on SI Swimsuit 2017 Cover

Photos provided by Charmosa Swimwear
Kate Upton, Model
Swimsuit: Macrame One-Piece

When you happen to know the designer whose design shows up on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition, you just have to be so ecstatic for them on this major achievement!!  The best part was seeing Charmosa's Swimwear's design flashed up on the Empire State Building on the Jimmy Kimmel Live's broadcast.

Charmosa Swimwear and Neide Hall have been part of the fashion scene for a long time designing and growing the business and her knowledge. She participated in Phoenix Fashion Week's bootcamp program in 2014 and 2015 and was selected as the Lifestyle Designer of the Year for Phoenix Fashion Week 2015.  Neide's been building up to this moment from the first time I met her.

To also have a three time returning veteran to the SI cover with Kate Upton, model extraordinnaire, donning the Charmosa Swimwear Macrame one-piece, it can't seem to get much better than that.  Especially when you hear Kate talking about it...you just have to let that sink in for a moment.








We're excited to see where the journey goes from here. 
Here's a brief listing of the most recent accomplishments:

2015 - Lifestyle Designer of the Year for Phoenix Fashion Week
2016 - Evine Live Capsule Collection Launch
2016 - Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Cover

What's next for Neide Hall and Charmosa Swimwear? We'll be there to cover and capture it all.


Visit www.charmosaswimwear.com and you can find all of the Macrame swimsuit designs and get yours NOW ;)

Thanks to the Chronic Behavior team for helping to support and promote the brand. We appreciate you for your continued support.

Saturday, December 31, 2016

Planning Your Vision and Your Goals - 2017

"Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it now." quote by Alan Lakein

Vision Planning
2017 is about to hit you in the face and what have you done to prepare yourself? 
  • If you faced challenges and obstacles in 2016, you probably spent some of your year recovering from them.  
  • If you experienced loss, you probably spent time on thinking about the past and what you could have done different.
  • If you experienced let downs or failures, you probably wondered why me or thought I can't let this happen again.
  • If there were times you didn't know what you were going to do next, you may have thought how can I change my life.
  • And if you thought, I need help but don't know how to take that next step or where to go for help or who to ask for help.
At one point and time, we've probably had these thoughts. Life is like that often and how we deal with it makes all the difference. 

"Today I close the door to the past, Open the door to future, take a deep breath, step on through and start a new chapter in my life." -Author Unknown

For those that are needing some help and ways to cope with the past year as they get ready for the next, I would like to offer some ways to deal with life, to plan, and to take your path in the direction that will help you live a more fulfilled life.  There are no promises that the obstacles and challenges will be removed but there will be definitely ways to address the difficulties and to find ways to change the perspective and possibly design the outcomes you are looking for.

On January 21, 2017 - I will be hosting a Vision Planning and Goals Setting Workshop from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, at the Artist Box Studio, 2010 E University, Suite 4, Tempe, AZ. 

The cost of workshop is $50.00 which includes all the materials needed to begin your journey of vision planning and lunch.  Coffee and water will be provided. Register by clicking the button below.




The workshop will include the following:

1. Finding and / or documenting your mission
2. Creating and refining your vision
3. Establishing the goals to support them
4. Clearing obstacles and blocks
5. Creating your Vision Board
6. Accountability
7. How to keep yourself motivated

Planning often scares people and talking about the future as it is an unknown.  This workshop will provide a safe and easier way to look at your future and where you are at today so you can begin to tackle life on your terms versus "life hitting you in the face".

As part of my life and business, I have developed and focused on planning for personal and business objectives for over thirty years.  I have consulted with businesses and individuals for the last six years on methodologies and planning.  Through this experience and my own personal experience, I have been able to help others learn the necessary techniques and help adapt them to their own life.

If you want to see a change, sign up for this workshop NOW and get ready for 2017 on your terms.  The cost of workshop is $50.00 which includes all the materials needed to begin your journey of vision planning and lunch.  Coffee and water will be provided.  

Advanced RSVP and Registration is required as we have a limited participant slots available, so REGISTER NOW. Click the button below to register.



For questions or group participation, you can email eva.louis@chronicbehavior.com directly or call (602) 492-4843 to leave a message and we'll get back with you.

Cheers!! Here's to the good vibes of 2017 and your vision of your life.
*************************
Note: No REFUNDS of purchase price.  If you purchase and are unable to attend you will be given one hour of vision planning consulting in lieu of the workshop.

Saturday, December 3, 2016

FAB WEEKEND: 2 GREAT SHOWS ON 1 MAIN STAGE


Saturday night brought an evening full of fashion and entertainment with FAB Weekend’s Fashion Against Bullying fashion show and Blazing Curves runway show.
The event was held at the always quaint Embassy Suites Hotel in the Phoenix/Paradise Valley area. I love this place. It may be a large property but it always feels so cozy. Very inviting.

