March 21, 2014

Grooves

Hot Grrrls Cool Music w/ RES at Ginny’s

Res_Promo_Image

 

Singer Res is a shapeshifter. Instead of getting stuck, silenced or worse, stereotyped, she changes-up her flow a little bit here, and revises her steez a little there, and with every transformation she seems to be moving closer to the fly woman artist of her dreams.

I remember when How I Do dropped. It was Black cool on another level. “Golden Boys” was the joint— Res with all that sass pulling down the curtain Read more...

February 2, 2012

Real Talk

Dear BET: What Happened To THE GAME?

Dear BET:

I am stunned, hurt and so tremendously disappointed by the portrayals featured on your highly touted, record-breaking show “The Game.” I knew when I saw the first episode and Tasha Mack was smoking a Black-n-Mild that this was probably not going to be the CW show I once loved, but I was still invested in seeing how storylines would play out now that some of my favorite characters had found a home on Read more...

May 17, 2011

Grooves, Videos

Ledisi’s “Pieces Of Me”

“People just don’t know what I’m about/ They haven’t seen what’s there behind my smile/ There’s so much more I’m showing now,” sings Ledisi on her new single Pieces Of Me from her forthcoming album of the same name. Last night at the Samsung Experience in the Time Warner Center Ledisi sang “Pieces” with a conviction that made her lean hard on the mic stand towards the audience all awhile her eyes remaining wide open. Read more...

January 18, 2011

Best Of, books, Grooves, TV/Film, Videos

Best of 2010 & 2011 on theHotness Tip

18 days into the new year and it’s already been a doozy. The first week I had to travel to South Carolina to attend the funeral of my ever charming, charismatic, and ambitious cousin, Michael. That same week another cousin suffered a mild stroke at the meager age of 42. On top of worry, grief, regret and frustration, I’ve been dealing with an awful case of writer’s block. I’ve been consumed with thoughts about the 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...

May 6, 2010

books, The Goods, Videos

Pam Grier – Funny, Fly & Foxy

Yesterday, for the second time in my life, I had the wonderful privilege of seeing and speaking to actress, icon and Black super heroine– Pam Grier, who was in Harlem promoting her new book: Foxy: My Life in Three Acts. I first met Ms. Grier two years ago at the Black Girls Rock Awards gala at Lincoln Center. She was humble, outgoing, gracious and bad to the bone. Our chat was brief, but her Read more...