Kanika Tolver a.k.a KTolver, Founder and Editorial Director of AMADI magazine would like to welcome you all to www.amadimag.com. AMADI is one of the best D.C. based blogs/on-line magazines on the Internet. Our first issue will showcase featured individuals that are from my hometown, Fort Washington, MD and who are alumni of Friendly High School. Enjoy the articles, pictures and music videos/downloads …but please don’t “TRY” to jock AMADI’s style. Nobody, on the web “GOT” swagger like AMADI! (210) Indian Head Hwy all day! DMV Stand UP!

Hi Haters, Bye Haters!
Kanika Tolver a.k.a KTolver

When you think of becoming a model, what usually comes to your mind? More than likely, it’s the elimination process that we see every season on Tyra Bank’s America’s Next Top Model. And every season, we notice at least one “plus-size” model is picked to compete but never makes it to be the last one standing. Well AMADI magazine caught up with two models, Kristin Kelli and Kaneal Williams, who have created their own success stories in the booming industry of plus-size modeling. While both women are considered “plus-size,” they are really representing the average size of most women in America. Being labeled “plus-size” may serve as a stigma to some; as Kaneal feels that plus size women aren’t being shown in their healthy, fit, and happy lifestyles, but these two women have embraced the category and are proving to be examples for young women everywhere. Kristin tells us how she broke into the industry back in 2006 without even having a portfolio!! She was first picked up by the Ford Modeling Agency and she is now signed with Click Models. You can check out her latest work in the September issue of Essence Magazine. Kaneal has been a freelance model for the past 5 years and she advertises her own services to potential clients directly. Kaneal gives us plenty of helpful tips for anyone aspiring to break into the plus size modeling industry. Examples of her work can be found on her MySpace Page “Kaneal the Plus Model,” www.myspace.com/118694390. Kaneal Williams lives in Savannah, GA and Kristin Kelli lives in New York.

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Che, the 22-year old Prince George’s County, Maryland native, has been producing for the Washington D.C. Metropolitan area since the age of 16, when he was dismissed from his high school basketball team for disciplinary reasons. Having already mastered the drums as a prodigy drummer for several area bands, young Che turned his energy and attention to music. By the time he was requested to come back to the team, Che was balancing school with a budding production career, and turned down the sport in exchange for his music.
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Kenny Jones, dubbed Kenn Starr, has been rhyming since he was 10 years old growing up in Fort Washington, MD. He started his professional career back in 2003 and has developed a style all his own. Where most of the focus in hip-hop today is on money, women, cars, and even the latest dance, Kenn Starr has managed to stay true to his sound and craft - even it means what most would consider a slow rise to the top.  Be that as it may, that hasn’t stopped him from being noticed and respected within the hip-hop community, as Kenn Starr has been featured in The Source, Elemental, and Scratch hip-hop magazines.  Information on how to pick up his debt album, Starr Status, is available on his Myspace page, http://www.myspace.com/kennstarr

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Left: Jonathan Swann | Right: Jacob Swann

Jake: My name is Jacob. I usually go by Jake… I’m a DC native, born and raised in Fort Wash but now I reside in Indian Head MD, reppin it for the cuntraay! lol. I follow Jesus Christ. I’m a rapper, a keyboard player, a videographer, a system admin,  and avid-video game player. I don’t like beaurocracy or a whole lot of red tape on stuff. I stick to the KISD method (Keep It Simple Dangit!).  Some of my biggest pet peeves are being micro-managed, closed minded people, some of them kids on the green line to branch ave (the soul train lol) in the afternoon and disorganization. If I could have one super power it would be to have all the super powers. That’s it for me for now. If you wanna know more….I’m calling the cops.

Jon: I’m Jon Swann. I’ve lived in Maryland all of my life, and I love this DC metro culture — it’s different from any other place in the world! You could tell I was an artist from early on in my life. In the 6th grade I had my own little comic book company called “Comics, Inc”. We actually made copies of our comics and sold them to our friends! I was a little kid businessman in elementary school. I became interested in graphic design when I was a kid, watching Jurrasic Park and seeing all the cool special effects. Of course, I must have been like seven years old when that came out, so I didn’t start till much later but I knew there was something to what I was seeing. I’ve been doing graphics for about 8 years now, lovin’ every minute of it! I’m also the drummer in the gospel Go-Go band, Rezurrection. All I do, I do for God.

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Henry Jose started his production career back in his high school television production class, with one of his many projects being a compilation video for his senior class.  After graduating from Friendly High School in 2001, Henry Jose attended film school at the Art Institute of Philadelphia and graduated in 2003.  He stayed in Philadelphia for 4 years before taking a huge leap forward and moving to the West Coast. He now resides in Los Angeles and works for Penthouse magazine as a film director and videographer.  Henry is just enjoying doing what he loves everyday, it just so happens that it involves working with beautiful models!  He hopes to produce a short film in the very near future.

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