'I Love Seeing Kim N@ked, Love Her N*vde Selfies - Kanye West Reveals

'I Love Seeing Kim N@ked, Love Her N*vde Selfies - Kanye West Reveals

Adeboye   11:51:00   No comments:

Kanye West has revealed that he loves seeing his wife Kim Kardashian naked and that he loves her nude selfies taken from the side and back in a new interview with magazine, Harper's BAZAAR.

The rapper and fashion designer who together with Kim stunned on the cover of the magazine's September edition also revealed his best part of Kim is her heart and they both talked on a lot of things ranging from his debt, to Taylor Swift, to their biggest insecurities and annoying habits. Read the full interview below

Harper's BAZAAR's Laura Brown: Okay! So, this is in no particular order. Kanye, your favorite body part—your own or Kim's.

KW: Is the face a body part? My favorite body part of Kim's: heart.

KKW: Awww, now I have to say the same. But of my own, I like my upper stomach. I just seem to always have abs.When I'm not really pregnant, I have a great two-pack. [Laughs.] And of Kanye's? I have to say his heart. And I've always loved his legs.

LB: Favorite song of all time?

KW:"All Along the Watchtower." The Jimi Hendrix cover.

KKW: I really like the song "Only One" [West with Paul McCartney].

LB: Favorite Taylor Swift song?

KW: For me? I don't have one.

KKW: I was such a fan of hers.

LB: Favorite book?

KKW: Embraced by the Light. It's about a woman who passed away during surgery, and she went to heaven, had her experience, and then came back. My dad [Robert Kardashian] would try to get me to read it, and I wouldn't. Then when he passed away, I was cleaning out my room in his house, and I found it. I read it, and it helped me. I felt like my dad was okay.

KW: Yeah, I don't have an answer for that.

KKW: Your mom's book or your book?

KW: Yeah, but that's like, you know...

KKW: Too self-promotional?

KW: Yeah, too promotional.

LB: Celebrity crush when you were young?

KKW: I thought Johnny Depp was so cute when I was younger. Kanye, didn't you like Pam Anderson?

KW: Yeah! That's what I would say.

LB: Historical figure you identify with?

KKW: This one is hard.

KW: Us? Muhammad Ali, Marilyn Monroe—all day. Next question.

LB: Hidden talent? I don't know if you guys hide your talents, but if you do ...

KKW: I can smell when someone has a cavity. It's a very specific smell—not a bad-breath smell—but something that is really strong.

KW: I can analyze people's intentions. Immediately.That's just a warning. To everyone.

LB: Biggest insecurity?

KKW: I would say looking fat sometimes. I really do take it seriously. I try to do what I can and diet and stay in shape, and it does make me insecure when I'm heavy.

KW: I used to have insecurity about my finances, then I announced that I had debt, and now I don't have any insecurities.

KKW: Then you didn't have any debt; it seemed to all figure it out.

LB: You just put it out there, like The Secret.

KKW: Don't think that will work for everyone.

KW: People will definitely use that against you if someone knows that. But the one thing I don't have an insecurity about is public perception. I'm not going to conform to it, you know?

LB: Yes, the more attention you pay to the winds, you can overthink things.

KW: Here's something that's contrary to popular belief: I actually don't like thinking. I think people think I like to think a lot. And I don't. I do not like to think at all.

LB: You're an underthinker.

KW: I think about things to put them in a place where I don't have to think about them anymore. Say if I had a child with a really bad mom, I would have to think more than if I had a child with a good mom. I'm just doing my homework early. I told my trainer today, I'm a mix of a 14-year-old high schooler and a 60-year-old guy. It can never fall into the 30s or the 40s. It has to be 100 percent 60 or 100 percent 14, no in between.

LB: Can you please make that into a T-shirt? Okay, how much do you really sleep? On social media you are asleep all the time.

KKW: He can fall asleep anywhere.

KW: I can sleep. I love sleep; it's my favorite.

KKW: He took me to a fashion meeting in Paris once. I'd never met these people; I was so nervous. It was the beginning of our relationship, and I didn't know anyone in fashion. And he passed out at the table. I'm like, "I'm so sorry, we're jet-lagged." You don't know the number of times I've had to say that. I always flat-out lie that he's jet-lagged, even if we've been home for months. [Laughs.] Me? I'm up at like 6 a.m. With my trainer, running up the hill you drove up to get here.

LB: Most annoying habit?

KKW: I think he gets really annoyed because I just hate fittings. I'll just be like,"Ah, I can't find something to wear." I get so worked up every time I'm rushing; I get annoyed with rushing. Then I get in a bad mood—I'm so cranky. I hate being late.

