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Born and raised in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 29 year old Samaher Omar has been modeling since 2013, she is also an actress and worked in a few web series (Youtube ) as well as with MBC.   What got you into modeling? Was it a passion of yours?     Yes, I had this passion since I was a kid , I always loved posing for the camera. I took lots of pictures as a kid,when I turned 22, I took a decision to look for modeling agencies in Jeddah and get into the modeling industry.    How is it being a model In Saudi Arabia?    At first, it was really good , we had classes for catwalk and how to be professional and everything. However, a few years later everything changed. People started calling themselves models, and clients of course not all but some started looking to hire models for lower prices and didn’t care if they had what it takes to be a model, if they were a good poser or capable of doing runway show. all they cared about was which one takes a lower payment. And that really affected us as professional models. It went out of control as today, we see lots of guys and girls calling themselves models but don’t have what it requires to be a model at, the end this is my opinion and this is what I’ve seen and been through during the past years.    Has society held you back or supported you?     My family did support me , society wasn’t very supportive but now everything has changed and I can yes, now society is supportive but back then no.  Every creative/entrepreneur goes through challenges and failures, what are some of yours and how did you overcome them?   I don’t call it failure as long as I’ve learned a lesson out of it, there was a time where i took wrong decisions at work and wasted time and energy. But I always told myself “never regret anything just don’t repeat what you have done”. Later on I started to choose wisely and did some research before taking any step , each and everyone of us goes through ups and down so it’s just all about moving on cause time is money. How did you bounce back from these “mistakes” and what advice do you have for those who are going through their own “failures”?   For me it wasn’t easy. I had no one to guide me except myself, so I just started all over again by offering offers to the clients and precisely choosing with whom to work with. That got me back on track , my advice is not to copy or think like someone else, be unique and make good decisions. Doesn’t matter what negative comments you get as long you love what you’re doing. If you are sure that this is what you want, nothing can stop you. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?   Professional model worldwide. All industries are being changed and disrupted by technology and social media, how is the modeling industry being disrupted based on your experience?   Modeling got disrupted by the some of the Clients and models themselves. Some have no idea what modeling is, lots of things need to be taken in consideration, people who don't have what it takes to be part of this job should not be part of it.   Finally, you’re favorite quote.     “You become what you believe”  Oprah Winfrey. Check Out Our Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/visionarymagazine/ Check Out Samaher's Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/samaher_omar/

Emmanuel Akintunde is the Managing Director and co-founder of GF Entertainment, a boutique entertainment company providing A-list celebrity artists/rappers for UHNWIs worldwide. Once an actor for 7 years, he reached a crossroads where he had to make a decision as to whether to continue acting or go full throttle with the company he had recently set up at the time - he chose the latter and as they say, the rest is history! What made you want to start GF entertainment? I started GF Entertainment in 2014, providing entertainment to corporate, private and high-profile events in the United Kingdom with the aim to bring something unique to the marketplace. By request, we started providing A-list celebrity artists, DJ's and rappers for UHNWI's (Ultra High Net Worth Individuals) worldwide - starting in the South of France for super yacht captains and owners. Last year, we launched a new division providing VIP and hospitality packages for premium international events such as the Oscars, as well as concerts and non-ticketed events.   Who are 5 entertainers you haven't worked with yet that you would like to work with?   Coldplay Anthony Joshua  Roger Federer Kevin Hart Rolling Stones  Where do you see yourself and GF in 10 years?    In 10 years, I see GF as a household name in the UHNWI community. Being able to constantly deliver for our clients is one of the paramount things we pride ourselves in - to be doing this in the next 10, 20, 30 years and beyond is the dream.                    Every entrepreneur goes through challenges,trials and tribulations,What are/were yours?    Oh yes most definitely! We went through ours! Ours was building the trust of our potential clients. As a new company coming into such a marketplace, building a reputation that people can trust was difficult. Also managing the company and being an actor, at the time, lead me to making a decision of leaving the acting world  to concentrate 110% on the company!   How did you go about building relationships with these big entertainers and events?  Through years of building! I used to be actor and that was a good stepping stone.     All industries are being disrupted by technology and social Media, how do you see the future of the events and nightlife industry and how it will be disrupted?   It’s actually not disrupting us, it is enabling us! A lot of our clients now contact us via Instagram to make inquiries, instead of traditional email. If companies are not on social media, especially companies in the events and nightlife industry, then you are really missing out! Technology and social media, from my perspective, really should not be disrupting our industries, it should enhance. It’s up to us to be one step ahead and use these “disruptions” to our advantage.   Do you see yourself venturing out into other businesses or industries in the near future?   At the moment, I think I will be sticking with GFE for the long run. More so sticking to the entertainment industry!   Finally your favorite quote? “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It's not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” Marianne Williamson. Emmanuelle's Advice For You: Stay Focused, Be Consistent And Persistent And Always Make Sure You Deliver! You Are Only As Good As Your Last Gig!   Check Out GF Entertainment Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gfeltd/?hl=en Check Out Visionary Magazine's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/visionarymagazine/

"Vemix is a mashup of the words Visual and Remix. A Verb and a noun. You can Vemix, but you can not be Vemix, I am Vemix, I take old pics and remix them into new ones, usually with dollop of contrast and a pinch of what if." - Vemix Vemix uses Photoshop to remix images and create moments that we wish would've happened with our favorite icons, it has amassed him a large following on Instagram and he has started to monetize his pictures. Today we have a conversation with the mystery man behind these iconic images. Did you have past experience with Photoshop or anything like that?     Not really. I messed around, making memes a bit, but nothing too polished. Basically just opened the program and it was on Like cocktail sauce on a prawn.    Do you monetize your Content? Yes. I started seeing a lot of people selling my pics on shirts, so I thought I might as well join them. I try to keep it in fun hobby mode though and not get caught up in the money/work aspect.   Is there any impact you would like to inflict?   I've never really thought about it, hmm. I have definitely unintentionally inflicted some impact. What are the best pictures you’ve remixed? I'd have to say all the ones I didn't tag and can't take credit for. There's a few "Legit" photos out there that I made. Some folks are looking to add a little clout to their catalog and I can make it happen, if the price is right. If I'm really trying pull it off I'll make multiple pics of the same scene from different angles to ad another level of realism. You can question a single pic, but you'll rarely question it from different angles. Out of my tagged ones I'd have to say "The Greatest  Story Never Told" (Biggie, Kurt and Pac or "Enter the Row" (Bruce lee/2pac) I got those two hanging in the crib.   Why do you think so many people follow you and are interested in the images you remix?   Like pineapple on pizza. Some people just love it while others hate it. There's no in between. And of course the nostalgia. Everyone is vulnerable to a little bit a that. I'm all over the place with the subject matter so I got something for everyone.        So is there a specific direction or inspiration for the images you create?   Nah, its usually a sporadic idea or two random pictures in my head at that particular moment that click together. I have about 100 a day and I've been meaning to start writing them down so I can bring them to life, but I don't and always forget. The real world has me strapped for time, so I only get a couple hours a week to quickly bang a couple out.  I'm just giving y'all the tip           Where do you see Vemix going, what does the future hold? I spend most of my spare time re-positioning the past and not much on predicting the future. My work is much deeper then what's presented so who knows what will come to the surface, it's always a surprise to me. All I know is that I'm having fun in the meantime. Do you have a specific vision for the next 5-10 years?  Basically just seeing how far I can take this and hopefully changing the way people see photo editing along the way. It's a slept on art form. It gets the same treatment hip hop did when it was new. People can get real salty when I sample a classic pic, but wouldn't think twice about bumping "Can't Touch This" same thing different sense. But I'll most likely build it up until its about to blow then just disappear, I get bored once something has become a success then move on to something new.   Finally, Vemix's advice for you: Make sure it is for a cause and not applause. If it's your passion, keep it your passion.  Don't get caught up in trying to sell it, it becomes work and nobody likes work. Whatever the product is, keep it genuine and everything else will fall in place.

