Aw....our little Bieber is trying to grow up and shake off his teeny-bopper image by dressing in the latest Hip Hop gear and hanging out with rappers and prize fighters. But unfortunately he’s still a child. A child who still reacts like a teenager and unfortunately got a morning radio personality suspended. As proven in his radio interview with Mojo in the morning when asked about his friendship with Harry Styles of One Direction (who has a thing for older women). Mojo asked if Bieber worried about him around his mother.

"I mean, definitely somewhat [I am friends with One Direction now]. They were in town a while ago and they came over and stuff, but, yeah, they're good kids," he said when asked about his friendship with the Brit boy banders, before adding, "I don't think you should worry about me [and my mom with Harry Styles] — worry about your mom, bro.” Mojo then noted that his mother had passed away, before Bieber hung up on the call. The interview has since been taken off the show's official site, but found its way onto YouTube.

It wasn't the only contentious part of the interview. Prior to that, Bieber seemed to be annoyed that Mojo had compared his single, "Boyfriend," to the musical stylings of Justin Timberlake. "Man, that's crazy 'cause our voices sound nothing alike. I mean, I'm not trying to sound like anyone. Saying I sound like someone else is not really a compliment. ... I think if you were to say I heard some Justin Timberlake-esque things in your sound I would take that as a compliment," he said.

See the first video below.

Honestly, I don’t get it when “the new kid” wants to buck off the fact that someone before them actually paved the wave for them to be where they are. This is no different than Eminem dissing Vanilla Ice or Nicki Minaj holding a grudge against Lil’ Kim. None of you would be here without their work before you. And the funny thing is….yes, Beiber is at the top right now, but you have to realize that all will change when the next doe eyed teenaged boy is pushed into the spotlight. If I were Bieber I would be honored to be compared to Timberlake. He’s done quite well for himself and is respected throughout the industry. 

Meanwhile, Bieber has made a couple of major mistakes. in my opinion. Back when he was 16 he gave an interview where he gave his views on homosexuality, abortion and rape. He actually said that “rape happens for a reason” and that abortion is wrong even if the female was raped. Then even weighed in on being gay by calling it a “life choice”. He believes that people choose to be gay. Whoever let him talk to the press about such hefty issues really screwed up. Now these comments are going to follow him throughout his career. Just like Britney Spear’s stupid quote in Michael Moore’s “Fahrenheit 911” where he showed an upset Iraq woman expressing her hate for America for bombing her uncle’s home and Ms. Spears shared her views on trusting George W. Bush.

See the second video below,

But I definitely think that all those screaming teenaged girls are going to have a day when they will be shocked by some news of Bieber in some sex scandal or a drunk driving accident. You know it is coming. He’s going to want to prove that he isn’t a kid anymore and with all that money is going to be burning his pockets. 

You know, until Bieber turned 18 I refused to play his music. I just couldn’t bring myself to play such bumble gum on my floor. I mean...not that his new album is a pillar of maturity, but at least it has more of a Pop R&B sound mixed with Club friendly production. But I did notice he has several collaborations with Drake, Nicki Minaj and the Far East Movement that have come through my digital pool. I think he should consider doing a track with Timberlake. It would most definitely be a hit. Timberlake is due for a new album soon.

Bob Leahy: Hi Alphonso. Thank you for talking to PositiveLite.com.  You’re no stranger of course, because you have your own column on our site  but I’m really liking the chance to ask you a few questions and get to know you better.  You really are an interesting person, with more than one story to tell. Right now for instance you have your music career as DJ Relentless and as a recording artist, your drag career as Jade Elektra and then, of course you happen to be HIV-positive and entirely out about that. I guess that prompts me to ask you - Why out?  Wouldn’t it be easier to keep quiet?

Alphonso: Actually I have been officially out about my HIV status since 2009. I mean...I have always been out to my closest friends and family, but in 2009 I didn't want to be a hypocrite after hearing about Ongina coming out about her status. I just felt that everyone should be honest about being positive.

Bob: But you don’t make a big thing out of it.  For example, in your column for PositiveLite.com it’s only mentioned in passing. Is that a conscious thing or is HIV not really a big part of your life anymore?

Alphonso: HIV is a big part of my life, but I don't let it rule my life. I have been positive for 23 years.

Bob: OK. Let’s get back to that HIV aspect in a minute.  Tell me about your background. You weren’t born in Canada were you?

Alphonso: No, I was born and raised in Tampa, Florida.

Bob: So how did you end up in Toronto?

Alphonso: Well, my husband is from Toronto. We got married on April 30th, 2010. Our 2nd anniversary is almost here. At the time when we got married gay marriage had not been passed in New York. And I had been in New York City for 17 years at that time and I wanted to be with my husband. He wasn't going to move to the States. So, here I am....in love and happy.

