When it came time for college applications, CUNY schools were most attractive because of the low costs, but after visiting several campuses, I knew St. John’s University in Queens would be my alma mater. Thankfully, I was granted a partial scholarship. Unthankfully, it racked me up quite the ugly post-graduation debt.

Raised by a single mother, we had to reach out to several family friends just to get a co-sign on school loans on top of loans. I can vividly recall sifting through bills and all I saw were signs, but not in the way Rihanna does. Even though It’s been a good 365+ since I walked the commencement runway, nothing puts more real in real world than trying to dig into your pockets for monthly payments to Sallie Mae and Co.

Still, I pursued journalism as my major, knowing that my future would be condemned to scrounging for change and trying to make ends meet prosperous beginnings. Now that I’ve been able to turn my freelance work into a more stable position, there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t wish this college debt would pay itself.

Even if it feels like I’m extorting bill collectors in exchange for their silence (they blow up phones worse than a drunk ex), I don’t regret my college experience. At the same time, I understand being confined to a syllabus isn’t for everybody. The wealthiest people didn’t bag a degree (Mark Zuckerberg, Jay-Z) but could probably school a couple of professors in street smarts and business savvy if given the chance.

Just be honest with yourself about your future and check the outside pressure of conventional success at the door. If done right, life will mirror a Mastercard commercial and the memories you make, priceless.

Every record that soundtracks your Friday night out is more than likely written by songwriting hitmen Rock City.

Real-life brothers Timothy and Theron Thomas dipped their pens into chartmaking history when they first scribed for Akon in 2005, making a cool $5,000 for the song “The Ring.” Soon, the Virgin Islands-bred tagteam were getting calls from the likes of Rihanna, Ashlee Simpson and Jennifer Hudson, extending their cheese well into today’s turnt up preferences, and they’ve had no problems adapting with the times.

When it comes to the strip club-glorifying “Pour It Up” from Rih, Timothy doesn’t brag that the record only took 10 minutes to write but explains it from a genuine sense of habitual talent. “We don’t write anything down. It’s really all just natural for us,” says Theron. ”When we did “Pour It Up” (producer) Mike WiLL [Made It] pulls the beat and me and Timothy are going back and forth on ideas. He says, ‘Yo guys, I’m going to run to the corner shop. I want to get some drinks and some snacks and I’m going to come right back.” He went for five or 10 minutes and he came back and the song was done.”

Making it rain may be second nature for the Bajan beauty, whose Instagram photo map is decked out with pole-dancing adoration, but for the Thomases, it was a chance to switch up the game’s club banger formula. “We knew it was going to be big because it was very original. For Rihanna to do a record that sounds so ratchet, being a huge pop star, it was going to change the game,” Timothy says. “Superstars are the ones that set the tone of what the music is then what happens is the game shifts and now everybody makes records like that. Everybody wants a record like that.”

Another female who flipped the script on her catalog was Miley Cyrus, who recently broke her musical fast to release “We Can’t Stop,” the lead single off her forthcoming album and first project since 2010′s Can’t Be Tamed. While Maxim’s hottest girl of the year admitted to wanting to lip lock with Rih if the opportunity ever arose, it comes as no surprise that the Mike WiLL-produced cut was originally intended for Cyrus’ girl crush.

“We originally wrote ["We Can't Stop"] for Rihanna and we wounded up giving it to Miley,” Timothy reveals. ”We felt like this could be somebody’s first single. We knew it wasn’t going to be Rihanna’s because at the time she already had “Diamonds.” We didn’t know who to give it to and Mike WILL was like ‘I’m in with Miley. I want to play it for her because I think this will be dope for her.’ We said okay let’s do.”

Less than a year later, the former Disney starlet is now singing about “dancing with Molly” (though the songwriting brothers say it’s really “dancing with Miley”) and “doing lines in the bathroom,” an explicit growth spurt on wax. But it’s all a part of a calculated plan for the Timothy and Theron who plan to stay ahead of the curve lyrically.

