2Day In Music.. Skylar and Em

Skylar Grey, Skylar Grey. Thank you for your voice. Skylar has been lending her voice on a couple recently released Em and Dre tracks. Skylar must be what a soul tie feels like (Lo siento. Bible reference.) and I mean that in the most poetic way possible. I'm such a fan of this chick.






Laterz!

Just Get To Know: Childish Gambino

Dope Name: CHECK.

Dope Style: CHECK.

Dope Flow: CHECK.

Childish Gambino sounds like a perfect mixture of the best of Drake, Angel Haze and Weezy. It's hard hitting. It's convicting. It's so DOPE. His flow, that is. Check his song and video to "Freaks and Geeks" below. Music is headed in the most outrageously talented way and I like it. (Thanks Ivey!)


Freaks and Geeks from Donald Glover on Vimeo.

Video of the Day: Theophilus London

I love Thorphilus. I love Solange. Them together is like a warm, breezy day.



This is my getting amped for summer song. I stalked this song on fb between my sis and her friend. Yes, yes I did.

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XXL Presents: The Freshmen Class

These are the rappers who supposedly "got next". I can dig it. I've heard of about 80% of the people on this front cover. I have to give everybody on here a proper listen but my faves right off of the top of my head- Diggy (obviously.), Mac Miller and Kendrick Lamar.

Word.

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Video Dopeness: Gold Dust

I somehow got extremely engrossed in this video and so I felt like it deserved a post. It's just something about this video I deeply enjoy.

"Gold Dust" (DJ Fresh)



LATERZ!

Today In Music......

Friends! So much musical goodness came to me today. I was thinking to myself earlier, "I really REALLY need to hear some new music!" and once again the universe delivered. I wish I could bottle the way I feel right now and take it in on a rainy day and give it away to the world for a "smile a pop". One bottle for every smile you give away. I know that description was like really dramatic but that's the way music makes me feel. (As I'm typing this Pandora is playing "Renegade" (Jay-Z). Can we say "Pandora is my soulmate"? WORD.)

Ok. Ok. Follow me....

1. We have Tyler The Creator, one half of the duo, Odd Future. I have to just say, this next one may not be for everybody. It took me a good 1 minute of the song and some research to really appreciate him and his work. I'm all over it now though. And by "over it" I mean I'm knee deep in Tyler's auditory shockwaves.

 


2. Next. I'm just going to take a moment and throw some love to my girl Nannah for putting me on to this chick. She dropped her name. "Skylar Stonestreet."  I searched. I got lost in the song below. It's as if this song caught me in that perfect moment of layered rumination and blessed my thoughts. Yeah, that serious. :)




3.Ok. So, I might have found my new AWESOME British best friend. Her name is Katy B and the chick is BOSS MADNESS. The song below has a nice techno/soul kick to it and Katy B is full of that natural superstar spark. (Thanks Ivey and Muffin!)



Katy needs her own post so that will def happen soon!!

whew. more to come. STAY TUNED!

Articles: Why You Are Not Married??

Okay, really I'm completely over the whole media frenzy about "Why Those Successful Colored's and Other BOSS Women Are Not Married." Its like "yawn" on a good day. BUT it's still fun to watch. I'm entertained and if nothing else these articles are fodder for discussion which can lead to more exciting things, like deeper connections and synapses firing. I also have to say that I still feel young and this whole "Nobody will want you if you're too awesome." talk goes right past my combat boots and across my coily head. It does not feel as urgent. But in the spirit of those among us where this is their current reality, I get it. The debate is real.

For those of you who have been living under a rock, the original article by Terry McMillian:

Why You're Not Married

And the response article, which is HILARIOUS btw:

10 More Reasons You Are Not Married 

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Video: 'Ye

Oh dear friends! I could go on and on about the video I'm about to post but that would be a waste of both of our time. You already know my love for 'Ye is so deep and so WIDE. What I will say- Rihanna's "shirt".




If your vocals leave something to be desired, rely on other things. I aint mad. For real.

Word? Word.

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Documentary: No Days Off (Wale)

Wale is indeed "Mr. No Days Off". Watching him grind so hard just continues to grow my love, appreciation and respect for his craft. It's refreshing to see the hunger and drive of an artist right on the brink of blowing the world up with his music. Be A Boss. Save A Life. (Even your own.)

And if you've been living under a rock, Wale just signed to Maybach Music! (While some people look to Lady Gaga for "The Boss Commandments", I look to Rick Ross.)



Word. Laterz!

Video of the Day: Marvin Gaye

Marvin Gaye is a legend and viewing this video only further proves that point. Very few people are able to sing a positive message with such charisma and musicality. Marvin Gaye continues to remind me what music should be about and why people should fight to create and be exposed to the highest level of musicality. Marvin Gaye, my friends.



And as a bonus- Marvin Gaye FREAKING "The Star Spangled Banner"! This man was so serious, ladies and gents!


LATERZ!

