SPEAKER_02 1:45

All right, and this is the Hilltop Glove Podcast. Just a quick drop. Um, we're in this beautiful space today. Beautiful, beautiful space. Um seriously, one of the best spaces we've been in um in a long time outside of our normal locations. We love our normal locations, but we also like to go and switch it up and see other businesses and what other folks have to offer um here in Columbia specifically. And just so you all to know, today um we are at the Atelier Um on Forest Drive 2524, Forest Drive, Columbia, South Carolina. I think we have agreed upon the zip code being 29204. It gets a little funky on this town. Yeah, yeah, there's a little thing going on, but Google it, you'll find it.

SPEAKER_01 2:31

Please do. This place is amazing. The vibe here is great. There's jazz usually playing, and uh there's leather work and there's cigars and wine and these furnishings that are. Fine furnishings because everything's for sale. Yes, and uh lots of local crafted goods here. It's a really nice space.

SPEAKER_02 2:52

And specifically, the owner or the operator out of the atelier, which is French for the workshop, is Laddie Howard. Um, and he is a fine leather artisan um himself, and a lot of the products that you will see in here, you can buy those things directly from this shop or online as well. Um they are available uh for, and they're I mean, these things are awesome. The scents.

SPEAKER_01 3:19

Oh, yeah, the smell in here is amazing.

SPEAKER_02 3:21

I'm telling you, and you can purchase the scents, just so you know you can purchase the scents that are in here. Um, but it is also a fine place to come to for local events that are hosted here, very intimate setting. Um not a lot of rebel routes in or anything like that. No, this is this is prone in sex. Absolutely. Um we just want to make sure we give you a shout out uh so that you all know where to come find it again. Uh this is gonna be the Atelier, and it's 2524 Forest Drive Columbia, South Carolina, and I'll be in the 29204 CICO. Thank you. All right, and I'm gonna let it take some time so we can mellow out, and we're gonna do a 321 and we're gonna drop in and we'll go right into the background and we'll go from there. Okay. I got this. Three Welcome to another episode of the Hill Top Club Podcast. I am DJ Ann Wood. Mike. And today we have the pleasure, the pleasure, I will say, of having a very um well-known guest um for our Columbia audience. Um, and for those who do not know and may not have heard of her, um, we are sitting down with Miss Popular. Also, Miss New Daira Tapia. I've been trying to not mess that up the entire time. I've been thinking about that all night. I've actually been really worried about saying your name improperly. I hate to do that to folks. Um, but we will acknowledge you for the remainder of this episode as Miss Popular. If that's okay with you. Thank you. Awesome, awesome. Now I get better. I will also use your other names, your nickname, you know what I'm saying? But once I get comfortable. Um but born in Puerto Rico, she was raised in the Bronx. She's now rooted in Columbia, South Carolina. Miss Popular is carving out her own lane as a podcaster, entertainer, and creative visionary. With her most popular podcast, she's building a platform that shines light on underground talent, entrepreneurs, artists, and entertainers who deserve recognition but don't always get the spotlight. And that is well understood. That is very understood. Um, known for her vibrant energy, loyalty, and no nonsense approach, she's not afraid to address the tough topics from the realities of social media to navigating male-dominated industries. Today, we're gonna explore her journey, her vision, and what most popular really means.

SPEAKER_03 5:47

How are you doing today? So, hello, thank you. Thank you so much for having me. Awesome. Thanks for being here. Appreciate it.

SPEAKER_02 5:54

Nah, because anytime someone wants to take time, which you cannot replace out of their busy schedule to sit down with us lowly uh servants of the population. We appreciate it. No, I I tell I tell my brother this all the time. I know we matter it surprises me every time someone's like, Yeah, yeah, we'll come speak with you. Even though we've been doing this for five going on six years, it still is always a surprise. It's always an honor to have guests. Yeah, and I'm gonna stay humble for sure. It's about staying humble. So um we do appreciate everybody that does pour in and gives us energy. So we always like to say thank you and give you your flowers while you're here with us. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. Certainly. And we're gonna start off as we do with each episode, um, with a slight, small history lesson of your experience and your upbringing so that our audience can get to know a little bit more about you um behind the facade. So if you could just tell us a little bit about your childhood experiences, who or what influenced or inspired you growing up?

SPEAKER_03 6:52

Okay, well, I mean, growing up in the Bronx, New York, it there's a lot of a lot of things to do. Yeah, you know, in a city that never sleeps. Yes, and um, you know, being in a household that we never slept either, because my daddy, like I said, he's a musician. My mom, she was a cook feeding the entire neighborhood. Like I'm not exaggerating. Um, there was always parties and guests and family members, so there was never any peace, but it was good. It was good on peace. So there was never any peace. Oh my Lord, Jesus. I mean, I don't want to complain, you know, cousins, family members, friends, the music, the food clapping, you know, and I did have a lot of friends. I was very well known, which is how I got the name most popular. Ah um, I was the party girl. I was the girl that was having the parties in the neighborhood. So everyone would come to my house. My house was like the chill spot, so you say the hangout spot. There you go.

SPEAKER_02 7:52

Kickback.

SPEAKER_03 7:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 7:53

So we go to hang out and be around other folks. Now, when all this was going on, um, any siblings?

SPEAKER_03 7:59

Yeah, so I'm the oldest out of six. Wow. Well, at that time, it was five of us. My mom had a baby later on when I was older. Um, yeah, it was five of us. And um, I was the oldest, and I'm the oldest in my entire generation, literally. Like I'm the oldest everything.

SPEAKER_01 8:14

So you're the fire star, then I was responsible for everything and everybody. Yeah, including the matriarch of the family, the next generation coming up.

SPEAKER_03 8:22

Even with the language very, you know, my household was a Spanish-speaking household.

