Nexdim met up with Cameroon’s multi talented actor, script writer, film maker, writer at the African Bulletin http://www.mediablackberry.com/index.php?oid=12577  Kang Quintus Nang online and decided to do nothing other than using that wisely so our Nexdimers could be entertained with an exclusive one on one interview session to help discover our Kamer born stars anytime, anywhere. It is worthy of notice that Kang Quintus just grabbed a nomination in the Cameroon Entertainment Award for best actor in a leading role in the movie ‘Strength of Cha Cha’.

Let’s Ride!

Nexdim: Hello Quin

Quin: Hello Sarah

Nexdim: In some few words how would you describe yourself?

Quin: Well before that I must say you guys at Nexdim are doing a very great job. Back to myself now am a film maker, I produce and direct movies and act too most of the time. I studied in the University of Buea then I did an M.A programme in Development Policy – CERIS Brussels, an MBA in the University of Antwerp and presently am studying a PhD programme.

Nexdim: From which part of Cameroon do you hail?

Quin: I hail from the North West region precisely from Wum.

Nexdim: When and how did u start your career as a filmmaker?

Quin: I got involved in film making back in 2008 when I was contacted by a very good friend Enah Johnscott (now director of Triangle of Tears), who was shooting his then movie. I did script analysis for him and  gradually I developed the passion to contribute in a way towards the advancement of the Cameroon movie industry.

Nexdim: Tell about your stay back then in Cameroon.

Quin: I got my Advanced level certificate from GHS Wum and that same year got admitted into the University of Buea, I graduated from the University of Buea with a B.Sc Accounting in 2009 and upon graduation i got admitted to study a Masters in Development policy at CERIS Brussels, then I left Cameroon.

Nexdim: Some of your works please.

Quin: In 2008 I served as the script writer of  ‘The Mad Crown‘  produced and directed by Enah Johnscott and in 2010 I assisted in the production of  ‘Shades’ with Titus Banyuh. 2011 I was the lead role actor and producer of  ‘The Strength of Cha Cha’, directed by Enow Florence and released that same year. As I left Cameroon, I have been the Director and Executive Producer of ‘Critical Point’ shot with locations in Belgium and Holland and due to be premiered in Belgium, Germany, Holland, Cameroon, the UK and the USA,will be released in April 2012 and it features Samy Diko and Ghanaian actor Samuel Ruffy Quansah. I also lead roled in the movie “Confused Bachelors”, it is  produced and directed by Simon Timah, shot with locations in Holland and Belgium and its dued to be released in June 2012.

Nexdim: What can you say about movie making in Cameroon?

Quin: Fufu and Eru

i graduated with a M.A in Development Policy from CERIS in 2010 and got admitted for an MBA specialization in Accounting at the University of Antwerp Belgium that same year graduated at the University of Antwerp in september 2011, and gain admission into a PhD in accounting immidiately so i now study a PhD

  Charles Mbuli Njengti a.k.a. DJ Sisqo – Mix  is a prominent entertainment figure based in the city of Kumba, Cameroon who is worked with almost all the top night clubs in the country.  From a family of 5 with 3 boys and 2 girls and  the third son, he hails from the Dungamatung division precisely from Nkambe. Also a  former secondary education  student of  motor mechanics in G.T.C. Kumba where he obtained his  CAP certificate and later went to automobile engineering department in the high school but unfortunately failed the Probatoire exams. He moved to Presbyterian Technical Center for the practical studies of automobile engineering, at this point he decided to  pick up a career as a deejay.

Nexdim: When did you start your career as a DJ?

DJ:  It all started back in my days of secondary education when I was a pop and break dancer, I used to be a mini Michael Jackson pop dancer back then. And while learning break dancing from Sisqo’s Unleash the Dragon album and Usher Raymond’s You Remind Me  in 2001, I was able to grasp the little I can from both of them bringing up my unique break dancing skills. In my school G.T.C. Kumba, I was always called upon to represent for evasion competitions, play back and school socials and I ended up getting so many praises from the audience as they kept telling me to keep it up. On this fateful day I was invited in CCAS Kumba by their social prefect to come and entertain with break dancing it was my first time of standing before a big crowd of about 500 people. Presented by the MC as Charles Mbuli the unbeatable break dancer I came out with my katreige cassette, by then CD, DVD and computer were not that common. The song was ‘Got to get it’ from Sisqo and when I started dancing the population was so amazed to see somebody doing break dancing live on stage, not on  TV as usual, it was really a great show. Round of applause followed and I was named Petit Sisqo and that’s how the name Sisqo came about.

