00:00Hey, what's up, man? I'm Rodney Rickard.
00:06And I'm Gia Peppers.
00:07The beautiful, fine, braided up Gia Peppers, man.
00:09Hey, thank you.
00:10We're at Essence Fest 2016 behind the velvet ropes.
00:13And Verizon inspires all through technology.
00:15So tonight we're going to talk to some of your favorite celebrities about what inspires them.
00:18That's right. Last night we had the fine Maxwell here
00:21and the beautiful, beautiful Kelly Rowland graced our couch to tell us what inspires them.
00:25So now we're going to see what inspires so many other celebrities that's walking through.
00:29Because if you're in this VIP access lounge, you know it's super lit back here.
00:32It's so much fun back here, man. It's going to be an absolute ball.
00:35From behind the velvet rope with Verizon, I'm Rodney Rickard.
00:38She's the braided up, all fly, crazy Gia Peppers, man. Enjoy it.
00:42Oh, man. Today's like my lucky day or something, man.
00:44Yes, come, come, Saran.
00:45Hey, come on up here.
00:46You look so beautiful.
00:47You're good, buddy. How you doing?
00:49Rodney, nice to meet you.
00:50Hi, mama. I'm Gia. Nice to meet you.
00:52Oh, man. It's my day. Today is my day.
00:56Yesterday was your day. You got Maxwell.
00:58Today is my day. I got all the beautiful women in the building.
01:01You know, you can have your day, man.
01:02What's the best piece of advice that you can offer for somebody who wants to walk off the path that's less traveled?
01:08I would just say to stay faithful and to stay on your craft.
01:15I feel like what's done in the dark soon comes to the light.
01:17And how much work you put into yourself and what you do is going to be, you know, revealed someday.
01:22And it will when it's your time. So, yeah.
01:25Timing is everything. Listen, man. Everything for sure.
01:28Literally. Literally.
01:29What was the biggest risk that you took?
01:31I feel like I've been taking risks all my life.
01:33You guys got to give some things up, man.
01:35You never know what God has planned for you.
01:37Now, we have this Verizon Samsung tablet right here.
01:39It's filled with amazing quotes.
01:40We just wanted you to choose one that let us know that spoke to you the loudest.
01:44Go ahead and choose one, man.
01:45You just pick it up.
01:46Okay, so I'm going to say yeah.
01:48Yeah.
01:49Yeah.
01:50Yeah.
01:51There we go.
01:52The future rewards those who press on.
01:54I don't have time to feel sorry for myself.
01:56I don't have time to complain.
01:58I'm going to press on our 44th president, Barry O. Barack Obama.
02:02Why that quote, man?
02:04I just feel like it kind of describes, I'm not kind of, but it fully describes my whole career.
02:08You know, just myself over the years.
02:10I just never stopped, man.
02:11I became and maintained my persistence and my work ethic.
02:14And over time, you know, that's really why I feel like I'm still here.
02:17I just never stop.
02:18So anybody who ever quits, you know, it was a slogan.
02:21Don't quit it.
02:22Stick with it.
02:23You're bound to get it.
02:24And that just always stuck with me.
02:25Yes, sir.
02:26We got New York City in the building.
02:27What's up, man?
02:28How you feeling, brother?
02:29Very good.
02:30All right.
02:31Got the chest out.
02:32I see you, man.
02:33I see you playing.
02:34Nice to meet you.
02:35How are you?
02:36Good.
02:37Have a seat here.
02:38Have a seat.
02:39Tell us why you chose that quote in particular.
02:40You know, I'm at that point in my life right now where I feel like so much in life is about
02:46choice, you know?
02:47So you can have those bad moments in your life, but every morning you have to choose to wake
02:53up, choose to kind of persevere, choose to go on, choose happiness no matter what's going
02:58on in your life.
02:59So for me, it's all about choice and not allowing yourself to get sucked into all that negativity
03:04and kind of what's going on with you.
03:06Absolutely.
03:07But choose happiness.
03:08Choose to move on.
03:10As black girls who rock, what's the best piece of advice that you can offer to some
03:13young sisters out there who maybe want to have the same journey as you?
03:16Stay true to yourself.
03:17You know, you're beautiful.
03:20Accept who you are and don't worry about what people say.
03:24Just got to let all of that go and just be yourself.
03:27True indeed.
03:28Same for you.
03:29Same thing, but also take risks.
03:31Like, don't be afraid.
03:32Like, Alex helped me get out of my fairness of singing in front of people.
03:38So, like, things like that.
03:39Just continue to go and, like, grow.
03:41Go and grow.
03:42So I think that'll help.
03:43Awesome.
03:44We are so proud of you guys.
03:45We can't wait to see what you all do.
03:47Same beauty, Wonderland Records, and we're here at the Behind the Velvet Rope.
03:50Verizon Inspires.
03:51If y'all weren't inspired by that, I don't know what's going to inspire you.
03:53Everyone that we've met today has a really great story, and yours is especially great.
03:56And we're using the hashtag Verizon Inspires for the entire campaign.
04:00Tell us what mantra you tell to yourself to keep you going and keep you going back to auditions, whether it's yes or no.
04:06What inspires you to motivate you to make sure you're showing up every day as this Christian that we're seeing here?
04:12Well, first of all, I love that the Verizon Inspires, that whole thing in general.
04:16Just the positivity is amazing.
04:17And we need more of that.
04:18We need more of that.
04:19Yeah, yeah.
