This Morning I woke up to 4 new tracks from Chicago's superstar Chance The Rapper. Having been a huge fan in 2013 when he took the world by storm with his mixtape "Acid Rap", I was definitely eager to hear what new-new Chance could hit us with here in 2018. Listen:
Recently Chance has caught the public eye once again after proposing to his daughters mother(finally) and of course she said yes. Chance continue to make his city and fans everywhere proud, just ny being true to himself. However there will always be naysayers and Chance agrees them on stand-out single(amongst the four) "I Might Need Security". The perfect title named after a very popular Jamie Foxx standup routine, with an even more perfect sample of a joke from I Might Need Security(watch HERE). He addresses rumors and negative things that have been said about him, politics, family, his city- everything! He's the people's champ and this braggadocios diss track to everyone and they momma reminds fans why they fell in love with him in the first place- very "H to the izzo"
"I'm not no boss nigga, I'm a soldier
Kingdom builder,
man somebody shoulda told ya"
Two of the other tracks, "Work Out" and "65th and Ingleside" are coming to age stories regarding his relationship with his now Fiancé, with silly bars directed at past lovers. and then there is a new dance track/juke jam "Wala Cam" which will definitely have listeners dancing. All I can say is these four singles have the mouths of Chance the Rapper fans everywhere watering in anticipation of a possible upcoming album.
All thanks to Drake, whose latest album fittingly entitled "Scorpion" has been inspiring and exciting listeners since the second it released at midnight. The 2 part deluxe album gives us everything you would expect from Drake and more. Volume 1 presents a bit of a braggadocios, "told you so" narrative which dispels all rumors/slander/and hate, featuring singles "Gods Plan" and "I'm Upset", whereas Volume 2 is the softer side of Drizzy, what he is most known for, and seems to be for the ladies featuring chart topping femme anthem "Nice For What". The choice to make 2 sides to one album was one of best decisions at this point in his career, he is not switching up on us just adding more; more honesty, more bars, and more vibes- covered with sampling, sounds bites, beats inspired by various music genres; as well as a surprise feature from Michael Jackson. We get "Yolo" Drake and we also get "Take Care" Drake in an expansive, ever-growing, ever-changing way, like some afro-futuristic shit.
Volume 1 is what you would expect from this album based on two of his latest singles and recent rap beef Drake was caught up in with Pusha T. Rumors of the two being rivals have been swarming for years, and were reignited late 2016 with the release of Drake's diss track "Two Birds, One Stone", throwing shots at both Pusha and KiD CuDi. Two months ago with the release of his latest album, "Daytona", Pusha decided to take shots at Drizzy and expose some secrets the rapper may have been keeping from the public. Always anticipating his music, the public was also dying to know "What is he going to say???", especially considering past diss tracks from the Toronto superstar. Well, he said just enough. On "Emotionless" Drizzy addresses the rumors Pusha sparked up that Drake has a child whose life he probably does not have much of a presence in, by saying: "I wasn't hiding my kid from the world, I was hiding the world from my kid". Addressing the issue from both ends by clearing his name and shining light on the fact that conflicts like this one are the very reason the public did not know about Drake's baby. Drake comes back to describing the situation throughout volumes 1 and 2, as he clears his mind and pours out his heart.
"I'm the chosen one,
flowers never pick themselves"
Aside from the mention of his son and the lyric that widened the eyes of curious listeners everywhere, "Emotionless" is a stand out track for its choir-like sample of Mariah Carey's "Emotions" and its subject matter. Drake is reading society for filth on this one, placing a mirror up to all of our faces showing how deeply superficial people are when it comes to the parts of our lives we choose to share with others. Social Media has certainly consumed us all and Drake simply calls it out straight like that. The first single from this album "God's Plan" which dropped in January follows, and then comes latest single "I'm Upset". Other stand outs include "8 out of 10" and my personal Vol. 1 fave "Mob Ties". Simply put, Volume 1 bumps, it is a great listen start to finish. Another other stand out track is "Sandra's Rose" a look at Drake's spirituality as it encompasses everything, as his mother's name is Sandra and he is the rose. Spirituality is defined as "the quality of being concerned with the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things" and this is what Drizzy digs deep into to give us this track. The last track on this side sums it all up with "Is there More?".