Nexdim: Give us an insight of your journey

DJ: Due to the love  I have for music, listening to latest music and creating my own choreography, I came into contact with hip hop mega mix vol 1, 2 and 3 popular demands 2002, garalla 2003 raga mania and many others. I was so amazing with the exclusive mix collection and I always like the way the DJ manipulate on the mix machine so I asked God to make me become one someday. In 2005 I attended a show in SobaPark where I met Dirtsman who was on the mix machine using a computer system with BPM studio 4.2, he recognized me as a dancer. After declaring my interest in the job he started moulding me up with the little he could at that time as far as musical animation was concerned. I got myself into beats construction and recording receiving ideas from Slim-J and DJ West also known as West Don. When Dirts man left Soba Park, I was employed as the master DJ in 2008. I did my best and the name DJ Petit Sisqo was the key to success for showbiz in Kumba, I also did home recordz and demo beats which made the fans of hip hop in Kumba recognized me much more with great encouragement. On the 23 of December 2009 I was called to open a new night club known as Bao Night Club Mbonge Road Kumba. In 2010 I was employed to work in Blush Night Club which was the top and best club in Kumba. This is where I meet DJ Doul from New Life Night Club Douala (KOLADERA) and as the head of our department he taught me how to use a professional mix machine, the audio engineering, master mixing and DJ light mixing. For MC and animation, much inspiration came with the help of DJ Toxic, Serge Mamboh, Kitoko, and Sunny not leaving out Dirtsman. In 2011 I was employed to work in Jupiter Entertainment Complex Buea where I met DJ Dirtsman again and we were just like brothers from a different mother. I’d always give him that respect as my teacher.

NexDim: How do you find the deejay job in  Cameroon?

DJ: I find it quite impressive because they do respond to musical animation especially in the francophone zones.

NexDim: From your job nature it shows you are so much exposed to night clubs and music as a whole, how can you describe your love for music?

DJ: The love for music came to me since from child hood. I always love listening to music when I was small and dance with my elder brother who was a very good dancer of zaiko, ndombolo and kassave. This greatly helped me a lot cos it was like an inborn trait for me.

NexDim: How do you cope between your job and normal life?

DJ: It is not really easy because my activities are in the opposite form of human life I feel sleepy during the day and active during the night, but not all the time. This is one of the reasons which makes the job more difficult and, as a club DJ you must adapt to it, automatically, night becomes your day and day time becomes your night, if not you wouldn’t cope with the job and your life.

NexDim: How do you think the music industry inCameroon can be uplifted?

 DJ: The music industry can be uplifted if they stop the act of jealousy, stealing and copying of people’s talent, and the artist should be unique and united, this way the country grows and becomes more powerful in music.

Nexdim: What brand of music do you love most and who will you say is your favorite artist?

DJ: The brand of music that I love most is R n B and hip hop, for my favorite artist its no other but Sisqo (the dragon master)

Nexdim: Twas nice talking to you on nexdimempire.com

DJ: Thanks you welcome

It’s often been said that the heart of the Cameroonian resides in a cold bottle of beer, preferably in front of a football match or occasionally on the dance floor of some bourgeois club, and no one knows this better than Street Jay, the self proclaimed king of njoka.
This fun loving, fiesta-friendly Cameroonian is young music artist from Kumbo, Banso and currently resides in Yaounde. His exposure to diverse cultural backgrounds has resulted in a proficiency in at least 3 of the 4 official languages of Kamer; English, Pidgin and Argot (Franc-Anglais), and no doubt forms a basis for his brand of music which is a mixture of Makossa and various types of western music like Reggae.
His peculiar music taste is certainly paying off as he has received quite a bit of attention on local media. The popular Cameroon Hip Hop Association acclaimed him second ‘artist of the week’, second only to BAAMS. He recently joined this association and once again made a statement with his video rated ‘the most viewed video of the week.’ His skills and significant influence was once again recognized by the prestigious 100% Jeune magazine which declared him the ‘TEEN CHOICE’ in the November 2010 edition, and called him ‘one of the most rapidly growing young artists in the country’ in reaction to the success one of his singles enjoyed on youtube.
In the wake of his public acclamation Street Jay has also proven to be a hard worker. He recently recorded a new track ‘Na You (take my Love away)’, a reggae love song with his two buddies Ox Demo and Karl B during a two week vacation to his homeland. He has also released a new album titled ‘Palava Njoka’. With 6 tracks of mix Njoka and a catchphrase reading “Leave your wahala everybody E go better”, the album ultimately encourages all to bury their problems and worries in the joys of the dance, or Njoka. He is currently working on a new album titled ‘Crazy Life’, and while spoilers aren’t available, we’ll be sure to keep you posted as developments unfold.
Street Jay describes himself as a youth advocate who fights for social and cultural recognition of youths in Kamer and Africa at large. This ‘Musical Moses’ says he is sent to “empower all youths and take them all to where they ought to be”. Judging from his style, there is no doubt that the ‘Promised Land’ he refers to is non other than the Dance floor, to the greatest delight of his ever increasing fans who have come to be known as the Njoka People. For free downloads further information on him and his various musical accomplishments, check out kamerhiphop.com, 4shared.com, or join him on his personal website www.streetjay.tk.