KW: It's so hard to do fittings [for Yeezy] because we want to do things that are inspiring, that people could look at and say, "Wow, I like that color palette, I could put that together." And there are so many images of things that it's almost impossible to have your clothes go up against the amount you're seeing and carry it into one language. That's why I'm always fighting either to have a house work with us or to head a house. It's a lifestyle I can totally see: the future, modern Versailles, modern Versace, modern Calabasas, paparazzi, celebrity language. I just want to build a collection that's around me and my wife and my kids. Because Kris and the family, they have the power of communication. This is the number one communications company.

LB: You're saying you've got the power of the idea.

KW: The idea. I know I wasn't allowed to go to fashion school; I can't cut a dress like Galliano, right? But I had enough wherewithal to go to that studio on my first collection and bring Kim, [stylist] Christine Centenera, Ian Connor, Theophilus London, Virgil Abloh...they all came down to [Vetements/Balenciaga designer] Demna Gvasalia's studio that night and hung out. (And then Demna, as you probably know, he worked on Yeezy Season 1.) Anyway, I want to say a controversial thing for this article...

LB: I'm ready.

KKW: Laura's question was, What's annoying?

KW: What designer on the planet can sell, consistently, 40,000 shoes. In two minutes?

KKW: One minute.

LB: Wow. Yeezy does it. Okay, change of subject. Favorite selfie pose?

KKW: I love a selfie in the mirror.

KW: I love her nude selfies. Like, I love the ones from the side, the back ones, and the front. I just love seeing her naked; I love nudity. And I love beautiful shapes. I feel like it's almost a Renaissance thing, a painting, a modern version of a painting. I think it's important for Kim to have her figure. To not show it would be like Adele not singing.

LB: Kanye, nude selfies?

KW: I used to do nude selfies in my single days.You'd get a good cock shot here and there. [Laughs.] Gotta keep it rock 'n' roll.

LB: I'd assume scale is important.

KW: Yeah, it's all about scale. You don't become a rock star for no reason.

LB: Who's more vain?

KKW: I mean, me.

KW: Yeah, I think she has vanity. And with me, I don't give a fuck, bro; it is what it is. I'm the best—now what? I don't know if that's a vain statement. I don't particularly like photos of myself, though.

KKW: Yeah, what is the definition of vain? I want to look up exactly what the definition is.[Googles.] Vain, definition: "having or showing an excessively high opinion of one's appearance, abilities, or worth."

LB: Speaking of pride, tweets you're proud of and tweets you regret.

KKW: I don't regret any tweets. I'm not a tweeter and deleter. So I have no regrets.

KW: She hates tweeters and deleters.

LB: Kim, blonde or brunette?

KKW: Blonde. Brunette is who I am obviously, it's my core. Blonde Kim is this alter ego; she has a vibe to her that I love.

LB: Could you have predicted the reaction to your nude selfie with the black bars?

KKW: I was about to get in the shower; I took a nude selfie, kept it in my phone for over a year. I just liked the picture, so I was like,"Let me put censor bars on it and post it." I don't do things to be like, "This is powerful. I'm going to show you guys that this is my 'message.''' I'm not that type of person. I'm empowered by it, but I'm not doing it specifically to show power.

LB: It was a weird response because we've all seen your body before.

KKW: Yeah, that's what was so shocking. And when I put the bars on it, it was more covered up than a bikini!

LB: What was the last thing you bought yourselves and each other?

KKW: The last thing I bought was a pair of Isabel Marant sandals. I don't wear flats, so it's hard for me to buy sandals. Kanye is the hardest person to buy something for, so I bought…

KW: You extended the bathroom and bedroom on the house.

KKW: I rented an island for his birthday. A far, far away place where no one can find us.

KW: You see, those are the type of statements that make people not like us, more so than the "I'm the best" statement. It's more the "Oh, yeah, I just rented an island for his birthday ..." You know in Meet the Parents, Owen Wilson's character? All of our shit is like Owen Wilson's character; he's like, "This is when we jumped off Mount Everest, and we wore turtle flight suits or whatever."

LB: Is there anything you wish the world didn't know about you?

KKW: Definitely. I was going to say some ugly looks and stuff.

KW: Some pregnancy stuff. You killed this second pregnancy, though.Your body slammed that crap. You made that second pregnancy your bitch.

KKW: I wish I had a little bit more privacy.

LB: Okay, TV shows you binge-watch?

