Up Close & Personal: Nikki Lupian

The first time we ran the ad for a cover model, we were curious to see what type of response we would get. When the floodgates opened, we were up to our necks in letters from beautiful ladies wanting to grace the pages of Import Tuner. Meet Ms. Nikki Lupian. It turns out that Nikki is not only a reader of our fine magazine, but she also lives pretty close to Tuner HQ--how ironic. How is it we've missed meeting her before now? Here she is fellas, ready to spill her guts.

2NR: You live so close to our office and you're in the import scene, I'm surprised we have never seen you at a show.

NL: Actually, I'm kinda' new to the scene. I have friends that are into cars and they brought me into it. I'm mainly into the underground, hip-hop type of scene.

2NR: So you dig the DJ battles and break dancing, huh?

NL: I love to watch break dancing. I can sit there for hours and just watch. I got turned on to it when I started modeling for Tribal Gear. I met a lot of B-Boys and fell in love with their crowd and type of dancing. I have a lot of friends that are into it, so anytime there's a show or something, you can bet your ass I'm there. I think it's 'cause I just love to dance and party.

2NR: A party girl, huh? You just turned 21 two years ago, so I imagine you party every weekend?

NL: It's weird, I partied more when I was about 16 or 17 'cause I had a fake ID; I think now I'm starting to calm down a little. Don't get me wrong, though, when I do go out, I dance my ass off. I can dance for hours--I love it.

2NR: You don't break dance do you?

NL: No, I like to watch it, but I love to salsa dance. I've been dancing since I was 5, but I started salsa dancing when I was about 9. You should try it sometime, it's so fun and it's easy to learn.

2NR: Whatever! Not when you have two left feet like me. I do admire how with salsa dancing it's very routine and if you don't work as a team, you can really hurt yourself. So do you have a salsa dance partner?

NL: Usually I go with friends.

2NR: So I take it you don't have a boyfriend?

NL: I was engaged until recently, but that's another story. So for now, my answer is "No."

2NR: So what happened there?

NL: Empty promises, but for the most part, I wasn't allowed to do what I wanted to do; I had to quit my job, he wanted me to stop modeling and out of respect for him, I stopped. On the other hand, he was doing his own thing and I didn't think that was fair. So here I am, trying to model again. I'm the kinda girl that likes long relationships, so I guess you can say I'm accepting applications now that I'm free! (lol)

2NR: Alright! So this could be my interview for myself? (J/K) So let our readers know what type of guys you're into.

NL: I kinda like the thug look! Shaved heads turn me on and dark skinned tattoos are a big-time plus. The only problem I have with men is that you can never find ones that don't lie. For some reason, all the boyfriends I've had in the past have always lied to me, and let me tell the fellas, that really sucks.

2NR: So you're into the honest hood rat?

NL: No, I wouldn't say that, but if you've ever seen guys that wear Joker or Tribal clothing like the jeans or jerseys, they have that certain look to them--that I'm into. I'm not talking like full-on Dickies type of clothing.

2NR: So, let's say you go to a club. What is the first thing you notice about a guy?

NL: Actually, I'll go to a club with my friends and not really looking for a guy. I'll notice if a guy is good looking, but I won't go out of my way to talk to him. I like to go to places just to be with my friends. If I meet someone, that's cool; if I don't, that's cool too, 'cause I was there just to hang out with friends anyway.

2NR: Man, so there's nobody that you have ever seen at a club and the week after he's there again trying to talk to you?

NL: Can't say that I have. I will tell you about this one crush I had though. Have you heard of the Black Eyed Peas? Well, I've modeled for their clothing line one time and there's one guy in their group that I always got nervous around when I saw him.

2NR: And he is...

NL: Well... (long pause) I don't really want to say, but there's something about the way he filled out that Indian outfit on stage. Seriously, I'm not shy or anything, but I feel like a little kid that has a crush on somebody when he's around. I don't know what it is about him, but I just get all shy. The sad part is I've met him a couple of times. Actually, I think he's married, though.

2NR: We can still dream though, can't we? So what kinda girl were you in high school?

NL: Oh man, I was bad. Now I'm a new girl though.

2NR: I bet I can guess how you were. Were you a little cholo chick?

NL: You got it! (lol) I was so bad when I was younger. I was mean and I used to get in a lot of fights. I feel so bad now, 'cause my friends back then use to tell me whom they didn't like and so I would beat them up.

2NR: So what was your win-loss record throughout high school?

NL: Oh, I never lost a fight. I don't know how many I've been in, but I can honestly say I'm undefeated! I used to kick ass, but like I said, I'm a new girl now, so that was then and this is now.

2NR: I guess that wraps things up. Any last words?

NL: Yeah, Tribal family, Sick Symphonies and much love to Duke.

How could we describe Nikki in one line? I got it, "One down-to-earth mo fo!" She is not afraid to show who she is or talk about her life to people--unless it's Taboo from Black Eyed Peas. In any case, at first glance you would think her beauty would put her on a pedestal, but have a brief conversation with her and you come to realize that she's just like you and me on the inside--just another person to talk to. She's not out to pursue royalty status and doesn't want to be thought of as a 2NR goddess; Nikki is after something more important then any of this--to live day by day and take a chance at what this world has to offer her. It's not her fault she just happens to be one sexy mama!