Christmas Look!

My Christmas look this year is very simple. As for hair I did the pipe cleaner curls once again, as I did for my birthday. As for my outfit, I wore my long sleeved backless metallic dress(Silence + Noise) that I wore for NYE last year.

THINK PIECE: In a world where we are embracing man feelings, why male sexuality skeeves me out.

     Sex sells. We live in an oversexed world, that is still rather conservative. A certain amount of sexuality or sexually themes can be considered classless and inappropriate. Though I am not one to judge or spoil anyone's fun with a heavy dose of classism or elitism, some of our favorite male musicians and celebrities creep me out.


  Men like Bruno Mars and Miguel who don’t fit the typical fuck boy mold still turn me off with all the sex talk. They present themselves in beautiful ways where personal swagger and good management meet, they sing of love and sex and fun, and they cater to their femme audience. However, Bruno Mars has over-exaggerated his pimp pimp playa playa persona as of late. He praises the pinky ring, makes up flashy catches phrases with even flashier music, and he has resurrected the funk. Bruno is a regular ole blaxploitation. This has rubbed me the wrong way ever since "Locked Out of Heaven". Every time I hear "you and your ass invited, so gon get to clappin'' I cringe, I am slightly disgusted and very much annoyed. Why does every hot new pop record have to skyrocket to the top of the charts at my expense? Another example is Miguel, someone who is always sexy but maybe oversexed. He once stimulated sex on stage during a concert of his, which you can watch below.  It is gross, tacky, and all the other words a 40-something church mother would say while clutching her pearls. But on top of all the tastelessness, it seems to make femmes the butt of the joke, literally.

Now I know what you are probably thinking right about now: "Kearmonie, sex is natural and fluid and it is beautiful for one to embrace their own sexuality rather than succumb to the societal norms which have unnecessarily and dangerously restricted us for centuries." or: "Kearmonie, these men do not pose a threat, why be mad at them? I'm pretty sure that you sing Cardi B's 'Bodak Yellow' at the top of your lungs, and I bet Lil' Kim's "Big Momma Thang is your theme song. What's the difference?"

Yes, all of that is true. When a woman embraces her sexuality she is badass but when a man embraces his own sexuality it still creeps me out. But I have pondered on this phenomenon and I have a few deductions. I think these awkward feelings and bad taste in my mouth may be because male sexuality, for as long as I could remember, has always been based on the objectification, exploitation, abuse, and overall mistreatment of women. We call men "playas" and that is literally what it means, they play the game, with women as the props, the pawns, and the prize. We say “pimp” or “pimpin’” and pimps literally pimp out women. Pimps are idolized for their swagger, money, and presence; along with the dehumanization and belittlement of women. A sexually confident cis/het man, or confident in general, is one who treats women as if they are disposable. This kind of man changes women quicker than the days change, and is probably extremely invested "in gettin' bitches"; at least based on what I have learned. A man who embraces his own sexuality confidently and intentionally does not really exist without a few bitches and hoes.

 However, when a sexual woman embraces her sexuality she is literally reclaiming what the sexual man has already taken from her. Her sexuality has always belonged to men whether her father or our" father" who keeps her from embracing it, or every man she has ever fucked ever wanted to fuck and all those who want to fuck her. It has never been her own.

 Now all this (my thinking) is influenced by pop culture, so we have to talk about the capitalization of sexuality. In what better way can we discuss this without acknowledging the late Hugh Heffer, founder, and CEO of Playboy, who Wikipedia credits as "American businessman, magazine publisher, and Playboy." Playboy, the adult magazine filled with beautifully photographed nude some, who are referred to as "playboy bunnies". Having been founded and released its first magazine in 1953, Playboy is still thriving today with even with a premium television network. Though Hugh capitalizing off some sort of sexual revolution at the time could have been a reflection of his own sexuality and who he is as a sexual being, he made millions off of women’s bodies, women who though presumably signed contracts and willingly participated did not have full agency over this image or their individual images. Young girls are taught to worship the glamorous life, the fantasy of beauty and riches, a world where women are seen and not often heard. That image is what male sexuality has used as a step stool.

