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On February 12, 2009, in Los Angeles, California, Halle Berry and Tyler Perry hosted the 40th Image Awards at the Shrine Auditorium. The event was spectacular and everyone was excited about the many changes in American history since the beginning of the awards event, more specifically, the election of President Barack Obama as the first African- American president. What a great 100th birthday present for the NAACP organization.
While at the event, we had the opportunity to speak with several stars on the red carpet…And yes, the carpet really is red. Some names and shows you may recognize are: The cast from “Meet the Browns,” and “House of Payne,” Chicago radio host and CNN political analyst Roland Martin, Judge Greg Mathis, Caitlin Sanchez (“Dora the Explorer”), Keshia Knight Pulliam, and Vanessa Williams. How about sharing the space with the likes of Stevie Wonder, BeyoncĂ©, Jennifer Hudson, Muhammad Ali, Will.i.am, Seal, Will Smith, Al Gore, and Russell Simmons, to name a few.
All of the hoopla is quite fascinating and can be overwhelming. The number of people and their accomplishments are an encouragement and signify where people of color are today in comparison to years past. While in LA, CCN had the distinguished opportunity to have several one-on-one interviews with entertainers who have lived, or are living interesting lives.
 One of those people we will feature is Yolanda “Yo-Yo” Whitaker. I was fascinated by the interview with this young lady who left the hip-hop scene several years ago and is now making a comeback. On the heels of the success of her hit VH1 reality show, ego trip’s Miss Rap Supreme, and crowd-stopping performance at the 2008 BET Hip Hop Awards, rap pioneer Yo-Yo announces the release of her highly anticipated EP, “My Journey to Fearless,” hitting the scene in March 2009. Her triumphant return to the musical genre that made her a household name will be celebrated by collaborations with Missy Elliot, DJ Quik, Ceelo, Raheem Davon, DJ Toomp, Erick Sermon, The Lab Rats, and Keri Hilson, among others. “My Journey to Fearless: The Black Butterfly” features six tracks highlighted by Yo-Yo’s distinctive blend of innovative hooks, rhythmic beats and edgy lyrics. The first single, “Give it t’um,” was just released to radio and the remix features Missy Elliot.
She took a hiatus from music and Hollywood to finish her lifelong dream of getting a college education– then returned to South Central to teach music for three years. I asked about her decision to return to college. Yo-Yo said, “I left high school at age seventeen. I always wanted to go to college. I wanted to go to Grambling (State University) so badly…everyone knew music was something I would get into, just not so fast. What I realized is that with any career you get to a certain point where you realize education is the key to success. It gives you confidence.”
Yo-Yo didn’t just return to college to get a degree, she spent considerable time growing up. One of the things she was willing to share was the immaturity she had when she was approached by Ice Cube to join his team as a rapper. “I was hoping it (hip hop) would be around forever, but I really didn’t know. I was just amazed with the travel, the clothes, and I didn’t really understand that music had power. Going from the studio to stadiums, coliseums, and people screaming your name in the airports was awesome. I really didn’t understand. I would just follow what the guys would say. It was a culture that had a message and you delivered the message. Yeah, it was about being with a team of people.”
There was a point when she felt this was the way life was supposed to be. Actually, she never thought her lyrics were that bad. “I really didn’t know the power of my lyrics until one day a young girl came to me rapping my lyrics, not that my lyrics were so bad; I felt I was living a contradiction.”
 This became a major turning point for the transforming hip-hop artist. She left LA and went to New Jersey to reinvent herself. It is there she actually grew up. “What can I do? I felt like I wanted to do something prestigious. Something that represented what I am,” she said. Yo-Yo researched Debbie Allen, and other women she admired who were similar to her. “I found out she had a degree in Liberal Arts, so I decided that’s what I’m going to do, get my associate’s degree in Liberal Arts, said Yo-Yo. The path led her to attend New Jersey’s Bergen Community College for her education. She stated, “I think out of it all, school gave me confidence (about) how to become a young entrepreneur.”
After repeatedly being type-casted in gangster movies like “Menace II Society,” “Boyz N the Hood,” she stopped going out for roles as an actress until she landed a recurring role on “Martin.” “You have to be true to yourself…Who are you? Being allowed to be me, to be Yolanda. I had been Yo-Yo since I was seventeen, fresh out of high school.”
When asked about this “growing up for Yolanda,” I asked about her resurgence in the entertainment world. She now has two daughters, Tiffany, age 14, and Sinai, age 5, and sees herself as a role model involved in volunteerism. “I show up, I participate, we send kids to camp every summer, I pay for them. I have someone running my organization for me. I understand the power of people watching me.”
Yolanda also feels her music has grown up as well. Her style of music now is soulful and with the support of some creative producers it portrays her. Something she is not worried about is transcending time. “I feel a mature, more inner me immerging. It can only get better and better. I don’t feel like I have to worry about performing a certain way. I am woman. My challenge is to be more creative.”
The new Yolanda “Yo-Yo” Whitaker is thankful for the days of influence from Ice Cube and the likes, but is more inspired by the likes of Oprah Winfrey and Candice Staples. She openly pushes for lyrics that don’t degrade women—instead her lyrics empower women and encourage them to use their minds before their bodies. She is especially proud of her work in launching the Intelligent Black Woman’s Coalition partnered with MC Lyte to create the Let Your Life Shine Foundation that encourages youth involvement in the arts.
In concluding the interview, Yo-Yo shared her views on the impact President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will have on her generation and hip hop. Yo-Yo said she loves people and being able to look at people who have power, so educated, as the President and Mrs. Obama is a good feeling. She said, “He can do the job as a strong African-American man, a father who loves his children, and a man who allows his wife to have equal strength. For our community, he understands who he is.”
Proudly acknowledging that she shares the same birthday as the President, she went on to say, “I think it (president election) will have a great impact. YoYo felt this generation lacks so much and hip hop is a reflection of that. “I hope this generation will start becoming better parents, fathers, and you will see that resounding in the music. It will be more a positive music. People start speaking from their soul. They watch TV and say I can do that.” ¶
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