Fall Fashion show at FIT

   Just a few weeks ago I walked in a fashion show for the very first time! Modeling has always been a dream of mine but the opportunity has not easily presented itself. Until this one. I was on the train talking to my best friend about being approached by a model scout when a young woman sitting across from us over heard our conversation and asked me to walk for her. She gave me all of her information, I emailed her with my information and then I was ready to go.
   The big day, I arrived around at FIT around 3pm, met with the designer(Eva Mohrman)and the other models and headed backstage. Backstage was pretty hectic with models running around, lining up, running through, practicing fitting, hair & makeup. It was so fun. I chatted with a few other girls but before I knew it, it was time for eva's design's. My outfit was a long sleeved houndstooth crop-top and a red fur jacket which were both created beautifully. Here's Eva's video:

I didn't do my best but hey, now I have modeling experience.

To Binge or not to Binge ?!

Over the past few months I realized that NetFlix has it’s own original “TV” shows. There is no waiting for next week to see a new episode, no pilot, no fear of the show being canceled; everything is right there. These raise the question “To binge or not to binge”. NetFlix users can watch an entire season/series in one day.

House of Cards is one of those shows.

House of Cards is a suspense/filled political drama. We get the entire inside information and all of these lies and scandal that can easily be happening in the White House right now. This show has a great plotline, each episode draws attention, and all of the characters are well developed. The entire concept and the storylines that come along with it are perfect. “Perfect” is a strong word but this series almost seems flawless.

Our star Frank Underwood is indeed the protagonist but is also the bad guy, and he does not have one true nemesis, it seems that everyone is Frank’s enemy. He has lied, cheated, denied, manipulated, and even killed this season. Keep in mind, this is only season one. All of the intensity is built up and then hits the viewers hard, in every single episode. No one is to be trusted, and it does not seem that any of these characters should be idolized by viewers either.

The series kicks off with Congressman Francis Underwood being cheated out of the position of Secretary of State. This affects Frank greatly and he immediately kicks off this intricate plot to influence, control, and basically exploit everyone around him to get what he wants. That is, besides his wife. We soon meet the character Claire. She is Frank’s wife and partner; as a couple and separately they are very well known political figures. Claire and Frank tell each other everything; besides being married they are also business partners and will do anything for each other.

Then, there is Zoe Barnes. She is introduced to us from the very beginning as a smart-mouthed, spunky, low-down dirty reporter. Well “low-down” and “dirty” is subjective but she does not shy away from that. She corners Frank with a proposition, and he obliges but it seems as if he was using her; then the question comes up “For what?” So many questions come up and even go unanswered throughout this season but I think a few important ones are about Zoe. Why is Frank working with Zoe? Why is Zoe sleeping with Frank? Why does she love Lucas? What does she want in life? What does she want from Frank?

What makes a character a good one is when there is conflict, when we viewers see what they want and the fact that they are having a hard time getting that want. This was not too clear when it comes to Zoe Barnes, as in her overall goals and reasoning for why she does what she does; but it is quite clear with the other characters.

As I said, the character development in this series is impeccable. Each character has a story, a want, risks, and small things about them that viewers can notice. I guess the man whom we can dub the “Antagonist”, being that his importance was almost at the same levels as Franks at one point, is Peter Russo. Peter is another character we meet in episode 1. He is sleeping with his assistant; he drinks, smokes, and solicits prostitutes. He is the bad boy. In attempts to clean up his image for his campaign for governor, he is set up; he relapses, and then dies; all because of Mr. Underwood. Frank was the Puppet Master throughout this ENTIRE series. It was incredible. One element which was crucial to Frank’s characters and a lot of the sticky situations was “Breaking the fourth wall”. Frank turned and literally spoke to us the viewers. When he lied he told us the truth, when he denied something he told us why, when he was suspicious or untrusting of someone he told us that, it was great; especially since Frank is not necessarily and “Good” person, it kind of allows or forces us viewers to be on Frank’s side. We can not hate his sneakiness because he lets us in on the secret. We’re sneaky too!

House of cards is an amazing show. Knowing that it was a political I thought it would be similar to a cop show my grandmother would watch, like Columbo. But House of Cards is not Columbo, nor is it Law and Order.

Although I watched each episode weekly, this show has proved to me that binge watching is the way to go, well if the viewer has time of course. I do not encourage drop out of school or miss work to watch House of Cards! But I certainly suggest that Netflix users watch as much episodes in a row as they can. This show is almost like a long movie, a saga. It keeps you at the edge of your seat and builds so much suspense there is no way one can resist watching the next episode, especially when it is right in front of you. There is nothing wrong with Binge Watching, you just have to strategize.

