Jasmine A. aka BABYAFRICA

Jasmine Armani Sandoval is a 19 year old poet/model from Inglewood, California. Jasmine has been back and forth from Inglewood to the Valley throughout her life, and her experiences in these times have shaped her into the person she is. Living in Inglewood taught her that there is a lot of untrustworthy people, and the only person that truly has her back is herself. She was able to then turn a somewhat negative situation into a positive by being able to express herself through word. Her poetry is inspired a lot by past relationships, rough patches in her life, and many emotions she held within that she never expressed verbally. She is also in the process of writing a poetry book. Some of her literary influences include Eartha Kitt, Kendrick Lamar, and Lauryn Hill. She also plans on moving more into the modeling industry as well. As a women with tattoos, she hopes to change the flow of the modeling business, so that tattoos will become more prevalent, and stereotypes about them will diminish over time.

Please start by telling us about you. Where you are from, where you are based, your full name & what do you do. In detail if you could!

J: My name is Jasmine Armani Sandoval I'm a inglewood baby I moved back to inglewood so that's where I'm at rn I write poetry hope to take my writing somewhere far in my career I'm not one for that 9-5. 

 Do you plan to relocate? What are some more of your dreams and aspirations? Do you want to showcase a piece of poetry with your write up? What inspires you and what kind of poetry do you like writing?

J: Yeah actually I love inglewood but I feel like I been here too long now I'm moving back to the valley um another aspiration I'd say not a dream is to just be somebody and be known I don't wanna call it a dream bc it's not like it's something that can't happen u know I want to me wealthy and be able to move my family out the hood not just me I been out the hood and back for a while but I still got a granny that live on fig you know and I'm showcase my poetry I'm in the process of writing a poetry book but I don't think I'm ready to do anything like get on stage and speak word I'll get anxiety what inspired me to write poetry is honestly just men and rough patches in my life and my sea of emotions I can't even handle all of them so I just write everything I feel I've never been good with verbal communication so that's how I express myself.

Oh another is to go somewhere with modeling I want more models with tattoos. 

 That's awesome! Who are your favorite poets? What is your favorite poem? Why? Do you have any goals for 2016? How are you going to get people to support models with tattoos?

J: Eartha Kitt is one of my favorite poets so is Kendrick Lamar Lauren hill Erykah Badu my favorite poem is one by me called x my goal for 2016 is to stay focused and not let anything distract me get my mind right and I think people will support what they relate too a lot of models aren't even seen like real ppl and its fucked up that there are so many people who are beautiful and qualified enough to model but can't because of art on their body it doesn't make sense I've never seen anyone on a billboard for Gucci or anything with tattoos people are looked down on for having tattoos or looked at a certain negative way when they shouldn't be I have a face tattoo a hand tattoo and neck tattoo people might see me and think I'm  a criminal and I have no record at all you shouldn't judge someone by their choice of art an artist should not sacrifice his or her art for anyone. 

What's your stance on tattoos and anything permanent for self expression? Could you talk to us about how living in the hood has molded you into the artist you are today? What experiences have helped you in branding and molding you?

J: I'm not saying your tattoos have to have meaning it's your body your art so get what u like and what u won't be tired of looking at self expression is very important before I learned it I had mental breakdowns so often because I would hold everything in u have to find whatever outlet is best for you living in the hood has molded me to be smarter and more aware of my surroundings dead ass going to school in south central taught me to never trust anyone I never knew how fake people were when I was going to school in Hawthorne and Lawndale it hasn't just molded my art but me which is a reflection of my art it has to do with why my poems are so dark in content and filled with anger and sadness what experiences helped me brand and mold me was my dad being in and out of jail and doing young nigga shit fucking with checks and running up in people house all the times I was fucked up and put in positions where I could get raped and just put myself in bad situations where things could have been worst than it was. 

Fuck on a side note, this shit is so inspiring to me. Could you give us a personal experience about south central? And we're you okay with showcasing one poetry from you for this or no? 

Either or is okay. We just want our viewers and your fans to know a personal you.

How did you start modeling and what kind of shoots do you like to do?

J: Thank you! And just going to school in south central period was wack especially prior to that I was independent studies  in the valley so they like oh here this valley bitch who think she better than everybody and she pretty and my dad would drop me off in fancy cars and shit so a lot of people would only want to be my friend because they assumed I had money the other people would hate on me cause all the hood niggas liked me there was an issue one incident it was when the hoovers and the a tre gangsters was feuding word got around school and the teachers would put the school on lock down (mostly hoovers went to school there) this particular time they didn't so it's after school and what do u know some a tre niggas pull up and press the Hoover niggas and you already know all hell break loose they start fighting (it's a small ass campus only like 7 classrooms) so everyone saw everyone came out it was a big mess u saw niggas getting knocked out left and right just slumped it was like a riot it went all the way into the street one of the niggas got knocked out and feel on my mom car made a big ass dent basically the Hoover niggas won and the staff made everybody get the fuck on police came and it was a big fucking mess we got  let out hella early that entire week incase the a tre niggas came back tryna shoot it was just always gang shit going on every day walking to catch the bus home u would run into the homies like be safe somebody just got shot on Manchester and  Vermont shit like that. 

And I wouldn't say I'm a model I'm not signed and I'm still working on my portfolio I do photo shoots tho and get paid and have done some without getting paid. 

I never even wanted to model because I was told I am too short for runway that's y I got all these tattoos and gave up on that shit but I recently decided to do it anyway and I actually really want to do a edgy shoot like red lighting and in a messy room with graphite and a Python and in my panties with a denim jacket with patches and messy hair if anyone steaks this idea I'll do voodoo on you do beware bitch.