KW/KKW: Empire.

LB: What would you do if you were invisible?

KW: Women's locker room.

KKW: I would probably creepily follow my kids around, see how they act, see what they talk about. I record my daughter just talking because the things she says are so funny. I could watch her talk all day.

KW: Yeah, maybe. See, Kim? Yours is so much nicer than mine.

LB: What makes you both laugh?

KKW: Kanye just says the funniest analogies that are so random. I should start keeping a book—in 20 years, I'll have a big book of analogies.They always make me laugh.

KW: Kim's just a funny person in general.

KKW: But I don't get credit for being funny; it's, like, not a thing.

KW: I think my sense of humor is really dark and super twisted and stuff like that. It's like, "Is this a funny joke for real? Or am I just rich?" See? That was funny.


LB: What would you bring to a desert island?

KKW: My kids. My phone.

KW: Not me. [Laughs.] I would bring my laptop and the Internet.

LB: How would you like to be remembered?

KKW: I'd like to be remembered as someone who was smart in business, works hard, and can be sexy and a mom. A powerful but still sexy, nonconforming woman. And I would hope that Kanye would be remembered for being smart and sticking to what he believes.

KW: Determined. I would say my determination is way higher than my smartness.

KKW: A lot of people have strong beliefs, but they don't have the confidence to really stick to them. I really respect Kanye for that.

LB: I personally really enjoy your use of capital letters.

KW: Yeah, all caps. Next time I'm doing all raps in all caps.

KKW: Kanye, what do you want to be remembered for?

KW: Your answer was so much better. I was going to say the whole thing about global warming and we're all going to be gone.

Source: www.harpersbazaar.com

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I Can Never Be Tired Of Acting - Empress Njamah

I Can Never Be Tired Of Acting - Empress Njamah

Adeboye   07:30:00   No comments:

Most people won’t forget the sad end of the romance between musician Timaya and Empress Njamah in a hurry. Though she’s moved on long ago and apparently delved into other businesses, Njamah’s reputation as a top notch actor is still intact. Declining questions on her relationship with Timaya, she speaks with DGossip247 about many other issues.

Your roles in movies have reduced, are you tired of acting?

I can never be tired of acting because it is something I have great passion for. All my life I have been an actress and I cannot think of quitting now. There are other things I am engaged in which need equal attention as well. But I intend to appear more in movies now; so expect to see me often.

You must have made a lot of money from acting?

Well, it is not all about the money but the passion one has for the job. Acting has been sustaining me from day one and it is still paying part of my bills. I have another business I’m focusing on, but I thank God.

At what point did you venture into make-up?

I’ve been doing it for a long time. The bridal make-up comes up almost every weekend. After finishing one job, I get another one from it and it goes on like that. Bridal make-up has been very okay.

What is your sincere assessment of the industry?

The only constant thing in this life is change and the Nigerian movie has been able to evolve with this change over the years. You can’t compare the movies that were made in the ’90s with the ones shot in 2015. I believe there is a big improvement in all areas, and things will only get better in Nollywood.

Why do you shun most entertainment or social events?

It is far different from the way you see it. The fact that I’m not gracing all the red carpets events does not mean I have shunned them. You don’t expect me to gate-crash events; I only attend the ones I’m invited to. I could be busy with other things too and there is a clash. I just have to sacrifice one thing for the other because it is not possible to be in two places at the same time.

Was being an actor a childhood fantasy?

Every part of me has always wanted to be an actor. My brothers are in the movie industry, so I would say acting runs in the family. We are proud and happy of what we’ve achieved. It helps to have a brother who does the same thing that you do. We learn from one another.

Do you have a new movie project you are working on?

Yes I have, but I am not ready to let the cat out of the bag. All I can say is for people to watch out for some new materials from me.

You’ve had your share of controversies in the past, how have you been able to avoid more of such?

In life, nothing good comes easy and you should always understand that you are a public figure. But if other people have decided not to mind their businesses and keep passing negative comments about another person, I think it is their own problem and headache. I have learnt to keep to myself and mind my own business. I don’t care about what people say and God has been my rock.

How does it feel when you read or hear unpleasant stories about you?

I just say to myself “they have come again” and I move on with my life. I owe nobody any explanations.

Why do you think it’s hard for Nigerian celebrities to stay in their marriages?

We all have our differences, motivations and what we want in a marriage. It is important to identify what exactly one wants in a marriage before going into it. Without this, one could rush in and rush out. The fact that something worked out for one person does not mean it would work out for another. We shouldn’t speak badly of marriages because no one knows what the couples are going through. Most importantly we should learn to put God first in marriage and whatever we lay our hands on.

