BLACK MEN’S SSX
Tribute Issue #82 | 2008

It’s been a wild and crazy year for Fershgenet Melaku, the woman we know and love as Angel. She starred in more videos, won more film roles, and even turned 21 (though she somehow managed to stay sober at her birthday party). Through it all, she remains the sexiest, most alluring woman in the industry. And she’s single!

How was your trip to the Bahamas for the photo shoot?

It was ridiculous. It was beautiful, though. It was a private island.

Your pictures look great.

They gave me a different, more tropical look. I think the pictures just look more mature and sexier.

Where is your ideal vacation spot?

Overseas. I don’t think anywhere in that States would be that spectacular. I travel so much and I’ve seen so many things that overseas would be like a real vacation. I would like to go to a place like Africa, or maybe Paris.

Do you prefer the city or the beach?

I prefer the beach because I like tropical areas. I’m so used to living in the city – and I love the city – but tropical areas are more soothing. The surroundings take my mind off ever day things. It’s just a different environment from what I’m used to.

How old are you?

I just turned 21 in October.

Did you have a big party for your 21st?

Yeah! I actually had two parties. I had, like, the two biggest go-go bands in D.C., the Backyard Band and Rare Essence. I wanted to come home and do something in my city for my birthday. And then I did a celebrity birthday bash in New York City.

Did you get drunk in honor of your 21st?

I was actually sober on my 21st birthday. [Laughs] I enjoyed my night but I was sober!

So you’re not much of a drinker?

I’m not much of a drinker, but I’ll drink to enjoy myself. I’ll drink either Ace of Spades or I’ll have some champagne.

Your parents are from Ethiopia. Have you ever been there?

No, but I plan on visiting next year. I’ve seen pictures.

Do you work out a lot?

No. Actually, I don’t work out at all! But I will be working with a trainer soon. I had a trainer once, named William, but I got really lazy.

What are some of your other interests?

I wanted to become a psychologist when I was younger, and I’m still really interested in it. I want to study the cause and effect of human actions. I have always been good at breaking down and analyzing situations to give good advice.

Sex & Relationships

What’s your favorite piece of clothing?

I love clothing and I love fashion, so I don’t have one favorite piece. I’m not afraid to try new trends. I’m a Chamillionaire – I mean a chameleon. I like things that look different on me.

What do you wear out?

It just depends on my mood. I can come out in a suit look with slacks. Sometimes I can come out with a designer dress that’s flared out. I don’t have to reveal my body and most of the time I don’t.

What do you wear when you’re sleeping?

Nothing mostly. Sometimes I might wear panties and a bra. Other times I’ll wear some lingerie.

What type of lingerie do you like?

Two-piece. I’ll try any color.

Do you have a boyfriend?

I don’t have a boyfriend but I do have a close friend that I deal with. He is someone I can keep it real with — whether it’s about challenges, situations, dudes, anything that is going on in my life — and shit don’t change. It’s all understood and respected between us. It’s that real!

Are you the type who is usually in a relationship?

Yeah! All my life I’ve been in relationships until I started my career. Since then, I’ve been single, because my career has been my focus.

What kind of guys do you like, physically?

Character is more important, but looks do play a part. Confidence is important, as well as ambition, wanting more out of life, and not settling. I like street dudes.

Have you ever dated a guy who’s not your race?

I’ve never dated a guy who is my race, since I’m Ethiopian! [Laughs.]

Would you ever date a white, Asian, or Hispanic guy?

Yeah, I would.

What’s your ideal date?

I don’t feel like I should tell what my ideal date is. I would want a dude to take me on a date that I wouldn’t even be able to imagine. I would want my date to figure out something I wouldn’t think of, and surprise me.

What should a guy do if he wants to seduce you?

I think seduction is not just a physical thing, but the atmosphere he puts me in. He would have to think of something out of the ordinary before the sexual thing. When you start coming into the sexual part, it starts off with foreplay, and that leads into everything else.

So foreplay is essential?

It plays a major part in seduction.

So what kind of foreplay do you like?

Touching. Hopefully it’s not just a physical thing, it’s a mental connection as well. The touching has to have mental connections.

