A. My name is Roger Hill and I go by the artist’s name of RogerHill Music. I’m a License general contractor and electrical contractor. I’m also a singer/songwriter.
Q. What made you pursue a career in the music industry?
A. What made me pursue a career in music was I actually had a difference with the first guy who produced the first track. I thought it seemed as if I needed him, so I decided to go into a different direction. I got him, so I decided to go into a different direction. I got him out the way, hooked up with my producer now. Rick Marcel who plays with Kool and the Gang and the rest was history.
Q. How would you describe the music you typically make?
A. The music that I make is soulful with a smooth sound. It’s all about love and the experiences in my life.
Follow me @Rogerhillmusic and Website: Rogerhillmusic.com
A. Hi this is Gregory “Sugar Bear” Elliott from the group E.U. famous for the record “Doing the Butt” that’s me “Oooooow!”
Q. Let us talk a little bit about your journey and how you got to where you are today?
A. It started in high school. Music was my heart; from talent shows, to award shows, performing and collaborating with other artists. I tried boxing and basketball, but my passion was music. I loved playing the bass guitar. My journey has been a blessing.
Q. How was it performing on the BET awards?
A. It was a dream come true! I did Soul Train and MTV on a lot of big platforms so when they called about the show, I was like Yessss! We had to cancel four shows for this, but the promoters understood. We received great love.
A. VBae is a versatile type of chick; multi-personality but not in a crazy way, ha-ha. She’s outgoing & outspoken.
Q. How did you become a Vegan? What challenges have you had becoming one?
A. I became vegan because I got really sick with a tumor a while back. And I just started looking into what was going into my body. I was just becoming more aware, stuff like that. Challenges, I would say are going to the mall and smelling fried chicken, you know anywhere like fast food. When I got into Publix, they’ve got all the hot food, oh my gosh it smells so good. But then I’m like no, it’s not good for you. Period.
Q. If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go?
A. I would probably go to Italy because that’s where my mother’s side of the family is from. And yeah, Italy is beautiful. I would love to go there.
Q. Describe your style and how it is different from others?
A. My style is different because I only f*** like one-on-one s***. I try to find people who are just coming up and show love to independent business owners. That’s pretty much my style. I don’t like wearing what everybody else is wearing, period.
A. I would say that I’m a very passionate person. I’m very passionate about what I love and the people I love, family is everything to me. When people look at me on the outside, they may view me as intimidating, mean, having a rough day etcetera, but I actually have a real sensitive side like “A Big Teddy Bear”.
Q. Who or what inspired you to be a fitness trainer?
A. Well, I’ve always been an athlete growing up, but the inspiration of fitness training came when I met this one brother at the gym. When I first started my weight training journey, he taught me so much and inspired me each time we train together. He basically took me under his wing and started that solid foundation. He is someone I will never forget; Gee was his name.
Q. How do you stay fit and healthy?
A. I’m always on the go, so that helps (ha-ha). I would say just staying consistent all these years with training and more than anything eating healthy. My number one weapon believes it or not is good old water, a gallon a day for over 15 years.
Q. What is one of your greatest experiences?
A. I would have to say growing up playing football and basketball during my youth days. Especially football, which my dad introduced me to. I was always looking forward to driving to practices, especially on game day. Seeing my parents in the stands at every game, and taking those rides to practice with my dad, were the happiest days of my life. Football will always be my first love. I miss it every day, and those experiences will be with me forever.
Q. What has been the hardest experience in your life?
A. Well, without going into depth details, I had to grow up real fast at a young age. It was a rough patch in my life, but I think it taught me about facing our adversities that we may go through in life. You can overcome anything in life as long as you never give up and do the best that you can with the cards you’re dealt.
A. I am a diamond in the haystack. I’m better known around the world than in my own home (The USA). I am an athlete who is well known and celebrated around the world in swimming and fencing while being disabled. I’m actually the 1st African American athlete to compete in 2 unrelated sports.
Q. I see you have won 500 gold medals. Tell us about those achievements?
A. Actually today it’s roughly 700 medals. I began swimming as therapy after my accident. Today I am a fierce competitor with a disciplined athletic mind. Most people cannot believe what I have accomplished, and they are shocked how it happened.
Q. Tell us about your book “A little love and joy”?
A. I’m blessed to have my name “Lovejoy”. Many say that my smile is contagious, and I always bring love and joy into the room when I enter. My book discusses my youth and how I experienced trauma, however it included humor and I go into detail about the miracles within my life. My book is authentic and real. I do not hold back on any punches, and I tell the truth about my struggles as a paraplegic.
