A Soul Sistah's Life offers the candid view of current events from an urban and southern perspective. Whether there are every day issues, pop culture explosions, or new Soul,R&B, Hip Hop music, Yaya gives it straight with no chaser.
First let me apologize for my blog vacation. The CBI conference in Atlanta kept me pretty busy and seeing the city was quite fantastic! While I was away, my inbox was steady filling up with all kind of musical goodies, however, one artist in particular stood out the most for many obvious reasons that you will find below.
When thinking of the beauties of Africa, its affinity for producing pop stars does not immediately come to mind but Yannick Ilunga, a half Congolese and half Angolan artist that goes by the stage moniker, Petite Noir, may be about to change what you think you know as African music. This 22 year old artist/producer's music is hard to describe, hauntingly unique, and at the same time hard to turn away from.
Somewhat electronica, somewhat soul based, Petite Noir's sound has baffled and intrigued some of the industry's most seasoned critics. Featured in both Pitchfork and Rolling Stone, he is steadily growing as an artist that the world needs to pay attention to by turning the world's perception of African sounds upside down and slamming them on their face.
Petite Noir influences are all the place and this immediately shows up from the first few seconds of listening to one of his singles. His debut single, Till We Ghosts, has made him popular among music's snotty elite and helped lead him to perform a sold out show in London.
Check out Petite Noir's music below and decide for yourself if he has what it takes to conquer the charts.
If you're like me, you probably can't believe that Real Housewives of Atlanta lasted so long and is back for it's fifth season on Bravo TV. With new cast additions and old foes returning I admittedly will be tuning in to check out the foolery that is set to begin on November 4th. There have been several RHOA knockoffs but something about the relationships on this show continue to draw viewers and the various renditions of Housewives fall just short of capturing the audience like the Atlanta cast. (New Jersey is probably closest).
Of course the obvious difference between the shows is that Atlanta has an majority black cast and set in a city that is known for its large wealthy or well connected African American community. I think that the dynamics of the personalities is what make the show interesting more so than color or race. How many viewers have chosen sides with NeNe and Kim during their arguments or wanted to slap Phaedra for saying something stupid? The personalities of the ladies (whether you like them or not) make for good television and the audience has grown connected to the women over the last four seasons.
This season Bravo dumped Sheree Whitfield and added former Miss U.S.A Kenya Moore and Porsha Williams-Stewart, wife of former NFL star Kordell Stewart. If the recently released trailer is any indication of the upcoming season, I predict drama galore. Hopefully the new ladies won't deter the dynamic too much but we shall see.
Will you be tuning in?
Real Housewives of Atlanta premieres on November 4th at 9 pm on Bravo. Check out the trailer below!
With the music industry's long supply of beautiful female pop singers, Jhene Aiko is looking to make her mark on R&B with a cool dose of individuality, strong songwriting, and her angelic voice leading the way. This L.A. born and bred singer/songwriter caused quite a stir with the release of her 2011 mixtape, Sailing Souls, which recieved great reviews and an excited fanbase. Now with label backing (No I.D.Def Jam), Aiko is looking to once again tackle music full time.
Jhene may seem familiar from her time touring and working with the group B2K at the height of their popularity, where she was featured in videos and opened for the group during the popular Scream 3 Tour as a teenager. In case you don't know, B2K was the grouped that featured and spawned, Omari Hardwick aka Omarion. Though she found relative success from her affiliation with the group, Aiko failed to release an album and decided to take a break from the music industry.
Thankfully, Aiko continued to write and the underground success of her Sailing Souls project has catapulted her as a singer/songwriter to watch for 2013. Her unique voice may remind listeners of being Cassie like but with more power and heartfelt emotions. Her songwriting skills are what separate her from similar artists by offering poetic but relatable lyrics.
There has been no official release date for her upcoming album, Souled Out, but stay tuned to soulsistah's life for any updates!
Nightline with Diane Sawyer visited and reported on the insane amount of gang violence controlling the streets of Chicago, IL and the communities that are affected. More deaths took place in the streets of the city than U.S. troops died fighting in Afghanistan, with over 400 deaths in a year's time. Families have lost love ones who were innocent bystanders and victims of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Children, grandmothers, college bound teenagers and scores of others have lost their lives due to gun violence in Chicago.
