Today, on this fifth day of Black History Month, I am shining the light on MIGOS. Truth be told, I honestly thought they were destined to be a one hit wonder after hearing their song “Versace” They said “Versace” about 100000x, but the song was infectious and went off in the club. Hell, even Miley (during her Urban phase) referenced it on a remix to “Ain’t Worried About Nothin’”. You know you’re on the verge of crossing over when Miley quotes you. Funny enough, they have a song called “Hannah Montana”. I would be lying if I said thought that they were going to be more than a 1.5 hit wonder.
Now, in this year of 2017, Migos is not only here, but they are known all over this great country. Daniel Glover thanked Migos for making “Bad and Boujee” during his Golden Globes speech and two things happened: Black people all over were like “Oh hell no! He didn’t just do that! That dude crazy for that!” and many White people ran to Google to see what/who was Migos. I think one of my Golden GLobes coverage highlights was the reporter backstage asking Donald about Migos and “Bad and Boujee”. Just seeing her ask the questions with a straight face seemed hard enough. She deserves an award. Give her a Grammy, since apparently no one cares about those anymore…
The shout out propelled the single to the top of the charts and lead to their album “Culture” debuting in the number one spot. They are finally getting love from people in the flat states the way people from Atlanta have been loving them for some time now. They even had a petition to replace Gaga in the halftime show of the SuperBowl. It’s a good time to be Migos. If they keep this up, maybe they can be at the next Halftime show. Ok, I’m guessing a hard no, but it’s important to keep hope alive.
Monday, February 6, 2017
Saturday, February 4, 2017
BHM Day 4: Kelly Price
A few years ago, #KellyPrice was trending on twitter and I got nervous, as I figured she had died. I was never her biggest fan, but I have always thought she had a good voice and she’s given me some song that I really enjoy. I mean, if she was good enough to sing with Whitney, she’s good enough for Yann! So imagine my joy when I found out that she was in fact, still alive and well! Better yet, there was a longer hashtag (#FatAssKellyPrice) that I discovered that forever changed my life. Ok, that’s a bit dramatic, but that’s kind of very on brand for me, so whatever. THe hashtag came from an episode of “Catfish” where a guy’s cousin catfished him because he called her (you guessed it!) a fat ass Kelly Price. It was TV gold and deserved an Emmy.
OK, but after the joke from the dust settled, I wondered how KP would get back to being known for her music. Before trending on Twitter, she was on on the reality show, R&B Divas and came off like the absolute worst human being. At one point she ended up accidentally singing “As We Lay” (a song about fucking a married man) for a crowd of people who were there for a gospel set. When would the Ls stop coming?! I thought it might be over for her. I was wrong, which is weird, as I’m like never wrong.
Fast Forward to Kanye finally dropping TLOP and Kelly Price is featured on one of the standout tracks, “Ultralight Beam”. She killed her verse and took us all to church Just like that, people were reminded how dope she was. I know, I went to YouTube and watched her old videos. If Kanye represented old heads embracing Kelly, Migos naming a song after her gave her a stamp of approval of the young people. I’m guessing the greatest achievement (besides the 6 Grammy nods and her child) would probably be being chosen to sing the national anthem for Chris Brown and Soulja Boy’s boxing match in Dubai. #BLESSUP! Today, I’m shining the BHM spotlight on Kelly Price because I love a good comeback story. Kelly, please don’t fuck this up.
** Fun fact: I just googled her to find a photo, and her website refers to her as the Queen of R&B Soul. This is news to me (and I’m guessing to most people) but even more reason to shine the light on this queen!
OK, but after the joke from the dust settled, I wondered how KP would get back to being known for her music. Before trending on Twitter, she was on on the reality show, R&B Divas and came off like the absolute worst human being. At one point she ended up accidentally singing “As We Lay” (a song about fucking a married man) for a crowd of people who were there for a gospel set. When would the Ls stop coming?! I thought it might be over for her. I was wrong, which is weird, as I’m like never wrong.
Fast Forward to Kanye finally dropping TLOP and Kelly Price is featured on one of the standout tracks, “Ultralight Beam”. She killed her verse and took us all to church Just like that, people were reminded how dope she was. I know, I went to YouTube and watched her old videos. If Kanye represented old heads embracing Kelly, Migos naming a song after her gave her a stamp of approval of the young people. I’m guessing the greatest achievement (besides the 6 Grammy nods and her child) would probably be being chosen to sing the national anthem for Chris Brown and Soulja Boy’s boxing match in Dubai. #BLESSUP! Today, I’m shining the BHM spotlight on Kelly Price because I love a good comeback story. Kelly, please don’t fuck this up.
