We Are Jersey Magazine: July 2016

We Are JerseyWe Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com 1

We Are JerseyContributorsPublisher: Bridget PapinoDaniel BanksEditor: Shanna BanksPhotographers: Anthony Swint @newlineup_photography Ryan of VLM Films @vlmfilms Andre Hughes @dreshootzLocation: Cutustudios Models: Follow them on instagram @wearejerseydiamondzFeatures: Bar Athletes Micah Barbee Chozen Kiera ReneeAd: Black Merchant $ociety(pg. 34) Photo: STANDOUTSTUDIOS Find us! Check out our previous issues onJerseyTurntupEnt and WeAreJerseyMagazine www.jerseyturntupent.com/ Send all inquiries to [email protected] We Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com

The JuiceWeAreJerseyWHAT’S INSIDE JULY 2016 | ISSUE 12 Bar Athletes Upcoming Artist: Micah Out of State In Your Mind: Chozen4 The Message8 Bar Athletes16 Upcoming Artist: Micah28 Featured Artist: Barbee36 Out of State In Your Mind:Chozen FeatFueraetduArerdtiAstr: tBisatr:beeWe Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com 3

We Are Jersey The Message- A Message From Your Publishers Photography by W Andre Hughes e Are Jersey Magazine is a subsidiary company birthed out of the parent business entitled Jersey Turn’t Up Entertainment. Having achieved rising success within only two years of busi-ness, the owners wanted to create something that would expand their net-working repertoire while promoting positive talent both locally and abroad.The idea of creating We Are Jersey Magazine began when co- CEOs, Dan-iel Banks & Bridget Papino, were featured in the July 2014 issue of anothermagazine company. After discussion with the owner of that magazine, as wellas experiencing the positive responses that exposure generated towards theirentertainment business, they decided to begin a magazine company of theirown that would target a new type of entertainment promoting style. We AreJersey Magazine’s goal is designed to provide exposure, references and re-sources that will influence all those aspiring to do something positive with thetalents they possess. Through the lives of the individuals that are highlightedin the magazine, it is the desire of We Are Jersey Magazine to encourage,uplift and inspire anyone to continue to soar to greater heights and deeperdepths with their abilities. While We Are Jersey Magazine primarily focuseson talent within the state of New Jersey, it is open to talent presented fromabroad. The single focus is the promotion of positive talent so others can readand possibly experience for themselves the benefits that these talents offer.“We Are Jersey” is a positive platform with great opportunities. are highlight-ed in the magazine, it is the desire of We Are Jersey Magazine to encourage,uplift and inspire anyone to continue to soar to greater heights and deeperdepths with their abilities. While We Are Jersey Magazine primarily focuseson talent within the state of New Jersey, it is open to talent presented fromabroad. The single focus is the promotion of positive talent so others can readand possibly experience for themselves the benefits that these talents offer.“We Are Jersey” is a positive platform with great opportunities. 4 We Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com

We Are JerseyWe Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com 5

We Are Jersey6 We Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com

BAR ATHLETESWeAreJerseyWe Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com 7

We Are Jersey Calisthenics changed our lives. Bar Athletes are a group of individuals who focus on Advance Calis-thenics and Freestyle Calisthenics ( The Street Version of Gymnastic alsoknown as Street Workout). Bar Athletes are from different backgroundsand cultures. They have been training together for a few years now butsome of them have been training in the technique of Calisthenics for manyyears. Calisthenics is a form of exercise or movement using only yourbody weight. Calisthenics and Street Workout has gotten very popularover the years since 2008. There are many teams and athletes around theU.S. and the world. Our group of guys were once apart of a very knownteam and organization who are popular on the YouTube Network and theworld known as the Barstarzz . (Instagram : @Barstarzz YouTube: OfficialBarstarzz). We had permission to start a Chapter for New Jersey whichlasted over a year. Hosting free Classes every Sunday at Verona Park in8 We Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com

