Wellz Fargo S.L.I.M.

Wellz Fargo S.L.I.M. didn’t name his company Loose Cannon Entertainment for nothing.

The term “loose cannon,” by his definition, is “something that’s unpredictable and uncontrolled, and therefore causes a threat.”

And that’s what the St. Louis native feels he’s doing as he continues making his stamp on the city’s nightlife and entertainment scene.

Since 2001 under his Loose Cannon banner, S.L.I.M. has presented a number of A-list parties for the young urban market, most recently bringing in R&B star Maxwell to Karma for an after party.

S.L.I.M., whose All-Star parties in Las Vegas attracted the likes of T.I., Lil Wayne, and Akon, is also known for his Blackout parties (everybody in black) and Slimulus parties (free money to women just for showing up).

Now, you’ll find him at Karma, the multi-level nightclub that was formerly Lush, which he and business partner Yomi Martin took over. S.L.I.M. says received an offer they couldn’t refuse.

Plus, he already felt home there since he and fellow promoter Mocha Latte were successfully doing nights at Lush that attracted Bobby Valentino, Bow Wow, and Keyshia Cole.

S.L.I.M. and Martin came in and created new VIP booths, upgraded the sound and lights, and splashed on new coats of paint. “We really didn’t have to do that much. We just had to put our touch on it,” he says.

He says Karma “ain’t about Slim. It’s ain’t even my club. It’s St. Louis’ club. We needed a new sexy spot and this is it. Personally I don’t even fit in at Karma. I’m white t-shirts and ball caps. Karma is the sexy joint.”

It’s sexy, and admittedly a work in progress. More bars will be added, and additional furniture is on the way. A lunch and dinner operation is also planned. “Every week when you come in, you’ll notice something different,” he promises.

You’ll note the sexy this weekend at Karma’s Halloween bash Saturday night, with $4,000 in prize money in the sexiest costume contest. “No scariness. We’re changing Halloween,” he says.

Karma is also home to a Thanksgiving party with Murphy Lee, and some fashion shows. S.L.I.M. also Usher, P. Diddy, and LL Cool J are on the way.

Karma is surrounded by two other urban nightclubs – the Loft and EXO, and the new the City is not far off. “I don’t want to be in competition with those dudes,” says S.L.I.M., who’d rather see a situation like Harlem’s bustling heyday, when a number of clubs targeting similar clientele could co-exist.

“We don’t want to take the Loft out of the game. I want you to be able to park in one spot and go to all the clubs, to bring money and options to the area,” he says.

Karma opened nearly a month after its scheduled Aug. 28 opened. The opening night rug was pulled at the last minute. “That messed me up because I never lied to St. Louis, ever. I got people excited to come and it didn’t happen,” says S.L.I.M., who was entangled in political problems and neighbors who wouldn’t sign off on a 3 a.m. license.

“There were powers that be that didn’t want us to open, but we got over that hump. Everything has its price. We just had to play the game,” he says.

Operating under his feeling that Loose Cannon “can’t just be a party thing anymore,” he’s stepping forward with music and movie projects.

“I’m trying to create avenues for people to get on. I want to take this place to the next level,” he says. “And you only get one life, so you gotta do everything you can.”

He has a rap CD on the way, and he’s backing a rap CD from an artist named Scotty. He’ll also be the subject of a rags-to-riches movie. He says it’s important he get his movie off the ground because St. Louis doesn’t have its own “ATL” (Atlanta) or “I’m Bout It” (New Orleans), urban movies specific to the city.

“We’re never showing our culture in the movies,” says S.L.I.M., a fan of the St. Louis-shot “Streetballers,” a movie in which he has a cameo. “I want to mix our culture with a coming-of-age story, my story, and it will be Hollywood-ed out, not a cheesy movie. I bought the same camera equipment Tyler Perry uses.”

That movie could show his beginnings, when he was hanging out with his older brothers throwing parties at their mother’s clubhouse in North County. S.L.I.M. caught the bug for the person he’d become.

He moved to Atlanta a decade ago, saw what real partying was all about, he feels, and got into the game himself. He made it his mission to bring that to St. Louis.

“At the time, we were so slow here (in St. Louis). We were still on doing paper fliers and ‘special invited guests’ parties. We saw how they were going hard at the parties in Atlanta, and then we come here and grown men are still going to Saints (roller skating rink) on Sundays,” he says. “So I made it my business to change things, to pioneer.”

Karma nightclub, 3037 Olive Blvd., open Fridays and Saturday nights and for special events, 314-625-1069, website under construction