Honey Mag

Pretty. Popular. Privileged. Their presentation gets them past the velvet rope. Their last name grants them first-class treatment. Toss the fashion line, zip switch, and hotelier aspirations into cable’s reality-show mill and it doesn’t take Perez to point out the parallels. A certain set of sisters may come to mind, but with no crotch shots, rap sheets, or sex tapes crawling the web, the comparisons end there.

Angela and Vanessa Simmons are hip hop’s most hailed/hated heiresses.

For four years, their family was MTV’s The Cosby Show 2.0. But once Rev’s eldest daughters captured their own audience, Daddy’s Girls left behind Run’s House to run their own fashion house. They may have traded the bright lights for palm trees but the mini moguls quickly realized they weren’t on vacay. That’s when our fun began. Three seasons later and we still can’t get enough of the Simmons sisters.

Honey headed to La La Land to shoot Angela, 22, and Vanessa, 26, and rap about everything from hair to Hollywood. Find out who snatches that weave, how to hold onto the V, and what Pastry is pushing out next season.

Honey Magazine: You guys tend to come off as a set — like Angela&Vanessa. Let’s just start by giving a rundown of the distinctness of your personalities. If you had to describe yourself in three words… what makes you you?

Vanessa: This is like a pageant question. I used to do pageants. (laughs) I haven’t competed in years.

You seem to be really stepping into the industry, building yourself as a brand…

V: I am extremely ambitious. I don’t think people realize that there are so many things I want to accomplish. I am a loyal person. Unfortunately, being out here in LA — I’ve had my sets of friends and some of those friends are not my friends anymore. Being out here has definitely taught me about myself and I’m as real as they come. Even if it hurts somebody’s feelings, I’m going to tell them the truth. I think that’s what creates strong relationships.

Angela: It’s three! You only said two.

V: It was just so long, it felt like three.

A: That’s cause you’re giving the explanation after ‘em!

V: So, I said loyal, ambitious and… I’m friendly. A lot of people have this perception of me that I look like I can be snotty and stuck-up. It’s something that has followed me since college. I think because of who my family is — and I’m very privileged, very blessed – so people are always like, “Well she thinks she’s all that”.

A: You make me think of Barney, with your “friendly”.

V: Like Barneys the store or Barney?

A: Barney, the dinosaur.

V: Whatever, Angela, you got some pretty stupid answers, too. I’m sure I can mock one of ‘em. I am like Barney because I’m very friendly and very nice and I have a huge heart.

A: Let’s see, what am I? I’m fun – I like to have fun. That includes my job because if I’m not doing anything fun then why am I doing it? Hardworking. Anything that I do, I definitely give 100 percent. Even with school. I went to college for four semesters and had to stop because we had Pastry. When I was at F.I.T. it was impossible to juggle college and my career. But you go to college to get your career so I was like I might as well just stop. And my third one…

V: You should turn “fun” into “funny.”

A: No, I’m not funny.

V: But you are. Everybody thinks you’re hilarious.

A: People are always like, “Yeah do stand-up.” and I’m like, “No, I’m gonna go on stage and look dumb.”

I know you guys know the misperceptions about you…

A: They always think that I’m the serious one.

V: They think I’m the more serious one!

A: No. People think I’m mean when they first meet me. When I come around people I get very quiet because I like to observe the scene. I need to make sure it’s alright to start talking.

V: And because she’s like that, I have to always be over-extra.

A: Yeah, she’ll talk more.

V: When I’m by myself and I meet people, I’m quiet. But for the sake of both of us, I have to be more open.

A: Oh, that’s another word for me – sensitive. I am one of the most sensitive people in the world. I might be a person who takes a lot of things wrong because I have a big heart. I give a lot to people. When people say something, I take it to heart.

For some reason it doesn’t come off that way. You don’t seem like the emotional one.

V: She’s got that tough girl outer layer. It’s that hard shell.

A: If someone says something hurtful to me, I could break down in five seconds. I’ve been like that since I was younger. I could give you some funny stories. Dumb stuff like being hungry. I don’t know if that’s being sensitive or being a brat. Like my parents are on the way to eat and I would be in the backseat crying, “I’m hungry!!”

V: Because of this, she’s still very dramatic.

A: When it comes to relationships – I’m sensitive. I show my emotions quick. I think it’s a Virgo thing. It’s not something everyone can see, but I am. When I get around people I’m just reading energy. And I’m very into fashion, so people think I’m staring at them but I’m really just looking at their clothes.

V: I give people the once-over sometimes and I’m not looking at them snotty.

A: I just… I comment. I’m looking at your pieces and I go, Oh — those are Marc Jacobs. I swear I know where everything comes from. It’s bad. I’m a shopaholic and I’m ok to admit that now.

