Notable People I've Met or Came Across throughout My Life Part 2

As promised, I'm back this week to continue what we started. To those of you who've shared their personal stories of celebrities you've met: Thank you...I enjoyed them as well 😁

This time I'll walk you through the stories of those individuals I encountered from the time I moved to New Orleans, Louisiana up until the day Hurricane Katrina hit.

Roxanne "Rocsi" Diaz -- Is an American television and radio personality, as well as a model. Rocsi was a familiar face on B.E.T.'s "106 and Par

k" from 2006-2012. She was a correspondent on "Entertainment Tonight" 2012-2014 where she was billed "Rocsi Diaz". Rocsi is originally from Tegucigalpa, Honduras but moved to New Orleans, LA as a child with her family. She is of Honduran and Chilean descent. Rocsi graduated from West Jefferson High School then went on to graduate from Nicholls State University.

I moved to New Orleans, LA in 1998 with my father and enrolled in West Jefferson High School also. I graduated from "West Jeff" in 2001 and based on her age she would have graduated around the same time. So I went to school with Rocsi, but I don't remember seeing her at all. I've had some school mates ask me if I remember her -- but I don't. I do remember the Latino's hangout at school -- even some of their faces and names -- but not her. So technically she shouldn't be on this list because I didn't meet or see her. However, I felt, since we were so close in proximity, I had to mention her 😁 I don't know what she's doing nowadays, but I wish her the best.

Jerome "DJ Jubilee" Temple -- New Orleans has its own genre of music called "Bounce". Now I don't like Bounce, but I respect it. I never even knew this genre existed until I was dropped into New Orleans culture. At West Jefferson High School, a couple of times, I saw some schoolmates entertained by a "Martin Lawrence" looking, Special Education teacher. I found out later who he was: DJ Jubilee. He dressed neat and fashionable and wore a noticeable "Take IV" gold chain (his record label). He seemed humble, yet serious about his job. I saw him a couple of times dancing a little, but this was done as respectable as one could while maintaining leadership at a school. I would later find out that this man was a pioneer behind the genre Bounce! Then I heard his music and saw his videos 😁 I even saw him "Uptown" in his gold Acura Legend as I sold fruit bags (a business my father established) at intersections.

Its not like I know DJ Jubilee, but I saw him regular enough to think that he remembers me as well.

Just a few years ago I saw him highlighted in The Times-Picayune as a coach for a little league football team. DJ Jubilee has been coaching for years! Apparently, he has a passion for helping youth. I wish we had more leaders like yourself in the Black community Jubilee 😁

Other facts about Jerome "DJ Jubilee" Temple: He graduated from Gambling State University as a football coach and Special Education teacher. In 1982 he started his DJ career. His most popular song came out in 1994 "Stop Pause (Jubilee All)". Check the video out 😁

Goldie – For those who remember sometime between '02-'03, Goldie became a host of her own local TV show in New Orleans, LA. But, before those days, she use to buy clothes wholesale from our clothing store, Clothing Outlet. I've even brought clothes to her house in the St. Bernard Projects.

Seeing her show all of her gold teeth on TV was cool -- especially since I knew her 😁 I hadn't heard from her since those wholesale days at the Clothing Outlet, but I'm hoping she's excelling.

Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews -- Use to come to my family's clothing store "Clothing Outlet" all the time. I can remember vividly the first time a guy -- we knew as his cousin -- told us who Trombone Shorty was. At the time, he hadn't become the Trombone Shorty he is today, but he had to be up and coming. This was in the late 90's and early 2000's. My family and I received him wholeheartedly, but still didn't understand his skill -- hell, back then I'd never heard him play to even appreciate him. Well later on in life, I would see him in "The Times-Picayune", see him perform on TV, hear his name in certain conversations, and hear my Auntie Yolanda tell me about his music and a concert she attended. I currently have every album Trombone Shorty has made (that I know of). I mean...I feel obligated to support him, even from where I am! After all -- he supported me 😁

Trombone Shorty, born Jan. 2 1986, is an American musician, producer, actor and philanthropist. He's known as a trombone and trumpet player, but also can play the drums, the organ, and the tuba. He started playing the trombone at the age of 4! He was also nominated for a Grammy award for best contemporary jazz album, for his album "Backatown". Keep up the good work brother!! 😁

Cameron "Big Gipp" Gipp -- Is an Atlanta, GA born rapper who turned 48 years old April 28. He's probably most know for what he contributed to the group Goodie Mob. Goodie Mob is an Atlanta based rap group who made an impact in hip-hop with their conscious lyrics. Some of the groups popular songs are: Soul Food, Cell Therapy and Black Ice (Sky High) feat. Outkast.