Mish’al Samman. Aka “Meesh” (his nickname) Is a true "Jack Of All Trades". He is a Saudi Arabian Actor,Producer and DJ. He started his entertainment career in 1992 as a DJ in college, then Japan and Los Angeles.  In 2005 he actively became an actor while getting his Masters Degree in Tokyo, and working for an IT firm. Later on, in 2008 while doing his PhD, he quit everything to make acting and producing his full-time career. After graduating from the Second City improve comedy in 2011. He returned to Japan to perform at Universal. He than returned to Los Angeles in 2016 where he works as a flight attendant as well as an actor. His recent appearance on the James Cordon Show, brought laughter to millions and put him in the spotlight. Today we have a conversation with Meesh on his beginnings and what is next for him. What got you into entertainment?, is it a passion of yours, was it you’re dream as a kid? That’s a hard question to answer. I’ve been a story teller since 5th grade. I used to watch cartoons on Saturday mornings in America. And when I went back to Saudi, I’d spend all year telling those stories to my classmates.  Then from 7th grade onward, I would watch movie trailers on television during vacation.  And even though I never got to watch the movie, I’d make up the story based on what I saw....   I will say I had a very active imagination. I never really had a passion for it. I think as Arabs, telling stories is in our blood. We love it. To the point that we exaggerate reality sometimes a little too much. But like I said it’s in our DNA. The best stories in the world are from 1001 Arabian nights. But no it wasn’t a dream.  My dream was to be a superhero. Then I got older and reality was that I was going to be an engineer.  But I became a DJ. And then in japan the opportunity and support was available to me becoming an actor and I tried it...  that’s when I fell in love with it. What was that first time as an actor like?,And what made you fall in love with it? The first time I considered me “acting” was in a play called “the cherry orchard” by Anton Chekhov. I’ve never actually been in a play before that.  I performed a lot in Riyadh School, and I hosted events in college, but never ACTED.  When I auditioned with a friend, the director liked my style in delivering the character, I admitted to the director that I never acted before. I remember he looked at me and said “Then get ready to play”,I never imagined what that meant, until he personally started coaching me the basics of classical acting. And it was so different than what I imagined and what people THINK acting is.   It is truly an art and a dance you do with the other actor, the writer, their words, as well as incorporating your art with the vision of the director.  And it’s LIVE. I started on stage. The hardest to jump into with zero experience.  And I ended up doing it every chance I got.  The level of concentration for me to stop shaking made my blood pump hard. What do you think about the film industry in the KSA? I think the film industry as a whole is in its infancy and people in KSA are still trying to find Their voice on what is entertaining.  The KSA “film” industry is practically still non existent in my point of view because, it is focused on new-media and social media outlets as the basis of the entire industry.  I think KSA film makers are still trying to find their voice in general, and this is all fantastic! But I also fear it may be a temporary trend.  Saudis are still trying to find their voice.  They want to be Hollywood, but they may end up being" SaudiWood". Meaning an industry only for Saudi and Middle East consumers. Which is great. They just need to find it and not be afraid to put themselves out there and learn from their creations, because art in general should never be what you “think” people will like. It’s what “you” like. And that is why we have Star Wars etc. Who are 5 actors,directors,etc.. that you would like to work with? This is such a hard question, but first and foremost I would LOVE to work with Kuwaiti director Zeyad Alhusaini. And Saudi director Ali Alkalthami. These are two talents in particular I would really like to work with one day. I would also like to wok with Ron Howard , Betty White, and Keanu Reeves.  I think I gravitate towards talents that are known to have fantastic personalities along with talent. So we all saw you on James Coeden’s show doing you’re thing,Could you tell us how that came about? Honestly the events leading up to the studio is where the interesting story is.  A Friend I was performing with in Japan was visiting from Australia, and invited me and other performers to the show, but I couldn’t go, because I had to be in Dallas for work. 15 minutes before leaving I was notified that someone wanted to take my shift. So I let them take it, cancelled my trip, and called my friends to see if I could still come. They said yes, and I got changed and hurried to the studio.  The rest was honestly being myself and chance.  I will never know why he chose me.  It was all chance...   never rehearsed. Never told I will be chosen. Never knew what the question was. It was my first time at the show. And God knows how it all happened the way it happened.  I know it’s not a very interesting story, but my crazy life is set in the journey of how things come to be.  I believe in signs.  And this was a big one for me. And thank God every day. Watch Meesh's Appearance on the show below: (Starts at 6:55) As A Saudi Creative Working In Places Like The United States And Japan, How Did People React When Knowing Of Your Nationality? The honest truth...  surprise!   That’s just what they respond with, because they never have met an actor from Saudi Arabia.  And if they have, it is super rare.  Then they treat me like a gem. But watch me like a hawk. Not because I’m Saudi but because they think it’s a mistake, or it’s not true.  Exactly like how many Saudis responded to my interview with James Corden.  First things Saudis said was...  no way. Then they said, he’s not really Saudi originally.  Then they said OK, he’s Saudi but he’s not 100% Saudi.   It’s as if our Arab people don’t want to believe they have any talent beyond the stereotype, and that stereotype translates outside.  But 90% of the time. They are always very supportive towards talent in the US and Japan. And the fact that I’m Saudi makes it even more special.  Embracing who you are is very special to me and unfortunately came to me in my mid 20's.  When I was far away from the negativity of the stereotypes.  I mean the sad fact is I don’t look Saudi. But it’s also a blessing because I’m not typecast. But I also have that unique opportunity to do things not every ethnic actor can do.   So being proud to be Saudi has a big advantage.  But also as any actor paying dues, you must swallow that pride and do the work. So, where do you see yourself in 5-10 years? In 5-10 years I’d like to see myself on a TV series, on a directors chair, and eventually in a studio surrounded by the amazing talent we are seeing in Saudi. Eventually i would like to be a mentor for everything creative, because that is what I truly believe life is about. The love of what you create, and the love for life. Every visionary goes through trials and tribulations, what are were/yours? Mine is always going to have strength to move on and not to give up.  Especially in an industry where your talents rarely speaks for itself.  Money drives your success rate. And it can be a very lonely life.Thank god I have a close family who I know will always love me no matter what. Mishal's Advice For You: Do what you love, and do it with passion because if you do it for anything else it won’t be what you want.  And listen to “constructive” criticism, because not everything you do will be perfect the first time.  This is a journey...  not a destination, and great artists get better with practice, so if you never do anything, you are just starting and you are half as good as you can be. So go for it.  “Do, or do not...  there is no Try.” -Yoda. (Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back)

