At first glance, Palm Beach millionaire Frank McKinney might be mistaken for the lead singer of a 90’s era heavy metal or rock band with his long blonde hair, and leather coat, but no, as the founder of Caring House Project Foundation, a non-profit nearly a decade in existence, he is not into show business, but in the charity business, or to hear him tell it, the human capital business, as he and his staff strives to make people in Haiti self-sufficient, shelter-wise.

McKinney straddles two worlds. A dichotomy he calls it. He has made millions as a real estate magnate, building the world’s most affluent homes for the world’s wealthiest in the most opulent and exclusive neighborhoods in South Florida, on one hand. On the other hand, the organization he created, builds shelter in the Third World for Haiti’s most impoverished. Caring House (named after a soup kitchen for the homeless where McKinney once volunteered) has built dozens of home communities in Haiti, from St. Michel to Gonaives to Cap Haitian to lesser known cities like Paroty and Makandal. When Hurricane Jeanne hit Gonaives, Haiti in 2004, McKinney and his organization’s staff were one of the first to land to provide emergency shelter, and build villages for the newly homeless.

McKinney believes immensely in what he calls RODD—Return of Donor Dollars, a type of Return of Investment (ROI) for the charity world, giving the most output for donor money.

Between his hectic schedule as the founder of Caring House, his home building business, and his work as an author (he is the author of several books, whose sale proceeds go directly to his non-profit), Mr. McKinney graciously agreed to talk to us.

Out of all the countries in the world, what made you settle on Haiti?
The way we fell on Haiti was really a funny story. But when I first moved to Florida when I was a teenager [from Indiana], I didn’t have the benefit of pursuing a formal education. I got a job, and I was a sand caster at a golf course. So I was filling those little holes with white sand. And I had to get up at 4 in the morning. I had to be at that golf course working early. And I was the only white person working maintenance on a golf course. I was really proud to have such a job.

Listen, I don’t believe in the entitlement mentality, that’s sweeping the nation. I believe in working hard for it. Because I worked alongside Haitians, I earned the nickname the White Haitian. I’m very proud of that nickname, because Haitians are known for their work ethic, really hard workers. That nickname really stuck with me. I was just a maintenance worker at the time. There was no Caring House on the horizon. So fast-forward to 8 years later when we were doing a fundraiser for a group that was raising money to build houses in Honduras.

We allowed them to use one of my houses that we were building at the time to raise the money. When we were done, the host said, “Thank you for allowing us . to use your house to build 10 houses in the 2nd poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.” That’d be Honduras. Remember, I’m a linear thinker. I’m a simpleton. Not wholly educated. My response was, “Well, what’s the first poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, and why aren’t we there?” The host was like, “Haiti”. So with that white Haitian mentality, toppled with the fact that Haiti was considered the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere was what got us started.

Since the earthquake, does your organization find itself being really overwhelmed? Do you find that your work has doubled.
We established a Program of Work, so we work from that Program of work, so obviously we’re not stretching outside of it. We don’t take on more than the program work mandates. The only time we felt a little overburdened was when we got into a search program of rescue. That obviously wasn’t part of our Program of Work. I don’t think that I’ve been more innovative or more responsive in the fact that we were on the grounds 40 hours after the earthquake hit. We’re not in the search and rescue business, but we’re in the build villages and security business. Yet we put together a search and rescue team within 40 hours of the earthquake stopping, we were on the ground pulling people from the rubble. And that was the only time we felt burdened beyond our Program of Work, but that didn’t stop us, believing that Haiti is a country full of beautiful suffering tremendously after this earthquake, and that we needed to get over there. We weren’t bringing food; we weren’t bringing water. We were pulling people from collapsed buildings. And that was important. We’re back on task now. We’ve build 5 villages since the earthquake. And our program for 2012 will have us building 2 more villages. So we’re dedicated. We love Haiti. I go there at least twice a year. Maybe not in my lifetime will we see a big difference, but it will make a difference to those people we provide shelter to.