And now for Volume 2, the album for the ladies, the emotional side of Drake. All of the femme anthems and pseudo love songs flow seamlessly into one another on this side. Starting with "Peak", "Summer Games", and "Jaded" all open letters to past lovers about situations they may not have worked out and the order of songs seem to be intentional. At this point as we ease into Volume 2 you can feel that Drake worked really hard, especially considering that he must have recorded most of these tracks within the last 2 months. Drake is often referred to as "Mediocre" as a music artist, because he does not seem to try hard or push the art form forward. But with "Scorpion" Drake has truly outdone himself, the entire album is impressive and impactful. Next up is "Nice For What", as I stated earlier, a femme anthem celebrating women covered in samples and a New Orleans Bounce-inspired beat. "Nice For What" is a banger to say the least, arguably the best track on the entire album- Yes, both volumes - and I have not grown tired of it yet, ever since its release in April. However, a similar song "In My Feelings" comes in a close 2nd place to "Nice For What" to me, personally. It is also heavy with sampling, and samples New Orleans Bounce music as well. A love letter to an ex as he sings:
"Kiki, Do you love me?
Are you riding?
Say you'll never ever leave from beside me
Cuz I want ya, and I need ya
and I'm down for you always",
as he replaces the names each time. It is upbeat, fun, cute and one of my faves. It is hard to debate which Volume is best as they are both incredible, they are almost equal. One can say that Volume 1 has more potential hits, however, Volume 2 is probably best to listen to straight through and just vibe out to. Honestly just listen to all 25 tracks each time you give the album a listen, it is worth it. He ends off with a track entitled "March 14th" which is the day he found out that he had a son, and the song completely details his experience with that and what he was going through. Overall, this is an impressive body of work from Mr. Aubrey Graham. Personally I've been a Drake-hater for 3 sets of 3 years, so this means a lot coming from me.
KanYe West is hitting us off with all new music from his G.O.O.D. Music artists back to back, all produced by the man himself. New albums from Pusha T, KiD CuDi, Nas, KanYe, and Teyana of course.
Each album has 7 songs with the exception of TT's release K.T.S.E. which has 8.
The Harlem artist first caught public eye over a decade when she had her own episode of My Super Sweet 16, as a prospective artist on Pharrell's label. Now, she is married and she is a mother. Throughout her career she has faced a ton of ridicule for not releasing music and KanYe has also been under fire for seeming like he does not care about his artists. Well now he is shutting all of that up.
K.T.S.E. is short sweet perfection. At an even more perfect time. Teyana's fame has been on a rise since her relationship with husband Iman Shumpert garnered some attention and her starring role in KanYe's "Fade" video grabbed a ton of attention. She now has a reality show with hr family and a new nail salon in her hometown Harlem. And now a dope new album. A tale of life through Teyana's eyes, her love for her husband, her experience as a mother, what she has learned in her adult years and more. Each song is so wonderful I can't even choose a stand out of possible single, it is all fun and all good. From start to finish, its a good listen. I recommend.
Last night AFROPUNK treated those two rsvp'd for this year's festival to an intimate concert featuring Twin Shadow performing music from his latest album Caer, presented by LG. This show also promoted LG's newest bluetooth speaker which is the boombox of this generation.
Attendees were greeted with a large hun the shape of the helmet on the cover of Car, filled with the LG speakers all playing stripped down portions of Twin Shadow's break out single from the album "Brace". Folks were allowed to press button on the walls of the giant helmet in order to play the portions of the songs on multiple speakers, for an immersive experience. The concert was an incredibly lively experience in such a small space, the lights, the instrumentation, and of course vocals all came together beautifully for an unforgettable little gem.
The Carters, individually the biggest superstars of our generation, have finally given listeners what we have been waiting for: a joint album. Rumors have been swarming since Jay-Z released his album "4:44" last summer on which he disclosed personal information about his marriage. In April 2016 Beyoncé released visual album "Lemonade" which was an hour long short film stringing together visuals for each song on the album with documentary like footage, as well as experimental imagery, poetry recited by Beyoncé, and more. Being one the most incredible contemporary art pieces "Lemonade" takes viewers/listeners on a journey through the hardships Bey has faced throughout her marriage with themes such as "betrayal" and "redemption". Their love has really become their "thing", which we do of course experience on the joint album fittingly entitled "EVERYTHING IS LOVE". However the entire album falls short.
What I imagined would be a combination of the kind of music we got from "4:44" and "Lemonade", it feels a bit more like your auntie and uncle doing trap karaoke. The feel lends itself to a lot of whats hot in the streets right now, with a feature from the migos, Beyoncé rapping, and Jay-Z being Jay-Z. There seems to be a specific vibe they were going for but it did not work. Beyoncé gives us sultry vocals similar to that on "On The Run II" and bars just as she did on their single with DJ Khaled "Top Off". But personally, it feels that she is holding back. Is this the Beyoncé Jay prefers? Does she feel she has to compete or keep up with him? It feels like Jay-Z featuring his wife on every track, when we all know who the better artist is here.
