Little Rock, Arkansas rapper and creative, K. Ray entered the world of raps and rhymes as a Hip-Hop connoisseur and connected with genres like Funk, Soul, and R&B—which can all be heard in his distinct sound. Read more to learn about K. Ray’s interesting road to rapping, his musical influences, navigating the music world as a newcomer, and a breakdown of his debut album, “The More You Know.”
Q.G. The BlacKnight takes up space as an indie artist in Arkansas and is comfortable with who he has grown to become—”My goal isn’t trying to be the biggest cat in the room. I’m just trying to be one of the most well known.” Q.G.’s knowledge of self is admirable, as he is a champion for artist individuality and authentic self expression, which is what his album represents. Read more as Q.G. The BlacKnight peels back the layers of his musical journey as a southern independent artist, his musical influences, where Arkansas stands in the music industry, and a breakdown of his latest album, “The Blackprint”.
North Little Rock, Arkansas native, Caresse Hickman is an entrepreneur and owner of Lucy Jane Scarves. When speaking on becoming an entrepreneur she says, “I knew I didn’t want to work for a corporation for the rest of my life, so I just had to figure out that next step.” Her experience working in retail—from working the sales floor to management—set her up for success when she decided to drop out of college to launch a business.
Christian Kimbrough is the owner of Revive Minds, a clothing brand with a purpose—educating the community on gun violence and encouraging others to live in their truth. At the age of thirteen, Christian was a victim of gun violence and says, “I was told by doctors I would never walk again, I would never talk again, I would never do half the things that I’m doing right now, I’d be paralyzed. They told me everything under the sun. The fact that I’m here is a real big blessing to be sharing my story.”
“Everything I do, I don’t care what it is, I take it seriously,” says Ashtone Dixon, a Master Cosmetologist located in Little Rock, Arkansas. Ashtone’s creativity paired with her grit and determination makes her a force to be reckoned with. In this interview, Ashtone discusses how vital it is to commit oneself to being a student of the game, something she believes will allow anyone—no matter the role—to be successful. “There are higher levels of licensing that I want to get as a stylist, that doesn’t mean I know everything. I’m continuously learning,” she says. Growth is inevitable and being open to new information will take you a long way!
Stephen Greene is a master barber, entrepreneur, and owner of BeUnique, a grooming lounge located in Little Rock, Arkansas. Despite his setbacks, Stephen took the initiative to bring his ideas to life and applied for a business license prior to starting barber school. His advice to up-and-coming entrepreneurs: “Mindsets are meant to be broken. So if we break our mindset and we know that we are unique we can create and do anything.”
BLACK&GIFTED 