For Charlene Banks modeling is a part-time hustle. As an employee of Nissan, Ms. Banks (also nicknamed Cali) was always approached by people in the clubs. Photographers, sponsors, willing gentlemen who felt that the 25-year-old vixen had the “it” look to go along with their products.

Time passed as Ms. Banks continued to work her daily 9-to-5 and ultimately she bumped into a model by the name of Heather T. After the exchanging of contact information, Ms. Banks delved into the world of modeling. Having appeared mostly online, she’s been featured on Dagohiphop.com, Allurbanmagazines.com, Fevermagazine.com, and countless others.

The majority of her work has been freelance due to her other career and after taking a hiatus from modeling, Ms. Banks, is ready to step into the limelight once again. Killa Cali parlays with HHDX as she talks about her experience with shady businessmen, talks about her military upbringing and how that affects her views about a certain “dictator” in the making, and why listening to Ghostface isn’t the only thing that she’d want to do with the Wallabee Champ.

HHDX: The majority of your work has been freelance. Starting off – what have you been featured in?

Cali: I have done several features. It was nothing in any type of magazines that you could buy at a convenient store; a few online magazines. Indiestreet.com. Urbanmagazine.com, I’ve done stuff for them. I’ve been featured on Fever Magazine as a beauty of the month. Dagohiphop.com. I am down with my girls, we’re called the Urban Godiva Girlz. I’ve been on flyers for parties and things like that.

HHDX: What has been one of the most interesting aspects of being apart of the modeling business?

Cali: The amount of lewd offers that you get from people who try to offer you a job. The type of things that people ask you to do is the most interesting. A lot of these people try to sleep with you. You go in thinking that you’re doing a business meeting, when in actuality, they’re taking you out to dinner. I think that people try to use photography as a means of dating people. Maybe in their real life they couldn’t get around the type of women that are in this business. I had figured that you’d run into some bullshit, but even for the smallest job people are asking you to come into the backroom with them. It’s really extreme. Actually, it’s kind of weird.

HHDX: With shows like America’s Next Top Model and Project Runway, it seems that fashion is a hot commodity on televisions nationwide. Would you ever take yourself to the small screen and hit up a reality television show? Continued on page 2 »