** Fun fact: I just googled her to find a photo, and her website refers to her as the Queen of R&B Soul. This is news to me (and I’m guessing to most people) but even more reason to shine the light on this queen!
Friday, February 3, 2017
BHM Day 3: Naomi Campbell
Late last night, I saw the new campaign for GAP that features Naomi Campbell and had no choice but to celebrate her today. The woman has been CONSISTENTLY slaying (an overused term, but so appropriate for Ms. Campbell) for over 25 years. I’m unsure if she’s made a deal with the Devil, drinks the blood of virgins, or is just “Good Black, don’t crack” personified.
I don’t think there is doubt that Naomi is beautiful, but her importance goes beyond that. Naomi came in a time when there weren’t very many famous Black models and not only made a name for herself, but reached supermodel status. She helped to start changing the idea that putting a non white woman on the cover of a magazine would result in abysmal sales. The likes of Serena, Lupita, and even Beyonce owe part of their covers to great strides Naomi made. Ms. Campbell remains vocal about including diversity in fashion, as she is well aware that we are far from being equally represented in the fashion world. She remains passionate about HIV/AIDS awareness and has been vocal about the uptick in HIV in certain areas.She has worked with PETA, but then she modeled fur. You know what, let's just move on...
Naomi isn’t just in fashion, she has moved into TV. (I’m not going to discuss the album she released in Japan out of respect) She plays a rich bitch VERY well. I’m not sure if she’s acting or not, but I always enjoy seeing her on my TV screen. Naomi has a line of lingerie and I’m sure a bunch of other side businesses I don’t feel like Googling. (Y’all have the same access to Google I do). She has made sure to be a well rounded person, and this is why she’s remained relevant in one of the most fickle industries for so long. Well that, and because I’m sure people are terrified of her. She’s quick with a Blackberry and still has Tyra shook after damn near two decades. Eh, either way she’s bad as hell and today I shall shine my BHM spotlight upon her!
I don’t think there is doubt that Naomi is beautiful, but her importance goes beyond that. Naomi came in a time when there weren’t very many famous Black models and not only made a name for herself, but reached supermodel status. She helped to start changing the idea that putting a non white woman on the cover of a magazine would result in abysmal sales. The likes of Serena, Lupita, and even Beyonce owe part of their covers to great strides Naomi made. Ms. Campbell remains vocal about including diversity in fashion, as she is well aware that we are far from being equally represented in the fashion world. She remains passionate about HIV/AIDS awareness and has been vocal about the uptick in HIV in certain areas.
Naomi isn’t just in fashion, she has moved into TV. (I’m not going to discuss the album she released in Japan out of respect) She plays a rich bitch VERY well. I’m not sure if she’s acting or not, but I always enjoy seeing her on my TV screen. Naomi has a line of lingerie and I’m sure a bunch of other side businesses I don’t feel like Googling. (Y’all have the same access to Google I do). She has made sure to be a well rounded person, and this is why she’s remained relevant in one of the most fickle industries for so long. Well that, and because I’m sure people are terrified of her. She’s quick with a Blackberry and still has Tyra shook after damn near two decades. Eh, either way she’s bad as hell and today I shall shine my BHM spotlight upon her!
Thursday, February 2, 2017
BHM Day 2: Donald Glover
I might be still high off of the wins from the Golden Globes, so I am going to go ahead and shine the BHM spotlight on Donald Glover. I first found out about this guy on the show “Community” which I kind of liked/kind of didn’t understand. I guess it grew to have a cult following after it’s cancellation. I’m sure he did other things after that, but he was in Magic Mike 2. The movie was trash and didn’t have nearly enough nude scenes, but that’s not the point of today’s post.