Asbati Bashir aka Maff is a Nigerian-Jamaican Music Producer/Songwriter/Recording Artist, from the UK, raised in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. which is where he started making music. Inspired by the likes of J Dilla,DMX and Nelly, he started writing music at 13. A few years later, he went on to work with Jeddah based Hip Hop group "J Fam" as a writer and producer. He is a Music Technology Graduate and has his own clothing brand called "DiceXDominos ". How was it growing up as an artist in the KSA? It was a challenge. All we had to get any essence of culture that is not Saudi were things like TV,Documentaries,Albums etc. In terms of being a rapper or Producer for example. The regularity of events that would need different genres of music to be played, performed  or enjoyed wasn't needed at the time because, the way Saudi the society ran was different. A club for example would be a regular hang out area in western society where as in Saudi it is not. Therefore, Open mics, rap battles, Cyphers and performances were not something you knew about by the greater majority, unlike with how Hip Hop/Rap was in The USA or with how Grime was in the United Kingdom. And when events like that did happen, they were all low key and if the authorities knew about them, it could turn into a situation where attendees and participants could and sometimes would have got arrested. So we would have to search the information ourselves and find out how things worked without much help or direction! Personally I took a liking to writing styles of freestyle from rappers out off Philadelphia and studied them,which then lead to me studying other musicians music and techniques. I'd say being in Saudi rather than being in the West (the UK, The USA,Canada etc) gave me the advantage of Not having a "home town bias" because I didn't live in any of the places where a scene was active at the time. I'm in Saudi across the planet, So regional representation didn't apply to me. What did apply to me however, was how other English speaking musicians harnessed their techniques. Which they would have got from their specific area . As people from different areas have their own style production and or rap. With Saudi being the number one export of oil and America being the number 1 buyer of oil. Lots of products in Saudi are American. The cars, the building lay outs and road set up. Even the education system leans more towards the American system, and the American accent is the more Dominant accent spoken there. Also if you're expat kid like I was you might have mixed with a lot of other expat kids (kids from America, Canada, The UK, South Africa) etc. What is the most meaningful music project you had so far and why? Well IV had 21 releases, majority of them Instrumental tapes with 4 of them being rap projects. My most meaningful project would have to be between  (Klouds/waterfalls I, Klouds/Waterfalls-ii and Interpretation [Rap.EP]). Because of how they came about but for the question I'd say (Klouds/Waterfalls II) though(Klouds/Waterfalls I) is also special. (Klouds/waterfalls ii)  happened when I was in my second year at the University of East London. I was making beats for this project at that time while looking for a place to rent at the time. I had found a place online n went to hand in my rent n deposit. The very next day I was making the first beat on (Klouds/Waterfalls II) and the second beat on that tape. When a couple came to my door and asked why they couldn't get in their building. I was like "what do you mean yours, this is (person I gave the rent n deposit too's) place". Throughout speaking to them, I came to realize that it was a real situation and we had been scammed out of nearly 1K each, authorities were called. I was making beats out of Hotels while looking for a place to rent out for Uni. Then it happened, in the middle of my beat making session on a (either a Monday or Tuesday). It was my day off from University, when that happened I felt like "Breh, like can't I catch a break, damn"Every time I hear that tape, it takes me back to that space of me being determined and nothing holding me back in East London. Especially the first beat on that tape..."Cold Summer Nights". Because the whole tape apart from maybe one beat was not made in one location..just me, my laptop and the city of London.  Tell us about your brand? I have more than one but the one, I'm going to talk about "DiceXDominos". I made the logo (had drawn for me) when I was 17 going back and forth between the UK at the time. What we do is merge Visual Art & with either recording artists or spoken word poets (Of my affiliates) to come up with conceptual Art which is later placed on apparel and products. The visual artists however can be any one who isn't affiliated granted that we like their work. The Name was a derivative of my own concept. Concept of "Ying and Yang ". With a little Islamic twist (but not limited to). The "Dice" and the "Domino" represent the kind of people or personalities that are around as they are both pieces that belong to a game . The Dice represents gamble, risk and chance. Nothing is for sure with the dice. It represents recklessness in the game. The Domino is a game pieces that involves rules,procedures and a pattern in the game that its used for. The Islamic twist comes in because there is a lot of speculation about the use of "Dice" and that because of its nature being a game of chance and gamble.Gambling isn't accepted in Islam. And, I myself coming from a multi-religious  family, I wanted to cater to my own self and people of similar like backgrounds as well as those who are not!  A question that will be on some of the new clothing is "If life is just a Game, which are you?"The inspiration behind the concept was the Quranic chapter Surah Al Anaam. Sahil: "And the worldly life is not but amusement and diversion". For now though, we are working as a network agency connecting our self's and other people on an international basis for projects that may involve us or connecting people and clientele to people they might need for their present or future projects. Until we are full effect in our clothing distribution and Photo shoots dates.  All collaboration of our own clothing will be sold and displayed in Music videos and Adds.  Which we aim to keep on online platforms rather than TV, but if presented a beneficial offer we can come to some agreement.  What kind of impact would you like to have through the music and brand? My music and brand are two things I like to keep separate .Their impacts would be different. However l will speak about impact. Iv'e never made anything for a particular sound or audience, for example, some artists make "Club Music". I never ever till this day have done that which I'm realizing now may have been a bit of a mistake. It goes back into how I started making music. The only reason I even got into music was because I wanted a clothing line. I watched a lot music videos as a kid. What I liked about most of them, was the clothing that they wore, I had made my first baseball Jersey at 13, got the materials and all and took'em to the Taylor n had it made. I already had many designs written down so it came to me. " well I've got the designs now,how do I get people to see them? Oh I gotta make music videos, well I gotta be a rapper now". And it's been a long pursuit of bettering myself by learning and experimenting rather just being a rapper, I got into music, Tech and learned how to produce because I had later joined "The Jeddah fam" a music group based in Saudi 2007. At the time I wanted to be more of a help to the crew than just a writer. But since leaving the musical side of the team later and graduating From University, I've been in a bit of Limbo to be honest. Musically speaking that is. Brand wise for "DiceXDominos" I want it to connect people and