What was the difference between when you first went to Haiti, compared to what you had been fed by the media.
You can imagine. Nothing can you for the assault on your senses when you get to Haiti, and that was before the earthquake. If you’re used to the things that the United States provides you, you the more shocked you’ll be. After you get over that initial assault on your senses, you’re prepared to do the little good that you can. My skin is pretty thick, so I wasn’t concerned or afraid. Believe me, I’ve been in other places where people tried to kill or kidnap me. But they’d never find me again. I never felt afraid for my life. The only thing that did really get to me early, was this feeling when I came back to the United States, was this overwhelming feeling of guilt when I took my family out to dinner. I struggled with that. I told someone who had been to Haiti, “You know I feel really guilty about spending my money on anything other than my basic needs. I don’t feel like going to the movies. I don’t feel like spending money on [luxurious ] things.” They [friends] helped me get over that. [They said,] “I want you to go out tonight. I want you to enjoy yourself. That’s the life that you’re living here. You keep doing what you’re doing in Haiti, but don’t allow that guilt to run or ruin your life,” and I’m glad I listened to them.

Those two villages that Caring House is going to be building, have you determined where they’re going to be?
I can tell you that one of them is going to be in the Jeremie area. I don’t know where the other one is going to be. It may be up in Cabaret. Those are two areas that we’ve worked in before and we’ve had good success.

How do you pick the location for the villages? Do you have a staff down there that scouts locations and see where there’s the most need?
We actually don’t. We don’t have a staff in Haiti at all, because of our Return on Donation that we gotta reference. We’re constantly getting requests for proposals, and requests for assistance. Some of our partners we’ve had for years, and they’ve been working there for years, so we’ll go to them, and we’ll be like, “We want to do another village”, so that’s how we decide where to do them. It’s hard to decide because there are so many places that need help.

If someone wants to help with the Caring House mission, obviously they can make donations, but what other ways can they help?
Right now we don’t take volunteers because Haiti has a really high unemployment rate. We can’t take a job away from somebody. We don’t even export materials, because I can buy all the stuff that we need down there from the locals, so that we’re kinda helping the local economy. Really, donations is what we need. I know how to stretch donation dollars really far. There are over different 65 donation options on our website ranging from a chicken to $8.50 all the way up to thousands of dollars. I had had one 26-year old guy just donate to build an entire village–$125,000. I’m not gonna send rice there. That’s not our thing. We’ll buy the rice when we get there. So it’s really the donations, that’s our lifeblood.

To make a donation to the Caring House Project go here.

You can see a video of McKinney in action below.

When Kona Shen first visited Haiti in 2007, the Brown University graduate couldn’t help but notice how popular soccer was as a sport. She even honed her Creole skills while playing the sport with a local soccer team in the city of Léogane, where her volunteer group was operating.

When an earthquake hit Haiti, Shen was part of a Committee that her alma mater organized to respond to the disaster. She traveled with Orphans Worldwide in early Spring of 2010 to help launch social and educational programs post-earthquake. Shen observed that even while dealing with the trauma of such a devastating disaster, neighborhood kids and adults were playing soccer in the streets. It was a sight to see how much an effect the game had on people young and old, and the connection it brought for earthquake victims who were coming head-to-head with the aftermath such a catastrophic events. The award-winning volunteer (A President’s Volunteer Service Award is among the honors Shen has received for her volunteerism) knew then that she had found her calling.

By May 2 of 2010, Shen founded Global Outreach and Love of Soccer—-G.O.A.L.S for short. Since then, the organization has launched off a series of community service projects and activities—including a tree planting initiative, a daily summer camp and soccer tournaments—to help engage the youth and adults of the community in Léogane and get them involved in environmental causes and improve their lives, through their mutual love of soccer. G.O.A.L.S serves nearly 500 kids in its city of origin. Shen, who speaks Creole, French, Spanish and Chinese was happy to discuss G.O.A.L.S.

Any particular reason why you founded the organization in the city of Léogane?
Léogane is the first place I visited in Haiti and I continue to love living and working here. I think that it is somewhat unique in Haiti because it has a relatively high population but it still feels rural and accessible. People are friendly and it’s safe. A lot of times, it feels like everyone knows everyone, and that makes for a great environment to work and live.