Glover also raps under the name Childish Gambino and has put out three albums and like seven mixtapes. According to his Wikipedia, the man also plays the glockenspiel. I guess that’s something of which to be proud? Anyway, he makes good music and has recently gotten a bit more experimental with his sound. I adore his verse on Ariana’s “Break Your Heart RIght Back” because of the word play and I just think the whole notion of her singing a song about dating a gay dude over an “I’m Coming Out” sample is genius. Let me stop making this about Ariana, THIS AIN”T YOUR MONTH, SIS! Here’s the verse
Listen, you got a man but your man ain't loyal
Don't understand how to spell it out for ya
Yes I'm G, from the A, and they ask why
Sorry had to tell you, I'm a nice guy
Naw, I'm a sick guy, money too much
I step on stage and girls move too much
The flow so gross, my nickname school lunch
And he with them other guys, you know it's true 'cause
G-A-M-B-I-N-O
I know they hate but I don't know why, uh
I know the way he did you was whack
But I know how you can get dude right back
2016 proved to be a great year for Donald, as his show “Atlanta” received great reviews and won two Golden Globes. He is also going to be in the Hans Solo movie, which I guess is a big deal. I just know it’s attached to Star Wars, and that franchise is killing it currently. I'm guessing Donald will be stacking some major coins and will probably have some sort of cocoa collectible action figure. The man is racking up the accolades on screens both large and small, as well as for his music and has a bright future ahead of him.
Glover also raps under the name Childish Gambino and has put out three albums and like seven mixtapes. According to his Wikipedia, the man also plays the glockenspiel. I guess that’s something of which to be proud? Anyway, he makes good music and has recently gotten a bit more experimental with his sound. I adore his verse on Ariana’s “Break Your Heart RIght Back” because of the word play and I just think the whole notion of her singing a song about dating a gay dude over an “I’m Coming Out” sample is genius. Let me stop making this about Ariana, THIS AIN”T YOUR MONTH, SIS! Here’s the verse
Listen, you got a man but your man ain't loyal
Don't understand how to spell it out for ya
Yes I'm G, from the A, and they ask why
Sorry had to tell you, I'm a nice guy
Naw, I'm a sick guy, money too much
I step on stage and girls move too much
The flow so gross, my nickname school lunch
And he with them other guys, you know it's true 'cause
G-A-M-B-I-N-O
I know they hate but I don't know why, uh
I know the way he did you was whack
But I know how you can get dude right back
2016 proved to be a great year for Donald, as his show “Atlanta” received great reviews and won two Golden Globes. He is also going to be in the Hans Solo movie, which I guess is a big deal. I just know it’s attached to Star Wars, and that franchise is killing it currently. I'm guessing Donald will be stacking some major coins and will probably have some sort of cocoa collectible action figure. The man is racking up the accolades on screens both large and small, as well as for his music and has a bright future ahead of him.
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
BHM Day 1: Hidden Figures
Ahh, it’s finally February! I’m not excited about Valentine’s Day, but for the kick off to Black History Month. I know you all are thinking “Ian, where have you been? You’ve been slacking on those BHM spotlight posts!!” To that I must remind you that I am VERY busy (think Michelle Williams (The Black One) around the time of Beyonce at the Superbowl) and that you hoes don’t pay me for this! Kidding. Well, money would be great, but you and I both know that I don’t have a damned thing to do. So why the change of heart? Well in this age of MAGA and Alternative Facts, I felt it was time to bring some positivity to the world.
A few weeks ago a Twitter troll found me and felt the need to try to knock me down a few pegs. Boy did he pick the wrong bitch! I was off work, bored, and in the mood to engage. I won’t bore you with the details but what it came down to was this:
*Ian minding his gay ass business*
TT: WHite people are awesome, Black people need to thank us for all that we’ve done for them! You’ve made no contribution to society! You all think your “space pyramids” make you special!
Ian: Those pyramids are architectural feats, I’m not thanking you for shit, and I’m pretty sure you’re a product of incest.
TT: blah blah blah hate speech blah blah Trump blah blah
*Ian puts TT on mute and goes to a movie*
The movie I saw was “Hidden Figures”. I wasn’t sure what to expect as I hadn’t seen any trailers beforehand. I only knew it featured Janelle Monae, and I love that woman. The movie was great, it made me feel emotions. It was crazy learning the story Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughn and Mary Jackson for the FIRST TIME. How had I gone that long without knowing of those brilliant women? I felt like I had been deprived of some great role models. I also left with a renewed sense of pride.
