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It’s time Black women got the bag, accurately.

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Today has been difficult to accept. I won’t even try to explain what this man’s impact meant to my brother & I growing up. I can’t. The prayers of his I memorized as a teen... The vulnerability he freely showed & made cool to do so... His artistry & pureness of heart will always be the blueprint. Happy for your peace but sad we couldn’t keep you. RIP DMX 🙏🏾

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We truly lost one of our greatest matriarchs and an icon who will remain legendary forever + always.

R.I.P. To The Queen Cicely Tyson ❤️👑

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Images: Jill Scott (left) via Indy Week / Mahalia Jackson (right) via Celbrity Net Worth

The project, Mahalia!, will be produced by Queen Latifah and Jamie Foxx, and will star Jill Scott as Jackson. Stepping in to executive produce will be Latifah’s partner Shakim Compere alongside The Clark Sisters: The First Ladies of Gospel EP Holly Carter, which Latifah also served as producer.

On-board to write the film will be Richard Hocutt, Mark Gould and Tricia Woodgett. The film’s script will be based on the novel Mahalia Jackson by Darlene Donloe.

As reported by Deadline in their exclusive story on the biopic, Mahalia! has garnered the rights to Jackson’s entire music catalog, unlike Lifetime’s upcoming television movie.

“I am beyond grateful to be able to partner with Latifah and Shakim again and equally excited that Jamie has joined the team. Much like The Clark Sisters, Mahalia! is another epic story of faith that is driven by powerful and uplifting music. I believe Ms. Scott was a God send and will be absolute perfection in the lead role”, said Carter.

Latifah added, “This is such an incredibly important story to tell and we’re thrilled to work with Jamie on the project. Shakim and I are also looking forward to reteaming with our Clark Sisters producing partner, Holly Carter, to share Mahalia’s inspiring journey to becoming the Queen of Gospel music,” says Latifah.

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We have a Black woman in the White House ya’ll!! Congrats to our new VP Kamala Harris 🎉

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Today is Oluwatoyin Salau’s (known by friends as Toyin) birthday. She would’ve turned 20 years old on this day had she found protection from at least one person. With such a fearless voice and spirit, we must never forget that she was just a baby. We honor you today + always dear Toyin.

Happy Birthday ❤️

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True pride derived from a rich culture is a beautiful thing ✊🏾🇯🇲

Happy Jamaican Independence Day!

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[traceecalifornia]

Reviewing Cult Classics

In Discussion: Little Shop Of Horrors

Little Shop of Horrors has always been one of those films that screams, “I made this movie in two days,” with its overly dramatic acting, cheesy set design, and seemingly outlandish plot.

At the time of its release back in December of 1986, the production saw poor numbers, pulling in a mere $39M at the box office after being allotted a $25M budget. It’s quite possible that the audience believed they were buying tickets to a funny star-studded film. However, Little Shop of Horrors is no ordinary musical comedy. The production tackles domestic violence, homelessness, greed, and begs to question how far one would go to achieve fame and wealth.

(GIF courtesy of MyLittleHorror.tumblr.com)

I don’t know about you but I stan any movie that can take on this many social awareness topics, while Tichina Arnold, Tisha Campbell and our good sis Michelle Weeks bop us into the next scene.

(Photo: Unrealitymag - GIF: Giphy)

On the surface, Little Shop is a movie about Audrey II, a human eating plant from outer space, an unlikely hero in the form of Seymour Krelborn, a helpless shell of a woman (Audrey), a sadistic dentist named Orin Scrivello, and a money hungry flower shop owner, Mr. Mushnik.

Seymour grew up a poor orphan who no one ever noticed, but is eventually taken in by Mr. Mushnik, and given a job at his flower shop in the Downtown Los Angeles district called Skid Row. His co-worker, Audrey, is a timid and flamboyantly dressed woman who secretly harbors a reciprocated crush on Seymour while in a relationship with heartless Dr. Scrivello.

One day, Krelborn buys an unusual plant from a nearby merchant and decides to nurture it in order to maintain his newfound popularity, but soon finds out that it requires more than plant food, water and sunshine. This strange organism feeds on human blood.

Naturally, Seymour feeds the evil boyfriend to the plant and allows it to eat his jerk of a boss right before destroying it and riding off into the sunset with his crush. Don’t get me wrong, that premise is wildly entertaining, but it’s not all there is to the story.

When we actually take the time to dive into the characters themselves, we find that Seymour has an unhealthy obsession with achieving a level of wealth and fame that will ensure no one ever overlooks him again. He is small in stature and often a victim of bullying by his boss and others alike until he is presented with a choice.

Feeding Audrey II means the lives of others matter less than his desire to be seen and wanted. Much like some of us who would do anything for a like on Instagram, justifying even the harshest of actions, Seymour began to believe that what he was doing wasn’t so bad. After all, the finely oiled machine needs blood and we have more than enough.

As we move on to the woman who inspired the name of the plant, Audrey, we are immediately introduced to the black eye she has received the night before from Dr. Scrivello, thus defining our character as a domestic abuse survivor. Throughout the film, she expresses that her loneliness is why she stays and allows this predator to act out his sick and twisted fantasies, although it often leaves her broken and bruised.

