IM BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hereby apologize to you all!!!!!! Forgive me it has been extremely hectic...new job, school of course and the demands of life that do indeed come first. I came to a solution that I need a team!!!!! A team of very UNIQUE,WITTY,CONFIDENT beings that are going to help me to help you love Crooklyn and the eclectic world around it a little bit more!!!!!!!!!!!!! We're gonna step it-up a notch by covering events, more innovative indie artist, cool cliques, and of course just pure ill talent. So let me introduce you to the first three LOVELY contributors of TEAM CROOKLYN, LOL!!!!!!!!!

KAI:BED-STUY BOND GIRL

*Picture courtesy of

http://www.myspace.com/nasilelephotography

TANEKA:DIGITAL DOLL

(*January's Crooklyn GURL of the Month*)

http://www.myspace.com/fynest17

Marie:Mademoiselle Madge LUV

And again to all thanks for the love and acknowledgement so FAR!!!!!!!
Spread love it's the CROOKLYN WAY:)

CROOKLYN GURL OF THE MONTH!!!!!!

Name: Nkosozana Kibibi Jahweta
Aka: Kohcoa
Age:sweet16forever*wink*
Birthplace: Claxton Bay, Trinidad
Hometown:Brooklyn
http://www.myspace.com/kohKoa

When did u start modeling? What is your biggest accomplishment in modeling so far? Whats's your other aspirations?
KOHCOA:I did my very first fashion show when I was 18yrs, but I'd say I 'really' started modeling when I was 20yrs. Through such a scrutinizng business, I've learned to 'love the skin I'm in.' I aspire to become very prominent in my generation....philanthropic/humanitarian duties, ...and all else I may do.


Kohcoa struts the catwalk because...............I need to be heard. However,before I am heard I must first be seen.

Brown Skin is............in!!!!

Trini sweet cuzzz..........alluh weh dingolay bad and fete 'til morn'n come...saucey babyyyyyyyy(lol!!!!!!!!!)

(clothing by http://www.myspace.com/nakimulidesigns)

Diversity............is in the air but has a long way coming

Natural hair...................ROCKKKkkkss!!!

What's Kohcoa's theme music when she's strutting throughout the streets of Crooklyn and the runway .............thru the Crooklyn streets: Get me bodied By Beyonce Knowles and on the runway: 'Superstar' By Lupe Fiasco

(clothing by http://www.myspace.com/nakimulidesigns)

Being Fly and educated is................by all means, a TKO!!

Personality is.............very vital.

Men I love are...........are so lucky I love them..*wink~wink*

I admire........my mother's indomitable strenght and art of all walks.

Music makes me...........high.

NY subways..........are a mess...eewww!!

Being a brown baby in this crazy world.........motivates me to become a 'somebody'. i.e Maya Angelou, Sojourner Truth, Dr. Martin Luther King.

("The Collector" Line by Christine Rhee)

In the future kohcoa..........will be Kohcoa "authenticated"

Favorite hangout spot in da city to sip wine and dine is.......................Marquee

Kohcoa's passion.......................is living life like its GOLDEN!!!

I rep Crooklyn because!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.....Crooklyn reps Kohcoa

Ripe is MO BETTA!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Ripe jewelry designer Folasade)

It's saucy and succlent, divine,and ridiculously tempting. Folasade the downtown chic a.k.a. Ms.MoBetta is hitting the scene explosively with her most ripest goods.

"I want it to be ripe and juicy, when you see it I want you to have to have it," says the twenty one year old Jewelry extrodinaire.
Hey what did you think I was talkin about, hahaha... Anyway the Crooklyn born and Harlem raised designer has been intensely working on the line for about eight months.With her optimistic persona Folasade is surely on her way to seeing every cool,unique chic or dude with his/her own MO rockin a ripe piece.The daughter of a former Alvin Ailey Dancer and spiritual guru wants her line to personally reflect her struggle to fill a needed void not only in the jewelry industry but in the life styles we lead.

(Folasade hard at work)

(Model wears Ripe)
In an insightful and what turned out to be a surprising interview on aim(yes you read correctly, aim...lol) we vented, and unveiled how Ripe jewelry was born. Growing up observing the mixed NY downtown scene for it's varied and diverse lifestyle,ranging from rich to poor you can't help but notice how Folasade embodies a persona that influences her designs and how she see's the world. She is also the beautiful product of mesh cultures always wanted more.She felt that things were moving but not fast enough.For two years she interned at the International Center of Photography and later worked with another NY based jewelry line Bijules.Later on Folasade found herself sitting in Brazil sipping caprihinas and simply enjoying life."I remember just coming home and working on my portfolio and designing, it's one of those moments in life where you see more of what the world has to offer. You just take it in, interpret it and bring it out in some form and I brought it out through my jewelry line," said Folasade.Coming home with a worldy sense of creation and influence was the major force into truly pursuing the line even more.

Ripe Jewlery!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Ripe jewelry is bold, clever, raunchy and down right individual. If your like me and you walk through the streets with your own flair and a "Look world I'm here and in-your-face MO" then you want a ripe piece NOW. With prices ranging from 85 to 350 your guranteed to turn heads and have people bumping into poles in order to get a good glance. Folasade pushes the bar with ripe. It's not your average Tiffany's line of jewelry but so what, average is the worst form of settling in life. And that's definitely not in Folasade's agenda.As a female designer in a male prodominately scene she's determined to make ripe a global cult favorite.Where does the savy Downtown Belle see Ripe Jewelry in the future, she responds,"Mo Betta......" we all do too:) Sade ur major Doll!!!!!!!!!!!