The CNN article Binge-watching makes TV better written by Aaron Riccio explains this clearly:

“Instead of watching live each week by “appointment,” viewers are taking a full day (or weekend or even week) to watch a show’s entire season or a series from beginning to end. This may sound gluttonous and monotonous, but bingers see it differently — a richer and more contemplative form of TV watching in which every nuance is savored and analyzed.”

The article is plainly saying that this “appointment” form of watching television is dying out. I fully agree with this notion. I am not a Netflix user but I do have DVR. I rarely have time during the week to watch news episodes of my favorite shows, so I record them. Usually by the time I have time the season is either half-way finished or completely finished and it feels like a treat being able to watch most to all of the season in one day or weekend.

Another article House of Cards: Netflix’s experiment in binging pays off written by Christopher Williams. Describes how the original drama’s success is almost revolutionizing the way people watch television shows. A significant number of viewers “binged” while watching this series and will continue to.

House of Cards and their other original series along with the privilege of Binge-Watching, NetFlix has struck gold. House of Cards is a great show and I am highly anticipating clearing a whole weekend to watch it all.

Women of Color and Identity Conference:Detangling From the Root

     In our heads about our hair is a documentary film about Black women and the hair norms of society. The standard of beauty is long hair, the standard of beauty is hair that one can easily get a comb through. As most of my followers know my hair is natural and always has been, I support this "movement", and I run a blog all about box braids(a popular Black/Natural hair style).

     The screening of this film was apart of an entire conference held at Brooklyn college on November 20th. Guests were greeted in the hall with a sign-in sheet and free samples of hair products from Khamit Kinks. An audience of mostly women gathered and the event started with a panel discussion with three Brooklyn College students, women with natural who described their journeys and even battles embracing their own hair. One woman described how she kept her hair very short for years and although it has been natural she hasn't necessarily embraced it, another woman shared that she was in the military and her sergeant approached her saying that her appearance did not fit the guidelines though she was certainly following all of the rules, it was about her hair.

     Then the film began. Created by Anu Prestonia and BC alum Hemamset Angaza. We are given several images of Black women with natural hair and several different accounts. It was so tastefully done, there did not seem to be any bias from the creators of the film. Of course each opinion was bias. Of course even some women with natural hair sounded a little close-minded. But a segment I admired was when men on the street were questioned about Black hair/Black women. It was rather humorous to hear what these men think and there wasn't much hate. It was also great to see some of the couples who were interviewed. So many men love and support their women and their hair choices. I was a little hesitant in attending this conference, especially watching the film because these are conversations I have everyday, as a black woman. However, In our heads about our hair is such an eye opener and such an enjoyable film, there was no over kill. I would certainly watch this film again, with some friends.

    Here's the trailer:

    After the film, lunch was served, there was a spoken word segment. Poets BC Alum Diamond Bradley, BC Slam Team member Katherine George, and Nasiyr Abdullah son of the keynote speaker Sonia Alleyne. Unfortunately I could not stay longer to hear from the keynote speaker or other panel discussions but this event was great.

New Fefe Dobson!

     Canadian Punk music artist Fefe Dobson is back! While watching music videos the other day "Legacy" started and I was so excited because I had no idea she had new music. I was very impressed and pleased with this new song and video. Watch for yourself:

     Legacy, the song and video affected me in many ways. First the entire premise of being cray and being in a psych ward is something I've written about myself. Then the fact that she is dressed as and emulating celebrities who have passed who we all love was incredible. The second the Amy Winehouse scene started, the tears fell. Amy's death was devastating and I immediately thought of Michael Jackson. The most I've ever cried for any reason is certainly when Michael passed. Then the MJ scene started and I couldn't take it. What makes it more beautiful is the lyrics, not only is she saying that she honors these artists and carries them with her wherever she goes but she is also saying that her herself wants to leave a legacy behind. This entire song and video represents where I am in life right now and things I need to keep in mind. I feel that it speaks to a lot of people, not just artists and not just music artists. Legacy is beautiful and I am so excited for fefe and her music.