Unfortunately, it isn’t uncommon to come across people who choose to place themselves in toxic and embarrassing situations in the hopes that the person they are trying to impress sees them, or maybe even sends a friend request. The need to feel loved by others, as counterfeit as those feelings may be, is an all consuming emotion that walks a fine line.

If Audrey had known she was enough, or at the least, made the decision to slide into Seymour’s DM’s, she could have felt more in control of her life and went after the happiness she deserved. How many of us are chasing the wrong attention?

Little Shop of Horrors is shot on a set designed to resemble Downtown L.A.’s Skid Row, a sector in Los Angeles known for its overgrown homeless population. In fact, it houses one of the largest stable homeless populations in the entire U.S. On any given day, a drive down Skid Row will reveal entire families living in tents and freeway underpasses on the street. People of all backgrounds can be found settled in this location and setup in communities, while living everyday life without access to proper food, shelter, and medical care.

Little Shop sheds light on these devastating circumstances, and the endless grind others face just to make a meaningless existence during the film’s musical number, “Skid Row (Downtown)”.

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from taking a look back at Little Shop of Horrors it’s that the movie definitely brings so much more to the table than we thought.

Cult classics are appreciated by a smaller audience because they often represent an underrepresented group, and contain a message that may not be immediately recognized. Either way, we are thankful that these projects exist as they challenge our current way of life, expose the truth, and force us to take a good long look in the mirror and decide whether or not the beast we have become so accustomed to feeding is really ourselves.

Check out the official trailer for Little Shop Of Horrors below and join the conversation!

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What I love most about my blog space is connecting with likeminded people who I never knew existed. Composing my thoughts on a subject I care about, and having supporters who affirm my sentiments has been so refreshing.

Writing has always provided a sense of freedom and empowerment for me. I am continuously grateful.

5 YEARS!! ❤️

🎵 Q-Tip - Official

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Marsai Martin Seeks Free Meals For K-12 Students

(Photo courtesy of BET.com)

Marsai Martin continues to astound us with her boss like moves and supreme self awareness.

With parents across the U.S. likely facing financial constraints, the 15-year old actress and entrepreneur has decided to use her platform to assist families across the country by setting her sights on providing a positive experience for students returning to school after the pandemic.

According to The Grio, Martin has partnered with the Urban School Food Alliance and national student-led coalition Student Voice with hopes of gaining support for the School Lunch For All campaign.

Led by The Soze Agency and Galaxy Gives, the initiative’s mission is to secure meal provisions for every K-12 student in America, free of charge.

A Change.org petition has been launched by School Lunch For All in an effort to pressure a number of legislative leaders, including United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, to allocate COVID-19 relief funds with the sole purpose of providing students with access to free meals upon reopening of schools for the 2020-21 academic year.

“With all the things that kids have to worry about while attending school, I believe a healthy lunch shouldn’t be one of them,” Martin said in a statement. “Kids should be able to focus on learning while at school, not whether or not they have enough money to eat.”

Watching Marsai Martin look beyond materialistic means devoid of educational value and elevate herself by consistently contributing to the betterment of those less fortunate is not only inspiring, it also brings a sense of pride and hope to the future of young Black girls everywhere.

[traceecalifornia]

Having a great dad makes a world of difference in a child’s life. We thank and appreciate all of the fabulous fathers out there today & always 💛

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💎Their novelty is our natural.

💎Their rehearsal is our off-the-cuff.

[traceecalifornia]

Juneteenth signifies our freedom from physical bondage, but never forget to be free in the mind also. We are glorious!

Happy Juneteenth Family ❤️💚🖤

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She the new vanguard 💕

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(Pictured: Noname)

After seeing a trusted media outlet post J. Cole’s new song, I too posted it without doing my usual deep dive. The beat, the arrangement, and me glossing over the lyrics for any overt nonsense all passed my initial first checks. However, when I finally got a chance to go back and do a breakdown of the content, I quickly deleted the post. As a Black woman who has been a fan of Noname’s music, a follower of Noname‘s Book Club, and someone who holds this woman’s well-informed efforts in high regard, I have to say Snow On Tha Bluff is lyrically trash.

Fact: Although Black women often instinctually educate Black men out of love and care, it is never our responsibility to do so. When we give birth, those are our kids. Men are sought after for partnership and protection, so no, we will never treat ya’ll “like children,” and you shouldn’t want us to.

The entitled and arrogant approach J. Cole took in revealing his insecurities really missed whatever positive mark he was hoping for. I will never be here for tearing down a Black man, but I will always be present when it’s time to provide protection for the most disrespected people on this planet, and that is Black women.

(Pictured: Noname)

Despite clear signs of our God-like abilities, Black women still manage to be thrown in garbage cans, hit in the face with skateboards whilst rejecting f🤬ck boys, sexually assaulted in the assumed safety of our own families and communities, and murdered by police officers who feel emasculated when they encounter the confidence that is a Black woman who knows her rights. Still, a magical life saving Queen can be asleep in her own home and tragically face the ills of this wicked country and its system.

With the lack of support Black women face on a daily basis, the very last thing a QUEEN needs is to find herself on the receiving end of an unenlightened and egotistical scolding from a self-proclaimed “nigga who just be rapping.”

Now, J. Cole, do you see why your song is trash?