Arguably the most influential of celebrity muses, Amber Rose boasts a unique superpower that separates her from her contemporaries: she flexes the chameleon-like capacity to evolve with the tides of change, and successfully repurpose her mission to reflect wherever life takes her. Her ascension to fame is bedazzled by high profile relationships with some of hip-hop’s hottest producers, however, it’s Rose’s candor, creativity and finesse that establish her as an eminent voice in the sexually-directive wing of the feminist movement. Her triumphs in popular culture have been as public as her tribulations, yet she handles media mob scrutiny with the same aplomb that she accepts a sincere compliment. The model-turned-author-talk-show host knows that nothing stays the same in life—including gender roles— and has harnessed her platform to combat gender-driven sexual shaming through Amber Rose Slutwalk, a march that has triggered uncomfortable conversations around sexual equality.
Unapologetic and endearingly down-to-earth, Rose personifies the kind of unbridled tenacity that many could only dream of. On the heels of her first single “GYHO”, she recently released “Gotcha”— both produced by famed rapper Mannie Fresh— and is preparing to drop additional songs before the close of the year. Recently, the Halloween-enthusiast mom of two sat down with Schön! to discuss dismantling the double standards in sex between the sexes, celibacy within sexual liberation, branding her own image from scratch, and so much more.
dress. Danenberg
shoes. Cedrick Mcdonald
earrings + necklaces + rings. Kyle Chen
opposite
top. Uncuffed Leather
skirt. Ella Zahlan
dress. Sante Grace
shoes. Cedrick McDonald
earrings. Kyle Chen
Popular culture is used to seeing you centre stage on the red carpet, dripping with swag and an influential, iconic music producer at your side. Your stage presence is undeniable. At what point did you decide to break into music, get in the studio and drop bars?
It’s actually been a long time coming for me. I always had my hands in the mix behind the scenes, when it came to music. I come from a very musical city—I’m from Philly. Whether it was me searching for older songs to give to producers, or maybe [tell them] “you should remix this, or you should add this line, or you should talk about this, this is really relevant right now”, or, you know, “this is the perfume that the girls wear, you should probably say this, it’ll resonate with the girls”. They understand just little things I’ve done here and there in the studio. And music has always been a really big passion of mine. I actually started rapping before the pandemic, and I didn’t put it out until later because I just wanted to take my time, and have the music that I wanted to have, and really do it the right way, instead of just going in the studio, and then putting something out the next day, and saying, “Why did I do that? Why didn’t I just take my time? Why didn’t I fully believe in something before I put it out?”. You know? So yeah, it’s always been a passion of mine. And another thing is, as a feminist, I want to let women know, you don’t have to give up on your dreams at a certain age. You don’t have to say, “Okay, I’m this age, so I can’t do that.”You’re only as young as you feel. And I think that society, especially, does that to women, where it’s like, “you’re too old for that haircut”, or “you’re too old for those earrings”, or “why you got that lipstick on, you can’t do that”.
Or my favourite, “you’re too young to want so much”.
Yeah, that as well. And I find that to be really violent towards women, because it’s like, what’s the appropriate age to stop living your dream for a woman? Because these guys are starting new careers that are like 50 now, you know? And it’s just never a conversation. And for me, it’s like, I refuse to let anybody keep me down. I always want to be creative and do cool shit that I want to do. That makes me happy. And so that’s why I felt like it was my time. I am independent. I don’t have to depend on the label. I have the means to go in the studio and do my own thing without somebody telling me what I need to make. And that’s really exciting.
dress. Danenberg
shoes. Cedrick Mcdonald
earrings + necklaces + rings. Kyle Chen
I love that. On a side note, Amber, I’ll admit that these imposed limitations on women are precisely why I don’t share my age, when people ask. Limiting belief systems that are placed on numbers, especially with women— “you’re too young to want this”, “you’re too old to do this”, or “you should have this by this age”. Thank you for touching on that. Regarding your music, how did the collaboration with Mannie Fresh come about?