Q. After losing the use of your legs, what inspired you to keep going? How has the experience been?
A. I experience depression, but the pool is my sanctuary. I connect with GOD when I swim. It helps me to clear my mind and understand that GOD’S walk for my life is this. I am here as a MIRACLE to show mankind what can be done with faith in Jesus Christ.
Quote: “I feel like before any artist or label releases a project all the production for that project should be paid for. That should be mandatory”.
Q. Tell us more about who Big Nick is?
A. I am a producer, a developer, a life coach. I mold stars. I have been doing music for roughly 17 years now, I was a club promoter for 5 years, so I’ve been a part of the entertainment scene 360.
Q. What made you want to be a music producer?
A. I didn’t. I wanted to be an artist but my passion for music expanded talents and morphed me into what I am today. I learned how to make beats and record, and since I started off rapping, I am good at songwriting.
Q. Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
A. A wife and kid, 8,000 sq ft house and at the top of the game with a plethora of plaques and number 1’s.
Q. What is something that really challenges you being a producer?
A. My little brother Jbo. He taught me how to use pro tools and that opened up the floodgates for me to produce a lot of good music.
Quote: “I never miss an opportunity to work on my health. Most of my fitness level is worked on in the gym. I also like to take hikes and use my environment to be active.”
Q. Tell us more about who Ed is?
A. That is an excellent question. Who I am continues to evolve as I experience life and learn new things. In short, I am a 41-year-old Black male who is an owner of a personal training company called Mpressionz Fitness LLC. I spent 15 years in the Air force as an Air Traffic Controller. When I decided to get out of the military, I decided my working life to improve the health of others through functional training and knowledge.
Q. Tell us about your journey of being in fitness?
A. I have always been active. My dad was a basketball coach and had a basketball in my hands since I was born. I played basketball, football, baseball, and ran track in my youth. The working on fitness for more than health started with my deployment to Iraq in 2008, that I had mentioned before.
Q. What are some of the advantages and challenges of being fit?
A. I believe the biggest challenge of being fit is consistency. Working out and eating right on the days that you don’t want to be necessary to reach optimum health.
Q. What advice can you give to other people who want to be fit?
A. The best advice I can give is to stop waiting and get active. If you’re not sure what to do, hire a knowledgeable trainer to show you how. The key though is to start moving toward a worthwhile health goal.
A. I am the proud mother of two children, whom I adopted from the foster care system. I’m also a writer, author and my memoir. Motherhood So White: A Memoir of Race, Gender and parenting, debuted on the 3rd hour of the Today show in September 2019. I have a master’s degree in African American Studies from UCLA and speak at training sponsored by the Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services prospective foster and adoptive families.
Q. What is one of your greatest experiences in life?
A. One of the greatest life experiences was becoming a mother through adoption. Motherhood was always something I wanted though I wasn’t ready until my mid-30’s.
Q. What advice can you give to other people who want to be an author?
A. The best advice I can give is to simply read, write, edit, and repeat. Become intimately familiar with the genre you want to write. If you love sci-fi, then read sci-fi books to get a feel for the pacing, language and topics. Find a skilled editor, not your friend or your work. Be prepared to write multiple drafts of your books. It’s a very long process but worth it, if you stick with it.
Q. What other projects are you working on?
A. I am currently developing two tv shows and working on a children’s book. I also need to dust off a couple of novels that I started many moons ago.
A. That may actually be the hardest question I’ve gotten thus far. Let’s see: Mind west born, Third Coast raised, the fat kid who was overlooked and ignored, all district football player, National Merit Scholar, etc., and so on. On the flip side an ‘in-house bastard’- my pops remarried and decided I wasn’t necessary- so by JR year I had an 18-man crew and was a ghost. Now at 47 after multiple indictments, over half a decade in suspended animation and having enjoyed the best and survived the worst life has to offer I would simply say I am a survivor.
Q. Tell us about your book “Hostile”?
A. Hostile is a non-biased look at my last 7 years in the game it is neither a glorification nor a knock, but rather an intelligent look-a window if you will-into the complex world that comprises the darker side of society. HOSTILE provides an uncut, raw look at my decisions, my mental motivations, and the consequences and repercussions of said decisions.
Q. What advice can you give to other authors?
A. Believe in yourself and your vision and dedicate the time and energy into making your dreams a reality. As your project grows, know that support will come and go but success is solely in your hands.
Q. Where can we get your book?
A. The hardcopy and EBook are available on Amazon. Com under Hostile: An Urban Tragedy. For an autographed copy and more visit my website www.hostilebook.com