BlackFish

My class watched the film BlackFish this week, if you are unfamiliar his is the trailer:

     Black Fish is a documentary about SeaWorld and other “Sea” theme parks which actually put the animals and their trainers in danger.
     There is a build once the film starts, it seems to be pleasant. Several former SeaWorld trainers are giving accounts to how they started and why. They list where they came from, their interests in sea animals, when they started, and what they thought about SeaWorld. Then there is a change of mood when they talk about Dawn Brancheau. I knew she was the trainer who had been killed right away because there was slow, sad music playing in the background and they showed old footage of her.
Dawn was killed in an attack by one of the killer whales right after a show on February 24, 2010. Her death seems to be the driving force of this entire film. SeaWorld’s denial of this death being the whale’s fault or even their fault is the main conflict. The OSHA sued SeaWorld on behalf of the Government but SeaWorld keeps fighting to keeps their trainers in the tanks with the Killer Whales. I understand the idea behind this and it is money. Big corporations often get caught up in some “fishy” business and to this day SeaWorld is a large attraction and a staple in our culture. What really brings in the audience is all the tricks that the trainers physically do with the animals.
     The film continues to go back in forth, giving the viewers a bit of a history lesson. One aspect I did not like was how each story was out of order. We are told about Dawn Brancheau’s death first (seems to be very important because it is most recent), then we are told about how the Killer Whales were first captured in 1970, then we were told about the trainer who was killed in SeaLand(Canada’s park) in 1991. There is a correlation between all of these stories obviously, but the film seemed to be a little confusing and very intense because of the order the stories were told in and all of the information that is given.
     What I do appreciate is that this film is educating its viewers. Black Fish gives us facts about Killer Whales and parallels them with untruths trainers are told to tell visitors of the park. We learn so much about Killer Whales from this film and we are given accounts from so many trainers. One question which came to mind throughout watching this is: Who is the victim? The whales or the trainers? Trainers are being killed but the Whales are being tortured. Either way, anybody who watches this will come to the conclusion: SeaWorld is wrong for what they’ve done and what they are doing. This is what makes this film so good; the creators of this film are not necessarily pointing the finger, they are simply presenting facts and the truth. The trainers were lied to about previous deaths of other trainers or were just flat out not told. There is an intense control that SeaWorld has over the entire situation and I am disgusted.

Noir Chicks! A new webseries

A friend of mine, Chante has started a webseries called "Noir Chicks" and I gave her a little critique. Here is episode 1:

    Overall, as a pilot episode I just wished she showed more. More about each character and their relationships with each other, and the main idea of the whole show. I noticed that  there is a main character narrating and she takes on a Carrie Bradshaw role. Is she the main character? She is also a blogger, does the whole series revolve around her blog? I feel that based on the title each character should have equal "power" like maybe they should all blog if blogging is the focus, with that being said, this is the pilot. I think it should have been more introductory, where we would have a peek into each of the character's lives.
    For acting I think that the heated statements should have literally been shouted, as if the two girls were really going at it. I pretty much enjoyed the production and dialogue, and I can't wait to see what is done with the other episodes.
     Episode has been posted and you can keep up with the series here: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRpgHiXH0ysXxLC1kCaSJlA

La Haine

    La Haine is a 1995 French black-and-white drama/suspense film about riots in France during the 1980’s. It was written, co-edited, and directed by Mathieu Kassovitz. “La Haine” translates to “Hate” in english. This film is very dramatic but done in a way where there is no overkill. It is truthful and expresses themes that are relatable. The reason why the inner-city or “urban” french people are rioting at this time is because of police brutality. Sometimes police officers go on a power trip and feel since they are protected by law they can violate the right of the people violently and get away with it. This kind of case happens all around the world and people revolt. The problem with rioting is that people riot in their own towns and destroy her own stores, schools and property. Then the problem does not even get solved.
    I think La haine raises a lot of questions and brings issues to light. The three main characters Said, Vinz, and Hubert are all different and are all reacting to what is happening differently. Said seems to be the most passive yet plainly and simply refers to all police officers as “Pigs”. Hubert seems as if he is cracking under pressure, he is strongly affected but at the same time he know right from wrong. Whereas Vinz is the crazy one. He is very angry and just wants to kill each and every “pig” he sees.
     A reoccuring theme is the film is the riddle or story about the man who jumps off of a skyscraper, on his way down he keeps saying “So far so good”. This fall represents their community falling apart during this time and how they might “land”. That was a very effective and helpful element.

Outfit of the week !

     This Halloween I turned 21. Instead of having a serious costume I just wanted to look GOOD. However, my outfit is inspired by Janelle Monae. I pinned my hair up to sorta mimic her iconic hair-do.The top is thrift ed and one of my favorite finds; and the shorts were on sale from Urban Outfitter. I am also wearing a pair of fishnets over a pair of grey tights. and finally the Oxfords complete the look.

Chance the Rapper live at SOB's

Tuesday night, to celebrate my birthday, I went to the Chance The Rapper concert at SOB's. Here is a video I made of him singing "You Song".