I am shining the BHM spotlight on this film not only because I enjoyed the film, but also because of all the ground it has broken (and continues to break). After the whole #OscarsSoWhite fiasco, I was curious to see how Hollywood would rebound. I’m glad a film carried by THREE BLACK WOMEN was able to slay at the box office. Hell, it even knocked Star Wars out of the top slot. I found it refreshing that this filmed drew such big crowds and Tyler Perry didn’t even have to put on drag!
“Hidden Figures” came at a much needed time. It helped serve as a reminder of the greatness of our past and the promise of our future. Additionally, it convinced me to get up and start posting again, so that’s pretty major. I suggest you watch the movie or Google the women. I will be forever grateful for all that MLK has done, but I think we need to stories beyond the usual BHM players. This is where I come in: every single day in February I will be shining my BHM spotlight on various people and things. Get excited, I'm going to up your negro knowledge!
A few weeks ago a Twitter troll found me and felt the need to try to knock me down a few pegs. Boy did he pick the wrong bitch! I was off work, bored, and in the mood to engage. I won’t bore you with the details but what it came down to was this:
*Ian minding his gay ass business*
TT: WHite people are awesome, Black people need to thank us for all that we’ve done for them! You’ve made no contribution to society! You all think your “space pyramids” make you special!
Ian: Those pyramids are architectural feats, I’m not thanking you for shit, and I’m pretty sure you’re a product of incest.
TT: blah blah blah hate speech blah blah Trump blah blah
*Ian puts TT on mute and goes to a movie*
The movie I saw was “Hidden Figures”. I wasn’t sure what to expect as I hadn’t seen any trailers beforehand. I only knew it featured Janelle Monae, and I love that woman. The movie was great, it made me feel emotions. It was crazy learning the story Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughn and Mary Jackson for the FIRST TIME. How had I gone that long without knowing of those brilliant women? I felt like I had been deprived of some great role models. I also left with a renewed sense of pride.
I am shining the BHM spotlight on this film not only because I enjoyed the film, but also because of all the ground it has broken (and continues to break). After the whole #OscarsSoWhite fiasco, I was curious to see how Hollywood would rebound. I’m glad a film carried by THREE BLACK WOMEN was able to slay at the box office. Hell, it even knocked Star Wars out of the top slot. I found it refreshing that this filmed drew such big crowds and Tyler Perry didn’t even have to put on drag!
“Hidden Figures” came at a much needed time. It helped serve as a reminder of the greatness of our past and the promise of our future. Additionally, it convinced me to get up and start posting again, so that’s pretty major. I suggest you watch the movie or Google the women. I will be forever grateful for all that MLK has done, but I think we need to stories beyond the usual BHM players. This is where I come in: every single day in February I will be shining my BHM spotlight on various people and things. Get excited, I'm going to up your negro knowledge!
Friday, October 7, 2016
I Walk Alone: The YannTheRunTour Goes to Mexico City!
“I’m known to walk alone, but I’m alone for a reason” - Beyonce “Upgrade U”
So I’m sitting on the plane and ready to go to Mexico City! Do I speak Spanish? Not really. Do I know anyone there? Hell no! So how did I end up here? Well, it’s a long story… Ok, that’s not true. It’s actually pretty simple: I got invited to go on a trip with a friend a few months back. I requested the week off from work and finally got it approved. (Harry Pottery magic may or may not have been involved) I was about to book the flight to meet up with the friend only to find out that I would no longer be going. Funny enough (not really) this was the second time this year this exact situation had occurred and I was vexed to say the least.
I didn’t want to waste my precious paid time off by sitting in Orlando watching Netflix and reality TV for a week. My friend offered for me to meet up with her in Italy, but that trip was far outside of what I had planned on spending. Rather than being salty as hell, my friend Avalon recommended I go to Mexico CIty. Random right? Not really. Avalon and I booked a trip there last October. I believe that I was supposed to leave on a Wednesday, but my mum was hospitalised days before, forcing me to cancel. I was able to get a portion of my ticket in voucher form and it was about to expire this October. Avalon went to Mexico City as planned and had a blast, so I thought that I should go. All caught up? Ok good.