We Are Jersey Bar AthletesbARATHLETESVerona NJ and Quibbletown Park in Piscataway NJ. As time passed , theyall have had opportunities come out which ended our chapter of Barstarzz.Nevertheless the Bar Athletes still get together on Sunday and throughoutthe week to train together. Here’s their testimonies on why Bar Athletesstarted training……. I started calisthenics after seeing a video of Hannibal for King. Istarted with the basics getting my muscle ups down and eventually got intofreestyle calisthenics. I now compete against other athletes and continue toenjoy the sport both at a personal and competitive level. I love the feeling Iget when I’m on the bars and enjoy inspiring people everyday -MM- I started training calisthenics because I didn’t have the time or moneyto be in a gym. Just needed a pull-up bar in the doorframe. Calisthenicsalso allowed me to be creative with my exercises and go beyond a regularworkout. I searched for information online and found many people in thesame path. Eventually i found myself in a team with new friends learn-ing tricks and overcoming fears. Calisthenics has become a brotherhoodaround the world and we all have the love for the same sport which con-nects us. There is always a positive atmosphere when im around my broth-ers. -BG-YouTube changed my outlook on fitness. I used to think the only wayto build a muscular physique and power was through lifting weights. ItWe Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com 9

We Are Jersey Bar Athleteswasn’t until I saw videos of V12VITAL (Lord Vital) and Hannibal forKing building stellar bodies and strength using only their body weight.Now when you hear the word Calisthenics it gives off a nostalgicfeeling. It has become part of my lifestyle and continues to growworldwide at a rapid pace. -KD- I started calisthenics because back in 2010 I had surgery for aperforated ulcer. Couldn’t work out for 2 years so in 2012 I was onYouTube searching for ways to be in the best shape with minimalequipment and I stumbled upon Hannibal for King... From thatmoment on I knew that this was my calling for staying in shape. Nowfast forward to 2016 I’m part of a growing community and couldn’t beanymore happy with my new family and friends. -AN-A friend of mine mentioned a work out based on all body weighttraining called calisthenics. I did not think much of it nor did I want topursue it. Out of curiosity, I looked up a video Chris Barstarzz, aprofessional calisthenic athlete, and fell in love with the sport eversince. -AV- In 2012 , My older sister Passed away from Pancreatic cancer as I wasfully recovered from Leukemia. I was so stressed out constantly drinkingand smoking. So I needed a new way to ease my stress without the use ofsubstances. Plus I was tired of being this “scrony” guy. So I started to work-out. I lifted weights for a few month and didn’t like it. It wasn’t for me. So Idid some research on how to workout with out the use of weights. Explor-ing YouTube, I came across a video from Legend, Hannibal for King andit completely blew my mind. Then saw some videos of Barstarzz and I wasin Aww. I told myself I want to be this strong . I wanted full body controllike this. So I started training with the basics 5 days a week. As the yearswent by, I saw drastic change. I became stronger and put on some muscle. Imet my friends and learned from them. Then meeting other bar10 We Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com

We Are JerseyWe Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com 11

We Are Jersey Bar Athletesathletes I admired through out the years being in competitions justmade the experience even better. I love the way I feel after I train. Ilove the sport . Being able to travel, meeting new People, teachingothers and inspiring others is what makes it so great. Now to this day,I’m a personal trainer who is teaching others through Calisthenicstraining. Street workout Changed my life . -TJ- I’ve played sports and trained since I was a kid but a few yearsago I started weight training and enjoyed it. I had to cut back finan-cially for a while so dropped my gym membership and started domore body weight exercises at the park and in the yard such as pullups Dips push ups and squats. Just over a year ago while searchingyoutube for some different body weight exercises i came across a cou-ple of calisthenics athletes, Hannibal for King and Frank medrano. Iwas blown away by their skill set and strength. From that moment Iwanted to be able to move and control my body the way they did. I’vebeen training calisthenics consistently since then. The more skills Ilearn the more hooked I am. -DM- Calisthenics to me has to be the door that opened my eyes intofitness and has improved my life overall. I’ve had done various type ofexercises like bodybuilding, cross fit, powerlifting and each have theirown benefits not trying to knock any of them down but I just didn’tfeel like it was giving me the overall fitness that I personally wanted. Itwasn’t until last year where I was going through a rough stage in mylife that I decided to give calisthenics a chance and it drasticallychanged my perspective in fitness and helped me cope with my lifesituation. Not only have I felt stronger and have been able to docertain movements that I have not ever dreamed of but, my body haschanged also. The people who also practice this sport have truly beenthe best part of practicing bodyweight movement. They show so12 We Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com