Are you in a relationship at the moment?

I don’t want to talk about that. I like to keep my private life private.

Could you point at one period when things started working for you?

Every bit of my life was and will always be a turning point. I did not have a very special time but God has been faithful to me over the years and I remain grateful to him. I am aware that God is the one that crowns all our efforts as humans. No matter how hard working one is, without the blessing of God, it is in vain.

How do you describe yourself?

I am just a fun loving and sociable person. I spend so much time with the children from my foundation; I love them very much. As much as I love to be a ro u n d m y l o v e d ones, I find so m u c h peace in the comfort of my home. I play a lot but when it is time to be serious I don’t joke. I am not a fan of hypocrisy and gossip.

Why did you relocate to Abuja?

I needed to change my environment and Abuja is also a lovely place to live in. Also, I have my boutique in Abuja and there is need to monitor my business.

How do you give back to the society?

I give back to the society in so many ways. The major way I give back is through the Empress Njamah Foundation, a foundation I have been running successfully for 10 years now. I am so happy that most of the children are now grown-ups and are doing well.

Sometimes it looks difficult to carry on, but God has always been faithful at the end of it all. I built classrooms for them because I know that most of these children are very intelligent, especially the blind ones. To make the children happy always, I try as much as possible to celebrate with them eight times in a year.

I want them to feel loved all the time. On May 27, Children’s Day, I would be holding a party for them in Abuja. I’m l o o k – i n g f o r – w a rd to and excited a b o u t that

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How I Escaped Death During June 12 Crisis — Ooni

How I Escaped Death During June 12 Crisis — Ooni

Adeboye   16:00:00   No comments:

At a time the spate of violence across Nigeria seems to be threatening national security, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II, offers a valuable intervention, in this interview conducted at his palace preparatory to a non-violence programme, Peace Icons and the NMVA, coordinated by veteran broadcaster and cultural activist , Mr. Cally Ikpe. The monarch, who has passion for getting the teeming youths of Nigeria gainfully engaged, examines the country’s rate of violence within the context of the role of the youths and concludes that addressing the challenge is an urgent issue of national interest. He ascended the throne in December, 2015.

 Your concern about the youths in the country is well known especially on empowerment and youth violence. How concerned are you about the spate of violence everywhere in the country? 

I am indeed very concerned because if you look at the statistics of those engaging in violence all over the world, they are mostly youths between the ages of 18 and 40 years. Those formative years you don’t have proper balance. You will rarely see someone of about 60 or 80 years engaging in violence. Between the ages of 10 and 18, you will easily see people in that category engage in violence. But at above 18, you will start developing the rebellious spirit that ‘I can be on my own, I don’t want to be to taught again, I think I can stand on my own’, peer influence and all sorts of advice from bad fellowship. So it pretty much has to do with the formative years and it really has to be carefully guided. 

What do you say about people being under the impression that violence is profitable and and maybe somehow government is encouraging it? 

 Ooni Ogunwusi I don’t believe in that school of thought that violence is profitable You can spin violence in different ways. You can spin it in a positive or negative way. One is very productive, the other is counterproductive. When you spin violence in a negative manner, then it becomes very destructive, When you spin violence in a very positive manner, you become constructive. If you look at the pioneers of this country, they were not violent but they stood up to save this country and they were young men. The likes of Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello and Azikiwe among others. So my point is that violence cannot be called any other name than violence if is destructive. In Nigeria today, over 70 percent of the youths are jobless. Nothing is moving for them, so they intend to look for the easiest way out by saying that if I decide to go against the law, I will make quick money and I can oppress other people. It is a systemic thing, you don’t just probably think violence is profitable. If they had alternatives, I don’t think they will embrace violence. I don’t belong to that school of thought, my school of thought is let the system work, let the system run, then we can separate the grain from the chaff. 

Do you think government is actually doing enough to discourage this trend because, sometimes, we have seen government trying to go into negotiations with kidnappers, Boko Haram terrorists, hijackers, blackmailers and other criminal elements? 

It is neither here nor there. When such a situation comes up, you look at the overall interest and what is the overall interest? National security. Any time national security comes in, that is when government may try negotiating because the country is bigger than all of us but violence is simply bad. What is bad is bad. The truth is that things are not working. I think we can spin it in a different way. And the way we can spin it is for the youths to take things upon themselves and be more responsible, we should not put everything to government. We should stand up like a united force. If we have good leadership in terms of youth associations, I think government will listen, but if we say we want to put everything to government by saying they are doing less, you can’t satisfy 70 percent of 180 million people. The rate at which our population has grown over the last 20 to 30 years is in geometric progression and there has not been much plan and much provision for that rapid population growth. So it is important for us to rise to the occasion. Once we rise up to that occasion, it can reduce on gradual basis.