SPEAKER_01 8:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 8:26

And my elders, they did not speak English. My dad did, but um, we were not allowed to speak English in my house. So I was the kid that had to go to appointments and this and that to translate for my mom and for my aunts, and you know, do you still speak Spanish? Of course, yeah. I love that exciting.

SPEAKER_02 8:47

You know, I like that the most thank you. Of course.

SPEAKER_03 8:50

Spanish is my first language. Like, there was a time I did not speak English. Like you couldn't have friends, yeah. I have friends. I remember when I was young, I didn't speak English, and I I still ask myself, how are we with friends understanding each other? And I know they used to make fun of me. I do remember that.

SPEAKER_02 9:08

Uh-huh. Question Do you have like uh and I guess this is off topic, but um uh my wife, she has she's very good friends with a young lady, her and her own friend, the Puerto Rican. And um, matter of fact, we're just hanging out with them, and the one of their uncles is just telling us like certain things like like the grandfather, you're talking about being first generation, like language barrier and stuff, but they were big New York Yankees fans. But they called them the New York Yankees.

SPEAKER_03 9:32

No, don't don't do that, don't do that. You know, then yeah, everybody that's from New York, we're definitely diehard Yankees, and yeah, is because at some point we were the best ones, like you can't even deny them. I like her, right? However, I was a Yankee fan just because I'm from New York, but really I was more of an Indians fan at that time. Yeah, how that happened, Cleveland Indians. I don't know. I just I remember watching baseball with my dad, and that was always the team that used to intrigue me. Yeah, it was it was weird, and then I ended up living in Cleveland years later, which is weird. And now they're no longer called the um Indians.

SPEAKER_02 10:11

Yeah, they are not.

SPEAKER_03 10:12

They are not.

SPEAKER_02 10:13

We don't do that, yeah. I know you see that there was it's funny, I know this is totally off the side. I know this topic we didn't expect to talk about no baseball, but obviously there's some weird pushes to try to push those put those names back or place them where they were because uh sadly it was uh the symbolism behind it actually did some people feel pretty and stuff like that. So it's always an interesting thing. But you know, there was the negative side of it too, you know, the whole Indian situation with the Cherokees, and you know come on, and even like the way that the branding looks, but beyond that, that's interesting. I always had somebody for the bronze. Hey, who's in a Yankee fan, though? Who's a Yankee fan? There we go. All right, so with what it is that you do now, and this is always cool. I always think this is awesome to be a podcaster, somebody in media or in the industry, and now you get to sit down, you get to get the interview in.

SPEAKER_03 11:01

You know, you know, it's so weird to be honest, because I'm so used to you know, asking the questions and being in control and everything. And I don't normally do interviews, I really don't. That's why. This is special for me, yeah. Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 11:13

Thank you.

SPEAKER_03 11:14

So it is I'm not shy. I just I don't know. I'm just so I'm ready to interview everybody else and bring everybody else to the light.

SPEAKER_01 11:21

So, how did you get started in your podcast?

SPEAKER_03 11:24

Um, I started in 2022, was when I aired my first episode. So when I originally got into the entertainment field, it was as a musician. I was a rapper. Okay. And, you know, I got in the studio and I went to like this mu I call it music boot camp because I did start late in the game. And I knew that although I had good music, I knew that I had to freshen up and work on my skills and everything. Um, so I started doing that. Then I moved, well, I was in Cleveland, I moved back to New York to go, you know, network in this music industry over there. And then after that, I decided to just come to the South. Why? No, I did not. Really? First of all, I had never been to South Carolina. I've been I've been everywhere. I was except South Carolina, which is weird. And I came down here because a job that I had in Cleveland had offered me a position down here, and so I was like, it's okay, I'll come. And when I when the time came, they were like, Well, the contract didn't have fall did not fall through in Columbia. Are you willing to move to Charleston? No, I'm not. I already came here. I'm stationed here, I got myself together here, and I was like, you know what, I'm just gonna stay and see where it takes me. Now I I I told myself I was gonna only be here two to four years, and that's how it's been, you know. I'm on my fourth year, so you know. Okay, oh yeah, um, so I came down here and I started, you know, I continue my music journey. Obviously, I'm a mom, so I had to get a job, which is practical. Um, I began to model again because I did not know anybody here. I was like, Well, how am I gonna network? You know, I just felt like it would be weird of me to just show up to places and say, Hey, I'm most popular, and people are gonna be like, Wait, who are you? What are you known for? You say you're the most popular, yeah. Well, I'm I'm most popular in my head, yeah, yeah, in my background, in my past, you know, everything that I've done. And I've done a lot. The issue is that I've never had social media. So still, no, I do now. I had to. Um, I came into the social media in 2021 and in 2022. Okay. So I was kind of late in the game.

SPEAKER_02 13:35

And you missed a lot of garbage.

SPEAKER_03 13:37

Did I?

SPEAKER_02 13:37

Yeah, you did. Yeah, believe it. That's not a lie. Yeah, you did well. You missed the garbage.

SPEAKER_03 13:42

Um, so I was like, I have to figure this out. And I was like, maybe I should do something that I know I'm good at, and that way I can network and meet people. Oh, also, besides the music, I got into the fashion industry. I started designing and styling. Ah. So I was like, the best thing for me to do here, when I did my research here, they were not, um, I seen that the the fashion industry was kind of growing at that time in 2021. Totally here. Yeah, yeah. And I was like, let me go back into modeling. Because I used to model when I was um a teenager. So I started doing that, you know, I started networking and meeting people. And although I model from time to time, it's really not my thing. Like, that's not my end goal. I don't want to be a model. It's a tool. Yeah, you know, it's a hobby to me. Something I just like doing it sometimes, you know, if I have to, but it's not something that I want to do. And I commend every model out there that is taking this seriously because being a model is not easy. And you know, like I tell everybody, you can you can know how to walk in some shoes, but that doesn't mean you know how to model, which is two different things. Um, so after that, I had to put the music down because it was just not ideal at the time for me. And my kids were getting older, getting into sports, and they just needed more of my time. And I'm like, okay, I don't want to leave the music industry. Yeah, what can I do to still engage? And then at that time, I was trying to um transition into managing artists and producing music and writing music for other artists. So I was like, uh, maybe I should start a podcast. I like talking. Um, I've always been a host.

