On February 27th Mariah Carey’s Angel’s Advocate’s tour ended it’s run. It’s final stop was in Las Vegas at The Colosseum inside Caesars Palace. I was fortunate enough to get the opportunity to have a lil sit down with the opening act RydazNrtist following their smashing set.
The fellas were absolutely fantastic. I enjoyed myself and I hope they did too. Hopefully it won’t be the last time.
Mandy, Monica and Jacque from the School Gyrls dropped by 92.3 NOW to talk to the director of their eponymous movie and NCredible CEO, Nick Cannon.
School Gyrls Rollin With Nick Cannon
Source: 92.3 NOW
Check out this flashback GQ Ryda of RydaNrtist interview from December 2009
I met up with Gabe Cannon (Nick Cannon’s half-brother) at Ncredible Studios, to talk about the Stop Hating Campaign, Nick’s new group RydazNrtist, and of course asked some personal questions, including some personal things about his new sister-in-law Mariah Carey! Listen to the interview, below.
The Stop Hating Campaign
The idea of hate has been in civilization since its beginning. Hate brings about the prejedices and discrimnations that we have seen brought on wars, genocides, and spuradic killings throughout our history. The world needs a change of direction, a new idea to help spread the message to stop the hating. This message actually exists and is called the Stop Hating Campaign put together by Nick Cannon and Quincy Jones. It is our contemporary “We Are The World” to help bring change and attention to the campaign to end the hate.
According to Gabe, the Stop Hating Campaign originally had the idea to have a theme song, with singers like TI (Whom is now in prison), Ludacris, the PussyCat Dolls and so forth. Kind of like ‘We Are The World’ sung by a number of celebrities in 1985 to bring humanitarian aid to Africa. Since his marriage to Mariah Carey, Nick passed on the Campaign to his brother, whom has been taking care of it ever since. The Campaign’s ideology is based off a Martin Luther King Jr. quote, “Somebody, Somewhere must have sense enough and morality enough to cut off the chain of Hate in the universe.” Now that that change exists, all we need is more attention brought to it. The goal of the campaign according to its website is to:
“Have as many individuals join the Stop Hating Campaign and work together to bring about change, and Stop Hating. We hope to have a Stop Hating Organization at every school, that will be active in the community educating the people and spreading the message of the Stop Hating Campaign. Our goal is to Stop Hating ourselves and others, and bring an end to the senseless cycle of hate that has been seen repeated throughout history.” – I could not have said it better myself!
When I asked Gabe about Obama and his message of change, he claimed with enthusiasim that “Obama had influence” and that he brought “attention to what we are doing.” He went on the explain that “(Obama) made it trendy again to be conscious of what’s going on.” Hopefully that will not be something temporary for ‘Generation Y’. The Campaign is planning up coming projects, which Politically Affiliated will keep us up-to-date on!
On growing up with Nick
Nick always stood out in his family as the actor. Gabe says that his brother was “always famous to us” and that when he started working with Nickelodeon was when it made things real. When I mention Mariah Carey, I see a larger than usual smile on Gabe’s face. I could tell he really enjoyed having her as a sister-in-law and told me how it was still a shock. “Even at thanksgiving and stuff – whoa you’re Mariah Carey!” When I asked about the rumors about Mariah being pregnant, he denied them but left room for curiosity, “It’s a rumor… It’s a possibility.” Now that makes all of us wonder what really is happening between the two! Being both a fan of Eminem and Mariah (Kind of ironic in my case), I asked about the animosity between the two. Gabe called it, “Childish”. He also had some words for Eminem (Listen to the interview, to hear his message to Eminem)
RydazNrtist
On Gabe’s own life
Only 22-years-old, Gabe is fulfilling his life long dream of becoming a performer through his new group, RydazNrtist as GQ Ryda along side his fellow sibling Reuben and Kevin Writer. Gabe’s take on all of it, “It’s a blessing honestly, something is changing, we’re impacting people’s lives.”
For sometime there was rumored drama between his ex, Monica Leon aka Danger from Ray J’s show on VH1, The Love Of Ray J: 1 & 2. He made it clear that they get along and are happy to have a baby girl together (Which was rumored to be Ray J’s). Gabe wanted to bring to my attention that he was ” gonna be the best father on Earth” and guranteed it.
