Worthy TV

FIVE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SHALITA GRANT

Editorial, Featured, Lifestyle, Worthy TV

SHALITA

When we sat down for a quick chat with the super busy Shalita Grant, we were pleased to hear that her answers to our questions were just as bold as her character on the hit series NCIS New Orleans, which has returned for a second season. In Season two we watch Shalita’s character, Sonja Percy, adapt to working as the newest agent alongside Dwayne Pride (Scott Bakula) and his top notch NCIS team. Our exclusive interview allowed us to see a side of the talented actress that you seldom get to experience with actresses of her caliber. If you don’t know Shalita, you will want to know her by the end of this interview, which you will be able to read more of in our upcoming issue. For now read a few fun facts that she shared with us that most of her fans don’t know about her yet.

1. “I don’t live with a television,” the actress said.

That explains her super awesome Instagram videos showing her 5:30 a.m. workouts. They really make us feel like we are failing at life.

2. “I have started working on my music. The sound is being fine tuned. It is more like a true blues sound.”

3. ” I am the oldest of nine children.”

4. “I love partying. Give me a beat and let me twerk.”

5. “I have spent my whole life trying to feel worthy. I am worthy because my unworthiness is not enough to make me stop trying. It is not strong enough.”

When we asked her for her best pitch about why you should be watching NCIS New Orleans Tuesday nights at 9 central time, it was a simple formula for her.

“If you love action, the first seven episodes have some crazy insane stunts, you should be watching. There is amazing team work. It is quirky and you gotta love Scott Bakula. Watch the show,” Shalita said.

We told you that you would love her. Shalita will also have a reoccurring role on the upcoming public television mini-series, “Mercy Street.”

Dilcia’s Haircare Tips for 2015

News, Worthy TV

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Perched in the pulse of Hollywood Blvd in Hollywood Florida is a hair care gem that has been my home since my sophomore year of high school. The owner who’s name is on the moniker, Dilcia, plays the role of caring mother to all of her clients.

“There is a difference between hairstyles and haircare,” she said with sincerity.

One step into Dilcia’s Haircare Salon and you are met with something that surpasses a polished image. You are greeted by a space that is packed with culture and heritage.

“Lia, make sure you get pictures of the dolls. Those are very important,” Dilcia warned with a mother-like authority in her voice. “Do you want to know why she doesn’t have a face, Lia?”

 

I watch her closely and nod my head as she begins to speak.

“It’s because the women in the Dominican Republic are so diverse. Everyone looks different.”  The diverse faceless clay dolls are placed through out the product wall behind Dilcia’s welcome desk in her salon.

“There are a lot of hairstylists who are willing to just style your hair and send you out. But that isn’t what we do here,” Yovanna Aguasvivas (which translates to ‘living water’) chimed in. “We want to make your hair healthy. We deal with clients who have lost their hair due to extensions or getting their hair over-relaxed. So hair care is a must for us. Our motto is that this (hair salon) is an arsenal that belongs to the clients.”

Much like the dolls that fill Dilcia’s salon, her clients are all very diverse.

“ We treat every client like family and we work will all kinds of hair: natural, relaxed everything.  We have had clients for 20 years.”

So with such a loyal customer base, the mother-daughter-duo wanted to share a few pieces of advice about haircare with Worthy readers.

 

 

Dilcia’s Hair Care Insta from Worthy Magazine on Vimeo.

1. Know your stylist

“There are three different types of stylists: The ones who only do your hair for money, the ones who do hairstyles and don’t treat your hair and stylists who do hair care. A stylists who practices hair care will keep your hair trimmed regularly, offer deep conditioning treatments as well as protein treatments on a consistent basis,” according to Yovanna.

 

2. It’s all about energy and it all takes time

“Your hair is like a plant it has energy and it takes time to heal and rebuild.”

 

3. Trends are ok but haircare comes first

“While you are keeping up with the joneses, you have to make sure that you are treating your hair in-between the coloring and extensions.”

 

 

Trust-Worthy Pick Matty Rico

Featured, Worthy TV


Worthy Magazine Interviews Matty Rico from Worthy Magazine on Vimeo.

Music artist, Matty Rico, leaned over a second story balcony rapping to the audience where upon first glance he appeared to be a cross of John Legend and Miguel. He sported a chambray Aztec print shirt, a navy blue jacket and burgundy pants. He was rapping the lyrics to his new song, “Sweet Home Chicago.”

