Wut/Le1f [video]

A friend put me on to this video this morning and I cannot stop watching it. This is just fabulous on so many levels.

Angel Haze [freestyle]

Before you watch this video, go and read dashxtrouble's review of Angel Haze's EP. Then, come back, pour yourself a rum + coke and enjoy.



*thanks to dashxtrouble for sending this to UR. Make sure you check out his blog. You know you have some rum + coke left in your glass.

Date Night....by pemora

Our awesome newish* sitter emails us when she has free evenings, to see if we would like to go out. The bd and me. Just us, no littles. It is an amazing thing and I jump at the opportunity to do so.

When we have date night, the bd always asks if I would like to go out to a fancy dinner or see a movie or do something interactive and fun. My response? Always? BAR. A bar, any bar, get me to a bar. I just want to sit on a high stool, talk to a bartender and clink glasses with the bd.

I'm not going to get into the whole story of last night's fun at the bar but I will tell you that I am feeling it today. Too many glasses of wine, not enough petite burgers. (why couldn't they just call them sliders?) Where is my damn coconut water?

image via REALITYTVGIFs

*newish because we know her but only started using her as a sitter early this summer...actually, this is the 1st sitter the kids have ever had b/c I totally believe in stranger danger. So, yep, 1st sitter in 5 years. It is crazy, I know.

Color Me Badd - I Wanna Sex You Up [Throwback Thursday]

The bd and I took the kids on a mini-vacation/road trip earlier this week. While in the car, we heard this song about 4 or 5 times. Each time, I had a moment where I questioned whether we should let it play. After all, we were sitting in a confined space with little ones.

And each time? I let that mothertrucker play. This song rocks my world.

Reservation/Angel Haze [review]...by dashxtrouble

Angel Haze’s EP, Reservation, serves as a fourteen track, heartfelt introduction to the twenty year old rapper with skills and self-knowledge beyond her years. From the dark and brutally honest opening, “This is Me,” to the optimistic, yet emotionally thought-provoking closer, “Smile N Hearts,” Angel Haze demonstrates her dexterous lyrical range throughout the course of album. The album opens with “Somewhere over the Rainbow” played by a baby mobile, before the “This is Me” beat slips into a dark rhythm, on which she raps and sings to her mother, her sibling, and herself about their difficult times together. While hurt by these experiences, Angel maturely recognizes that they have made her who she is. Undoubtedly, this track sets the emotional tone for the album.

The next song, “Wicked Moon,” continues along this darkened path by highlighting the evil imagery of demons and acknowledging the battle between God and Satan during a cutting experience. This track is full grown teenage angst, mixed with the seedlings of self-realization.

Angel follows these two emotionally draining songs with “Chi,” her first of a few love songs. In it, she weaves questions and declarative statements together as she wonders what will make love work, while giving great advice on how to do so.

Track four motions a distinctive change in the feel of the album; no longer only pondering the deep philosophical heavy questions of life and love, Angel Haze raps with a braggadocio that naturally follows those previously deeper introspective songs. She declares that she’s “gone full circle,” moving from a time when she was not being true to herself. She triumphantly shines on this track as the audience witnesses her emergence from her past into her present; it has a butterfly from the cocoon feel to it all.

Angel Haze fully displays her deft lyricism on the popular single, “New York.” She alludes to the Chris Stokes and Raz B sexual situation, the thick strippers at DC’s Stadium, all while professing, “I’m satan, and I’m take your ass to church now.” She sprinkles this complex questioning of religion throughout the album, demonstrating her personal struggles with heaven and hell, or proverbially “right and wrong.” Her funny, thoughtful similes and societal jabs abound on the “Werkin’ Girls,” “The Realest,” and the only rap collaboration, “Jungle Fever.” The latter features Kool AD from Das Racist and causes one to rewind a couple times to understand and enjoy the verbal word play, discussing her love for rough sex (though she hasn’t had none), Darwin as the second coming, and her mostly imaginary friends. The free association rap style illustrates her intelligence and strong command of words; easily it is one of the stand out tracks.

“Hot like Fire” and “Gypsy Letters” are two more love songs addressed to former flames (note: Angel Haze identifies as queer; her music does not focus on who she loves but rather on love and its resulting feelings), wondering how to find and maintain that love lost. The former samples beat from Aaliyah’s classic of the same name; Angel sounds natural atop the Timbaland baseline, but strangely shows her youth with simple lyrics.  

“Castle on a Cloud” delivers some of the most personal lyrics as Angel discusses, seemingly for the first time on a record, her past sexual molestation, and the damaging ramifications of it on her self-worth. After listening to the prior track, which claims that she is the realest in traditional rapper fashion, sans the bling, Angel proves she is “triller than the trillest” with this track, digging deep into her emotional self to share it with her fans. It feels as if she let the world read a few pages from her diary, and its emotional charge changes the mood of the album, back to an introspective side.

On the acoustic sounding, “Sufferings First,” Ms. Haze discusses the importance of suffering and, more importantly, how love is the cure. She details issues with her friends, who are upset that she has changed, and questions, “But, how the fuck you make a difference and still stay the same?” Deep questions from an thoughtful soul.

