Wednesday, December 5, 2012

STARRING "YOU" THIS HOLIDAY!

 A HIGHER HOLIDAY

Photo Taken by Reggo Wilson

You see those stars dripping from my ears in that photograph? Well, guess what? They are actually Christmas ornaments! That's right! Even I was shocked when clothing designer/fashion stylist, Massah Fofana, (gku soul) revealed her secret on our photo shoot last week, taken in D.U.M.B.O. A.K.A. Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass.

On another note, I like the energy that goes behind wearing such lavish earrings because for one, a star represents everything positive. The sun, warmth, showmanship, life, vibration, and reaching for higher heights. It's no wonder we place stars at the tippy top of a Christmas tree.

Okay, so now that I've shared that fun fact about my stylist thinking outside of the box with her over-the-top fashion statement, let's get back to the root of why I'm writing this blog entry.

Honorably speaking, I am the first to jump start the 2012 Holiday Blog Tour curated by none other than the amazingly talented writer & blogger, Icess Fernandez Rojas! It was her idea to put together a social media event which gives selected bloggers the opportunity to crisscross their works between December 7th until December 25th with a string of holiday themed entries. With that being said, I'm in a pretty special place since my entry will be the very first to set this marathon into motion!

(Side Note: wearing Christmas ornaments for earrings was a totally spontaneous venture and it just so happened to fit right in with the holiday theme! I love it when cool stuff like that happens - naturally.)

But from a more humble approach, (tucking my alter ego away for a quick nap) when I thought of what the word Holiday meant to me, I thought of all the holidays - Christmas, Hanukkah, 3 Kings Day, and one of the biggest of all: New Years Eve resolutions! Being a Gemini, (a multifaceted, versatile, jack of all traits) could you imagine me trying to narrow it down to just one holiday? I couldn't just choose one without including the others. So I decided to get to the heart of the matter and talk about what matters the most. And to me, the holidays are all about the gift of giving!

Okay, fellow starlight's, here it goes... Regardless of what ethnic or religious background you come from, may you find this 4 minute video clip as uplifting as I did! For in this short video, you will find a peace within that will remind you of your divinity, your uniqueness, and your purpose for being in this moment. Remember, there are no accidents! We were all chosen to connect with one another on this blog tour which means we have alot to share. And I'm excited to see what's to come! So let the creative juices start flowing and activate what this holiday season is really all about! PRESS PLAY & ENJOY THE SHOW...

Tis the season to be jolly!

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Jasmine Clemente

Jasmine Clemente by serrini
Jasmine Clemente, a photo by serrini on Flickr.

Found this mysterious picture of myself on flickr and I'm inspired to take some new ones... Playing with images.

Thursday, November 15, 2012




SPECIAL THANKS TO CHRIS CARR FOR SHOOTING FOOTAGE FOR MY VIDEO RELEASE PARTY / "EVERYTHING YOU NEED" @ KATRA NYC!!!

Photographer & Videographer Chris Carr

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Inspired Word Showcase

The Inspired Word Showcase has a golden reputation for being one of the best open mics in NYC. After hearing so much about it for over a year, I finally dressed up warm this past Monday night and headed out the door to go to ONE & ONE (The Venue) in the lower east side. Little did I know, I walked into a reality TV show that MTV was recording. Okay... so that was unexpected and kind of cool. Nevertheless, I was the 14th person to sign up on an open mic list of 25.

One of the comedians made a joke, saying, "This open mic quickly turned into an audition once they found out MTV was in the house." SO TRUE! But it was great because it meant that all the performers stepped their game up just in case they'd be featured on television. Needless to say, they only recorded the first thirty minutes of the open mic, and I didn't go on until an hour and a half later - so I missed camera time! Oh well... I still enjoyed myself!

As a side note: My favorite performance of the night was by a poet who recited a piece entitled, "Way of The Angels." Thus, that picture on the right, is me totally mesmerized by his divine message; see me smirking; I'm enchanted -------------------->

Now, when it was my turn to rock the mic, I performed my original song "Everything You Need" in acapella. And without exaggerating or trying to toot my own horn, I received the first standing ovation of the night. It was awesome! There's something special about singing without instruments or background music. Just me, my voice, the people, and the room. My message echos because my voice dominates the atmosphere due to the audiences silence. I have their attention. Their focus is on me. And that's why I make sure to write lyrics that feeds positive energy. As I mentioned before, the other performers were inspiring too - that's why it's called, The Inspired Word Showcase by Mike Geffner.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

DEATH (Transformation)

I heard somewhere that it is better to ask the right questions than to seek the right answers. So here's my question:  

What is Death? 


