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| Malachai and Shawnta (wearing tights) |
William “Malachai” Johns is current manager and creator of the band Lipstick and Congas. You may also know him as the creator and former manager, producer and sometimes guitar player for the band Mambo Sauce. Or you may know him as a promoter and the man responsible for bringing Go-Go music to Annapolis
Bobbie’s Beat: How did you meet?
Shawnta: High school.
BB: How did you reconnect?
Malachai: My Space.
Shawnta: But not like a dating type thing. It was just a friend type…
Malachai: We were just friends in high school, but I liked her and she didn’t even know. She didn’t know how awesome I was back then ‘cuz she didn’t like me.
BB: How long after you met on My Space did you become more than friends? Did you guys just stay friends or did you get the courage to ask her out? What happened?
Malachai: We were friends for about a year, right?
Shawnta: I guess. Yeah.
Malachai: It was probably about six months.
BB: When did you realize that Malachai was the one?
Shawnta: Ummmm…
Malachai: I don’t know if she’s realized that yet or not.
Shawnta: (laughs) It just was like more so that I saw that out of everyone that I dated, he was always there for me and I felt that he really, really cared a lot about me and that’s what I wanted. Someone who really liked me and wanted to be with me for who I was, and he’s that person.
BB: Malachai, same question.
Malachai: High School. I’m not even gonna lie, because in high school I was just trying to get girls. Nah, I don’t know. When she decided that I was worthy enough to date, I guess. There was never a time when I didn’t like her, so I can’t say that “This was the time when I actually knew she was the one.”
BB: So all the time that you liked her, did you really know her or did you just know of her?
Malachai: We used to hang out. We were friends in high school. It wasn’t like we just knew each other. And even a little bit after high school we hung out, and obviously once we hooked back up off My Space I got to know her some more, so I just got to know her more at that time.
BB: Which one of you is most romantic?
Shawnta: Me. Sike. I think we’re both equal.
Malachai: We’re about the same.
BB: Shawnta, what’s the most romantic thing Malachai has ever one for you?
Shawnta: He actually does stuff far more than I do, but for my birthday, the year before last, 2010, he did something really special for me and also incorporated my son in it and it was really, really sweet. That was probably one of the most romantic things for me that I can remember. He had rose petals and wine and strawberries and a nice hotel room. It was really nice.
Malachai: You might want to clear up the son thing so she won’t think he was involved in that part of it.
Shawnta: Oh, the son part was I didn’t think for Christmas I was gonna be able to afford this one gift for my son, so for my birthday he bought that gift and had it at the hotel to show me.
BB: Awww that was sweet Malachai.
Malachai: See, I’m not as much a jerk as people think I am.
BB: Okay Malachai, same question. What’s the most romantic thing Shawnta has ever done for you?
Malachai: Lays down with me every single night. I mean I love it when she cooks for me. And I remember one time she made all these chocolate strawberries, chocolate covered pretzels. It was white chocolate, milk chocolate, dark chocolate. Chocolate covered everything.
BB: Are you a choco-holic?
Malachai: Not really. It was just nice because I know it was a lot of work to do it.
BB: Which one of you is the best cook?
Shawnta: I think I am, however, he’s starting to get better because he’s cooking way more than me right now. We’re on this healthy thing counting our calories and everything. And, he has more time now, so he’s turning into a better cook. But, I still think I’m the best.
Malachai: I concur with that.
BB: How do your families get along?
Shawnta: Together or with us?
BB: Does your family like his? Does his family like you? I saw you at The Whiskey (Club in Annapolis
Shawnta: My brothers… My family loves him. One of my brothers in particular, whenever there is any type of a middle issue and I’m talking to my brother about it, more so than “Shawnie, you know that’s messed up about him,” he don’t say that. He’s like “Well you need to make it right. You need to cook that man a meal. Give him a massage. You need to make it right.”
Malcahai: (laughs) She clearly doesn’t listen that often when he says that though.
Shawnta: His family really likes me also.
Malachai: Yeah, my family does the same thing to. It doesn’t happen that often because I don’t really have any problems with her that I tell my family about.
Shawnta: I have lots of problems. (laughs)
Malachai: (laughs) As far as our families getting along with each other, they haven’t really met yet. Except our mothers have met.
Shawnta: My mother met his mother and his stepmother and his sisters and she really likes them.
Malachai: She met my stepmother?
Shawnta: Ummm Hmmm.
Malachai: When you looked at dresses, oh, that’s right. I wasn’t there so I wouldn’t know.
Shawnta: When I went to look at wedding dresses I went with my mom, his stepmom and one of his sisters and then we went to lunch.
BB: It wasn’t anything like Say Yes to the Dress, was it?
Shawnta: Nah, it wasn’t nothing like that.
Malachai: The fact that I know what that show is, is pretty depressing right now.
BB: So Malachai, what’s the one thing Shawnta can put on that makes you say to yourself, “You gonna get it when you get home?”
Malachai: Anything.
Shawnta: Oh my God. You know what it is? He likes when I wear tights.
Malachai: Yeah, I do like when she wears tights.
Shawnta: And short dresses.
BB: Did you say tights like leggings or something tight?
Both: Leggings.
BB: Oh, you like to look at her butt?
