'Power' Star Rotimi Loves His Women Intellectual, Spiritual & A Little Nasty
Whether he's gyrating to Ginuwine on gym equipment or wreaking havoc on the STARZ hit show Power, Nigerian-bred and New Jersey-born actor Rotimi certainly knows how to make a scene.
But it isn't just his undeniable sex appeal or his killer acting skills that made us want to know more about him. Rotimi is a man that knows what he wants and how to connect with those around him. His latest EP, Jeep Music Vol. 1, describes his previous relationship and captured almost every human emotion that comes with finding, having, and losing love.
xoNecole got the chance to talk exclusively with TV's number 1 villain about why it's important to be transparent, shooting your shot, and why he likes nasty women.
You grew up in a Nigerian household and they are traditionally known for their strong emphasis on all things academia. However, your parents willingly supported you in your decision to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. What role did that play in how you approach music and acting?
My parents told me very early on: "If you're going to do it, be excellent at it." So, I had that mentality my entire life. Their support gave me confidence when I was a kid. They supplied me with all the tools I needed to live my dream. Most Nigerian families don't do that, it's all about school and being a doctor. They saw my gift at an early age and they wanted to help me cultivate it. It put a crazy work ethic in me.
That work ethic has definitely paid off, especially in your acting. You're arguably one of the most controversial/hated characters on Power and on TV in general right now. How does it feel?
I love it, I embrace it! If Courtney [Kemp Agboh], who's the creator of the show, was going to make me the bad guy, then I had to be the best one on TV. I love it because when there is controversy, it gets talked about. I wanted to be one of the most talked about people on one of the best shows on TV.
Do you find it hard to get people to separate Dre the character from Rotimi the artist?
No, that's why I had to make my music undeniable. Good music makes people feel good, regardless of who it's coming from. I had to really sacrifice a lot of rest, a lot of going out, a lot of personal time to make a project that I was really proud of. What happens now is that since a lot of people are starting to see my personality on social media, with Power, and with my tour— they see that I'm multi-faceted.
So, the conversation a lot of the times now goes, "Hey we HATE Dre but we love Rotimi" and that's a cool dynamic. It's a respect of my talent because they're supposed to hate Dre and if you didn't, that means I'm not doing my job (laughs).
What are you most excited about for your character?
I'm super excited for him; I think his rise was kind of like a surprise. The fact that everybody is now embracing him and looking for his storyline, it's amazing. It's a testament to hard work and having mentors like Omari [Hardwick] and Joseph [Sikora]; they just made me perform at my best. People walk around the street mad at the character but then they tell me they love my acting. That's the number one thing.
How do you balance dating with everything you have going on?
You have to have someone who really understands your lifestyle. I've been fortunate to meet a lot of good women that understand my life and are very secure in themselves. You have to compartmentalize it and I'm really big on people who knew me before I was doing what I'm doing. It's flattering to see all the new people that are coming around in my life now, but majority of the time it's for what I am and not who I am. It's hard, it's a continuous compromise.
Your parents have been together for over 30 years. How has their relationship affected your perception of what love is supposed to look like?
They were best friends; she had his back and vice versa. Seeing that and seeing that it's possible to be happy with just one person, it was a beautiful thing to witness as a kid and as an adult now. They got through it all.
How does that shape your expectations when it comes to maintaining long-lasting relationships?
It showed me what I deserve. It showed me that settling for anything less doesn't last. You have to find your partner and that all goes back to great communication and being transparent. It sets the bar for what I look for and the elements of love.
When you think of you and your partner 30 years from now, do you think it's possible? What do you want it to feel like?
It's possible, you kind of just have to tune out social media, distractions. You have to really be transparent, everything is so accessible now. You have to be more transparent than ever.
I want it to feel like I married my best friend, someone who literally knows everything about me.
There's no secrets, there's no worry, or doubt.
Before you get into a relationship, what qualities do you look for?
I love understanding women. I love intellectual women. If your mind is fly, then everything just follows. Obviously, she has to be beautiful too. She has to be transparent, she has to be honest. She has to have great understanding and she has to be nasty, if we're keeping it one-hundred (laughs). It's the thrill of life (laughs). And very spiritual, I love spiritual women but you can't really say that after nasty can you (laughs)?
Are you currently in a relationship?
No, I'm not. I'm a single bachelor (laughs).