Bob: Good! Let’s talk about drag. Tell me why you wanted to do drag in the first place. And was it hard to break in to the business?

Alphonso: Believe it or not, I never really wanted to do drag. I was entering a weekly talent show at a bar called Rene's doing impersonations of Michael Jackson & Prince. Huh....come to think of it, I was just a hop and step away from drag with those two. Anyway...I got tired of being beat by drag queens in the competition and decided that I couldn't do any worse than I was already doing. I wrote about it in my last blog. As far as it being difficult or hard to break into the business...no, it was a different time. This was 1985. Long before the internet and YouTube. In a way it forced you to work hard at being original and forced you to look to your elders for guidance.

Bob: Is there much infighting or do you gyrls all get along?

Alphonso: Child, I am too old be fighting with these young gyrls out on the scene now. The great thing about getting older is realizing what's important and what's not. The things that these kids are doing today are all old hash. They don't know or care about what the future holds. So, how do you fight someone who is blind?

Bob: Alphonso, you aren’t  too keen on what RuPaul and his Drag Race  have done for the business, are you?

Alphonso: In my opinion, RuPaul's Drag Race has lowered the art of female impersonation to the lowest common denominator. The show does not give an accurate look into what it takes to be a drag performer. All it shows is rewards for bad behavior and bad attitudes. And if folks knew all the stuff that goes on in the background with the producers of the show, they'd turn it off. And RuPaul should be ashamed of exploiting these gyrls to keep herself in the spotlight.

Bob. I see. Now you’re a big proponent of singing rather than lip syncing, aren’t you? Is this something every gyrl should strive for?

Alphonso: Not everyone can sing. And there's nothing wrong with laying a lip to song...especially if you do it well. I mean, lip syncing some Pop song that repeats itself over and over ain't talent. Do something with a monologue. That's talent. I lip sync too, but when I do it's a great song with character.

Bob: Alphonso, you said in one of your recent articles for us that “I always enjoyed at the end of the show taking all that stuff off and being Alphonso King Jr.”  Are you more comfortable being Alphonso than Jade Elektra?

Alphonso: You know, I know a lot of queens who do drag because they are not happy with themselves as a man. Maybe they get more attention as a gyrl. Maybe they feel sexier or more attractive as a female. I have always loved being myself. I like doing drag and performing, but I love wearing a pair of jeans and a T-shirt with a Yankees baseball hat.

Bob: You said too “The drag world still fascinates me. What motivates a man to put on a dress and act like a woman?” So I’m going to ask you just that. What DOES motivate a man to put on a dress and act like a woman?

Alphonso: Some folks get uncomfortable when I talk about this, but I'm gonna say anyway. I was molested as a child by an uncle and even though it was a terrible thing to go through a part of me enjoyed acting like a gyrl for me. He recognized that I was gay when I was 7. He exploited it, but I think part of me healing was accepting the fact that I have a feminine side and that's okay. I use that side of me to create this woman for the stage.

Bob: But is it a blown-up version of a woman?

Alphonso: I am not like other drag queens. My mannerisms and even physical body transform. In my mind, I am not larger than life. I am a small, demure lady. I become the woman that I would like to see on the street.

Bob: You’ve also made a career as a DJ.  Do the drag and the DJ-ing ever overlap or are these always two distinct gigs?

Alphonso: I rarely DJ in drag. Mainly because most establishments won't pay me to do both. I'm not opposed to it, but I have built a reputation as DJ Relentless and I don't feel that I need to DJ in drag. To me that's just a gimmick to get a gig. I want to DJ gig for my talent, not for what I look like. Which also goes for the new breed of gym-queen DJ's. I'm not DJ-ing with my shirt off either.

Bob: You probably hate this kind of question, but what gives you the biggest high – doing drag or DJ-ing?

Alphonso: They are very different. The rush of being on stage and having everyone's attention is very different than controlling a roomful of people with what music you play. Both are exciting and rewarding.

Bob: Can you make a career of being a DJ in Canada or do you have to move somewhere else to really make it happen?

Alphonso: I am already making a career as DJ in Canada. I had already spun in Canada a few times before moving here. In fact, I have travelled to London, Athens and Amsterdam. So, I am sure I could have a DJ career anywhere. Even though technology can practically make anyone into a DJ, nothing can replace experience and music knowledge. You can download any song you want, but if you don't know the history of the song you might as well be an iPod.

Bob: Now of course you have a musical career in your own right.  Do you want to talk about that and where you would like to see it go?