So like I was saying earlier, I’m on a plane, bitches! This vacation is MUCH needed and I am ready to get away for a bit. The flight was pleasant enough and I’m glad I woke up in time to see the fireworks going off in Mexico City to celebrate Mexican independence as we land. The line for immigration is long and hellacious, but I’m not stressing. I worked earlier today and I’m tired, BUT I’M IN MEXICO, LAND OF UMM MEXICAN THINGS!!! I finally make it through and I’m hit with the reality that I’m in a foreign place alone. I had trouble with my phone getting on the network there. I was starting to freak out. Do cabs take credit cards here? Would my cabbie murder me or sell me into sex slavery? Is Wendy’s open this late? Do they have Wendy’s here? SO. Many. Questions.
I finally got my phone situation sorted out and got an Uber to my AirBnb. It was about 1:30a at this point and I was just ready to hit the bed. I couldn’t figure out how to get inside. I also wasn’t 100% sure I was in the right place. Once again, I started to freak out. (seeing a theme here?) I figured out the lock box and got my keys and made it inside. It was actually super simple, but cute.
Friday I slept in because I’m an adult and I can do these things. I didn’t want this trip to be stressful and filled with events. I wanted to take time and enjoy things at whatever pace I decided felt right. I went to explore in the city but was kind of let down when I found that everything was closed. I forgot that every country besides the US takes holidays seriously. I did get to walk around. I got hella lost even with my good friend Google Maps leading the way. I really regret being such a shitty Boy Scout. :( It was so cool just walking around the city and exploring on my own.
That night, I decided to venture out to Zona Rosa, the gay part of town. I wanted to see how the Mexican gay nightlife was. My Uber was a sweet man who warned me that the gays were nice but they wouldn’t trouble me. I guess he didn’t get the memo. Note to self: wear something tighter next time I go out. The bars were alright. Lots of the same music that I’m used to hearing in the States. There was also a bunch of old ass Spanish songs from what appear to be the late 90s/early 2000s that everyone seemed to lose their collective shit over. Apparently the kids there still go up for a good Selena moment. It was during one of these Selena moments that this kid noticed my “What the fuck is happening” expression and started chatting me up. “You look lost. Where are your friends?” I told him that I didn’t speak Spanish very well (or at all) and that I was visiting from Orlando alone. Thankfully he spoke amazing English and we talked for awhile. Jonathan (I was upset he wasn’t Alejandro, Pedro, or another name that would make this story feel more authentico) explained that not many Americans visit Mexico City alone and that NO black americans come. I was basically a unicorn and he said that was a good thing there. Wait, so my being Black was actually celebrated? I’m home!
Saturday I slept in because I was out until 5:30a doing hoodrat things with my newfound friends. Kidding. (totally serious) I decided that I wanted to do something cultural to balance out the night before. I went to the museo nacional de antropologia. It was such an awesome place to visit. I love museums and the cool part about being alone was that I was able to do things at my own pace without having to worry about my travel companion. The museum reminded me of the rich culture of Mexico that many Americans fail to see/recognize. It was also cool seeing the similarities that you find between different cultures and lands. As much as humans fight it, people are people at the end of the day.
Early Sunday is when I found out that my card was no longer working. The night before should’ve been a clue when it declined for 120 peso meal (less than $10 USD) and for the 300 peso cover at the club. I called my credit union and they said it was a fraud alert and they fixed it so I was able to use it to get into the club. I tried to catch an Uber home and saw that my account was suspended because of my card repeatedly declining. I spent the bulk of Sunday calling about my card, as I had run out of cash (except the few dollars I had and planned on using to get back to the airport) and no place takes Discover. Note to self: get rid of my DiscoverCard. I was freaking out frustrated at having to tell my story 2384203423 to 234823043 different people. I ended up giving an award winning Olivia Pope-esque monologue about how tired, upset, and disgusted I was by the whole situation. It didn’t fix anything, but I sure as hell felt better.
Monday, I finally got my card to work and I pulled out some money before they started playing games again. I went to a French boulangerie for breakfast and it was amazing. I decided that I was going to make the most of my last day and visit the pyramids. It was an amazing trip and I highly recommend it to anyone. I actually broke my rule about hiking and walked up not one, but TWO different pyramids. I was a hot, sweaty mess, but it’s a view/experience I will never forget. I met an older lady from Missouri and it was so great to hear not only English, but also a Midwestern accent. We talked about our trips and she respectfully asked if I noticed the lack of Black people there. Y’all thought I was kidding when I said I was a unicorn?! Later on that night I decided to go try Mezcal. I went to this cool bar with mixologists who were on point. My bartender explained to me the different nuances in the different mezcals as I drank a flight. I left feeling warm and fuzzy inside and filled with dread for my 5a wakeup call for my flight home.