Born on September 10th 1969, in Yaounde , Albert Tjamag a.k.a Menelik is a French rapper of Cameroonian descent. He immigrated to France together which his family in 1979.

Born in South Memphis, Tennessee, Fred Fungwe a.k.a Young Scolla was moved to the Michigan, Highland Park area at the age of six. Born with an early blooming talent, the young Scolla got his start in music appropriately, in elementary school. Blessed with the ability to sing and dance, he added rap to his repertoire in middle school. Since then he has been connected to and seen the birth of over twenty different talented artists and multiple collaborative unions.

Read more: http://www.myspace.com/youngscollausr

Scolla has released 3 Projects (Sign Of Greatness, Prelude To Perfection & Escaping Reality). He is now working on his debut album, “Tears & Triumphs”. Hoping for a
October/November release.

Scolla needs YOU, every single Cameroonian and their friends to sign onto his
Facebook page, website, and  purchase his latest single, “If I was with
you” on itunes. Buy two, three, …ten, and distribute to friends and
family. Let’s push Scolla through the clouds, by making his latest single, “The Single of
the Week” on itunes.
His success will be our PRIDE!!

http://www.youngscolla.com

PLAY-B is a Netherlands based Cameroonian artist. NexDim caught up with him for an exclusive interview.

Hi Play B. How are you?

I’m fine. Thank you.

Briefly introduce yourself to us.

I’m Play-B born Besong Stanislaus Besong in Mamfe, South West province, Cameroon. I attended GHS Mamfe before traveling to Europe (Holland).

Why are you called Play B ?

Play-B represents my nickname ”Play boy”  but I decided to use the last initial ”B” for Boy.

When did you indulge into music?

Actually I was born in a family where almost everyone is involved with music. I used to dance but couldn’t really develop my skills because I never had the means to do so till 2005.

Describe your genre of music and your targeted audience.

My music is RnB, Hiphop, Reggae,Reggaeton , Dancehall and world music.My target group should be the youths and people worldwide who love my grooves.

How many albums do you have in the market?

My one and only album is titled  ”The Birth OF A Legend” .It’s  not yet released in Africa.

Has your music career been a success so far?

No.

Do you live large from music?

Not yet. Music is my part-time job.

Tell us about your music label.

Dr Batman Entertainment represents me and my vision of helping to shape music in Cameroon and Africa in general. We produce and  promote music and movies.

What’s your evaluation of the music scene in Cameroon?

Music in Cameroon so far has lots of problems . For example,  artists lack the proper funding and support they need to uphold the highly competitive entertainment business.

Describe your relationship with other Cameroonian artists.

Haven’t had lots of contacts with other Cameroonian artists but looking forward in doing so.

What is your impression about piracy in Cameroon and do you think can be done to curb this predicament.

Piracy is a sad sad situation in Cameroon. I don’t think they know how many people they deliberately leave unemployed and the effect to the economy in general. The government should lower taxes and help bring down the prices of original Cds. Coz I personally think those prices are a bit expensive for the people.

Which artist would you like to collaborate with in future?

I’ll like to do a  featuring with every artist within my genre of music like X-Maleya.

What are your plans ?

Coming to Cameroon to officially introduce my label and meet some people who are ready to take on this road of hard work and dedication.

Are you married?

No. I’m  single.

Tell us your best Cameroonian dish.

Fufu and Eru

What kind of music do you often listen to?