have their work be shown and displayed advertised with everyone being credited and paid too. The idea behind the brand was, I want to be a God sent for all the everyday artists or illustrators to get their work out there, seen and appreciated. Also for creatives who can't draw connect with those who can. I want It to be a very artsy kinda network Hub that also has products. Musically though..this is where it gets deep. Influence is something that Iv'e always had. When I speak to or about something, people listen, even if they don't agree or don't Want to hear what I'm saying. I realized that I can make an effect on someone. The most powerful person to a king is his adviser. I want to stay true to my self and my experience "No gang shit on the beat if I send it to you". To give you the short answer, I want positive impact more than a negative one. Where I live it's nothing like Chicago,Illinois but music can most definitely be a tool used to instigate situations. Stabbings happen there in UK because of it.Shootings happen in the USA because of it. Rather than divide people with music.I'd rather it join people together. (I don't know if it will happen, God knows) but I'd like many people from different areas, countries and places to feel like they're in one place or that they're the same, that they're geographic distance doesn't make them feel less relatable or feel distant. I'd say where ever I go, I'd want my music andd my genuine conduct to make the locals there feel as though I was one of them and I reciprocate that to them. Outta ego or just the height that I want for myself, my father always told me "Do your best" &"whatever you do,be successful at it". So in that case I want be "Sean Carter" &"Master P" for Stoke On Trent . I want to be the "Diddy" & "Nipsey" of Jeddah. A Dark Skinned Drake. My boy KSHR said he wanted Impact the same as "Outkast" at the source awards, that too. Just for my uniqueness. It's a lot to ask and work for but..when goals are set high it easy to get disheartened, but because I make music I can..not for others. I think that's why I didn't give up. Making music is like reading, u can't forget it.  Maff's Advice For You: My advice would be, money is necessary but u don't always need it. Networking is more valuable. Your goal shouldn't be to get things done for free,but that doesn't mean  u can't get them for free or work for work etc. Get it however u can and if u don't stop,something along the way will help.  "If we don't know where we've been, we will never know where we're going " - Malik Yoba

Ali Yasser Salah El Deen AKA "Bboy Thug" is a Saudi Arabian Break Dancer and Hip Hop Connoisseur born in Jeddah and Living In Riyadh. He is a member of the (CID) (International Dance Council) and a member of the dance crew "One Heart". He started dancing in 2003, his nickname in the break dancing scene is "Thug" . He traveled to many different places to preform and spread the word about the movement of break dance and hip hop that is taking place in Saudi Arabia. He was also rapping from 2006 to 2010, even though he stopped, him and his crew that was founded 2005 continue to compete on the nation and world wide stage. What Made Get Into Break Dancing? The many movies I watched as a kid and underground gatherings happening in the neighborhoods, attracted me to it and made me want to be a part of it. How Did Saudi Society React To You, Did They Support Or Hinder You? In the beginning, unfortunately, society wasn't supportive, and criticized us a lot. Support was there but it was very little. After 2010 however, as break dance culture got more popular in the country, more and more support started coming and the light on the culture became less negative and more positive. However, we do not receive the kind of support that we want and need, all dancers are supporting themselves financially and setting up events and competitions themselves. But we are thankful, because it is going in the direction that we want. Demand is going up and our hopes are high, Hip Hop will be the number 1 art form in Saudi Arabia! Tell Us About Break Dance In Saudi Arabia Break Dance entered Saudi Arabia during the 90's, it was the first element of Hip Hop to reach Saudi. It started in the neighborhoods of Jeddah, then it spread to Makkah, Medina, Riyadh and Dammam. Gatherings and competitions started taking place every weekend in these cities, after 2010, the gatherings became much less and many dancers stopped dancing,however the culture is becoming strong again as it is starting to get more popular and more commercial. Give Us Detail About Those First Gatherings And Events That Took Place Before 2006, there were many events, however the culture wasn't very strong and dancers weren't very aware of the culture. Meaning, many dancer were just dancing without knowing the steps, basis and names of the dances which is normal because at that time, we did not have social media to be able to learn from professional dancers overseas. There were many names in the scene, some left and some are still here, however they all left a stamp in the scene (Wont mention the names in order to make sure i don't leave anybody out). The first official Break Dance championship happened in 2007 in partnership with Red Bull. 5 years later with the support of Red Bull, Saudi Arabia participated in The Middle East Break Dance Championship, "Bboy Lazy' represented us and won the championship. Where Do You See Yourself In 5-10 Years? I see myself participating and winning international competitions. Have a lot of media coverage, and have my name marked in Break Dance and Hip Hop history. I also see myself doing many workshops on break dancing and spread and strengthen the culture. I already started doing such things. I did a booth in collaboration with The Saudi Arabian Sports Authority, to raise awareness about Hip Hop and Break Dancing, to make sure people really understand what the culture is about and leave the stereotypes they have. Many people attended and supported, Graffiti artists, famous rappers, singers and government officials as well. I plan to make a lot more event like this in the future, that is how we will push our culture forward. In Your Opinion, What Are The Required Steps That Need To Be Taken In Order To Push Hip Hop forward in Saudi Arabia? Hip Hop or any other "alternative culture" for that matter, wont move forward and evolve in the country until us, members of the culture and movement evolve and push our selves forward. We must work to spread awareness about our movement with all of it's elements (Graffiti,DJ,MC,Rapping,etc...). We must correct our mistakes and eliminate the negative stereotypes that the masses associate with hip hop because of mainstream media. There are many ways to do that, me and my crew started doing that by organizing live shows all across the country. The booth that I mentioned earlier had good results and we need more of it. There also has to be a lot of collaborations, all dancers,rappers,Dj's and Graffiti artists must come together and create content that will go viral and spread the culture. Being The People That Are Pushing Hip Hop Culture In Saudi Arabia, Are You Mixing Elements From Saudi Culture With Hip Hop? Hip Hop is definitely a culture that you can mix and mash up with other cultures and we have done so. We would dance to Arabic an Saudi songs, as well as incorporate Arabic instruments such as Oud and Arabic Drums to the hip hop songs we normally dance to. We have many more ideas coming to incorporate Saudi culture with break dance and hip hop Who Are 5 Artists/Dancers You Would like to work with? -Bboy Storm from Germany -Saudi Rapper Qusai -Boogaloo Storm -Mr Wiggles -Popinpete Bboy's Advice For You: If you want to make your dreams come true, you must challenge yourself first, lock your ears away from negative talk and feedback, no matter how many times you fall, you will find a path to get back up. Do not rely on luck or other people and depend on yourself.