The first track "SUMMER" is a passionate R&B song primarily featuring vocals from Bey and just one verse from Jay. The feeling of this track is loving, sultry, and sexy; making it possibly the most bearable track on the whole album with the most replay value. Nothing else really stood out, aside maybe the first single and second track "APE SHIT". A turn up anthem heavily influenced by, and featuring vocals from, The Migos. It reminds me of one of their latest singles "Motorsport", but also a lot of Hip-Hop music out right now, a child of Trap Music. More rap-singing from Bey, more bragging about how poppin, and rich, and powerful The Carters are.
The music video is absolutely beautiful as they rented out the Louvre museum in France, where the Mona Lisa is. This makes a statement that as artists, as Black artists, they are just as valuable and important as very well know art by white people. They are dominating spaces Black people were not allowed to step foot in just a few decades ago. The chorus chants "Can't believe we made it, this is what we're thankful for", giving us an updated "Niggas in Paris" narrative.
Overall the album falls short, but I appreciate the effort. Maybe joint albums are just taboo, they don't happen often. "Watch The Throne", Jay-Z's album with KanYe West was 50% jaw-dropping incredibly moving music and 50% forgettable. Jay-Z's joint albums with R. Kelly are completely forgettable and I'm sorry I even brought them up.
As far as EVERYTHING IS LOVE goes, listen to it while you're cleaning the house, or on a long road trip and just need something in the background.
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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
Faint melodic tones fall onto your ears as Tangina harmonizes and opens with “I’m so insecure, all I need is more... confidence” a track about self-doubt and pressure from family and friends to be a big superstar once embarking on a journey. The journey Stone took over 6 years ago, moving to NYC to chase the dream. "Confidence" intro acts as a diary entry as well as an anthem for all those doubting themselves, all those who struggle with low self-esteem, especially independent artists. A short, sweet, and beautifully vulnerable intro to this album. The next track, "Anxious", is another personal account exhibiting spiritual and mental health when it comes to negative feelings that can accompany positive things in life.
“I’m still running from my dreams,
burning down all of my trees,
wondering why I can’t breathe”.
She says "I know you’re gonna leave me, baby", a sentence that perfectly sums up anxiety attached to personal relationships and ultimately feeling like you’re all alone. Stress and Anxiety have found their way to the forefront of conversation, we as a people are finally at a point where we can say out loud I’m anxious, I’m nervous, I’m stressed out, I mentally cannot handle this. It is remarkable how Tangina can show this in her music as well. "By The Sea continues this narrative as Gina recounts a conversation with her grandmother at a time where she was truly ready to give up, yet from that conversation came great encouragement and inspiration for perseverance through her career as well as a great track. The album goes on an upbeat slow sound emotional roller coaster
A stand out track is certainly the single featuring Nelly Furtado, "Exposed". A dreamy stroll into a tragic love story, the up and downs, the guilt and the blame that comes with unfortunate situations. Filled with raw emotions as they apply to the self as well as personal relationships, "Elevate" also takes a political tone with "Black Boy", another one of my favorites. A personal letter to Stone's father but also a general statement to the condition of the Black man in America, the systems that oppress Black men, as well as how that negatively affect the rest of us. Throughout this album, Gina takes intense worldwide concepts and approaches them from a personal standpoint. She tells each story in a way that fans can definitely relate to. I love this album top to bottom and I recommend it 100%.
Reebok's recently opened flagship store at Union Square filled up quickly for it's pre-Fashion week event Friday night. A DJ, live performances, gives away, discounts, and a fashion show; this event was perfect to get Lower Manhattan's mouth watering for what NYFW must have to offer. Mixing and mingling was ideal as the DJ spun a great mix of Hip-Hop and R&B oldies as well as contemporary music. Not to mention complimentary alkaline water from Essentia. The show kicked off with none other than the fashion show, a small stage heading the catwalk and models strutting their stuff while rocking head-to-toe Reebok gear, if the 25% off wouldn't have sold you, these models certainly would have, everyone looked amazing. There were also dancers and other music artists, including Tangina Stone. Check out my recap of the event as well as a performance from Stone.
