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Tahiry is showing the world why she has “the best body in the game”…. and dishing on meeting up with Joe Budden this weekend for the first time in months…

Tahiry Jose Talks New Calendar, College Degree, Playboy And Joe Budden

Tahiry Jose is a name most recognize from the Love & Hip Hop franchise but unlike many who venture into the wonderful world of reality TV just looking for 15 minutes of fame, she’s not your average chick.

BOSSIP recently caught up with the Harlem-born banger who’s in the midst of promoting her new Intimacy Calendar to get better acquainted with the lady building the brand and the educated hustlista on a mission to give the world a glimpse at the woman behind all those God-given cakes.

Check out what Tahiry had to say about her brand, Playboy, Joe Budden, giving back, her body, plastic surgery and more.

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Your calendar is out today and your body looks phenomenal. Have you always been this comfortable in your own skin?
Yeah, you know I come from a family full of curvy women and even before I became known to the public, I was wearing things that I was comfortable in that always happened to show my shape as well.

I remember my very first shoot, I was nervous on the way there and I almost cancelled it. That was with King Magazine. I remember doing the”8 Mile” thing [referring to the scene in the movie where Eminem threw up in the bathroom because he was nervous before performing].  I was in the bathroom, gagging like “I can’t do this.” Then I got on set and they gave me my outfits and I put them on and….from then on, I’ve always been ready to shoot. It was like do or die and I didn’t die so, you know, it happened.

You said recently that you have the best body in the industry. What makes yours the best?
I’m 100% natural. I work really hard to keep my body intact. I’m not perfect, I’m not saying that I am. I have my flaws; I fight cellulite, I do squats and all kinds of things to keep it in tact, but I’m just saying, I’m one of the best bodies in the industry.

I haven’t gotten a spoiler kit yet [laughs]. You know how you take your car in and you get extra parts added or enhanced; I haven’t done that. I haven’t done anything to my body and you know, I’m not in my twenties. I have closed shoots now but, it wasn’t always like that so, I’ve been in photo shoots where I take my stuff off [around other models] and you know, I give these 20-year-olds a run for their money.

And like I said I haven’t done ANYTHING to my body. So, yeah, as far as I’m concerned, I am the best body in the industry.

Talk a little about your educational background before transitioning into entertainment:
Well, I went to John Jay College of Criminal Justice and I got a B.A. in Criminal Justice. I was interning for the NYPD and the year I was graduating, 9/11 happened. And a lot of the people that got stuck in those buildings were John Jay students so, the effects of that happening made [a career] in the Criminal Justice Field take a backseat for me and rethink the whole situation.

At the time, I was also bartending and I fell in love with that life. It kind of was my side hustle. And then after I got my degree, I started to work there full time and I became this hostess who then became the bartender who then became a cocktail waitress. So that became my passion and what I did full time.

During that time, I met this guy name Joe [laughs] and we started to date and the rest is history. Three years in, he bought a little Sony camera into the bedroom while I was sleep and fighting a cold and I cursed him out in my Spanish accent [on camera] and the next day, people wanted to see more. We didn’t know it would turn into what it turned into but, that led to covers and magazines and I would get stopped at school and I’d get stopped to do little independent films and videos but, I was shy and I was more on the school tip. Then, a few years later Joey & I did Joe Budden TV and it got bigger and bigger. And that’s how I wound up on Love & Hip Hop.

This was just the beginning of our chat. Tahiry also opened up about doing Playboy, whether or not she’d ever have plastic surgery, and who she’s dating now. Hit the flip for more from our interview, including a sneak peek at her new calendar full of cakes.

Would you ever do Playboy?
Absolutely. Yeah, I said that maybe five years ago. And even today, yeah, I would definitely do Playboy.

What are your thoughts on plastic surgery/a** shots? Would you ever have any done?
I haven’t but, if I needed to, I guess I would. It’s a double edged sword though so I feel like people should research these things and be careful. I see a lot of cases of people walking around looking worse than how they started because of these surgeries.

You know, breast augmentations are one thing but, shooting things up into your blood stream when you have no clue what they are is dangerous. I always tell the ladies who ask to not just think about just today. You know, you’re looking hot today and you’ve got this bubble butt today but, what about when you’re older? You don’t know how your body is going you react to these things.

On one hand, not everybody can be natural. But then on the other hand, I turn around and say but “you guys are cheating; embrace who you are.” So, you know it’s pretty sad. And now with social media and on Instagram, these girls are getting younger and younger that are doing these things to their bodies and I just think that they need to just slow their roll and let nature take its’ course. A lot of these females don’t even wait until their bodies have matured yet!

Would you bring a new love interest on Love & Hip Hop?
Absolutely. I would definitely bring a love interest. I am actually at TV One right now and I walked into all of the girls’ cubicles like “yo, somebody needs to find me a boo.” So yeah, I mean, I’d definitely bring somebody on the show. That’d be a lot of fun. I’d probably be a hot mess dating on camera since it’s been a while! [laughs]

Are you dating now?
You know my schedule is so intense and I hate to sound like everybody and be like “oh, I don’t date because I’m so into my work.” No [that’s not the case.] Every time I have a chance to creep off and see a boy I like, (and I say boy cause it sounds cuter) or have a glass of wine with somebody I enjoy conversation with, I do. I might be in between work and if I have a day to myself, you might find me enjoying male company. So, yes I am dating.

However, I am very big on if you see me and I’m cuffing,then it’s real. Not to say that if you don’t see me then it’s not real, but it has to feel right for me to say “this is what it is.” A lot of times women in the public eye get criticized for dating publicly and being seen with this guy and that guy and a lot of times, it’s probably just the first date and they’re probably just getting to know each other and it might not even go anywhere else.

So, I take my time to enjoy male company but, if you ever see me [in public with someone] it’s because it’s something that feels right and I want to the world to know about it because it’s real…and because the other person is ok with it. As someone who has given so much to her audience and who everybody wants to see happy because I’ve been through so much in my past relationship, it becomes a big deal. So the person has to be ready to deal with the fact that it’s going to be a big deal because people want to see me win when it comes to…..the one thing that I haven’t gotten right in my life [laughs]. So, yeah, I need a man who is very secure and who is alright with everything that I come with.

Lastly, Tahiry dished on seeing Joe for the first time since the proposal aired, hosting an event with him today, criticism of urban models, and what she’d most like to be remembered for. Read the last of our interview next…

What’s your response to the theory that women who started as urban models won’t be taken seriously as mainstream entertainers without breaking away from urban modeling?
I would disagree. Didn’t Janet [Jackson] do a King magazine cover? So did Mya and people like Free and Stacey Dash and Gabrielle Union. There has to be some kind of growth and some kind of arch to everybody’s story. It’s ok to want to switch career paths and try to prove yourself and say ‘well this is who I am today, forget who I was yesterday,’ but I think it’s better to allow the world to grow with you instead.

Yes, I put out a calendar in 2011, but I’m still in the industry that made me who I am today and I’m continuing to grow. So now, I’m giving you a calendar in 2014 and this calendar is a lot more mature. It shows the evolution of Tahiry so, it shows a little bit of my past and it shows a lot more of who I am today. Little by little, I grow with my audience and they grow with me and I think they appreciate that more than me just all of a sudden saying “Oh, forget what I used to do or who I was before.” I think, you know, people invest time into watching us on TV and I think they appreciate seeing that growth. It’s not what you do, it’s how you do it. Everything in due time.

You and Joe are actually hosting an event together tonight. Are you guys on better terms now?
I mean…they definitely had to get me an extra stack for that one! [laughs]. But seriously, yes, we are hosting in Seattle [today].

I haven’t seen in a couple months. I spoke to him recently because he found a way to get my information and get in contact with me. But this will be the first time I’ve seen him since the show aired the proposal so, Seattle is about to get a good show, I’m assuming. Or not, because I’m good. I’m just gonna go do what I gotta do and show Seattle some love and….everything else has nothing to do with me. [pauses] Unless he finds his way to my room! [laughs]

What’s the biggest misconception about Tahiry?
That I’m uneducated. As many times as I’ve screamed that I actually have a degree, people tend to ignore the good stuff. Now that I’m actually having a chance to share my voice and share some of my story, people are interested in knowing more sides of me. But, before, people were pretty much just interested in knowing about them cheeks and wanted to keep me as that girl who did that magazine cover and dates rappers.

What’s next for the Tahiry brand?
Well in May, I am the face of Color Club nail polish for a line called “Seven Deadly Sins.” It’s my seven favorite shades from the line.  Pretty soon you’ll be able to pick those up on Tahiryonline.com as well as at Urban Outfitters and other stores. I also have a collaboration coming out in February 2015 for Valentine’s Day called “Love Tahiry.” I went in with the actual chemist and I picked my favorite colors, gave them my own names and picked my favorite bottle so, yeah. And you ‘ll be able to paint your nails a certain color and it’ll have a scent to it based on the color.

I’ve also been thinking about my own gym. It’s really,really early for that one but, you know I’m taking meetings and getting it going. There’s a lot more in store for building the Tahiry empire though.

Where can people get the calendar?
It comes out today. It’s on Tahiryonline.com and you can also go there to find out where I’m gonna be or what charity events I’m doing, anything going on in my world. And you can follow me on Twitter and Instagram @therealtahiry.

When it’s all said and done, what do you want your legacy to be?
I’ve always said that I can sit here and brag about everything I’ve done, but I pretty much just want to always give back. I just want people to remember me as someone who just loved to give back. I want to use this platform that I’ve been blessed with for positive. If I can change a little girls’ life or make these children smile, that’s enough for me.

I want the average little girl from Harlem that I was to look and say ‘Wow, she’s done this and this and she came from right here and I can be even greater than that.’

Gotta love a woman who knows what she wants and is working hard to build a brand beyond what meets they eye while also striving to give back, riiigghhht?

WENN

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