What’s the strangest sexual experience you’ve had?

I haven’t had a lot of strange sexual experiences, because I haven’t dealt with a lot of guys sexually.

Do you go for anything…unusual in the bedroom?

Actually, if I’m in a relationship with the dude, I’m down for anything, to be honest. Then I don’t hold back. There should be no reason for me to hold back.

What’s your favorite sexual position?

There are a lot of things I like, but my favorite position is from the side. Sometimes I might like it real slow, where it gets really, really intimate, like slow and grinding. But then sometimes I might like it hard, almost rough. It just depends on the mood I’m in.

The Industry

Who is your favorite rapper?

Lil Wayne.

I hear Young Jeezy is like your best friend.

He is one of my closest friends.

How did you meet him?

I did a video for him, I Love It, and a short movie, Bury Me A G, and ever since then we’ve become good friends. He’s my closest friend in the industry.

What’s he like as a person?

He’s just like me. He’s industry because he’s a rapper, but he’s not industry character-wise. He’s just like a regular dude. Just like I’m industry because I model, but I’m not industry character-wise.

Does he hang around with BMF types?

I don’t know what you’re talking about. [Laughs]

What’s going on with the Wendy Williams biopic you’re starring in called Queen of Media? Is it still set to come out in early 2008?

Yeah. Acting right now is a major, major thing for me. I just wrapped up my first co-starring role, in Crazy Like A Fox, which went great. I actually speak a little French in it, too. Even without any acting experience, it came naturally. They changed scenes around on set and gave me new lines to memorize almost every day. I would memorize them in a short period of time. I realized how easy it was for me to get into character. I loved the challenge. Producing and directing is a new part of filmmaking that has caught my attention. I’m not ready to jump into it right now — acting is my main focus — but I will take time to learn about it later on. I just recently started working with my acting coach, Tracy Maribelle. She works with celebrities like Busta Rhymes, Eve, Terrance J. Rocsi from 106th and Park and others.

Who are models you look up to?

I look up to actresses more than models. I love Scarlett Johansson, Halle Berry of course, and Sharon Stone. Vivica A. Fox’s strong demeanor reminds me of my own character and how I am.

Is there anyone in the industry you don’t like?

No, I’m so focused on myself. I feel like I’m my own worst critic, which is not a bad thing for me. I critique myself. I become my own hater. It’s not that I’m hard on myself or anything, but I’m just focused on myself.

What’s the most degrading thing you’ve been asked to do?

I’ve never been put in that position on a set. I believe that the way you carry yourself is how everyone will come at you. Because I know how to carry myself and I know what I’m there to do, I’ve never been put in a position like that.

I hear you were promised a lead role in a Chris Brown video which never marterialized. What happened to that?

When I first started out, before anyone knew who I was, Eric White told me that he wanted me to do the Chris Brown and Lil Wayne video. I don’t know if he was trying to sell me a dream. That type of shit doesn’t work with me! He was trying to lead me on. I guess he underestimated what I was going to become. I don’t even know what happened. He basically told me I got the leading role in the video. Up until the last minute on the last day, I was waiting on the phone for my flight information, and he didn’t even call me back. I called him back, and he wasn’t even answering the phone. It’s funny, because months later, he wanted to use me for something else.

And you had a little dust up with a Smooth model at Lloyd Banks’ party?

That was a long time ago. A girl in Smooth magazine said a couple things about me. She actually had seen me before and said she admired my work. So, when I heard she said something about me in the magazine I was surprised. I didn’t really care, but when I saw her at the Lloyd Banks party I approached her about it. Her friend got a little wild. The security guards came and broke it up. When friends and I were going back down the steps, her friend asked me what I was doing tonight. To me, that’s fighting words. My other friend came back and kicked the other girl’s and her ass, and we all just got to fighting. Then the security guards stopped it. They put my friend and me out. So, my friend and I stood outside and waited for them. And they had security walk them out into a cab.

Tell me about your relationship with G-Unit.

They helped start my career. They helped me out with a lot of things. I will always have a relationship with them. I have crazy love for them.