You know what, during the pandemic, we were watching old interviews and old school [music] videos. We watched “Get Your Roll On”, [a popular Mannie Fresh video]. And, you know, me and my producer, we were sitting there and basically were like, “Yo, we should do ‘get your hoe on’”. And do it for women to be unapologetically confident in their sexuality, you know? And it just made sense to me. And I just randomly hit him [Mannie Fresh] in a DM and I told him in a DM. And he called me and he was like, “You need to come to Houston right now. Like, we need to do this”. And I was like, “Okay, well, I don’t really want to go out of the house right now, because it’s a pandemic and I’m nervous because I have kids”. So that got pushed back. But we eventually went down there, went to his studio, and he reproduced everything.
Oftentimes when I listen to sexually directive lyrics from female MC’s, I remember a conversation that I had with an Emmy Award winning male writer for one of the most watched shows in television history— the show specifically focuses on four women and their friendships and their dating lives, and it’s massively popular around the world. I interviewed this lead writer, and he explained to me that all of the dialogue for the most sexually provocative female character on the show was chiefly written by men. These men were in the writing room, penning what they did last night, last week, or that same morning, using this as a basis for this female protagonist, and she ultimately became the mouthpiece for women’s sexual liberation in popular culture. While I don’t believe in censorship by any means, I question the authenticity of the voices that are declaring sexual liberation, and if they are directed by men or women. As a woman in the music industry, is it the same in music, as it often is in television, where men are really primarily directing the voices of women?
Well, that’s the thing. I mean, as a feminist, I believe in equality, right? And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with getting ideas from men. I’m not a man hater. But also it has to be a collaboration, right? So again, if I’m putting out a song, and let’s say I collaborate with Mannie Fresh, and he’s like, “Oh, well, you should say this”. And I’m like, “Yeah, but I think from a woman’s perspective, I should say this”, I think that’s very different from being pigeon holed… I’m pretty sure I know what television show you’re talking about…It’s very different, because a lot of actresses don’t really have a voice. They kind of just have a script. And I think with music, you’re able to be more creative and collaborate with men, but also at the same time have your voice because it is actually your music.
dress. Danenberg
earrings + necklaces + rings. Kyle Chen
opposite
dress. Danenberg
earrings + necklaces + rings. Kyle Chen
We’re really seeing the rise of sexually provocative, expressive women in music, especially in the Hip-Hop genre. What sets your sound apart from the Cardi B’s and other women who are confidently expressing their sexuality in music right now?
Well, I think I’m one of many, you know. I don’t think the issue is that…A lot of these men collaborate with each other, and there’s never a question on why they’re different. I think that
we’re all uniquely different as women, and we all have a lot of the same experiences. So, when we rap about things, it’s kind of like we’re all living in the same world…You haven’t heard the rest of my music yet—it’s coming out in October. But I have a lot of rock elements in my music, and a lot of different creative vibes when it comes to my album. I’ve been very influenced by heavy metal growing up. So I added all of those things into my music, which may be a lot different than these other girls. But I do believe that a lot of us are talking about what we experience. And that’s also being sexually liberated: I’m able to talk about what I want to talk about, when I want to talk about it. And if you guys get mad, that’s cool; but at the end of the day, all the male rappers pretty much talk about the same thing as well. And, you know, Constance, I don’t think that that’s a question that’s really asked to a lot of men. Why do you [they] talk about selling drugs and drinking, but with women, we’re kind of held into this group that just kind of talks about being sexually liberated? And I think that we are [sexually liberated], and I think that’s why we rap about it.
Do you feel like male rappers should be questioned about why they speak so much about getting drunk and high, and sleeping around and impregnating different women?