Depending on my mood, I listen  reggae, RnB, hip hop, rock,dance, Makossa, High life, dance-hall, batchata, lots…  just nice tunes and good lyrics.

Your last words to Cameroonians.

Let us come together and build a good and prosperous Cameroon and Africa as a whole . A place where everybody will have the opportunity to excel and serve his people and reach their dreams.

Thanks for your time .

Welcome. God Bless us all.

EMAIL: drbatmanentertainment@hotmail.com

TEL: 0031642865467 (Europe) ,  (00237)75728791 (Africa)

“Music is every moment of our lives,” says Helene Faussart, one half of the Afropean hip hop/R&B duo Les Nubians. Helene and her sister/bandmate, Celia, found that this feeling connected them with people in Jamaica, Egypt, Cameroon, Chad, London, their native Paris and other locales around the world as they embarked on the journey that led to their newest album ‘One Step Forward.’

In the time since their 1999 U.S. debut ‘Princesses Nubiennes’ (Higher Octave/Virgin) became the most successful French-language album in more than a decade of Billboard charts, Les Nubians’ singing sisters have traveled the world, soaking up the sounds of reggae, afro-beat, pop and electronica while collaborating with a host of respected musicians. “Everywhere we went, we looked for music that spoke of the local culture,” says Helene. The sisters met and worked with traditional folk musicians, as well as artists at the apex of every genre from Afro-jazz to British breakbeat to Cameroonian hip hop. In addition to working on their own material, Les Nubians appeared on 14 different recordings by an assortment of other artists, spanning the globe and crossing genres – from Towa Tei, Black Eyed Peas and Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek to the acclaimed Red Hot series on “Red, Hot & Riot” and “Red, Hot & Indigo.”

The musical summits gave way to recording sessions in Jamaica, Cameroon, London and at home in Paris, where Helene and Celia were joined by African jazz legend Manu Dibango, pianist Ray Lema, classical musician Benjamin Biolay, dancehall reggae stars Morgan Heritage, UK electronica wizard I.G. Culture, Mounir Belkhir, the poetic producer of the US hit track “Makeda” and more. For Les Nubians, these diverse sessions were a chance to work with some of their biggest influences, while bringing together the music of a wide range of cultures and generations.

Along with learning from these master instrumentalists, Celia and Helene sought to preserve their legacies among younger listeners. “This is so important, especially in Afropean music,” says Helene. “Many of the sounds of the two cultures have been separated for so long, but music can be a bridge that helps people meet.”

Multi-cultural sensibilities come naturally to Les Nubians. Born to a French father and Cameroonian mother, Helene and Celia learned how to sing at a young age. Inspired by a backstage meeting with jazz singer Abbey Lincoln (who encouraged them to “do it-the greatest thing in the world is to be a singer!”), the group pursued their music relentlessly. Their debut “Princesses Nubiennes” was a successful amalgam of the music they’d experienced during their life travels, combining their African roots with jazzy nuances, funky rhythms and a hint of British soul, all delivered in their uniquely elegant French style. A long and varied list of musical influences are attributed to Les Nubians’ distinctive sound, including Miriam Makeba, Ella Fitzgerald, the Fugees, Fela Kuti, and Jazzie B of Soul II Soul.

According to Celia, “Music is a great way to transmit a cultural background. Making this record was, in part, a way for our generation to give tribute to musicians we’ve looked up to and see that their music gets the recognition it deserves.”

Les Nubians were nominated for the 2004 Grammy Awards in the Best urban alternative R&B category, along with Erykah Badu, Outkast, Music Soulchild and Khelis.

Les Nubians are now touring and visiting new countries and territories ready to catch their afropean flavour.

Excerpts ; lepoissonrouge.com

The official crowning of Miss Africa Texas pageant takes place on October 16th 2010 and Cameroon is fully represented. NexDim caught up with one of the final contestants, Verlene Forbia often called Lady V for an exclusive interview about her life and experiences during this pageant journey. She is an ideal personality and has a peculiar approach to life. Let’s meet her!

Hello Lady V

Hello

What part of Cameroon do you come from?

I’m from the Northwest province, from Ngo-ketunja Division ( Ndop).

Briefly describe yourself to us.

I’m a person full of smiles and love to put smile on people’s faces, due to my humble nature and jovial personality. I am quick to learn and accept constructive criticism.I don’t fantasize a lot but i have big dreams ( goals ). Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, i shall fear no evil.This is the bible verse that strengthens me.The best thing that ever happened to my live, was when I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Saviour.

