Post by MyMyMy♥KyKaiKye on Oct 7, 2010 20:50:32 GMT -5
From BitchieLife
Dawn Richard’s rise to fame started as a member of the girl group Danity Kane from MTV’s Making The Band, however, many things have changed over the last couple of years for this 20-something year old songstress. She’s now a part of a new group by the name of Dirty Money, which consists of hip hop heavyweight P. Diddy, and a singer/songwriter Kaleena. In this exclusive interview, Dawn discusses everything from Dirty Money’s new album, her views on relationships, going back to college and who she considers her biggest girl crush.
Bitchie Life: The Album Last Train To Paris has been pushed back again. When can we finally expect it to be released, and why does it keep getting pushed back?
Dawn Richard: It’s coming. You guys have to be patient. When people guarantee you something, and you don’t get it, it’s a little heartbreaking. But, honestly, after seeing what Puff has done, and what we have done, we had to push it back because of the greatness of the album. I don’t think a lot of people are comfortable with seeing us a threesome yet. We want to make sure people are comfortable where when we’re doing interviews, they want to talk to Kaleena and I too—they want to know who we are as well. I think that takes time, and I think that if we would’ve forced it, they would’ve just called us background singers. Some people still do that, but I think people are just starting to realize—with the new Drake record and what we have coming up—that It’s not just about Puff. This is a group and I think that we needed to time that.
Bitchie Life: What is the overall feel of the album?
Dawn Richard: Honestly, I think we’re making history—and I’m not just saying that. I’m so proud of what we’ve done. It’s just innovative and refreshing. People might want to hate, but if you listen to our music, it’s been different from the sounds that you are normally hearing. And that’s because it’s something with soul and substance. Not to say that anything else isn’t—I’m just proud of what we have.
Bitchie Life: Diddy has been in the industry for such a long time and he’s been extremely successful. What is the biggest lesson that you’ve learned from him thus far?
Dawn Richard: Soak this sh*t in! And, I mean that. Soak everything in! Everybody around you, every moment is an opportunity and you need to take it. There is nobody responsible for your success but yourself. So, if you’re given the opportunity, then you better not just run, you better mutherf*ckin’ fly with it because you only get that one opportunity. You take whatever is given to you, and you make it happen. Turn any negative into a positive and make it benefit you so you can win.
Bitchie Life: There were talks of a Dirty Money reality show. Is that something we will see in the future?
Dawn Richard: I think that would be hilarious because we are a funny, little crew. (Laughs) I’m not saying that it is or isn’t going to happen, but I definitely think that would be something people would want to watch because we are a funny group of people. It would be great for TV. It wouldn’t be some fake thing. It would be raw.
Bitchie Life: There are a lot of reality shows out there…
Dawn Richard: Yeah, so you have to be careful. But, with us, I think it will be a little different because of the way we’re documenting it. Plus, you know Puff doesn’t play when it comes to being clean on the look of things. So, I think you guys will have something that will be a doper than what you’re use to.
Bitchie Life: With so many Celebrities and Celebrity Couples getting their own reality shows, do you think that will hurt them or help them in the long run?
Dawn Richard: Both—and that’s me speaking on how I’ve dealt with it. It helped me because I feel that I would’ve never gotten the amount of expose I got if it hadn’t been a part of my life. However, I think people only have one perception of me, and it was during a time that was really hard for me. But, with everything great comes a little bit of a curse. So, I just deal with that. I think next time around, whatever I do, I want to make sure I’m in control of the edit and in control of things so that people can see behind the scenes and not just the show.
Bitchie Life: Going from a girl group to Dirty Money, do you think that sometimes you have something to prove just because things didn’t work out with the first group?
Dawn Richard: No, I’m done proving. I’m done. I’ve tried that. People are so mean on the blogs and in the media. When I tried so hard to prove that certain things weren’t true, I wasn’t getting anywhere. It was sad because it was some of our own people who weren’t being supportive, and I was devastated. I had to realize that I couldn’t force people to love me. Everybody is going to have his or her own opinions. So, from now on…I don’t have to prove anything to anyone other than God. I’m just doing what I love to do and that’s sing. Those who choose to appreciate it; choose to. Those who don’t; that’s life, and I gotta look at it like that.
Bitchie Life: What has been the biggest challenge for you when it comes to dating, now that you are in the public eye?
Dawn Richard: I’m just not a comfortable person, when it comes to putting my business out in the open. So, I never do well with that. I didn’t join the show to be in a relationship. So, that was new for me, and I tried my best to deal with that situation. But, now I choose to keep a lot of that private because I saw how hard it was. So, I try to protect what I can by being more private than I was before. But, I can’t be that private because people will always want to be in my business.
Bitchie Life: More and more celebrities are dating and getting married to each other. Do you think it is beneficial for a celebrity to date another celebrity rather than an average Joe?
Dawn Richard: I think whatever is beneficial for you to be in love and happy is what you should do. I can’t really say that it’s better to date an artist or not because men are men, and women are women. I don’t think their occupations change that reality.
Bitchie Life: There was a football player, recently, who said he only wanted to date someone with a status because it would help his image.