I spent sometime with the group at one of their first live performances at Cinespace in Hollywood, as they preformed their first single, ‘Sorry Ass Apology’. They even shot the video for it and had it streaming as they preformed. I will have to say, they sound AMAZING live! To listen to their album and watch videos from their performances, check out their MySpace. RydazNrtist will be opening for Mariah Carey’s new tour, Angels Cry in 2010 to promote her new album Memoirs of An Imperfect Angel. Best of luck to RydazNrtist and their debut album, I’m already starting to see their videos on MTV and expect them on the radio any day now!
Listen to the full interview at the link below:
GQ Ryda -RydazNrtist & Stop Hating Campaign
Source: Politically Affiliated
Check out the video for Colette’s latest song “B*tch Like Me” (warning: this is NOT the clean version). This is about to be my new anthem!
Nick dressed in a black fedora, undone bowtie and suspenders, took over the DJ booth at Vanity Nightclub in Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on Saturday following Mariah shutting it down at The Coloseum in Caesars Palace.
While he was spinning, Nick and DJ Clinton Sparks both took turns hyping the crowd. The crowd got even more hyped as 2/3 of RydazNrtist, Nick’s R&B trio came through and did their thing performing and interacting with the crowd.
Following Rydaznrtist doing their thing which included shooting footage for their upcoming video, DJ Clinton Sparks announced he just signed a major league record deal and premiered his new single. I can’t wait for everyone to hear it. This ish is B-O-N-K-E-R-S! GET FAMILIAR!
Source: Cassi J Thomas/Nick Cannon Archives
Below is the current track list for the School Gyrls self-titled album that drops on March 23, 2010. This tracklist can and may change. You can be pre-order the album on Amazon.com.
1. Something Like A Party
2. Detention
3. What Goes Around
4. Just A Kiss
5. Something About Him
6. I’m Not Just A Girl
7. Extra Extra
8. Get Like Me
BONUS TRACK:
Operator
Source: Nick Cannon Archives
Chances are, this is your first time hearing about School Gyrls, but it certainly won’t be your last. The School Gyrls are an all-girl pop group comprised of 15-year-old Mandy Rain, 15-year-old Jacquelyn Rae Pyles and 16-year-old Monica Parales. When Nick Cannon heard the Gyrls’ debut album, he realized that the songs could tell a story, and so the feature-length film School Gyrls was born. Not only did Mandy, Jacque and Monica get to work with the likes of Justin Bieber, Soulja Boy and Pete Wentz, who all made cameos in the movie, they had the opportunity to become close with Nick Cannnon’s wife, the one and only Mariah Carey. Read on as the Gyrls talk about what it’s like to have their wildest dreams come true.
When did each of you realize you wanted to pursue music?
Jacque: I always knew I wanted to dance and act. I started dancing when I was five, and then I got into acting and dancing when I was in the 5th grade. As for music, I never thought of myself being signed to Def Jam or being in a girl group. When I auditioned for the group, I honestly thought it was a TV show for Nick Cannon. When we all got to his house on that Sunday when they told me I was in the group, he informed me that it was a girl group and we would be going on tour.
Monica: I’ve always wanted to be a singer, dancer and actress. For it to be happening right now is kind of surreal. I still don’t believe everything’s happening so fast. I’m super excited and super nervous at the same time.
Mandy Rain: Ever since I could walk and talk, I’ve wanted to sing and dance. I’ve done that since I was little. I met Nick Cannon through a project called Giggle Club and they held onto me and when they put together the School Gyrls.
How did you guys get along when you first met?
Jacque: When we were in the room at Nick’s house, we could feel the energy was right on point. It was perfect. We’re different, but we have so many things in common.
Are you still working on your debut album?
Jacque: It’s actually done. We just started working on bonus tracks and we’re going to start working on our second album very soon.
Monica: School Gyrls, the movie, was based on the album. Most of the songs are in the movie. Nick realized that most of the songs could be turned into a story so that’s how he got the idea for the movie.
Your song “Something Like a Party” was released earlier this month. What’s the response to it been like so far?
Mandy Rain: It’s been really good. We’re getting a lot of love on Twitter, iTunes and YouTube. I think everybody likes it so much because it’s a party song and it’s for all ages. I have a cousin in New York that listens to it and she’s six. My grandfather listens to it too. Everyone listens to it.
Jacque: Like she said, the music is for all ages. I have sisters in their 30’s and their friends love our music. They’ve heard some of our other songs and love the fact that they can dance to it.
Everyone from Justin Bieber to Reverend Run to Pete Wentz showed up in your movie. Did you get to spend time with any of those people?