We learned you are a Miss Africa Texas contestant.What inspired you to file in your candidature for Miss Africa Texas?

Yes, I am a contestant finalist. My loved ones around me, family, friends, teachers and even strangers have been of great inspiration to me.They always ask me if I was a model because they thought I looked like one. Special thanks goes to Nelson who encouraged me a lot to participate in the pageant.

Were you nervous before the auditions?

Nervous is an understatement Lol

What is remarkable about the contest?

The remarkable part of the pageant is amazing. You see how young beautiful women with brains come out of their nut-shell and display publicly, representing the beautiful countries of Africa.

The crowning of the Miss is approaching definitely on 16th October.Are you the next African queen?

Yes. I was crowned Queen ever since I gave my life to Christ.

What’s your definition of beauty?

Beauty is sanity. I will not describe beauty from the physical because I believe that everyone has that aspect ” We are beautiful and wonderfully made” by God. But this outer beauty is not complete without the inner personality, which comprises respect, humility, gentleness,kindness and above all love for one another.With this package, beauty becomes beautiful!

How do you cope with school and your modeling career?

It is not an easy task, trying to tackle both things at a time; school and modeling. Sometimes I find myself so exhausted that I just want to give up on one and concentrate on the other. Being an optimist, I still hang on to both.

Would you like to take this bold step the whole of your life?

Well, come to figure it out, models in fashion and hot in the market have an age limit.The older you grow, the less competent you become in some areas in physical modeling, especially if you intend to make a family of our own. Well I know one thing for a fact, I will always be a role model for my family, friends and to the nation in every aspect of my life through God that strengthens me.About Education, it is an everyday process because knowledge is wisdom, and wisdom is power.Even the oldest man with grey hair on his dying bed still has something new to learn, which is ; Learning to cope with or adapt to the fact that he will die. And even when he dies, education still continues, so will I continue to learn from the people around me.

Tell us about the negative aspects you’ve discovered as a model?

The negative aspect in modeling is that there is always a mis-judgement of identity. You might even end up losing important personalities in your life when you become a fashion show model because some people have a negative connotation about modeling. They forget that modeling is a career and not a personality. Being on stage and being around people is completely two different displays. Modeling is different from pageants. Modeling is more of advertizement, while pageant is about “beauty with a purpose”.

What’s your relationship with other Cameroonian contestants. Cordial?

Very cordial relationship not only with my fellow Cameroonian contestants but also with all the other contestants.

If you become amazingly rich, what will you do with your money?

God blesses his children according to his riches in glory. If i become amazingly rich however in the future, it is definitely for a purpose.That means i have a huge assignment to take care of. Nothing is as great as education on earth, and i will do anything to support those who are willing but not able to get the sound quality education they need.Working hand in hand with the ministry of education to help lower school fees and prices of text books, will be good. Better still, helping more orphans and the helpless to get free education is best.

Are you married?

No

What’s the worst thing you won’t like your partner to do?

Lies telling

What genre of music do you often listen to?

Gospel jams and any kind of music that appeals to me emotionally.

What is that you like or hate about Facebook?

Facebook keeps me and formal school maids and family in contact. It helps us follow each other daily activities. I have never been a Facebook fan till 4 months ago when I joined it. The negative part of it is that you might get addicted to

Say your last inspirational words to the world.

Hold on to your dreams and goals, never give up on them, no matter what it takes. Nothing good comes easy, take heart and be  strong.

It was nice having you on nexdimempire.com

Thank you NexDim and you have a great one. God bless.

Golden Sounds or ZANGALEWA is a Cameroonian Makossa group. It was led by a career member of Cameroon’s presidential guard, Jean Paul Zé Bella. The men in the group provided comical musical entertainment, often dressing in military uniforms, wearing pith helmets and stuffing their clothes with pillows to appear like they had swollen bottoms from riding the train and fat stomachs from eating too much. The band is most famous for its song, Zangalewa which was a huge hit in Africa since its release in 1986. The song was also popular in Colombia where it was known as “The Military” and brought to the country by West African DJs. The song made their band so popular that they later changed the name of their group to Zangalewa, which means “Where are you from?”.

Shakira‘s collaboration with FreshlyGround for the 2010 World Cup, produced the song “Waka Waka (This Time For Africa)” . She shamelessly declared in a press conference that the song was composed by her.