My trip to Mexico was exactly what I needed. Sometimes I need to be reminded that I can do things on my own. I also think that being uncomfortable from time to time is a good thing as it forces us to adapt and try things outside of our comfort zone. I was warned about the violence by everyone from coworkers to my Uber driver to the airport. Many of the people warning me hadn’t even been there themselves, so why would I listen? I never felt unsafe and given the police murders that were going on when I was gone, Mexico City felt like a safe haven. The language barrier was scary. Unlike Cancun, Mexico City isn’t filled with English speaking people who ensure that Americans are made to feel at ease. Once again, when I was thrown into it, I actually found out that I can actually get by with my toddler level Spanish. Traveling on my own forced me to meet new people that I might have not met had I had someone with me. I came back from Mexico with tequila, a sense of empowerment, and a desire to explore more unknown places. I can’t wait to see where my next travel adventure takes me.
So I’m sitting on the plane and ready to go to Mexico City! Do I speak Spanish? Not really. Do I know anyone there? Hell no! So how did I end up here? Well, it’s a long story… Ok, that’s not true. It’s actually pretty simple: I got invited to go on a trip with a friend a few months back. I requested the week off from work and finally got it approved. (Harry Pottery magic may or may not have been involved) I was about to book the flight to meet up with the friend only to find out that I would no longer be going. Funny enough (not really) this was the second time this year this exact situation had occurred and I was vexed to say the least.
I didn’t want to waste my precious paid time off by sitting in Orlando watching Netflix and reality TV for a week. My friend offered for me to meet up with her in Italy, but that trip was far outside of what I had planned on spending. Rather than being salty as hell, my friend Avalon recommended I go to Mexico CIty. Random right? Not really. Avalon and I booked a trip there last October. I believe that I was supposed to leave on a Wednesday, but my mum was hospitalised days before, forcing me to cancel. I was able to get a portion of my ticket in voucher form and it was about to expire this October. Avalon went to Mexico City as planned and had a blast, so I thought that I should go. All caught up? Ok good.
So like I was saying earlier, I’m on a plane, bitches! This vacation is MUCH needed and I am ready to get away for a bit. The flight was pleasant enough and I’m glad I woke up in time to see the fireworks going off in Mexico City to celebrate Mexican independence as we land. The line for immigration is long and hellacious, but I’m not stressing. I worked earlier today and I’m tired, BUT I’M IN MEXICO, LAND OF UMM MEXICAN THINGS!!! I finally make it through and I’m hit with the reality that I’m in a foreign place alone. I had trouble with my phone getting on the network there. I was starting to freak out. Do cabs take credit cards here? Would my cabbie murder me or sell me into sex slavery? Is Wendy’s open this late? Do they have Wendy’s here? SO. Many. Questions.
I finally got my phone situation sorted out and got an Uber to my AirBnb. It was about 1:30a at this point and I was just ready to hit the bed. I couldn’t figure out how to get inside. I also wasn’t 100% sure I was in the right place. Once again, I started to freak out. (seeing a theme here?) I figured out the lock box and got my keys and made it inside. It was actually super simple, but cute.
Friday I slept in because I’m an adult and I can do these things. I didn’t want this trip to be stressful and filled with events. I wanted to take time and enjoy things at whatever pace I decided felt right. I went to explore in the city but was kind of let down when I found that everything was closed. I forgot that every country besides the US takes holidays seriously. I did get to walk around. I got hella lost even with my good friend Google Maps leading the way. I really regret being such a shitty Boy Scout. :( It was so cool just walking around the city and exploring on my own.