There's been a lot of talk here lately about women shooting their shot with men when it comes to dating and relationships. Do you prefer a woman to shoot her shot at you or do you like to do the pursuing?
I think I like a little bit of both. If a woman shoots her shot with me and she's confident and is different than a fan shooting her shot, then I think that's intriguing. I like it if it's done correctly.
How do you cater to your woman to make her feel special?
The number one thing is to listen, to be understanding, and not to judge. You have to create a place of comfort for her. And you have to be freaky (laughs). You have to be all sorts of things. But making sure you have good communication is a very important thing as well. And that goes with anything in life. You can work through a lot of things if the communication is where it needs to be.
You've had the chance to work around industry heavy-weights like Kelsey Grammar, Jamie Foxx, 50 Cent, and more. I'm sure you get tons of impactful advice all the time. What's something someone has said to you that's stuck with you through all these years, that's helped you navigate your career or personal life?
The first time Jamie heard my record or saw me on Boss, he basically just told me to trust my intuition, to trust my instincts in everything I do. I've never taken an acting class or anything and I feel like being instinctive makes for the best type of work. Even in real life now, I'm the type of person to say what I feel and just be who I am. That never left me.
First Thing He Notices About A Woman:Her walk. I love a sexy walk.
His Biggest Musical Influences: Bob Marley, Stlaknte. I love their story-telling and Lauryn Hill.
His Perfect Date Night: Going to the spa, then maybe to the beach. Having sex on the beach and then following it with a nice little movie. And eating on the beach, a little dinner.
On His Dream Role: My own Marvel trilogy. Like something similar to Blade too. Something like a mix of Nightcrawler, with a little bit of Magnito, and Cyclops all in one. And I could fly. You know, I'm a different kind of cat (laughs).
On Being 'Mr. Sexy Nigerian Butterscotch': Indeed he is, he sure is! (laughs) My team was the one that pushed me to start showing my personality and engaging more with the fans. In my truest form, I'm a clown. I wanted something to contrast against the sex symbol of the music and the villain of the show. For me just being myself, I figured out that's what's going to help me win. Once I realized that, I'm always going to stay true to me because people really connect with that.
Writer. Empath. Escapist. Young, gifted, and Black. Shanelle Genai is a proud Southern girl in a serious relationship with celebrity interviews, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and long walks down Sephora aisles. Keep up with her on IG @shanellegenai.
Exclusive: Melanie Fiona On Making High-Vibrational Music & Saying Yes To Partnership
Melanie Fiona is back! After taking a little more than a decade-long hiatus, she has officially made her return to music and blessed us with two singles, “Say Yes” and “I Choose You.” While both singles are very different from each other, they both reflect who she is today and the type of music she wants to make. In our conversation, the mom of two expressed what she learned during her time away.
“It's interesting, even when I said it is like coming back, I don't ever feel like I really left because I was always still performing. I've still been public. It's not like I went into being this recluse person or version of myself, but the thing that I really learned in this process is that I think things take time,” Melanie says in a xoNecole exclusive.
“I think often we're so caught up in it, being on the timing of demand or popularity, or, like, striking while the iron is hot and the thing that I've learned is that everything is on God's time. That's it. Every time I thought I would have been ready, or, like, things were taking too long, I had to reship some things, personally, professionally, in my life. I also gave myself permission to make a living, not just make a living, but make a life for myself.”
Making a life for herself included getting married to Grammy-nominated songwriter Jared Cotter, starting a family, and embracing new landscapes, such as podcasting as a co-host of The Mama’s Den podcast. She also began doing more spiritual work and self-care practices like meditation, sound healing, Reiki, acupuncture, and boundary setting, which allowed her to get in touch with her inner voice.
“I wasn't putting out music, and I wasn't experiencing a number one record, but I was being a number one mom,” she says.
“I was experiencing things that were allowing me to heal and get in touch with myself so that I could make new music from a space of joy and freedom, and excitement again because I definitely feel like I did lose some excitement because of just politics and industry and what it can do to your mental health and even your physical health. So giving myself the space to really just say, ‘Hey, it's okay. Everything's right on time.’”
The joy and excitement are felt in one of two new singles, “I Choose You,” which is more of a lovers rock vibe, a tribute to Melanie’s Caribbean roots. While the Grammy award-winner is known for ballads like “It Kills Me” and “Fool For You,” she is becoming more intentional about the music she makes, calling it high-vibrational music. She says her music is a “reflection of my life,” as it captures every facet, from hanging out with friends to riding around in her car.