“In the music business, you got to be five years ahead because think on this: If I record today, they’re not going to put it out until three months later,” Theron explains. “Because of technology things get played out really fast. You have to be like ‘What’s the next thing?’ That’s why when me and my brother do songs, especially in the chorus, we try to make it something you don’t mind saying for a long time.”  – (@adelleplaton)

Continued from part one…

Reality show fame was nowhere on my bucket list. In fact, singing in front of my own kin during family karaoke was harder than calculus (and I suck at math).

It wasn’t till I reached my junior year in high school that I learned to harness my stage fright and just break out into song whenever the urge struck.

I used to ride the N train home and often sang out loud on my commutes, not subway performer-loud but audible enough for the patrons within a 2-seat radius to hear.

I occupied the window seat one night while my best friend, already used to my spontaneous shows, sat beside me. Today’s in-cart performance was courtesy of Celine Dion’s “Power Of Love.”

As I got up to exit the train, a man called out to me and passed me a tiny white card that read he was a music producer. “You have a great voice, definitely give me a call.”

Though the exchange was as shady as Slim, I treated that carbon-made rectangle like a record label contract.

Finally! Someone gave me the pass.

Back to reality.

“Thanks so much for your time guys,” the producer said . “Unfortunately we won’t be passing anyone through today though we’d like to chitchat with Keith for a little bit. Remember to keep working on your vocals and we’ll see you next time.”

I knew I wasn’t getting it. My improvisation was just as I had practiced but I had lost control of my notes once I hit the first line of the “Halo” hook. I was able to bounce back at “I’m surrounded by your embrace,” but in this kind of competition, one mistake is just as bad as many.

Though I felt a slight stab of rejection, I was so happy to see my buddy get the callback. He had been in vocal training for over a year and made butter with his version of John Legend’s “Used To Love U.” If anyone out of our posse deserved the next round, it was him. It did floor me that they didn’t pass the spunky woman who brought it home with an Amy Winehouse number but that’s the thing with these reality show situations, you either fit the criteria or don’t.

When my group pushed through the arena’s blue exit doors, we returned to being anonymous faces. Nothing like failure to make strangers out of people so quickly.

I hailed a cab and was scooped up by the overly-friendliest Italian driver who commented too much on my red skirt. Nonetheless, the 49-year-old grandpa (who was working his second 12-hour shift) with Hulk Hogan pythons made me relive my audition from the back seat before serenading me back with some Frank Sinatra.

“It’s a dream worth following,” he said. “Just because you didn’t make it today doesn’t mean you don’t have the talent.”

It was then I realized that I had won after all and who knows? I may just try again.

Editor’s Note: This article was written July 22, 2012.

Last night I forgot how to sleep.

Twenty-four hours prior, I was trying to doze off an allergic reaction triggered by cats that left my eyelids plumper than cherry tomatoes. I woke up Saturday morning unable to open my eyes and it hurt to look in a mirror. I called out of my weekend job and prayed that I could save face.

Thankfully, by 4 a.m. Sunday morning, I looked like myself again. But now there was another problem: nervous insomnia since today was the day I would audition for The Voice, the star-studded singing contest judged by music stars Blake Shelton, Christina Aguilera, Adam Levine and Cee Lo Green.

When I was a chubby toddler, I toted around a portable karaoke machine when girls my age preferred Barbie dolls. My first stage encounter was at 1 or 2 years old. The story goes that I sneaked under the table at a formal dinner and when my parents tried to find me, there I was in all my gibberish glory trying to outshine the singer in front of the room. And the rest, as they say, was her-story.

Though I’m no powerhouse diva, I have no shame breaking out a couple notes. I was a solid alto in my high school’s chorus group and even R&B-mixed John Lennon’s “Imagine” in my first ever solo stint.

