An urban love story of triumph and redemption
As the protagonist in Once Bad Intentions, Stephanie Johnson’s story is one that transcends the darker realms of society. Wilfully embracing anger and resentment. Her developmental journey welcoming change and ending with love and redemption, makes for valuable life lessons. Lessons that I think are worth sharing…
‘Beef’ was a term that was popularised through hip-hop. It denoted a fracas, something far greater than a verbal dispute. In the nineties, when rappers mentioned they were in beef with another rapper…you knew what time it was. They weren’t going to have a dance-off or DJ spin-off like they did in the eighties – things had evolved since then.
Located in the heart of Sydenham, Kirkdale bookshop is a local favourite for all age groups interested in new and second-hand books across varied genres….
Herne Hill Books is located just by Herne Hill station housing an arrange of books suited to a variety of age groups. The frequent destination to local book lovers, this small independent bookstore is now stocking Once Bad Intentions…
Writing a coming of age story about growing up within South London’s darker segments of society, love and romance can be difficult to unearth in its purest, simplest and most innocent form. But it does exist. So for me it was important to bring these gritty characters at their prime of puberty undergoing the hormonal changes that make the most prudish of us fantasize, to life.
Blacker Dread has been well renowned in the UK reggae scene from as far back as I can remember. His music store in Brixton’s Coldharbour Lane is one of the UK’s key distribution outlets for reggae music on vinyl, tapes and CD’s.
We passed the middle of the dance floor where girls were ‘butterflying’, a dancehall move where you rotate your knees together in opposite directions, but these girls were doing it on their backs. I hadn’t seen this dance live before, only in music videos on TV.
Stephanie Johnson
My bedroom door cracked open to reveal Safire’s jarring face and the sound of ‘His Eye is on the Sparrow’ ringing through my room with Mum’s warped vocals ruining it.
Stephanie Johnson
These are pictures taken backstage when shooting the Once Bad Intentions book trailer. Credit given to the following actors and crew members for their time and hard work:
Dada didn’t live too far away from my mum’s house, so I decided on taking my burdens to him, and hoped that he’d welcome them. Headphones on my head, Walkman set to play, I bounced down Lee High Road rocking my head hard, rapping along to Biggie Smalls’ ‘Juicy’
Stephanie Johnson
She had the Salt ‘n’ Pepa look with the leather hat, the slanted bob haircut and the back shaven with the letters RUDE cut in. Like many teenagers in the late eighties and early nineties, she was one of Salt ‘n’ Pepa’s biggest fans.
To be a role model is to be someone who is regarded by others, particularly younger people, as a good example to follow. That’s a pretty huge burden to bear. And whilst I’m happy…no, scrap that. Whilst I want to play such a role for my child, nieces and other young people in observation of me, like I’d imagine most parents want, it is a role that I deem a choice and not a given because of celebrity status.
I had fallen into a semi-subconscious trance, limbs folded into my chest. I lay within the sunken centre of my bottom bunk. Maria, Shariece, Stella and Tyrone were ‘bogling’ to ‘Wicked Inna Bed’
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Stephanie Johnson’s 5 Life Lessons
As the protagonist in Once Bad Intentions, Stephanie...
What’s Beef
‘Beef’ was a term that was popularised through...
Kirkdale Books
Located in the heart of Sydenham, Kirkdale bookshop...