Dawn Richard: That’s the sad reality of where we’ve come, and people know what it takes to be famous. I hope God gives them everything they ask for, and I promise you that once they get it, they’ll be looking for something different because people are never satisfied. You can have the flyest b*tch in the world, but if she’s not for you, then it will last five seconds. Nothing shocks me anymore. Being in this industry, I’ve learned so much, seen so many shady things and seen people do things for the wrong reasons. So, I don’t judge.
Bitchie Life: In a recent interview, your girl Kelly Rowland revealed that she had a hard time letting a man be a man. Letting him pick up the check and pull out her chair because she’s very dominant and independent. Do you find yourself being that way; and not letting the man be a man?
Dawn Richard: I never had an issue with letting a man be a man. Sometimes I think I let a man be a man too much. (Laughs) But, I understand where she is coming from. When you are a strong woman, it’s hard to play the second role. And, I think men sometimes think you can’t play the second role when you’re strong and you have your own Sh*t. But, for me it’s a little different. I was raised in a house where my mother was a queen, and she handled everything. But, she also made my father feel like he was running everything as well. She always knew how to make him feel like the king that he was, and it worked out for them. My parents have been married for over 30 years, so I’ve had a great example.
Bitchie Life: Recently, Oprah had some really great advice for Serena Williams. She told her, “You are a good catch, but men want to feel like they are needed. They need to feel like they are important. And, it’s very hard to do that with a powerful woman. It takes a very special guy to do that.” What are your thoughts on her comment?
Dawn Richard: It’s true. And, it’s sad because we as women—especially women of color—don’t really have a great example of a black man anymore. And, I don’t even want to say that because I don’t want people to think that I don’t believe in it. But, in the generations that are coming up, men aren’t what they need to be, and it’s sad. That’s why you see more and more black women single or dating outside of their race. It sucks because I don’t think we really want to, but it’s the reality of our black men not stepping up to the plate. I’m not saying that there aren’t any good men out there because there are, but there’s very few of them. And, it’s sad because some men feel like there aren’t any good women left. So, I think we all need to reach a place where we’re back to believing that black is beautiful—and interracial, or whatever the case may be. I think we should believe in each other, period. Not just in our race, but good men, period. Because I’ll date whoever, it doesn’t matter to me.
Bitchie Life: Really? Would you date outside of your race?
Dawn Richard: Oh, yeah. My mom is mixed. I think it’s beautiful. I don’t have a problem with it at all.
Bitchie Life: Do you see yourself being a stay-at-home mom, driving your kids to soccer practice and cooking dinner every night?
Dawn Richard: Hell yeah! Hell yeah! I think I would be a great stay-at-home mom! But I would still probably have work on the side because I hustle like that. I don’t know how my parents did it, but they were so awesome. I’m telling you—I was in a lot of things growing up. I was in every club you can possibly think of, and my parents were always at everything I did. And, they had full time jobs. My parents were both educated. My mom was a teacher who had a dancing school, but for some reason, I always saw them at everything. So that’s how I feel I’m going to be. My kids will be like ,“That’s enough ma.” … That’s the type of parent I will be. I’m going to embarrass the hell out of them. My son will play basketball and I’m going to make the biggest sign ever with the blow horn and everything. It’s gonna be crazy.
Bitchie Life: We heard that you were going back to school to finish your degree. Are you still pursuing that?
Dawn Richard: Yeah, I’m already in school. I go online. Because of my schedule, I can only take two-three classes. But, if I took them all, I would be done this year. I’m trying to do well in school. I don’t want to just pass. That’s why taking fewer classes is better for me.
Bitchie Life: What’s your major?
Dawn Richard: Business marketing with a minor in marine science. I started out as a marine biologist.
Bitchie Life: Since you travel a lot, what is the one beauty product you can’t live without?
Dawn Richard: My Mac Lip gloss is everything to me! Of course, now it’s discontinued because everything that’s hot always gets discontinued, and I’m so pissed about that. (Laughs) … I don’t ever have to wear any make-up. If I had that, my lips look so good, and I just love it!
Bitchie Life: Which, if you had to choose between a fabulous bag or a fierce pair of shoes?
Dawn Richard: Give me a mean shoe any day! I love shoes!
Bitchie Life: Who is your celebrity crush?
Dawn Richard: Growing up, Leonardo DeCaprio was everything to me. My mom and my friends use to laugh at me because it was that serious. I had him everywhere. The little bangs he had—ah! I just liked him. But, now and forever will be Zoe Kravitz. She is everything to me! I just love her. She is so beautiful.
Bitchie Life: Now, looking back, what do you think was your biggest fashion mistake? Something you wish you could go back and change? Outfit? Hairstyle?
Dawn Richard: That whole beginning of Danity Kane was a mess, but that’s because I was broke. (Laughs) But, honestly, I love every mistake I have made because I’ve grown, and I don’t really consider them mistakes. Fashion doesn’t really have any damn rules. I get upset when people feel like it’s wrong when I wear something they don’t like. If I liked it—and even if I look busted—it looks good to me. And, that’s all that matters. If my hair looked f*cked up that day, then I wanted it to be f*cked up like that day. (Laughs) Eh, it’s mine.
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