ياسر علي صلاح المعروف ب "Bboy Thug" من مواليد جده وعايش في الرياض.   عمره 30 ، عضو في المجلس الدولي للرقص وعضو في قروب ون هارت. بديت الرقص في عام 2003، لقبه الحركي في المجال "thug" وناشط حركي في مجال الهيب هوب في السعودية . سافر لكثير من المدن لعروض الرقص ونشر ثقافه الهيب هوب كامل لانه كان يغني راب في 2006 ، ولكن قليل الاغاني الي غناها. وفي 2010 وقف الراب واستمر في الرقص فقط طبعا هو و قروبه قدمو عروض على مستوى المملكه في جميع مناطق المملكه وتأسس القروب في نهايات 2005. ايش كانت بدايتك في مجال الرقص و ايش خلاك تدخل هالممجال؟ من الافلام وكمان الشارع, تجمعات الرقص هي الي حمستني اكثر اني ادخل المجال في ذاك الوقت  حبيت الرقص وحسيتو جدا ممتع لما بديت فيه وفعلن كنت استمتع. كيف تفاعل معاك المجتمع السعودي، يدعموا وله ضد؟ بالنسبه لأول كان كثير للاسف منتقدين وضد والأغلب يدعم وكأنو قليل ، ولكن في الفتره الحاليه من بعد 2010 بدا يكون في دعم من المجتمع وصار في اقبال كبير جدا. ولكن الدعم الي نبغاه ماهو موجود كل الدانسر او كل الهيب هوبرز يدعمون انفسهم بأنفسهم والحمدلله في اقبال من كل الاعمال وصار جدا مرغوب حالياً والهيب هوب قريبا بيكون الفن الاول في السعوديه. كلمنا عن ثقافة البريك دانس في السعودية، وين بدأت و كيف و ايش كانت التحديات ثقافة البريك دانس جدا قويه في السعوديه وهي الثقافه الاوله في الهيب هوب الي دخلت السعوديه ، بدايات ال90 قبل العناصر الأخرى. بدات في جده وانتشرت لمكه والمدينه والرياض والدمام ، هذي المدن الي كانت تحتضن التجمعات والتحديات ، كانت بشكل اسبوعي, كل ويكند. للاسف التجمعات قلت من بعد 2010 وكثير من الدانسر وقفو عن الرقص والتجمعات صارت نادره في الوقت الحالي.  بالنسبه للرقص ، جدا له مكانه كبيره في الهيب هوب وهوا ثاني عنصر والآن الرقص صار افضل من اول وثقافة الرقص صارت واضحه ، اول كانت جدا حماس وقويه ولكن حاليا صار في وعي في الرقص اكثر من اول. ممكن تكلمنا عن بدايات هل ثقافة في السعودية، يعني عن هالتجمعات و ايش كان يسير و مين كان فيها في ما قبل 2006 كانت الثقافه ضعيفه ولكن كانت التجمعات قويه ،  ضعيفه من ناحية الاساسيات وهي اساسيات الرقص لان كل نوع رقص له اساس وخطوات لازم تمشي عليها وفي ذاك الوقت كان في لعب ورقص قوي ولكن الأغلب ما كان يعرف وش يسوي وبعض المسميات غلط وهذا شي طبيعي في ذاك الوقت, لان مافي سوشل ميديا وقتها ويوتيوب والخ كان اشرطة افلام رقص والخ . الاسماء جدا كثيره الي كانو موجودين والبعض منهم ما زال والبعض منهم ترك الرقص ولكن اسماء كثيره وضعت بصمه في الرقص بالسعوديه ، ( بدون ذكر اسماء عشان محد يتحسس اذا انحط اسمه او ما انحط )  اول بطوله في السعوديه رسميه في 2007  صارت مع شركة رد بول ، ولمدة تقريبا 5 سنوات ومن رد بول شاركة السعوديه في بطولة الشرق الأوسط ومثلنا فيها "Bboy Lazy" واخد بطل الشرق الأوسط ،  وبما اني ناشط حركي في مجال الهيب هوب والرقص في السعوديه قاعد أسعى دائما في دعم التجمعات وإقامتها . وين تشوف حالك فال٥-١٠ سنين الجاية؟ بعد 5 سنوات واكثر اشوف نفسي في بطولات خارجيه وعالميه واكون داعم كبير للمجال عالميا وإعلامياً. لان انا اشوف نفسي اني راح اوصل لأكثر من الي انا عليه لحبي لمجالي وراح يكون اسمي مخلد في المجال باذن الله ، راح اطلع مسارح كبيره وورك شوبات تعليميه اكثر. بالنسبه انا اول شخص في السعوديه أقام بوث عن ثقافة الهيب هوب في الرياض مع هيئة الترفيه عام 2017 و هيئه الرياضة 2018 . جمعة كل العناصر في مكان واحد وقدمنا عروض وأيضا علمنا الناس وتحدثنا عن ثقافة الهيب هوب ، من اول منشئها قدام مجتمع سعودي ما يفهم في الهيب هوب والحمدلله حضر كثير من داعمين المجال ومشاهيره من رابرز ودانسر وجرافيتي وديجي وبيتبوكس ، كان حدث قوي عن الهيب هوب وأعجب فيه كثير من المسئولين وتغيرت نضرتهم عن الهيب هوب وصححنا اخطاء كانو فاهمينها الناس. برايك, ايش هي الخطوات الأزمة عشان تتطور ثقافة الهيب هوب في السعودية (من ناحية الحكومة،الشعب/الجمهور و الفنانين) الهيب هوب ما راح يتطور الا لما نتطور حنا لازم نقوي ثقافتنا حنا كدانسر او كل هيب هوبر ، من رابر الى دي جي وجرافيتي نقوي ثقافتنا في مجالاتنا وننشرها بالطريقه الصح لازم نصحح اخطائنا ثم نصحح الأخطاء الي فاهمينها الحكومه والشعب والجمهور . طرق التطوير ونشر الثقافه جدا كثيره ، بدأتها انا وقروبي من مدينه الى مدينه في كثير من مناطق السعوديه بالعروض وغيرها ، وكمان البوث كانت خطوه ناجحه لي لنشر وتوعيت الناس في ثقافة الهيب هوب ، من اهم الاماكن الي تقدر ننشر الثقافه فيها الاماكن العامه الي فيها تجمعات الناس .دائما حنا نكمل بعض كعناصر الهيب هوب لما نتشارك في فيديو وغيرها من الاعمال وهذا الشي ضروري, كرابر يطلع دانسر او دي جي او جرافيتي معه في فيديو او دانسر وجرافيتي والخ . ( اذا قدمنا شي صح راح يوصل الجمهور والشعب والحكومه كل شي صح ) كدانسرز و هيب هوبرز سعوديين، هل ضفتوا او رح تضيفوا عناصر من الثقافة السعودية لشغكم، لو اي، ممكن أمثلة؟ الهيب هوب من الثقافات الي تقدر تدمجها مع ثقافة بلدك. ونعم صحيح أضفنا الثقافه السعوديه مع ثقافة الهيب هوب ، والهيب هوب له اساسه ولكن في كل دوله راح تندمج مع ثقافة البلد نفسها . مثلا ( الرقص ندمج اغاني عربيه او اغاني وطنيه في العروض وغيرها ، او دمج معزوفات عربيه مثل العود والطبل وغيره في ميوزك الرقص نفسه والأفكار كثيره في دمج الثقافه السعوديه مع الرقص ). والراب كذالك تقدر تدمجها وأيضا العناصر الأخرى ، يمديك تدمجهم مع الثقافه السعوديه ولكن لها انطباع خاص . فنانين/دانسرز ودك تشتغل معهم، سواء كانو سعوديين او اجانب اشتغلت مع كثير فنانين ودانسر سعوديين واجانب وقابلتهم ، احب اشتغل مع كل شخص يخدم المجال. كان مغني او دانسر ، ( bboy storm من المانيا مواسس ومبتكر ومطور لأساسيات رقص الbreaking , الرابر قصي ، boogaloo Sam , mr wiggles, popinpete ). نصيحتك لالناس الي قاعدين يحاولون يحققون احلامهم نصيحتي للناس الي تبغا تحقق أحلامها ، اذا تبغا تحقق حلمك تحدا نفسك اول ثم تحدا الناس وقفل اذنك من كلام الناس مهما اخطئت وطحت راح تحصل الطريق الصح وارجع و اوقف مافي شخص بالدنيا ياخذ شي يبغاه بدون تعب ، لا تعتمد على الحظ او على غيرك. اجتهد وخلك طموح وأخيرا خلي في حياتك طموح ان وصلت له انت ربحان وان ما وصلت له راح تكون نفسك راضيه لانك حاولت توصل للشي الي تحبه.  الهيب هوب اعتبره انا تحت التاسيس بدا يكون في اقبال بدات الثقافه تزيد عند الهيب هوبرز قبل الجمهور, حنا قاعدين ناسس ونحط للناس اساسيات الهيب هوب وننشر الثقافه ذي, فعشان كذا لكل هيب هوبر لا توقف راح يكون الهيب هوب الفن الاول بالسعوديه باذن الله.