Alphonso: Well, if you check iTunes you can find Jade Elektra and DJ Relentless. I have been a vocalist and also a producer. Jade was originally known as a Bitch Track artist with tracks like "Bitch You Look Fierce" and "How Do I Look?", but when the Proud Mary album was released she showed her vocal chops. And as DJ Relentless I have done back-up vocals and produced house tracks like "House Is Alive" with the UK's Loop Da Funk.

Bob: Your musical idols are?

Alphonso: Billie Holiday, George Benson, Dinah Washington, Al Green, Tina Turner and Al Jarreau.

Bob: OK, now I want to go back to the HIV thing.  I don’t think you’ve ever talked to us about how and when you were diagnosed.   Do you want to fill us in?

Alphonso: I was diagnosed in 1990, but became positive in 1989. A condom broke and that was that. I knew the guy. We were dating and he had no idea he was positive. I remember telling him and him completely falling apart. After about 6 months after being told the news, I accepted it. There was nothing I could do to change it. And I guess it was my destiny. You see, if I had not found out I might have stayed in Tampa and lived a completely different life. My diagnosis prompted me to get up and do the things I always wanted to do. Which is how I ended up in New York City in 1992. My movie, television and music career as Jade would have never happened. My DJ name of "Relentless" would not have been given to me by a customer at The Works on the upper east side.

Bob: Did you deal with it well when you got the news you were positive, or not?

Alphonso: Believe it or not, I assumed I was going to die. So, I planned to take out a huge loan and do all the things I had dreamed of. But after a few months, I woke up and thought "You'll probably borrow all this money and end up healthy and in debt." So, I decided to work towards my goals instead.

Bob: So has being HIV-positive complicated your career at all, either in the drag world or the music world?

Alphonso: Not really. Being positive has had nothing to do with my work. I have been pretty healthy except for my diabetes. That's probably been more of a problem than my HIV. My status has probably caused more problems in my dating life. Deciding when to disclose was a problem at first and then I just started telling on the first date to avoid wasting theirs and my time.

Bob: Are there many poz drag performers who are out?   I’m guessing quite a few of them are not talking, right?

Alphonso: I am sure there are more than most people think, but not everyone is out about their status. I know a few, but unfortunately not everyone handles the news well. So, many choose not to tell their families and with the fear of being rejected they choose not to tell boyfriends or casual partners.

Bob: How have advances in HIV treatment affected you personally.  I’m going to guess that you are on treatment with an undetectable viral load.  Am I right?

Alphonso: When I was first diagnosed, AZT was the only treatment. I watched a lot of my friends die on that stuff. So, I refused to take it. It wasn't until 2005 that I started treatment and have been undetectable ever since.

Bob: What would your message be for someone who is newly diagnosed – and worried about just about everything?

Alphonso: It's funny that you should ask. A drag friend of mine just got diagnosed and I told her something very important. Don't do anything that you don't want to do. If you don't feel like you need to be on the meds or that you are not ready yet don't start. Find out as much as you can about what you are about to take. Don't take your doctor's word for everything. And learn to be honest with yourself. Learn to forgive yourself. And most of all...stay stress free.

Bob: Excellent advice. One more question.  Sorry if it sounds a bit Miss America-ish.  Everybody has a dream.  What’s yours?

Alphonso: I dream of leaving my mark. I hope that my life and experiences can be used to teach someone in the future to live their lives to the fullest.

Bob: Alphonso, you’ve been a great sport. I hope we didn’t intrude too much.  Thank you so much for talking to us like this and we look forward to hearing more of your story as it unfolds on our site.

Alphonso King Jr writes as DJ Relentless on his PosiitiveLite.com blog. Find him to on his own website www.djrelentless.com. 

Post script from Alphonso . . .

I thought I should share some of my material and performances with you. I recorded a live album at Statler's last summer. I'm still working on it being remastered and working out the distribution part. There are a couple of clips from that show.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSEZZQ4XSFs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBSw0vn9ffM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7pzOI-KsLA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1tnmxwtOvU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQpWc6QLRwQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYRepLl6n9A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf0OsmHJoSg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvJABcOc8zk

THIS IS A CLIP FROM MY GAME SHOW featuring my other character, PAPRIKA JONES http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQLZ_O_pZks

THIS IS THE PILOT FOR MY TV SHOW Called "SHOWGIRL 101" (filmed before Drag Race even started) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiVFMtpxDKM&feature=related

THIS IS A CLIP FROM THE WEEKLY VARIETY SHOW I USED TO DO at CREWS & TANGOS http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeGrT7h3PdQ

You should google me. I've done movies, television and traveled the world. I had a weekly variety show at Crews & Tangos (Toronto) but  I had a crappy time slot (7 PM to 9 PM on Saturdays). It was very difficult to get people to come out that early so they cancelled it. I keep hoping to find another spot to do the show. It was a lot of fun. I featured all types of entertainment. I had live singers, comedians and of course female impersonators.

