My Rant for the Day

First things first- Can I say that I am beyond SHOCKED that news has surfaced Will and Jada have separated????  Yes, I know that I don’t know them, but let’s be real.  We hold celebrities to certain statuses in our lives, especially when it comes to relationships. weight, looks, money, etc.  And it seemed that the Smiths had it together-a beautiful family, talented kids, businesses, both were currently working.  I know more than a few of us thought that Will and Jada were the epitome of Black Love, right up there with Ossie and Ruby, Angela and Courtney, Bill and Camille, the list goes on.  I know it’s NOT going to happen, but we should leave the Smiths alone during this very personal matter. 

Next up, I saw “The Help” last Sunday.  While I appreciate my girls inviting me out and having a bang-up Sunday night, I really don’t know my thoughts on the movie.  I had no desire to see the film, but I didn’t have any plans (and they changed the time they were going just for me), so I decided to go.  “The Help” was an enjoyable film, but I don’t know if I liked it.  Honestly, I have to see it again before I can do a real Southern Girl Review.

I bought Beyonce’s “4″ about a week after it came out.  I am probably once of the biggest Bey Stans there is, but I don’t think I’m a fan.  As I told a friend, I’m not a Ballad Beyonce fan (think “Listen”); I like more up-tempo, dance hits (think “Single Ladies”).  And since her newest album is more ballads, I wasn’t feeling it.  I have been listening to it more with the intent to give the album an honest listening to and determination in my opinion.  As of today, the jury’s still out. 

So, that’s my rant for the day.  No rhyme or reason, no logic.  Just my thoughts on some things that are going on in pop culture.  And for those of you who know how I feel about the Kardashians, I purposefully did not discuss Kim and Kris’ nuptials this weekend.  Until next time, I’m just a Southern Girl…in the city!

I Saw Jill Scott!!!

If you know me, hell, if you read the last post, you know how I’ve been feeling a little sad for the past few days.  Well, imagine my surprise when my friend/soror called me yesterday and told me she had an extra ticket to Jill Scott’s Block Party, complete with Mint Condition and Anthony Hamilton and asked if I wanted to go!!!!  Do cats have whiskers?  Does a bear pee in the woods?  Is this country going through it’s own hell right now? (Ok, bad joke.)  But you get the picture; OF COURSE I wanted to go!  So after saying “Hi!” to my other soror/friend Najeema after her triathlon, I proceeded to go home, shower, change, and get ready to see my crush Stokely Williams and my musical idol Jill Scott. 

We had great seats, the concert started on time, and I had an absolute BLAST!  Mint Condition, Anthony, and Jill sound EXACTLY like their albums, so you know what this means…they can actually SING!!!!  I was thoroughly impressed by Stokely, because not only does he sing, he plays guitar AND drums.  Mint Condition sang some classics and some new material from their new album.  Anthony Hamilton was great, as were his background singers.  And Jill, ah Jill…she was simply amazing!  I haven’t heard her new album yet, but I was singing along with every song from previous albums.  She sang a few of my favorites, and she sang them well. 

And, if the greatest of those performers wasn’t enough, Doug E. Fresh was the host and DJ Jazzy Jeff was the DJ!  It seriously was a party in the Verizon Center last night.  The audience was live, the performers were live, and I had a great time! 

I’m so thankful to my friend for thinking of me, probably more than she realizes.  She’s a subscriber, so I want to say “Thank You!” again for thinking of me!  Not sure where the Block Party is going next, but if you have the opportunity to go, you should!  Until next time, I’m just a Southern girl…in the city!

What Kind of F*ckery is This?

Image by NRK P3 via Flickr

On Saturday, July 23, I was taking a break at work around 12:30 pm.  I took a quick peek on Twitter to see that people were sharing the news that Amy Winehouse had been found dead in her London flat.  I was saddened and surprised, but not shocked.  To say it was inevitable may be cruel, but it’s an accurate statement.  I went back and told my co-workers that she had died.  As an ode to her, they wanted to sing “Rehab”; I told them “no; that’s highly inappropriate.” 

Amy Winehouse was poised to become this generation’s Teena Marie-a soulful white girl who had a unique sound.  Sadly, her career didn’t have the chance to flourish like Marie’s, but she will never be forgotten.  As my auntie Madeline pointed out to me, it’s ironic that she, Janis Joplin, and Jimi Hendrix all died at the age of 27.  I’ve lived longer than all three of these artists.  Another ironic thing about Amy’s death is that she died within weeks of Betty Ford, the biggest proponent of battling addiction.  I mentioned Amy in a WBW post earlier this year.  I guess we’ll never know what greatness she and ?uestlove would have made in the studio. 

Today’s post title is my favorite Winehouse lyric from the track “Me and Mr. Jones”; heck, it might be my favorite song lyric ever.  And it explains how I’m sure a lot of people are feeling about her death right now.  I hope at least one person who’s battling addiction learns something from this and is able to get clean.  I hope Amy is resting in peace.  And I’m sure Mrs. Ford is getting in that a–.  Until next time, I’m just a Southern girl…in the city.