SPEAKER_00 15:12

You're good at hosting.

SPEAKER_03 15:13

Um, thank you, thank you. So I was like, let me start a podcast. And then I did my research here, there were not a lot of podcasters here. And I was like, let me just do it. And I didn't I just did it, and it's been a blessing since.

SPEAKER_02 15:25

I do have this um question, and I know this goes right into like standing out what separates you, but you're Puerto Rican. So you're Afro-Latino, and you're coming to the South and you're doing hip hop.

SPEAKER_03 15:42

How did you be two different words? Because I know a lot of people wonder. Yeah, and I know I'm gonna have to face that backlash at some point, because it it is gonna be a backlash. Because you know, some people may feel like I'm culture vulture, yeah, you know, but I'm Afro-Latino. I was raised in a Bronx, and everybody knows the Bronx is full of is so New York in general is very diverse. There's blacks, there's whites, there's Hispanics. Come on. I come from a Hispanic slash black neighborhood. All of my friends growing up have been African Americans, you know, including Hispanics and not just Puerto Ricans. Yeah, I have Mexican, Hondurians, I have all types of, you know, Hispanic friends. Um, hip-hop, I was raised in the late 90s.

SPEAKER_00 16:26

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 16:27

The time where hip-hop era was everything. You know, I get passionate with this, you know, because it's just unfortunate that everything is crumbling the way it is, you know, with the artists and you know, everything that's happening. Quality. Because these people were my idols, you know, specifically him. I'm not gonna lie. I'm not I don't want to say his name, but you know what I'm saying. I still love him, but you know, it is what it is. We separate one thing from the other. Yeah, you know, good music is good music. And you know, at that time, you know, hip-hop was was growing, and you know, just everything if you guys are familiar with, you know, that era.

SPEAKER_01 17:05

There's a golden era.

SPEAKER_03 17:06

It really was.

SPEAKER_01 17:07

They finally outsold country music in 1998. Like, I don't think that's it at the time. Like it felt like hip-hop was still the underdog. But yeah, looking back on it, like we were at like a really golden age of hip-hop, fever pitch.

SPEAKER_03 17:21

Yeah, 97, 99, no, look, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, no, those are the 2000s. After that, for me, things got a little sketchy. I was like, uh, to leave. Those are everything.

SPEAKER_02 17:35

You can imagine, I tell people this all the time. You gotta remember, like, you don't think about it again, it's about time and place, right? DMX had two double platinum albums in the same year, right? You no, no, no, no, no, not oh, I'm gonna wait three years. No, before internet, before internet, yeah. He's putting them out back to back, like he was a SoundCloud rapper, and they sold like that. And his there's a story they tell about him and like the effects of hip hop during that time, like him being somewhere in Europe performing, him coming out and doing his thing and doing his prayer at the end. And they're talking about these grown, like jacked up dudes in the crowd, just crying and stuff, because he did a prayer to end all of his performances. Right. And they were just up there crying. Everybody, and they said, and where is that? He said, He was somewhere east of Europe. He said, It didn't make sense. I don't even know if they knew what he was saying. Right. It was just the the energy.

SPEAKER_03 18:26

That's why I tell people hip hop late 90s was different, yeah, it's very different, and especially in New York, because all of these people were in New York, yeah, and you know, you could feel it. It's like we were a part of it, you know. Not saying that everybody else wasn't, you know, enjoying it or, you know, but being in New York, and it was it was the pride was big, you know. And I've hung out with, I've always been the type to hang out with every single person. I don't care if you was a nerd, because I was a nerd too, you know, when I got into high school, they used to call me gangster nerd. Oh that was my lick late because I was a nerd, like I love school, yeah. But you know, after that, after the bell rung, you know that culture. I was in the hallway under the nerd. Ain't nothing wrong with that. You know, and then you know, I go home and then it's sanitized, merengue is bachata, you know, is Hispanic mu food. And honestly, I only ate Puerto Rican food all the way until I became a teenager. When I became a teenager, it was I think at the age of 16 was the first time I tasted sofu. What? Yeah. Other than Puerto Rican food, the only food I ever tasted was Chinese food. But that's who that's the food.

SPEAKER_02 19:41

I hate to say that again. That's some real New Yorker stuff to say. Yeah, Chinese for Christmas, Chinese for a special event. Going out, get Chinese, Kevin telling my grandma what she wants when she Chinese food. Like, this is what they do if they didn't want to.

SPEAKER_03 19:52

Only that, but other than that, I did not, you know, and I was not a kid that would go to people's houses, like I was always a a home, like a house person. Like, and you know, my house was the hangout spot, so everybody was always to my house and eating, like all of my friends ate Puerto Rican food, all of my friends learned Spanish. Yeah, you know, it was very a lot of culture going on. So I don't I never wanted to box myself into just this person. Yes, I am Puerto Rican because I was born in Puerto Rico. That is my heritage, that is my culture. I love Puerto Rico, but you know, I've indulged in other um nationalities and cultures and traditions, you know. I've been a lot of places in the world and I don't discriminate against anyone, and I just will hope that everybody accept me how I am, and I respect everybody. I you know, I love Sada Side, but I also love hip hop.