Angel provides one last lyrical workout on “Drop It” before the album’s dismount, the emotional, “Smile N Hearts.” The latter deems, “Struggle is worth it” as she confesses that she dreams with her eyes open so she can see where she is going.

Overall, I look forward to future Angel Haze material; she is insightful and thought-provoking with a quick wit. She reminds me of Drake, ready for the fame, success, and acceptance, but uninterested and even scared of it all. She, like all of us, is a walking contradiction, filled with contradictory beliefs and desires. It is her ability to rap, which 98% of us are unable to do well,  about those complexities that make her album worthy of multiple listens. Her sincerity shines through the pain, which causes the audience, specifically this reviewer, to wish her nothing but champagne when she eventually wins.

~by dashxtrouble
(to read more by dashxtrouble, go to his blog Between The World And Me)

Girl Crush: Janelle Monae....by pemora

A couple of years ago, missDTM and I attended a No Doubt concert in Jones Beach. Love No Doubt. Anyway, Janelle Monae opened for them and I was just blown away. Her voice was crystal clear, her energy was contagious and I just wanted to put her in my pocket. (she's teeny freaking tiny)

This morning, I was super excited to hear Janelle is the newest CoverGirl. So freaking awesome. I heart Janelle Monae.

Spice Girls [LOVE]....by pemora

This goes against my all hip hop/all the time mantra but I used to LOVE the Spice Girls. So much. Actually, correction, I LOVED Scary and Posh Spice and could do without the other three. Ginger, sometimes, because she would say outlandish ish but really just Scary and Posh. Which, if you know me, probably makes a lot of sense.

Watching them perform during last night's Closing Ceremonies gave me LIFE. Life life life. So much life that I totally forgot that I sat through (and sang along...don't judge) One Direction's performance. Those little boys make me feel too damn old.

THIS.

all images via REALITYTVGIFs

To spare the two dudes who are reading this and rolling their eyes, I will post all other images after the jump. Scary and Posh heavy. I could do without the backup singers.

Basically, all of my dreams....by pemora

via ABG Reactions

Suddenly...Billy Ocean [Throwback Thursday]

With all the recent talk about Frank Ocean, I couldn't help but think about Billy Ocean. (no relation) And then I heard this song on the radio the other day and now I cannot stop playing it. Love love love love...

On Hair...by pemora

I have been thinking about hair and hair maintenance a lot lately and was curious about how different folks deal with their own follicles. It is so interesting, given all the latest themes, trends and discussions about how to treat your hair.

Print via Spottedmoth

Hair stories after the jump.

Words From My BFF'er...by pemora

I'm pretty sure my best friend told me this in high school. And, uh, he's a dude.

Via RealityTVGIFs

Olympic Girl Crush: Sanya Richards-Ross...by pemora

Confession time: track + field terrifies me. In an effort to get out of PE in my last semester of high school, I joined the track team with my sister. I was a 12th grader...she was in middle school. But I thought this would be some nice sisterly bonding, I would get to wear a cute track outfit and my parents would buy me shiny new sneakers. All this AND no PE? Win all-around.

Except, not.

I am allergic to running. Severely. So, the coach tried desperately to find a place for me on the team. What about the triple or long jumps? Oh, laughter for days. Okay, learn how to throw the discus and javelin. Which was what I did that whole season, even after I hit myself in the back of the head with the javelin during a meet. In front of my little HS boyfriend. Ugh, memories.

All this to say that I always get scared while watching track + field events. When my friends excitedly attended the Penn relays, I would stay at home and wait for their updates. Due to my current obsession with the Olympics, I decided to watch last night. And I am so glad that I did because I was able to witness the most glamorous woman ever win gold in the 400m.

Sanya Richards-Ross made her event look easy. Gold Chanel earrings sparkling, hair all out, she looked simply stunning. Sanya is officially a friend-in-my-head. That girlfriend that goes shopping with me, after she is done working out. I would be waiting for her, glass of chardonnay in hand. Clearly.

 

How great is this shot? All images via Twitter.

"Enough Said"

New single...Aaliyah feat. Drake "Enough Said"

Thoughts? My tl is not too pleased. What do you think? 



Does it make a difference to you that Drake is pretty obsessed with Aaliyah? Right down to having her face tatted on his back?

THIS. ALL DAY.

Boom.

Love It or Hate It? [Beyonce's Nails]...by pemora

Am I seriously posting about Beyonce's nails? Why, yes, yes I am. After seeing this pic on her tumblr, I cannot stop thinking about it:

Totes her nails. I swear. Via Beyonce I am

This is the thing - if I was Beyonce, I would wear a purple cape with bedazzled stones that spell out "Yes. It is me", I would require a smoke machine for every and all entrances and a crown would sit on my head all damn day. I have thought about this. It is all in the details.

This is what I would not do - put a picture of Jay-Z on my nails. Or my own mug. I co-sign on many things that Beyonce does in this universe (except when she speaks. Oh lord, do any of you cringe during her interviews? I do. Many times over) but this sh!t right here? This right here? No, no thank you.

And just because it is Friday. PREACH.