Do You Believe In #BlackGirlMagic?

360BayArea has 3 women for you to get to know now: Kima Raynor, Melina Jones, and RyanNicole. They’re artists, emcees, activists, and pure #BlackGirlMagic.

Guest Profiles

Kima Raynor is ⅓ of the R&B group Total, one of the signature acts of Sean Combs' Bad Boy Records imprint during the 1990s. Along with Kima, childhood friends Keisha Spivey and Pamela Long create a sound that continues to hypnotize audiences 20+ years later. Ms Raynor is also an independent artist recently releasing a single entitled “Distraction”, an entrepreneur in the medical coding industry, a wife and mother of two.

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Melina Jones—sports a double life: Art Director and Designer by day, Wordsmith by night. As an MC, it's this double life that San Francisco's native daughter has every intention of softly brutalizing—AND saving you at the same time in her music. Accruing over 10 years as a craftswoman in the rap game has generated a performance roster of legendary Hip-Hop artists, including Mobb Deep, Mos Def (Yasiin Bey), Jean Grea, Redman, DJ Premier (Gang Starr), Pep Luv (Hieroglyphics), and Spinderella (Salt-n-Pepa), to name a few.

With roots planted in San Francisco, Jones’s dexterity as ­a Mistress of Ceremonies informed her full-length debut album entitled "SWEARING OFF BUSTERS", which gained her notoriety back in 2007, anointing her as one of The Bay Area’s most beloved and sought after MCs. Thanks to her father’s influence (local San Francisco Soul/Jazz vocalist Ernest East), songwriting and lyricism are embossed in her chromosomes. Joined by the design process—our confidently-humble lyricist exhibits her gifts amidst the dead space of sonic mediocrity: well-crafted lyrics immersed in critical thought and fervent passion, delivered with conviction and intent—with a stage presence that is positively infectious. Additionally, Melina has been an Art Director for startups in the Bay Area, plus had roles as Product and Web Designer at a multitude of brand giants such as Sephora, Reading Rainbow and Method Products.

Jones is currently crafting her sophomore album, "HEROINE", dropping in 2017 and recently was brought on as Product Design Director of Hip Hop Education Center—an organization that utilizes technology, education and hip-hop to transform lives and close the equality gap—founded by co-producer of "NAS: TIME IS ILLMATIC" Martha Diaz.

Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | Website

In her own words, quadruple threat, RyanNicole “utilizes every gift available to her for the liberation of black folks”. Affectionately self-titled the “4A”, RyanNicole seeks opportunities to empower and inspire by way of her pursuits as an award winning Artist | Actress | Athlete | Activist. Hailing from Oakland, CA Ryan is also a wife and mother.

Her newest adventure includes being selected from a pool of 300 applicants to join a cast of 15 of theatre and hip hop’s most promising artists to participate in the #BARSworkshopNYC hosted by The Public Theatre which produces the record-breaking Broadway piece Hamilton. Follow her many adventures via her social platforms!

Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | Website

Episode Notes

Sponsor messages donated to 51Oakland and 826 Valencia by The Ambassadors Circle 

What’s the 411:

• Legal Weed is no Sure Thing 
• DOJ report on SFPD will be used to select final nominees for next Police Chief 
• Bloody swastika at SCU!? 
• SF police officer shot in head expected to survive
• SalesForce walks away from Twitter, Wells Fargo earnings fall and HP to lay off thousands 
  
  

Top 5 Events:

• All Power to the People: Black Panthers at 50 at the Oakland Museum of Art now through November 2017 
• Creatures of the Night at the California Academy of Sciences on Thursday October 27th
• Boo La La a Spooktacular Halloween Party & Burlesque Show hosted by the Silicon Valley Roller Girls at BackBar SoFa in San Jose on Saturday October 22nd
• Escape Hell in the Armory at the Armory in San Francisco now through October 31st
• The Last Tiger in Haiti developed by The Ground Floor at the Berkeley Rep now through November 27th

Extras: Power of Words by Maya Angelou 

Production: Sound Design by Courtney Grace, Production Assistance by Jen Huynh with Hosts Becca, Christianne Harder and j-

Music:
360BayArea intro music by Courtney Grace with vocals by ElleT
Featured music by Ryan Nicole “Tribute”
Dame Drummer "All That You Are"
Danny Swain "Oh My"
Low Hanging Fruit "Bangers and Mash"
DD Sakora "El Diablo"
SPACE COMMANDER ZERO "Above","My Only Dream"
Melina Jones “Knock Ya' Block Off”, “Picket Fences” , “Rock With Fire”, and “Sweet”

Featured Quick clips:
Mary J Blige “What’s the 411”
Drake ft Future “Grammys”
Redman “Time 4 sum Aktion”
Total ft Notorious B.I.G. “Can't You See”
Total "Kissing You"
Distraction (feat. Vita) "Distraction"
Chuck Brown and the Soul Searchers "Bustin' Loose"
Lianne La Havas “Unstoppable” and “Unstoppable Instrumental”
Solange "Cranes in the Sky"

Featured Cover Artist: Nicholle Kobi