Random Acts of Flyness

This new HBO Show is fucking everything. I know, I say that every time, but I’m not exaggerating. Random Acts of Flyness is like nothing else and ahead of its time. It’s literally the most beautiful and haunting T.V. show ever. Created by Terrance Nance and friends, this show explores life of being a Black human being and the obstacles, fuckery, racism, sexism and homophobia out and within Black culture. This show expresses these “isms” with so much creativity and raw honesty, like I’ve never seen it. Some sketches were hard for me to watch, because I couldn’t even believe that the creators thought of something so brilliant and dark at the same time. In one sketch, it depicts Death (Tonya Pinkins) and how even she was tired of seeing Black youth always coming her way. In the beginning of the show, Terrance himself, is just starting his day riding his bike through Brooklyn when cops stop just to harass him. The best part is when he sites a statue to the fucking cop!

The show touches on Bi Sexual Black men and Black men who identify as gender fluid, a concept that you rarely hear about within the Black community. The timing of this show is much needed. People need to start having these conversations, but most importantly, Brown and Black individuals need to see they are not alone. I know growing up, you never talked about gender. There was nothing to talk about, it was man or woman in the eyes of my family. It wasn’t until I had to do my own research and making friends where I learned there was more than just straight. Finding that community within your own makes it less frightening, knowing that sexuality is this huge spectrum, where no one is wrong.

Random Acts of Flyness is just that. Sketches of images, words, colors, musical performances, dance and sounds that make your arm hair stick out and goosebumps form on your body. Images that relate to you and make you think heavily. My favorite sketch so far is Nuncaland, the concept of Pan (Kevin Alexis Rivera) who’s depicted as a young boy who is gentle and kind yet severely naive. He wants to protect Wendy (Le’Asha Julius, Quincy Vidal) from “The Man.” But she lets homie know, that she doesn’t need his protection, she needs him and all men to be accountable and to learn from each other’s mistakes, so we can fight against the patriarchy and rape culture.

Le’Asha Julius @randomactshbo

Honestly, this show is incredibly important for everyone to watch and its message is profound. It’s exciting to see what they have in store for future episodes and how they continue to push the boundaries. This is the time, especially in television to have the power, to broadcast something to unapologetic and so completely BLACK.

You can find Random Acts of Flyness on HBO, The first season is already finished so let’s hope for that season 2.

@randomactshbo

Dua Saleh: Nūr

Dua Saleh is a Minnesota Native ( born in Sudan) that’s been floating around the Twin Cities music scene for a while now. I had the pleasure of hearing them live a few years ago for a fashion event. They started out in the poetry realm, so music seems to come out of them naturally. Their vocals and quick tongue, are examples of both coming together. I was so excited to hear they were finally dropping their EP, Nūr.

Photography by Izzy Commers// @izzycommers

Nur is produced by Psymun, who’s own music career has been poppin off. Psymun has a way to help show case an artist’s talent. Nur is a great example to this. Nur’s sound is profound. Dua’s vocals are so versatile, from the first track “Sugar Mama” that Dua produced themselves, comes off poppy, quick with her tongue surrounded by a beat that keeps you wanting more. my favorite lyric from the track is “Not used to girls with stringy hair, I like them in a bonnet.”

Warm Pants is another favorite track. The sound immediately drifts you into a movement. Dua’s voice is strong and demanding. “I need you now” The background vocals from Corban (another twin cities artist) collabs perfectly with Dua’s. This track has a electric dance background to it and you get lost into the instrumentals, wrapped in Dua’s vocals. “I need you now”

Photography by Izzy Commers//@izzycommers

Survival featuring another Twin Cities artist, Velvet Negroni is another dreamy, and distinctive track. Velvet Negroni’s vocals are poetically flowing with Dua’s. I love the way it sounds when they say, “Your face too grimy.”

@doitlikedua 

Dua Saleh has recently signed with Against Giants, so I’m personally too excited to see their upcoming projects and more collaboration with more non-binary/ trans artist in Twin Cities. In a past interview Dua shouts out Twin Cities artist Kamilla Love and BooBoo, which put the biggest smile on my face. Something that’s been missing in the Twin Cities music scene is more POC Queer/Non Binary/Trans artist being seen. I’m here for all of it, so make sure you’re on the watch, because these artist are here and they are coming in strong with all the talent but most importantly with their stories and passions to be heard.

A playlist featuring Dua Saleh

Noname : Room 25 Tour

On Friday, January 25th, Noname blessed the stage at First Avenue with opener Elton. Noname ironically is making a big name for herself, with releasing her second album, Room 25 and releasing her newest single, Song 31.  With her almost done with her American Tour and just announcing her World Tour. Noname’s career has been blossoming tremendously. Also, shout out to her on her Jimmy Fallon debut with Smino and Saba, that was super lit.

Photo by Pierre Ware//@bossforthecause

Noname’s sold out show at First Avenue’s main room at first glanced, I thought it was a “Kanye show” if you will, but then walking around and getting a vibe, representation was there.  Noname’s stage presence has grown since I first saw her at 7th Street Entry.  Her confidence is glowing but there is definitely room for improvement. With that being said, the audience was eager for her. She played a good amount of songs from both Room 25 and her first album, Telefone.  I was so excited she started the show with Self, it also being the first track of her album, and one of my favorite songs.  She also played Blaxploitation, Ace, Regal, Window and Montego Bae and classics like Yesterday, Reality Check and Shadow Man.

