As our world is made smaller and unified in a very unique way, HipHopDX and Beauty & Brains have prided itself on establishing its own diversity with your favorite weekly column. We proudly present this University of the Arts – London student who is working for her degree in Surface Textiles for Fashion and also has the looks to stop traffic. The 21-year-old Taurus with the beautiful green eyes illuminates from sea to shining sea as she sits down with Beauty & Brains to discuss U.S./U.K. relations, explains what’s she looking for in an American boy and reasons why she’s not down with “O.P.P.”

Beauty & Brains: How come a pretty woman like yourself hasn't made her way to the States, yet? It's not because of our economy, is it?
Reem Kanj: [Laughs] No… It’s not because of your economy. I have been meaning to make my way over there for awhile, it’s just that I’ve never been to the States before and I’m really excited to make my first trip, soon. I just have so much going on here in London and I feel that it’s best to crossover once I’ve established my business here first. However, I’m meaning to make a temporary trip over there for a few months to see how the U.S. lifestyle is. I have heard that it’s very different from London and the work prospects may also be different.

B&B: You have a very exotic look to yourself. What’s your background?
RK: I am a woman of color and the culture I’m coming from is that of a very large Mediterranean family. I have yet to see a woman in the business representing for where I’m from. It’s quite rare to see a Mediterranean or Middle Eastern woman making a name for themselves in fashion and modeling. I appreciate the response that I’ve been getting from my fans here in London and thankfully – with Beauty & Brains – my fan base is growing everyday. In the end, it only pushes me to do more and prove that what I want to achieve can be done.

B&B: How would coming to the States help your career?
RK: Coming to the States would really show me how prepared people are to see a woman like myself make it in the business and I would absolutely love to set the tone for more girls like me to break into the industry. The U.S. presents something new and exciting with the opportunities that I could be blessed with. I am looking very forward to coming over and checking out what could end up working out very well for me. It’s just difficult to decide where to go first… I’m having a tough time deciding between New York, Los Angeles and Miami. They all seem to be great places and from what I’ve heard they’re all great for what I want to do… But watch out – your girl Reem will be strutting in the States very soon!

B&B: The other side of the pond has given us some great musical talent - The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Estelle - just to name a few. What type of music gets you going to start your day?
RK: I am absolutely loving Jennifer Hudson at the moment. I listen to “Spotlight” every time I’m walking down Oxford Street and it gets me in the mood for a runway show! I love the tone in her voice and I think she is such a beautiful woman. Her music is easy to relate to and I can appreciate the lyrics. It’s only too true what she’s singing about! Amy Winehouse is good for getting me in the mood to just chill out. She’s from Camden Town and if you’ve ever visited London and go to Camden, you can really feel Amy’s whole vibe and get a feel for the music she creates by just walking through there and going down there by the river. I also got Lil Wayne [click to read] fever at the moment! I love his unique sound and flow. It’s refreshing to hear something new like that. A lot of the beats that he works on but with him, it’s not just the music, I love the way that he performs. I saw him perform with Leonna Lewis at the MTV VMA’s and she blew the roof off with her vocals.

I do work within the music industry out here in London. Most recently, I went to Sony BMG to interview T-Pain. I got to listen to Thr33 Rings exclusively and he was telling me about the album that him and Wayne are doing called T-Wayne. I can’t wait for that! I think they’re both musical geniuses and what they produce together will no doubt be off the hook.

B&B: The world is becoming an even more scarier place with all these changes going on in the environment and politics.. Can you explain what the UK is doing to prevent a financial crisis like what's going on in the U.S.?
RK: To be honest, I don’t pay attention to too much political propaganda. I’m not a huge fan of the choices that our governments make. Therefore, I simply continue to control my own finances carefully and try my hardest to not let the credit crunch affect me. It’s getting bad, though… A bottle of Evian water cost me £1.89 (…over $3 USD…) and that’s just for the small size bottle of water! But to be honest, it’s not the economy I worry about here in London, it’s the rise of the gun and knife crimes amongst young boys. This year alone we’ve seen over 30 murders where those under 21 have been killed on the streets by a knife or a gun. Statistically, London is over five times more dangerous than New York at this present time and it kills me to hear that young boys feel there is no other path in life than to involve themselves in “gang” affiliations. Continued on page 2 »