That night, I decided to venture out to Zona Rosa, the gay part of town. I wanted to see how the Mexican gay nightlife was. My Uber was a sweet man who warned me that the gays were nice but they wouldn’t trouble me. I guess he didn’t get the memo. Note to self: wear something tighter next time I go out. The bars were alright. Lots of the same music that I’m used to hearing in the States. There was also a bunch of old ass Spanish songs from what appear to be the late 90s/early 2000s that everyone seemed to lose their collective shit over. Apparently the kids there still go up for a good Selena moment. It was during one of these Selena moments that this kid noticed my “What the fuck is happening” expression and started chatting me up. “You look lost. Where are your friends?” I told him that I didn’t speak Spanish very well (or at all) and that I was visiting from Orlando alone. Thankfully he spoke amazing English and we talked for awhile. Jonathan (I was upset he wasn’t Alejandro, Pedro, or another name that would make this story feel more authentico) explained that not many Americans visit Mexico City alone and that NO black americans come. I was basically a unicorn and he said that was a good thing there. Wait, so my being Black was actually celebrated? I’m home!
Saturday I slept in because I was out until 5:30a doing hoodrat things with my newfound friends. Kidding. (totally serious) I decided that I wanted to do something cultural to balance out the night before. I went to the museo nacional de antropologia. It was such an awesome place to visit. I love museums and the cool part about being alone was that I was able to do things at my own pace without having to worry about my travel companion. The museum reminded me of the rich culture of Mexico that many Americans fail to see/recognize. It was also cool seeing the similarities that you find between different cultures and lands. As much as humans fight it, people are people at the end of the day.
Early Sunday is when I found out that my card was no longer working. The night before should’ve been a clue when it declined for 120 peso meal (less than $10 USD) and for the 300 peso cover at the club. I called my credit union and they said it was a fraud alert and they fixed it so I was able to use it to get into the club. I tried to catch an Uber home and saw that my account was suspended because of my card repeatedly declining. I spent the bulk of Sunday calling about my card, as I had run out of cash (except the few dollars I had and planned on using to get back to the airport) and no place takes Discover. Note to self: get rid of my DiscoverCard. I was freaking out frustrated at having to tell my story 2384203423 to 234823043 different people. I ended up giving an award winning Olivia Pope-esque monologue about how tired, upset, and disgusted I was by the whole situation. It didn’t fix anything, but I sure as hell felt better.
Monday, I finally got my card to work and I pulled out some money before they started playing games again. I went to a French boulangerie for breakfast and it was amazing. I decided that I was going to make the most of my last day and visit the pyramids. It was an amazing trip and I highly recommend it to anyone. I actually broke my rule about hiking and walked up not one, but TWO different pyramids. I was a hot, sweaty mess, but it’s a view/experience I will never forget. I met an older lady from Missouri and it was so great to hear not only English, but also a Midwestern accent. We talked about our trips and she respectfully asked if I noticed the lack of Black people there. Y’all thought I was kidding when I said I was a unicorn?! Later on that night I decided to go try Mezcal. I went to this cool bar with mixologists who were on point. My bartender explained to me the different nuances in the different mezcals as I drank a flight. I left feeling warm and fuzzy inside and filled with dread for my 5a wakeup call for my flight home.
My trip to Mexico was exactly what I needed. Sometimes I need to be reminded that I can do things on my own. I also think that being uncomfortable from time to time is a good thing as it forces us to adapt and try things outside of our comfort zone. I was warned about the violence by everyone from coworkers to my Uber driver to the airport. Many of the people warning me hadn’t even been there themselves, so why would I listen? I never felt unsafe and given the police murders that were going on when I was gone, Mexico City felt like a safe haven. The language barrier was scary. Unlike Cancun, Mexico City isn’t filled with English speaking people who ensure that Americans are made to feel at ease. Once again, when I was thrown into it, I actually found out that I can actually get by with my toddler level Spanish. Traveling on my own forced me to meet new people that I might have not met had I had someone with me. I came back from Mexico with tequila, a sense of empowerment, and a desire to explore more unknown places. I can’t wait to see where my next travel adventure takes me.
Friday, August 26, 2016
New Music Review: Britney Spears' Glory
So Britney decided to make 80% of the gays of the world happy and dropped a new album. She teased it for a bit, but things looked bleak. Yes, she is looking the best she’s looked in years. Sure, she’s dancing again and looking lucid. BUT, girl is in Vegas doing a sweet ass residency and doesn’t really NEED to do anything. She dropped “Pretty Girls” and it landed with a thud. Had Britney lost it? Did people stop caring?