Jacque: The people who did cameos were very nice; they wanted to hang out with us and get to know us.
Monica: When we were on break, we all had a jam session. Justin was playing the guitar and we were just singing songs and chilling out. It was really fun for us to work with people our age that have the same goal in life. None of it was really work.
Mandy Rain: It was really cool meeting all those artists. We went bowling with Justin after the movie. He definitely beat all of us, and his mom beat him. That was really fun.
What was it like being directed by Nick Cannon, considering this was his directorial debut?
Jacque: It was incredible being able to work with him because he’s such a big kid. He knew how to get things done but in a fun way. In the movie, he does a cameo where he’s the lunch lady, which was so fun to film.
Monica: Nick Cannon’s very laid back but he also gets the job done. He came to the set early and was very professional. He’s like a big kid, like Jacque said.
Mandy Rain: He’s definitely a big role model of mine because he stays out of trouble, he does all the right things and he gets his work done but he knows how to have fun. In one of my scenes, I had one of the cute boys in the movie sneeze on me and I turned around and freaked out. Nick was the one that actually put the booger on my face. Make-up could’ve done it, but he was having fun.
Did Mariah ever show up on set?
Monica: I was at the food truck and I saw this big, black tinted SUV and I was like, ‘I wonder who could be in there.’ The door opened and I see her four-inch heels come out and I’m like, ‘Oh snap!’ I’m like, ‘What do I do? Do I say hi? Do I nod?’ When she stepped on set, everything stopped. Everyone was like, ‘Oh my God, that’s Mariah Carey!’ I feel so blessed to be working with her and just having an association with her.
Mandy Rain: She came on set and we went to her video set. Whenever we see her, she’s always super sweet to us. She’s always like, ‘Before you leave, come give me a hug!’ When she walks in the room, everyone stops and turns. She just floats. Nick is super sweet to her. When we were in China and they were speaking Chinese, Nick didn’t know what anyone was saying and had a translator. But when he heard Mariah’s name, this huge smile came across his face. It was the sweetest thing in the world.
Do you feel your parts in the movie reflect your personalities?
Jacque: I’m not the bad girl, I’m not the one who doesn’t listen and tag all the buildings and wants to fight everybody. I’m very relaxed, I’m very obedient and I’m always listening to what I’m told. I don’t like to upset anybody. The only thing I have in common with my character is that I’m honest, I stick up for my friends and I really like to dance.
Monica: I’m a lot like my character because I’m very into fashion, makeup and hair. The only thing that’s different is that I’m not into high-fashion. I’m not into Chanel and Prada. I’m more into Forever 21 and Urban Outfitters.
Mandy Rain: My character is who I am in person. She’s very outgoing and energetic and lots of fun. She’s always tripping over stuff. She runs into a teacher with a cake in her hand. My character is a little bit of a groupie. I’m not like that in person, I’m cool around celebrities. Well, I try to be.
You guys are being made into comic book characters for the Archie series. Can you tell us about that?
Monica: They made a little storyline around us and Archie. It’s just so exciting to see us as comics. We actually had a say in what we looked like. It was nice to have our input in it. Just knowing that we’re about to be in the Archie comics is crazy.
Mandy Rain: It’s gonna be really epic. My mom used to read Archie comic books when she was young. We have this huge container with at least 2,000 Archie comic books in our garage, so it’s pretty cool for her daughter to become an Archie character.
Are your friends super star-struck now that you’re hanging out with all these celebrities?
Jacque: I know mine are. They always want me to introduce them to Justin Bieber, which is really funny ‘cause I look at him as just my friend. They’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, he’s so cute! Can you hook me up?’ And I’m just like, ‘Whoa!’
Monica: My friends usually make fun of me, like, ‘Ooh you’re a School Gyrl, can I get your autograph?’ But my cousin is 20-years-old and she’s like, ‘Justin Bieber is gonna be my boyfriend forever!’ It’s the funniest thing. She’s so jealous that I know him, but she’s 20! I guess he has that big of an impact on people.
Mandy Rain: Most of my friends are in the business. Most of my high school friends didn’t stick around because they weren’t very nice. But the few high school friends that I do have are crazily in love with Justin Bieber.