Terrance FAB Hudson
CEO of Blazing Curves
Kathy Blaze Jefferson
The co-founders of FAB Weekend Terrance Hudson and Kathy Blaze Jefferson along with Antoinette Monique of Fashion 4 A Cause

brought
awareness to two very different topics. Each face negative similarities which can be otherwise harmful in many ways to one's self esteem and worth.


Bullying amongst our youth and the misnomer that curvy women aren’t or can’t be beautiful has been an age old thorn for decades.



Not on this night....






FAB Weekend allowed every model no matter how old or young no matter shape or size to set aside any negativity and be free and beautiful on the runway.



So let’s talk about these kiddos on the runway…..

Who doesn’t love the little ones strutting down the runway? You truly have no idea what you are going to get. I thought there was diva-esque attitude at the first annual Fashion Against Bullying show…..but on this night it was turned up a notch!



#supercuteness





#nomorebullying




The young men even hammed it up quite a bit having a good time for an even better cause. These kids of all ages had a blast being a part of
such an inspiring event.   




#fashionistas






#Littledivaontherunway



#superstars




#innocence






                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                The 2nd annual FAB event let the inner fashionista out of some of these kiddos. I was grinning from ear to ear as if they were my own child. I loved every minute of it. It was great!


I was even impressed with the older grade schoolers taking command of the runway and not letting the super adorable babies steal all the limelight.

 #styling&profiling


Bullying amongst our youth has become such a troubling problem in our society that suicide in our younger generation has been escalating. This is incredibly disheartening as no child should ever have to suffer at the hands of a bully. Sadly we are surrounded by vast resources that give bullies a high platform to be up front and center. As parents we must talk to our children on the daily and be nosy... It's our job!


For the children who are affected directly or indirectly by bullying had a safe haven on this stage to hold their pretty little heads high and smile (or stare like a deer in headlights) and make their way down the runway. This may have been the first time on the catwalk for several of the kiddos but you never would of known it by the confidence shown.

THESE KIDS ARE TALENTED

The talent billed for the night went right along with the stand up against bullying theme. Nothing like the young people being the entertainment for young people. They were all so talented!
The RAD Kids - Dance Crew

Charismatic - Singer




The Phenomenal Stars - Dance Crew
Jasmine Marshall - Singer






















































A big shout out goes to all sponsors of the 3rd Annual Fashion Against Bullying...


GAP-Burlington Coat Factory-MACY'S-Cheeky Chic-True Religion-Nike Factory-Vitals Studios-Aflac-Fry's Food Store-Walmart-Sunshine Grey Skies Boutique-Rashaun Designs
Audi of North Scottsdale









And now for the Blazing Curves runway show....



Let me start off by saying "wow" to the ladies who have blossomed with a confidence so big it filled the room. 



I first met the Blazing Curves models several years back and was intrigued with the tenacity and leadership behind the company. 




I was impressed how founder Kathy Blaze Jefferson created a platform for women with curves where they can be pretty, exude confidence, and show there beauty inside and out.



Check out these beautiful ladies blazing up the runway...




#stunning













These Blazing Curves look amazing in Delightfully Vixen















#sexycurves


















A
C
O
N
A
V









#dressedfortheoccasion











 



The Identity 
Of She














Shanks Shoeware
 USE CODE: 
2015Y 
to receive 5% OFF
your purchase 
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Shanks Shoeware
These talented ladies entertained the party goers with their smooth sound. Katrina Ramirez (who wrote the Blazing Curves theme song), The Real Amelia Rose, and Mizz Mocha.....great job!






Katrina Ramirez







Mizz Mocha






The Real Amelia Rose

A big shout out to all sponsors of the Blazing Curves fashion show:

Aconav-Uniques Apparel-STRUT-The Identity Of She-Delightfully Vixen-Mr. Formal-Prince Shaun Bowties-Shanks Shoeware-Style With Kari-DJ Xclusive-Tay Short Hair and Makeup Team-
Makeup Artists-Vicente Favala & Luna Wise


And I cannot forget to show some love to the host of the entire event Mr. Dizzie Ramsey. When Dizzie has a mic in his hand you are guaranteed fun and laughter. Outfit changes were on point! Thank you for putting your own flavor into FAB Weekend's big event. Kudos to you, Mr. Ramsey!


















Hope you enjoyed FAB Weekend's Fashion Against Bullying and Kathy Blaze Jefferson's Blazing Curves fashion shows. Make sure to follow FAB Weekend on all upcoming events. Next up...Hair Wars and Model Wars, May 2017. And remember to support your local businesses to keep our communities growing strong.

See you on the runway!
Toy









Presented by www.chronicbehavior.com/   @chronicbehavior
www.facebook.com/FilmFashionFutures.com



Thanks to the Chronic Behavior team and Elena and Jim Photography for their excellent coverage of the event. They are the team helping to support and promote the brand. We appreciate you for your continued support.