What do you love most about Haiti?
There is a lot that I love about Haiti, from the dancing and music to the food and history. In terms of GOALS, I love that people come together for soccer. Families and neighbors come out to watch games, kids share their tattered soccer balls, and everyone follows every play like it’s the World Cup. I think that kind of passion they have for the game, and the time and energy that kids and their coaches devote to improving, is truly inspiring.

How important is soccer to the lives of young kids in Haiti, from what you’ve seen?
Everywhere I’ve been in Haiti, kids will do just about anything to play soccer. They have so much fun with it, and their talent is clear to see. I love that no matter how many obstacles are in a kid’s life, that if they put in the hard work to get better at the sport, they improve. For a lot of kids, playing soccer is an equalizing experience.

What’s the biggest satisfaction you’ve garnered since the inception of the organization?
GOALS originally started as a small project, and we have been fortunate to have a chance to expand. I’m most satisfied seeing that there are now hundreds of kids who have access to these programs, and I am committed to making sure hundreds more will have a chance to join GOALS in the future.

Did you have any obstacles along the way?
We have had some obstacles here and there, but nothing major. The fact that we work very, very closely with local communities to pursue projects that they determine are important means that our priorities are the same as those of the people we are trying to help. I think approaching the work from this perspective helps avoid a lot of potential problems.

What are your goals, no pun intended, for GOALS in the next few years?
I am working to ensure that we are able to grow the programs in the next few years, and hopefully give many more kids access to the sport, community service, and education activities in Haiti. This will take an increase in support of our programs, as well as raising awareness about what we’re doing.

For those out there who might want to help with the GOALS mission—what can they do?
Please consider making a donation to sponsor a summer camper this year. It only costs $25 and will give a child in a rural area a unique chance to benefit from our different kinds of programs. Helping spread word about GOALS is also much appreciated. For information about our programs, how to donate, or links to our page on Facebook, please visit G.O.A.L.S Haiti.

On the road to healing: Cherylann and Len Gengel at a presentation, showing the public the plans for the Be Like Brit Orphanage. .

The earth shook in Haiti on January 12, 2010. So did the world of Cherylann Gengel and Len Gengel, a couple based in Boston, whose daughter Britney was traveling with classmates and staff of Lynn University. First, the Gengels were told that Britney had been found alive, and then there were the harrowing moments leading to their founding out that their daughter had perished during the disaster.

The Gengels cherished the last text they received from Britney in which she expressed the desire to go live in Haiti after graduation and start an orphanage there. To this end, the Gengels purchased a lot in Grand Goave Haiti (selected because this had been the next city in Haiti, she and her crew were going to visit when she died), where they have built an orphanage in her name—Be Like Brit.

The Gengels have also authored a book entitled Heartache and Hope: The Britney Gengel story (with writer Gary Brozek), which chronicles their continuous journey to healing. All proceeds from the book will benefit the orphanage. Mrs. Gengel discussed the orphanage, and of course the young woman who will always be the apple of her eyes, Britney.

Q & A

Do you remember exactly where you were, when you heard about the earthquake in Haiti in 2010?
Yes, I was in my kitchen starting to cook dinner.

Sometimes when people experience the depth of pain and sorrow that you experienced with Britney’s death in Haiti, they tend to have animosity towards the place they associate with their pain and trauma. Such was not the case with you.
How Britney died was no one’s fault-it was an earthquake. I have a very strong faith and I know that she is with God and in a much better place. To know that she is not suffering at all and knowing that we will be together one day makes it a bit easier.

Many people lost loved ones in the earthquake. The grieving is non-stop. The pain—immeasurable. What has especially helped you and your family cope with the loss of Britney?
I have been blessed with so much support, especially from our family, our friends and from thousands of total strangers. My two sons, Bernie & Richie are my main concern and they are my motivator to keep on going!

Britney Gengel posing with schoolchildren in Haiti.

You’re involved with the orphanage built in Britney’s name.
I have been working with our Programming Committee. We have been deciding on what will happen inside the building once it was complete. How the children will be raised, discipline, etc. I have also been working on the fundraising for BLB and I do the bookkeeping for BLB.

What was the writing process like for the book? It’s co-authored by you and your husband. Was it written at intervals?
Gary interviewed us by phone for over 60 hours. We did it in many sessions. At times it was too painful to sit keep going, we needed to take a break. Most of the discussions were taken two years ago, but we just went to Colorado this summer and spent some time with to finish the book.