V: She used to go shopping every day.

A: I just came from there.

OK, let’s talk Pastry. Getting your own company and being empowered as very young women. And then I think there was a very distinct moment when you guys really took control of it. It’s kind of the point here where you guys are like – We own this. I want hear about the frustrations of trying to build the company as such young women, having the pressures of your family legacy and having people constantly question your validity.

V: When we first came out I remember they said the meanest things: “Oh, what do they know about sneakers?” We kept working, getting better and learning more. Two years later, the list of things that Pastry is about to foray into is freakin’ mind-blowing. We’re reinventing it.

A: We’re re-launching. We had a little clothing out there and now we’re in the middle of remixing and changing it all up. And we have some really cool shoes coming out.

V: We’re just taking it to a place where we’ve always wanted it to be

A: It’s like Pastry redeveloping itself. It’s like a new turnover.

V: Remix.

A: Remix, you wanna say remix – it’s not a song.

V: Yeah, it’s like Pastry remix.

How would you guys change, as far as stepping into a mogul’s shoes and claiming it as your own?

A: That comes with making sure you’re the boss of your own stuff. Making sure you make those calls like “Did you get the approval for this?” or “I didn’t see this yet.” It’s very…

V: …not letting things slip between our hands because it’s our name on it.

A: That’s what you snatched [the recorder] for? To say that? When I’m on a roll, you snatch it from me.

V: You weren’t on a roll, you were stuttering.

A: I was not stuttering, it was coming out!

V: Kidding, I’m kidding.

Describe your style.

A: I don’t really have a set style because I don’t know how I’m going to feel in the morning.

V: You would be a very diverse dresser.

A: But that’s boring. I don’t want to say “diverse dresser.”

V: I made up my whole category. I’m versatile.

A: I don’t like to just go with what’s trendy right now. I’ll go back and pull stuff and say, “This was popular in 1995, I’m putting it on.” I’m all over the place.

Sneakers or stilettos?

V: Flats. Nice flat boots.

A: At this very moment, I would put on stilettos. That’s why Pastry is making heels.

V: But heels that can also be comfortable.

A: And I love sneakers. I’ve always been a sneaker head. But that’s what drives us to be able to do a line. We’re into that world. We’re into all of it. People often say, “I don’t understand why you don’t have your stuff on all the time.” Because I’m such a fashion-person that I could never limit myself to one lane. What I like to do is go shop and get inspiration to build up new stuff.

OK, now to the burning question: who does your hair?

V: Dante and Tre Major.

People are overwhelmingly crazy about your hair.

V: I just took out all my extensions and Media Takeout’s like, “Oh, we don’t believe it” but it’s alI my hair.

A: At the end of the day, we got hair under these weaves.

V: A lot. (Laughs). Yeah, Dante [Blanchor] who also does Taraji, and Tre Major, who used to do Aaliyah. We have to give props to Kim Epps, too, who used to do our hair last season of Daddy’s Girls.

Let’s talk about the show. Do you feel a sense of vulnerability exposing your private lives on TV?

V: I don’t feel very exposed. I stay as far away from places where I know there will be cameras if I’m going out with my boyfriend. I’m just private. I’m sure one day I’ll get caught out there, but I stay as far away from cameramen as possible.

Let’s talk about the fact that you’ve lived life day-to-day on camera and trying to maintain a private relationship.

V: Well, we’ve been on-again, off-again and we’re young. So I don’t want anyone to ever judge my relationship or be like “Aha, they broke up” next week. Not that it’s going to happen, but that could happen and I don’t need other people’s scrutiny. I don’t need those words put into the universe, so I just keep all that stuff private. And it keeps our relationship sane… even though he was on Daddy’s Girls this season.

How long have you guys [Mike Wayans] been together?

V: We’ve known each other for like four years. I met him in NY, two weeks before I moved to LA. It started out as just friends because I was actually on a date. (Laughs) And then I was just like, Hey, he gets me. We’re both kids of… we understand each other. The weird points when I just want to be by myself, he understands and he wants to be by himself because we both know what it’s like being in families in the public eye. I see other people that put their relationships out there and sometimes it doesn’t work out. And I’m not saying the industry has anything to do with it, because it could just be the people and the way they are, but the media can interfere. And I don’t want it to hurt or help my relationship. I just want it to be what it’s going to be.

I feel like you (Angela) were more vocal about your relationship than Vanessa.

A: Honestly, I’ve always been like that. I’m not like in your face but at the end of the day I know that I’m a public figure and people know what’s going on. And it’s weird that everyone has to know if I break up with somebody or I get back with somebody or I’m not with somebody. It can be a little weird because they just see you and they don’t really know what’s going on behind closed doors.