During Sawyers report, up pops Chief Keef's music video for "Don't Like" as an example of what the gang culture looks like. Keef, a 17-year-old rapper signed to Interscope Records, is a known gang member and suspected of being involved in the murder of another young Chicago rapper, Lil Jojo who was only sixteen at the time he was killed. Keef's vented his satisfaction of Jojo's death via his twitter account leading police to investigate his ties to the crime. As disturbing as his feelings may be, Keef and his music are more the result than the problem.
While the deaths of the innocent bystanders are heart wrenching, the majority of Chicago murders are of young adults with many of them being members of the city's numerous black and latino gangs. We're talking about young people whose talents are wasted and who never really get the chance to become productive members of society. No matter how hard Chief Keef seems to some, technically he is still a child that is playing in a man's game that he probably has no choice in just from living in a certain neighborhood.
Chicago is receiving national and international attention for the gun violence but every major city and even rural areas are now feeling the effects of gangs and the easy accessibility to guns. What Keef represents is a generation of males of color that are basically products of what those who came before them created. We recognize the problem but finding long term solutions has not been so easy. He was not the first rapper to discuss violence, murder, and drugs and he is not the most influential rapper that does but his ties to Chicago, a city that is under fire, makes him the easy target.
A question we should ask ourselves is how can be offer our youth the opportunities to become something other than a Chief Keef, regardless of the neighborhoods they live in or the colors they wear?
The days of R&B that included the likes of Sam Cooke and the Motown era have long gone and mostly been replaced by sex driven lyrics and hip hop production. Like many other genres of music that have undergone reformations, a few artists remain that stick to the classic R&B formulas but for the most part younger artists have taken what was and flipped it 2012 style.
In comes the mysterious Canadian singer Abel Tesfaye, also known as The Weeknd. I first discovered him about two years ago when the Aaliyah's Rock the Boat sampled single What You Need showed up in my inbox. Not to fall for an artist from one single, I immediately found and listened to his mixtape "House of Balloons". What I discovered was music fueled by sex, drugs, and rock n roll that was mystifying and unique among other things. His music is comprised of a mystic aura that lulls the listener into a smoke filled wonderland with his soft voice leading the way.
Though his feature on Drake's single Crew Love is most likely his most commercial success, The Weeknd has built a following by releasing three free mixtapes that were stronger than many label albums. Still not the artist to follow tradition, Weeknd plans a November release of both new and unreleased singles with the backing of Universal Republic in collaboration with the grassroots XO team based out of Toronto, Canada.
Still not much is known about the Weeknd outside of what can be deciphered from his music. Rarely can an artist remain as conspicuous as he has in today's social media age yet he has without his music suffering. Overexposure kills artists after a little while so maybe it is his way of ensuring longevity. One can only hope that we will have Weeknd albums years from now but only time will tell.
Fairly soon there may not be a need to visit the doctor to know your HIV status. The FDA has recently approved a new HIV test that can be taken in the privacy and comfort of home called OraQuick. Similar to at home drug testing, OraQuick will be available at many of the retail pharmacies and online at a cost of about $40.
OraQuick uses the oral swab method which is used by many labs and doctor offices around the nation. What consumers should be aware of is that the test is not 100 percent accurate. According to the Food and Drug Administration, the test could miss about 1 in 12 of the infected people which is about a 92 percent accuracy rate. The test was found to have a 99.9 percent accurate rate of ruling out HIV in those who test who are not infected.
NBA legend, entrepreneur, and AIDS activist Magic Johnson completely endorses the test and his own infection of HIV is most likely the reasoning behind this. With African Americans and Hispanic communities having the highest leading rates of HIV infections, this test may be instrumental in saving lives.
Whether they can not afford to visit the doctor or are ashamed to do so, many people who are infected do not know their status. Despite strides in HIV and AIDS education and prevention the rates continue to climb among Blacks and Hispanics. OraQuick offers a private and relatively inexpensive way for anyone to test for HIV.
Many communities have places or special events that offer free HIV testing. Most Public Health offices and clinics have free or significantly reduced prices for HIV and can be found by visiting your county's Department of Social Services website. For national HIV and STD testing resources, you can visit hivtest.cdc.gov for more information.
