Ciara Interview

Ciara Princess Harris is two-faced. The limber Atlanta diva has pulled off quite the contradiction, exuding accessible innocence while seductively dry-humping automobiles. When she was two calendars shy of legality, the Southern gal's allure had been comparable to the top-heavy employees of Bada Bing! Try touching the goods, and watch your law-breaking ass get served.

Bless the aging process. Having recently blown out 21 candles, Ciara is now legally tender. Even better, her puppy-love-lost, the well-publicized break-up with Bow Wow, has left the fit superstar's heart susceptible. Fortunately, her progressive, yet still danceable follow-up, Ciara: The Evolution, is more party than sorrow. And visually, her temptress ways have peaked. Just watch her gyrate all over the luckiest wall ever in her "Promise" video. For tutorial purposes, KING felt Ciara out, probing her mind to aid you player-types looking to 1, 2 step in her direction.

Adult dating is a whole new ballgame. Getting stranded on first base is kinda like striking out. How's the game been treating you?

The single life is great, I'm loving it. You can really feel yourself out. This is the time where I can ask myself, "What do I really want?" What I've had in the past isn't what I really want, it seems.

So you have no plans to leave the shackle-free life anytime soon?

Nothing has come along to bring me back yet. I will say I'm a girl who loves love, though. If something comes along, I'm not going to ignore it at all. It's all about timing and knowing if something is worth that risk.

Now that you're 21, are you going to leave little boys alone?

[laughs] No, but I can say that I've only dated a person my age one time in my life.

A certain pint-sized MC, perhaps?

I'm not saying. But I don't believe that age defines you. Age has never been an issue for me, it's more about the person. Guys are going to be guys, period. Not much I can do about that.

In a "Drop you off and then jump her off" way, you mean?

No, not like that. I always laugh at my male friends, like, "Y'all are nothing but little boys!. Guys just have certain ways about them, where it's like the inner kid never leaves. I definitely find that quality attractive, though.

What else makes you hot?

Great conversation. There's nothing like being able to sit down and talk about anything with a man. That's where it starts for me. I love talking about sports. From the newest person in the drafts for football and basketball to recent scores.

Fond of immaturity and sports? Impressive. If a man has any hopes of seeing your, um, sports bra, what shouldn't he do?

Don't floss. Don't tell me about all the things that you have, and all the things that you do. It's not attractive. You don't have to impress me with flashy stuff. I'm a simple girl, and I can tell more about a person by who they really are rather than all the material things they flaunt. Of course, it's great for a person to have himself together, but don't flaunt it.

Glad I left my pair of imported Skechers at home. What's one thing a man has never done for you that would get you open?

One of the ultimate things, for me, would be for a guy to pay complete attention to me, and remember all the little things I say that I like. That's what most of us women want, a guy who really gets into love. I'm not saying I've never had that in any way, but I haven't had it nearly as much as I'd like.

Fair enough. You seem more like the Blockbuster night than beachside-walk type. To help men cater to you, what DVD choices would impress you?

For a stay-in date? I definitely wouldn't mind watching The Godfather with my man. The whole trilogy.

Damn, should men expect horse heads in your bed? Talk about kinky.

I just love the whole feel of those movies. I watched those when I was a little girl. I'd watch it once, and then go right back and watch it again for another three hours. My next one is cheesy, but I love The Notebook.

Every man's favorite love story.

[laughs] That's definite points in the girl's eyes. It would be cool to see a guy's reaction to that, and I'd probably quiz you after to make sure you paid attention to the movie and not only me.

What happens if dude sheds some tears? You dabbing with a tissue or pressing stop and bouncing?

Crying over The Notebook? Hell no! [laughs] I don't know about that one. That's a little too soft for me.

How about waterfalls after Tony Montana's tragic blaze of glory?

[Silence]

Say we skip the movie and go straight to revealing chit-chat. To set the mood, what tunes should a guy keep in rotation?

You gotta have some R. Kelly. Some old, classic R. Kelly. Make a playlist and just rock it out! That would definitely get me in the right mood. Just let 12 Play ride out, and you're good.

Wait, weren't you like 11 years old when 12 Play came out? Let's switch gears. Say a guy tries approaching in a nightclub?

Well, I'm actually not a big party person. Even when I was younger, I wouldn't go out partying that much. I'd go for like 30 minutes and then leave. It just doesn't excite me any longer than like an hour.

So trying to catch a dub behind you would be useless?

Well, if I'm at a club and I see somebody who catches my eye, I might stay a little longer.

Okay, so we've just danced throughout the never-ending reggaeton block. It's time to buy you a drink. What's your poison?

Nice try, but I don't drink.

Damn, looks like I'm double-fisting these Henny glasses then.

I actually had a really bad experience once. One night when I was like 10 years old, I was so so thirsty. I ran to the refrigerator to get a glass of water, and there just happened to be a glass sitting there waiting for me. So, I grabbed it and took a big sip, and it wasn't water. It was gin! My mother was yelling, like a movie in slow motion, [slows voice down] "Noooo!" She's yelling while I'm reaching for the glass, but it was too late. I had already drunk it, and I got enough in my throat for it to burn. Ever since that fateful night, I don't drink.

And game-less men haven't stood a chance since. Pity those fools. Say your club encounter leads to a first date. Should a man practice his mouth-to-mouth skills for night one?

Oh no, that's too much. I don't know you like that [laughs]. It throws me off when a person even attempts to kiss you on a first date. That's not going to happen.

Damn. So how long would it take for the goodies to leave the jar?

You can't put time on something like that. And besides, do you think I'd tell you anyway?

That cold shoulder was expected. Technically, this is still our first date.