Safwan is a music producer from Saudi Arabia , he produces beats and instrumentals in the Hip Hop and Funk Genres. He was born in Jeddah in 1993 . He lives in Yanbu , graduated from Yanbu industrial college with a high Mechanical Diploma in 2015 and a BS degree in the same college. Tell Us About Your Music And How That Started? I started making music in 2012 because I always wanted to be a producer, I feel the beat more than the lyrics , so that's how I hot into production. I make Hip-Hop and dance beats. But most of what I make and I'm perfect for is Hip-Hop and Funk. How Is It Doing That In Saudi? I'm just trying my best and reach the top, no matter where I'm at. It doesn't matter where you are, you will make it if you are very talented and believe in yourself. What Do You Think About The Up And Coming Music Scene In Saudi And How Do You See Yourself Contributing To It? Hip-Hop in Saudi is getting more popular unlike the old days , and it's kinda being accepted today. There's are a lot of Hip-Hop fans in Saudi. And me as a producer, i think I'm gonna make it , because I know I'm doing something real, plus there aren't much Hip-Hop producers in Saudi specially with what I'm doing, so there is a chance. Where Do You See Yourself In 5-10 Years Career Wise? One of the best Hip-Hop producers in the Middle East. Every Visionary Goes Through Trials And Tribulations, What Are/Were Yours? It’s simple, my job, it’s killing me,. If I was free I would do my thing and make it to the top faster. What Are 3 Things You Would Like To Change In The Music/Hip Hop Scenes In KSA? - A lot of rappers here don’t know much about the history of the musicologists in the genre and that’s a problem.  - There’s not much RnB or NeoSoul vocalist.  - There’s no real support or interest in media for underground producers and rappers or singers just like me. I think I’m good at making music and I produce several genres but I still don't even having a Small fan base , and to me, I’m not looking for fame I just make what i love , but that’s the thing, there’s no real support. How Do People React To You Being A Saudi Based Producer? I’m not even popular yet, but I'll talk to you about the people around me , I get supported from most people around me and they think it’s rare and good to be a Saudi producer. Who Are 5 Artists You Would Like To Work With?(Local Or Foreign)? 1- Dalia Mobarak 2- Tamtam 3- Qusai 4- Loulwa 5- Majed Jordan Safwan's Advice To You:  Never Say Never

Dj Licious is a belgum based DJ and producer. His passion for House Music took him on a long journey through the music industry. He released many hits under different labels such as ‘I Hear You Calling’ on the legendary Positiva record label, as well as remixing Avicii’s & Rita Ora’s worldwide smash ‘Lonely Together’. As an aspiring DJ, he set up his own clubbing concept SHOMI, which he still runs till this day. He has been touring Europe playing the famous "Defect In The House" parties and has been playing sets for festivals and events worldwide. In 2018 alone he racked up 18 million streams across all platforms. The industry considers him to be the next big thing in the House Music genre. We had the pleasure to talk to him and learn about his humble beginnings and what the future holds for him. -What Were Your Earliest Memories Of Doing Music And What Made You Fall In Love With It? Well I started playing the piano when I was 7, but before that music was all around me in my life. My dad is a big music enthusiast so I was raised with a lot of classical music and a lot of 60/70’ music :-), but I fell in love when I started listening to house music. That changed my view on music completely. -You Started Out As An Aspiring And Went On To Producing Hits And Collaborating With Industry Giants, What Are The 5 Most Valuable Lessons You Learned From That Journey? 5 valuable lessons! Here goes: • Creativity is everything. • Keep pushing your boundaries, never believe that you have achieved everything, cause you haven’t. Your work is never done. • Trust only yourself, although many people have good advice and you should always listen to it, you and only you have the final decision to make. • When you have a setback, and things are not going your way, don’t avoid it! Look at what went wrong and try to learn as much as you can, or you will keep making the same mistakes. • All the lessons above are worth nothing if you don’t enjoy the journey! You never know when it ends, so look back sometimes and be grateful. -Who Were The People You Looked Up To? There are too many people to mention, but basically anyone that works hard to reach their goals is someone I look up too! It doesn’t matter how big your dream is or how far you got, just the fact that you are trying is something I admire a lot. -“Good Vibes Come From Nothing But House But House Music” What Are “Good Vibes” To You, And Why Do You Make It Your Job To Create Good Vibes? House music is all about love & unity, that is what I understand to be good vibes. So if I can make just one person smile on the dancefloor, mission accomplished. -Every Visionary Goes Through Trials And Tribulations, What Are/Were Yours? Nobody in my family or circle of friends was working in the music business, so I had to learn a lot in the beginning and I made a lot of mistakes that could have been avoided if I had the right people around me from the start. But I don’t regret it, cause it only made me wiser now. -Who Are 5 Artists/Producers/A&R’s You Would Like To Work With In The Future? Too many to mention again, but I am a big fan of Thom Yorke (Radiohead) but would also love to work with London Grammar, Florence & The Machine, Lamb & Flume. -What Was Your Most Meaningful Piece Of Work You Put Out To This Day, And Why? I think that must be “I’ll be alright”, it is not my most famous piece, but the emotional messages I still get every day, is just mind blowing. I touched a lot of people’s heart with that for which I am very grateful! -What Do You Think The Future Of House Music Looks Like? House music will always stay present in it’s purest form. It just adapts to different forms as a reaction to what is happening in the world in that moment musically. Thinking forward many years ahead is pointless, cause music is changing so rapidly right now with the internet, even after 1 year a track can be outdated. -Where Do You See Yourself In The Next 10 Years? Still making music, and hopefully reaching a lot of people in the process and making them smile. DJ Liciou's Advice For You Stay strong, although it seems hopeless sometimes and you think you won’t make it, I strongly believe that you will as long as you don’t give up. A little trick to not give up, is to never compare yourself to others. You are not them, and they are not you. Check Out Licious Music on: www.djlicious.be Check Out Visionary Magazine's Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/visionarymagazine

Flavius Trica is a 26 year old fashion designer, living in Romania. He does web design, printing and fashion. Although he works with different companies to design different things (like websites, brandings and all that). What he loves the most is to work in fashion. He has a brand where he inserts his designs and ideas without being stalled by anyone. Two years ago he started his own fashion brand, Mstar Clothing & Acc. Also known as HouseofMstar where he designed his first two collections, Vanity which contains one time only edition articles and Devil's Line. The idea of Mstar focuses on exclusivity, "I don't want the t-shirt that he wears to be on 10000 other people" is the phrase that is constentley in his head when desiging clothes, and that stands on Mstar's ground combined with all of his creative ideas. What Got You Into Design And All It’s Different Forms? We are living in a world where you are judged by appearance and I like to contribute to that. There are people who, by wearing a special outfit will feel special, it's like they put an armor that gives them confidence. That’s what I want to do! I want to empower people who wear my designs by giving them confidence. When Did You Start And How Did You Get Into It? (First Program Used, First Design Created, First Inspiration, Etc...) My first design was a t-shirt featuring some skulls and a message: “until 24 I was a boy, now I’m a designer". I was inspired a lot by Olivier Rousteing, who is the creative director of Balmain, he is doing a great job there. I'm also inspired by McQueen . When I read the life story of Alexander McQueen, I found so many things in common with him and somehow he is still an inspiration although