At some points in your life, you may have experienced violence in one form or the other which you may want to share? 

Violence is not a good thing, I keep saying it. I experienced the killing and maiming of people during the June 12, 1993 crisis and I pray it never happens again. I had to walk more than 20 kilometres, it was actually God that saved me that day. It was really bad. People got so frustrated, they were burning houses and burning people alive, I pray never to experience such a thing again. The entire Western Nigeria was on fire, nothing was working, and everything became grounded. And that was as a result of frustration, the frustration got to the peak. So, something must have pushed the youths to that level of violence. But you cannot blackmail a nation or hold a nation to ransom, if such is done, it then becomes a national security issue. And national security comes first. It is important because that is the essence of a nation and it is a growing concern. That is what actually makes government to bend over backwards to now readjust and say `we will negotiate’. They don’t want to negotiate but sometimes the hands of government are tied to negotiate. But we, the youths, should we be known for that?

Should we have that kind of name forever? 

I don’t think it is right. We should come together at some point, some of our leaders now played important roles in governance when they were in that age bracket. Some of them were governors, we have seen one who became the President as a youth and he is still alive, we have seen a lot of them who were in the parliament between late 20s and early 30s. So what are our youths doing? I will keep talking about it, because I am very passionate about it, as I have actually built a big capacity that can actually assist the youths. The youths can do many things other than violence. The chair that I am sitting on now was actually made by some youths. That is why I am building good followership among the youths so that we can work together. I am not in government, I am just a monarch but I am using my platform to encourage youths to quit violence. I am a living example of the saying that charity begins at home. My crown is made in Nigeria , most of the things I use are made in Nigeria. My policy is that the minimum of 60 -70 percent of what I wear should be made in Nigeria. Unfortunately, my wristwatch is not made in Nigeria but we will get there.

This is a youth programme and the audience will be interested in the kind of music that appeals to you? 

(Prolonged laughter) Made in Nigeria music. Like I said earlier on, charity begins at home. We are very talented in this country, Nigerians sing very good music even in Africa. We are very talented people. I have a lot of them actually. I like King Sunny Ade, Ebenezer Obey, I like old school music, the very old school music that is full of wisdom. I listen to them a lot because I learn from them. And the music of this generation, interestingly, I like the guy that sang Double Wahala for Dead Bodi, Oritse Femi because his music makes sense but people don’t really listen to whatever he says, they jsut listen to the beats. But if you listen to his music deeply, it makes a lot of sense

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I Hate Acting - Maryam Elisha

I Hate Acting - Maryam Elisha

Adeboye   03:53:00   No comments:

Kebbi State-born fashion designer and ex-beauty queen, Maryam Elisha, is the Chief Executive Officer of Rikaoto By Me. She speaks with DGossip247 about her life and fashion label

Did you train to become a fashion designer?

Yes I did. After I studied English at the University of Lagos, I went for further training at the New Jersey Fashion School, United States of America.

Did you plan to become a model?

I began modelling when I was in secondary school. One day, I was on my way home from school when I noticed a guy was following me. I became scared and I walked as fast as my legs could carry me. He chased after me and said he wanted me to join his modelling agency. I invited him to discuss with my elder sister and after that I began modelling. Afterwards, I moved to South Africa but I returned to Nigeria because I could not cope.

You were Miss Valentine 2007. How did the experience impact your life?

Being a celebrity or beauty queen goes beyond looking good and dressing well. What makes you a celebrity is how many people you have impacted positively and how many more who look up to you. During my reign, I learnt how to develop relationships with people. Becoming a beauty queen also gave me the push to do all that I have ever dreamt of doing.It was a good take off point for all my projects. I have no regrets and it has created several opportunities for success.

How did you decide on the name, Rikaoto By Me, for your fashion house?

Rikaoto is my native name and it means fruitful. When I was about to set up my brand, I thought of so many names. I wanted something that symbolised growth and Rikaoto came to mind. It has worked for me since then.

Your designs have been recognised at international pageants.