       I arrived at the spot with my best friend four hours before doors open and we seemed to be only 2 of ten people who had that idea. Then out of nowhere out walks Chance out of the venue, looking for a friend of his. He comes over and talked to us a little bit. We were pretty chill but still a little starstruck, it was crazy. We were basically having fun on the line for 5 hours chatting and singing his song lyrics. That within itself was an event. Then the concert. The concert was certainly an EXPERIENCE. Me and my new friends were directly in the front, at times Chance looked directly at me, sang to/with me, and held my hand. It was great. Afterwards we waited outside for him to come out and he signed my copy of complex magazine. This was a great night.

A Conversation with Junot Diaz at Brooklyn College

     The Whitman Theater at Brooklyn filled in no time with students, professors, and other faculty ready to hear from Junot Diaz. The focus was his latest book and New York Times bestseller "The Breif Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao".

     The Event was kicked off with Terrence Chang saying a few words to introduce Mr. Diaz and how great this event is and everything got started. When Junot came out he first did a reading from his other New York Times best seller "This is How You Lose her"; 'The Cheater's Guide to Love: Year 0'.



    Soon after, the discussion began and Junot had so much to say I had to take notes. A reccurring idea that kept coming up is how young people in my generation(I was born in the early 90's) are all now trying to make their art their work. This resonated with me so well because I am basically living this. Everyone is just trying to make it, trying ti be famous, and trying to make money. We noticed so many people of the generations before us who did it so 'why can't we?', but we fail to realize that it cannot be forced nor rushed.

     Junot stated that "Art is an elaborate form of play" and "too many people of this generation think that their art is supposed to pay their bills". You come home from work and then you do art. Art is not you're work. This is important for college students because we should be learning. Junot also stated that there is no reason why young people should be writing everyday(outside of schoolwork). He says that we should drop all preconceived notions about college and open up. Junot also said that so many young people try to avoid the vulnerability.

    When asked about young artists developing their voice Junot stated: Writing is a technology which all of us need to master, all of us need to learn how to write. Writing allows you to have extraordinarily complex thoughts. Voice is not much of a concern. The basic idea of education is to perfect writing. "One day you're going to need to save your own life with writing".

     Then the discussion about "The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" began. Diaz said: This book has to stand in for multiple books. This was driven by the desire to create a book that will be read by someone who wants to be profoundly changed and Desperation/scarcity this may be the only book I write.

     The character Oscar Wao is Dominican and there are many slang terms, spanglish words, and Dominican references in the book. Junot stated Dominicans rarely know their history, the lack of information the average American has about DR correlates with that of the average Dominican. Most of us are raised by parents who are interested in passing down the struggles if their family history. It is passed down by family dysfunction.

     Then the Q&A began. Several students asked really great questions about what Junot has said and about his books. One question that stood out was asked by a girl(who was Dominican)who stated that the person who introduced her to "The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" was Asian. She wondered how people who were not Dominican could understand this book. Junot replied by saying well White people don't question whether or not we will understand their books or their movies. This was one of many revelations I had throughout the whole discussion.

     Junot Diaz is certainly and inspiration in many ways. I bought my own copy of "This is How You Lose Her" that day and got it signed. I recommend it as well as "The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao"

Fall Photo Shootin'

     A few friends and I headed to Brooklyn’s Highland Park for a photo shoot. Amirah(left) suggested that we do it so I asked my best friend, Ali Esteem, to shoot us. For my outfit I am wearing a thrifted sweater, High waisted Forever 21 shorts, H&M thigh highs and Demonia Creepers. Amirah is wearing a Forever 21 striped top, H&M pastel colored skinny jeans, and moccasins.

Ian Curtis

      Control is a biopic about the punk band Joy Division, and Ian is the lead singer. Ian Curtis is shown to be a melancholy teenager who often keeps to himself, despite this Ian abruptly decides to marry his girlfriend at the time and still isolates himself in his own room in their home together. He is a big fan of David Bowie as well as The Sex Pistols. It is at a Sex Pistols concert where he speaks to a few friends who have formed a band and state that they need a lead singer. It seems that soon after Ian agrees to sing with them that he becomes who he truly is. The next scene shows Ian walking from his home to work, lighting a cigarette, and then the back of his jacket is revealed on which he painting the word “HATE” in large letters. Here:

   

 Overtime Ian asserted himself to get his band to appear on television, the band hired a manager, and the band Joy Divisions seemed to become famous very quickly. Despite his own depression, his marriage, and his struggle with epilepsy Ian still managed to, constantly record music, constantly write songs, and constantly perform shows.