Jean Paul ze Bella has since retired from the presidential guard in 2002 after 30 years of service but his song stands as an icon of Cameroonian military history.

The song is still used today almost everywhere in Africa by soldiers, policemen, boy scouts, sportsmen, and their supporters, usually during training or for rallying. It is also widely used in schools throughout the continent especially in Cameroon as a marching song and almost everyone in the country knows the chorus of the song by heart.

The song, music historians say, is a criticism of black military officers who were in league with whites to oppress their own people.The rest is Cameroonian slang and jargon from the soldiers during the war

According to Jean Paul Zé Bella, the lead singer of Golden Sounds, the chorus came from Cameroonian “sharpshooters who had created a slang for better communication between them during the Second World War”. They copied this fast pace in the first arrangements of the song. They sang the song together for freedom in Africa.

The lyrics, which are in a Central African language called Fang, read like this:

Tsa mina mina eh eh

Waka waka eh eh

Tsa mina mina zangalewa

Ana wam ah ah

Zambo eh eh

Zambo eh eh

Tsa mina mina zangalewa

Wana wa ah ah

Many other artists around the world have previously sampled this song as well. Some of the artists who have sampled the song are:

• Las Chicas Del Can, their version is called “El negro no puede”.
• The Surinamese group Beatmachine. Their version is called “Samina Mina”.
• Adane Best
• The movie The Lion King also feature samples of this song.^{[citation needed]}
• Los Condes
• Vic Nees
• Bestmachine (Suriname) Samina mina
• Tom Pease in Daddy Starts To Dance! (1996)
• Trafassi (Suriname), El Negro No Puede (Waka Waka) (1997) ^[4]
• Blacks à braque and the Tambours majeurs from the album Les Hauts de Rouen percutent…
• Cape Town Waka Waka ^{[5] [6] [7]}
• Laughing Pizza in Pizza Party (2004)
• Nakk in Zamina (2006)
• Zaman in Zamina (2006) ^[8]
• Didier Awadi (“Zamouna”) from the album Sunugaal (2008)
• BB DJ, Enfant Poli
• Shakira, Waka Waka, esto es Africa (World Cup 2010)
• Mr. Tucker, Zamina Zamina Pele
• Trafassi, their version is called “El negro no puede” and it’s in the album “Tropicana (disc 1)”
• Massamba Diouf.

Some Research Excerpts from Wikipedia.org

NexDim caught up with this flawless beauty for an up-close and personal interview. What actually swept me off my feet was her eloquence and aura. She was talking in real ”pimped” language. She is called Joyce Thellma Mbassa, Miss Littoral 2010 and more to her credit.

Hello, Joyce.

Hello

How are you?

Am doing good.Thank you.

Can you briefly introduce yourself .

Yeah, My names are Mbassa Joyce Thellma Amah.  I’m 23, a student at the university of Buea in my final year studying Sociology and Anthropology with a minor in Management. My hobbies-swimming, dancing and Modelling of course!

Like Jamaicans say ; What part a Cameroon yuh come from?

Well, I have a kind of mixed culture. My dad is from the Littoral region and my mum from North-west region but since it’s custom to take daddy’s side, I’ll say am from the Littoral region of Cameroon… Perfectly Bilingual from Birth!!

Can you describe your journey to become a model?

My journey to become a model…Well,when I was a kid, I used to be very calm and quiet but I loved attention, I always made sure people look at me at significant moments. I always used to cry not all the time like most kids do but just when I was hungry or willing to ease my self or sick…growing up, I was always very careful when I walked through the house to make sure nothing drops or stains my dress… a teenager, I used to be the smallest of the group but the one with the loudest voice…after teen, I am the listening ear, the shoulder to lean on and the helping hand to all my friends. Of course I got my own limitations like being authoritative, a lil shy, quick tempered and others…Back in primary and secondary school, on the 11th February  and 20th May match passes, I was always given either the flag or the school board to hold…I always did playbacks, commonly called “staging” on cultural weeks either alone or as a group of which I was always the lead dancer n singer…academically, I was very competitive and always strove for one of the best positions in class…You realize I was a MODEL at each stage. Now as becoming a model like runway and Billboard adverts, it all began with Miss competitions.

What was your drive , what actually inspired you?

My drive and inspiration, I cant really tell. All I know is, I have always loved watching modeling programs over TV, had many fashion magazines and I always dreamt of becoming like one of those bling girls. But, Eva Longoria Parker inspires me big time! She’s just so ”oofff”  in all she does!

