Okay, so I am definitely still a little star-struck from my recent interview with MTV television show host, hip-hop artist, author, and fashion icon Derek Watkins…but you may know him as the one and only Fonzworth Bentley.

I must admit, the night before the interview I was a complete wreck as the main question on my mind wasn’t “What questions do I need to ask in order to write the best article?”, but instead went something like: “What am I going to wear?” It’s sort of like interviewing Diane von Furstenberg; she can have on jeans and a T-shirt, but you clearly cannot!

Advice from Bentley via Twitter: “be on point!”

Though we usually try to cater most of our blogs towards females, there was no way I could ignore the undeniable charm that exudes from his very presence. The lasting impression Bentley left on the young men in Mobile, Ala. is certainly a beautiful happening all of its own. So, armed with a notepad full of questions, a voice recorder with fresh batteries and a fierce pair of black a white stilettos (sorry ladies, they didn’t make it in the picture) I was ready for my one-on-one time with Mr. Cool-Outrageous himself.

Bentley, who was invited to the University of South Alabama as part of Men of Excellence Week 2009, stood before a captivated audience of almost 1,000 people as he divulged useful information about how to evolve professionally and spiritually by using the tools he presents in his book Advance Your Swagger: How To Use Manners Confidence and Style to Get Ahead.

If you are unfamiliar with the entertainer and (I would argue) life coach, he first made his way into our hearts with a unique style and a raw sense of purpose as the personal assistant of music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs. Bentley has now become one of the industry’s leading “go-to” guys on how to make small, yet effective, adjustments to your everyday lifestyle that are certain to change your life.

“One of the things that my mother and father taught me is that before you open your mouth, you’ve already said so much and image is literally 75 percent of it,” Bentley said. “Clothing is language [and] at the end of the day, the suit is still the sexiest thing around.”

The upscale hip-hop fashion icon spreads a message of using proper etiquette to transform your very existence into a marketable brand. Dealing with a generation that appears to be obsessed with baggy jeans and skinny jeans, tall tees and fitted rocker-tees, skater kicks and basketball shoes, it’s no wonder that he felt this information needed to be put into society as soon as possible.

“One thing I’ve found is that [proper etiquette] has skipped over several generations, and people are just not getting the information,” Bentley said. “I wanted to write an etiquette book that was cool and had pictures and could really illustrate how these tools can work for you, and could tell a lot of my personal story as well.”

For $24.95 (shhh, it’s $16.47 on Amazon.com), readers can enjoy helpful chapters such as “The Magic of ‘Please’ and ‘Thank You’, “Help Me Land That Job!” and “It’s about the Fit”. Since so many people who can benefit from an inside look at climbing the ladder to success are usually not the type to pick up a book by etiquette gurus like Emily Post, I applaud Bentley for writing the book almost as if it were a letter. The chapters sound more like they were plucked from an actual conversation, rather than an attempt to force someone else’s way of the thinking down your throat.

“Many people have asked me, ‘How did you get the confidence to move from Atlanta to New York?’ and ‘How did you get a job there?’ I really attribute a lot of that to manners, confidence, and style.”

Bentley has just begun to accept in recent months the fact that his unrivaled ensembles, highly anticipated album C.O.L.O.U.R.S (CoolOutrageousLoversOfUniquelyRawStyle), intellectual savvy, and electrifying personality have made him one of hip-hop’s forerunners. The indestructible mark Bentley left on The University of South Alabama (and the other 71 schools he has spoken at this year) is all the confirmation we need to declare that he is on the right path.

Bentley isn’t promoting an outward image; he is promoting a lifestyle. A lifestyle that focuses even more on changes to a person’s inner beauty than their exterior. A lifestyle that encourages courteous behavior that honors God, as well as impresses business execs. A lifestyle that shows unwavering respect towards those who have paved the way before us, while helping us attempt to identify our purpose in life.

And for this, Mr. Bentley…we thank you.