Tenacious T

Some stories are hard to tell—not because they’re shameful or painful, but because they’re so deeply human. And humanity, when stripped bare, can be achingly beautiful and unbearably messy at the same time. This is one of those stories. It’s not about me. Not really. It’s about a man who carries the weight of a name carved into the foundation of hip-hop history. A man with a legacy tied to one of the most influential voices to ever hold a mic. A man who—despite his bloodline, bravado, and the armor of fame—let himself get vulnerable with me. Lil Eazy-E. We met the night he hired me to film and photograph a show featuring  Bone Thugs-N-Harmony . I showed up to do my job. Professional. Focused. Unassuming. But somewhere between the lens and the backstage chatter, something shifted. Eazy saw me—not just as a media girl or a creative—but as someone real. Someone who struck a chord. He fell. Quietly at first. Then all at once. He offered me a place on the  Rich & Ruthless ...

If you’ve been following my journey, you know I don’t just tell stories—I live them. And right now, I’m living one of the most unexpected, transformative, and electrifying chapters yet. Let’s talk about the Kottonmouth Kings. Yes,  those  Kottonmouth Kings—the underground legends who’ve been blending hip-hop, punk, and rip-hop since 1996. But this isn’t just a nostalgia trip. This is about rebirth, reinvention, and the raw power of choosing growth over comfort. Enter Chucky Chuck: The Catalyst Chucky Chuck, born Charles Devries,  joined the Kottonmouth Kings in 2022 .  Known for his gritty authenticity and roots in the west coast stoner rap scene, Chucky brought a fresh energy to the group  .  His journey from the DGAF collective to the Kings marked a new era for the band, infusing it with renewed purpose and direction .​  A Year of Transformation Over the past year, I’ve had the honor of working closely with the Kings—shooting live performances, direc...

Coming off of Post #4, you already know this world isn’t built to nurture artists. It’s built to consume us—package the pretty parts, profit off the pain, and toss the rest. But you haven’t heard the whole story. Let’s rewind to 2011. While most people were still discovering what X Factor even  was , I was living it. Not the glamorized version you saw on TV. The real one. The behind-the-scenes chaos, lies, and exploitation nobody wants to talk about. Especially the network. That year, I was in the middle of a local singing competition called  Lucky Break . Two months deep, grinding weekly with live performances. Meanwhile, my mom—always the ride-or-die—secretly submitted a video of me singing to this new thing called  X Factor USA . No expectations, just a shot in the dark. Then came a vague, cryptic email from a production company. “Call us.” No details. Just a phone number. So I did. What they told me? Simon Cowell was bringing  X Factor  to America. And if I ...

  Burnout, Breakdowns, and the Brutal Truth: What the Grind Really Looks Like Let’s get one thing straight—this life? It’s not all velvet ropes and glittery mic stands. Sure, I’ve walked red carpets. I’ve danced in front of thousands. I’ve gotten that "You're a star" head nod from Simon Cowell himself. But behind every spotlight moment is a shadow of exhaustion, self-doubt, and yes, the occasional scream-cry in a Target parking lot. People love to glamorize the grind—but baby, the grind is a gremlin. It eats your sleep, sips your tears, and tells you that if you rest, you’re failing. That’s the lie. And for a long time, I believed it. I believed that if I wasn’t pushing 24/7, I didn’t want it bad enough. I believed if I stopped moving, I’d lose momentum—and that meant losing everything I’d fought for. But let me tell you a secret I learned after the 17th burnout, the 9000th coffee, and the 1,000th smile behind tears: Rest is rebellion in an industry built to break you. Le...