July 24, 2013

Hot Grrrls

Hot Grrrls & Their Kool Kickstarters

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With technology comes access and with access we can damn near make anything happen and that is the premise behind Kickstarter. Via Kickstarter, I’ve seen many of my friends put out the CD’s they’ve always dreamed of releasing but never could do before without a label deal or having saved stacks of cash. I’ve even know a couple of people make amazing documentaries via Kickstarter. It’s power to the people without delay… well 45 days, Read more...

April 4, 2013

Hot Grrrls

Uptown Grrrl Soiree Recap

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Shola Lynch captured the energy, attitude and theme of last Saturday’s Uptown Grrrl Soiree best in her speech when she said, “In order for us to succeed, Black women must support other Black women.” The room erupted in a roar of applause. Folks may have rolled through to Harlem Haberdashery for the gift bags or the open Svedka bar, but at that moment everyone in the tony boutique realized it was all about the power Read more...

May 2, 2012

Hot Grrrls

Cree Summer Talks Love, Pirates & The Blues

A flashback flashdance! Yesterday my iPod shuffled up two songs, almost back to back, by Cree Summer– “Miss Moon” and “Deliciously Down.” This random play had me twirling and gyrating in my living room and got me thinking hard about this sister who still has folks buzzing about her music, her style and her brilliant voiceover career even though most folk ain’t seen hide nor lusciously curly hair from this very private Cancerian. Cree clearly Read more...

December 13, 2010

Hot Grrrls

10 Most Fascinating People of 2010


Like so many people across the globe, I tuned into Barbara Walter’s special last Thursday evening to see who would make her list of “The 10 Most Fascinating People” and like so many peeps I was pretty disappointed. I can see Mark Zuckerberg and Betty White and was pleased to see LeBron James on her list as well, but Jennifer Lopez and The Jersey Shore cast? Nuh-uh. And I don’t have to like something to Read more...

November 24, 2010

Hot Grrrls

Hot Grrrl: Ntozake Shange


Last Monday afternoon, after switching up my schedule, I nervously went to the Nuyorican Poets Café website to purchase tickets. I had postponed a conference call and changed my dinner plans, yet I wasn’t even sure if there were still tickets available for Ntozake Shange’s rare appearance that night at the legendary hot spot for spoken word, poetry and music. I clicked “1-Ticket” and sho nuff my card was charged $12 to see the woman Read more...

November 7, 2010

Hot Grrrls

Black Girls Rock!


Honestly when I went to the Paradise Theater in the Bronx for the taping of the Black Girls Rock! Awards show three weeks ago my expectations weren’t very high. I had attended the last two awards ceremonies where previous honorees included cultural groundbreakers like Iman, Erykah Badu and Sonia Sanchez and featured uplifting performances by singers like Janelle Monae, Faith Evans and Bilal and I was quite impressed. But this was BET and I’ve seen Read more...

October 12, 2010

Art, Hot Grrrls, Real Talk

MFON: Breast Cancer Fighter


I’ve written about photographer and activist Mfon Essien several times since I first interviewed her back in the fall of 2000. I hung out with her for most of that lovely afternoon in her living room. She was battling breast cancer, but that day there were very few signs of struggle or even weakness. We laughed, sipped tea and talked about what it meant to be sexy. For two young Black women this chat Read more...

December 5, 2009

Grooves, Hot Grrrls

Janelle Monae + Cindi Mayweather

I love surprises and couldn’t be more thrilled when my homey Greg told me he got us on the list to see Janelle Monae perform at a sci-fi event about time travel at The Greene Space in Soho. I was giddier than a pubescent girl on opening night for Twilight. I’m a sci-fi head that gets totally turned out by all manner of time travel whether it be the wormhole adventures of Farscape or the Read more...

November 4, 2009

Best Of, Hot Grrrls

Mfon Essien: Photographer/Black Body Hero

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After attending this panel and feeling like I got gypped out of a discussion about our own, as well as, society’s perceptions of Black female bodies I haven’t been able to shut-up. What with the unapolegetically full-figured, ebon beauty Gabourey Sidibe on the cover of NY Times Mag and Precious opening in theaters this weekend; with South African runner Caster Semenya on suicide watch after being photographed nude with her legs in stirrups by the Read more...