Source: My Yearbook
If you caught Nickelodeon’s mini-movie School Gyrls on Sunday, then you got a proper glimpse of the teenage pop tart trio who were front and center in the Nick Cannon-directed feature. (Mariah’s husband co-wrote and exec-produced, as well.) And rest assured, these young women plan to keep on earning plenty of extra credit once the final bell rings in their movie. In addition to School Gyrls’ dance-jam single “Something Like A Party” (on iTunes now), there is a full album from Island Def Jam on the way, as well as both an Archie Comics series and a set of teen novels based on the group.
After the jump: Jacque, Mandy and Monica give us the low-down on Justin Bieber—who made a cameo in School Gyrls—as well as their upcoming album.
First of all, let’s meet the girls behind School Gyrls:
MANDY MOSELEY (aka Mandy Rain): After a chance meeting with Justin Timberlake backstage at an N Sync conert, Mandy (then age seven) and her family moved to Los Angeles, where she was enrolled in jazz and hip hop dance classes. Nick Cannon first spotted Mandy during the filming of the 2007 Nickelodeon Series Star Camp. And as for her nickname Mandy Rain, Moseley tells Idolator, “Nick gave it to me when I was very young. I was in Star Camp and he was giving us all names and I told him my mom almost named me Rain. So he said, ‘Mandy Rain—that’s fresh!’”
MONICA PARALES (aka Mo Money): Trained in music and dance, the 17-year-old California native was spotted by an agent when she was nine. She soon began dancing with the Team Millennia Juniors from the Team Millennia dance studio, which landed her work with Missy Elliott, Eminem and Mase.
Here’s Monica dancing with the Team Millennia Juniors in 2009:
JACQUE PYLES (aka Jacque Nimble): Fifteen-year-old Jacque began training in jazz and ballet at the age of five before moving on to hip hop dance classes. With acting and dancing on her mind as a career path, Jacque admits she never thought of pursuing singing until she joined School Gyrls. “Since I’ve been in the group, I think I am a lot more comfortable when I have to sing,” she says. “I have (more…)
You’ve probably seen them on magazine covers and TV spots. Showman supreme Nick Cannon, who is now chairman of the TeenNick network, put together three talented teen girls and has directed them in a spunky, fresh and dance club worthy TV movie called “School Gyrls”, a musical set in an all girls’ school (don’t worry, the boys’ school next door shares the quad).
Bambi, the meangirl diva, is out to get our heroines and humungous hall monitor Daisy keeps them in line….sorta. The hottie to land is adorable quarterback, budding musician Colin and the game is on to best Bambi and her meangirl crew at the TeenIsland stunt party.
Catch the “School Gyrls” TV movie on TeenNick on February 21st followed by Nick Cannon’s cool pic Drumline. The gyrls’ song “Something Like a Party” is all over the net and their first album “School Gyrls” will hit stores and be online on March 23rd on the Def Jam label.
We are with the gyrls now at Nick’s NCredible production offices in Studio City, California. The 15 and 16-year old triple threats (sing, dance, act) are 
Jacque Pyles (character is Jacque Nimble), Monica Parales (Mo-Money/Monica) and Mandy Moseley (Mandy Rain) and they are pint-sized pistols full of energy and charm. We had a great gurl-chat!
What’s it like to be directed by hot Nick Cannon? How fun was it to hang out with gueststars Justin Bieber, Soulja Boy and many more? How do the girls handle haters? Who are their celeb crushes and who would they kill to share a stage with some day? We’ve got all the inside answers…
Q: After you all got the parts, did you meet to hang out to bond and get to know each other?
Jacque: When I first met (the other girls) I had already known of them. I met Monica at a Macy’s Passport (fashion extravaganza) before I auditioned for “The School Gyrls” and I’d seen Mandy at Millennium Dance Complex. So, when we got together it was kind of like we knew of each other. First time we actually hung out was at the studio when we recorded a song.
I auditioned on a Friday and Sunday is when we met at Nick Cannon’s house. We got to meet his wife Mariah. I thought it was a call-back but he was telling us all about what the School Gyrls were gonna do; ‘We’re gonna do a movie and by this time next year you girls won’t even be able to go to the mall’. That’s when we learned about what would happen.
Q: Pretty awesome being at Nick’s and also meeting Mariah! How was working with Nick Cannon as your director? Was he strict or fun or both? (more…)
Check out this flashback video where Spot TV caught up with Nick on the set of the video “Shorty (Put It On the Floor)” from the “Love Don’t Cost A Thing” soundtrack.
The video was shot on an airplan/tarmace in Greensboro,NC at Piedmont International Airport.