We Are Jersey Bar Athletesmuch support and are open to help anyone who is willing to show inter-est in the sport that we all practice. My experience has drastically changedme and I appreciate all of the people I have met and the close friends that Ihave made throughout my time training with calisthenics. -JV-Follow the team!Anthony NG - Tattedtony - e-mail - [email protected] Vega - Achilles_2.0 - [email protected] Douglas - @kimaniad - [email protected] Martin- armadillopants - [email protected] Verde - Verde_jo2k - [email protected] Mattis- Dual_dal - [email protected] Mattis- @mandaaa.j - [email protected] Guzman - Apeside7 - [email protected] James - @noweightsnecessary - [email protected] Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com 13

We Are Jersey14 We Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com

We Are JerseyWe Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com 15

We Are Jersey16 We Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com

We Are JerseymICAHSONGWRITER | SINGER Micah_Music 17We Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com

We Are Jersey Micah MICAH Micah Adrian Carey was born November 7, 1994. Micah lived in a trailer home until the age of three with his mother and father. After his parents separated, Micah and his mother wherehomeless living with friends and family until they were back on their feetand moved into an apartment on the Southside of Chicago. From thatpoint, Micah continued to grow up on the the Southside of Chicago inthe suburbs and in Brooklyn, NY where he lived with his family. Micahhas been singing since the age of three. His mother and grandmother al-ways nurtured his gift of singing since they were also singers. He imitatedevery sound he has ever heard from birds, animals, dinosaurs, and eventhe regular outdoor sounds we hear daily such as trains, sirens, and con-struction machines. Micah has always been shy about his gift only sing-ing to himself or around people he trusted. Micah was always encour-aged by music teachers to hone and pursue his craft. In high school hehad a teacher who wouldn’t allow him to be shy which then pushed himto perform all over the school, in competitions, and outlets outside of theschool. While Micah became more comfortable in his craft, he had falleninto a bad street crowd through a toxic relationship. That relationship leftmental and emotional scars, but since has made him stronger!18 We Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com

We Are Jersey Photo by Andy MacWe Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com 19

We Are Jersey20 We Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com

We Are Jersey MicahWhat inspired you to sing ?Some of the inspirations which have influenced my singing are life’slessons, nature, my mother exposing me to all kinds of music, and amultitude of artists, and being immersed in music and the power ofmusic!Do you have anyone you would ever want to sing with in the future?I’d like to sing with anyone that is serious about music, serious aboutwhat they do, is talented in it, and wants to work with me because ofmy talent and work ethics!Who is your role model for pursuing an artist career?Being an artist was something I always wanted to do, there weremany inspirations but I knew what I wanted to do well before I knewwho they were.Where can you see yourself in 3 years in your career?In 3 years I see myself , Living my dreams, creating great music forthe world, and using my influence to make the world a better place!Do you have an upcoming projects?The completion of my self-entitled EP, Collaborations with amazingartists, and a document series for HBO.We Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com 21

We Are Jersey MicahHow can everyone book you and your social medias?To book me please contact my manager Parnell, his email is [email protected] Instagram: @micah_muzicTwitter: @micah_muzicFacebook: Micah MuzicFB LIKES PAGE: mymyMicahPeriscope: micah_muzic22 We Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com

We Are JerseyWe Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com 23

We Are Jersey24 We Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com

We Are JerseyWe Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com 25

We Are Jersey26 We Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com

We Are JerseyWe Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com 27

We Are JerseyBARBEE featured artist BBorn with a love for music, Barbee was destined for greatness. The name Barbee originated from her mother’s admiration for the Mattel doll - a superwom- an figure always dressed up in pink. The Jamaican and Nigerian artist began her singing career at the age of seven and by eleven she was leading her own touring choir named “Perfect Praise.” Following her passion, Barbee began to travel, receiving an educa- tion in Nigeria, Jamaica, and New York. Barbee recorded her first chart topping hit song “Missing You” featuring Reggae superstar Junior Kelly which received airplay in the Caribbean as well as overseas, posting #1 on the Jamaican charts. The international exposure became a platform for her imminent success. Barbee continued climbing the charts with “Paddy Cake” & “Give It Up”, both collaborations with dancehall icon Beenie Man. She went on to record and release successful records like “Love You Anyway” and “Feel So Good.” While working in Los Angeles, the Jamaican song bird earned a role alongside Stacy Dash and The Game in the movie 28 We Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com