With my background as a model, beauty queen and pageant judge, I know what judges look out for. It is rare for a contestant wearing my design at international pageants not to win or emerge in the top five. For instance, the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria 2015, Unoaku Anyadike, emerged the top five during the modelling competition at Miss World 2015. Also, Miss Tourism Nigeria 2014, Collette Nwadike, was the first black woman to win the Exquisite Face of the Universe in 2015. She also won the best outfit at the pageant.

How have you been able to handle the fame that comes with your career?

It can be challenging sometimes. There are certain things I cannot do, which other people can without fear or favour. I do not have a lot of privacy because I am always in the limelight, but I have privacy at home.

Do guys like you because of your beauty or money?

Most people like celebrities for different reasons. Some like the way I dress, my character, personality, charity works, designs or my beauty. I have friends at different levels. Luckily, I do not have a lot of haters and my fans do not post bad comments about me.

What precautions do you take to avoid scandals?

I have not had scandals because I do things the way they are supposed to be done. If you have to be a celebrity, you must be a role model and earn that respect. You must affect other people and impact their lives.

You are also involved in charity.

Yes, I founded my charity foundation, Save Tomorrow Today, about seven years ago. There are about 40 children under the care of the foundation. We monitor their education and feed some of them. We also get sponsors for their education and I have contributed a lot to help them through my brand.

Are you looking to give acting a shot in the near future?

I am not the kind of girl that wants to be seen in front of the camera. I like to do business in my office and figure out how to make money. I prefer to do that than stay in front of the television all day and not make as much money.

What plans do you have for marriage?

I do not like to discuss my relationships in interviews but I will let people know when the time is right. I like a God-fearing guy, who will see me as a friend, sister and can advice me. It does not matter if the guy is tall or short, he must respect women because most guys do not.

What is your beauty regimen like?

I do not indulge in a lot of routines, but I am lucky to have a good skin. I go for facials once in a while and I do not use harmful creams or bleaching creams. I use baby lotions.

How would you describe your style?

Style is the way you combine your outfit and carriage to create a sense for yourself.

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Tribalism Is Major Problem In Nollywood – Ronke Oshodi

Tribalism Is Major Problem In Nollywood – Ronke Oshodi

Adeboye   03:17:00   No comments:

Ondo State born multitalented Yoruba actress, Ronke Ojo, popularly known as Ronke Oshodi Oke, has starred in over 70 Yoruba movies. She is loved and highly respected in Nollywood because of her creativity and wits. In this interview with DGossip247, the actress, musician, director cum producer, she speaks extensively on her journey to the world of make-believe, marriage and music

What has been happening to you in recent times?

I’ve been working on my album. I want to go into music. I’ve been saying that for a very long time and I have done some tracks. I featured Pasuma, 9ice and Oritsefemi. I have done about five tracks.

I’m also working on two projects, one is ‘Osun Shegese’, its a story about Osun Oshogbo itself and the other is, ‘Feyintola Olobi’, that’s also a true life story of one of my big mummies in Ilesha.

A story of a woman that suffered from birth till she was 70. Basically, those are the three projects I’m working on and by the special grace of God, they are going to come out before the end of this year.

Are you not discouraged by some of your colleagues who have tried going into music and it didn’t work for them?

Like I always say, I love challenges. We are in the entertainment industry directly or indirectly.

Everybody wants to showcase what he or she has inside. I wouldn’t call it rivalry; if you are selling something and I’m selling the same thing, you would want yours to be unique and I would mine too.

So I can’t say I’m really threatened; on the other hand, I’m not too bold because whatever I do, I won’t say I’m the best. I can only try, so I don’t think I’m threatened by anyone. I’m not too afraid of coming out to sing.

How would you describe your genre of music?

I actually do a universal music.

How soon are we expecting an album?

The album would be coming out before the end of this year.

How is marriage life?

I bless God. I’m happily married to Mr. Sylvester Gbolahan and blessed with two wonderful children.

What are the modern day challenges confronting movie industry in Nigeria?

The number one challenge we have is tribalism, yes, coupled with not being under one umbrella.

I tell people, Americans love their country, that’s why they love themselves. Of course, they’ve got shortcomings as well but you won’t really see it the way you see it here in Nigeria.

This tribalism of a thing is actually our number one problem. A Yoruba man would not want to call an Igbo man to act in a movie and same with the Igbo people.

Especially we women; you know that person is your colleague and you will be giving her attitude. All these things to me are childish. That’s one thing about me, if I see any good actress, I approach her and compliment her.

When I come across some upcoming actresses that are good, I go to them and tell them that I am their fan. I’m a very blunt person, but I don’t know what our problem is in this industry.