I never met him and probably never will. I also got inspired by movies, books, and old looks that I find on Pinterest . In this tech era, you can find anything you want at a glance from your mobile phone, you just need to open your eyes and the inspiration will come. But the main thing that inspires me is the people. I got inspired by them, they are the main actors here. How Would You Describe Your Style, And What Is/Are Specific Inspirations For It? My personal style is a combination of military-casual with small touches of elegance. I like to wear structured clothing from raw materials with military buttons, straight pockets, biker jeans, not large and definitely not super slim, I can’t stand slim trousers on men, it’s gross. I don’t wear the same outfit or something very similar two days on a row, I change it everyday but I try to keep my style even if I wear an elegant shirt or a basic tee. I like denim clothing a lot, is like my favorite material, I also have an obsession for jackets and perfumes. I think for men it’s easier, they should wear clothes that inspire trust, women on the other hand should wear clothes that inspire sex appeal and elegance at the same time, but for both sexes always wear what suits you the most and you will emanate confidence, otherwise you will look and be insecure. Where Do You See Yourself In 10 Years? Presenting 4 collections per year and dressing super models for the Met Gala every year, that’s when you know you made it in fashion. What Is The Future For Your Brand? Mstar will always keep it’s identity and will follow on the idea that people are unique so why dress them all the same? One thing is for sure, I will never follow trends, I hate trends, they make all people look the same. What Kind Of Impact Would You Like To Have On The World? These days designers lack ideas, they create ridiculous outfits just to get out of the box but those outfits tend to make people look like clowns. I want to change that. People should stop wearing a clown outfit in order to be unforgettable and it’s the designers fault, so yeah, I really think I have the power to do that. Every Visionary Goes Through Struggle/Trails And Tribulation, What Are/Were Yours And How Did You Overcome? There were struggles with the fabrics mostly. On the first products, I had so many tries regarding prints that failed, bad fabrics etc. until I found the perfect combination in order to create a good article. But I am aware that it is just part of the process and I know that I will encounter more challenges in the future as well, you can’t create something good without failing a few times before. I overcame it through work. When you’re doing what you love you feel relaxed and you don’t feel the pressure the same way. I work a lot, I’m always working, Monday to Sunday. When you’re having a brand and a path to where you want to go then you have to work more than 9-5 Monday to Friday. What Do You Think About The Fashion Industry In Dubai And The Middle East? Fashion industry in Middle East is really on a highway to the sky at the moment, from designers and models to influencers and of course the customers who pay a big attention to looks. Apart from the many talented designers based in the Middle East, I am very happy that designers from all over the world are starting to pay big attention to the people in the Middle East, more specifically to Middle Eastern women, creating stunning collections for them. They are the some of the most powerful women that I've encountered and luckily they do know how to take care of themselves so they deserve outfits that will make them remembered. Dubai is starting to become the center of everything (it's already is the center of many things) and luckily fashion is a domain that is on it's list. I think in the next years, Dubai can be a fashion capital, in line with Milano, Paris and New York. Personally I love the arabic influences especially on clothes, talking about rich embroideries on fabrics, personalised hijabs, arabic ornamental prints on silk scarfs. What can I say?! I can't wait to launch Mstar's Middle East collection, sooner than you will think. Flavius's Advice For You The key is to do what you love and always but always stay focused at your plan. My favorite quote? “If your dreams don’t scare you, they aren’t big enough” Check Out Flaviou's brand Mstar at: www.mstar-shop.com

Cerena is a rising Freshman at Temple University, she recently graduated from The Episcopal Academy. She started doing visual art at a young age, around 5 or 6 years old. From then on she practiced drawing people and shapes. When she was 12 , she got serious about her art and began working with shading ,highlights, proportions and more. However her supplies were limited to a number two pencil because of the poorly financed art program at my elementary/middle school. When she began attending the Episcopal Academy as a freshman in 2015, she started using more supplies after being introduced to different styles and material. She started selling her artwork as she began improving with the supplies, and by my sophomore year she created a small business with selling her work through Instagram. she still does art commissions to this day, and she is going into Temple for visual arts but, will also do performing arts throughout college. What Got you into art, were you inspired by a certain artist as a child or was it naturally a passion of yours? It was naturally a passion. I remember in preschool I saw a lady drawing a three dimensional house and from then on I wanted to do that, and more. When It Comes To Your Own Style, How Would You Describe It, What Is It Inspired By And Is There A Specific Theme? My own style is semi realistic, although I can do realistic paintings I prefer to have a blended style like that because, I can add many aesthetic elements to it. Did You Go Through Challenges And/or Failures When First Trying To Sell Your Paintings? Yes, many people would want me to lower my prices even though my prices were already low. And many others wanted free artwork. I was making art during a time where it was a trend for people to easily create digital drawings of random people with a free iPhone app for fun, and a lot of my past audience thought that my artwork- that I used traditional supplies for- should either be super cheap or free. So i grew my audience by doing artwork in exchange for shoutouts from popular pages , and from there my page grew a different audience. Then I started gaining popularity on my own by making time lapse videos of my artwork. After gaining a lot of following from a new, art loving audience , I started getting more art requests. But I then faced the challenge of juggling my schedule. Because I got hundreds of people wanting my artwork and I had to pick my customers based off of what I thought I could do in my limited free time, because for my four years of high school, I attended a very prestigious , very time-consuming and very academically challenging school. And in addition to the academics , I was doing musical theatre , one of the presidents of two clubs , and more while juggling the artwork. So selling my paintings was something I had to squeeze in there. Do You Remember The First Art piece you sold, what did i it feel like? The first piece I sold was back in middle school when I did lined paper drawings for people for $2-$5 each. It felt great and I bought candy with the money But if we are talking about actual serious artwork selling, the first piece I sold was for a friend, of her friend. And it was a drawing for $45 (what would be worth $125 now). Where do you see yourself in 10 years? In ten years i see myself being well known , but not too known. OR, I just go MIA but I’ll still be doing big things like maybe Broadway or owning my own art company, or both! My dream is to be in professional musical theatre and have a job with a small company working in the background that I own. Would you say your passion for art and theater are intertwined? I feel like my passion for art stems from how long I’ve been working on it , and my passion for theatre is separate but still super huge. When I was younger I would always be doing art but was super interested in musicals and performing but didn’t have any skill to perform, because I never thought I could do it. And when I went to high school and did my first musical I was hooked, and by my sixth show I knew I didn’t want to stop. But both visual art and performing art are demanding fields . I’m really leaning more towards musical theatre now but I don’t wanna leave painting and drawing behind Who are 5 artists