Laura Miller, Author at Rolling Out

Pongee Barnes is a real estate developer, wife and mother who believes that Black children across the U.S. have been done a disservice as it relates to financial education. So, instead of waiting for her two young sons, Franklin and Benjamin, to turn 18, she decided to start early by developing her company and book…

Tayla Parx has been carefully laying footprints that lead to songwriting history. Over the last few years, she’s ensured that tracks by Ariana Grande, Janelle Monáe and Khalid were “Tayla Made” with a unique pop and R&B flair only she could provide. The Grammy-nominated artist recently updated her profile with the release of her album,…

Some people might believe that real estate investors make their wealth simply by purchasing and selling homes. But the field of real estate offers a variety of options that require a multiplicity of skill sets. One can be a real estate broker, an investor, a property developer, and much more. Very few real estate professionals…

Elizabeth Gerald has a story to tell. It’s not a typical story that boasts of triumph in business, but it is just as engaging. In 2015, Elizabeth’s 14-year-old daughter Marcie Gerald was brutally beaten and sexually assaulted while traveling home from school. That event thrust Marcie into a deep depression. The trauma associated with her…

Being an independent filmmaker, be it a TV series or full-length feature, takes a certain amount of ambition. It’s exclusive to the brave creatives who step out boldly to realize their dreams. Some have said that this type of grit is especially common in millennials. Millennials are known to be brave and tend to not…

One thing that can be said about Philadelphia is that there have been a plethora of phenomenal artists and entertainers born from its soil. From the looks of it, Allen “Bizkit” Arthur is the next in line. The triple threat producer, saxophonist and engineer, is a well-rounded artist who has collaborated with some of the…

When Zimbabwean-born twin brothers Shingi and Munche Murare, who comprise the rap duo eleven7four, landed in New York City last year, they had no idea the trip would ultimately change the trajectory of their lives. A couple of months prior, the twins went to a music festival in Auckland, New Zealand, where they met Houston-born,…

New Orleans is known for its outstanding music. It’s the birthplace of jazz, No Limit Records and Cash Money Records. The city often sits at the epicenter of new ways to invent the art form of music. Mic Ventress is one of the emerging artists from the 5th Ward. The 27-year-old R&B entertainer has been…

Newark, New Jersey, native Brittany Dickinson, who performs as pineappleCITI, brings light to her lyrics. Her story is not a picture-perfect one. CITI, whose moniker was chosen by the way she styled her locks, was in a car accident that left her unable to walk. The accident resulted in months of surgeries and physical therapy.…

With a four-octave vocal range, R&B artist Gene Noble is an undeniable talent. The Long Island, NY native, who initially wanted to be a marketing executive, has toured with Sting, Usher, Jill Scott, and Chris Brown, and received Grammy nominations, all before releasing his first solo album. The Hidden Beach recording artist released a music…

Stay-at-home orders have clearly affected the masses in a myriad of ways during the COVID-19 epidemic. Rolling out caught up with performers from some of our favorite R&B groups of the ’90s and 2000s to see how they’ve been handling life under quarantine. How has the coronavirus affected touring for you? Tamika Scott (Xscape): My group Xscape…

LeA Robinson is a singer, songwriter, producer, performer and sound engineer. Born and raised in Englewood, New Jersey, Robinson is the granddaughter of hip-hop pioneer Sylvia Robinson. Her grandmother is best known for developing the first hip-hop record label, Sugar Hill Records, with her husband Joseph Robinson and producing the first rap song, “Rapper’s Delight.” …

When you think of R&B in the ’90s and 2000s, it’s impossible not to include crooner JoJo Hailey. With songs like “Crazy,” “All My Life,” “Stay,” and “Forever My Lady,” Hailey’s voice has been a mainstay on the musical landscape for decades. Although he publicly struggled with sobriety in the past, there were a few…

Heroes can be everyday people, like teachers, local law enforcement officials, and community organizers. In “Marvel’s Hero Project,” the heroes are kids. The “Hero Project” is Marvel Entertainment’s first unscripted reality series on the Disney+ streaming platform. Each week, the show spotlights a different young person and their endeavors to help their communities. In turn,…

Strong community leaders and activists are a big part of Chicago’s culture. It’s also no secret that the city loves the game of basketball. At only 23 years old, Chicago native and former basketball player at Whitney Young High School, McKinley Nelson combined activism and basketball. He founded and runs Project Swish, a nonprofit organization…

McDonald’s, through its Black & Positively Golden movement, surprised an unsuspecting teen with $25,000 to grow her budding business. On Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020, Nia Nia Phillips-Harper, a 17-year-old Houston native, and her mother Dedra, an author and professor, were guests on a segment of the “Tamron Hall Show” titled “CEO at Sweet 16.” Last year,…

As the temperature dropped to single digits, the city of Chicago rolled out the red carpet to celebrate the 2020 NBA All-Star festivities. The last NBA All-Star weekend in Chicago was in 1988, fans and Chicago natives welcomed the league with open arms. Team Giannis and Team LeBron gathered to speak to the press for…

The press gathered on the floor of Wintrust Arena, located on Chicago’s near South Side, for Team LeBron and Team Giannis’ Media Day. Here are some memorable moments from Saturday’s press day. Patrick Beverly on his Chicago homecoming The Los angeles Clippers player who is a native of Chicago stated that he was “really excited…

Since the early 2000s, social media has provided a place for unique, creative and thought-provoking talent. Marcus Oglesby — affectionately known as Lynn Spirit — has thrived in the digital space. His methods are simple: he showcases who he is and is unapologetic about it. His journey began in Greensboro, North Carolina. Diagnosed at birth…

There are very few people 30 to 45 years of age who can say that they’ve had the same job for 17 years. That’s just not a luxury that millenials and Generation Xers have. However, “Saturday Night Live” star Kenan Thompson, 41, is currently bringing the funny during his 17th season on the show. He…