Full of Excitement/Not One Lull

"We like Ruby Dee and Ossie, Martin and Coretta, doin' it to death no one do it better, when we leave our physical our spirits still together."
Gettin' Up by Q-Tip

my favorite boy...besides the obvious

how do I love Q-Tip...let me count the ways. he is smart. he is witty. he is weird. he is artsy. he is soulful. he has staying power (musically at least). he is eclectic. he is vintage, yet futuristic. he is well-versed. he is hip hop, up and down. he is like my old school common. but takes himself way less seriously. he has a new album out. he is my favorite boy, besides my obvious favorite boy.

I prefer sexy women...

...and not in that Lil' Kim/Flavor of Love/ass all out kind of way. I just really dig chicks who embrace their femininity as a strength, and not something that hinders them.

In some fields of work, being feminine can be seen as a hinderence. Or a tool for unworthy praise. Like hip hop. Some women look to surpress their femininity in order to be taken seriously. And I can understand why. Many prominent women in hip hop don't even write their own lyrics. They rely on their entertainment value, and boost that up by tootin their asses out and too much cleavage and makeup.

But there is a certain feminine quality that is personal and sexy. When a woman is comfortable in her own skin, knows her own strengths. A woman who can display her talent, yet engage folks with her inner self. That's sexy.

I went to see an upcoming singer the other day. And she had it all. She could blow. She could rock the crowd. Her song selection was dope. But she was so not sexy. She wasn't conscience at all of her look, her walk, her smile. Her hair had no personality. Her voice was powerful, never soft. And at the one time she told the audience she was about to get sexy, it was still a little forceful.

One mustn't be overt to be sexy...

...I guess the litmus test would be, women want to be here, men want to be with her. Sexiness is a quality, not based on the amount of skin and lewdness. But an attitude of uniqueness. I prefer to see women who are sexy in their own way, because it shows their comfortableness in their skin. All women have that to their advantage.

i wanna be a supermodel

After seeing photos of Toccara Jones in July 2008 issue of Vogue Italia, I think I want to be just like her. She is stunning in her shoot besides some of the the most gorgeous (and thinnest) Black models in the game. But it's not just her face. Her body is banging. And I say that in the most straight way possible. Her curves are inspiring to chicks who are thick but wanna tighten up a bit (like me). You never catch her on the scene not looking fresh. Toccara is dope, and as a fellow Ohioan and thick chick, I'm happy to see her doing her thing!

Birthday Fiasco

I will be 27 in 10 days, and there will be no birthday fiasco, thank God. I plan on hanging out one night with friends, doing something relaxing and going to church.

I feel like a woman, for the first time. I am happy for developing my own personal style and wisdom. I am happy with my decisions in the face of adversity. I know who I am. I know why I am the way I am, and I am on schedule to correct the things needed to be changed.

I am glad my boyfriend showed up in my life when he did. A day earlier or later would have altered our relationship. I see my peers, out in the clubs, perusing over the hungry men and floating between lovers. I'm glad it's no longer me!

I'm glad that I am my weird, quirky self. I'm done trying to fit into a box that just doesn't fit anymore. I love life. I live strife. I love hard and I love tomorrow.

I have a short list of birthday wants, if I get them I'll be pleased. If I don't I'll get them soon.

1. A Braided Bun.
This look that Jessica Simpson is rocking is all the way fierce. In my search for a protective summer style, this is what I'm going to roll with. Nothing like a big ol fat bun, paired with some dope earrings and stunning eye makeup.

2. Smell Goods
I've been without a sexy scent for a while, so it's time to re-up. I wouldn't mind my signature scents CoCo Chanel Mademoiselle and DKNY Be Delicious. I am also loving this line of smell goods I discovered called Pacifica Soaps (http://www.pacificasoaps.com/) with earthy beautiful scents and natural products.


3. Fondue
Beacause I love sauces and dips, and I think it's sexy.

4. New music
You can pretty much get me new music for any occasion and it would be fitting. I've been checking out the latest albums by Peter Hadar (www.myspace.com/peterhadar), who so happends to be a friend of my beau. He is a lot more old school R&B as he seems, and relishes in his eclecticness, which is dope. He is also an industry head, so he knows all of your favorite artists personally. Sy Smith, whose resume reads like a dream, has a new gem with a mix of soulful house gems, and a stellar set of pipes.