    

One song of there's I feel represents Ian very much as well as the idea for the film is Isolation:

Fruitvale Station

     Last night two of my closest friends and I went to the movies to see Fruitvale Station. Luckily, it is still playing. We went to a small movie theaters on 2nd avenue, Village East.

 Of course we were all familiar with the story of Oscar Grant and have been told how intense this film is by friends who have seen it in the past month. So many others have told us, and posted online, how strong of a film Fruitvale Station is and how much they cried after watching it. We were prepared to cry. We were already in Manhattan and arrived at the theater pretty quickly, it was very filled but we were surprised by the amount of people who came to see this movie, though it's been in theaters for over a month now.

     Well, the movie begins with Oscar lying in with his girlfriend/"baby momma" and then he picks up his cellphone and sends a text message. As he does this what is on his phone's screen(menu, contacts, etc) is shown in a little bubble on the movie screen(like a text/thought bubble). This happened throughout the whole film, which was an amazing detail. Though some may think it was just a special effect that would be used in a 2013 film , Oscar's cellphone was an important part of his life during that time and ultimately his death. He is often calling/texting his mother, his sister, his girlfriend, and his friends.

     When he is in the train station being harassed by the police he pulls his cellphone out and take photos/videos of the police and what they are doing; as does most of the train passengers/witnesses of the incident.

     Fruitvale Station was a very detailed and positive account of what truly happened. They didn't overly criminalize the police, they didn't criminalize Oscar nor put him in an extremely positive light, and there wasn't any part that was unnecessary. This film was all truth and that was all that was needed. I am very glad that Oscar's story was told in an effective way, I am glad that this shows an incident that happened recently. With films people often try to take themselves out of the story, but being that this is a true story that we can all identify with somehow it is so much more impactful.

Labor Day !

     In Brooklyn, as many of you know, Labor Day is our West Indian Day Parade. People come from all over to celebrate our culture and have fun. There's food, music, dancing, several floats, and so many people. I went to the parade with my best friend, Ali Esteem and here are a few photos I took:

My outfit

Jerk chicken w/ Rice and peas

 my bestfriend reppin Haiti

Quote

Writing is not the writing of words, it is the deleting of words.
                                                                                                    - unknown

Urban Word at Brave New Voices

     Last week was the national teen poetry slam Brave New Voices, this year held in Chicago. Urban Word's Slam team of 6 teen poets representing NYC took 3rd place.
    Check out one of their group pieces performed by my own peers, Darren Arthur, Maya Osborne, and Anthony Ragler

Afro Punk Fest is right around the corner!

    The Biggest event of the summer is back. August 24th and 25th. This year's festival will just as eventful as last year and shows to be very promising. Once again I am volunteering for the AFROPUNK and I wouldn't have it any other way.

    This years AP fest will include performances by Chuck D, ?Love, Theophilus London, Danny Brown, The Skins, and so much more! A lot of talk has been going around about the lineup this year and so many people are very excited. Of course the festival will also include vendors, live art, BMX, food trucks and more.


   A new addition to the AFROPUNK festivities is Afro Punk after dark. If you are 21+ this includes several bars and clubs in the area having events, giveaways, and just dope happening right after the festival all in the name of AFROPUNK.

For all the information and to RSVP go to: http://afropunkfest.com/

PUNK at the Met

The Met's spring 2013 Costume Institute exhibition, PUNK: Chaos to Couture, will examine punk's impact on high fashion from the movement's birth in the early 1970s through its continuing influence today. Featuring approximately one hundred designs for men and women, the exhibition will include original punk garments and recent, directional fashion to illustrate how haute couture and ready-to-wear borrow punk's visual symbols. Focusing on the relationship between the punk concept of "do-it-yourself" and the couture concept of "made-to-measure," the seven galleries will be organized around the materials, techniques, and embellishments associated with the anti-establishment style. Themes will include New York and London, which will tell punk's origin story as a tale of two cities, followed by Clothes for Heroes and four manifestations of the D.I.Y. aesthetic—Hardware, Bricolage, Graffiti and Agitprop, and Destroy. Presented as an immersive multimedia, multisensory experience, the clothes will be animated with period music videos and soundscaping audio techniques.(Met Museum)

    I visited The Met with a close friend of mine yesterday and I am so glad I did. We went at a good time and the museum wasn't terribly crowded.