Ok, let’s talk about the whole virginity thing.

A: Ok, the whole virginity thing came out because of the breakup I had previously. And on the show, of course, it came up that I was saving myself for marriage. Is it weird that people know that now? Yeah, kind of. Do I care that much? Not really, because it’s not like it’s a bad thing. No, it’s not for everybody.

Everybody doesn’t have to wait because that’s not what they feel their destiny is. But this is what I have to do in order to get a relationship where it’s all good. I just think that when the sex factor is taken out of the relationship, you really get to know a person. Sometimes people jump in headfirst and the person that you’re with never got to know your emotional side. Is it easy? No. I mean, I’m meeting these guys and they’ve been doing whatever they’ve been doing and it’s like, “Are you serious?” Yeah, I’m serious and if you like me enough then you’re going to wait and you’re going to respect me and hopefully you’re not going to cheat because you, as a man, “need” it. I think it’s a good thing. I’m showing a guy that I can wait and hold off and it’s been a whole year and I haven’t even done it. I think it’s an eye opener to some guys.

A lot of little girls do need to know that at 15 and 14-years-old, they don’t need to be doing that. It’s crazy how right-now our society is. All these young girls having all these babies and it’s so sad. I just think that children today are so different than when we were growing up. Honestly,I didn’t kiss anybody till I was in like ninth grade. I got called a prude and I was like, “Geez, I didn’t know it was that serious.”

A: See that, Vanessa’s laughing

V: No, I’m not laughing because mine was later.

A: Well see that, Vanessa’s was later. I just thought it was, you know, normal. I thought it was normal but then you find out for some people it was first grade.

V: First grade? That doesn’t count.

A: It does count! If you kissed somebody, you kissed them.

V: I mean first grade I would get excited and tell if somebody chased me.

A: At the end of the day, I don’t think relationships can be 100 percent private. I can try to duck and hide and pretend I’m not dating someone but I’m a normal person and I’m doing things everyone does. If a relationship that I was in for two years doesn’t work, then it ends. It’s life. How many boyfriends do you really go through before you find your husband? Right now, I’m happy and fine in my relationship. I’m honest about it. I’ve been with him for like a year now and it’s a long-distance relationship so it’s really different. It’s a lot of travelling and a lot of back-and-forth.

Do you think long distance is better for you?

A: Long distance has its negatives and its positives. If you ever get into an argument, it’s not as easy to go knock on their door and be like, “Listen, this makes no sense. Why are we arguing?” It’s so frustrating to have an argument over the phone. It’s actually more effort. But does it help sometimes? Yes. Because it’s like I don’t get to see you everyday so when I do see you in three weeks…

What about having your family having the ability to see those intimate moments?

A: I don’t think that our lives are so on Front Street that when we’re walking anywhere that there are paparazzi. I’m actually grateful for how my life is. I can still go to the supermarket and everything’s normal. I don’t know if I said anything about the race thing, about dating outside of my race. I recently wrote a blog about that. I think that dating outside your race is really…

V: It’s ok.

A: Yeah, I think it’s alright to date whoever you want to date.

V: No one is supposed to judge anyone, which is also why blogs make me so mad because they think that they know everything.

Your move to LA speaks to your independence.

V: I’m just starting to get these huge meetings and I’m like “I know I deserve to be in this room because I worked for it, not because it was given to me.” I took like a year to just take film classes at New York Film Academy at Universal Studios. Then I started going on meetings for agents. I just found my agent a year ago.

A: He’s my agent too!

V: Oh, he’s her agent too now. They just signed up together. And I’m really working towards my dream of just being an actress. Like, a real actress.

What would be your dream gig?

V: I want to do a biopic. There are some really great projects that I’m working on behind the scenes right now. Hopefully, we’ll see those come together.

A: I’m a fan of Tyler Perry movies.

V: I just got to meet him the other day.

A: Anything comedy I would be down for. I’m open to all acting, but I like to be funny.

V: Even a movie with my sister. I could see us doing a movie called Sisters or something.

What’s next? Where do you see yourself in 2020?

V: My adult life is definitely going to consist of me being a hotelier and having a spa.

A: That was a joint venture!

V: Ok, but I have the business plan in my computer.

A: I have no words for you. How dare you take that as your own. (Laughs)

V: But I’m so passionate about it.

A: Did you see her just do that?

V: I’m sorry but she said in 10 years…

A: You said “I”. It should be “We”.

Someone send word to Mary Kate and Ashley. Then let the Hilton Sisters know that Daddy’s Girls are about to swipe their crowns. And cake ‘em up.

Photography by Cameron Krone

Styling by Charles Wade

Hair and Make up by Tre’ Major for Opus Beauty