Somewhere along the line, Britney decided to start caring again. For this album, she actually been doing press for it, and it looks like she’s doing something that SHE wants to do. That’s great, but at the end of the day, it all comes down to the music. Britney and her team keep on referencing “In the Zone” and “Blackout” when talking about the direction for this project. No big deal, just two of her most career defining projects. That alone, had me nervous…. I have lived with the album for a few days, and this is what I think so far:
Invitation: I was expecting her to start the album with a bang, but instead this song is very much laid back. It ends up being pretty indicative of the whole vibe of the album: mid tempo, vibey music with breathy vocals.
Make Me: I thought this was an interesting first choice for a single, given her usual bombastic first singles. It’s not very quotable (think, “Work Bitch”) and kind of fits into the landscape that Nick Jonas, Tove Lo, and Selena Gomez have turned into mainstream pop. Despite, the lacklustre video, the song grew on me.
Private Show: I find myself humming this track more than any of the others. It has a throwback vibe (maybe 50s era?) coupled with THOTish lyrics. It ends up being catchy as hell.
Man on the Moon: I don’t love this song, and I think it has to do with the lyrical content. It feels a bit juvenile for her.The whole thing is a bit of a snore.
Just Luv Me: This song has Britney back in her comfort zone. This song just oozes sex. It feels like a song that Selena might have had on her last album, but make no mistake that this is Brit’s forte and where she shines.
Clumsy: This song was written by half of Pop and Oak, who have been putting out some super interesting music as of late ( Brandy’s “ Beggin and Pleadin’ for example) Britney is flexing a bit vocally and the chorus leads to one of the album's few uptempo moments.
Do You wanna Come Over: another upbeat song. It’s a fun, cute, danceable song.
Slumber Party: Now that Brit got you to come over, she slows it down with this song and gives us a bedroom banger. At times, it reminds me of Jermih’s “Birthday Sex” (probably the I--i--i--i-I--) but reggaed out just a bit.
Just Like Me: starts out with a simple guitar then builds to a mid tempo moment. Who doesn’t love a song about your boo, stepping out with someone that looks just like you? I mean I know, I can relate. That’s for another post though…
Love Me Down: I like the island vibe of the song. It sounds very Major Lazer to me. There is a bassline at one point that sounds VERY similar to “Pretty Girls”
Hard to Forget Ya: I like the verses to the song, but there is something about the chorus, that I don’t quite love.
What You Need: Another track with Britney flexing her vocals. I don’t foresee her ever singing this live.
Better: This is another Major Lazer sounding track. The chorus reminds me of “Lean On”
Change Your Mind (No Seas Cortes): Britney is singing in Spanish y’all! Dame Mas! (I’m too lazy to google the correct translation) The infusion of the Spanish actually isn’t horrible. It works for her and the song is sexy and flirty.
Liar: I’m guessing the internet will lose it mind because this has to be about Justin Timberlake. Who care that they broke up like a decade ago, surely she’s still obsessed with him, right? I don’t care who the song is about, I just think it’s a fun “fuck off” song.
If I’m Dancing: I love this track. FINALLY a track that makes me want to clap without my hands! Beyond the music, I actually l really like the way her vocals were produced on this track.
Coupure Electrique: On mon DIEU, Britney a un chanson en francais! C’est cool, non!? We all know that French makes everything/everyone sound much sexier. This song is definitely sexy. Britney leaves the album, the way she came in: with a body roll and a hair flip.
This album doesn’t have the “Gimme More”, “Womanizer” or “Work Bitch” to scream for our attention. I doubted at first, but ultimately, it ends up making this feel like one of her most cohesive projects to date. I don’t really get many “Blackout” vibes for this album as that was a really R&B heavy album. I’m sorry they kept on referring to that album as that’s my all time favourite and it left me kind of longing for it. Taking that out of the equation, this is a good album.
I am always saying that Britney is lazy. She’s iconic, legendary, blah blah blah, and she is aware. She doesn’t have to do much and her fan base will cut you if you even hint that it might not be her best work. I was thinking she should just retire. Then she got the spark in her eyes, and started looking like she was enjoying what she was doing. We are in a time where Beyonce continues to push the envelope musically, and visually. Rihanna is evolving into a true artist. Britney is not here to do either of those things. She’s here to make pop music that her fans will enjoy and purchase (I SEE YOU, BOOTLEGGERS!) Glory to me, represents a return to Britney doing what she does best. She knows her lane that she’s created and she’s ready to remind you hoes of her greatness. I, for one, am here for it. Glory, GLORY Hall--lemme stop.
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