The Macy's Music Festival in Cincinnati features many of my favorite artists, and is being held the week after my birthday. Earth, Wind & Fire, Jill Scott, Raheem Devaughn and Chrisette Michelle (would gladly see them again), all just a few on the lineup.

All that and just time to chill and be greatful would make my birthday a wonderful day.

Improv Poem

I don't know if that's the title, and not to sound too gay. But sometimes I look at the emotions that transfer between me and my boyfriend and I can't help what words spurt out. This was really just an in-the-moment flow. I love it.

Anytime we can

We do

When it's blue

We do until purple is made

When we hot inside

Clouds melt

Outside

We high

Higher than flies

On ceilings in skyscrapers

Anytime he's free

I'm like a caper of his love

Swindling him for all his swagger

We're always on the go

He's flying spaceships

I'm riding flows

But when we connect and

Let things go

It's like summer yards

In the ghetto

Overgrow

Overthrown are the captures of the world

When my title isn't writer

Just his girl

When we make it

It's brilliant

Can't stand the shine at times

Connected like old brick houses

And vines

My Ugly Sexy Boyfriend

It's not even that Ne-Yo is that ugly. What qualifies as cute nowadays, anyways?

What Ne-Yo lacks in the looks department, he sure does make up for in the creative, artsy, musician sexy boy department. My love affiar with Ne-Yo began long ago, when I couldn't stop bobbing my head to Let Me Love You by Mario. I noticed I was way more in love with the lyrics than the actual singer, Mario. I found out that a young chap named Ne-Yo penned the tune and have anxiously followed his career ever since.

My crush, however, has grown much in the last year. With production credits all over the place, Ne-Yo has firmly planted a spot as the premiere R&B/Pop producer of all the hottest singers. His song, This Can't B Good by Janet Jackson is by far the best song on her latest album Discipline. The aching allure to the song, screams of Ne-Yo's pen. And as sexy as Ms. Janet is purring over the rhythmic bassline, I can only think of Ne-Yo when I hear the song.

But let's not be mistaken. Just because Ne-Yo writes amazing music for many others, he definately saves the jems for himself. His new song, Closer, is everything I ever wanted out of House and R&B music. The lyrics are sexy and intricate, and the beat thumps enough to get any party started. Anticipating his new album, The Year of the Gentleman, has almost surpassed my excitement for my Pretty Sexy Boyfriend Usher's release.

Not A Purse Hoe But...

I love these purses!! The Prade Fairy bags are impressed with real ink, and allegedly protected against running. The start off at about $2,000, which, if you are a reader of my blog know that a chick couldn't responsibly purchase such a sweet confections. Nevertheless, all hope is not lost, as I believe in buying what you love and not just what is fashionable and hot. So, even if it is out of season, I vow to have one of these percious artsy beauties on my arm...

And no, I don't mind the overtly flowery language. As the purse is mentioned on the PurseBlog, their motto: Shallow Obsessing Strongly Encouraged.

In Love With Girly Things

All of this drab talk of soul searching and finding oneself has got me all gray and depressed. Luckily, in the past couple days I've experienced everything that could have possibly made me feel better. Good sex, weed, Moscato, new music and hot buys. Call me shallow...but at least I'm smiling.

I saw this watch:

On KarmaLoop.com, and pretty much had an orgasm. I am a chick who likes trinkets and whatnot, but never really dug small delicate watches. I've always loved men's watches a lot more than women's. Well, this particular watch, by Nixon, is the perfect mix of feminine detail and the kind of presence that men's watches have. Utterly cute chic.

I am also digging Alicia Key's song, I Need You off of her new album As I Am. If you haven't heard it, the funky drum info, unfolds to a lush set of lyrics that pairs some of natures more obvious occuring couples.