I don’t think so, because I think it’s art. And I think there are definitely consumers that want to hear that. You know what I mean? And if we look deeper into music and art, right, it’s like, most of the rappers aren’t really living that life. You know what I’m saying? They’re doing it for entertainment. And if you look at it as the entertainment business— the music—it’s really just consumption of what you want to hear at the time. So if you’re going through a breakup, you want to hear a breakup song…I think that we should just let people be creative. And then whoever wants to listen to it can listen to it. It just coincides with my SlutWalk. We take back the derogatory labels that initially hurt us, just like the gay community did with the “F” word, right?…These young boys were committing suicide or attempting suicide because of these derogatory labels. And so the same applies to women—we deal with these derogatory labels, and we let them hurt us. So Get Your Hoe On (GYHO) is not necessarily… I’m not telling people to go out and be unsafe with their bodies. But I’m also saying if you make a conscious decision, and that’s something that you want to do, live unapologetically, and don’t let anyone bring you down for it.
dress. Marina Leight Atelier
earrings, necklaces, bracelets + rings. Kyle Chen
opposite
coat. Charles & Ron
shoes. Kurt Geiger
earrings. The Nu Bamboo
rings. Vertexx
Thank you for touching on that, because I’d love to discuss the space of sexual liberation with regards to celibacy. Is there a place for celibacy within the contemporary sexual liberation movement? More often than not, whenever there’s discussion of sexual liberation, it’s directed at promiscuity. And if we’re only reducing ourselves to this one thing [promiscuity] for something that’s supposed to be so broadening [sexual liberation], then it’s not really broadening; it’s actually constricting. So that’s why I ask you if you believe celibacy fits anywhere in all of this?
Yeah, for sure. I mean, promiscuity is a word that only applies to women, right? We never use promiscuity when we talk about men. Again, it’s like calling a man a hoe, right? It just doesn’t feel the same. It doesn’t have the same burn. It’s like if you call a white person the “N” word, they’re like, “Okay, I really don’t care” because there’s no history behind it. And so, yeah, it includes celibacy. And I say this in all of my interviews—certainly my SlutWalk interviews— we have very conservative feminists that come to my SlutWalk. We have trans feminist, we have male feminists, we have pro black feminists, we have girls in college, people bring their children. And so celibacy is 100% valid. It’s really what you want to do with your body. Your body, your choice. I’ve had people come at me like, “Okay, well, if you’re so body positive, then why do you post about flat tummy tea?”, and I’m like, “because it’s my body, I can do what I want with my body”. If girls want to go get surgery, they should go do what they want with their bodies. If they don’t want to get surgery, they should not get surgery and feel obligated to do that to fit into society. I think that being body positive is letting people do what they want with their bodies, whether that’s celibacy, or—and I do not use the word “promiscuity”– being sexually liberated, or anything in between. So I definitely think there’s a place for every woman to pick and choose what she wants to do with her body at any point in time.
dress. Danenberg
earrings + necklaces + rings. Kyle Chen
Hearing these words from you is something to appreciate, since my understanding of you —till now— is really through social media posts and your lyrics. So to hear how thoughtfully and compassionately you’ve harnessed your voice is inspiring. Actually, you have a lot of raw material to inspire others with—I read about how you started out in Philly, going to different agencies, knocking on different doors, doors getting close; and then on a whim you went to L.A., and created your career. What was the golden opportunity, or a unique moment that thrusted you into the limelight? There’s always that one introduction—if we think about it—that really does that for us. What would you say that was for you?