It took two less than stellar performances of DJ Sammy’s “Heaven” during a singing contest and an acoustic version of Mario’s “Crying Out For Me” (struggle soprano notes and all) to make me quit the game, though they never stopped me from having private concerts in the shower or at Starbucks when I was a barista. Random strangers asking if I could sing from just hearing my speaking voice has been more than enough for me to keep the embers of a scorched passion from completely dying out.The Voicewould help reignite that…

I joined the long line of hopefuls 30 minutes before my scheduled 2 p.m. slot. In front of me stood a Latina wearing sparkly grey Armani jeans, who looked more model than singer. To my back was a simple chick in black shorts and a green shirt who perked my ears with a soulful version of Jazmine Sullivan’s “Lions, Tigers and Bears” under her breath. When I checked in the venue, one of the staff members eyed my name and shot me a glance. “Your name’s Adelle? Don’t tell me you’re gonna sing…” I cut him off, “Nah, too predictable.”

We were all placed into random rows of 10. I was wedged between two basketball fans: one, an older fella who hailed from Boston (naturally rooting for the Celtics), and a New York-bred Puerto Rican with an R&B twang to his voice that shared my love for the Knicks. Within 20 minutes, we were ushered up the stairs to a small room that would ultimately hold the fate of our Sundays…or if lucky enough, our lives. The four walls weren’t soundproof, unable to block the fact that people were hosting church at the Izod. Though we could hear several ladies belting it out, not one from the group before us carried the red slip. We were a positive-thinking bunch, wishing each other good luck and hoping the next 30 seconds would get us a round two.

My name was pulled out of the pile first. “Hi Adelle, what are you gonna sing for us today?,” asked the sunshine-stale producer (she noted several times that they had to keep the auditions moving given the thousands they had to see, not counting those from yesterday’s casting). After bouncing back and forth between Beyoncé’s “Halo” and The Fugees’ “Killing Me Softly,” I opted for the former (go big or go home, right?). She said, “Whenever you’re ready…”

Stand by for part two tomorrow, June 5.

From gorgeous mastermind behind TLC in VH1′s upcoming biopic Crazy, Sexy, Cool to assertive side piece in Mistresses, premiering on ABC June 3, Rochelle Aytes’ reel redefines upcoming attraction

It took a bitch fit for Rochelle Aytes to realize her passion. After the former dance student dabbled in Broadway theater for the Elton John and Tim Rice smash Aida, she nailed a breakthrough performance during a 10-minute improv called “I’m So Pissed” in one of her acting classes. “Ironically, it was the perfect time for me to take the class because I was hurt by an ex-boyfriend who cheated,” she recalls of the moment she decided to consider acting as a career. “You face the wall and then you wait until you’re at a heightened 10 emotionally, turn and yell out whatever you want to say to the person. There’s so much you can draw from that.”

A hot and scorned woman is a recurring theme for Aytes, who returns to small screens as the widowed single mother April Malloy who discovers her dead husband has a secret family on ABC’s Mistresses this June. She was also tapped for the role of TLC’s founder Perri “Pebbles” Reid in VH1′s Crazy, Sexy, Cool: The TLC Story – a biopic on the R&B/rap girl troupe set for release later this year. While the dancing actress admits to lacking pipes, her Harlem roots helped level out her character’s street mentality. “Pebbles told it like it was and was a little hood She’s from Oakland, Calif. and because I’m from Harlem, I got to bring a little bit of that cool, homegirl fun to her,” says Aytes, who stars alongside rapper Lil Mama, singers Drew Sidora and Keke Palmer. “This situation was far from me in that I’m not a singer, but I have an assertive side. This is how [Pebbles] was. Sometimes, I like to be in control.”

The self-professed boss lady makes that clear with her career path. After her mother enrolled her at the Ruth Williams dance studio in New York at an early age, Aytes would shake her tutu in ballet class and then perfect her shoulder-pop to Janet Jackson’s “Control” at home. The in-house choreography proved valuable during her education at the LaGuardia School of Arts—alma mater of Nicki Minaj and Azealia Banks—where she earned her degree in fine arts. She even clocked in at KFC for two months during high school before swapping fried chicken for sandwiches as a classroom assistant while still showing up for her acting and dancing classes. “I didn’t grow up hand-fed things,” she says. “I made a living at my craft from a very early age, which is why I am where I am today.”