A view of the early construction of Be Like Brit Orphanage in Grand Goave. The orphanage houses 33 kids.

What message would you like to send out to other mothers who find themselves losing a loved one in a natural disaster or in other unexpected circumstances?
I will not tell another mother how she should feel or what will happen or what she can expect. It is all so individual—no right or wrong way to go through this. I have been with many moms that have lost children in different ways and they all have different ways of handling it and they are all in different places in the grieving process. I wish I could say, “Read this book and go through stages 1-10 and at the end you’ll be done grieving”. Just doesn’t happen that way!

To everyone who knew Britney, she was a joy to be around. What do you especially miss about her?
I honestly miss everything about her! I miss her laughing and telling stories about her friends; I miss her messy bedroom; I miss watching her walk down the hallway to her bedroom; I miss her sitting next to me and putting her head on my shoulder…just everything.

Photo Credit: John Gilooly (Gengel couple photo)

A couple of the members of the HEY team strikes a pose. Sainvil is second from the right.

Growing up in Philadelphia, Herman Dolce, Angelo Antoine, Marc Antoine, Gary Joanis, and Philippe Sainvil were more than good friends. They were all tied at the umbilical cord, culturally speaking, as their Haitian background was definitely a factor in bringing them together. Their relatives knew each other from the tight-knit Haitian community in Philly. Dolce and Antoine attended the same church—the Haitian Evangelical Baptist Church. Joanis’ grandmother often babysat Antoine, when he was a toddler.

In their teens, most of the little clique attended Martin Luther King High School. As they changed churches, as some of them moved, they remained friends, most of them reconnecting as students at Temple University or through the organization Coalition of Young Christians of Pennsylvania (of which several of them are still members). Their lives had gotten them to different directions, education-wise. Joanis had attended and earned a Bachelors in Science from Penn State University. Dolce had received a Bachelors from Temple University and a Masters from Lincoln University. Angelo Antoine had graduated Penn State University and was pursuing his Masters at Holy Family University. Sainvil opted to make gaining work experience as his priority, piling up plenty of experience as a banker and manager, while working towards his Associate’s degree in Business. Marc Antoine chose the communications sector, earning a Bachelors in Public Relations from Immaculata University. Before long, it was apparent that they all had developed another thing in common: an ardent passion for Haiti and a huge desire to promote a shift in this generation. It occurred to them that they could put the weight of all their education towards the good of Haiti. They put their minds together, and eventually got Haiti Engaging Youth, a non-profit organization, on its feet.

Gary Joanis was elected Vice President of Haiti Engaging Youth. Angelo Antoine was selected as Fundraising Chair, and Marc Antoine as the Ministerial Coordinator. Along the way they met Christelle Chery, a student at Penn State and Bianca Roseau, a hyperactive member of the Haitian Student Organization at Temple University. Chery currently serves as the Social Media Coordinator for Haiti Engaging Youth, while Roseau is the Fundraising Chairperson, most recently having overseen a successful fundraising fashion show. Gaelle Baptiste is the organization’s Youth Alliance Coordinator. She, Antoine, Sainvil, used to engage in cheerful chatter at basketball games, and probably didn’t fathom that they would come together for a more serious cause. To top things off, the group selected Gaelle Baptiste as College Coordinator and Dominique Goss, also a Temple University graduate, and the only non-Haitian among Haiti Engaging Youth, to serve as CFO.

As president of Haiti Engaging Youth—or Hey as it’s commonly called—Sainvil goes back and forth between his home in Pennsylvania and Haiti. His mission on each trip: to establish a continuous rapport with youths in Haiti and connecting them with other young people of Haitian background in the United States. But that is only part of the HEY mission. The organization actually has a three-sided objective. For one, to equip youths in Haiti with trade skills. For another, to distribute food (empty stomachs can’t make brains think, after all). It also has a medicine leg that makes sure that the region it serves is adequately supplied with medicine.