We Are JerseyWe Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com 29

We Are Jersey Barbee “House Arrest”, a dramatic comedy by director Billy Washington about a high maintenance female seeking companionship from a street wealthy hustler. However, the triple threat actress, singer, and model Barbee’s main focus was always keeping music at the frontline of her rising career. This Caribbean Princess’ international style and charm- ing stage presence won her the “Most Promising Female Artist” by the Apollo Theatre. The island diva has toured the globe with legendary reggae pioneer Beres Hammond. She has rocked the stage alongside other legendary artists such as Bobby Womack, Carol Riddick, Biz Markie, and Cuba Gooding Sr. Barbee has performed in the New York Times and has appeared throughout media outlets such as “Hip Hop Weekly”, Sandra Rose,Bossip. com, Jamaican Observer, The Winfred Williams Show “OnStage”. Jamaica’s island idol also collaborated with Miami’s Baddest Chick Trina on the female anthem “Come See About Me” and “Boss Like That” with Cash Money’s CEO, Birdman. Crowned Reggae Pop Princess by talk show diva Wendy Williams, the recording artist and songwriter Barbee is ready to carry her love for music to new horizons. Barbee has also secured a spokesperson deal with music mogul and entrepreneur Master P as the official national spokesperson for his new Vodka Line launching in 2016. Barbee has recently released her own signa-30 We Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com

We Are JerseyWe Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com 31

We Are Jersey Barbee ture make up line called “The Barbee Collection”. The sexy star is now in the studio completing her EP with the Grammy award nominated producers the island duo Rock City, who penned the mega- hit “Man Down” for Rihanna. Barbee continues to book shows worldwide while recording in New York, Miami, Atlanta, and Jamaica. She is guaran- teed to grace the red carpets in a city near you.Being from so many different places, what do you consider “home” foryou?This is such a hard question but, deep down inside I love my motherfather birthplace best. I absolutely love the island beaches in the beau-tiful mountains. I love Nigeria as well. I love the culture music andfashion.32 We Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com

We Are Jersey Barbee What or who influences your style musically as well as your image? There are so many artists that I am influenced by, I like to pay attention to the greats like Diana Ross Gladys Knight and some of today’s artist admire and love our Alicia Keys, Beyoncé and Adele. What would you tell someone who is trying to get to where you are at cur- rently in your career? As far as fashion, I am a very free-spirited person and believe increasing your curves. Advice I would have other up-and- coming artists I would have to stay dedicate to doing their craft and believe in yourself. So far, what is the hardest thing you have encountered with your career? Overcoming disappointment is always something hard to deal with but I have learned to not get upset about missing a shot, just stay in the game so you will be able to take another shot. What makes your music different from other artists that others may hear? I do like to embrace my heritage and my music is a fusion reggae and pop with an African baseline. What made you realize that this was your dream? From the very early age of five I love to entertain perform on every stage school plays, recitals and church events. I love every aspect of entertain- ing, acting, music and fashion. What do you have coming up next? Where can all of our fans find you? We are shooting the new video for my single welcome I’m excited to seeWayenoAudrm@e JByeraasrecbytieMnegPaglsaakyzihilnlose.uJYsUoeLuoYnc2aS0n1n6cahp ecchwkawtmwe.jeornseIyntustrangturpaemnta.cto@mofficialBa3r3bee

We Are Jersey34 We Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com

We Are JerseyWe Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com 35

We Are Jersey36 We Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com

chozen WeAreJerseyWe Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com 37

We Are Jersey Chozen chozen Making music has always been a challenging concept to grasp, but the impact is greater than the sum of its parts. In es- sence, music is a powerful love affair, between an artist andhis muse. Draped in passion and rarity, good music can also be difficult tocome by - even harder is the artist behind the sound. Many are destined forgreatness, but few are chosen.Born in in Savannah, Georgia and raised in the rugged streets of Atlanta;Ernest R. Byrd III aka Chozen has always had a love for music. As a singer/songwriter; growing up without the presence of his mother and father andbeing raised in an emotionally abusive home with his aunt, uncle, and othersiblings; gave Chozen the material/content he needed to flourish. His father notice Chozen had talent and quickly put him in band. Hisfather thought it was very important that he learned how to play instru-ments, Chozen learned to play the Saxophone but wasn’t happy in band sohe dropped out and joined the choir at his school. After being embarrassedat a middle school prom for not knowing how to dance Chozen took thatwhole summers break to teach himself how to dance which would in turnlead him to join a dance agency called, “ D Starving Artists”. The groupopened for acts such as Chris Brown, Mario, Lloyd, Trey Songz and manymore. Chozen spent two years at Virginia State University studying Hospi-tality Management before deciding to drop out to focus full-time on hismusic. However, he temporarily put his career as a recording artist on holdagain, working instead as a professional dancer and choreographer along-38 We Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com