In the first verse, she sets up her argument:

The sand loves when..the waves come The sky can't wait...for the light of the sun

And then she sets up here most compelling lyrics she may have ever written:

North needs south east needs west...No needs yes yes yes Up needs down life needs death...No needs yes yes yes

The sweet yearning in her voice is made lighter by the uptempo funkiness of the song. Though I think Alicia Keys is a tad overrated (tad=probably more than 50 Cent), I believe that her willingness to be unconventional has gotten her this far. In No One, she takes a song that could easily have been conventional...with its sort of hip hop stomp and her typical piano stylings, and sings it achingly reggae with synthesizers toward the end. There is something about her sound now that is more unique and mature. It is more reminiscent of Lauryn Hill than Amy Winehouse's sound, real talk. It's strong yet womanly. On top of that, she is the most stunning that's she's been her whole career.

I wouldn't call this a crush, but all of that coupled with her new video with Common makes me like her a lot more.

So, there are the men who like you in life. And then there are the men who you wished liked you more. And then there are the one's you develop sort of unique emotions for. Someone who you want more of, but not in a hindering way. I want his time, but I don't want to take his time away from anything else he's doing. I want his attention, but sparingly. Something similar to the Moscato and weed we ingested as we chilled the other day. Both are potent in flavor...so must be imbibed sparingly.

If I had to use two words to describe him, they would be masculine and wordly. Or maybe music and sex. Or maybe creativity and swagger. Hmmm...

Crush Music

"I got my pick and my shovel, I'm diggin' you...been lusting for you"
Sweet Sour You, Bilal

You like him...or her. It doesn't matter why, where, who and how. It doesn't matter if the object of your affection has a mate, or prior convictions or the baby mamas. You want what you want. Even if it's not what you need.

The most exciting phase of any relationship is that period before intent has been clearly stated. Before you know what intent is. That crush period, that time when all you can think about is your beloved. Especially when they don't know.

Maybe I'm crushing on somebody. Maybe I'm not. Being coy is one of my best attributes. Below is a soundtrack that can help you through those yearning periods in life.

Crush Music Mix
Crush by Zhane
Just Friends by Amy Winehouse
Prototype by Andre 3000
Breathless by Corrine Bailey Rae
When I See You by Fantasia
The Girl Next Door by Musiq
I Wanna Be Down by Brandy
Let Me Love You by Mario
You Don't Know My Name by Alicia Keys
Sweet Sour You by Bilal
The Lowest 1 Of My Desires by Van Hunt
I Want Her by Keith Sweat
My Fantasy by Guy
C.R.U.S.H. by Ciara
My Boo by Ghost Town DJs
I Want You by Erykah Badu
Like You by Kelis
Come Close by Common
Hey Lover by LL Cool J
Crush On You by Lil' Kim
Get You Home by Foxxy Brown
I Wanna Be Your Man by Roger & Zapp
Hello by Lionel Richie

Michael Jackson Was Kinda Hot

There was something about that growling falsetto that drove women mad, way back in the day. There was this cocoa brown brother, with a hint of innocence who could command audiences, yet step away as if nothing just occured. There was a new kind of rock star in development, circa 1979, in Michael Jackson. He wasn't heady or overtly sexual. He was sensitive, yet a star. How else could a man almost blush under the the watch of cameras and flashing lights, yet wear sequinced gloves.

You see, Michael Jackson was kind of hot, back in the day. He had that boyish charm that Justin Timberlake strives for and those suggestive lyrics that Usher handles so well. Before the scandals and the skin changes, Michael Jackson was a hottie to those women who appreciated the burgeouning art/pop star.

And it wasn't just his persona. Michael Jackson sung songs chock full of emotions and vivid imagery. He was coy, but masculine during Rock With You, helping the chosen woman to "let the rhythm get into you." Lady Of My Life was lovely, but also sexy as MJ broke it down and hungrily pawed for his lady. One of my favorites, I Can't Help It, is a daydream of a recent trist, and Michael sings like he can still feel the moment. Hot stuff.

And though Thriller was a little creepy to me, Michael Jackson continued in this roll of protector of women and shy seducer. He was upfront in PYT, asking the fly honey, "Where did you come from baby/And ooh, won't you take me there." That's smoother than any of Keith Sweat's clawing lines.