Malachai: Yup. Pretty much.
BB: Shawnta, what does he do to let you know he’s in the mood for love? Tell you to put on tights?
Shawnta: No, he will be like, “Mmmm,” and just want to sit next to me and keep touching me.
Malachai: That’s just a regular day.
Shawnta: Everything. It’s annoying.
BB: Have you two ever broken up?
Shawnta: No, we never broke up.
BB: What have you learned from past relationships that you’re able to bring to this one to make it successful?
Shawnta: To be more trusting. To be more supportive and to communicate, which I’m still working on that one, because I don’t like to keep talking about stuff.
Malachai: She’s like the dude in the relationship.
Shawnta: I am.
BB: Malachai, same question.
Malachai: I haven’t really had any other serious relationships, so umm, I’m still kind of feeling the whole thing out. I was a whore for a long time, so this is like my first…
BB: You?! You don’t seem hoe-y.
Malachai: I was good at hiding it.
BB: You seem like the type to me that would want to be in a serious relationship.
Malachai: I would, but I’m extremely selective about who I’m willing to do that with, which is why I’ve only had one other girlfriend and that was when I was 21. That relationship lasted eight months.
BB: How did you propose?
Malachai: In McDonald’s. It’s on YouTube if you want to see it. (Click here to see the video.)
BB: Shawnta, what was your reaction?
Shawnta: I was surprised. I was very surprised. He got a tray and…
Malachai: You gotta tell the back story first.
Shawnta: Now, let me do it my way. He put the ring on a tray and dumped French fries over it and when I was eating the fries I saw it and I was like, “Is this really happening right now?” So I told him, “I see the ring. You might as well go ahead and say it,” but he was taking long. The back story is when we were hanging out after high school, he asked me to go to the mall with him and we went to McDonald’s and I didn’t have any money and he ordered some food and I was like, “Can you get me something?” and he was like, “No, I don’t have any money.” And then he had French fries and I was like, “Well, can I have some of your French fries?” and he was like, “no.” I was like, “You gonna just let me be hungry and eat French fries in front of me?” And he didn’t offer me any of his food. He doesn’t remember this happening, but…
Malachai: I don’t remember it happening because it is a complete fabrication. Either that or she’s got me confused with some other guy because it’s not even in my personality to do such a thing.
Shawnta: My cousin, when I got home, I told her about it and she remembers to this day, so that’s why he proposed to me in McDonald’s and gave me French fries, so I could stop telling people.
BB: Shawnta, what advice would you give to someone for dealing with someone in a band to have a successful relationship?
Shawnta: I would tell them to be open minded and trusting. You have to trust the person because they’re going to be out all night and around girls, so you have to trust that when they’re not on stage, they’re not doing anything else. They’re just there to do their job and that’s it. And to be supportive. You don’t have to go to every show.
Malachai: That would be nice.
Shawnta: (ignores Malachai’s last remark). Show up every now and then.
BB: Does it make it hard when you see people around him not being faithful?
Shawnta: Actually, I was lucky because the people around him were married and I didn’t see them do anything, so it helped honestly. Like Dig and Kysha (Malachai’s former band mate “Dig Dug” and his wife). One night I went to a show with him and after the show I was kind of tired so I went and sat in the car and went to sleep and it was five in the morning and the show was over and him, Dig and Maestro (another band mate) were in the parking lot talking for hours. And, had I not been there, I would have thought he was out for hours talking to some chick or something like that, but they were just in the parking lot talking for like five hours.
Malachai: Which happens like every single night.
Shawnta: So that helped me trust him more, and I know that after a show they just get together and talk about band stuff for hours. There were nights when he didn’t come home until whenever and I’m like, “Where were you?” and he’s like, “I was at Denny’s talking to this person or that person,” and I believe him because I’ve seen it happen and I’ve been there where, I’m like, “Can we leave now?” He sees them all the time. There’s not that much to talk about.
Malachai: There always a lot to talk about.
BB: Malachai, what advice would you give to a fellow musician? How to make your relationship work being in a band?
Malachai: Be honest. Don’t give the person any reason to not trust what you’re saying. Just don’t do dumb shit. That’s pretty much it. Just do what you say you’re gonna do. If you say you’re gonna be faithful, then be faithful. If you say you’re gonna have an open relationship, have an open relationship. Whatever it is you say you’re going to do, do that shit. That’s just life in general as far as I’m concerned.
BB: Shawnta, what do you love most about Malachai?
Shawnta: I love his intergrity and I love his go get ‘em attitude. Even when things seem kind of bleak. I like his drive.
BB: Malachai, what do you love most about Shawnta?
Malachai: I like her sense of responsibility. I like that she has a really strong bond with her family. Family’s really important to her and it’s important to me too. And I don’t even want her to know that I like this, but I like the fact that she is not always submissive, because then when she is, it makes it that much better.
Song Dedication
Malachai to Shawnta – “If Tonight is my Last” by Laura Izibor, and add “Everything Little Thing she Does is Magic” by the Police since Kee Kee got two songs.
Shawnta to Malachai – "One in a Million" by Aalilyah
I am so happy for both of them. May they have a long and happy life together. I am so proud of them. Love Shawnta's mom.
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