Back to my original example, the Brunos, the Miguels, and even the Jidennas, all musicians; all musicians who make music which lend themselves to a sort of alternative R&B, with influence from various genres, but primarily R&B. Show business and what it has become, specifically the music industry can be the main culprit for what may be skewing my perception. Hip-Hop music has always real rap raw, direct, in your face, truthful, and raunchy. When rappers talk about bitches on their dicks and exactly what position in vivid detail I do not bat an eye because it was what I grew up on.

Whereas R&B has always sexy, sultry, and subtle. The chauvinism has always been palatable but as of late it has been way to filling, no pun intended. Like I said, the people I named do not fit the typical fuckboy mold. A fuckboy is a fuckboy, but when someone who is not easily defined as such picks up on some of the language and mannerisms it feels like they are not staying in their lane, which is downright unsettling. Am I villainizing anyone for this? No. Will I continue to be totally skeeved out? Probably.

Holiday look brought to you by Fenty Beauty and FlexiRods !

     This Thanksgiving I spent the day with family as usual and got all dressed up to stay in the house, as most people do. This outfit was simply a long ribbed sleeveless Forever 21 dress, lately, grey dresses have been a part of my personal aesthetic. The look is mostly complete due to my hair and face. I debuted Fenty Beauty's liquid foundation and added some style to my hair with flexi-rods I wore all day yesterday.

Here's how created the hair and make-up look:

Immerse Art Exhibit

     Last night I performed at an event the Immerse Art Exhibit. An exhibition of various forms of art presented by a collective called 3:5 Creatives(3:5 Immerse). The event was a beautiful night of live art, visual art, and good vibes. The Okay Space Gallery(OkayPlayer) was booming with music, lights, and even a smoke machine creating a dream-like ambiance of expression as soon as you walk in. The walls were covered in breath-taking paintings- all by Black artists including Ike Slimster and Alim Smith. Patrons trickled in slowing filling the space as they were met with impromptu performances from a variety of artists. In between performances DJ Boston Chery was spinning the latest and greatest, her craft an explosive art form as well, as much a part of the exhibit as all of the other performances. And the other performances including dance, spoken word, and live music from singers, rappers, and a full band.



     The idea of the "Immerse Art Exhibit" is just that, an exhibition that immerses audience members completely in ART. There is no stage, there is no MC, no start time and I am sure attendees were left wishing there was no end. There is just art surrounding you. As you are admiring the creations on the walls and the DJ is spinning the hottest records next thing you know a dance performance begins, accompanied with its own music and visuals being projected onto the wall behind the dancers. An artist preparing to perform usually grabs the attention of some, but even when they begin there is still chatting and selfie-taking occurring while the art is happening around you and in your space. This approach seemed to take the spectatorship out of live art and performance and gave audience members full pure experience.

  My outfit was a simple two-piece look, a matching long sleeved ribbed mock-neck top, and ribbed midi skirt from GoJane. Here's a look at my performance:

MEDUSA

My Halloween costume this year is none other than Medusa. With curly locs accompanied by snakes and a long Grecian style gown from Urban Outfitters, I think I served the mythical goddess justice. I also did snake-skin inspired makeup to complete the look. This encompasses what I love to do every year with my Halloween costume, a homemade/DIY look! A cute outfit with some accessories and makeup for an even cuter costume. I never purchase a full costume.

Here's how I completed the look: 

Happy Birthday to ME

    Today is my 25th and in celebration, I did a birthday photoshoot over the weekend. My younger sister(@yea.cuzicare) did the shoot and I edited the photos. This look is accidentally classic. I didn't realize how tightly curled my hair would be or how vintage the dress would look but it all came together beautifully. The spaghetti strap velvet dress is from Forever 21 and the suede heels with feather detail are from GoJane.com, paired together for a cute and affordable outfit. The concept for the shoot is a combination of classy and some of my favorite things. I am a fall baby so the backdrop of Highland Park was perfect. My props are a handful of cameras belonging to me and my family, exemplifying my passion for film and photography.

Kearmonie: The Spoken Word EP

Just in time for my birthday, I am releasing a spoken word album!!


Kearmonie: The Spoken Word Album. PROMO from Kearah Armonie on Vimeo.


Kearmonie: The spoken word album is a journey through my heart and mind with personal accounts of love, family, oppression, and womanism. There is also a lot of cussin’. It is available for streaming via my website http://kearmonie.com/poetry and SoundCloud.