Tribalism has really eaten deep into this industry. Even if I’m not on talking term with a particular person and I have a script and I see that the person is fit for the role, believe me, I will call the person to come in. It’s got nothing to do with our relationship, but I don’t know what our problem is.

So tribalism is our major problem in Nollywood; especially I f we are not under one umbrella.

So that is to say you are not dissing anyone in the industry?

My brother, believe me, I love everybody in their own way.

What other form of business do you do apart from movies and music?

I am a full time entertainer. I act, I sing, I anchor events.

When you feel the need to take a break off movies and music,how best do you do that?

I spend time with my family. People say I am homely; I don’t really like going out. I like watching movies and listening to music and I love my kitchen, as you can see, I’m very big

Your favourite perfumes and designers when it comes to fashion?

I am not a designer freak. Anything goes, so long as it is beautiful and cool. If it suits me and I’m comfortable in it, I’m fine with it.

What’s your take on nudity?

I don’t like it! I am a mother, its really sad that nudity is what most of our new actresses are promoting now.

Maybe if I was born twenty years ago, I might, you get what I am saying? But its not the way we were born and brought up. Of course, I am not just a Yoruba person, I am a woman of tradition and culture, why would I encourage or preach nudity?

It’s fake and that is what I tell people, we are Nigerians, we are African, we have got cultures and traditions here but we are derailing.

Exposure is fine, its a good thing to be exposed, but we are getting it wrong.

The indians, although, they have changed their style a little bit, you won’t see them encouraging nudity, and that is because they value their culture. So we too should not encourage it.

The Americans that are doing that, that is their way of life, that is the way they are brought up. Why do we have to emulate something that is not our culture?

What’s your life philosophy?

Be proud of yourself, be humble, be good to people, put smiles on people’s faces in your own little way.

What’s the craziest thing the media has ever reported about you?

If I tell you, you won’t believe it but I have never seen any. Do you know why? It’s because whatever the press sees is news to them and when the press is talking about you, it is either good or bad and that’s because you are still relevant in your society, if you are not, the press will not say anything about you.

So I don’t see anything bad in whatever they report. More importantly, I love my job, I have passion for my job, so if I see anything as a problem, I am going to derail, I don’t see the negative side of it, instead, I focus on the positive side of it.

How long have you been in the movie industry and what’s that height you still feel you are yet to attain in your career?

I am just starting, I have been doing movies for twenty years now.

For twenty years, you have been entertaining your fans, did your parents support you in the beginning?

No

Did you ever overcome that and how? My father is late now, he wanted me to go back to school and be a newscaster.

Its just few years ago, that you will see a Nigerian parent encouraging their children to go into movies. Unlike before, you dared not. No one wanted to be associated with theatre practitioners. In my own case, before my father died, he had no choice. Eventually, he and my mum became my number one fans and today, she is eating the fruits of her labour.

What do you want to be remembered for?

Like I said earlier, in my own little way, I like putting smiles on people’s faces. God willing, I want to try and make few people, encourage those who are serious about taking up a career in acting.

This is because when it comes to acting, everybody wants to act, everybody wants to be an entertainer but I really want to help the serious ones. I am here today because my boss, late Mufutau Oladokun Babaalaran, encouraged me both in and outside the industry too.

What do you have to say to those coming up?

Don’t look up to me or to any individual, Look up to God. Any other Ronke Oshodi Oke in this industry is fake, it can’t last, because it is art. You must think, you must be creative; create your own thing, don’t try to be anyone, be yourself. And to my fans, I love them, without them, there’s no me. They are everything I am today.

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‘I Won’t Date Anyman Against My Career’ - Mary Urantha

‘I Won’t Date Anyman Against My Career’ - Mary Urantha

Adeboye   14:32:00   No comments:

Vivacious actress, Mary Urantha, remains a stunner on screen and behind it. The seamlessly beautiful entertainer speaks about her career, family and marriage in this interview with DGossip247.com

You’ve had a stint in pageantry and you were a runner-up at Miss Niger Delta.

How was the experience and what lessons did you learn from it?

As far as pageantry is concerned, I was The Finest Girl on campus. I picked the form for Miss Nigeria, which I later did not go for because I fell ill. And one of the things that actually discouraged me was when I saw the politics in the contest; I just felt I should just stop here. I know that I don’t just have passion for pageantry, I have passion for anything entertainment. I can sing, I can dance and I can act.

You have a production company, 50th Film Academy. What motivated its establishment and does the name symbolise anything?