    Upon walking into the exhibit you are sucked into a world of PUNK. There are description on the wall of the whole Punk era in New York City and London. There is also a replica of the very popular NYC nightclub CBGB's bathroom. I admire the fashion so very much and how true to the era the works were. On display there were various clothing design by iconic names in fashion such as: Margeila, Versace, Alexander Mcqueen, and Galliano. The clothes were all heavily punk inspired, ripped, layered, cover in paint splatters and safety pins. It was all very impressive, not just the clothing but also the overall design aesthetic. There were colorful lights and and a different feel for each room/section. There was also punk music playing and various TV screens playing footage of various punk icons of that era.

     I enjoyed the entire exhibit very much, personally I already admire the entire punk era although I wasn't too knowledgeable about and now I'm glad that I learned more.

Photos:

Outfit of the Week !

Last night was a friend of mine’s book release and this is the outfit I wore. I didn’t want to dress up too much but I still had to look good. This look is simple, funky, edgy, and fun. Pretty much. I paired a cropped shirt from Asos.com with high waisted jeggings from gojane.com for a more modest look but still showing off my slim physique.

Lianne La Havas LIVE at summerstage !

Lianne La Havas headlined at Summerstage this past weekend and she was wonderful. This video is just her performing Lost & Found.



   The other performers were the bands Quadron and LP, they were both lead by women and were both very impressive. I had not heard of either band prior to seeing them and now I recommend them both.

   Lianne started her set with "No room, for doubt" and continued to perform each song off of her album "Is you love big enough" and then ended with the album's title track which is an ode to New York City. The whole event was completely enjoyable. Beautiful music, beautiful, great weather, great music, and of course it was free. Lianne La Havas did an amazing job.

Quote

The public needs art- and it is the responsibility of a self proclaimed artist to realize that the publicneeds art, not to make bourgeois art for a few and ignore the masses
                                                                                                                                   -Keith Haring

Chest length Loc Extensions ! (HOW-TO)

I haven't made a video but here's a how-to step by step, including photos

Materials Needed:

• 4 packs of Marley Braid hair
• 2 Packs of Kanekalon hair
• A pair of scissors
• A Lighter

Pre-Procedure(I asked my friend to do this before she came to my house)

• Wash, Blow-dry, condition hair
• Put hair in small/medium two strand twists 

Procedure

• Open pack of Kanekalon and cut the hair in half
• Take piece of the Kanekalon hair(large enough to do one braid)
• & Braid it to the end of one of the twists
• Open pack of marley braid, take one strand
• Wrap a tip of the hair around the top of the two-strand twist you just braided the bottom off
• then continue to wrap it around
• Keep wrapping until you get to the bottom of your braid then cut and burn
• Burn the very tip(left over kanekalon hair) 
• Do this with every single two-strand twist
• When you're finished run you finger through the locs and check to see if any had unraveled, if so burn again.

And there you have it! 

The whole process took me about 9 hours! Check out more styles, tips, and how-to's on http://iloveboxbraids.tumblr.com/

A little rant about Feminism and Disco Shorts

   Well, The other day I tried to leave my house wearing those Disco Shorts from American Apparel but my mother had a problem with that. We got into an argument and here are my feelings afterwards.

 

 What really made me angry was how strongly my mother felt about how others would perceive me. I feel that I was in no way sexualized aside the fact that I am a woman. Also she made me feel that I would have to censor myself or compromise who I am/What I like for other people. I don't do what I do specifically for anyone else I do it for me.

New track from NoName Gypsy !

    The name of the song is Baby and it is lovely. NoName is a young rapstress hailing from Chicago who first got a taste of fame just a few months ago when she featured on fellow Chi-town MC Chance the Rapper's mixtape AcidRap.
    Tons of fans have been checking for her ever since, so this record was already highly anticipated. Have a listen:


    Baby samples Inoj's "My Boo" the same track Ciara sampled for her latest hit "Body Party". As a hip-hop head I will always and forever appreciated clever samples and interpolations. I like how this is so different from Body Party although their born of the same song. Baby is about Noname being in the beginning stages of a relationship but knowing that he is the one. The sample of "My Boo" is slowed down and has a chopped and screwed effect, I enjoy that very much as well.
    One thing I can say about Noname Gypsy and her music is that she is very poetic, her wordplay, her flow, and that fact that she doesn't try too hard. I honestly cannot wait for a mixtape form her.