When I was in Philly, I used to take the train up to New York, and I used to try to get into modelling agencies. I was 5’ 9” tall at the time—I was tall, and skinny as hell. But they just kept saying “no”. And then eventually I shaved my head and I got signed to Ford models. But that also did not catapult my career because I was still dancing at the time, because I had to make money. And then I started doing music videos. The first few music videos I had like a wig on because when I got discovered I was wearing a wig, while I was dancing. And so they wanted the girl in the wig. So that was the first two videos and then I hit them up and I said, you know, actually have a buzz cut underneath this. And I would like to do a video with a buzz cut. And they were like video girls don’t have buzz cuts. And I’m like, “Okay, well let me send you a picture, maybe you can send it to the director for the next video and see if he fucks with it”. And he did. And that was the first time I went out to LA and I did the Chris Brown and Ludacris video “I Know What Some Girls Like”. And then from that video, I was rediscovered by my previous ex boyfriend—my first ever boyfriend in the music/entertainment business. He discovered me from that video, and being out with him kind of made me famous by accident.
What were the two videos where you had the wig?
“Put On For My City” by Young Jeezy and “Vacation” by Young Jeezy. If you look at that video you will see me with long brown hair. And then the third video is “I Know What Them Girls Like” by Ludacris and Chris Brown. And that was my third video, where they flew me out to L.A. because of my haircut.
blazer. Kenneth Barlis
corset. Romain Thevenin Paris
dress. Charles & Ron
rings. Kyle Chen
opposite
blazer. Kenneth Barlis
corset. Romain Thevenin Paris
dress. Charles & Ron
rings. Kyle Chen
So you were invited to L.A. I emphasize you are invited to L.A. because a few months ago I read an interview with Dua Lipa’s dad, and he told his daughters, L.A. is not a place that you go to; L.A. is a place that you get invited to. And honestly, there are people in my life who I wish took that advice. So you, having actually lived that out, what would you say is one of the greatest lessons—if not the greatest lesson—that you learned from your experiences in L.A.?
It is not a dull city. And I guess, technically, I was invited to L.A. Although after the video, I was living in the Bronx at the time. So I had to go back to the Bronx after that video. And then I came back to L.A. when I had gotten into that relationship. But again, you know, being someone’s girlfriend—and becoming famous for that—was not something I ever thought about happening…I mean, let’s be clear, he had a fiancé before me. He had other girlfriends before me. There wasn’t a girl that I could look at and say, I want my career to be like hers, because she was the girlfriend of someone famous. If you can think about somebody, tell me because I didn’t know anybody before that. And so, when it happened, I remember just kind of walking outside by myself and paparazzi would follow me and I’m like, “I’m not famous; why are you following me?”. And so it got really weird. And it was very unexpected. It was definitely unexpected. And then from there on, I’m like, “Okay, I have this fame, but I was just a normal girl a week ago. And now how do I make money?”. I don’t have a job? You know what I mean?
But you had an iconic boyfriend, and that always helps.
Yeah, but I mean, you’re looking at it from a perspective of now. You have to look at it as 2009, when blogs are just coming out. There was no Instagram, right? There were no previous girlfriends before me that had the hype and the level of fame that I got. So it was very unexpected at that time. And I wish somebody would have talked to me and said this is what your life was going to be like, if you get into this relationship.
Would you have still gotten into the relationship if you knew how things would pan out from being in the relationship?
I would have, probably because I was just young, and I probably didn’t want to listen to anyone. Maybe in hindsight, I could say that…I mean, again, things just happen for a reason. And everything was pretty much out of my hands at the time. And then I had become an entrepreneur and had to figure out what I was going to do with my life moving forward.
coat. Charles & Ron
shoes. Kurt Geiger
earrings. The Nu Bamboo
rings. Vertexx
opposite
blazer. Kenneth Barlis
corset. Romain Thevenin Paris
dress. Charles & Ron
rings. Kyle Chen
Amber, I’m listening to you, and I really have to champion you for how you’ve created your own opportunities. Of all the celebrity exes— women who have dated these esteemed icons— you’ve managed to really carve your own path and solidify your place in culture. And that level of entrepreneurial thinking is inspiring. You’re persistent, and you know how to keep going after what you want. And that is the most liberating and provocative thing that you could do and be, and I’m really proud of you for that. And to have this conversation where you’ve shared this.
