Kaye on E Sunday, August 15, 1999

I had to go shopping because it's about that time of year. Unfortunately, I have no sense of style. So who better to ask to come help me out? But, Esthero. Nuff said.

K: What time are you getting up tomorrow?
E: Well, I have a yoga class at 11...I should be done around 1:30 or 2. Maybe we could get together around 2:30 or something.

My date with Esthero began at 3 o'clock Monday afternoon. I met up with her at this cute little juice bar in the downtown core (of T.O.). There she sat with a couple of friends working on a daily crossword puzzle. From there, we ventured off with hopes of stimulating my shopping senses.

E: Couture shopping in Toronto is kinda dry.. I think it's mainly because most of the rich people here work at King & Bay ( what Wallstreet is to New York). So they sell a lot of suits that are pretty conservative. I like Giorgio Femme here though. But we're better for really dope street wear by independent designers.

K: How is it in L.A.?
E: The thing about L.A. is that you can get super nice designer clothes an some pretty dope independent streetwear too. The best place in the world is Japan. None can compare to the shit they have there. They have really nice clothes and cuts...

We step into this store and like clockwork, Esthero works her way from the closest clothing rack to her left all the way around the store. This girl knows her shit... I followed close behind going through clothes trying to look like I knew what I was doing. Every so often she'd hold up a piece of clothing and say "This is so rad." After a while I started to pick up what gives her that edge. Her style exudes sweet and sexy from her pores.

E: I don't really like wearing matching sets. Do you know what I mean? If I could afford to rock that shit, I'd wear a dope Helmut Lang skirt with a $12 tank top. But for now I'm an Urban Outfitters girl.

A while later I asked Esthero if she were to have a motto for shopping, what it would be... "Avoid fluorescent lights and where ever there are small children, i.e. malls. Oh and look for low maintenance gear."

With that, she sensibly suggested that I hold off on any purchase until I was sure of what I wanted. Our shopping excursion was nearing its end-we decided that it was time to get something to eat. She had exclaimed about this peso, tomato and goat cheese pita pizza at this diner she likes.. so off we went to the Grapefruit Moon.

K: How do you feel about what happened at Sony?
E: I feel good about what happened. It's not a concern anymore.

K: What are you going to do now?
E: I'm gonna start writing a new record.

No, that wasn't the gist of our conversation during the course of our meal. Come on now, we're women. We talk, we share, we do a bit of male bashing once in a while. Just kidding, Esthero's a sweetheart. And just like every woman I know, she's having a very special place in her heart for a man who deserves it.

With the estrogen levels simmering down, we headed back to her soon-to-be cool ass pad-she's in the midst of redecorating- to pick up her best friend Leyla.

K: Remember when we watched "Broken Down Palace?"
E: Uh-huuh...
K: Would you do that for Leyla?
E: Yeah. I'd do it...I'd bitch about it, but I'd still do it (laughing mischievously). Don't tell Leyla, I don't want to give her any ideas.

We ended up across the street from Esthero's in the stairwell of a sound studio. There, we met up with two of Esthero's favorite people. Big-ups to Meesah, who happens to be, according to Esthero, the baddest singer in the country, and G Rock aka Shakari Nyte, the dopest rapper/singer in the country. Along with G rock was his prodigy...Darryl.

Goofing around with her friends, they playfully sang Marvin Gaye's "Let's Stay Together." They sounded beautiful. Have you ever thought about what an angel shinning from it's heart might sound like? I closed my eyes and listened to their beautiful voices. But you know how the saying goes, "beauty travels in packs". I thought to myself, "Damn what am I doing here?" Unfortunately the singing died down but the conversation didn't.

K: After visiting all the places you have, where do you think your heart would be happiest?
E: Toronto (that's my girl). Cuz of the fine Trinidadian men, just kidding, no I'm not (laughing). Really though, it's such a diverse, and multicultural city. There's no way I could have grown up a white girl in L.A. and be influenced by the things that make me who I am her. If I grew up anywhere else, I really don't think I would have come out with the last album.

I love that I can walk out the door (of my apartment) and go to the Cameron House if I wanted to listen to some swing, walk down a few doors to he Bamboo and listen to some reggae, or go to Up and Down if I wanted to hear drum and bass. When I do that, I realize what a luxury it is to live in Toronto. We have a better breeding ground where we could exchange cultural differences. We're not as segregated as some places in the states are. Everyone is beautiful here. My friend Allister once said jokingly, "Even the white people are pretty here."

K: That's right...tee-hee. Okay, Esthero, I'm finished interviewing you. I'm really bad with creative conclusions, so is there anything else you'd like to add?
E: Big-up, big-up, big-up to Jelle Poet Stone, Mishee Mee, Black Sam, Sarah Slean, Spookey Ruben, and Too Rude- they're about to take over.

That girl.....