Is this something you want to do for life ?

Yes! Absolutely… I will like to do this for life but alongside pursuing my studies and working in a good biz firm coz you know Modeling is not really encouraged in our Cameroon society. You cant depend solely on it here to make a living unless u travel out and me, i’ll like to live in my country so it may just remain alongside…but life reserves alot of surprises,if i happen to “fallbush”, the story might change.

What have you achieved so far as a model?

Hey… I’m still growing in the modeling world. hmm!  So far, Miss BINAM 2008, 1st runner up Miss Dynasty 2009, A Western Union Advert Bill Board contract for a year in 2009, Miss Littoral Lux 2010, Miss Beach 2010, and some pending contracts like Forever Living Products and Seme Beach Hotel Adverts…But my greatest achievement in all, is the acquisition of self confidence, respect of self and of others, alot of social maturity.

Tell us about Fredash Modeling Agency of which we know you are part.

Yep! Freddash Modeling Agency. It’s a young agency,with a bright future made up of great models both boys and girls! I have the honour to be among the 1st models in this great agency.We carry on our activities in a friendly and respectful environment.The CEO (Mr.Nemfor Alfred) and his team give us the necessary guides and advice on the field, photo-shoot  sessions are organized when necessary to keep us awake! The agency presents its models every month to varrying industries for advert propositions…I’ts good in there! Together,we all stand and we win!

What is your definition of beauty?

My definition  of Beauty…”Its the manifestation of the inner qualities of a person presented in a pleasing and attractive physical body”. Haha. Hope it’s clear!

Models are always known as ”people who give what they have to earn what they desire” . Are you a victim?

Oh! Yeah! Absolutely! “Models give what they have to earn what they desire”…They give a chance to the public to be aware of designers dresses and accessories,they guide people in their choice of shopping,they help promote business and present employment opportunities by advertising companies,they offer entertainment when they are on the runway…They desire to see people happy in the choices they make while they earn their living in a respectful way…So, am I Victim? NO! I am a Model.

That was a witty effort to escape the connotation of my question. Lol.

What do you think about the modeling industry in Cameroon.

It’s so low, the modeling industry in Cameroon. I’m just praying that one day, modeling will take a higher dimension in Cameroon because it pains me when I see foreigners on Billboards advertising Cameroon based Products when we are out here!!! Well,with agencies like Freddash Modeling Agency and others,it is promising!

Tell us about your first audition.Were you nervous?

Oh yeah… I am always nervous in all my auditions you know… It’s a feeling I cant take away but I try as much to hide it, I keep calm, drink some water and I keep on murmuring to myself “Joyce, all will be fine”…and it works!

Like magic I guess. Lol.

I learned you are a student , how do you cope with your modeling career and academics?

The Bible says “There is time for everything” I just try as much to give modeling its time and school its own…When there is a clash, I decide which is more important and urgent at that time and I carry on. One good thing is modeling sessions are nearly always on weekends and holidays! so it’s good for me!

Do you often watch America’s Next Top model? What’s your appraisal?

Oh yeah! America’s Next Top Model…I like it! It’s fun,it’s full of suspense, it reveals the girls’ real characters and their urge to win. It’s interesting and inspiring!!! It defines a model…though sometimes, my favorite is not theirs!

What african dish is your secret passion?

Miam miam…I like food! U are asking me to reveal my secret passion…It wount be secret anymore…Ok, I got 3…Ekwang,Ndole with miondo and water fufu with eru… Please don’t ask me to choose!

You may definitely like  Koki Corn or  Kwankalang. Lol. You surely have all Cameroonian dishes as your best.

What is your favourite genre of music?

I like music… all types but my favorite is particularly Old French Blues…It’s so relaxing.

What is your advice to Cameroonians who are passionate about modeling?

Bros’ and sis’ of Camer…If you are passionate about modeling, it’s good.We have some few agencies around now so get yourself into one and carry on your dream…It’s not easy though,just make sure you work hard and keep your dignity intact.It’s important.

Thanks for your time and Nexdim wishes you the best in your career.

Thank you Nexdim…It was my pleasure.I had a great time.

Do you have any last word to nexdimempire.com users?

One last word to nexdimempire.com users ? ” If you fail to check this website in any week, you must have missed some good things for that week…so you know what to do…Stay Blessed.

Joyce Thellma.