 

His lyrics described the issues that plague the city “I’m from the city of murder you ever heard of it?” The chorus described the love for his hometown with the imagery everyone thinks of when picturing Chicago, “Sky lights… street lights…I want to go to Chicago.” Rico performed over blaring speakers, strobe lights and smoke machines.  Despite his jumping and hand motions he managed to sound exactly the same way he does on his recorded pieces, which was a pleasant surprise.

 

Downstairs there were 200 people who brought their own form of liquid courage for a night of music at  “The Union Concert Series” on Chicago’s West Side in an art studio turned performance space. They bobbed their heads to the music and snapped pictures on their iPhones to post on Instagram.

 

Matty Rico, 24, fired up his audience that Saturday night with a performance of his debut album, “New American.”

 

“For me [the album] is really special because it’s been a really weird year,” said the music artist. Rico added the album was a way for him to reflect on what has taken place the past 365 days including finishing college, moving to Los Angeles, and dealing with being broke and single.

 

Rico was in a band, Audiodax, when he first moved to L.A. the band broke up for creative differences. Rico decided to stay on the West Coast and began the yearlong process of working on his solo project.

 

“It was either pack my bags and move back to Chicago or focus on a solo career and take the next step,” said Rico.

 

Rico didn’t let the group break-up deter him from his dreams which reiterates the determination he has in making music a career. He creates music about his struggles growing up and how he is still trying to find himself as a man.

 

One of his most intimate songs is about his race, entitled “Black Enough.” Rico comes from Black, Puerto Rican, and Filipino descent and in this song he says “I wasn’t black enough…I never rapped enough.”

 

“I was always this in between kid trying to figure out my identity and that messes with your head,” said Rico.  “You start trying to compensate and say ‘I’ve got to be more black now’ or ‘I’ve got to be more Spanish.”

 

Rico’s mother, Lissette Acevedo, who is Puerto Rican and black, is his number one fan and she was shocked to hear the lyrics to a few of his songs.

 

“My mom’s supportive of everything. A lot of [the album] is about what I do with my life, how I feel as a man growing up and my coming of age,” said Rico.  “I don’t talk to her about all that stuff so it’s kind of hard, but I think she respects the honesty.”

In addition to his mother Rico has the support of the rest of his family. Rico’s aunt, Lourdes Acevedo, stood by his side joking with him the night of his performance.

 

“I was there when you were born with your legs straight up in the air,” Acevedo said looking at her nephew with admiration. “Now you’re a grown man with a beard and stuff like Common rapping about Chicago, what’s up man?”

 

Rico’s father, Jose Luis Rivera, sums up his son’s work in a few words.  “He’s got skills!”

 

Those skills are both natural and they were constructed during his college days where he majored in creative writing at DePauw University in Indiana.

 

“I had great teachers and they just challenged me. I took a bunch of poetry seminars and my writing has changed so much because I was challenged,” said Rico.

 

After the performance Rico was surrounded with the love of his family and friends that were excited to have him in town for the evening. Even though he didn’t appear to break a sweat during the performance he retreated to the back of the warehouse for a breather.

 

The performance left the audience a little more drunk, a little more hype and little more excited about Chicago’s music scene.

 

Alisa Valentin

Worthy magazine interviews SAV

Culture, Editorial, Fashion, Featured, News, Worthy TV

SAV, a new Atlanta hip-hop artist, who released his debut mixtape, DROP DEAD, on August 8th 2012.

The originality of his lyrics is punctuated by intelligently interlacedhistorical references to pieces including Harlem Renaissance poet, LangstonHughes’ “A Dream Deferred”, which SAV refers to in his song “Cats and Hounds.” Similar to poetry, SAV’s music alludes to a bigger picture than the words actually represent.

“He’s a wordsmith with the ability to accurately capture the emotion of an instrumental at a level of lyrical prowess that few can exhibit,” said The GM, who produced SAV’s track“Up in the Sky.”

The up-and-coming artist describes his music in two simple words, “It’s dope.” He continues, “My music has a lot of value to it,” which listeners will find evident when they press the play button on the mixtape’s first track “The Adoration.” SAV draws some of his musical inspiration from André 3000, who he deems to be his favorite rapper.

SAV has made an effort to ensure a perfect release ofDROP DEAD, which took two years to produce. In conjunction, SAV will release the music video for “Confu-Zang Wu-Tang” which was filmed in Chinatown, New York City and Atlanta, Georgia.

“SAV works to make good songs. He refuses to abuse a hot beat by throwing a bunch of random unfocused bars on it with a catchy hook; as a southern gentleman, it’s not in his nature,” said The GM.