Plus, I wrote and recorded a song for AIDS awareness called "H-I-Vogue".

So, there's a lot more to my story (as you can see). I have opened for Cyndi Lauper. I performed with Beyonce at the Roxy in NYC. I am currently one of the resident DJ's at Crews & Tangos (Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays). "DIrty Mondays" "Night Skool Wednesdays" and "CLUB LITE Fridays".

(Editor's note: Here's an interview with FAB.)

Rating System: 

No * means horrible
* means you'd better get used to it
** means there is something to like about it
*** means I like it alot
**** means I love it

Okay...summer is over. The kids are back in school. And this is the time of year when a lot of recording artists test the waters to see where they are in the music stratosphere.

And speaking of music.....here’s a few tracks that I recently listened to.

“You and I” (The Remixes) Lady GaGa (Interscope Records) So, I barely watch anything on MTV anymore since it is not music television. It’s more like teen reality show television.

So, when I started reading all these critiques of her drag king debut on the MTV Video Music Awards, I was curious what all the fuss was about. A friend had recorded the show, so I got to see it. Her new character, Joey looked like a cross between John Travolta in “Grease” and Brian Setzer of The Stray Cats.

I think what I was impressed with was her commitment to the character. I had seen the music video for “You and I” and I thought...”okay, that;s one way to reinvent herself”. The first time I heard this song was on American idol when Casey sang it in the competition. And then Mother Monster did it as a farewell on Oprah’s final season. But that was months ago. And now it seems that the track is a new anthem. So far I have received four different remixes. The 10 Kings Dance Remix and the Mike Taylor Remix are both functional mixes, but the Jay Sanity Electro Remix is hot. And my favorite is the Brian Cua Remix. **

“Rain Over Me” (The Remixes) Pitbull featuring Marc Anthony (Polo Grounds Records) And let's move on to Mr. Worldwide. Pitbull (who I affectionately refer to as the whore of the industry) has teamed up with the newly divorced Marc Anthony for his follow up to “Give Me Everything”. Benny Benassi, Quintino, Tom Piper and Riddler did great jobs at remixing this track, but Miguel Vargas really sealed the deal with his House Mix. It’s catchy and it has a good energy about it. Girls seem to really connect with Pitbull’s voice. And Mr. Anthony hasn’t had a dance hit in a long time. “I Need To Know” was back at the beginning of the century. I definitely think it will do better than Jennifer Lopez's “Papi”. Sorry, Jennifer. ***

“Last Friday Night” (The Remixes) Katy Perry (Capitol Records) You would not believe how many remixes there are for this song. Months before it was released as single I had received about four bootleg remixes, so i knew it would be a release. And with it’s release, Katy became the first female artist to beat Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” album for number of singles from an album. Congratulations, Miss Perry!

And might I say you were looking very vintage Lady Miss Keir from Deee-Lite at the MTV Video Music Awards with your pink hair. And even though I thought your husband was kinda dirty looking when he first came on the scene, he’s looking kinda right these days. His role in “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” helped change my mind quickly. But I digress. My favorite mixes of “Last Friday Night” are the remix featuring Missy Elliott and the Carlos Cid & Greg Bahary’s Hott 22 Club Vocal really rocked my world. If only we could find a way to combine Missy’s rap on the Club remix and I would be in heaven! ****


THE RELENT-LIST 9-10-11

Here iaremy Top Ten Songs for this week’s BPM (boys-party-music) at WAYLA Bar

1) In The Dark (DJ Vice Bootleg Mix)-Dev featuring Kanye West

2) Someone Like You (DJ Danny’s Deep Soul Bootleg Mix)-Adele

3) Someone To Love Me (DJ San Fran Remix)-Mary J. Blige Iglesias featuring Lil’ Wayne & Diddy

4) Super Bass (Liam Keegan Remix)-Nicki Minaj

5) Moves Like Jagger (Cutmore Club Mix)-Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera

6) You and I (Brian Cua Remix)-Lady GaGa

7) Give Me Everything (Mikael Wills & Justin Sane Remix)-Pitbull featuring NeYo & Nayer

8) Otis (Pete Down Hype Edit)-Jay Z. & Kanye West

9) Best Thing I Never Had (Lil’ Jon & DJ Kontrol Club Mix)-Beyonce featuring Shawty Putt

10) Last Friday Night (Remix)-Katy Perry featuring Missy Elliott

And this week’s Throwback Track is “You Know How To Love me” (Friscia & Lamboy Mix) by Phyllis Hyman