For some, death is when a person's physical body is buried six feet underground. This proof of knowing that they will no longer function in the world, is reason enough to believe that their existence has ended. But for me, I see physical death as a spiritual transformation.

November 2nd is a Mexican holiday known as Dia De Los Muertos (A.K.A. All Saints Day or All Souls Day) with its origin tracing back to the Aztec Calendar. Honoring the deceased, families of dead relatives and friends visit cemeteries with flowers, drinks, and fruits. For some, it is a festive celebration, and yet for others, it's a day of mourning.

With respect to the belief system of several cultures, I will share my opinion of death openly and honestly.

Death is a word used to describe something that has ended, which doesn't always mean physical life. Sometimes death can describe the ending of a relationship, a career, an era, a habit, a lifestyle, a feeling. And that has nothing to do with a physical entity ending, but with a spirit that is moving on to greener pastures. So with that being said, what is life? Life is vibrant energy. Life is moving forward. Life is love. This is why when someone gets buried six feet underground, I don't necessarily believe that they are dead if they're energy field (soul) is still alive. It's true, we can't speak to them anymore than we can speak to an animal or a plant, but we can still communicate. How? OPEN UP.

Let's think about this for a second... Have you ever noticed that ghosts who haunt people's lives are those who've either lived miserably, have unfinished business, or died tragically? But the ones who lived joyously usually rush into the light after death and don't come back down unless to assist someone as an angel? If you're one of the few who never made contact with the other side, you may not be able to relate to this, but I know, there are millions who have. And with enough Hollywood movies and best selling novels based on true stories, (covering unsolved murders, possessed people, and haunted houses) how much more proof do we need that there are other forms of life beyond the human eye? Just because we haven't invented a microscope or machine advanced enough to record the picture of spirits doesn't mean we won't have this technology one day.

People, what you do in this life will not STOP once you cross over. Your transformation from the physical realm into the spiritual realm will still persist because your soul is eternal. So there's no proof of your soul, you say? Well, that depends on how deeply you remember or how much you've forgotten. I'm not here to convince you; I'm here to remind you to look inside of yourself. Do you think your birth was an accident? Do you think you didn't choose to come here? Do you think you have no purpose, rhyme or reason? There is a saying... Just because you are living, doesn't mean you are alive. If you feel stagnant, if you feel depleted, if you have a loss of energy, if you have no passion, if you feel bored, if you feel hopeless, then these are signs of death. For example, why do you think people use the phrase, Dead End Job? or Dead Beat Father? It's because there's no passion in that career and/or no real energy moving forth from the father. Now that you have a better understanding of what the word death signifies, what can you think of that's dead in your life but you're still holding onto? Are you willing to find the strength to let go of it the way trees lets go of Autumn leaves in the Fall? Can you allow yourself the space to remove clutter from your life or anything that may be causing blockage?

Death is a doorway into the new. But if you don't open that door, then you will stay locked in the past. You need to face what is dieing in your life instead of being in denial. The longer you hold onto old ideas, relationships, jobs, furniture, clothes, and anything that no longer serves you, you will eventually begin to feel lifeless, or like you're going in a continuous circle that keeps producing the same results. Before you know it, you'll be on your death bed asking, "Did I do it all wrong?" Hence, the unfinished business. So think about your own happiness for a second. For if you are unhappy, you can't contribute much to the world (or anyone you encounter) due to your foggy outlook on life. (Thus, suicide comes in many forms such as self-sabotage) All I know, is that I'm choosing life. See you in the clarity & truth of the light, whether in this life or the next!

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Short Story Excerpt


THE SUN OR THE MOON:

A Lover's Choice

Written by Jasmine Clemente


Lynx removed a cigarette from his Newport pack, desperate for a smoke as we rested on a park bench during the cities most silent hour. “You’ve never seen twilight before?” He asked, looking up at the fuchsia tinted sky.

