Fresh: So how has life been like for you since the show wrapped?

Shola: Life has been great! I’m in school at Fordham University and I will graduate in May.

Great, what is your major in?

I’m majoring in Music and minoring in Communications.

Big things, big things!

Yup! Yup! Yeah in addition to school. I have also been working with the Oakland Youth Uprising Center to get things popping off for Oakland, where I’m from. Also I have found an active acting agent so I’ve been going on a lot of acting auditions and casting calls. And there are many other things in the works, so you’ll be seeing a lot of me soon.

Do you think that the show did an accurate job of representing you as a person?

The last few episodes I think I was able to stand out as a personality on the show. It was a time during the taping that I felt more confident, and decided to really be myself regardless of any negative or questioning feedback the other cast members had about me. And I carry myself with a certain regard and I think it showed that. I’ve gotten e-mails about the class that I showed and how I stood out from the other contestants, so I think the show showed me for the most part how I am and in a positive light. There are some questionable things that happened at the end of my run on the show that tried to damper my image, but I think people saw through that and thought me being cut was a decision that had no grounds.

I totally agree with you. I respected the fact that you stood your ground when Seven was trying to “school” you in the SUV. Girl I don’t know how you did it I would’ve lost it!

Well thank you. Yeah, I think people thought I was a push over because I was kind of quiet in the beginning but that is not he case, I don’t stand for people disrespecting me or trying to tell me about myself.

Word. What did you think about Seven’s little spazz out session she had once Dame decided to give her the boot for her comments?

Well I think Seven was doing too much. She needed to accept the fact that what she did was wrong and let it go.

Exactly. Do you still remain in contact with any of the other contestants from the show?

Yeah I am in contact with most of them. Its funny because although Seven is the most opposite from me, me and her are cool and talk regularly.

Its nice to see that there isn’t any ill will between the two of you.

No not all…its a reality TV show, you cant take what happened on that show to heart, we were in competition mode. But now we are in networking-how can we work together to help each other mode.

Yeah that’s a good thing. We don’t want to see a showdown post show between the two of you like Oprah had between Omarosa and the other contest on “The Apprentice” (laughter).

(laughter) Yeah

So was there anything else going on in the house that the show has neglected to display so far?

No not really, not that I can think of.

So let’s fast forward to the last episode. Many people including myself and Sheryl Underwood think that Jen totally sabotaged the last mission by giving you the wrong bag when you made the delivery to Diddy. What was going through your mind once you realized that had occurred?

Well it never occurred to me that Jen had sabotaged me, honestly I don’t think Jen was smart enough to think that through. She just couldn’t complete the simplest of task of giving me the right bag. I was embarrassed and very upset that she would mess something up like that, that was so simple. She made me look bad in front of Diddy and I was mad at her for that. Plus we would have won that mission if she didn’t mess up.

I was shocked when Dame decided to let Biggs make the decision on who to send home. Did they not review the footage? “You are being watched”…whatever!

You’re funny (laughter).Yeah in this situation I was surprised that he let his man, Biggs, do his job. I was the only person that Dame didn’t decide to cut himself. I think Dame was worried about getting caught up in any controversy or back lash there could have been based on his decision-no matter who he chose. So he escaped that by deciding not to choose. But basically it shouldn’t have happened- there was no reason for me to be cut. And Dame let me down and I think the audience down by relinquishing his power to someone else when it came to making this decision.

I don’t think that was a smart move at all. Its Dame’s show, not his but I could go on and on about Dame. How did you feel about different people saying that you played the race card at the black door elimination?

That blew my mind! I definitely don’t think I pulled a “race card” and I resent that they said I did. A race card refers to someone bringing up race to play victim or use as an excuse, and I definitely didn’t say that comment to say she had it better than me.I was simply stating fact. Just as I would if I was in an all white environment, I would stand out. I think its interesting that we act like race doesn’t exist and that it doesn’t play a role. But in this situation it definitely played a role and I guess people want to be so politically correct that they don’t want to say what it really is or to even question it.

What went through your mind when Dame spoke those ever so corny words “you’re a hustler but … “

Well once he gave the power over to Biggs, I was like whatever at that point. So when he said “Well, Shola..” I said, “Dame”….(laughter) because it was just so obvious to me that this wasn’t a real competition based on people who could actually contribute and survive in the business world. This was very much a TV show and I think that came first before deciding who was really the Ultimate Hustler of the group.

Right. What’s going to be some new projects coming up next for you?

As I said in the beginning there are a lot of exciting things in the works. I don’t really like saying too much before contracts are signed, but there are some hosting things in negotiation right now. I graduate in May. You know hustling to take my singing and acting career to the next level. And keeping it Crunk (laughter). So periodically check out my website www.sholajoy.com to see whats new with me!