We Are Jersey Chozenside Teyana Taylor. During his time as a professional dancer, he developedthe network necessary to jumpstart his singing career. In August 2013,Chozen left his car on the side of the road in Atlanta and moved to Los An-geles, California, to actively pursue his dream of being asinger. Since moving to Los Angeles, Chozen has had a variety of experiencein the music industry. Apart from his own music, Chozen has co-writtenrecords for countless prominent artists in the music industry. Chozen wasrecently featured as a musical guest on DJ Carisma’s radio show “Carisma’sCookie Jar,” and he is frequently invited to appear as talent on radio showsand at red carpet events around Hollywood. In June 2016, Chozen is slatedto headline an international tour to kick off the release of his freshmanalbum. Featuring his new hit single “Prolly,” Chozen’s album will reveal amore mature composition and sound than his past work. The new songcomes from the release of his freshman album entitled, “Worth the Wait.”Although the song can be heard via Soundcloud; you can also catch thesong on your favorite music platforms, such as: Tidal, I-Tunes, Google Play,Spotify, and Amazon. Chozen plans to hit the ground running with his al-bum, stating, “I Feel like it’s finally my time for the world to hear my story.”Chozen cites 112, Usher, and Dru Hill as his biggest influences. How would you describe yourself as a musician? What made youdecide that this was for you?I feel like I’m the type of musician that can connect with fans through feel-good party anthems that make everyone want to dance and have a goodtime. I love performing and seeing how music brings people with nothingin common together. That was really what made me want to pursue musicon a professional level.What is the most important thing you have learned in your career thus far?We Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com 39

We Are Jersey Chozen The most important thing Ive learned so far in my career is that persis- tence always pays off. If you want something bad enough and you if you put in the time and effort to achieve your goal, eventually you will reach it and surpass your expectations. I feel confident in knowing that I can do whatever I set my mind to. Actually when people tell me I cant do something” that only drives and further motivates me to not only reach my goals; but go beyond them. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? In 5 years I see myself as an award winning singer/songwriter and an international household name. Maybe I will have a few film roles under my belt by then, but as of right now, music is my only focus. Guess well see in 5 years...40 We Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com

We Are Jersey ChozenHow do you balance your focuses between your own music, song writing, anddancing?Well at the moment, my focus is not on songwriting or dancing, I am fo-cused on perfecting my music and my craft. I like to dance and to write inmy free time; but making music is my main priority.What keeps you motivated on days you find yourself having difficulty, writersblock etc?When I have writer’s block, I will usually skip to the next record and tryto catch or vibe on that one or just play a song that I like on YouTube orsomething and just relax. I try to find music that inspires me and helps mycreative process. I dont like spending too much time on one record. But Imdefinitely a perfectionist so I might write two to three versions on just onebeat just to get the best record possible.What is the message you would like to share/spread through your gift?My overall message to my fans would be to “stay true to yourself ” and”never give up.” T.I. said it best, “Even when I lose faith in myself there issomething in me that speaks through and says I am not finished yet.”What do you have coming up next? Where can all of our fans find you?Right now I’m currently co-headlining an international tour with Dej Loafthat kicks off July 7th in Denver, CO. Im in studio recording to put togeth-er my EP, Worth the Wait, scheduled for release by the end of the year.Right now its all about my new single “Prolly” which you can find oniTunes, Spotify, Tidal, and all other music outlets. I can be found on Snap-chat, Instagram, Soundcloud @therealchozen and Twitter @therealchozen_We Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com 41

We Are Jersey42 We Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com

We Are JerseyWe Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com 43

We Are Jersey44 We Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com

We Are JerseyWe Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com 45

We Are JerseyModel: Jessica LaraPhotography by Brandon Huggins46 We Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com

We Are JerseyWe Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com 47

We Are JerseyInstawgrwamw:.jWerseeAyrteuJrenrtuspeeyMnt.acgoamzine48 We Are Jersey Magazine JULY 2016 www.jerseyturntupent.com