Exclusive Interviews

Written by: Greg Lewis Published on January 11, 2026, 7:40p.m. EST China Monai isn’t interested in asking for permission. She’s more focused on defining herself—on her terms, in her time, and with intention. Born in Albany, Georgia, now based in Atlanta, with Florida shaping her musically and culturally, China Monai’s sound is the product of movement, perspective, and lived experience. It carries southern grit, coastal confidence, and a woman’s understanding of self-worth th

Written by: Greg Lewis Published on January 11, 2026, 6:50p.m. EST Winter Haven bred him. Tampa sharpened him. Loss molded him. Control defines him. Darius Kirlew —known to the streets, the stage, and the screen as Big Lew, La’Nado—is not the type of artist who waits for permission. At 35, the Winter Haven, Florida native carries himself with the quiet certainty of someone who’s already seen the cost of hesitation. He doesn’t just rap. He builds worlds. He engineers moments.

Written by: Greg Lewis Published on January 11, 2026, 5:30p.m. EST Andraya Spriggs (26), known simply as Andraya, is learning how to exist in softness without apology. The Fort Lauderdale native, raised in Houston, Texas, was first introduced to the world under the unforgiving glare of reality television. On Joseline’s Cabaret, she became a character before she ever had the chance to be understood. Loud edits. Louder opinions. And a public narrative that often felt louder th

Written by: Greg Lewis Published on January 11, 2026, 5:00p.m. EST At 29 years old, Valentino Gilkey , known professionally as Lil Tino, stands at a pivotal intersection — where hunger meets clarity, and pain transforms into purpose. Born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, Lil Tino is not just navigating the next phase of his career; he’s defining it on his own terms. His latest record, “Yea Yea,” doesn’t arrive as a trendy single or a fleeting moment — it lands as a statement