Read on at VIBE.

Before the summer sun kisses your skin, VIBE Vixen closes out the school year with a special look back on the stars who made it this past year with a pass or a fail. See who made the grade in our yearbook by hitting next below.

Most Likely To Body A Trainer

Most Likely to Be Fashionably Late

Most Likely To Be Late

Most Likely To Kiss And Make Up

Most Likely To Steal Your Girlfriend

Most Likely To Steal Your Favorite Rapper

Most Likely To Snatch A Wig

Most Likely To Employ A Translator

Most Likely To Creep

Most Likely To Have Hit It First

Most Like To Use God’s Name In Vain

Most Likely To Check Into Couples’ Therapy

Most Likely To Have Separate Checking Accounts

Most Likely To Cite The First Amendment

Most Likely To Dominate The Dance Floor

Most Likely To Close Out A Second Term Without Scandals

Most Like To Have The Cleanest Hamper

Most Likely To Be A Grown Woman

Whether walking fresh off of the grad runway or juggling hustles, there’s a workout plan fit for your employment status. Vixen addresses your career woes to help you stay on your job.

– Adelle Platon

1. Going Major: Choosing Your Field of Interest In College
Even if your transcript reads “undecided,” flaunt your freedom. Unlike a committed relationship, cheat on your interests by giving all of them attention, whether it’s entertaining your inner Love & Hip Hop stan by bringing the drama on-stage or scribing for your school’s newspaper. Most second-year students swap their concentration several times so treat the sophomore slump as a high note.

2. No Shots: Lacking Bullet Points On Your Résumé

Make like a Justin Bieber-sponsored blemish remover and be proactive. Most colleges house a career center that hosts panels and diverse seminars throughout the year for students to meet with individuals in a certain field. Even if your résumé mirrors a blank slate, use the tools you already possess like personality and educational background to win over a potential employer. Prep your elevator pitch by researching that person’s occupation and compliment them on an accomplishment you found inspiring. Being hands-on will reap benefits long after the firm handshake is done.

3. Unfinished Business: Dropping Out Of School

Getting schooled may not be an option for those who don’t see dollar signs for tuition or are bogged down by outside circumstances. Take on a 9-to-5 that hones transferable qualities, i.e. communication, public speaking and project management. Use any spare time to research your ideal position and scour the web for organizations and networking events. Leaving a favorable digital footprint via Linked In, Twitter or a blog will be a great step forward.

4. Winners Sometimes Quit: Transitioning From Job To Career

A stable check should pay your passions forward. If you’re holding on to a temporary gig to only keep the lights on, it may be time to cash out for a better opportunity. Before you slap that two-week notice on your boss’ desk, set up a cushion that covers your necessary funds for at least three months. Refresh your résumé and apply to all positions that pique even the slightest interest. Even if you don’t get the immediate call-back, trust that your struggle now will mean success later.

Jhené Aiko airs out her dirty laundry in a new freestyle.

The sailing soul(s) singer points the lyrical pistol at an ex, name-dropping “hoes” and dishing out a hard-earned lesson in love. This is the type of vent you can’t be mad at.

Her Def Jam/Artium debut Souled Out due later this year. Check into the heartbreak hotel below.

Producer and former American Idol shotcaller Simon Cowell was ecstatic about the announcement. “It’s taken more than a decade but I’m delighted to finally be on a panel with three girls (I think!),” he said.

“Paulina and Kelly both have great taste and massive experience in the music industry and together with Demi, this is going to be a fun panel,” Cowell added. “It just feels like the time to do something different.”

While both The Voice and American Idol have played musical chairs with their judges, X Factor boasts a female-heavy line-up.

“I am very excited to be reuniting with Simon Cowell and The X Factor family,” said Kelly, who guest-judged in the British version of the series. “It feels great to be able to take this journey here at home in the States!”

Latina singer Paulina Rubio, who has sold 20 million records worldwide, is also slated to join the cast alongside Demi Lovato and Cowell.

Auditions are set to take place June 15 before the competition heats up TV screens on Fox this fall.