ABOUT JADA F. SMITH

After officially deciding to pursue my life’s dream of hosting MTV’s “Total Request Live” in the 10th grade, I created a master plan to major in broadcast journalism at Howard University and eventually move to New York City and interview all the fabulous people in Times Square. Seven years later I’m thanking the good Lord that I let those MTV dreams go – seeing as how there’s no more TRL or any show that requires a charming host on MTV anymore.

The path took a wonderfully different direction during my freshman year at HU when I began writing for the school newspaper, The Hilltop, and I haven’t been able to put my pen down since. I’m a senior journalism major, managing editor for the nation’s only daily black newspaper, intern at The Root and aspiring law student (random, I know!). As a kid, my aunt and I would watch "Law & Order" marathons until we fell asleep and my parents would take me to social justice meetings at our local community center. After reporting on racial injustices and trying to impress people with the rudimentary legal terms I picked up from my "Law & Order" obsession, I decided that for me to battle the inequalities that the millennia has masterfully disguised, I had to get the Esq. behind my name. First step on my quest to save the world, tackling the LSAT…

When I’m Not in Front of the Tube

I’m probably in class, in The Hilltop newspaper office or somewhere with my head buried in an LSAT book. But when I am in front of the tube, I’m probably watching "The Daily Show" or "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" – I’m a sucker for witty liberal commentary!

Would you rather watch “I Love New York” of “Flavor of Love”? NEITHER!

“Girlfriends,” “Living Single” or “Sex and the City”? I’m a fan of all three!

Who was your favorite character on “The Wire”? Why? I didn’t have HBO when it was on, so…

Which Housewife of Atlanta best describes you? Kandi, I guess? She seems sane.

What TV family best describes yours? The Simmons family from Runs House.

What’s your all-time favorite album? Kanye West’s Late Registration and Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor

Duke Ellington or John Coltrane? John Coltrane

What is the first CD you bought? Lil Bow Wow’s first CD…don’t judge me, I was a kid!

Favorite album of 2009? My favorite album of 2009 hasn’t come out yet! I’m almost positive it’s going to be Lupe Fiasco’s upcoming album, We Are Lasers …or Kid Cudi’s. But I really liked Trey Songz’s Anticipation and Drake’s So Far Gone.

Which artist could sing the soundtrack to your life? Alicia Keys

Biggie or Tupac? Biggie, for no particular reason.

Maxwell or D’Angelo? Maxwell

What’s your favorite Spike Lee Joint? School Daze! My younger sister and I tried to learn the Wanna-be’s and the Jiggaboo’s dance routine once.

Favorite movie of 2009? (500) Days of Summer

Favorite movie of all-time? Either “Brown Sugar” or “Lean on Me”

Denzel in “Mo’ Better Blues” or Denzel in “Devil in a Blue Dress”? I haven’t seen either…I was two years old when those movies came out! 

"Boyz n the Hood" or "The Wood"? The Wood

Ossie and Ruby? Or Will and Jada? Me and Will (I couldn’t resist the “my name is Jada Smith” joke!)

Harlem Renaissance or the Black Arts Movement? I respect both for their contributions to literature and the arts, but I looooove Zora (Hey Hilltoppers!), so I have to go with the Harlem Renaissance!

Favorite Book? How appropriate, Their Eyes Were Watching God.

What are you reading now? I’ve only allowed myself to read LSAT books lately, but the last leisure book was “Seen it All and Done the Rest” and “A Piece of Cake”