Shoot Somethin'

Today I took some photos with my best friend, Ali Esteem, and I look so great I had to share a few

I've switched up my Facebook page with a couple of these pics https://www.facebook.com/KearahArmonie

The Valid-Dictorians

    I'd hate to sound like I'm gloating, but yet again I bring you good music from a friend of mine.
 Tyrek Greene along with Cliff Notez, two poets/Emcees, are The Valid-Dictorians. Creating music from the heart all apart their own movement "Hip-Story". Which is also the title of their very first project. A 13 track mixtape which was released early last year. Since then, the two have performed more, released several singles as well as two EP's this year, and have even formed a band (like an actual band with real instruments) The Honor's Society.







   Now, Let's get into their first project Hip-Story seeing as it is the perfect introduction of who The Valid-Dictorians are.

  HipStory is a quality collection of truth, Bars, beats, poetry, samples, and overall dope-ness. The first thing you may notice is the artwork, the cover and their whole bandcamp page is adorned in photos of Jean-Michel Basquiat paintings, which indicate that you don't know what you're going to hear but chances are you'll like it.
    Hip-Hop is now an adjective because that's exactly what this is. It all flows very well from start to finish. Neither Mc outshines the other, they are both talented and both have something say, and you should listen. The first track is "Death of a Poet" and here is the video:

   Despite the old school influence as well as use of spoken word, this shows innovation. These two are somehow, beyond what they seem or, I guess, beyond expectation. Tracks that grab attention include Running '12, Midnight, Electric Relaxation '12, and Nonchalant Love. Each of these songs are remakes, remixes, or heavily use a certain sample yet all stand apart from the original recordings. Keep listening, you may learn something.

    My personal favorite is track #11 "Everbody".
"When I say Fck the world, everbody except you". Not only is this hook soooooo cuuuute but the instrumental is sick. I could not stop listening to it. I appreciate the honesty, the flows, the tempo, the use of the track in a way where these two aren't simply spitting over it and I especially favor Tyrek's verse at the end of the song. I don't think you can ever go wrong with a Hip-hop love song tbh.
  Another stand-out iss "Beanz n Bomberz" on which the two both give account on where they're from and how it made them who they are .

   You can listen to Hip-Story in its entirety here:

 

  Also visit their bandcamp page for more music http://validdictorians.bandcamp.com/, including their latest live EP "FYS (First Year Seminar)" with their band The Honor's Society.

  If you're in the New York City area you can see The Valid-Dictorians and The Honor Society at The Bitter End on July 19th. Click HERE for Info.

NINE Hairstyles/buns to do with BOX BRAIDS/Senegalese Twists

It's been a while since I've done a hair tutorial and this one is pretty lengthy. Please visit  http://iloveboxbraids.tumblr.com/, I hope this helps ! =]

New Look!

    Last night I went to probably the biggest party I’ve ever been to. Putting together this outfit was pretty simple.
    Since it was so hot, there were people walking around spraying water. So I eventually took my top off revealing and ideal summer look: bikini top+high-waisted shorts. Of course I was wearing my fave shorts which, I’ve worn so many times before, and since they covered my belly button, I wasn’t necessarily naked Lol. The coach wristlet was essential because I knew that I would be dancing and that I would not want to be carrying a purse/bag, it clipped right onto my belt.

New track from T'nah Apex and Chelsea Reject

     Not only are T'nah and Chelsea upcoming hip-hop artists, writers, poets, Brooklynites, they're also friends of mine. I met them both over year ago on separate occasions and I know that when it comes to this music, they do the damn thing. If you haven't heard anything from either young lady please check out their soundcloud pages. T'nah: https://soundcloud.com/tnah . Chelsea: https://soundcloud.com/chelsea-reject

   Now lets get into this new song. I knew about their growing bond and I knew they were working together but I had no idea what to expect from these two and I still don't. Lets say I am surprised. xyxx is the name of the song. It is sultry, dark, and something great to vibe to. It is so different that it is exciting. Although they have both put out music before xyxx shows that you don't even know the half.


   The instrumental is almost perfect. Obviously both these women are soulful, they both have great voices, and talent. There is no mimicking however, there is no competing, and this track knows no time period. Though we may all sense the soulful 90's vibes you still feel the now in it all. I was reminded of one of my favorite artists KiD CuDi. As I said I don't know what to expect from T'nah or Chelsea, or any collabs they may do in the future. They can go far beyond what this track brings to us.

   With all that said I recommend xyxx and I also reccomend you listen to Chelsea Rejects recent mixtape "Radi-8" if you haven't already. http://www.datpiff.com/Chelsea-Reject-Radi-8-mixtape.478049.html

Where the Hipsters at?!

    Apparently all over my city! Yelp.com, your internet source for pretty much everything providing reviews done by consumers has created a word map. You can search any word in any major city and Yelp will create a "heat map" indicating where you can find most of what you searched, right before your eyes.