"Uh-uh... I've never seen it before 'cause I've never seen it wit' you," I nuzzled my head beside his chest, welcoming the musky perspiration that reeked through his T-shirt on that sticky summer night, or should I say morning?
Sitting comfortably with Lynx, I kept my focus upon the astronomical spectacle above us. I didn't know what he was thinking, but I felt that there was something bewitching about the alignment of the sun and the moon, as if witnessing twilight together was heaven's way of mirroring back the bond between man and woman - between Lynx and I.   


“Yo, I forgot to tell you something,” Lynx fumbled inside of his dungaree short pockets for a lighter; then set his stick ablaze.
“What?”
He turned to me with his big, hazel, puppy dog eyes and released a smoke-swirled-sigh. “My DVD player died and passed onto digital heaven." 
Coughing, I waved the smoke away, "Aye Dios! Lynx! Por Favor. Do you have to blow that shit in my face?" I complained, although I had to admit that I found his still-a-kid-at-heart goofiness kind of cute. Digital Heaven? Amused, I maneuvered myself to sit on top of him, wrapped my legs around his waste and removed the cigarette from his mouth.
Pen ditto,” I sympathized, tossing it over the bench. “You love watching movies! But maybe it’s time we make our own.” 
In shock, he excitedly slid his hands underneath my blouse and unsnapped my bra from behind for easy access to my breasts. Smoke seeped into my clothes as our physical contact heightened with summer’s heat, and despite his nicotine scent, his kisses were a breath of fresh air. 


After we cooled down from making out, I rested my chin upon his shoulder and noticed an unspeakable beauty in the distance. Across the river beyond the park, white feathered birds migrated amidst the heights of Manhattan's skyscrapers, soaring into an array of golden ray's beaming from window to window. Once they flew passed the city buildings, they peacefully landed near our bench.
“Can I kiss you again?” Lynx asked, breaking me out of a trance. 
“Why you asking?” 
“Because I'm try'na be a gentlemen.” 
A Gentleman? I thought. If only I were a lady. 


I felt torn between lovers. That’s right. There was someone else who'd been outta sight, outta mind. And now my guilty conscious howled like a wolf to the moon, enforcing my transformation from good girl to bad. Nevertheless, I tamed the noise and feverishly attacked Lynx behind playground gates, inspired to let loose in the wilderness. I sucked and bit his flesh, groping his skin as if my life depended on it. I even lowered my head down to the front of his jeans, wanting to unzip them with my teeth. Although I knew he was amused, he pulled my face back up and flipped my body upside down, throwing my legs around his neck. I screamed humorously in fear that he'd drop me, but he held my waste so tightly that his fingers dug into my skin, almost cutting me. 
“Don’t worry. I won’t let you fall,” he promised. 
I lifted myself back up and pulled his scruffy, bearded cheeks towards me, unsure of whether to playfully smack him or grab him for another intense lip lock. But just then, as we were about to make love underneath the stars, a suppressed feeling emerged.
“Stop, wait a minute.” I backed up a little.
“You always do this to me," I reminded him. "We have a great time together, but then you fuck’n disappear. You do this shit every time and you only call when it’s con – 
- Why you bringing this up now?” he interrupted, removing a corona from the six-pack that lay on the ground beside his tattoo inked leg. “Shit, there’s a cop car.” 
I flinched, but he kept me steady where I was. “Fuck ‘em.” 
Behind thick patches of bushes and trees, flashing red lights circulated the area just outside the park perimeters. At least we had on clothes so we couldn’t go down for public indecency, although my sweat pants were loose enough to slip right off since I'd been sleeping in them before his phone call had awoken me earlier that night. 

