Are You a G? 7 Questions to FIND OUT if R&B STAR JEREMIH is the 7th letter of the alphabet. We put Mr. Birthday Sex to the test to see if the 21-year-old Def Jam signee is in fact the 7th letter of the alphabet, or just another typical crooner. A. Your birthday was last week. How many girls did you celebrate with? (laughs) It was only right that I kick it off the right way. I was actually out in Cali with my lil’ buddy from Chicago and she definitely took care of me for my birthday! But I had to get my paper up, so I did two shows on my birthday. Come on, Jeremih, you were in the land of milk and honey on your birthday and chose to import a chick from back home? No points for this one, homie. B. If you were in the boxing ring, what song would you come out to? That’d probably be the song I’m featured on with Fabolous called “It’s My Time.”That’s probably what I’d come out to; it’s something new and I’m on the hook. It’s one of those anthems that’s real triumphant. It’ll get you ready to take on anything. Jeremih could’ve picked a classic like Tupac’s “Ambitions As A Rider,” Twista’s “Adrenaline Rush,” or even Lil’ Scrappy’s “No Problems,” but instead went with a more personal track and plugged he and Loso’s new record along the way. That’s pretty gangsta C. Who’s the most interesting person you’ve met since becoming “a star”? Probably Rihanna. We actually went to dinner. It wasn’t a one-on-one type of dinner, but a lot of artists on Def Jam went 24 // OZONE MAG
out one night and I sat right between her and another labelmate of mine, Kristinia DeBarge. I was like “Damn, I’m sitting next to Rihanna!” She was too close for me not to try something, but it was one of those situations I wish I could re-live and say a little bit more than I did. It was kinda hard sitting between her and another beautiful girl like Kristinia DeBarge, but it was cool. I had a good time. Even though he didn’t pull Chris Brown’s ex, we’ll still award him points for trying. D. Have any of your ex-girlfriends tried to get back with you now that you’ve “made it”? The first time I actually heard my [“Birthday Sex”] record on the radio, I was in downtown Chicago on Michigan Ave, riding around with one of my exes. When it came on we both just looked at each other and smiled. It was crazy because I didn’t even know [the song] was gonna come on. Obviously she wants to hook back up now, but at this point, I just told her to move on. I’m not trying to go back in time. The only way Jeremih could’ve been more of a G’ in this situation is if he had pulled over as soon as the song went off and told his ex to “Beat it.” E. If you had to choose between a 1979 Caprice Classic or a 2010 BMW 760, which would you go with? I’d go with the Caprice. I actually just got a 1976 Pontiac Grandville, antique style. I’m thinking about starting a collection of old-schools and revamping ‘em. I don’t know
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man, that 455 engine, there’s nothing like it. Most R&B singers probably don’t even know what a 455 is, so Jeremih gets credit for this response. F. What’s the most expensive thing you’ve ever stolen? Probably a mink coat, I ain’t gon’ lie. I was in Chicago on 95th and Western at Marshalls, and I gotta admit, I got caught. It was one of those dumb mistakes you make as a shorty; I ain’t perfect. I was young and thought I would get away with it. He’s definitely a G’ for stealing a mink coat, but from Marshalls? That had to be the most expensive item in the whole damn store; they probably put extra sensors on it and dedicated an entire security guard just to catch fools like Jeremih trying to run off with it. But regardless, we’ll give Young J a point, even if it was a fake mink. G. Would you rather eat filet mignon at a five-star restaurant or a t-bone at the strip club? (laughs) Open up her legs, then filet mignon that… but I’d probably go with the strip club, dawg. You gotta be a G’ to eat anything at the strip club. Score 6/7 Jeremih may look like a typical R&B singer, but surprisingly the Chicago native scores higher on the “Are You A G’” Chart than most would expect. His admission to mink thief, getting back at his ex, and dinner with Rihanna all solidify his G’ status. - Words by Eric Perrin
Hood Deeds WORDS By Eric Perrin // PHOTO BY TERRENCE TYSON Boston Celtics small forward Marquis Daniels carries the state of Florida on his back, literally. But even the immense and extremely detailed map of Florida tattooed across his entire back can’t compare to the charity work he’s done to benefit the children of his home state. Daniels, who was born in Orlando and played ball at local Edgewater High School, has been giving back to his community and donating his time and resources for years. Unlike many philanthropists, most of what he does hasn’t received heavy media attention. From sponsoring AAU basketball teams to organizing scholarship fundraisers for high school athletes, Marquis Daniels contributes much to the hood. “I’ve been doing things for the community for a minute now. I just never really did anything in the public eye,” says Marquis. “When I was growing up I didn’t get to see guys from the NBA or NFL come back and contribute to their communities. I’m in a good position now and I just want to help out as much as possible.” In one of his first organized events, Daniels was able to help out over 350 children. His “Marquis Daniels Charity for Children Weekend,” which lasted from July 17th-19th, consisted of 6 events, including a basketball tournament and a back-to-school drive co-sponsored by Wal-Mart. The weekend was organized through Daniels’ Q6 Foundation and was a massive success. Event Planner Christina Clark has been working with Daniels’ foundation since 2006 and has witnessed his generous spirit. “[Marquis] is one of the rare athletes that really gives back,” she stresses. “All the kids really gravitate to him, and he’s so special because he’s very touchable and real. He really cares about the city of Orlando. We didn’t have many sponsors for this event [this year], so he ended up paying for most of it out of his own pocket. That’s how much he cares.”