Photo by Pierre Ware// @bossforthecause

It’s exciting to see a young Black Woman doing what she loves and expanding herself. Noname’s presence on stage, comes off very humble, you can tell she’s still finding her technique and her way when it comes to engaging with her audience. But when you’re a die-hard fan, you get lost in her eyes and smile. Her words wrap around you, and you’re just trying to keep up.  Her flow and talent can’t be unheard. Noname is going places, like she said, “you didn’t think a bitch couldn’t rap, huh?” well y’all, keep up, because homegirl is just getting started.

Princess Nokia: Metallic Butterfly

This is your brain wave reaching the fifth dimension 
This is the metamorphosis of the twenty-second century 
Transmitting a higher frequency for the world to thrive on 
Welcome to Metallic Butterfly, where you are now free 
On this planet, you are now released of all plague, hate, and disease 
You are now one with yourself and the master creator 
It is time that you utilize your greatest potential before it is taken from you forever 

-Dimensia 

@princessnokia

It’s interesting that this is Princess Nokia’s first album from 2014. It's so present and relatable even today in 2019. It just shows how talented she’s always been. Metallic Butterfly is a collection of the fifth dimension. It's full of diverse sounds and techniques. One track can sound like a dreamy futuristic dream and another will bring you back to her ancestors, reminding you of where her power comes from. Not to mention the tracks that remind you she has bars and is from the Bronx, so she’s not afraid to but you in your place, which Princess Nokia is known for. 

Seraphims: this dreamy dance instrumental circles around you. “I am woman, I don’t break. I bend.”  

Young Girls: Listening to this track especially with all the fuckery of R. Kelly and the lack of protection of our young girls of colour. The message here is loud and clear. “Young girls, they need their own respect.” With the sounds of Native singing in the background, it reminds you how sacred our young girls are.  

Bikini Weather/ Corazon en Afrika:  I love the energy to this song. I also love the fact that she has an Afro Latinx/ Caribbean vibe on this album in general because motherfuckers be acting like they forgot we exist. (Yes, we are here!) 

It's amazing to see Princess Nokia evolve throughout her musical career and for it to come full circle with the re-release of Metallic Butterfly.  Every album is like a different side of Princess Nokia, she writes and sings what she feels, what's important for women/femme/poc queer folks and I’m extremely down for it all.  

Ivy Sole: Overgrown

“A sower went out to sow his seed

And as he sowed, some fell in the path and was trampled on

And the birds of the air ate it up

Some fell on the rock and as it grew up it withered for lack of moisture

Some fell among thorns and the thorns grew with it and choked it

Some fell into good soil and when it grew it produced a hundredfold

Find where you can bloom, baby”

-          Ivy’s Mother// Parables

Taylor McLendon or Ivy Sole recently dropped her debut album, Overgrown.  Ivy Sole was raised in Charlotte N.C. but now resides as a twenty-five-year-old Philly rapper. Overgrown is an album full of inspiration, forgiveness of oneself, forgiveness of all the bad that’s ever happen to you and raw accountability.  Ivy’s sound is very distinctive.  Her voice is bold and her songs are like open mic poetry slams.  Her overall sound reminds of artist like Rapsody, Tiffany Gouche and Noname. Artist that don’t apologize for being themselves, and are extremely talented and touch basis on being a Black Women in today’s music industry and scene.  

Some of my favorite tracks of the album include:

Rollercoaster

A lighthearted song that speaks on the ups and downs of love and how it can be hard to navigate if it’s right for you or just a waste of time. Ivy’s voice is smooth on track, giving more alternative 90s R&B vibes.

Backwoods ft. Anyee Wright

The instrumentals in this track goes a litter harder, and Ivy Sole’s sound has more grit to it, showing how universal her sound can be. “My homeys say I made it so I second guess depression/ Cuz I left my city childless/ how I left my city breathless/See Junie had a baby, and/Brandon caught a body/Ivy talking college with a dooby riding shotty/My youngins barely graduate but study Smith and Wesson/And I’m blessed to never have to learn that lesson” Ivy touches on making it out, attending college and making changes for her and her family.

Achilles

Ivy Sole speaks on her skepticism on institutionalized religion, how with the dark events that happen in life have made that even harder too. How when you don’t heal, things can spiral even more, and sometimes the people in your life are only there for certain moments in life to help you heal, to help you learn. “And every person represents your next potential blow/So I/couldn’t let him touch me, couldn’t let her close/Couldn’t say I love you when they needed it most/I’m sorry for the lessons I learned at your expense/And I know it hurts that you can’t see my growth in present tense”

Overgrown

The beats on this track especially caught my attention. Ivy’s voice is smooth and just sounds fresh as fuck, and as a 90’s baby this song is relatable.. I definitely, chuckled at the “Taking chances on my limewire/Gave my laptop rabies/What a time to be alive” line, because that shit was no joke.  The vibes on this song is super chill, her flow is fun and fits perfectly with the theme of the album.

You can find her album, Overgrown on all mainstream music platforms.

A playlist featuring Ivy Sole

RIP MAC MILLER

Can I keep you?

Call me by my name and nothing else.

caress my skin as we lay next to each other.

can you hear my heart skip beats?

how i try to control my breathing around you?

I think to myself, "can this be true"

"is this real"

When i wake up tomorrow

will you still be by my side?

if i asked if i could keep you

would you run away?

they usually run

when they get to know me

i think i get it from my

momma

I Am Just Different

I'm a different kind of woman.

You think you know me, or that you want to know.

But you don't.

Complicated women like me

We don't get those chances.

We don't become princesses.

We don't need no man to save us.

Instead, our independence and control of our sexuality

friegten them.