“Come see me,” was the first thing Lynx said. 
“I can’t. It’s late.” 
“So?”
“What do you mean, so?” 
“So what?” He replied. 
“So what, is that I’m already in bed. I’m staying home.” I enforced.
“Where’s home?”
“You know…I’m still living with my ex. We keep going back and forth but we haven’t officially ended it yet.”
“So come out. I’ll pay for your cab ‘n we’ll talk.”
“I don’t know Lynx. I have some family issues right now... I think I'm gonna go back to sleep.”
“Sleep? Stop acting like a little viejita and tell me what’s up.”
“No.” My voice fell to a whisper.
“I bet I know what it is,” Lynx took a drag from his cigarette before continuing. “We went through this before but I’m a say it again. You have to let go of certain people. ‘Nah mean? But you can’t cut your family off forever. Temporarily, yes, but not forever. Now dude's, dude's is another story. They come ‘n they go. Ya heard?”
“Yeah, I hear you,” I replied.
“Look, bottom line is this…” Lynx inhaled again. “Take some time for yourself because if you stay too close to certain people, you’re gonna lose your identity. That goes for family, friends, and whoever. Just detach yourself from the titles that cling you to them meaning sister, brother, whatever. It might sound a lil' cold, but if a relationship is toxic or unproductive, you should let it go for your own peace of mind.… you feel me?”
“Yeah, I feel you,” I rolled a strand of hair around my finger. “Damn, Lynx, you dropped a lot of knowledge and I’d love to see you but it just wouldn’t be right.”
“Why not?”
I shook my head. Did he not care that I had a boyfriend? “What do you mean why not?”
“Why not?” He insisted.
I sucked my teeth. “Well, come to think of it, my boyfriend hasn’t called me all day and...”
“... And you know what you gotta do! Get your ass in a cab ‘n come to Greenpoint. Whatever it is, I got you, ma.”
I hesitated before speaking. “I... I... I don’t think... It's just that, it ain't right, Lynx.”
“Why not?”
“Don’t start this shit again,” I chuckled.
“Fine. But if you change your…”
“…Alright, alright, I’ll come. I’ll run to the corner and catch a cab. See ya soon.”

It was now or never. My man wasn’t home and that made it easier for me to bounce without having to riddle an excuse. After searching my closet, I decided to keep on my sweat pants and go sporty. I then flew down the steps and locked the door behind me.


Ah, fresh air. I finally felt free as I hailed down a cab by the street curb.


We arrived beside a neighborhood bar a quarter after midnight finding Lynx waiting out front. In a matter of seconds, he'd already manage to slip a twenty dollar bill through the crack of the cabdrivers window, followed by him yanking my arm onto the pavement. Before I could even get a hello in, he threw my slender 5 foot 5 body against the brick wall and kissed me as if we hadn't seen each other in years. A crowd of chain-smoking, onlookers continuously peeked at our indecent behavior but Lynx didn’t care who watched. I laughed nervously in between collarbone pecks, pleading for him to take it easy but just like a wildcat, expert at catching prey, he'd captured me. When we finally released our love lock, we walked into the venue and ordered drinks. I was an Amaretto Sour kind'a girl and he was a hardcore whiskey warrior - Jack Daniel being his preferred choice of the night. In the center of the room, a young lady flirted with us, winking our way whenever she'd lean down to hit a ball with her pool stick; her busty cleavage distracting us by our stools. Was she a lesbian? I pondered. Lynx was obviously handsome, but her demeanor portrayed a threes company kind'a gal. 


 (To be continued...)

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Oh, What A Night! Saying THANK YOU Is Not Enough!


Photo Taken By Kara Peterson
WOW! What an amazing video release party to remember. Although it wasn't an evening at The Oscars or a Grammy Award winning night, there was still an air of that type of celebration in the building. People were dressed to the 9's and everyone connected on an extremely positive note.
To the right is a picture of the host, Ms Elle, who shouted out the video director Rodolfo Duran on the mic and also encouraged all the beautiful people to hit the bar - which (chuckling) we sure as hell did!

Editor-in-chief Michelle Herrera Mulligan of Cosmopolitan for Latinas joyfully arrived with a few copies of the magazine to raffle off. An amazing friend & writing mentor, I was in deep gratitude to receive Mulligan's support and introduce her to more friends and family.


Photo Taken By Kara Peterson
As the night progressed, I witnessed an abundance of joy and laughter, and even magical moments as people approached Anita Kopacz's table to check out her self-help book, Finding Your Way Forwarded by Russell Simmons. I was even shocked when one of my photographers, Power Quevedo, opened up a random page where he received the message of Passion, because he'd just recently told me that he likes to photograph people who are passionate about life! Coincidence? I think not. Rather, I believe that the vibrations were so high that it caused everyone's frequency to rise up - especially since I'd received the message of Miracles when it was my turn to turn the page.