Pipe Cleaner curls on shoulder length locs!

For my upcoming birthday, I decided to style my hair using pipe cleaners for flawless spiral curls! Here's my look:

OOTD

This little grey dress is one of my favorite H&M finds. Also, it has pockets! For this breezy 70 degree weather day, I paired this dress with fleece lined stockings from UO and leather heeled boots with buckle detail from H&M, as it may rain tonight. This is a simple fall outfit considering the warmth we have been experiencing.

New Music From Ella Rene!

The emerging Brooklyn songstress released her latest project "Cycle" on October 20th. Ella René’s "Cycle" is just that. We are taken on a journey that can easily be experienced over and over again and trust me you would want to. Of course, she's giving Sza, she gives Sia, very contemporary, very what’s hot in the streets right now. But there’s no need for comparisons here Ella presents her own sound and style off the bat. You fall in love with her along with the music and her mellifluous, sultry voice. Listeners ride the waves of her melodies as long as the ups and downs of what seems to be a juicy situationship that seems to have run its course. “Cycle” puts love in a Petri dish and allows listeners to examine the feat of romance. My favorite so far is “Dangerous” on which she claims “I don’t wanna do this anymore, loving you was Dangerous”. An ultimate declaration of “nigga, you need to go”. I’m sure many of us have been there. The feels like a precautious dismissal, not necessarily a breakup but certainly a goodbye after a meaningful epiphany.

“Things happened so fast,

 we forgot to hit the breaks”. 

Each track flows along the same narrative seamlessly. "Cycle" in its entirety feels like a short film, though one-sided. I’m not even sure if I want to hear the other side of this story. This tape left me full and quite satisfied. "Cycle" is sexy, beautiful, and fun. Now available for streaming on Apple Music and Tidal.

OOTD

    Today's look is brought to you by this very cold Fall weather. It is 50 degrees here in NYC. I am wearing a long red forever 21 dress, with an American Apparel knit sweater for some layering, my Members Only jacket from UO and black suede Chelsea boots. and of course, I have my UO blanket scarf for when the temperature drops tonight.

Azealia Banks' new film is FINALLY here

     Well not as of yet, "Love Beats Rhymes" formerly known as "Coco" is set to be released In select theaters December 1st. Having been filmed here in New York City during the summer of 2015, the status of this film's release has been unclear since its original set date March of last year(2016) up until now. I remember hearing rumors of this film's production during the spring of 2015 when it seemed the RZA was scoping out talent, and ultimately production during the summertime; I am very excited this film will finally be available to the public. Speculation of the film being shelved altogether certainly crossed anxious minds as Banks faced a lot of controversy through numerous "Twitter beefs".

     "Love Beats Rhymes" follows a young Femmecee on a journey of self-discovery as she tries to do something more profound and significant with her music. She goes back to school, makes new friends, and is introduced to the world of Spoken Word/Slam Poetry. Through poetry, she learns how to be more expressive and ultimately how to be a better MC. Jill Scott plays the poetry professor at school, College of Staten Island, Common plays the host at the poetry spot, Nuyorican Poets Café, and Lucien Laviscount is the love interest who exposes Coco to the Poetry Slam scene. This film looks to be much like titles such as "You Got Served", "Stomp The Yard", and "How She Move"; except this time it is about Hip-Hop and poetry, and will hopefully be much better than "How She Move". It also highlights the notion that Rap is Poetry, and Poetry is a big part of Hip-Hop culture; overall dope.

V Simple #OOTD

This look is stylish and straightforward, similar to an outfit I've worn before but this time with a little pop. The Shoes! My embroidered mules are brought to you by GoJane.com and are the center piece of this look. I finish it off with my signature head wrap for more fashionable simplicity. Forever 21 jeans, an Urban Outfitters Bodysuit, and a thrifted blazer; easy as 123.

Loose Curls on Shoulder-Length Locs !

Back at it again with the flexi-rods:

I really enjoyed the way the Flexi-Rods looked before taking them down:

KiD CuDi x Passion, Pain, & Demon Slayin' x NYC

     My beloved Scott Mescudi is in town for the New York leg of his Passion, Pain, & Demon Slayin' tour performing mainly songs from his latest album of that title. Here's my look for the show. I wore a lacy/floral mini skit from Forever 21, faux-garter fishnet tights from Urban Outfitters, my all time fave matte black Doc Martens also from UO, and of course my KiD CuDi T-shirt, which I've had for years, from Hot Topic. I was channeling all Alt/Punk/Emo CuDi vibes for this outfit, but certainly stayed true and kept it comfortable.