According to CNN Gregory Lacy and LaQuron Lacy were arrested and charged with various child abuse charges after a body was discovered on their front lawn.
When their home was searched in connection to the homicide, the policed discovered that the first floor of the California couple's home had been converted into an operating strip club called Exotic Zone. The couple are believed to have operated the club for quite sometime in their picturesque two story home in Perris.
This story would be hilarious if it wasn't for the seven adopted children who lived in the home and suffered severe abuse ranging from sexual assault to starvation. None of the children were over the age of 11-years-old and reported to the officers that they had been beaten with sticks and held in rooms without food. The 7-year-old reported being sexually abused and several of the other children witnessed the act take place on a bathroom floor.
How can a community not realize that an illegal strip club is operating in their own neighborhood or notice that children were being harmed? It seems that disconnection between neighbors has been steadily growing and everyone tends to mind their own business when they want to but not when they should. People probably knew more about who bought a new car than they did about an illegal strip club next door.
Growing up we knew almost everyone who lived in our subdivision. Neighbors shop at the same stores and our children more likely than not attend the same schools but the fellowship among neighbors seems to be at a steady decline. I am sure that not all neighbors are equally yoked however an effort to become acquainted seems reasonable. Who wouldn't want to know a little bit about the people who live near you?
Thankfully the children have been saved from this hellhole and may be granted some sort of normal childhood. It is highly probable if someone's body had not been found lying on the Lacy's front yard these babies would still be subjected to the abuse.
In an industry dominated by machismo and egos, it sure is nice to get that breathe of fresh air that the femcee K'la provides. Hailing from Gary, Indiana, K'la is a stark contrast from the current pool of female rappers (cough, cough Nicki Minaj) that we have been tricked into believing are the only options. Not only does she provide smart and substantial lyricism, she also sings and sprinkles in just enough hood flavor to keep it interesting.
After relocating to Atlanta and dropping her mixtape, Coldest Winter Ever, K'la proved that she has what it takes to make it in the rap game. Her most popular single, All Your Love, was a smooth track that featured her displaying her vocals as well as lyricism over the classic Bob Marley track Turn the Lights Down Low. The track was also produced by Marley's son, Stephen and its success has made her one of the up and coming artists to watch. K'la latest single, Blame, showcases her vocals and features one of hip hop's greatest lyricist and my baby daddy in my head, Nas. Currently signed to Island Def Jam, K'la is planning to release her debut album sometime in 2013 and if her work from her mixtape is any indication of what is to come, it should be exciting. To download Coldest Winter Ever visit: http://www.datpiff.com/K-LA-The-Coldest-Winter-Ever-mixtape.172060.html Her single Blame featuring Nas is currently available on ITunes. Are you digging K'la?
In the wake of the upcoming elections, a trial date has been set for George Zimmerman who is accused of killing 17-year-old Trayvon Martin last year in Sanford, Florida. Zimmerman will stand trial in June 10, 2013 according to HuffingtonPost.com. The death of Martin sparked national outrage after the teen was shot to death returning home from the corner store by Zimmerman who was accused of profiling the teen because he was black. The teen was said to have been left in the morgue for days before his parents had been contacted and Zimmerman was not immediately arrested after the incident took place. Many believe that Zimmerman would most likely be a free from any consequences if not for the street protests and the intense media coverage placed on Sanford law enforcement officials. It makes you wonder how many other victims are out there whose lives were not valued enough for at least a thorough investigation to be completed. People of color have long had a contentious relationship with all levels of the judicial system beginning with law enforcement officers all the way up to Superior Judges. Trayvon's death has once again thrust the spotlight on the culture and flaws of how many police departments operate. Citizens of this nation are supposed to trust our officers and no matter what our personal opinions are about the police they still essentially work for the people. The large disconnect between people of color and law enforcement simply comes from not being able to trust one another. Though Martin had his life cut short, his death has effected the community immensely. Justice was only forced upon Zimmerman due to the people, regardless of race or color, not remaining silent against blatant bias and favoritism. Hopefully we as citizens stay engaged and keep holding our public officials accountable for their actions or lack there of by being informed and more importantly putting forth action.