MY SHOUT OUTS BEGIN... Thank you Keith Ervin for providing KATRA as the venue, thank you Rodolfo Duran for putting such a creative force behind making this video with your colorful vision, thank you Anita Kopacz for being a special guest by blessing everyone with your words of wisdom in your featured book signing, thank you Krystal Honey for being my dancer in the video and for helping me that day on set, (won't forget!) thank you Perez Massimo, Franke Estevez, and Foremost Poets for getting the sound system right to provide the smooth sounds of soulful house, thank you Michelle Herrera Mulligan for giving away free magazines as a treat, thank you to my lovely host Ms Elle for having such a beautiful personality and making the people feel comfortable, thank you to my best friend Alicia Fogg for staying by my side the entire night when I was being pulled in a million directions, (You definitely had my back!) thank you to my photographers, Power Quevedo, Kara Peterson, and Chris Carr for shooting all the special moments and catching them on film, and last but not least, a huge shout out to my relatives and closest friends who came out to party like rock stars and show your love! This is only the beginning of bigger things to come...


Monday, October 22, 2012

Sexy Secrets





 What an interesting week. First off, for all you Astrology lovers out there, we're at the beginning of mercury in retrograde which will last into the third week of November. This means that during this period, alot of miscommunication and arguments will happen because secrets and hidden things will resurface. Now, what does all this have to do with my feature at ArteRotica (curated by Alaric Campbell) on September 26th? Well... without complicating things too much, let's just say that even though I read my erotic short story entitled Twin Mamacita that evening, I am just now finally posting up the pictures while having some weird "real life" relationship issues. Thus, although the story is fiction based, I tend to believe that real life is much more interesting.

Now... my relationship status is... let's just say... anonymous. (Or of this was facebook, we'd say, It's complicated) And because it's hard to define, the details make perfect sense for a story! Except I'm not writing about it here on this blog! Ha! Got'cha! Nope! I'm just going to simply tell you how my feature went at the show last month. (what a sex-crazed audience!)  


In my short story entitled, "Twin Mamacita" which is selected to be published in the Anthology, Lipstick Diaries 3 Augustus Publishing), the main character is at first heartbroken when her fiance admits to still being in love his exgirlfriend, but soon accepts the truth of his affair by imagining how passionate his sex life with the other woman is since he exudes real love with her. In a twisted way, she finds similarities with the other woman, and even realizes that it's those same similarities that attract her fiance to the both of them. Can anyone out there relate? I wrote that story about three years, but am now finally getting it published! How exciting! And yet I read it to an eager audience and got great feedback! Of course that's mainly because I read an erotic excerpt and that's what the crowd came to see. Fun times indeed... Although since you're reading this during mercury in retrograde, why not ask yourself, what secret fantasies are you hiding lately? And... would you dare to write them down? 


Tuesday, September 25, 2012

1200Dreams - The Nitelife Network - 1200DREAMS PRESENTS: JASMINE CLEMENTE

 Hey Everyone!

I'm giving major props to Journalist, Inti J. Rodriguez, for featuring me in an amazing interview/article on 1200 DREAMS MAGAZINE. Not only do I love the cool concept of his online publication, but I'm also impressed by how accurately he described my journey in music & entertainment with the information we shared. Click below to read...

1200Dreams - The Nitelife Network - 1200DREAMS PRESENTS: JASMINE CLEMENTE

Friday, September 7, 2012

Sexy Loft Party

With one of my favorite writing mentors & authors: Anthony Whyte (Augustus Publishing) @ArtErotica last week in Gowanus Loft, Brooklyn, NY. Fun times!

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Monday, April 30, 2012

PHUSION: A Collective Vibe

This past Friday night, I hosted an amazing event coordinated by Phusion: A Collective Vibe at The Sullivan Room in NYC. (Khahim & Carmela in partnership) The following DJ's were Yuko, Hallex M, Duce Martinez, and Karizma. Now... when I tell you this party was off the hook - it was STUPENDOUSLY AMAZING!!! Why? Because there was a SPIRIT IN THE BUILDING...