SPEAKER_02 20:41

But I'm gonna say this too. And I guess people don't get this about New Yorkers because there's a perception with New Yorkers and the way they carry themselves and be a rude stuff, but I will tell you this y'all are pretty like open about accepting other cultures, so people don't get, especially with hip-hop, and I like the fact, especially being from the Bronx, where people don't get, and there's this whole fight over who owns hip-hop and stuff like that. If you were actually one of the folks that was there, and you actually read the hip-hop history and the books behind it, everybody had a part, everybody played a role because everybody was broke. See, this is what people fail to realize. It had nothing to do with economics. It was poor white folk, poor black people, poor Hispanic people, poor people coming from Africa. They were all poor. They were poor together in them burnout buildings and broads. They're poor.

SPEAKER_01 21:24

All you needed was a radio with a Tack and the paws.

SPEAKER_02 21:26

Boom.

SPEAKER_01 21:27

There you go.

SPEAKER_02 21:27

They wanted to create something to get them out of the feeling of being desperate or desperation. And so they created this amazing art form to help express themselves how they were feeling, and it also create economics out of it, which was dope. What's sad is that it went regionally in each region. You put your own spice and flavor on it, but then we forget the origin of it. And so that creates it creates, I mean, it creates unneeded separation. So it's so cool to see you here in the space and doing what you're doing because it helps to bring some of that feeling back to understand that hey, actually, everybody's supposed to be vibing out together. Yeah, I'm not gonna lie, your your event was so cool because thank you. Everybody was enjoying themselves, meeting, talking to each other, vibing. Everybody was mixing, and it reminded me of that feeling in the sense of how hip hop was. Everybody gets together and we're gonna talk, we're gonna make things happen.

SPEAKER_03 22:17

And I'm just very old school. Like, I can't help it. Yeah, I I just can't, like, I still my my I still listen to Pandora. My Pandora really still has a Pandora listen too. We're still playing 90s and hip hop and RB. Like, I can't help it. I just can't help it. That's that will always be in my heart, you know?

SPEAKER_02 22:37

And I have a um, this is just a a question about the the modeling part, and I know just being professional and doing all these things. What I thought was really cool too, just at your event and just learning and then seeing it through, you know, following you online, being creepy, looking at stuff. Is uh you gotta do your ninja stuff, right? Is that the the way that you use the modeling, the for to to help promote positive body image, self-esteem, strength, beauty, etc. in a variety of of women, ages. That's what I thought was really cool. And I was telling my wife about this once we came out from your event. I was like, and there was a modeling show there. She said, What? I said yes. And I said they had every different type of woman, it said it wasn't just no regular looking quote-unquote model women, it was everybody in there, and they were so comfortable and confident in themselves. And the the clothes were good too.

SPEAKER_03 23:27

And and that is why I'm accepted in the fashion industry um here because I don't limit that. When I started, when I got into the fashion world, you know, my MO was this is for the women who've always Dreamed of being models, but never had the courage, or were you know had were too shy to do it or felt like they didn't belong because they weren't skinny enough or they wasn't tall enough. No, as we know, fashion has grown and changed so much. Yes, you know, it's not about height anymore. And I understand, you know, especially coming from New York. Like I come from you know the Mecca of fashion. And even at that time when I was modeling, then yes, I used to be a tall, skinny girl, so yeah, I did fit right in. But you know, there were rules, it was strict. You had to be a certain height, you had to look a certain way, you have to have a certain look, and I get it, but it's just I feel it's not fair. Yeah, you know, mod people is not, and the truth is modeling is about beauty, confidence, you know, is yes, it is about a walk. That's why there's different types of modeling, you know. There's runaway walking, see, I know you know there's hair modeling, there's you know, clothing, there's commercial, but it it should be about you know building character, you know, and and how you can make something look good, whether it's clothing or your hair or jewelry, it shouldn't be about a size of body image, you know. And so that's why people do embrace me, and that's why my models are very loyal to me.

SPEAKER_02 25:05

They are love them. They come out of retirement for City. I've watched, I was talking to Cecil Lady. She's like, no, I don't even do it because she asked.

SPEAKER_03 25:12

I love them. Yeah, like they are my heart and they know, you know, and everybody that joins, and even my my future fashion show as well. It's you know, fashion matter matters. I'm not gonna say no because I do love clothes. I love fashion, I do, but that's a different, you know, situation. But for my purpose of how I um conduct my business when it comes to this fashion world, I don't have a specific look. I'm open to everybody and everyone. I want everybody to get on that runway and rock it.

SPEAKER_02 25:40

Go ahead, sister. And I know you aren't lying about this. I know you aren't lying. Now getting into back into specifically looking at the entertainment world and podcasting, we have to ask these questions. I always like these questions. We gotta ask these questions because it's what we do. We gotta ask these questions because we are a podcast trying to educate individuals in this particular age range that we call millennials about things that they can do to improve their chances in industries and professions that they want to pursue, right? Um, and one of the things we always like to talk about are the pitfalls, the challenges, etc., so that people do know that even though you're a superwoman, you are human.

SPEAKER_00 26:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 26:21

And things happen, things come across, and we deal with these difficulties as we're challenging ourselves to get better. So, what kinds of challenges have you faced? And how have you stayed true to your boundaries while you have been building your brand?

SPEAKER_03 26:38

Well, you know, like I mentioned before, not having social media, not having any proofs, any pictures, any any background. You know, I do have it, but it's it's not exposed.

SPEAKER_02 26:49

It's old school.

SPEAKER_03 26:51

Yeah, you know, so it's like, where were you in this year? Where when did you do this? When do you, you know, it's me having to prove that I am who I'm saying I am, especially with a powerful name, such as most popular. Like, what are you most popular about? And you know, I may sound cocky when I say this, but you know, my I'm myself, I'm my brand. You know, I I feel like in my beauty, the way I the way I speak. Thank you. You know, the way I carry myself, it I'm that's who I am, you know. I've and and I speak like this now because it took me a lot of years to embrace this. Yeah, you know, I did my life for so many years to, and I was so reserved because I I wasn't shy, but you know, I I didn't want to seem like a snob or or too conceited, or you know, I know I'm pretty, I know I can dress, I know I have it going on, but it's like if for some reason when I speak, I overpower a lot. And I know I intimidate people. And again, I don't I don't take pride in saying this, but that's something that I've had to face. And people, I don't know if it's like I've rubbed people the wrong way, and I'm I could understand me being from New York already, like that already when you say New Year's like New York.

