I grew up in a Stevie Wonder household, where we had Songs in the Key of Life on vinyl as part of our family musical soundtrack. So many of these songs bring back to vivid memories of joyful occasions and tough times. These songs have lifted me up and nurtured me through my upbringing. When…
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3 Michael Jackson Songs That Mean More Than Ever Before
If he were still with us, today Michael Jackson would be 56. He’s still so loved and so deeply missed, and still so ubiquitous in pop culture. This summer, Love Never Felt So Good was part of the barbecue playlist and in regular rotation in TV commercials. MJ is still with us. Another way he’s…
My Life in a Road Trip Soundtrack
Our first road trip was in June 2001, in a red hatchback Honda Civic that had no air conditioning. Steve and I were dating, deeply in love, about to start our lives together. I knew I wanted to do my MFA in Creative Writing somewhere. Steve wanted me to see more of America than Miami….
Black Girls Rock 2013! Was All About Beauty And Inspiration
This post is sponsored by COVERGIRL! Last night BET aired the annual Black Girls Rock! awards and I was SO thoroughly entertained and inspired. I’m so taken with Beverly Bond’s creation. Her organization goes so much further beyond glitz and glamour. It’s about reaching back and lifting up our sisters, it’s about recognizing our accomplishments…
10 Amazing Moments From The Janelle Monae Listening Party in Chicago
This week kicked off with a BANG for me. Fresh from my trip to New Orleans, I had to attend a very special event. Thanks to my friends at COVERGIRL, I was invited to the special, exclusive listening party for Janelle Monae’s new album, The Electric Lady! And not only that, I got to bring…
Inside My BET Awards Weekend 2013 Experience With Cadillac!
This past week just whizzed by me in a total blur. I’m now playing catch up from all the fun I had. I can blame it all on the fabulous weekend I enjoyed in Los Angeles. Thanks to my friends at GM and Cadillac, I returned to the BET Awards for the second year in…
Prince Welcome 2 Chicago, Opening Night. Almost Purple Rain Perfection
It’s 12:34 pm on Tuesday, September 25. I’m still basking in the afterglow of last night’s musical experience. Last night I saw Prince live in concert for the first time. Prince gave me everything on that stage! But still, I left the concert with mixed emotions. Let me tell you why. And let this be…
Absolutely Andy Allo — Afrobella Interviews Prince’s New Protégé
She’s got a gorgeous face and a heavenly voice, and the kind of full, fluffy hair that inspires awe and admiration when you see her. And I can report from experience, when you meet her she is lovely, sweet, gracious and friendly. In a nutshell, Andy Allo is awesome. Who is Andy Allo? She’s a…
Who Will Play Nina Simone? Who Could?
The stories rumbling around the internet about the upcoming Nina Simone biopic have been intriguing, confusing, and contradictory. Let me bring you up to speed, if you’re not yet caught up. The biopic was apparently supposed to feature Mary J. Blige as the star but now they’re saying Zoe Saldana is to play Nina Simone….
Lollapalooza 2012–The Music, The Fashion, The Food, The FUN
I spent this past weekend with hundreds of thousands of music fans and festival lovers, tromping through the mud at Chicago’s own Grant Park. And it’s basically taken me two full days to recover. That was me on Saturday. My tee is by Detroit’s own, indie teeshirt label WordPlay. Check them out – they’re awesome!…