For various reasons, Michael Jackson fell off his sexy. Sure songs like Keep It In The Closet, Remember The Time and Butterflies attempt to recapture Michael Jackson's charm and appeal. However, when you really tries to take Michael seriously, you just can't. Anytime you hear Michael's voice delve into the emotional realm, you expect his lover to be...well, I'm not going to go there.

The list is kinda short, but below is the Michael Jackson Was Kinda Hot mixtape. Included are some The Jacksons songs, back when all the brother were smokin' hotties.

Michael Jackson Was Kinda Hot mixtape

1.Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)
2. Dancin' Machine

3. Can You Feel It

4. Rock With You

5. She's Out Of My Life

6. I Can't Help It

7. Baby Be Mine

8. Thriller

9. Human Nature

10. PYT

11. The Lady In My Life

12. Off The Wall

Tea>Wine

Drinking tea has been way more of an enriching experience than drinking wine. Both wine drinking and tea drinking employ all senses. Yet, tea drinking always employs all senses, while wine does not. There is no way to drink tea swiftly. There is no way to drink tea, and even for five minutes, not be taken away.

What I like most about tea drinking, is exercising my adjectives when describing the experience. Today, I had a summer tea that infused mangoes, kiwi, apples and oranges into a dense black tea. The flavors were very intense, tasting bittingly sweet upon first touching my mouth, and then filling my mouth with citrus flavors during the swallow. I tasted an African red tea today, which featured red currants, pineapples, almonds, among other flavors. It actually took me some time to generate the words to describe the taste. The cinnamon filled your mouth with smell. The almond was an undertone, that I had to concentrate in order to briefly taste.

Tea is aromatic. The smell reminded my friend of Christmas. The smell is another sensation seperate from the tasting sensation. It is not necesarily a precursor to what the taste is going to be. I had Earl Grey tea this morning, just to see what all the fuss was about. The smell was very adult. Have you ever smelled a cologne that denotes maturity? That is the taste that Earl Grey tea denotes. It is the Chanel No. 5 of teas. The flavor causes you to slow down and taste. And hold and savor. Your nose will experience something different from your mouth simultaneously.

As you can see, I am loving tea. It is an experience unlike wine. As tea is heated, and then cools, the taste matures, becomes more intense with every sip. It slows you down, stops your tracks. The place where I get tea, the Zen-Cha Tea Salon, sells more than 100 different types of tea. I'll be attempting to appreciate as many as I can.

Oochie Coochie La La La!

I've always had a thing for boys with different names. If I shake your hand, and something like James DeShannon Davis comes, your chances of hollering at me jump significantly.

Back in the early 90s, way before I took up wine drinking and eyelash batting, a young rapper from Cleveland named MC Brains was on the scene. He was signed to Michael Bivins record label, and he was nasty. I don't even know why my mom let me listen to Oochie Coochie. It was kind of like the male version of Ain't Too Proud To Beg by TLC. Well, in the early 90s, everybody was groping and gyrating...music was just getting vulgar.

Oochie Coochie is this lewd and crass little diddy about vagina. Not only does MC Brains describe in detail various sexcapades with women of different nationalities, but promises to "caress and love you like a pooCHIE" (empasis on the high-pitched 'chie'). MC Brains cares about his hoes. He reminds them to "stay on that pill/cause I ain't gonna hurt you baby/but the next man will." Aww.

But there was another side to MC Brains. Literally, the B-Side to the gyrating Oochie Coochie was Brainstorming, a cognac-smooth ballad about a lovelost bachelor. The excited and rauncy rapper, was throaty and sincere, in a letter-writing salute to some chick, who was probably sick of that constant raunch. The slow jam featured labelmates Boyz II Men on the chorus, with added sensuality to the sadness.

Needless to say, I thought MC Brains was awesome. First off, he was from Cleveland. But he has a trait on sexiness that rappers forgot exist. Sure, LL Cool J popularized teh hip hop love song, even adding sex songs to repetoire. Nowadays, most hip hop songs are either sappy (sorry Common) or way to nasty (fill in the name of the rapper of your choice) or just too commercial (Nelly comes to mind). Ludacris may be the only rapper that straddles that line of nasty, yet respectable (What's Your Fantasy, Splash/Waterfalls).