The team members of the non-profit organization work diligently to get new partners. They held a cultural day earlier this year, during which they educated attendees all over Philadelphia about the history of Haiti, and held a special presentation and featured a live painting done by Philadelphia-based visual artist Ivben Taqiy. The HEY team has worked with Temple University’s Haitian Student Organization on doing the aforementioned fundraising fashion show, and have a mission trip planned for this year. The team behind Haiti Engaging Youth is constantly brainstorming new ways to push the organization forward.

Mr. Sainvil and Mr. Antoine discussed the HEY organization in more detail to Kreyolicious.com.

Q & A

How did Haiti Engaging Youth get started?
PHILIPPE SAINVIL: Haiti Engaging Youth was established in April 2012. After going to Haiti in March 2012 for a week-long mission trip my life changed drastically. Once I returned to Philadelphia, I got together with Marc Antoine and Gary Joanis and we began to put words into action. Our team has expanded with Angelo Antoine, Christelle Chery, Herman Dolce, Gaelle Baptiste and Bianca Roseau. With everyone’s recent experiences in Haiti and being Haitian-American it made it easier for us to relate. We established HEY because we felt what was lacking is the interaction between the youth in the US and the youth in Haiti, in particular the Haitian diaspora. HEY was created to bridge the gap and to facilitate the building of relationships between the Haitian and American youth. We believe there is hope for Haiti. We believe in Haiti Engaging Youth. Hey!

Some members of the HEY team smile for the camera, at a fundraising event for the organization.

Growing up what were your perceptions of Haiti?
MARC ANTOINE: The perception I had of Haiti growing up came from two places. I had the perception of the media which always portrayed Haiti in a negative light, as if nothing good could ever come our of Haiti. Haiti was always illustrated as a destitute country, poverty stricken, and demonic. The other perception was from my parents, who really provided the foundation for my thoughts on Haiti. They told me that Haiti was like every place in the world, they told me that there were beautiful and rich parts and there were poor and struggling parts of the country. One thing they always made sure I knew was that Haiti was special for what we overcame through our history, and even if we did not have a lot like other countries, we had our pride. The perception has not changed much over the years. I was exposed to the good and the bad of Haiti at an early age, I have always been a proud Haitian and I find what I learned as a child about Haiti being reinforced in my experiences now.

SAINVIL: As a child growing up in the States the perception that was shown to be was that of Haiti being a poor country and the conditions even poorer. I was born in Haiti and came to the United States when I was three. I visited in the summer 2000 for the first time. I loved my time there. What was being shown and what I would hear did not match up with what I discovered once I actually set foot in Haiti. In March 2012, I went on a mission trip which was a life changing experience for me. That is when I realized Haiti is where I want to be and what I can do to help change the conditions.

One of your key strategies is to educate young Haitians with basic trade school skills in carpentry and masonry and electrical mechanics. Have the communities you’ve worked with in Haiti, been responsive to this approach?
SAINVIL: Currently we’ve been working in Pignon, Haiti which is located in the North Side close to Cap Haitian. We want to be as efficient as possible and not spread ourselves too wide or too thick so were initiating change one community at a time. The people of Pignon have been very responsive and energetic about our efforts to educate our fellow Haitians. We believe that targeting the youth population will allow future generations to benefit from the knowledge and skills that are obtained.

What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned from Hey?
SAINVIL: That Haiti is a strong country. With my interest for Haiti being at an ultimate high I realized that the saying, “Haitians are the strongest of people” is true to its testament. The perception has got even stronger. Just to sit down and have conversations with my fellow Haitians in Haiti and realize everything they have been through—and they are still standing strong—blows me away. I hope many others are able to experience what I have.

ANTOINE: The biggest thing I have learned since working with HEY is that there are a lot of young Haitians who are willing, eager, and radical enough to try and change Haiti. I always knew that there were proud Haitians, but from our travels I have been blessed to experience the fire that lies within the hearts of our Haitian youth. I really believe that the future of Haiti is dependent on our youth, and from what I have seen thus far, our youth are capable.

Do you partner with institutions to execute the educational part of your program?
SAINVIL: We do partner with institutions to assist us in executing our education initiative. We are also in talks with Constitution High School in Philadelphia to put together a community service initiative in place geared solely on assisting HEY. With our partnership with Constitution High we are planning to start a pen pal program where the students at CHS will be partnered with a student at a partner school in Haiti. Through this program students will be educated on the cultural differences between them and form a bond that can last a lifetime. The students at CHS are very ecstatic about working with HEY in many other aspects as well. Let’s get engaged!