    For the past week I have been prepping for this concert, not only by listening to Cudder's entire discography but by creating and 18" x 24" potrait of Scott himself on canvas using Acrylic paint. I was able to give my painting to Scott which was one of the greatest moments of my life. See below:

     The show overall was such a breathtaking, out-of-body, spiritually awakening experience; at Central Park's Summerstage. Though it is not summer anymore concert goers were luckily met with 80+ degree weather, which felt even warmer while standing amongst a huge crowd. I arrived about 4 hours before "doors open"and there were already what looked like 100 people ahead of me. I was able to maneuver through the crowd and made a whole group of new friends with a bunch of strangers, who I eventually became disconnected from while flooding the concert area when gates were finally opened. The line, or just the huge crowd of people along the path leading up to summer stage, was a rather notable pastime as folks had speakers blasting CuDi's greatest as well as other dope music, and there were other fans to just chat with of course. Fans came out with all kinds of CuDi gear whether it was his custom Bape t-shirt, which he actually wore as well, or tour shirts from previous albums. When the gates opened it was the biggest sigh of relief. The sun's heat met with hours of waiting met with hundreds of people in small space cause a few fans to pass out, they were helped immediately by staff and eventually individuals were asking to be carried out of the crowd just because it was too much. I was able to get upfront but to the very far right being that there were so many people ahead of me. Pushing and shoving were not foreign concepts to this crowd, as soon as Scott came out on to the stage the crowd went crazy. I had my painting with me in my portfolio and was forced to hold it over my head. I eventually was pushed directly to the front up against the barricade and held it on the other side of the barricade for the rest of the show. When CuDi came down to see us all I was pushed so hard my ribs and hipbones felt bruised, however I wouldn't want it any other way.

     The stage had a jungle theme with green trees and leaves everywhere, while we were waiting smoke started to fill the stage, throughout the show the lights were the most important aspect with CuDi being lit from all sides and different lighting arrangements for each song, each vibe, each mood. At one point foam was falling from the top of the stage as if it were snowing, and the smoke was going throughout the entire show. Visually we were transported into a different world, you can only imagine what aura the music brought with it. CuDi's energy is so high, open, and free; seeing him live was an experience like no other. As many know, the last we heard from The Lonely Stoner publicly was late last year when he announced he will be checking into rehab for his widely known Depression, and Suicidal Ideation. He has not been active on social media ever since, nor necessarily in the limelight. This was his return. Having spent some time living NYC on the eve of his career, he said he felt like he was back home. The show was the warmest of welcomes. He not only performed some hits from the latest album, he also blessed us with the classics while dancing, smiling, laughing and jumping around the whole time. It was so good to see him truly happy and to feel his energy. 

    He opened with "Baptized in Fire" the breakout single from "Passion, Pain, & Demon Slaying", with what was one the most explosives entrances. He went on to perform a song I assumed he would usually open with, "REVOFEV" from his second studio album "Man on The Moon Part II: The Legend of Mr. Rager". There is no doubting the energy in that space, it was non-stop, RAGE all the way through, no down time. Other singles from the album he performed include, "Frequency", "Releaser", "By Design", "Kitchen", and "Rose Golden". He threw in some throwbacks, such as "CuDi Zone" and "Pursuit of Happiness" from his debut album "Man on The Moon: The End of Day". He also brought out a surprise guest, his good friend/Day 1, King Chip to perform both "Just What I Am" and "Brothers" from CuDi's fourth studio album Indicud. I was screaming the entire time. He ended with the closer and arguably best track on his latest album, "Surfin'". Towards the end of the song there is a break which is reminiscent of African music with CuDi harmonizing, he took that time to jump off stage and greet his fans. This is when he came down to see my painting and I was able to tell him it was for him and he took it. This was such a surreal moment, I still cannot believe it happened. I was recording a video on my phone while he was performing surfing and I was still recording when he came down. Here's a video clip of the moment.