If your interested in a ripe pieces,contact her at ripejewelrynyc@gmail.com and check out her myspace pages. www.myspace.com/sweetestaboo1 www.myspace.com/ripejewelrynyc

Sade Ripe will be MO BETTA!!!!!!!!

Look who's in NOT JUST VINTAGE!!!

(M.I.A. and 1/2 of Not Just Vintage Maya!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Stop in Not Just Vintage Ladies

Support, Support, Support

*See I told you guys it's worth a visit*

www.myspace.com/notjustvintage

KISS, KISS, KISS

(Rain working hard in her design room)

Hey Crooklynites!!!!!!!
So, my first entry I introduced you guys to my friend/business associate Rain and her clothing line Kissed by Rain.As promised her new line is coming soon and I am so excited.Stay tuned for a brand new interview and pics from the 08 collection.

Visit her blog too www.bekissed.blogspot.com

Farenheight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Some members of Farenheight)

Hey all, so this just in.......
There is a new sound Farenheight Crew (www.myspace.com/farenheightcrew) that started in Brooklyn by a group of young ambitious teenagers. They have a strong desire to throw not only parties but to DJ events. Cool kids with cool motives and in college, you can't ask for more than that! I love that their young and grinding like crazy! Stay tuned for an interview.........

You can catch them every Friday from six to eight on their College internet Radio show(http://www.wrub.buffalo.edu/) Doing Big Tings in Buffalo!!!!!!! Support, Support young black men on the rise, it's always refreshing to hear them doing something positive. Luv Ya Goosey!

"Trust Me It's NOT JUST VINTAGE!!!!!!!!"

(Pic courtesy of Not Just Vintage)
When I walk through the streets of New York and I see young women like myself channeling that back in the day look I think about why we are fascinated with the word,idea,style or notion of vintage. Remember those dated square shaped flicks of our mother's posing with their high waisted acid wash jeans, big burgundy gazelle specs(LOL)and those long brightly colored bags with the foot long strap? Yeaaaaaaaah you do, lol... Well I bet even seeing those pictures now makes you want to simply pay homage to women who dared to walk the streets with their own individual style and flair!

Memory Lane

I mean think about women like Ms.Chaka Khan who use to rock the big honey brown hair,pastel colored tube tops and parachute pants.Or better yet Ms.Grace Jones in her leather cat suit and of course how can we forget the first Queen of Fabulosity, Ms.Ross! Between all these women they have one thing in common.They are all mesmorized and adorned globally by many modern misfits. With clones of Beyonce every where, the eclectic bunch scurring through the city in their vintage platforms and bright clutches feel the dire need to separate themselves from society's norm. Well ladybugs, Bedstuy vintage shop owners Maya and Lamonica understand your pain ladies and want you to know that vintage is indeed more than just clothes of the past. But, more like a divine tradition to memoralize influential times in our culture.So,with that said help them to help you get the point across throughout the streets of Crooklyn and every where else that this movement to be individually fierce is truly NOT JUST VINTAGE.


(Not Just Vintage Owners Maya Furbert and Lamonica Peterson)

Combine a determined bonafide hustler with a style architect that has a sharp eye for style and you get two innovative African American women that open a shop that looks like Black Barbie's closet! Business partners Maya and Lamonica hit the jackpot meeting each other.Maya, a Medgar Evers college graduate and Bermuda native has been grinding for a while now. From rigorous interning, bartending,and pain-in-the-butt retail(I've been there, lol) Maya got sick of not doing her own thing so she opened up a small store front on Fulton in BK. In her shop she sold bags, earrings, and any hot item that was indeed needed for fashionable ladies.Lamonica on the other hand was making a name for herself, so much that she was featured on BETJ's short run reality show hosted by Eva Pigford,"My Model Looks Better Than Yours." With the over critical cast of judges Lamonica didn't make the cut but that didn't stop her strive for success. She later became a personal stylist for singer/actress and video host on BETJ, Myoshi Marilla (http://www.myspace.com/myoshimarilla).


(My day at Not Just Vintage)

Last year in August of 2007 the two ladies realized their two sparked interests was a sure plan to fill their voids and fulfill a dream of combining business, style and culture. Not just Vintage opened their doors in the heart of Brooklyn,Bed-stuy.Since the opening both business partners pledge on building up black youths in their community. Maya and Lamonica want them to know you can use fashion as an outlet to showcase their talents. Both fashion conniseurs have also set up their Bedford shop Not Just Vintage to be a place where photoshoots as well as classes can be taken(if you need a venue hit them up).
Style architect Lamonica and her beautiful pieces!

Maya the bizness woman, such a sweetheart!

Me posing in front of my obsession

This vintage Louis is sick!!!!!!!

Cute!

Me posing!!!!!!

Visit the shop!!

The powerful force of determination and passion fused together always leads to big things so please support these women. Pleasant, powerful and strong black women on the rise! SUPPORT, SUPPORT, SUPPORT!!!!!!!!! Visit their myspace page and tell them I sent you:)
http://www.myspace.com/notjustvintage