SPEAKER_02 28:12

Like oh, she's doing that again.

SPEAKER_03 28:15

She's from New York, she's from New York. Yeah, it's 50-50, you know, and then being Hispanic, being Puerto Rican, and it's like the questioning, and I don't want to call anybody ignorant, but you know, people that just don't know how you're Puerto Rican and you're dark skinned. It's like you know what I'm saying? It's just it's a lot to take in, but um I just I go with the flow, yeah, and I do what I want, and I ignored and black out all the negativity. I don't indulge in that. And I'm I've always been very determined and persistent. Um when I want something, I go after it. What I have understood was that sometimes when something is like trying to put a circle inside of a square, and and I was that person, like force it in me. Yeah. So now it's more like, okay, let me just put the circle down and let me grab a smaller square and put it inside there. It's not as big as the what I wanted, but it's still, you know, it's still a square, you know, that type of metaphor type thing, and that has helped me a lot too.

SPEAKER_02 29:20

Okay, good. Have you in I I guess just I'm gonna hit this question one time, leave you alone on it.

SPEAKER_00 29:27

No, it's okay.

SPEAKER_02 29:28

Bring them on. So building in with like southern hip hop, acts, and energy. You're trying to get in trouble now. No, this is why I asked this because like we come to your events and I was looking at your events and stuff, right? I was like, she she gets a lot of those folks to sign on and come to and and operate and do these events. How does that work? You reaching out to them, like when they hear you ask them, say, hey, I want to do this. This is my name, this is my brand, and they know you're you're Puerto Rican, you're Latina, you're coming from the Bronx, you know hip-hop, you do hip-hop. Do they ever say, Man, I don't know, I do a different type of hip hop, I don't know if it's gonna work.

SPEAKER_03 30:11

I've been through that a lot. You know, I I'm gonna be honest and very transparent. Like, there's a lot of I love all types of music. Yeah. One thing I'm like, I am a true music head. I'm a true music head. Like, I love music. But I'm entitled to say, hey, that's not my favorite type of song music. That's that's not really my sound. Now, my opinion is that to me, there's no whack music. Okay, there's no such thing as whack music. Yeah, because just because you don't like it doesn't mean somebody trust me, there's a thousand other people in the world who's gonna enjoy your music. You know, you just gotta find your audience and your crowd. Look at the pop charts. However, it's a little shady right there, a little shady thing still. But you know, coming from New York, listening to a certain sound, and then coming to the South, you know, there's not saying that I didn't hear it up there, of course I did, but I'm not into crump music. Yeah, no offense. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. I don't I don't want to get in trouble or anything. And I respect, I respect everybody. It's not my choice of music, yeah, but I will still support, I will still big it up, I would still encourage them. That's what you want to do. Come on, let's go. We're we're gonna get you a book, we're gonna get you a show. Like that's just how I am, you know. Yeah, but it has been a little difficult, even like when I was an artist, you know, coming down here with my music, it was just like, oh, this is this is too New York, you know, too New York. And it's like, uh, you know, that kind of discouraged me too a little bit in the beginning, but I still went into the studio. Um, but the the thing about me is I guess is my my acceptance attitude and the way I still motivate and push people, regardless of how I feel about how I feel don't matter. Like, this is probably the first time I really spoke about it, voiced it out loud. Yeah, my feelings don't matter, you know, when it comes to somebody else's craft.

SPEAKER_02 32:03

That's good business. Because I I'm a supporter, you know.

SPEAKER_03 32:05

I'm here to I want to see you win regardless. So what I like, who cares?

SPEAKER_01 32:10

Yeah, or sometimes people put that that energy and that effort into something that might not be your flavor, but it still creates this like you know, this epic vibe that's theirs. And sometimes they just need to be helped.

SPEAKER_03 32:23

Well, yeah, and you're yes, of course. Yeah, what happens with that is it just leads to that gatekeeping situation. Yeah, and that I am not, I refuse to be a gatekeeper. Um, again, if you don't like something, it's okay, you know, just move around it.

SPEAKER_02 32:41

So I think that's important. Uh, and that's one thing that I noticed about what you're doing is you don't shut people off, you open doors. Now the person has to be willing to do the work to step through it, yeah, but you will give opportunity. And I thought that was really awesome, especially coming from there, coming out and having to fit yourself in. Instead of, and this is gonna be interesting, instead of you doing what the cheesecake situation that from you know the band show that occurred, instead of you making it harder on somebody, that's what I was about to say. You've been making it easier, and I think that's so awesome. And I think um just going into this next question about rules to live by, I think that's really cool because obviously, folks in the industry they always talk about fakeness and two-faced behavior. Um, people not being who it is they claim to be and them not actually following through with the things that they said they were gonna do. You deal with that all the time in the industry, right? So obviously every industry. It doesn't matter what it is. Look, I mean, you can make cogs. You can make cogs, you're gonna deal with that issue. But how do you stay authentic and loyal in such environments?

