He has been in the entertainment industry since the age of 8, but Atlanta born Johnta Austin, now 27, is just getting started. You may not recognize his name, but you’ve probably sung along (off key) to one of the songs he has written or produced. In the past few years, he has written for artists such as Mariah Carey (”We Belong Together,” along with multiple songs stemming from The Emancipation of MiMi), Mary J. Blige (”Be Without You”), Bow Wow (”Shortie Like Mine”), Chris Brown, and Tyrese (”Sweet Lady”).
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Roaming The Smoking Section (which everyone should do), I stumbled upon a true gem, an artist by the name of Complex, born Ryan Fors. His specialty is spray paint on canvas, but check the above stencil of The Roots done on a wood cabinet.
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The scope of this art show literally stretches across the world. More than 80 featured artists hail from places like Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Japan, Hawaii, France, and New York. And that’s just the short list.

The Heavy Hitterz exhibit hit the scene in the fall of 2007 and has since garnered fame due to its incredible showings of underground graffiti art.
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He started his career long ago, but you may have never heard of him. Don’t worry; you will soon.

Small World, born Sheldon Bullock, hails from Raleigh, North Carolina and got his start with Wyclef Jean’s now defunct Refugee All Stars where he would be double featured on 2000’s The Ecleftic (”Hollyhood to Hollywood” and “Thug Angels”). But with Jean making label changes, the business relationship with Small World was dissolved. Fortunately, through a chance reunion with Free, former co-host of BET’s “106th & Park” and fellow Refugee All Star, World was put back on the map.
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We’ll revisit the actual products of California based clothing line The Hundreds later, but first, step into the dark side and take a peek at their newly opened San Francisco store.
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He was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, raised in Newport, Virginia, and, according to Nas, is the future of Hip Hop music. His name? Don Ferquan, or simply Quan.

This twenty-something rapper and singer struck in 2004, debuting on a cut from Nas’Street’s Disciple, “Just a Moment.” A song paying homage to those lost and that has Quan rhyming “For every mother that held a son in the street bleedin’/Cryin’ a song of sorrow too dark and deep for speakin’” and in the next breath singing about the emotions of loss. Who knew such a rapper even existed?
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Successfully marrying his love for painting and a stumbled upon passion for tattooing, meet Miya Bailey. The North Carolina native and Atlanta resident gained his first tattoo experience by tattooing himself and the rest is history.

Now as a fourteen year veteran, Bailey boasts an ever growing list of clientèle, owns a tattoo parlor, City of Ink, and constantly puts his artwork on display through various exhibits. His work, on both body and canvas, shines with bright colors, portraits, and reality. His talent is endless.
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Though you may already know her, four time Grammy nominated Tamia Hill is still heavily under the radar. But the R&B singer sought to rid herself of such a title with her latest album Between Friends. And she did. Repeatedly. With every single track.

The album boasts odes to Tamia’s lover…and herself. In one of the most incredible songs on the album, “Me,” she emphasizes the dire need for self love that should forever take precedence over another individual.
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