I go to Greenbriar Mall every time I go back to ATL to visit. One time, while my mother and I were shopping, I spotted Big Gipp in Greenbriar Mall walking by himself. He was low key, but he has a distinct face. You know -- the kind that only a mother could love 😁 Well, as I walked past him I holla'd out "What's up Goodie?!" He smiled and acknowledged me as we both kept it moving. I'm certainly a big Goodie Mob fan. I've owned every album that they've had -- and that's 5 albums!

Antonia "Toya" Johnson -- Is commonly known for being Lil Wayne's 1st child's mother. She and Lil Wayne met at a corner store when she was 12 and he was 13. At 14, she became pregnant with their daughter. On November 29, 1998 she gave birth to their daughter, Reginae Carter. She owns a boutique called "G.A.R.B." in New Orleans, Louisiana, and "GARB Shoetique" in Smyrna, Georgia. Johnson starred in her own reality show on "BET" called "Toya: A Family Affair".

However, before her own accomplishments, I saw her once in front of the suite of our family clothing store, Clothing Outlet. She was in a black Porsche Boxster and headed upstairs from the Clothing Outlet to get a tattoo from "Dirty South Tattoos". How did I know who she was? The owner from the tattoo shop gave me a heads up 😁

Byron "Mannie Fresh" Thomas -- It was sometime in the early 2000's when I met Mannie Fresh. However, it wasn't formal -- it was business. In the era of white tees, a wholesaler of the "Clothing Outlet" named Big D knew him and wanted to sell him a couple dozen of white tees. Big D's problem was that he didn't want to buy all of those tees from me at once, especially not knowing what sizes Mannie Fresh would want or how many he would buy. So I went with him. We went Uptown to Shakespeare's Park where Cash Money Records was hosting some event. It was probably thousands of people there -- so it was crowded. Big D introduced me to Mannie Fresh. I spoke, but mainly stayed silent. After some small talk between "D" and "Fresh" -- plus a few distractions -- "D" sold him a few dozen of tees. I felt he overcharged him, but it was none of my business. It was his deal and I was just there to do two things: (a) keep an eye on my property and (b) to collect the wholesale rate of the t-shirts.

Two things that stand out to me that day: (1) Big D trying to point out Lil Wayne to me, whom I couldn't see due to all of the people around. (2) Mannie Fresh showed Big D a location to put the shirts and told him that he'd get back with him in a second, to which Big D responded that we would wait. At the time I didn't understand why Big D didn't just do what Mannie Fresh suggested. However, Big D told me that entertainers use tactics like that so they don't have to pay at all. It seemed logical to me.

Nowadays I don't hear much about Mannie Fresh, but I'd imagine that he's doing stuff behind the scenes. A little history on Mannie Fresh: Mannie Fresh became a DJ in 1984. He turned 52 on March 20, 2021. Mannie Fresh is best known for his production in Cash Money Records as a producer, song writer, and rapper. He produced all or more of the songs on 17 multiplatinum, or gold albums from 1998-2004. His top song probably was Still Fly.

Lil Razor -- I didn’t even know Razor was a rapper until after Hurricane Katrina. I saw him on a DVD promoting his skills and dealing with events leading up to and after Hurricane Katrina. But before I saw him on the big screen, I saw him on multiple occasions at our clothing store, Clothing Outlet. Plus I was dating a female cousin of his -- so I saw him a few times in the "Iberville Project" while chilling there with her. One of his hits was In My City. I don't know what he's up to these days -- or her! So Razor, if you're reading this: First of all how are you doing? But next, tell your cousin to holla at me 😁

Corey "C-Murder" Miller -- Is Master P's brother and was a "No Limit" artist until he created his own record label "T.R.U. Records". He made his name known in the entertainment world by representing the Calliope Project and helping to put New Orleans on the map during the early 90's at a time when the East Coast had the Hip-Hop game in a choke hold. C-Murder is also known for dating the R and B singer Monica. This year on March 9, C-Murder turned 50 years old.

In 2002, C-Murder was arrested for the murder of 16 year old Steve Thomas and sentenced to life August 14, 2009. He maintains his innocence.

C-Murder is the only famous person that I saw in society and in prison. One night in 2002-2003 I saw him at the Chevron Gas station, by my house on Wabash St. in Algiers, LA. I was getting out of my car to go pay for some gas when I heard a female excitedly say (to the person she was riding with) that she had saw C-Murder. I paid for my gas and on the way back to my car I saw him pumping his gas. He was driving a Ford Excursion S.U.V. that had some rims with mud tires on it. The thing that stood out the most to me though, was the custom T.R.U. sign, in the grill of the S.U.V., that replaced where the Ford sign would normally go. I had to say something to him so I said "Keep keeping it real 'C'". To which he responded something like "You already know it". I would later see him at DCI playing basketball, at Angola playing soccer, and at Hunt during a boxing match. And here's the thing: Corey Miller was alright as a basketball player, but probably better at soccer. He was the goalie y'all 😁

He's continued to put out music despite his incarceration, and I have supported him when I could. He wasn't the best rapper, but I liked his realness.