SPEAKER_03 33:51

Again, I try very hard. You know, before I got into this industry, I was already on a verge of cleansing myself. I was going through a spiritual journey where I was, you know, bettering myself. I stopped eating me, I started working out, I lost a lot of weight, um, I was asking for forgiveness. Like I just was going through this healing journey before I stepped into this. So by the time I did, you know, come into this and and I and already coming from a musical background with my dad, you know, growing up, I've had some of the biggest his Spanish artists in my house. What kind of wait, wait, wait, yeah. What instruments was he playing? He played my dad, played the um the bongo. Okay. Bongo. Um, he played the conga, he played the drums, he played all that, but his main instrument is the the bongo. Wow. Yeah, so I'm used to that, you know, and and and another thing, like my brother's Keith Tapia, the boxer. You know, he's not a boxer right now, but if you look him up, Keith Tapia, that's my brother. Stop. That's your brother? Yes. And I don't never speak on this because you know I don't know. I'm not using nothing and nobody, I'm using myself, you know? And I love my dad, I love my brother. I love, I have other family members. Like my cousin is Laria Yusso. He was the point guard of the book. Shut up. I can go on with other people who are celebrities that I'm related to.

SPEAKER_02 35:10

Um You better stop playing.

SPEAKER_03 35:12

The cruise held me when I was a baby, you know. Really? I can go on, and I've never really spoken about these things. But um it's pointless to do that, you know?

SPEAKER_00 35:22

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 35:23

Um, I know that me hating or talking down on somebody else, that's not gonna make me better. You know, I've never been that type of person anyway. But the whole putting somebody down to make yourself feel good or pick yourself up, yeah, it there's no reason to do that, you know. Yeah, um, I do a lot of ignoring.

SPEAKER_02 35:44

And the reason that's that takes maturity. No, tell them that takes maturity.

SPEAKER_03 35:50

I do a lot of pulling out and then I say this because like I said, my healing journey, I'm not gonna sit here and pretend like I'm just this perfect person because I'm not. I have a very violent background too, you know. Um, I was a little fighter, I was. Spronts. Right, it's right. I was in the hood, I was in the hood, yeah, you know, running around with um gang members, you know. I'm not gonna sing and act like I'm just no, I'm not.

SPEAKER_02 36:13

Not goody tucians.

SPEAKER_03 36:14

I'm not a goodie tuition. But it could be a good thing. But I'm okay, I was a yeah, but I was a good girl. That's overall, I really wasn't, I was a good girl though. Yeah, but when it came to the fighting, I just no, I didn't play that. I come from a boxing family. I was about to say, I was looking like you gotta learn how to throw in. Like I was always like the referee or the person, like, all right, nobody's gonna jump nobody, like, you know. So because of that, I have to stay grounded and ignore a lot because I know I don't ever want to be that person again. Yes, I don't want to be seen out there acting and looking ridiculous, fighting at this age, you know, and just messing up my reputation that I worked so hard for. Now, am I a punk? No, I'm not. When I let somebody bully me, no. Do people pick on me? Yes. I let because I allow them, you know, I spare a lot of people. Yeah, and you got to pick and choose your battles, and I'm not even up there yet, you know. So if I start coming at everybody for saying this and saying, Imagine what about when I get to the top?

SPEAKER_02 37:13

Burn your own branches, and that I don't do.

SPEAKER_03 37:16

I do not bite the hand that feeds me, I do not burn bridges, I just let things go. And if if you do something wrong to me, I'll just step away. So you don't you do not have to worry about me speaking negative on you, trying to mess up your name. I don't do any of that. I believe in divine justice. I do. Some people dislike that I'm like that. Yeah, especially my mom, she'd be like, that takes too long. I'm like, okay, mama said that takes long. Divine justice takes too long. I say, Listen, sweet register, sweet red. Just listen. I'm not a revengeful person, I'm just not. And by the time the revenge comes, I'm like feeling sorry for you. Like, I'm sorry, can I help you? Like, man, I wish this never happened to you, you know.

SPEAKER_02 37:56

So yeah, it's a good rule to live by. It takes patience, it takes maturity. It's mature.

SPEAKER_03 38:02

Yeah, it's very always been matured for my age. Uh, my dad taught me patience at the age of 14. I've always had to play the role of a leader and a ruler. You know, so that I by the time I'm older, you know, it's just like, okay, you know what to expect and what not to expect. And again, you know, to be a leader, leading is more than just telling people what to do, you know? You have to set an example. And I've always tried to be a role model to my siblings, to my cousins, to everybody. And I don't want to build something and then watch it crumble over nothing.

SPEAKER_02 38:39

Yeah. You know?

SPEAKER_03 38:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 38:40

Does that take a lot of well, obviously it takes a lot of energy, but is there a lot of stress in being that leader, being that role model? Especially you're already an older sister. I I hate to say it. Yo, you're the other, yeah. Like in the oldest of your generation.

SPEAKER_03 39:00

I'm in a master's program now, and I'm getting my master's in trauma-informed education. You know, so in this program, I'm learning so much about trauma. I'm acknowledging a lot of traumas that I've experienced, things that I never even realized were traumas. So I'm it's like this Pandora box, I'm opening up now, you know. And thank God for all my experiences, you know, I'm I'm handling it well. But growing up with all those titles and all that power, there was a lot of secondhand trauma. A lot of secondhand trauma that I go through. And I always had this idea that, well, since I didn't grow up in an abusive household, since my parents, I had good parents, you know, I didn't have no trauma. Everything was perfect in my house.

SPEAKER_01 39:45

Yeah, that's not how it works.

SPEAKER_03 39:46

But that's not how it works, you know. So now I'm dealing with all of that. And obviously, you know, the things that I've had has happened to me along the way too, you know, especially recently, you know.

SPEAKER_00 39:59

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 39:59

So it's been it's been tough, but I love to laugh and smile. Like that's my thing. Even when I'm when I'm angry or nervous, like I I use humor to to mask how I really feel.

SPEAKER_02 40:12

I look. As many of us do, as many of us do, and we must. I mean, if we don't, we will you gotta laugh sometimes to keep from crying, especially in current circumstances, situations that are going on. You gotta do it because stuff don't make sense. We are here at Nero Lands. Yes, we remember literally. That is the name of the amusement park that we now live in. Um but with that being said, just I wanna I do want to briefly touch on some events going on, upcoming that may have occurred. If you could just uh tell our audience a little bit about some of the things that you have been doing recently.