POW!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Yes, ya'll! Today is the day when we celebrate a holiday that has been excessively commercialized and steeped in an infamous massacre but nonetheless, we celebrate. In my (humble) opinion, as long as a person recognizes the full breadth of the holiday, celebrating it is not a problem. I love that people have a day to remind them to show people that they care about them.

Me, personally, I just feel like a Boss B*tch these days so my song of the day is below.

"Get money!"



Laterz!

Quote

The other day as I sat pondering my life and creating concrete goals for the future I began to scold myself for not being further. I thought to myself "Perhaps I'm aiming too low. Am I not challenging myself enough?" And then I had to take a moment and say "Really dude? You're doing pretty well for yourself. Chill the F*CK out!". And yes, this was all to myself. (and definitely all in my head.)  :) Most importantly, what I realized is that....

"life is this strange balance of celebrating where you currently are and scorning yourself for not being further. "

The "balance" part of that quote is what's most important. Life has its ebbs and flows and learning to appreciate those changes and being open to the lessons they offer you is what makes the ups and downs all the more worth it. PAUSE. Breathe.

Laterz! :)

2 Day In Music.....

I just have to say before I start this post that, today I really REALLY realized how much I enjoy blogging! Yesterday my computer gave me a huge "side eye" and served up a black screen. I literally got up from the computer and tried to keep my devastation at bay. Ugh. Today, all I kept thinking to myself is " How am I going to freaking blog? S#*+!!" I had thought of other things such as "How am I going to listen to the new Kanye album? How am I going to use my email? fb?" But I had quickly thought up solutions for those problems. Blogging was the last thing on the list. Finally, I decided that there was absolutely no way that I could go for 5 more months (the original planned time of a new computer purchase.). I just KNEW I had to have one sooner and had already thought of several solutions to purchasing my new computer sooner. I ended up doing a little internet research and fixing the issue myself but my this experience showed me how much I'm willing to sacrifice for something I love. That love for me right now is blogging. THE END. :)

Now on to some musica!

1. Dawn and Kaleena are two of the best decisions that Diddy ever made.... I LIVE for Dawn. (Post Coming Soon on my intense Dawn love.)


2. Marsha Ambrosius (originally of Floetry) is dropping her album "Late Nights and Early Mornings" on March 1st. I will for sure be copping that. Check her mixtapes or "sextapes" as they're named via the link below. (P.S. Marsha's looking pretty sexxi these days! :))

Marsha Ambrosious- SexTapes

3. Concrete Loop dropped a track by the appropriately named new (ish) singer, Jazzy. I'm absolutely in love with her tone!! Like, her tone is what really sold me on the song. It also doesn't hurt that she has Chicago's very own, BJ The Chicago Kid on the track. WORD. Check it!

Feel Like Making Love- Jazzy (ft. BJ The Chicago Kid)

Yay! I love Blogging! :)

Laterz!

Fashion and Style: Willow Smith

Okay, obviously I'm extremely impressed with Willow Smith! The video below highlights her recent Teen Vogue photo shoot. Willow is incredibly comfortable in front of the camera and confident beyond belief. Love.



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2Day In Music.. GRIME Music

Wow. I interrupt this regularly scheduled programming to bring you GRIME.

What is grime you ask? Well it seems as if it is a musical genre that has been brewing in Britian since the early 2K's. It is a mixture of "Uk garage, dancehall and hip hop". With the recent success of British grime artist, Tinie Tempeh, this genre seems to garnering some global attention. Tinie Tempeh whispered in my ear (not literally) last week as I was perusing this here internet but I can't for the life of me remember where I heard (of) him! And then I saw his name today and I  thought to myself "Self?" (My self said "Huh?" jk.) "Who is this Tinie Tempeh?" And so I went snooping. Came across Tinie and then wizened up on this whole musical sub-culture now rising to the top of the international music market.

Here's a song by Tinie.



Below is one of the first mainstream grime artists.


Check more Tinie Tempah here.

I really do not know how well the grime movement will do over here in the U.S. but I am certainly excited to find out!

Laterz!

Quotes: Liz Lemon (30 Rock)

Liz: And meeting someone new — ugh, all the nodding and smiling and sibling-listing. And what’s the upside? It works and you have to have a bunch of sex?

Jack: Lemon, what do you want? Do you want to be alone for the rest of you life?

Liz:

No! I just wish I could start a relationship about twelve years in when you really don’t have to try anymore and you can just sit around together and goof on tv shows and then go to bed without anybody trying any funny business.

30 Rock - 3.04 Gavin Volure

WORD.

Video Dopeness: Glimmer (Ami)

So, great news! My friend (Well, a friend of a friend.) shot an amazing video for new artist, Ami. I had never heard of Ami before the recent release of this video but I'm certainly becoming more interested in her journey and plan to keep you all posted on her continued success. I'm a HUGE fan of her song "Glimmer" and it has been getting its fair share of my speaker time for the last week. Also, her style is quite lovely. YES! AND YES! Check Ami and Roger (of AyKid Shots) in the awesome video, Glimmer.





Laterz!