Jasmine Clemente & Khahim
What I mean by that is, the energy amongst the people was on such a high frequency that everyone felt it. Contagious, contagious, contagious! No one was exempt from it. A few times during the evening, individuals took turns jumping into the middle of a group circle to show off their dancing skills - and there were no egotistic dance battles going on because most people felt comfortable enough to get a chance in the spotlight. In fact, one dude even did a summer salt in the air. That was a moment!

Then I gave a surprise vocal performance, singing "Free My Spirit", which was the perfect anthem of the night. Indeed, confidence ruled the room. You wanna talk about freedom? All kinds of stresses were released that night! People shook off their burdens and left the drama at the door. With all the cameras shooting, video lights glaring and smiles stretching, it was obvious that everyone had a great time. Until next time, I was happy to perform for such a positive event. Thus, there were at least 4 different artists painting pictures on drawing boards throughout the club, plus an all female dance crew named MAWU gave an amazing spectacle of a show.

Jasmine Clemente performing Free My Spirit

Chino of Duce is Wild Ent & Jasmine Clemente



Wednesday, April 25, 2012

RECORD LABEL LAUNCH

This past Sunday I joined Gladys Pizzaro (Cofounder of Strictly Rhythm and founder of Launch Entertainment) to her record label release party at XVI Rooftop Lounge in NYC. When I tell you that this party was amazing, it was AMAZING!!! 


It's funny how things flow in the universe. I met Gladys through a friend/life coach of mine named Noreen Sumpter. I've known Noreen for about five years now, and I must say, I never would've thought that five years later she'd be introducing me to such a great connection. This is why I stress how important nourishing great relationships are. Entertainment is a social business, so the more people you know the better. HOWEVER! When maturing, one must be selective of the company they keep. Birds of a feather flock together. It's true! So be a positive person who attracts positive people that will support & encourage your success, thus, add value to your life such as connecting you with the right people.

What I love even more is that although I attended this record label launch party and mingled with other creative professionals, everyone danced their asses off! I can't remember the last time I went to an industry event where every celebrity said, "Fuck what I look like tonight! I'm getting my dance on!" and allowed their make up to run, and their hair to frizz while they worked up a sweat. Yes, it was that kind of party! Good Times!

(Singer) Jasmine Clemente, (Founder) Gladys Pizzaro, (Producer) Oscar P.
So let's see what happens next... As I journey through this road to success, I report the high's and low's as they come. And thank god, this entry was one of the best ones to post since I had such an amazing time in a great environment.

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Don't Let AGE Rule Your World.



When it rains, it pours... And you know what they say about April Showers! April rain brings in the May flowers. Well, I'm happy to say that it's been one blessing after another this month, with endless opportunities presenting themselves to me. Now, I must admit that I believe the reason for this streak of good luck has to do with me maintaining a child's optimistic outlook on life. Despite the fact that I'm thirty years old, I still choose to believe that anything is possible. I still hustle like I'm 21 years old, I still believe that I have my whole life ahead of me, I'm still curious about exploring all 4 corners of the world, and I still dress for success like I'm young & sexy - because I am! 

I encourage women to break out of the box! Especially when it comes to hearing these stereo types of how women should tone it down after a certain age. Oh please! Do you see Halle Berry or Jennifer Lopez letting themselves go after 40? No! In fact, some of these hot mamacitas look more stunning as they evolve then when they were younger. Now, some people might think that due to a celebrities bank account and professional marketing team that, that is the reason for their good looks. But I say it has more to do with the actual individual who's allowing all of this to happen.  (I mean, Whitney  Houston didn't look so great during her marriage to Bobby Brown regardless of her fortune.) Stress is stress! And it shows just the same on everyone! Regardless of what profession one has, (Teacher, Lawyer, Executive Assistant, Writer, Secretary, Nurse, Air Flight Attendant, etc) we have a choice as to whether or not we're going to continue exercising our vitality and zest for life, or throw our wonder-woman capes down  and settle for mediocrity. I say take a chance! I say break the rules! I say get into shape! I say ask for help! I say feed your curiosity! I say learn new things! I say take care of yourself and guard your mind! Don't absorb information that will make you fearful of living spontaneously. Yes! BE RISKY! (Don't jump off a bridge and hope to swim once you hit the ocean - that's not what I mean) What I mean is, take a good look in the mirror and get real with yourself. Are you HAPPY? Like, really happy? I'm not suggesting that celebrities have the perfect life and to compare yourself to Hollywood Actresses, (I refer to famous people so that readers can relate to a specific image of someone who's already achieved a challenging goal) but what I am suggesting is that regardless of the age group you're in, allow yourself to dream big and... hey... make a bucket list. For example, if visiting Egypt just happens to be something you'd like to do before you die, then find out what measures to take and do it.

This month I've been working with a swarm of music producers, and although they all have a different style & sound, I can't help but feel blessed to work on my craft. It does get scary though! Being thirty years old, sometimes I do feel conflicted about whether or not I should direct my energy into a more secure business that is less spontaneous in nature. (Something that offers more guarantees) With music, one never knows what record will break or when. But, on the flip side, one doesn't know how far you can go if you give it your all. How do you know your record won't be the next international hit and that you won't suddenly be in demand to perform overseas? As children, we believe the world is our oyster. There's not much we fear, and for that we reach for the stars! But as adults,  a common fear is that people begin neglecting their inner child. Yet my personal belief is that, since with age comes wisdom, we have the upper hand to still make our dreams a reality by being a little bit more business savvy, selective with who we work with, and by knowing how to balance our personal & professional lives in order to get the best of both worlds.

In addition to all the great music I'm working on lately, I'm proud to host a party this coming Friday at The Sullivan Room in NYC which includes a live art show, a dance performance, and a line up of some of the dopest DJ's in the house scene. So you see, events like this are good for business networking, for attracting other like minded (creative) individuals, and for staying in the loop with what's new in the scene. "Aren't you a little too old to be partying?", one might ask. NO! As long as we have our priorities in order, such as feeding our spirit with joy so that our frequency and vibration RISES, then we will attract other joyful attributes into our lives and choose a career that will not only pay us, but will also allow us to live longer and happier lives by getting paid to do what we love! So I say, choose the road less traveled.



Thursday, April 19, 2012

A HARLEM HIGHLIGHT

Last week I joined a spoken word poetry event called Raising Hell at a brand new location in Harlem: The DeJaVu Book Store & Tantalizing Boutique. However, instead of reciting a poem, I sang an acapella to one of my new songs (never sung live before). How I love singing acapella!

This funky, cool store holds urban literature novelties, costume jewelry, and even sex toys for your freaky fetishes! And in the back, there's a small stage for performers to rock the mic during after-hours when the facility is closed to the public.

Despite it being a cozy, small, and intimate environment, the artists who come are no small-time people. These free-thinkers express themselves in a raw, uncut fashion that's captured on film & photography. To learn more about these events happening in Harlem, google Monica S. Martinez (one of the owners of the boutique) and follow her on Twitter.

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Words of Seduction

Jasmine Clemente as a Spoken Word Poet
Wow! What an amazing spoken word poetry event I joined last night at the legendary, NuYorican Poets Cafe located in the L.E.S. Around 7PM is when the open mic part of the show began, which I signed up for to recite the 2nd poem I've ever written. Obviously, this is not something I'm used to doing as often as singing. But I thought it would be a good idea to expand my horizons and unleash a hidden talent.

And so I did. I shared my romantic poem called My Poseidon. (You can find the full length version posted in the 2011 part of this blog) To my surprise, the audience highly enjoyed it - though it made me blush. I was a little unsure of my performance delivery and even the flow of the piece (since I'm new at this), but hey, if the people liked it, then I must be onto something. And although my main focus of course is still music and novelty writing, I must admit that I'm truly excited about exploring this poetic side of myself. You just never know what opened doors may lead to!

Oh! Let me not forget to mention some of the greatest highlights of the night! So here it goes... Special shout out to Monica S. Martinez for sponsoring Words of Seduction (The Event Title) John Chance Acevedo for being such a comedic host, Advocate of Wordz for being an awe-inspiring feature, and of course, Raul Rios for being the main host that coordinated and put this all together. Till next time... Dreamers, keep dreaming!

Saturday, February 25, 2012

MASTERS AT MUSIC

Paying respect to these musical icons who inspired my dreams and entertained my days. May they rest in peace after servicing this world with their beautiful voices, exciting performances, and by showing us what not to do after they fell victim to some tough addictions. May they finally be free.  

R.I.P. WHITNEY HOUSTON & MICHAEL JACKSON

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

RECENT VIDEO SHOOT

How much should I tell in this blog? Do you really wanna know what goes on behind the scenes of becoming a star, or turning your dreams into a reality? Well, about three weeks ago... I had a video shoot scheduled with the director, Rodolfo Duran of DoneRight - digital. But as it turned out, one of my team mates (anonymous music producer) suggested that I record a brand new song for the next video to keep my projects current, so I agreed. Off into the studio we went and in a matter of 3 hours, it was done. I look happy in that picture there, don't I?

Jasmine Clemente at Sullivan Hall, NYC
Well, the wheel of fortune took a low turn when the producer and I had a few discrepancies regarding issues that I can't disclose on this blog. Needless to say, on the morning of the video shoot we had a huge fall out. In fact, it was such a tumultuous experience that I almost felt compelled to cancel the video shoot due to becoming physically, emotionally and mentally stressed out. However, the music producer convinced me not to reschedule despite my condition. And somehow... (through a miracle) I gathered the strength to not only walk onto set, but to give this video a fire within me that I never even knew I had. 


So there I was, all dolled up. Make up done right, hair looking fierce and my outfits complimenting my figure. No one, absolutely no one from the film crew knew how stressed out I'd been only a few hours prior to filming. They all continued setting up bright lights, plugging in tons of equipment, and brainstorming ideas, etc. Once the camera began rolling, I switched into character and sang as if this video would be up for a Grammy Award. (Hey! You never know!) A deeper purpose began to rise from within, as if Lucifer - the angel of music - revealed himself to put the yin into the yang. Yet I didn't fear or repress my anger, because it was something that I believe I had to express in order to become a more powerful person. Perhaps even, my anger is what propelled me to push forward. But whatever it was, the director loved my energy. 



The reason why I'm sharing this information is because the road to success is not a smooth and straight path. If anyone is thinking of breaking into show business, please bare in mind that you will be dealing with a lot of different personality types (Tyrants, Manipulators, etc. Like a Puff Daddy or a Kanye West who are rumored to be extremely strict and overbearing to work with) and so imagine always running away from them? In fact, maybe the key is not to run at all, but to face these moments regardless of how challenging they seem. All I know is this... What one person may do to you, he may not do to a mega superstar like Madonna, Sean Combs, Jennifer Lopez, Beyonce or... You get my drift? (Because they wouldn't want to burn a bridge) And knowing this makes me want to step into my own power that much more. I may not have platinum record sales but I'm still a successful woman in this business with a golden reputation. And this is how we should all carry ourselves and feel right down to the core. Our confidence should be UNSHAKABLE, and we must draw the line when people try to overstep our boundaries. Oh yeah, there's a reason why they say, you must have thick skin in this industry.

Ironically, the name of this record is called Everything You Need. And what that means is that everything we need is already inside of us. Our gifts, our strength, our inspiration, our answers, and our power all come from within. Once we realize this, then we can go out into the world and make our dreams a reality. Although no one said it would be easy, how bad do you really want it? Are you sure you're built for this? When certain problems block you from completing a project or achieving a goal, it can definitely leave you feeling discouraged. That's understandable. But it helps to remember the responsibility that comes with being blessed. God wouldn't give you a voice if he didn't want it to be heard. And with that, it's important to treat yourself well so that God can use you as his instrument. You weren't born to shy away or hide your natural gifts. A writer writes, a singer sings, a director films, a producer produces, a dancer dances, and a painter paints. Although in this business, the reality is that egos may clash, ideas may be stolen and politics may pull strings, that doesn't mean that you back out because you think life's unfair. What you do is this... draw strength from your higher power so that he may lead you out of darkness and into the light. There are some very creative individuals who have integrity, class and wisdom. Hence, they make excellent mentors and people to join forces with.

This blog entry displays a few pictures of DAY 1 on set, however, there will be more footage to share plus a video release party to follow. In addition, I'd like to thank Rodolfo Duran and his entire film crew for exuding great vibes on set, and for being professional, courteous, creative, humble and extremely generous with their time, energy, and resources. Until next time - dreamers, keeps your heads up!