Admittedly, I am a bit obsessive when it comes to my hair maintenance and products. I am sure that plenty of my sistahs know that we have a little extra step in our walk when our hair looks great. Blame it on our mothers and on their mothers before them. Black women and the issue of our hair has been a decades long argument that can often get pretty heated. The part that I want to address is why?
I Am Not My Hair
If you are familiar with India Arie's single, I Am Not My Hair, you would know that the lyrics are about her personality and inner self outshining her physical appearance. Ideally this would be great but most of us know that it's just not the case today, especially when a photo can be taken, posted, and critiqued all within thirty seconds. So the bigger question that I want to ask is why does the way that someone else choose to wear their hair such a big deal?
Women of color have come so far as a whole yet the criticisms that we place on one another's appearance seems to have become worse. The current debate of natural hair versus relaxed hair has personally become hard to bear. Walk across any current college campus and it seems that we are living in a real life version of Spike Lee's School Daze. Instead of jigaboos against wannabes, we have natural hair against relaxed hair. And I must agree with the theme that movie tried to get across which is that no matter what your appearance or what your preferred style is, we all share the same struggles,joys, and triumphs.
I for one love the various styles that we can create from having such versatile hair textures. It is one of the physical attributes that separates us and allows for us to showcase our creativity everyday we walk outside. Curly fros, tight coils, or bone straight styles can all be beautiful
Now when someone figures out how to keep our styles in place after a gym visit definitely send me the memo.
My thirtieth birthday is around the corner and I can not wait. Yes I do plan to party like its 1999 again but with this milestone upon me it was impossible for me to not take the time to reflect on the last couple of decades. Age has never really been a major consideration for me when it comes to how I approach daily life or when I am meeting someone new for the first time but something about the sound of saying I am thirty years old makes me feel like I am really a grown ass woman. Not that I don't feel like an adult because surely I have to pay bills, raise children, work that 9 to 5 and keep my sexiness tight all while pushing a piece of myself to the side. Adulthood can truly suck at times especially when you feared growing up for so long. Surely we can all relate to the pains of going through doing what we have to and not what we want to do. But for now leaving my twenties behind is much easier for me that I ever thought that it would be.
Realizing Mistakes
At about year 26 I began to get a little nervous about getting older. I was still living the life of a ghetto Carrie Bradshaw and hitting every party I was invited to and even to some that I wasn't. Boys, working, partying, and shopping became like Ground Hog day for at least two years of my life that I hardly remember because at that time I was very 4/20 friendly. I basically shaved time off my life by living in a haze of being unappreciative and selfish. The outcome was that I was a lot further behind than where I imagined I would be. It took almost losing my mother and best friend nearly simultaneously to realize that I had more than just me to live for. I hardly noticed what an incomparable support system of family and friends I had that never faltered and I was about to start a job in higher education with the coolest boss. On top of that I was being surrounded by my first love, music, everyday while getting the opportunity to meet some pretty unique and special people along the way. Perspective can change quickly when you face things that you never thought you would or earlier than you expected. Ill preparedness can be a witch but it forces us to take responsibility for the parts that we have control over. Reflection of our past is not always smiles and good memories and sometimes you just have to realize that I should have done better, could have done better, but understand that for most things there is no do over.
Running Towards Thirty
Yes, the annoying quips from some dingy college girls telling me I look good for my age can truly irk my nerves and for a split second I may question my vitality but I am still cool with embracing this next phase. This throwback can still show out when it is the right time and finding the joy in things that don't jeopardize my well being make me realize that I am now what I consider a grown up. Besides Aaliyah said it best age when she sang "Age ain't nothing but a thang". From today forward I will do my best to focus only on improving and not base my success by comparing it to others. Along with this sexy and encouraging trainer I met recently I am looking to do just that. Together we have begun the process to improve my health. Not only is he fine as hell, he is also in love with being healthy and great at explaining how to do better day by day. This is proof that the people we surround ourselves with can shape us Training began today and I felt muscles I forgot about but as long as I get to look at that chocolate skin and body every time I'll be there! Some things never change I guess but change does happen. Good or bad. Until next time loves you will have to wait to hear how the SexyChocolate sessions go. To Be Continued.