SPEAKER_03 40:46

So, like I said, I've been busy being a mom. Um, school, you know, is uh is an online program. Yeah, so it's it's a little tougher, you know. Um, I've been working on a fashion show that I have coming up, November 2nd, 2025. Thank you. Very excited for this fashion show. It's a little different, you know. It's called the I Am a Beautiful Survivor fashion show. Um, so everybody bring your best purple. Um, there's no competition this time like that's one.

SPEAKER_02 41:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 41:17

But this fashion show is significant because we're honoring domestic violence victims, you know, survivors and family members that have lost um loved ones due to the violence. And it's open to I I really I'm really looking forward to seeing victims and survivors walk in the runway. Yeah, but anybody can do it, you know? You just have to wear purple, and it's just an opportunity. You know, domestic violence is different in every situation, you know? Yeah, but what I do know that in the end, you feel weak, you feel ugly, you feel lost, you feel unwanted, you know, because of the different abuses, you know, that people experience. So I just want to use this fashion show as a way to uplift people and give them that opportunity to walk with confidence and and feel beautiful. Like it doesn't matter if they called you ugly, if they called you fat, if they said you don't you don't look as good or you don't have the body, you know, walk. You know, walk with a purpose and show everybody that you are beautiful. So that's the purpose of the I Am a Beautiful Survivor Fashion Show.

SPEAKER_02 42:29

That's awesome. That's awesome. And then just because I know we have the camera over there pointing at you, but um, if folks want to be a part of it, if they could I know we're gonna try to get this out just so if you could tell folks um where it's gonna be located, the time, um, and if they want to get in contact with you about possibly registering to be in it, how can they do that?

SPEAKER_03 42:46

Yes, this fashion show is definitely open to everyone in Columbia, South Carolina, or in any nearby cities. Um, I do have a lot of models, but I'm not gonna close that out because again, it's not a formal fashion show where there's gonna be designers and you have to run back and change your hair, your hair and your outfits. So there's not gonna be any of that, which is gonna be a smoother process, you know. Um, if you are interested in being a guest or being a model or participating in any other way, you know, performances, um, poetry, there's you know, different acts. Please reach out to me at most popular podcasts on Instagram or Facebook or TikTok or wherever. My YouTube page, most popular, the number one podcast. All right, and it's gonna be in Columbia, South Carolina. Is there a cost for the door? Yes, it's a ten dollar entrance fee for everyone. Yes, that's not and there is gonna be a food truck available, so I'm excited for that too.

SPEAKER_02 43:38

Do you know who the food truck's gonna be?

SPEAKER_03 43:40

Uh or we have to wait to know. I do, I can't remember. It's called Duke Something, I forgot what it's called, but it'll be there. That's Duke's barbecue, is it? Yeah, I think it is. This is all that's a place.

SPEAKER_02 43:52

Never mind, never mind. That's all good. Don't worry about that. We're gonna really go check out the water.

SPEAKER_03 43:56

Correct, but yes, I'm excited, isn't it?

SPEAKER_02 43:58

We love local food, right now. Yeah, we do, man. We do. We'll say this in Columbia. Some of the best food you're gonna get is gonna be in a food truck.

SPEAKER_03 44:08

I think that's anywhere.

SPEAKER_02 44:09

But we didn't used to have them. Yeah, we didn't used to have them. Okay, these are relatively new in Columbia. Yeah, so that's what I'm just raised with food trucks. See, that's what I'm saying. So, first, I'm really excited about it. I know it makes my wife's wife say she loves food trucks um because they're good because she gets angry at a lot of the restaurants that are um brick and mortar. She says they aren't as good as they need to be. But the food trucks always rock it out. Yeah, food trucks are good. Yes, yes. So uh this is one of my favorite questions to ask. And this is one of the questions you've been asking since the beginning. Um, how do you find balance between work and your personal life?

SPEAKER_03 44:45

Um, let me see. Um, I'm I'm a mom first, always.

SPEAKER_00 44:49

That's what I was gonna say.

SPEAKER_03 44:49

Like, I'll drop everything and anything, and I've I've had to give up opportunities and made some people upset at me. Like, how could you pass on this opportunity? Because I'm not missing my son's track meet. I'm not missing my daughter's game. I'm not, you know, so I definitely try to live a normal life, you know, wake up in the morning, get ready, get the kids ready for school, go to work, come home. And afterwards is when I, you know, get into everything else. I definitely prepare um beforehand. You know, I try to plan ahead ahead ahead of time.

SPEAKER_02 45:22

Did you prepare for us?

SPEAKER_03 45:24

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 45:24

Are you ready for the question? Yes. The most important one I'm about to ask now. I'm always prepared. I'm just teasing. She was ready, y'all. Just y'all, she was she was playing, she was ready, she was ready. Okay, because you can take you all right. So that's how you you you balance so.

SPEAKER_03 45:39

I just try to live, you know, I don't get beside myself. Yeah, not at all. Um, I do multitask a lot. Which I'm really good at that too. Although sometimes I've realized that I've had to relax. But it's just like if it's happening, if I'm able to do it, why not? You know, people like you need to calm down, you're doing too much. No, you're doing too much. Don't tell me I'm doing too much. I know when I can't do it.

SPEAKER_02 46:03

Like, relax. And you'd be like, no.

SPEAKER_03 46:05

I know. I'm hype, I'm hyperactive anyway.

SPEAKER_02 46:08

So the more you can't help it at one time, the better. It actually relaxes you. Which is weird, though. You're right. Yeah, I had to learn that. Yeah, my wife. That's what. Yeah, yeah, it relaxes them. So get more detailed.

SPEAKER_03 46:18

But I do respect and understand the indulgement of falling back from things.

