For Charlene Banks modeling is a part-time hustle. As an employee of Nissan, Ms. Banks (also nicknamed Cali) was always approached by people in the clubs. Photographers, sponsors, willing gentlemen who felt that the 25-year-old vixen had the “it” look to go along with their products.

Time passed as Ms. Banks continued to work her daily 9-to-5 and ultimately she bumped into a model by the name of Heather T. After the exchanging of contact information, Ms. Banks delved into the world of modeling. Having appeared mostly online, she’s been featured on Dagohiphop.com, Allurbanmagazines.com, Fevermagazine.com, and countless others.

The majority of her work has been freelance due to her other career and after taking a hiatus from modeling, Ms. Banks, is ready to step into the limelight once again. Killa Cali parlays with HHDX as she talks about her experience with shady businessmen, talks about her military upbringing and how that affects her views about a certain “dictator” in the making, and why listening to Ghostface isn’t the only thing that she’d want to do with the Wallabee Champ.

HHDX: The majority of your work has been freelance. Starting off – what have you been featured in?

Cali: I have done several features. It was nothing in any type of magazines that you could buy at a convenient store; a few online magazines. Indiestreet.com. Urbanmagazine.com, I’ve done stuff for them. I’ve been featured on Fever Magazine as a beauty of the month. Dagohiphop.com. I am down with my girls, we’re called the Urban Godiva Girlz. I’ve been on flyers for parties and things like that.

HHDX: What has been one of the most interesting aspects of being apart of the modeling business?

Cali: The amount of lewd offers that you get from people who try to offer you a job. The type of things that people ask you to do is the most interesting. A lot of these people try to sleep with you. You go in thinking that you’re doing a business meeting, when in actuality, they’re taking you out to dinner. I think that people try to use photography as a means of dating people. Maybe in their real life they couldn’t get around the type of women that are in this business. I had figured that you’d run into some bullshit, but even for the smallest job people are asking you to come into the backroom with them. It’s really extreme. Actually, it’s kind of weird.

HHDX: With shows like America’s Next Top Model and Project Runway, it seems that fashion is a hot commodity on televisions nationwide. Would you ever take yourself to the small screen and hit up a reality television show?

Cali: I’ve actually been asked to be on a reality modeling television show. It just depends on what I have going on at the time and what I want as an outcome [with the show]. I’ve said no the three times that I’ve been asked. It’s not that I wouldn’t take the job, it’s just that I wouldn’t know how the portrayal would be and I wouldn’t want to be put in a negative light.

HHDX: So… no Flavor of Love 3 for you, huh?

Cali: No, not at all. There is a certain type of respect that I have for myself that I wouldn’t put myself in that position at all! That’s not a show where I would be able to live with myself. That show is merely for people to laugh at and be considered a joke.

HHDX: I guess being on that show would be comparable to being locked up. Speaking of that, Bush just came out and acknowledged the existence of Guantanamo Bay – do you think that Dubya is trying to become America’s first dictator?

Cali: In a way… I do. It’s funny that you asked that. I came from a military family. I personally don’t like Mr. Bush or the decisions that he’s made. I think that he’s trying to morph us into this type of world where he rules over all. He’s trying to justify things that aren’t correct or weren’t the right moves when made. My father in the beginning, when this all started, was for the war because of Saddam, the Gulf War, and all that had happened with 9/11. Now, with all of these men and women dying – he is no longer for the war and feels that it needs to stop. I can understand where he’s coming from, but I’ve never tried to be in the army though to experience how he’s really felt.

HHDX: On your MySpace page, you say that you gain respect by “meeting your commitments in a timely and professional manner.” When has there been a time where someone on the other has not upheld their obligations and what did you do about it?

Cali: To be honest… in my experience a lot of people have been like that. There have only been a few people that I’ve dealt with where they’ve been overly professional. I stay committed to the job because I promised to do this. I will follow through with things the best way possible, but I do not want to compromise my position and always remain professional. If the person is not a professional and the question comes up about working with them again – I’d state my position and keep it moving.

HHDX: Being that we’re HipHopDX.com and on your page you say that you like real Hip-Hop – who are you feeling and if you could do a song with anyone in the industry… who would it be and why?

Cali: All together as a whole, I’m a fan… for some reason of… Ghostface. I loved Big L. With Ghostface’s last few albums I really love his metaphors. I’m an artist… I draw… and he gives me a lot of visuals. He thinks outside the box and how he puts it into the word is amazing. For Big L, it’s the same way. His flow is crazy. I grew up most of my life on the West Coast and I had a lot of East Coast music in my walkman. A lot of people didn’t think that I had that type of music in rotation or that I even went to the concerts. Music moves you. That’s something that cannot be controlled. I love Biggie, ‘Pac, Jay-Z, as well. I love a lot of stuff from the ‘80s – Eric B and Rakim and Brand Nubian, just to name a few. If I had it my way it would probably do a song with Ghostface. I would just sit there and listen to him spit and I would draw something to compliment his lyrics.

HHDX: You’ve recently relocated to Nashville, Tennessee. The reason being was that you were doing a business transition. If you’re modeling part-time, what else is it that you do?

Cali: The company that I worked for moved here and I decided last minute to go along with them. I work for Nissan North America and they relocated to Nashville. Other than working for Nissan… I model. I’m about to jump back into doing the modeling because I have a lot of people trying to get in touch with me. I’d like to get involved in volunteer work with animals. They have pounds and rescue centers out here that I would like to be a part of.

HHDX: This is kind of an off-the-wall type question. Is there any use of kung-fu while being a model?

Cali: [Laughs] If someone touches you wrong, yes! I love watching kung-fu films. I have not perfected the Buddhist palm, but I can karate chop somebody with the quickness. Right now, I like “Hero,” I also like the remake of “Iron Monkey” by Quentin Tarentino.

HHDX: With the elections coming up in November it is beneficial for people to be politically minded. Today on Newsweek (via MSNBC.com), an article appeared asking how Barack Obama became a known political figure. Do you believe that this man could become our first Black President of the United States?

Cali: If his movement is truer than what is going on now and if the people are here. The 2004 [Presidential] elections was the first time that I had voted. I was upset with how the voting procedures where going around. I’m not going to be bold enough to say don’t go out and vote, but I do believe that there are people higher up that sway the decision. I don’t even really have a television right now, but I urge everyone to stay aware.

HHDX: What do you believe needs to be changed in American government?

Cali: I think that first of all that the American government needs to stop telling lies. That really does put a dent in our society. People believe that they’re following a movement and it comes out that it’s all false. Even if the news is going to hurt the public, it’s better for us to be honest. Our minds can take it. I believe that the government also needs to show more involvement in the community. Whether that means running more programs or just showing that things are going on in the world. That’s really about it.

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