Christopher Noel "B.G." Dorsey -- Started his rap career in 1994 at the age of 14, but didn't gain National or Global attention until he signed with "Cash Money Records" in 1996. B.G. was a main ingredient to the success of Cash Money Records from the mid 90's until the early 2000's. In 1999 his album "Chopper City in the Ghetto" went Platinum.

I saw B.G. a few times in New Orleans: A couple of times while traveling "Uptown" across from the "Magnolia Projects". One of those times I saw him in front of a neighborhood corner store -- at night. He had on a bucket hat, his gold teeth were shining, and he had the Hummer parked in front of the store like he owned it. I saw him once again at the gas station next to our family clothing store, Clothing Outlet. Then there were times I saw him driving around in a nice black Nissan "Titan". I've never actually met him, but I saw him around often.

B.G. is currently in federal prison. On November 3, 2009 he was arrested in New Orleans after a traffic stop found that he had 3 illegal guns. He was sentenced to14 years in 2012.

Jesseca "darealbbjudy" Dupart -- If you know about "Miracle Drops" or any other products from "Kaleidoscope Hair Products", then you know who I'm talking about.

I can honestly say that I knew Jesseca Dupart, but I don't know "Da Real Big Booty Judy". One was my girlfriend and the other is a business guru who's on top of the world. However, I can say that I did see the potential for this type of success due to her hustle. Jesseca was the only woman I was with that had as much hustle as me! During the times she would stay by me, she would be up before me and came back home after me. She got it in! And that was just as a stylist. I met Jesseca at my family's clothing store, Clothing Outlet sometime around 03'-04'. She actually rented a booth at a hairsalon located in a suite right about us.

I'm not gonna go into how we broke up, because it was bad. Really bad! However, I will say that we are good. I reached out to her some years ago and she stayed in touch for a while and even aided me. Jesseca is now engaged to Da Brat and her business is steady on the incline. If you haven't tried her products but I have family members who have, so I encourage you to visit her website iluvcolors.com and try them out. I've heard nothing but good reviews. So Jesseca...even though we don't stay in touch any more, I truly wish you success in your life as well as your business. Much Love 😁

Garret Morris -- is an actor that can be easily overlooked -- but you know him! Born Feb. 1, 1937 he's an American comedian, actor, and singer. He was part of the original Saturday Night Live cast from 1975-1980. He starred on the infamous show The Jefferson's as Jimmy from 1983-1984. He was in the movie "Car Wash" as the character "Slide" in 1976. Mr. Morris played the character Uncle Junior on "the Jamie Foxx Show" and Stan Winters on "The Martin Lawrence Show" from 1992-95. Lastly, he made the Hall of Fame in 2017 for "Outstanding Comedy-Variety or Music Program” and he interviewed on Strong Black Legends that aired on Netflix.

In the early 2000's, a loyal customer of our clothing store, Clothing Outlet was serving as Garret Morris' personal driver during a "Jazz Festival" in New Orleans. I assume that Mr. Morris must have asked him to go to a clothing store and he brought him straight to the Clothing Outlet. When Mr. Morris entered, there weren't many words exchanged just a general greeting on both sides while Mr. Morris looked around the store. Before he exited, he spoke again and left without purchasing anything. I guess we didn't have what he was looking for. But hey, thanks for coming anyway 😁

Deja Vu -- In the early 2000's Deja Vu was a teenage Bounce rap artist from New Orleans, Louisiana. She had a local hit entitled I Got Yo Man. I don't know if she was a one hit wonder or not, but I don't believe her music grew past local attention.

She and her mother came to the Clothing Outlet in the early 2000's in hopes that we would allow them to put up a flyer of Deja Vu's first and latest album "Boss B*tch Status" in our store. You know we didn't deny her 😁

What was odd to me was how shy Deja Vu was. She stayed in the car while her mother did the talking. This seemed to be a contradiction from the Bounce artist, I got yo man, Boss B*tch Status attitude that she was advertising. Nevertheless, as I said, she was young.

I don't know what she's doing these days but I still wish her success. I'd put your flyer up 1000 times girl 😁 I just don't know if I'd be cool with letting my daughter listen to your music 😁😁😁

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Well, our journey is over this week. I've shared with you everyone I met and saw from the time I moved to New Orleans, Louisiana (1998) up until Hurricane Katrina (2005). I hope you enjoyed :-) Next week I'll start from the day after Hurricane Katrina and bring you to 2008. There is a special reason I stopped on the day after Katrina and the year 2008. Join me next week to find out why?

For those of you who are still holding back with your stories: Shame on you! I'm still waiting to hear from you though.

Much Love, Soul