exclusive Archives - Rolling Out

Cyntoia Brown-Long became a victim of sex trafficking as a teenager. After years of being in and out of juvenile facilities, she ran away from home and met a man, Garion “Kut Throat” McGlothen, who forced her into prostitution. Her story is similar to millions who have been victims of sex trafficking. She would eventually…

PopLord in the booth at the studio

In an exclusive interview with rolling out, PopLord shared intimate details on how he became an artist, songwriter and business mogul. Interestingly enough, it was his mother, whom he lovingly refers to as the “Queen of Grind,” who unknowingly provided a blueprint for his success. “She was a real hustler,” he said. “She was a…

Hailing from Abbeville, South Carolina, Lennard Devlin is a seasoned player on Atlanta’s photography scene. His focus on editorial and beauty and you can find him at @Ldevlinphotography on Instagram. He has had clients throughout the southern region like Bronner Bros., Design Essentials and Taliah Waajid. Keeping in step with the evolution of social media,…

Tokyo Vanity is a fun-loving, extroverted, millennial rapper from New Orleans, Louisiana. The 24-year-old — who, as a rule, doesn’t reveal her real name — rose to fame in 2015 with her viral Vine-turned-rap hit “That’s My Best Friend.” It became one of the most popular Vines of that year and was used as a…

There is literally nothing on Earth that can slow you down more than a negative mindset. That’s why we recruited Grammy award-winning artist and pastor Donnie McClurkin to provide a needed spark of motivation to start your week.

Award-winning and record-breaking actress-producer-director Terri J. Vaughn knows how to light up your TV set, whether she’s in front of the camera or behind it. Or sometimes both. The ever-photogenic Vaughn already demonstrated this ability on her own when she played the charismatic Lovita Alizay on “The Steve Harvey Show” and later as a sharp-tongue…

Nolis Anderson is a self-taught portrait and lifestyle photographer based in Chicago. This talented creative serves as the focus of this week’s Behind the Lens feature. On a scale of 1-10, how close are you to reaching your maximum potential as an artist (with 10 being the highest). Four, I still have a very long…

Warryn and Erica Campbell are gospel music’s most talked about if not most controversial couple. Their willingness to push the often narrow Christian boundaries and discuss the past infidelity in their marriage and to tackle issues like sex and sexuality within a Christian marriage are rare finds in the gospel community. The stars of TV…

Never one to back down from a fight, Dame Dash has always stood as an unapologetic figure in hip-hop, ready to battle in the name of that which he believes. So it came as no surprise when the topic of the Black community was broached — a topic that he has historically been outspoken about…

Breyona Holt is an Atlanta native responsible for building the successful art brand, Exquisite Eye. Holt, the focus of this week’s Behind the Lens feature, specializes in creating exceptional imagery of people of color. On a scale of 1-10, how close are you to reaching your maximum potential as an artist (with 10 being the…

Donté Maurice is a 23-year-old photographer who is tirelessly working to live his dreams out loud by creating beautiful photographs … the types of images that will continue to live long after he’s gone. He serves as the focus of this week’s Behind the Lens feature. On a scale of 1-10, how close are you to reaching…

Jasmine Durhal, also known as, JASSIEUO, is a conceptual fashion-beauty photographer creating bold influential work based in Los Angeles. She serves as the focus of this week’s Behind the Lens feature. On a scale of 1-10, how close are you to reaching your maximum potential as an artist (with 10 being the highest). On a…

Frank Have Mercy is a Los Angeles-based designer, author, photographer, musician and film director. At first look, it’s apparent that every piece of art created by him is derived from the mind of someone who both knows and understands their creative voice. He serves as the focus of this week’s Behind the Lens feature. On…

Chrisean Rose is a fashion, editorial and portraiture photographer, who utilizes a minimalistic style that often centers around nostalgic themes. He serves as the focus of our weekly Behind the Lens feature. On a scale of 1 to 10, how close are you to reaching your maximum potential as an artist (with 10 being the…

Part 2 of our creative series with R&B sensation H.E.R. is titled ‘le beau mystère’ or the Beautiful Mystery. We hope you enjoy our visual journey with such a dope artist. This piece was directed by DeWayne Rogers

As a photographer, Nico Kartel describes himself as a minimalist and a naturalist. “I don’t like huge productions and unnecessarily added things when it comes to my shoots. I just need the subject, my team and the environment,” he shared. Such a bold and self-assured proclamation inspired us to delve deeper into this talented photographer’s…

Here’s a first look at our exclusive shoot with budding musical super H.E.R. This is Part 1 of a 3 part series.

Marcus Ezell is a fashion and beauty photographer who pays homage to the greats, while tirelessly working to carve out his own niche within a competitive industry. He serves as the focus of our weekly “Behind The Lens” feature. On a scale of 1 to 10, how close are you to reaching your maximum potential as…

Daia Larie is a fashion and travel enthusiast from Los Angeles. The free spirit began her travel journey with a limited amount of cash but a limitless desire to follow her passion. After traveling to 21 countries, meeting dozens of new people and embracing several different cultures, Larie started a blog to share her experiences with others. The millennial globetrotter…

Rolling out spotlights beauty, portrait and fashion photographer Elle Yancy for our weekly “Behind The Lens” feature. On a scale of 1 to 10, how close are you to reaching your maximum potential as an artist (with 10 being the highest). On a scale of 1 to 10, I’d rate myself a solid 3.5 to reaching…