You partner with pharmaceutical companies. I’m sure they have the best interests of the kids in mind. How do you make sure that these communities don’t become guinea pigs for new medications, or for medications that are banned in the U.S. and other countries?
SAINVIL: As fellow Haitian-Americans we made it our mission to never allow HEY to be an organization that exploits Haiti for reward or recognition. Any medicine we take over to Haiti will be in compliance with the Food and Drug Administration. We realize there are a significant number of people in Haiti who suffer from diverse conditions whether it be, high blood pressure, diabetes or malnutrition. Our initiative to assist in the medical area will be a program that is established in the future and will be in properly structured. We are currently focused on executing our Education focus efficiently one community at a time.

HEY member Marc Antoine speaks to a crowd of youths in Haiti.

In terms of how your different programs have been carried out and received…what has given you the most satisfaction in terms of results?
SAINVIL: In terms of results, our education initiative has given us the most satisfaction. To have the opportunity to educate the youth here in the states and in Haiti has been wonderful. The excitement and the enthusiasm that is shown when we are working in Haiti and in the States have been very gratifying. We plan to continue to carry this momentum in positioning HEY as a monument and not a movement. We believe there is hope for Haiti. We believe in Haiti Engaging Youth. Hey! We want to take this time to thank Kreyolicious Magazine for giving us the platform to speak about Haiti Engaging Youth. We look forward to future collaborations. Follow us on twitter and Instagram @HeyHaiti and like us on Facebook as Haiti Engaging Youth.

What are your biggest needs at this time, for those in the position to donate?
Our biggest needs from donators at this present time would be any contributions to constructing our first library and tech center. Whether it be monetary, computers, books, and so on. We appreciate any type of support as we are all working for Haiti.

What are the future plans of HEY?
SAINVIL: Our future plans for HEY consist of one day establishing a school equipped with updated technology and resources. We realize that reforming the school system is a tough task but assisting in providing these resources one community at a time will allow us to grasp a great deal of knowledge on how the school system works. Our vision for youth is Haiti is that they all receive the educational resources required to obtain the maximum amount of knowledge as possible. We plan to do fundraising to construct and strategically implement libraries and tech centers throughout Haiti. Other future plans for HEY consist of establishing Community Centers in local areas that will serve as a home base for education and sports activities. We want to continue to develop relationships with churches, institutions and businesses in the United States to raise the awareness. Often times on television, we see the negative aspects of Haiti, but what is not showed are the beautiful parts of Haiti. We think that education is the key that will open many doors and create a shift in our generation today. Of course, we feel as though there is more that can be done, but we plan on working project by project to avoid spreading ourselves to unattainable distances and assuring longevity. We are here to educate not only the youth in Haiti—but the youth in the United States. We are Haiti Engaging Youth.

P-Jay! His very name conjures up an image of a tall, baby-faced figure sporting dark sunglasses. His voice is smooth, like the surface of a well-peeled orange or a newly-polished coffee table. He exudes confidence without coming across as especially self-absorbed.

In P-Jay’s world, emotions are like wild beasts. They run in every forest, and in every wilderness. The song “Adikte”, for instance, recounts the story of an overly dependent young man, who likens his obsession with a beauty to a toxic addiction. In the video, the artist is accompanied by a singer Phat G, and the Blonde Venus that is the subject of their mutual obsession appears, her heartlessness apparent from her nonchalant facial expression.

“Facebook Love”, an uptempo track featuring rapper-singer Princess Eud and guest-starring Flav, touches upon the subject of social media lust—love that begins with a click, and often ends with an abrupt click.

P-Jay had a convo with Kreyolicious.com, as he wanted Kreyolicious.com to know him up close.

KREYOLICIOUS.COM: Tell us about yourself.

P-JAY: First off, I wanna thank you, and congratulate you on the good work. The stage name is P-Jay, but my real name is James Lamothe. Very simple guy, down-to-earth. Don’t go out much; very passionate about music.

KREYOLICIOUS.COM: Thank you…now…How did you get started in music?

