Black History Month Blog: D.J. Beverly Bond
By Larry Mullins, 1010 WINS
If you ever wanted to know what beautiful models do once they leave the runway…
I am sitting in the presence of a woman whom I once considered to be (and still do) one of the most beautiful women in the world. And Beverly Bond didn't even have to put on make-up—yeah, that beautiful. I used to watch her model for years with the Wilhelmena Modeling agency, one of the biggest in the world! And now I'm sitting here interviewing her, about DJ'ing.
WHAT????
But before the introductions, I'm sitting there waiting on this statuesque woman with stilettos, a $10,000 dress and a million dollar make-over to walk into the room. She's a model…that's how they make their entrances okay?! Not today.
Instead, this drop dead gorgeous woman in denim, carrying a guitar (yep, she plays) and rocking a wild hairdo comes in and immediately summons for coffee.
She's now DJ Beverly Bond. She spins records! She doesn't model; really model anymore like she used to. Her unique (and sought after) style of mixing records at major functions is now her hustle. Martha Stuart, Jay Z, you name it; all her clients! In fact, she opened Jay-Z's 40/40 club by his exclusive request.
She tells me that she started a foundation a few years ago called Black Girls Rock. You've seen the commercials. They have a huge awards show each year, to showcase African-American women who have been instrumental in shaping teenaged girls into women. Women like Ruby Dee, Nia Long, Raven Symone, Mrs. O'Bama and tons of others have been honored. Thing is, Beverly has been such an influence too, in fact, making Ebony Magazine's list of the top 150 most influential Americans.
But on this day, she's talking about how teenage girls are growing up too fast, and acting too far ahead of their age. Boy that sounds like something mom and dad used to say. Black Girls Rock is a mentoring program aimed at positively channeling young women into becoming all that they can be, and less of the media stereotypes seen on television and in video's. Bev (yeah I know, I'm trying to act like I know her really well and that we're best friends and all that)…but "Bev" mentors 20 or 30 girls. And what you immediately notice about her is that she doesn't take herself seriously at all. A major talent and beautiful model with absolutely no pretense or hang-ups? Okay, where the hell is that Ashton Kutcher with that "Punk'd" camera?
Anyway, I just think this is one of the neatest interviews we've done in the Black History Series. I mean, this woman stepped out of her comfort zone (on the modeling runway) and behind a DJ booth, and not to mention the pretty tough world of teen intervention. A genuine good Samaritan AND beautiful.
Beverly…YOU rock.