   I'm having fun typing randoms, although I should know where everything is, Use the Yelp word map here! 

  Yelp.com is certainly a lifesaver when you're looking for anything from top of the line Hair salons to family fun to good food.

Quote

That is the saddest thing about our relationships: we claim to know them outright, we claim to be the only ones finally capable of analyzing the quirks of friends and lovers newly found. And yet there are pockets of solitude, great gaps in their lives that we can never fathom because of the simple fact that we were not there when they happened.
                                                                                  -Eric Gamalinda, Planet Waves

(A)Sexuality

   Just in time for Pride Month and in lieu of NYC's Pride weekend, lets talk about the forgotten "sexual orientation": Asexuality.
   Personally, I can go on and on about sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, roles, etc. but up until a month ago Asexuality was something I was unfamiliar with. I've heard the term once or twice but I didn't understand.
   Then I was at my best friend's house using netflix and I stumbled across the documentary (A)sexual. The film follows the growth of a community that experiences no sexual attraction. Here's the trailer:

    From this film I've learned so much and if you're confused I'll break it down. When someone identifies as asexual that means they do not feel any sexual attraction to anyone else, as it is assumed that we all do. Some asexuals do have a sex drive but it is not directed to others and some asexuals can be romantically attracted to others but still do not want to have sex. There is a such thing as an asexual relationship. Then there are asexuals(as shown in the film) who don't have a sex drive at all nor want a relationship. Asexuality is not abstinence, it is not celibacy, it is not a choice.

My Documentary short!

Natural Hair Update!

     My hair has been in everything except braids for the past few months and now I've gotten my hair done again. Here is me talking about my new style, how I've styled my hair and of course my blog http://iloveboxbraids.tumblr.com/

Yeezus VS Born Sinner

   Well, the day has come and went. June 18, 2013 the day both KanYe West and J. Cole released new albums. Mac Miller also released a new album that day but we're not talking about him.

   Now, whether you're a hip-hop head or not you may have already heard that J. Cole is the obvious winner when it comes to these albums. J. Cole truly proved himself and Mr. West proved to be out if his mind. Soooo, lets talk about the better man first.

     We all fell in love with the first single Power Trip, pretty much  an admittance to obsession, but this song was no indication of what we were about to hear from J. Cole. Born Sinner. The most important thing about this album is that it is so very different from Cole's first studio album Cole World: The Sideline Story. Personally I felt like I was listening to whole new J. Cole, which I appreciate very much. Born Sinner sticks to the title and kept the "religion" theme throughout with dope beats, clever samples, and  features. The first track does its job as an introduction for this album, cynically titled Villuminati, using an obvious but not so obvious Biggie snippet, also including a few shoutouts to Cole's big big brother Jay-Z.
    A few more stand out tracks on Born Sinner include Trouble, Crooked Smile ft. TLC, and Forbidden Fruit ft. Kendrick Lamar. Yes, what we've all been waiting for, another J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar collaboration. I'm not sure if you can be a fan of one without being a fan of the other and their friendship is very well known. This track is very effective, there is no competition, no overkill, it's smooth.
   Now, Of course I could not forget, probably one of the most pinnacle recordings on this album Let Nas Down. The second to last song on the album is an account of a time when Nas was disappointed in one Cole's earlier singles Work Out. He says, "Long live the idols, may they never be your rivals." Nas is certainly one of Cole's idols as he is to most of us. Hip-Hop odes by rappers for other rappers have been done many times before and this is a notable one. Cole also cleverly shouts out KanYe a bit, using the line "No I.D. my mentor now let the story begin" from Big Brother, Yeezy's ode to Jay-Z.
     Overall Born Sinner is a good album. Well put together, extremely truthful/raw, very Hip-Hop, very dope and a bit of a surprise, or refreshment rather.
PLEASE listen if you haven't already !



   Oh right, and for Yeezus.

      All I can say is that I am more than disappointed and confused. He used a lot of up-tempo electronic beats which he reportedly did not produce himself and there is just a lot of pointless shouting. A few tracks that seemed like they would be good just fell flat. Yeezy had almost no flow throughout the album. The first single "New Slaves" may have mislead all of us as to what this album is really about, it's mostly fluff.

Solange LIVE!

   Yes, yes I got to see my idol live in concert. As you may know, Solange Knowles is one of my biggest inspirations. I was excited to here about the Northside music festival presented by Converse. I've got clips of each performance from today's event in this video:

    The park was filled and there were food, drinks, and free vitamin water! Of course I was only there to see Solange. I captured plenty of photos of her.