SPEAKER_00 46:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 46:26

And how much more zen I could feel when I'm doing less. Sure. I I I do respect that.

SPEAKER_02 46:33

Do you think some of that has to do with your with your upbringing and the city that you were raised in?

SPEAKER_03 46:37

For sure.

SPEAKER_02 46:38

You know how to say nature versus nurture?

SPEAKER_03 46:40

Yeah. You know, I come from a household where somebody's taking a shower, somebody's in the same bathroom. While somebody's taking a shower, somebody's brushing the TV, somebody's taking a poop at the same time.

SPEAKER_02 46:49

And ain't no problem. I just keep rolling.

SPEAKER_03 46:51

Just keep rolling.

SPEAKER_02 46:51

What you gotta do? Yeah. I know, all right. No, traumatized. I have this this question I always like to ask folks who had a majority of their life raised up north, and they come south. There's this um explanation that Andre 3000 has of the difference between the north and the south. And it makes sense. And I want to see if this makes sense to you. So he says that like being in the north, it's like everything is tight and it's crammed in and it's it's loud in a good way. Like it's just like like good light noise. Yeah. But he said, like down south, everything's spaced out, quiet, and not necessarily like quiet, like oh, it's like bad quiet. It's a good quiet and calm. Is that your is that have you you've experienced the difference between the north and the south is for you being here for the period you have in?

SPEAKER_03 47:37

Um yes and no, because being in the entertainment industry and you know, being around musicians and the music and always constantly talking. Yeah, not really. Yeah, that's what I was wondering. Like, no, I guess only when I get home, and even when I get home, my kids want to talk me to death. And it's just like I I don't really have quiet time, honestly. I really don't. Wow. So you're just busy. I guess I had to ask, I had to ask, I had a listen. It's weird, you know. And then when I do get in, I'm just like looking at the four walls. I don't really watch TV, never been on TV person.

SPEAKER_02 48:14

Yeah. So you need your something to do. I do. Girl, you need something to do. I ain't even gonna stop you. You keep working, I ain't gonna stop you. Because you know, you have those people like literally don't stop them from working because as soon as you do it, they get sick and they die. So you just keep letting them roll. They'll do that through their 90s.

SPEAKER_03 48:30

Now I travel a lot, so that I have to say, you know, I do have a lot of fun. Like I said, I've been a lot of places in the world. Yeah, so I'm not gonna sit here and say I don't have fun, but I am. Yeah, it does. But I'm a loner too.

SPEAKER_00 48:43

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_03 48:44

So I don't really have people in my space, my personal space. Like I'm really always by myself. Just me and my kids. And if my kids are not around, I'm really by myself.

SPEAKER_02 48:51

So you get your quiet, you get your peace.

SPEAKER_03 48:53

I do, but it's just like I get bored easily. I don't know. So I love cleaning, so that I'm gonna start sweeping mopping watching.

SPEAKER_02 49:01

I I can't help. Cleaning relaxes me. Me, yes. Yeah, it recharges me to clean. That's good. Yep. Well, any questions, mate.

SPEAKER_01 49:10

How how how do people find you now that you're on social media?

SPEAKER_03 49:15

Drop all the things. You know, when I got on social media, people were like contacting my personal number, like, hey, I think somebody's um created a fake, which that has happened to me. No, that happened to me in the past. People think throughout my years, when I was not on social media, three times people created a fake page with my pictures. You really were the most popular. Yeah, and it's just like why that's real. But that's too impressed for me to have a page. Like, leave me alone. I don't want to be in social media.

SPEAKER_02 49:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 49:42

Um, but yes, I can be found on all social media platforms at most popular podcasts. Um, I will also show up as La Dama Popular.

SPEAKER_02 49:49

I was about to ask.

SPEAKER_03 49:50

Yeah, because La Dama Popular basically is a Spanish name for popular lady. Oh. But because I was La Dama Popular first. Because I when I first became a musician, I was doing Spanish music, which I also do Spanish music. But I was like, popular lady, that don't sound right. That sounds a little cheesy. So I said, let me just go with most popular because I can use that for all of my businesses.

SPEAKER_02 50:10

Gotcha.

SPEAKER_03 50:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 50:11

Awesome. Excellent. Awesome.

SPEAKER_03 50:12

Well, and speaking on that, I will be transitioning to the Spanish industry as well. I'm going to be interviewing my Hispanic Latino people. Yo!

SPEAKER_02 50:26

Yeah, that made my day. Oh, I gotta lie, that made my day. Um, man, I guess I don't have anything else to add. We're gonna wrap up. Again, it's been a pleasure having you. Um, before we get out of here, like we always do, we want to thank the great establishment that we're at right now, the Atelier. And we want to thank Laddie Howard for having us here and allowing us to record and film in this presence. Um, again, we're located uh the Atelier is located at 2524-Forest Drive, Columbia, South Carolina. And that zip code is 29204.

SPEAKER_01 51:00

And if this is your first time tuning in, like and subscribe. Please. We we really are trying to build a base and we're trying to build a community here of people that that enjoy this type of content. Yeah. Um, so check back with us if you're if you're tuning in on the podcast. We also have a YouTube channel. Yes. Um, and uh check out our Patreon where we have our arbitrary conversations, which is a little bit more uh risque.

SPEAKER_02 51:25

Yeah, a little bit more of us just telling you what we think, shooting the breeze, yeah. But over overall, I mean everything we're gonna do is positive, it's good stuff, y'all. So I know you'll like it. Um, but until the next time, this is DJ Ann What? Uh Mike.

SPEAKER_03 51:41

It's Maya.

SPEAKER_02 51:42

And our esteemed guest, Miss Popular. And we wanted to like we always like to say, I gotta say this. Make sure you tell somebody next time that you love them and you appreciate them. We'll see you on the next episode. Peace.