Thank you, Constance, I really appreciate that. And, you know, I tried to tell these young girls this, because it’s a thing right now— it’s like the girlfriends, or the wives, or the baby mamas have their own successful careers now. And I was the first— I can definitely go to them and say, “listen, don’t go on the internet and be messy, don’t talk about your relationship”. You can defend yourself if you need to, but don’t write a book, don’t do a reality show about your relationship. Just be a good person, and continue to flourish, because that’s what I did. And that’s the only reason why I have longevity. People think that I have gag orders, or I have contracts and get paid to not say anything, and it’s so not true at all. I just say, “You know what, I love this person, and I fell in love with that person, I dated this person, and it didn’t work out”, and I just move on with my life, amicably, and just wish them well. And I think when you have a positive mindset like that, eventually people will be like, “You know what, she doesn’t ever, ever say shit, unless somebody comes for her”…I just let people live their lives, and that’s it. Be an unproblematic queen, and you will continue to flourish.
Exactly! And that also gives you a level of a level of credibility— the fact that you’re not out there trash talking or retaliating. You speak your piece when you need to, and you know how to hold your own peace and composure, too. And there’s a loyalty factor and trustworthiness in that. Speaking of speaking one’s piece, within the last few weeks, a globally esteemed rapper/icon— who we both know— gave revealing and controversial interviews discussing the bullying tactics that are within the entertainment industry, and how artists artists are pushed to align themselves with specific agendas in order to gain a level of fame. Have you ever felt this kind of pressure while navigating through the entertainment industry?
I’m not necessarily familiar with the interview that you’re speaking of, but I will say that toxicity definitely wins nowadays, within the entertainment business. The more toxic you are, the more shit you talk, the more business you put out there…I mean, it’s just a different time. Clout is a thing, so like you have to have clout in order for people to listen [to you]. And in order to get clout, you have to do things like throw people under the bus or say exactly what happened on your side of the story, or put something out on the internet before anyone else does, because you have to say the first thing before people create a narrative about you. I choose not to do that. It’s just not naturally my personality; but at the same time, if I did that, I probably would have more clout.
blazer. Kenneth Barlis
opposite
top
coat. Charles & Ron
shoes. Kurt Geiger
middle to bottom
dress. Marina Leight Atelier
shoes. Suveria
blazer. Kenneth Barlis
earrings, necklaces, bracelets + rings. Kyle Chen
I know you have a birthday coming up—you’re an October, Libra. Any birthday plans you want to share?
I’m actually working on my birthday. I have to go film a show for 30 days away from my children. I’m really kind of sad about it. I’m going to miss my birthday, and I’m going to miss Halloween, which is our favourite holiday. But you know, mama’s gotta work. Gotta do what I gotta do.
Is there anything that you have in mind as an end of year goal, before the close of 2022? You have so many exciting things happening for you right now with music and entertainment.
That’s a good question. I really want to quit smoking, to be honest. I feel like smoking is my only vice. I don’t drink, and I’ve never done a drug in my life. But smoking is when I decompress…I smoke and get all my work done and stuff. And that’s definitely something that I want to do—I want to stop smoking, for sure…And I want to put out at least two singles before the end of the year!
top. Uncuffed Leather
skirt. Ella Zahlan
dress. Sante Grace
shoes. Cedrick Mcdonald
earrings. Kyle Chen
Amber Rose’s new single Freak Show is out now. Follow Amber on Instagram at @AmberRose.
direction + photography. Mynxii White
fashion. Branden Ruiz + Landon Rivera
talent. Amber Rose
casting. Alabama Blonde
hair. Heather Weppler
make up. Sofia Porter @ Exclusive Artists
nails. Selena Monet
first ad, camera b. Craig Bullock
production, camera c. Sean Rowry
voice actor. L. Candy
location. Sunset Hollywood Villa
fashion assistant. Suzanne Correa
words. Constance Victory
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