“Say Yes” has the classic R&B vibe Melanie is known for. However, both songs are inspired by her relationship. Melanie and Jared got married in December 2020, and the Toronto-bred artist dished on their relationship. Fun fact: he is featured in the “Say Yes” music video.
“When we first started dating, I had come into that relationship post a lot of self-work. I had gotten out of a long-term relationship, I had a year and a half to date and be by myself and do a lot of work on myself alone. And when we met, I remember feeling like this has to be my person because I feel it,” she says.
“And so when we went into that relationship, and we started dating, I was very clear. I was like, I know what I want. I'm very clear on what I need, and I'm not going to withhold my truth about myself in this process because of pride or fear of rejection. I know you love me, but I'm coming with my heart in my hand to let you know that if we're gonna get there, we have to put fear aside and say yes. So that was kind of like my open letter to him, which is why the video is us having a conversation.”
Melanie also shares that saying yes to her partner has empowered her in many ways, including motherhood and showing up for herself. Her new EP, also titled Say Yes, will be available at the top of 2025.
Check out the full interview below.
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'Boomeranging': 4 Signs It's Okay To Rebound To Your Old Job
Stories like Nelly and Ashanti's second go 'round at love prove that wanting that old thang back isn't always a bad thing. And this even applies to jobs. Recent research shows that 43 percent of people who resigned during the Great Resignation in early 2021 admitted they were "better off at their old job," and 41 percent felt they "quit their job too quickly." Other reports show that about a quarter of employees “boomeranged” to their old jobs voluntarily last year.
But just like in relationships, there are key things to consider before going back to a former employer. I mean, there was indeed a reason you left, so going back might be one of the worst mistakes you've made—twice.
Let me help you out with this one. Here are four major signs it's a good idea to rebound or "boomerang" to your old job:
1. There's new management.
This is one of the most important signs that going back to an old job is a good idea. If you left the job due to toxic, inexperienced, or burned-out management, you might have a better experience with new people in leadership. At least you can start over to build a fresh perspective and connection. A 2019 study found that 57 percent of professionals have left a job because of their manager, and 14 percent have left multiple jobs because of their managers.
Schedule an informative coffee or virtual meeting with an HR professional at your old company or have lunch with a former colleague to get a sense of the new management.
If you don't really have those types of ties to your old job, keep tabs on their latest developments by following their company's LinkedIn page, setting up Google alerts, or checking for news releases about updates from the company.
2. You can take on a role you'd wanted previously but couldn't get back then.
Budgets change along with the times, so maybe this time around, there's room to pay you what you're worth in a higher position. Check job boards, LinkedIn, or other online platforms to see what opportunities are now available, and utilize the experience you once had at the company to sell why you'd be perfect for that role. Harvard Business Report found that 28% of “new hires” were boomerang hires who had resigned within the last 36 months last year. It also found that boomerang employees were more likely to be managers than non-managers.
3. They're finally offering remote or flex schedules.
If you left because you wanted to prioritize time with your children, you felt like you didn't get enough time off after childbirth, or you need to take care of elder family members, this is the perfect reason to consider going back. After the pandemic, more than 40 percent of workers in three industries worked remotely. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics report from October 2024, of 61 detailed industries, 44 had more than 10 percent of their workforce working remotely in 2021. In 2022, the top four industries in 2021 still had over 46 percent of their workforce working remotely.
While there has been news that companies, particularly in tech, are forcing people to go back to the office, while some are requiring employees to go in a few days per week, many have begun fully embracing remote work, changing their tune from years back. In an effort to retain a workforce who has expectations of work-life balance, flexibility, and wellness prioritizing, remote work is now something competitive companies embrace, and that could include your former employer.
4. Your old job was more fulfilling or more of a culture fit than your current one.
Sometimes, money and titles aren't everything. Maybe you had more autonomy at your old job, you were treated with respect, or you felt more accepted and free to be yourself at that company. The new job might have offered more money or a title raise, but the office culture just isn't that great.
If you left your previous job simply to try something new or you were offered more money at another company for a promotion and you're finding that that wasn't the best move, it might be a good idea to reach out to your old HR manager. Maybe they miss you, too.
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