Gloria “Glory” Velez. Most likely you’ve seen the face, body and the sensual portray in videos and print media, but she promises she is much more than a sexy image. The 24-year-old started in the seedy music industry 10 years ago in a variety of dancing contests in Florida that eventually lead to big budget videos like Jay-Z’s “Big Pimpin,” 112’s “Anywhere,” Ja-Rule’s, “Holla-Holla”, and even Sisqo’s “Thong Song.” Furthermore the model’s allure has been raised in photo shoot’s by XXL, The Source and King Magazine and her own beauty. AllHipHop.com even featured the beauty in our latest mixtape, True Grit 2, in both site and sound.
Nowadays, the model has turn rap mistress with the inception of her debut, The American Dream. Last year, Glo signed with platinum-plus producer Ty Fyffe’s company, TyBu Entertainment, and then Rodney Jerkins’ Darkchild Label. Now “the sexiest emcee ever” plans to deliver ear candy how she has provided eye candy for years. The American Dream,her first rap set, is slated to drop later this year.
To see the interview, click here.
AllHipHop.com: Why don’t you just give a quick overview of your history and how you got into the game.
Glory: When I was 14 years old I used to club hop – teenage club hop in Fort Lauradale Florida. They had competitions like body contests and a couple of artist bass artists wanted me to dance on tour with them. So I started touring with them on weekends and holidays and stuff. People started saying to me I would love for you to be in this video. So the first video I’ve ever did was “Lobster & Shrimp”, with Jay Z.
AllHipHop: You were down with Luke for a little while, right?
Glory: Yeah we were cool, we were friends and then when I hit 19, I danced for him – I went on tour with him. I wasn’t his bag-of-trick girls. He have a bag-of- trick girls that would do wild sh*t. I was dancer so we actually danced. I did do a girl on girl show with one girl, but there nothing wrong with that. That was it and then we fell out, then he put that video out – get over it [Luke] it was Cancun 1999 and we are in the year 2003. I never sign a release or anything but he put it out any way.
AllHipHop: Did you sue him?
Glory: No I didn’t sue him because in court money fights money and I didn’t have money at the time. But he really tried to bribe on me and try to mess up my career but it helped my career because I got much more fans.
AllHipHop: So you kinda new in the game – more new than not new?
Glory: Yeah more new – like in the beginning I was singing – I put myself in the studio like 20 years old, and then I was working with this girl and then she was rapping she said you sing fast and you got that flavor you should do some bass rap, and I wasn’t too keen on it but I loved the music but I didn’t want to rap bass.
AllHipHop: What made you go to rap music in this form – its not bass music?
Glory: No. no. I have more a little bit of Mid West more Down South, a little bit of East Coast, a little bit of everything; I don’t think I sound like anybody, as you will hear. I love hip-hop, I think it is so open now for a female rapper to come and take it you it.
AllHipHop: So being a model and in the videos, did that weigh in to getting you put on faster or anything?
Glory: No, I think it was harder, cause they think you got a pretty face they think you can dance everybody want to be in the music business or acting. So I think you got to prove yourself more. They think you are a ditsy blonde or you have a pretty face or you have no talent so I had to put myself in the door. Nobody was like, “Let me sign you lets make this money” until I bumped into Ty Fyf.
AllHipHop: How do you deal with people seeing you as a video hoe or a ditsy blond?
Glory: It’s acting, a lot of it is not real. People think a video girl is up on a guy, but it’s acting. We really are getting paid to do that and it’s not like after the cut we are like “Oh Yes! We want to go home with you!” No, it’s “cut” I’m ready to get out and leave. Some girls do dip-n-dap, but not all. In the beginning bothered me, now it doesn’t because I know who I am what I did and what I didn’t do. Also, it helps, cause you get seen a lot.
AllHipHop: How do you feel being a sex symbol?
Glory: I like that. I think I’m sexy you got to be confident with yourself. I love the pictures that were out and little provocative. Some sexy and cute. It varies.
AllHipHop: As far as getting into the rap game, what angle are you coming from?
Glory: I want a little bit of it all, the Playboy bunny sexy but also I want to give a message not just talking about sex. Sex sells, but talk about important stuff too. People have think that I’m just some wild crazy girl ….no that’s not true, but if you want to fantasize and you want to buy my record do it. But I am more deeper than that.
AllHipHop: Now you have a DVD on the way, right?
Glory: It’s called “Glo’s Doing The Damn Thing”. So I have cameras following me all around – different states, partying, the home life, studio life, just everything about Gloria – photo shoots. Everything like “Girls Gone Wild.”
AllHipHop: So what’s your regular life like?
Glory: Right now it’s a lot of modeling and having fun. I love to party, I love to travel and also I’m a mommy I have a little son he six years old, Aaron Robin Hall IV. At home I cook, I clean, I wash clothes – you’ll do see that on the video. I am all that woman for real.
AllHipHop: Can you speak on Aaron Hall from Guy and your relationship with him?
Glory: Well I met him when I was 16 years old and he was 33, (we are like 15 years difference), you know like Casanova, Suave, you know he was older than me. It wasn’t like I knew he was Aaron Hall, I was 8 years old when he came out so I had no idea who he was. So he swept me off my feet and he wanted to mold me and I was willing. I was young naïve. We met in October I was 16 years old and my whole 17th year I was pregnant. So he was very abusive, physically, mentally, you name it. He tried to black ball me in the business always trying to come in always trying to dog me all over so I really had to prove myself even more. I haven’t seen him in almost 5 years, I have no idea what he’s doing, he never see his son, he never pay child support. To me it is better off that he is not a good daddy, I’m mommy and daddy so with that I wish him all the blessings, he needs help for real for real, he need God in his life.
AllHipHop: I have to ask: Do you write your own rhymes?
Glory: I co-write everything, yeas and I only mess with one writer, who will be my hype man also.
AllHipHop: How did you hook up with Dark Child, that’s a big move.
Glory: Ty bumped into Dark Child and then he was like, “Oh you shopping a girl let me listen to that.” And he saw pictures [of me] and he was like, “Wow.” (of course the guy’s first reaction). He heard the music and he was like I would give her a deal she can’t refuse.
AllHipHop: Do you get tired of people looking at you like a sex symbol?
Glory: Yeah, I mean in a way I do, but it makes me want to prove myself more and it makes me more of a go-getter.
AllHipHop: Do you have anybody else that’s going on your album?
Glory: Right now no. I think I can hold my own pull I can do it by myself. I think most female artists have too many people on their album and you broke. I want to get paid.
AllHipHop: Why you titled it The American Dream?
Glory: I believe I’ve lived the American dream, becoming what I’ve always dreamed of. I believe I will be a super star for real for real – I’m that confident in myself. You got to believe in yourself before anybody can believe in you – I believe in myself.
AllHipHop: What advise-coming from where you came from do you have for other people trying to get into this crazy game
Glory: Have patience – every door is not for you – somebody will discover you – and if the door closes in your face, it was not meant for you. God didn’t open that door. Believe in God and know that you will make it. Patience. Have so much patience.