P-JAY: I started music at a very young age. Growing up without my parents, music was like a replacement for me and that’s when I fell in love with it.

KREYOLICIOUS.COM: Pjay…Just how did you get that moniker?

P-JAY: My sister came up with the P-Jay name, and it sounded good, so we kept it. [Laughter]

KREYOLICIOUS.COM: Hah! When did you have your first performance?

P-JAY: First performance was at my school York College in New York.

KREYOLICIOUS.COM: What was it like?

P-JAY: Honestly, it was terrible. Worst performance ever…But I learned so much from it.

KREYOLICIOUS.COM: The singer Michael Jackson once said in an interview, “The greatest education in the world is watching the masters at work.” There must be some singers and performers who you truly admire—who you try to emulate, perhaps? Who are they? What do you like about them?

P-JAY: Jay-z always been a role model to me, I always thought his way of thinking was amazing. That business mind allowed him to be who he is right now. He’s a legend to me.

KREYOLICIOUS.COM: What’s it like being in the studio? Are you involved with the songwriting and production part of your musical career?

P-JAY: Unfortunately, I don’t make beats—that’s the only thing I don’t do. Other than that, I do everything else. But I haven’t found words powerful enough to describe how it feels when I’m in the studio. But I can tell you, that’s the only place I truly feel free. Just an amazing feeling.

KREYOLICIOUS.COM: Do you think it’s important for an artist to be an active participant in those aspects of their art?

P-JAY: Yes, I think so, but if you don’t have such a talent, I don’t think that stops you from being a great entertainer. But [if] you’re able to do so, it becomes you, because you get to truly express yourself.

KREYOLICIOUS.COM: What makes a great love song?

P-JAY: To me, honesty makes a great love song—when you’re not afraid to express your feelings, especially if you’re telling your own story. Most rappers are afraid to be honest when it comes to love. I enjoy every second of it, and [have] never been afraid to let my feelings out.

KREYOLICIOUS.COM: There is this notion that the minute a guy plops his lips open and sings, his appeal grows three-folds. A guy-singer is the ultimate prize for some, so to speak. The romantic aura and everything.

P-JAY: Female admirers are the best fans. They show you more love—not that the males don’t, but when you show up at a place, the females will be the first ones to scream or to yell out your name [saying] “Can I take a picture? Can I get a hug? Oh my God, its P-Jay”. [Laughter] But when it’s a male fan, he won’t show that much love just because he’s a man I guess. [Laughter]

KREYOLICIOUS.COM: It’s been said that there’s a degree of artificiality in the music business—that there aren’t any true friends, and that there is a degree of falseness. What are your thoughts on this?

P-JAY: I honestly think it’s true. I remember growing up, 50 Cent had a line like this: “These industry n___ are not friends, they just know how to pretend”. I totally agree. Music itself is a competitive art, so if you’re passionate you’re always wanna be better than the next one. And that’s cool, but most artists take it to the heart. That’s the sad part of it. I have experienced that so many times…

KREYOLICIOUS.COM: A lot of a performers tend to take up a cause. The singer Marvin Gaye was once quoted as having said, “Great artists suffer for the people.” Do you have a social cause that you’re championing at the moment?

P-JAY: I always did and always will. Maybe not a specific cause, but [have] always helped my own. Right now I’m focusing on my hometown—which is Jacmel. We’re helping with the hospitals, and making sure they have enough materials to work with. I also have my own foundation called PLIMPAM—[through which] we’re helping a lot of kids..

KREYOLICIOUS.COM: What have your parents said about your being in the music business?

P-JAY: My parents always supported me from the get-go. They always told me as long as that report card has an A in it…[Laughter] Yeah school was serious, and that’s all they asked for.

KREYOLICIOUS.COM: If you could give some advice to a newbie who’s entering the music business right now, what would you say to that individual?

P-JAY- If it’s not for the love of it, don’t even bother. It’s not an easy business and if you’re not mentally ready, it will destroy you…So, just put your heart in it.

KREYOLICIOUS.COM: What are some of the things that you hope to accomplish over the course of your career?

P-JAY: Be a role model for these young kids. Help as much as i can, put out a couple more albums—like three more, and put music on the side to focus on my kid and on being the best father I can be.

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