50th Film Academy is my own way of giving back to the society. The truth about it is that we have big plans for 50th Film, which hasn’t really taken off yet. It is a platform for training aspiring actors. 50th Film is a production company. We’ve done our first and second production. So, it’s a growing production company.

By the time we do up to five productions, people will get to know about us and then they can start coming in for training and production.

The motive for setting up 50th Film is to see how I can help my people because the industry is a clique thing, it is a family thing. I thought I could set up the academy to help talents from my state, Rivers State to afford them the opportunity to come into the industry. Already, they have started coming. But for now, we are yet to start training. We are concentrating on production in order to gain that ground, but we will eventually delve fully into training.

What were the initial challenges you faced as a fresher in Nollywood and how did you overcome them?

Challenges are part of life. Every industry comes with it is own challenge; it is not just peculiar to Nollywood. There is no sector that you find yourself that you won’t face challenges. So, for me, every challenge I faced at the early stage was part of the training.

Do you still find the industry competitive? And how do you handle the competition and stay successful in the industry?

I am not in competition with anyone. I do the best that I can and leave the rest to God. I don’t think getting into competition will make me bigger than I am today. By the grace of God, it’s been a gradual thing for me and I love it that way. That’s what defines me. I am not in competition with anyone.

How would you describe your personality? What don’t people know about you?

I’m a very calm person by nature. I don’t like to be in the eye of the public all the time. I hardly go out. That is something I would say people know about me. Anybody that knows me knows I am a very private person.

How fulfilling is it being in the spotlight always? Do you sometimes wish things were different or that you had another job?

I am happy being an actress. I couldn’t have wished for any other job, that is the truth. I love where I am. I love entertainment.

Is Mary Uranta in a relationship? What are your views about love and marriage?

Is Mary in a relationship? That is personal. Love and marriage is a good thing. Everybody wishes for love. Every woman wishes for marriage, but it is not something you die for.

When it comes, it comes. I can’t force myself into anything. When you force yourself into marriage, you find yourself coming out.

Love cannot stand in my way of career because first of all, I cannot date a man who doesn’t support my career. A man who loves me will love my passion, my career, everything around me. When you find a man who doesn’t love or support you, it is very simple, it just shows that the man is not for you. My first priority for a man is you must love my family. Career is even secondary. A man that loves you will love everything about you.

What beauty tips or routine do you indulge in to stay beautiful?

I don’t have any beauty routine. Let me shock you, I hardly go to the spa for facials. I have never done facials before in my entire life. It is funny, but it is the truth. I don’t even use a lightening cream, I do moisturizers. If you have seen my family, you will notice that I am the darkest. My siblings are white, that’s the truth.

What movie roles are you most comfortable with and which ones would you not dare play?

I’m comfortable with any role, that’s what makes me an actress. The only thing I can’t do is going nude. Some will say they can act with pant and bra, but for me, that’s nudity. I can’t do that. I can never do that because this is Africa.

This is not Hollywood. Maybe that is why I am not as famous as others.

Could you please shed light on your background and formative years?

I am from Queens’ Town in Opobo, Rivers State. I’m from a family of nine. Growing up for me was fun. We didn’t have issues at all. I don’t like to go deep into my growing up because I don’t know how to say that we were so rich, suddenly my father woke up one morning and said he had a covenant with God to serve Him.

And he abandoned everything else and dedicated his life to serving God. We are grateful daily that my father yielded to that call because he has taught us what life is all about and loving God. I think that is the best thing any father can give to any child and not riches. He taught us the right way and till tomorrow, he is still my mentor.

He actually went to school and studied and had lots of degrees that would make him feed to the end of his life. And with all the positions he held before he resigned, I am proud of him.

My father resigned at Michelin as the first African Michelin Manager in Rivers state. He woke up one morning and said, “God said I should resign and go and serve him and leave everything”.

And that’s how he left. Shell was one company everybody was fighting to be part of. Shell came to the village to look for my father. They came down to ask for Albert Uranta and that was how he was employed. My father has a doctorate degree.

He is a civil engineer and an architect. He was so brilliant. He was the best student in his class. That was why Shell had to come looking for him in the village. I don’t like disclosing this part of my life because I don’t know how to say I was born with a sliver spoon. We were so rich and all of a sudden we lost that silver spoon. But that was how it happened. Life wasn’t difficult if you ask me, because we all looked up to our father. You see a man who has been having the best things of life, and all of a sudden you see him putting his mat in the house of God. We had the basic things of life.

I don’t think I will have asked for anything more than that. If I have my way, I will even want to be a child again because my parents are very lovely people.

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