Sunday I headed down to Philly with Daz(touchofdaz.com) to film the Soultronica music festival at Trocadero Theater, as she hosted. A stacked lineup of local Hip-Hop artists, accompanied by headliner Curren$y. This show was intense, here's my recap:
This year I was only able to attend AP Fest for Day 1, so I had to make my look worth while. My outfit was a one piece jumper I purchased from the International African Arts Festival earlier this summer, which could also be worn as pants, along with my black jelly sandals. What really completed the look was my hair. I did something old with a lil something new, bantu knots and twists at the sides. Photos and hair tutorial below! The festival was as enjoyable as usual, far more crowded, as expected. This is the 3rd year the festival has charged for admittance, which oddly has not hindered attendance. Personally I feel that a festival that was once free and once truly embodied the phrase "For us, By us" has sold out by charging now. That excludes people who cannot normally afford to attend your average lavish commercialized music festival, people who Afropunk represented. Though still representing "The other Black experience", AP is losing it's original genuine image, and starting to blend in the mainstream. Nonetheless, this did not stop the always extravagant Afropunk audience from turning out. Overall it was a great time.
Good friend of mine and amazingly talented musician, artist on the rise, Tangina Stone headlined at one of the hippest new in-the-cut venues in Brooklyn on Tuesday. Rough Trade is a record shop, bookstore, ping-pong hangout in Williamsburg where there is also a performance venue in the back fully equipped with a bar and balcony for additional seating. The space is dope and so were the performers. Stone was joined by, other femme music artists, Sonic and Polly A, as well as a femme DJ DJ Whitney who kept the crowd dancing before and long after the show.
Sonic
Opening up was Sonic. "A former contestant on The Voice Season 8, Sonic's soulfully versatile and dynamic sound secured her a spot on Christina Aguilera's team and ultimately catapulted her to a spot in the show's top 20. Inspired by artists past and present like Pharrell Williams, Billie Holiday, Chaka Khan and Sade, Sonic incorporates these influences into her abstract r&b soulful sound. She released her three track mixtape titled 'WAV' in the summer of 2015, and is set to release an original, more in depth project, later this summer." Sonic's music is alternative and sultry, the band backing her and her voice brought on such a mood. They were able to hype up the crowd and make people dance, with soft melodic tones reminiscent of Sade meets Nelly Furtado. A phenomenal kick-off to the performances this evening.
Polly A
Next up was Polly A, who's style was unmistakably significant from her hair to her voice. "LA-based singer/songwriter Polly A has written for the likes of Alicia Keys, Selena Gomez and J. Cole ("Crooked Smile"). She was one of only three female artists to perform at this year's Rolling Loud Festival annd has been in-studio with GRAMMY Award-winning producer Salaam Remi. Polly A will release her sophomore EP later this summer and her new single, "Just Like That" is out now!"
and of course, closing out the show was Tangina giving us a full set of her music old and new, including her latest single "Anxious" and her first ever recording "Reasons", and even a cover. This has been my third time seeing Tangina Stone live in the past month and I am always impressed. Her band never disappoints and it is always an experience. This evening I was the photographer, but that did not slow me down from having a good time. Her album will be releasing very soon and more info is available for upcoming shows on tanginastone.com/ . For now here are a few moments I captured of her set.
Right in the middle of Prospect Park in Brooklyn, NY Curl Fest was back again for it's 3rd go 'round as the largest celebration of Black Hair! This was by far the largest turnout I have ever seen for any kind of festival. There were tons and tons of festival goers circulating in and out, there could not have been a more perfect location. I arrived around 3pm with my squad and was immediately excited by the large groups of people I saw coming and going as we journeyed to festival grounds. I ran into a friend by the name of Ike Slimster who was working a live painting station alongside other Black visual artists, there were several stations much like this one and of course the area was outlined with booths and tents of various companies for natural hair products and other Black-owned goods. Spike Lee was even there selling merch for his upcoming series "She's Gotta Have It" a reboot of his 1986 film. Undoubtedly , the stage was the main event, host and DJ's keeping the crowd moving (literally) the whole day, in yesterday's overcast heat. You can hear the music on your way, and there was a variety of everything you would love to dance, chill, and vibe out to. Now, what truly made #curlfest2017 such an amazing event was of course the audience. The lovely festival goers, the crowd primarily made up of femmes of the African Diaspora with all kinds of hairstyles. Undeniably the good ol', wash and go/twist out/braid out/fluff and go/I woke up like dis afro was the number 1 look, but there was such an assortment of attention grabbing hairspiration it felt like every poster in the hair salon, pinterest hashtag, and dreamy tumblr page came to life. and OF COURSE the festival was a photo-op for everyone. There were a lot of photographers out. To get the full experience or at least visual I would highly recommend checking out the "#curlfest2017" hashtag on instagram, there are already thousands of posts. Here are the photos I was able to capture:
