Tyra Banks: creator of TV's 'America's next top model' tells why singing is her next move

Jet, March 1, 2004 by Margena A. Christian

"I've been called fivehead. In the Black community, a big forehead is a negative thing. You hear that your whole life, but when you go into modeling, it's a positive thing. It's like if you have big lips. As soon as you model, it's a beautiful thing. The modeling industry can instill a lot of insecurity in women, but at the same time they find beauty in odd things. It can raise your self-esteem in some ways. I'm sure a lot of Black, big forehead girls get teased, but then they can look at me and say, 'Tyra's forehead is bigger than mine, and she's a supermodel!' And they can feel proud."

Modeling might have helped Banks to become a household name, but she was a constant household face each week on TV in 1993 when she had a recurring role playing Will Smith's love interest on the long-running sitcom "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air." TV work hasn't been her only foray as an actress. She's appeared in the movies Higher Learning, Love & Basketball, Coyote Ugly and Halloween: Resurrection. This week she makes a guest appearance on the TV sitcom "All of Us."

Banks isn't one to sit still for long. The serious businesswoman is already trying to find ways to balance her other endeavors. A one-hour series--a weekly drama--and some spin-offs of "America's Next Top Model" are some of the offerings in the works.

As for now, music is beckoning her energy. She hopes to do a remix of Shake Ya Body with rappers Lil' Kim or Ludacris or both.

"I would love to play up that I'm so tall and she's so little and the whole girl power thing. I love her intensity," Banks says. "With Ludacris I love his energy. It's so club bangin' and I love his humor with his videos and his image. He's not afraid to have fun. I like the sound of his voice and that he got his start as a deejay."

A remix with the lively rap pair, says Jerkins, is possible. "It could happen if Lil' Kim and Ludacris call me. It could happen."

Stay tuned.