you would like to collaborate with? @artbybankrupt @omar_ortiz_artista Sara Sandoval @emzdrawings And Jazza from YouTube What kind of impact would you like to have on the world? I’d like to show young people, especially young black kids in Philadelphia that they can be anything they want to be in life. You don’t have to be a doctor, lawyer, scientist, basketball player, or studio artist to be successful. A lot of young black boys growing up in the hood in Philadelphia are convinced in and/ or out of school that they’d be successful if they get in the NBA , NFL, or become rappers. And in school we’re all taught that academics is the only path to success. As a young girl I wanted to sing and draw and act, but no one ever told me how to make that into a career. I was always educated on writers, scientists, historians and etc. but I was never taught that I could chase a career in Broadway or be more than a freelance painter until I worked for three years of my Philadelphia-public-school-life to get into a private high school. The K-12 private education is where I found the most opportunities were given and I learned so much about how I can hone in on my skills to work towards being successful jn many visual art + performing art careers. I would’ve never known about if I stayed in the Philadelphia public school system. Young kids of color in the city are not encouraged as much , if at all to be more and do more than what they see around them. Does the fact that you have a lot of social media followers helped excel your art career, If so, what are 5 things you tell other artist out there to do, so that they can grow there social media as well? It definitely does because having a lot of social media followers means my art can reach thousands at a time for free instead of paying hundreds for a two hour art show every time I wanna showcase my art I say show people what you are making, take videos of the progress (people love to see the end result come from a rough beginning), advertise your work, make sure you know the Instagram algorithm, and never post early in the morning on weekdays if you want a post to flourish -I see many African women in your paintings, what is the inspiration behind that? I paint and draw a lot of women of color not just because of the lack of women of color seen in paintings - I do it because it’s so fun to experiment with the colors on darker complexions. Light values and shadows just pop, and so do bright colors against the rich shades of brown What Was Your Most Meaningful Piece And Why? The purpose of this painting is to point out not only the general/universal beauty standards (left) , but even in the black community, dark skin girls have to look a certain way to be considered beautiful and this is what I am portraying in this painting. Not only is it called beautiful if you are light skinned, etc., but dark skin girls have to have long curly hair, sharp jawline, glowing skin, fleeky eyebrows, etc. In order to be considered "beautiful". The message is, No matter what you look like, you are beautiful. -If You had To Replace Your Self With The Life Of Another Artist, Who Would It Be? And Why? If I could put myself in another artist’s shoes, I’d put myself in Beyoncé’s. It’s not a widely known thing, but Beyoncé does paintings as well. I’d like to see her work so badly because I know that she puts her all into her pieces. They must all be super passionate and/or fun or powerful because she does them for therapeutic reasons as well. -Cerena's Advice For You! And my advice for artists would be to not compare yourself to others to point out negative things about your work, and saying someone else is “better” than you. That’s like comparing apples to oranges. Instead look for ways to change up your style and improve your own skill. "I owe my success to having listened respectfully to the very best advice, and then going away and doing the exact opposite." -- G. K. Chesterton

Jara is a Saudi based rapper and Fashion/Streetwear enthusiast. She started to dabble with fashion and music, in order to Bring something different to the Saudi market. Her experiences and different style are the tools she uses to Advocate for streetwear and rap to top that off. She was born and raised in Jeddah ,lived in Sweden for 4 years and goes back & forth between Jeddah and Sweden. Describe Your Beginnings In Music And Fashion. Regarding music, I started writing in Sweden, when I was going through a dark time. Expressing myself through music was my only outlet. But I started focusing on it more a few months ago. Regarding fashion, I’ve always been the odd one out, especially here in Saudi. I named myself "Hoodjabi" a few years ago. I didn’t feel myself as a Hijabi so I combined modesty with style. and I started wearing hoodies as a type of hijab. Combining modesty with streetwear. And that’s pretty much how I started. So what is your ultimate goal with your music? I want to prove that you can make hits without swearing and singing about profanity. I want to show that as a woman, I can still make it and be modest. Jara is a brand you know, not just a person. What do you think about the fashion and hip hop scene in Saudi Arabia? Fashion wise, I feel like it’s very generic. The models are very copy paste. They all look the same and it’s very hard to get work if you look different the way that I do. Streetwear isn’t so big here, and there aren’t many ‘influencers’, who have the style that I do. It’s more hippy, boho and basic. The music Industry here is more or less a joke, it’s based more on comedy than on lyrical content and talent. The Arabic rap scene is growing but the English scene is non existent, I am trying to shine a bigger light on people like me and other creatives to try and change the way it’s going. What are 3 things you wish were different about each of those industries? Modeling wise I wish the focus wasn’t on being basic. And that there was more attention and focus on originality and uniqueness. Especially ethnic and size wise too. With streetwear and fashion in general, the way I dress is considered masculine, the looks and comments I get cause of the way I look is very toxic. People make many assumptions and I wish people would be less stereotypical regarding looks. I’ve been told that I seem very intimidating just cause of how I dress. Music wise, every producer, talent manager, and almost everyone in the industry that I have met with tells me I won’t make it cause I rap in English. Arabic is the only way anyone is going to know who I am. Like my success is based on local engagement and that rapping about things I actually care about in English won’t take me anywhere. I wish music was taken more serious in the Arab world in general and internationally, I wish that music wasn’t based on genericness. Do you plan to change that or be involved in the change of those things?, if so, how? I’m gonna keep going at it, try to be more consistent and give the world everything I have to offer. consistency is key. What’s your most meaningful project so Far? My streetwear documentary, it sums up who I am and what I want to do. (Watch Below): Who Are 5 Artists You Would like To Collaborate With? The dream. just a dream probably never a reality: Joyner Lucas J cole Kendrick Jorja Smith 070 shake. For now that’s what comes to mind. How do people outside of Saudi react To You, like Sweden for example, what do they think when they see you, a Saudi-Born female rapper and street wear enthusiast? In Sweden it was pretty encouraged, I felt more out of the box when I used to wear the hijab there. I slowly transitioned into dressing more street and wearing my hoodie as a form of modesty, and once I did I wasn’t looked at that much. In Sweden I dealt with racism cause of my color and attitude more than how I dressed. Rap wise I don’t fit the norm there either. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Well hopefully, making a big impact, not just here or the Middle East but internationally. Showing that you can defy the norms, and excel in whatever field you choose, no matter what your circumstances are. If you could replace your self with any other artist/creative, who would it be? No body. As cocky as that sounds. I don’t envy any of them. Honestly, female wise most of them don’t have the same mindset as me when it comes to modesty and how I want to present my self. I don't necessarily believe in everything they stand for. Billie maybe if she wasn’t white and she could rap. So if Billie and Joyner Lucas had a baby. Something like that. Check out Jara's music at: https://soundcloud.com/theycallmejara