Meet Shameika Rhymes

We recently connected with Shameika Rhymes and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Shameika with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
My work ethic definitely comes from my grandfather and being a cheerleader. My grandfather had a work ethic that was undeniable even at 94 years old, he could out-work and run circles around anyone, including me. He worked at a hospital and still managed to run a farm with cows, chickens, grape vines, pear trees, a vast garden and more. Even after he retired, he still kept his farm running with his cows, well into his early 90s. He always said to work hard and keep moving because that is what will keep you going. He always said to do the best you can at whatever you do. Before his passing earlier this year, he still got up early to “work” in his yard, except on Sundays, the day for rest. I spent a lot of time at my grandparents house as a child, so I saw firsthand how he worked tirelessly to leave behind a legacy and land for his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. I started cheerleading when I was 5 years old. When I wasn’t at practice, I was constantly watching cheer competitions, reading books on cheerleading, or practicing in the mirror or outside to be the best cheerleader I could be. That determination and work ethic helped me make the squad each time and made me an All-American at NCA cheer camp.
I apply the work ethic I saw first hand from my grandfather and the work ethic I developed from cheerleading for almost 15 years.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am an entertainment/lifestyle journalist and host that loves old-school everything and pop culture. My company is called Pearl Grove Media LLC. There are a few of projects that fall under that umbrella. I started blogging and realized how much I loved telling stories and eventually, TheMofochronicles.com was born in 2009. It focused on the ups and downs of dating. Eventually, it changed as I evolved, and the acronym took on a new meaning of “My Own Freaking Observations” to cover everything from lifestyle, entertainment, blogs about health and more.

As a freelance journalist, I have written for multiple publications and digital platforms including Vanity Fair, Ebony Magazine, Essence, became the blogger for WEtv.com, Shondaland.com, Parade.com, Zola.com, and I’ve written cover stories for Studio Gannett USA Today’s special publications, the National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM), and most recently NBC Universal.

I also host my entertainment show “Check the Rhymes TV” and on the show, I give an exclusive look into the lives of today’s media personalities and celebrities behind the headlines and away from the spotlight. You’ll find interviews with the stars of today and yesteryear. Here, nothing is off limits with “Check The Rhymes.” It’s where Gen X meets Pop Culture! I’m always on the lookout for old school music artists/music legends to highlight on the show.

There’s also my podcast that I co-host with Chelley Cheyenne called, “Ladies Edition.” It’s a safe space for the ladies to talk about fibroids, endometriosis, pre-and post-hysterectomy, and other women’s health issues. We’re always on the lookout for women to share their stories!

I also appear on “TMZ Live” as a regular contributor, as well as co-host on the “Hollywood Junket” YouTube channel. I’m always open to TV hosting opportunities!

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Three qualities and skills that have been super helpful and impactful in my journey are listening, accepting feedback, and being flexible. This is the same advice I would give to folks early in their journalism career. Listening is important when you are interviewing someone, because it’s just like a conversation. You have to hear what the other person is saying versus reading down a list of prepared questions that may interrupt the flow or their thought process. It also helps to come up other questions based off of what they say.
Accepting feedback is hard, but it also helps to know where you may need to tweak something whether it’s the set design, camera angle, or even an editor’s feedback to help make their job easier. In the end, it makes your product look better if you take their feedback into consideration and compromise if necessary.
Being flexible has helped me to be able to write and do on-air interviews about other topics than just entertainment. Being flexible helps with scheduling if an interviewee needs to move their allotted time earlier or later. Be willing to step outside of your comfort zone and explore other areas whether it’s health, finance, or even lifestyle because you never know when someone will need someone with your vast expertise.

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
The most impactful thing my parents did was give me the gift of my love of music which was and still is instrumental in my career since the center of “Check the Rhymes TV” is old school music. My dad played a lot of the music that I still listen to today, and those are the artists I love interviewing and hearing their stories. My mom gave me the gift of imagination with multiple trips to the library to get books, allowing me the room to be creative whether it was creating storylines with Barbie’s or supporting my cheerleading/choreography dreams. Without any of those things, I wouldn’t be the creative journalist that I am today.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Check the Rhymes TV photo with the marquee: Jon Strayhorn

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