04:20My son inspires me.
04:21You know, not having, you know, parents around and a father around, I get to enjoy it double.
04:27You know, I get to enjoy it for me, selfishly.
04:30And then, you know, and then exposing him to, like, the New Edition concert last night at the Essence Band.
04:36They was rocking in that camera.
04:37Your son is here?
04:38Yeah.
04:39Your son is here?
04:40Yeah.
04:41So, just getting a chance to let him do all the things that I didn't do at 13, 14, you know, as he grows.
04:49And remembering what I missed out on, you know, having to learn how to throw a football from guys in the neighborhood, I get to do that with him.
04:55You know, show him how to shoot a jump shot.
04:57But he inspires me.
04:58And what I keep telling myself and reminding myself is that I believe, I'm a firm believer that God will take you as high as you are low.
05:05So, if your depth is any indication of how high you're going to go, then God's got some work to do because I was pretty low.
05:12So, you know, he's got some great things set up for me already.
05:16And he's going to continue doing the same as long as I continue working and staying humble and giving him credit.
05:20You can't change your energy.
05:21You know, you can't change who you are as a person.
05:24All you can do is train and be prepared.
05:27I would say that luck is when preparation meets opportunity.
05:30I mean, I didn't create that, obviously, but I say it a lot.
05:33I steal it and I use it a lot.
05:35But it's so true.
05:36It's just kind of like as long as you're staying ready.
05:38I've had thousands of no's, thousands of no's before I got that first yes.
05:44And then work begets more work.
05:46So, once it starts, you know, once the train starts going, you pick up that speed and eventually you're at your destination.
05:53What's the best piece of advice that you can offer to someone who wants to be an actor and wants to have that kind of longevity?
05:59What's the best piece of advice you can give them?
06:01The best piece of advice is when you can't get anyone to open the door, open the door yourself.
06:08Knock it down.
06:10Create your own thing.
06:12I created my own thing.
06:14I couldn't get into Play Beauty Shop where I started.
06:16So, I created a character and then I presented it to the director and the writer.
06:20I said, this would be great on your show.
06:22Wow.
06:23It's always about, first of all, you've got to always be positive and a light.
06:28No one wants a dark cloud coming at them.
06:30But if you are a light and happy when you come in the room and you meet people and you say, hi, how you doing?
06:35I'm doing this.
06:36And you're not aggravating.
06:37Just like, you know what?
06:39Any advice or can you help me or this is what I do?
06:41Thank you and move on.
06:43But always be a light to people.
06:45That's the best piece of advice.
06:47Good piece of advice.
06:48That's a really, really good piece of advice.
06:50And one of the biggest hashtags that we're using this entire campaign is Verizon Inspires.
06:55So, what inspired you all to get into the entertainment field?
06:58It's a hard field to get into and to stay in.
07:01So, tell me, each of you, what inspired you to get into this entertainment journey?
07:05I always knew from a really young age that this is what God had for me.
07:08I grew up in a church where music was very, very important.
07:11And I grew up singing in church and in the church plays and stuff like that.
07:15And so, it was really God-inspired and it's the only reason I'm here.
07:21What about you?
07:22My dad was a singer, so it's just always been in my blood.
07:27Music has just been my first love and then acting came when I was around 12.
07:31And I just can't live without, you know, both.
07:34So, I love it so much.
07:36We got to get your answer as well.
07:38Okay. You too far.
07:39You're not off the hook.
07:41Well, I started acting when I was very young and singing came along as well.
07:46And I did dance classes and things like that.
07:48And I think that acting and singing and dancing for me is a way of self-expression.
07:53And being able to actually like breathe in life, you know.
07:56I think all of us have so much life within us.
07:58And being able to do that as our job is why we are here today.
08:03Go ahead and put it up there on the screen for the people out there.
08:05You just press yes.
08:06Yes.
08:07Let's see which one comes up.
08:09Oh.
08:10We may encounter many defeats, but we must not be defeated.
08:13Dr. Maya Angelou.
08:14Yes.
08:15Yes.
08:16Tell me why you chose that quote.
08:17Because, I mean, you know, being an entrepreneur, a business woman, as well as, you know, being
08:22a hairstylist, a lot of times you may not always, you know, be successful at every little thing
08:29that you do, but I don't like to look at failure as failure.
08:33I look at it as a learning experience to come back and do better.
08:37Yeah.
08:38So I don't accept defeat.
08:40What piece of advice would you give to people who want to one day be in your shoes?
08:44What's the biggest thing that you've taken away?
08:46I would say run towards the very thing that you fear.
08:48Wow.
08:49Don't let that, you know, sometimes we operate like this.
08:51There's that voice that goes, who do you think you are?
08:53They're not going to like you.
08:54You're not enough.
08:55You're not the, and you have to learn to silence that and do it scared.
09:00Because on the other side, it's always blessings.
09:03Even if you say, to be able to say, I tried it, at least I tried it.
09:07Because you don't want to look up in 20 years and be, that's why I left The View, honestly.
09:11Because I felt, I wanted to get back into my acting and I said, if I stay another season,
09:16envy is going to come on me.
09:17Right.
09:18Because I'll be sitting next to you interviewing you about Gene of the Joneses and be sitting
09:22here with my cards going, what if I had tried it?
09:25And it was, and I don't like that feeling.
09:27So it's like, you have to, you don't want to look up and live in regret.
09:30So run towards the thing that you fear.
09:32Just do a scare, because it got to get done.
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