MC Brains was a casualty of that sudden 90s drop off that left many New Jack Swing artists in the dust. The undercover nastiness in his raps were losing steam, songs like G-String...about g strings...were being shunned for stuff a littl more hardcore. Plus, he allegeds that Michael Bivins fleeced him out of tons of money. Yeah, take a number and have a seat with that claim.

So MC Brains is STILL RAPPING in Cleveland, under the moniker Brainz Davis. You can check him out on his MySpace page. no, he doesn't have Oochie Coochie* on his play list, but Brainstorming is there to download. You wouldn't think he was embarrassed of that song, would you? Real talk, next time I'm in Cleveland, I'm looking him up! La, la, la!


Oochie Coochie video



*This has got to be the most times I've ever written the words Oochie Coochie in my life. Swear.

Reasons To Love Al B. Sure!

Men like Al B. Sure! come along once in a full moon. The combination of sweet lover, almost rapper, who can be sexy with the ladies and represent for the men is rarely seen. Sure there are many sexy male singers, but for those with the swagger, they lack the artistry. For those who are sweethearts, they try too hard to be R&B thugs. Al B. Sure! provided that balance.

Below, I count the ways that I love Mr. Sure!

1. He's lightskinned...and was popular in the height of the lightskin men are in phase.

2. He spells his name with an exclamation point! Who doesn't love exclamation points!?!

3. He wore tight jeans when men looked hot in ball huggers.

4. That whispery sweet falsetto

5. The deep sexy lower register

6. He sung with Diana Ross, my hair idol.

7. He liked soft rock music! He remade Hotel California AND Killing Me Softly

8. Kyle West broke it down in almost all of his songs

9. The Still In Love With You remake on the Above The Rim Soundtrack

10. He was sexy and seductive without being nasty...well he was on the cusp of nastiness. But he was never offensive.

And the most important reason to love Al B. Sure!

11. Those EYEBROWS

The "Al B. Sure Made Those Low Key Bangers" Mix

1. Oooh This Love Is So
   
2. Naturally Mine
   
3. If I'm Not Your Lover
   
4. Noche Y Dia


5. Hotel California


6. Touch You


7. So Special *my favorite Al B. Sure song*


8. Just For The Moment


9. Ooh This Jazz Is So


10. Right Now


11. Die For You


12. I'll Never Hurt You Again


13. Still In Love With You

My Secret Love

My first introduction to house music was probably Crystal Waters' Gypsy Woman (She's Homeless). There was something about the way she used her voice as an instrument to accompany the throbbing synthesizers that turned me on.

See, I came up in the beginning of the "They Don't Dance No Mo" era. Right when gangsta rap and grunge music made being sullen popular. Though I survived MC Hammer, which evolved into the party rap of P.Diddy's day, it was never really cool to dance like a fool to any music.

But then I went to college, and I saw people house.

I met people from Chicago who could find every misstep inside of a beat and make a movement to it. I saw the people from Detroit, who had line dances to the most pulsating beats. And I heard remixes to my favorite songs that were made alive by faster beats and stronger music. The people I met in college were dancing their asses of and not caring about the posturing and posing that was popular in hip hop music.

House music was always a set inside of a good deejay's reportoire. But being from Ohio, I have never been to a full out house-party, where all night long the deejay is looking for sweat beads across all the dancers' brows.

And I want that. And it's not like Columbus doesn't have house deejays. But I've been to those places, like Bento GoGos. And the people kinda freak me out. Being a house music lover means giving up a certain kind of control. It's about not caring what other people think, and concetrating more on your body and your movement.

See, I am the one with the problem. I can't allow myself to get into the groove! Now via the Internet, I have become very much interested in several soulful house acts, like Little Louie Vega, DJ Speek Greene, Osunlade, Siji, Aloe Blacc and hosue version of songs I already like by Jill Scott, Usher and Beyonce.

Then there are those "dirty house" songs that keep me motivated during a workout. Ass N Titties, There Some Hoes In This House...and a couple others that I'm not quite sure of the names.

House music, my love for you now lurks in the shadows of my music collection. Hopefully, as I learn more about house, and learn more about me, I can become one of those cool kids, unafraid to house anywhere they are.