Related articles

• M.I.A. Releases ’27,’ In Honor Of Amy Winehouse, Those Who Died At 27 (huffingtonpost.com)
• Celebrities React To Amy Winehouse’s Death On Twitter (hellobeautiful.com)

SuiteTalk and Summer Soul Session Vol.2 Recap

On Thursday, June 23, I had the amazing opportunity to interview rising soul and R&B singer Ife’ Thomas.  Ife’ has such a warm spirit and a great fashion sense!  If you’re an avid reader of the blog, then you remember my highlighting the event previously (go here to catch up.)  She was a pleasure to interview and was very forthcoming in her answers.  See below for our interview:

Elle: What are your next steps for Crescendo Entertainment?

Ife’: I’m so glad you asked me about that.  We’re working on a relatively new tv project, which will be a reality show.  The first show idea is for songwriters.  We would also like to produce and executive produce biographies, whether they’re on the big or small screen, or even as an independent film.  I’m continually writing songs.  I always hear new things in my “mental radio”.  I always carry a tape recorder. 

Elle: Past or present, who would you love to do a duet or trio with?

Ife’: Number one, my husband, Maxwell (Ife’ said I could quote her! ) I would also love to work with Javier (Colon) from “The Voice”.  For a hip-hop collaboration, it would be Talib (Kweli) and Common.  Wouldn’t that be dope???  I would also love to work with Sade; I get compared to her a lot.  Old school collaborations-Stevie Wonder and Charlie Wilson.  Those that have passed on-MJ, Sammy Davis, Jr., and Marvin Gaye would have to be my Top 3. 

Elle: If you couldn’t be a performer, what would you do?

Ife’: My dream job is a veteriarian.  I would also love to be either an attorney or a journalist.  Realistically, though, I would probably be a teacher.

Besides myself, there were three other interviewers participating in SuiteTalk.  I learned some very interesting things about Ife’ during this roundtable, such as she grew up doing musical theatre, she doesn’t like the term “neo-soul”, and she has the same ritual before every performance.  Ife’ hopes her fans understand her lyricism and are able to apply the lyrics to their lives.  She wants to touch us all, she wants us to feel her music, and she wants us to know exactly what she’s talking about when we hear her sing.  According to Ife’, “The current state of music is tough because you have very few people buying music (in the form on CD’s).  Social media allows you to be more creative.” 

The performance of Ife’, Chris Turner, and Lauren White was nothing short of amazing on the night of June 24.  The crowd was involved and singing along.  All three artists were absolutely fantastic and are well on their way of getting their names known. 

I appreciate Organic Fusion asking me to participate in the SuiteTalk.  It was a wonderful experience, and I was humbled in the presence of Ife’ and the other bloggers present.  I strongly suggest you all listen to and purchase the music from these artists.  Their music will definitely keep all of your parties going this summer!  Until, next time, I’m just a Southern girl…in the city!

Coors Light Coldest Artist Live Show

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On Thursday, June 2, the city of Baltimore, MD was able to experience musicianship at it’s finest.  At Sonar, Coors Light hosted a show featuring new artists, seasoned vets, and of course, some cold brew at the Coors Light® Search for the Coldest National Tour featuring N.E.R.D. and Pac Div.

During the Spring of 2011, Coors Light hosted the Coldest Artist, a competition where they were looking for new, raw talent.  The winners of the West and Midwest competitions were able to meet and perform in Baltimore; they also served as the pre-show to one of hip-hop’s greatest musical acts, N.E.R.D.

The first performer, Billa Camp, hails from Chicago.  Billa has a nice flow and is a great lyricist.  He’s a combination of Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco, and Lil’ Wayne.  If these three artists were to ever think about collaborating, they only need to research this rapper to see how it will turn out, and they would be pleased.   None of the 3 songs he performed were dance tunes, but they will easily be club tunes that you would hear on the radio.

Seattle, WA native Joe Ed from Eclectic Approach performed two songs.  The first song, “Brother”, was dedicated to his brother, and he chose Sonar as the venue to perform this song for the first time.  The song deals with substance abuse and how one’s addication not only affects that person, but also their loved ones.  “Cool”, the song that brought him into the competition, was very rock and is reminiscent of Maroon 5.  The great thing about this song is that it highlights the uniqueness of Joe Ed.

Pac Div is a hip-hop trio from Los Angeles, and they are opening for N.E.R.D. on their summer tour.  All three members are hype men and feed off of each other’s energy while performing.  The great thing is that they were able to keep the audience engaged the entire time they were onstage.  This group will definitely go far in the music industry. 

The main event for the evening, N.E.R.D., did not disappoint.  Performing old and new songs, Pharrell was stunned into silence once when he began performing and the audience sang along with him.  Chad was very laid back, as usual, but frontman Pharrell Williams had enough energy for them both.  Shay Haley was able to hold his own against Pharell.  The members of N.E.R.D. are able to feed off of each others’ strengths during their live performances and allow each man to have his light.  And live instrumentation is always appreciated during shows.   The audience sang along to almost every track and probably surprised themselves with how many songs they knew.

Coors Light has created a great event with the Coldest Artist Live Shows.  They are to be commended for putting together a great show with artists who are creative, unique, and are able to appeal to the masses.  Thanks to Gypsy Soul & Soulcial Grind PR for allowing your fave Southern Girl to attend.  Until next time, I’m just a Southern girl…in the city!

*To see all photos taken at the event, go here.*