Thankful for Snoh in the Summer
Work has been doing the most as of late, so this week’s newsletter is super brief. I will be back in full swing next week hopefully, so get prepared for my randomness that I’m for sure will spring some joy into your life.
Here are a few of my recommendations this week of things you should be listening to and reading:
BUTTTTTTTTTTT BEFORE YOU GET THERE, THERE’S A NEW LITTLE BROTHER ALBUM.
If you know me, you know that Little Brother is one of my favorite groups of all time (along with the Isley Brothers). I went to their farewell tour, I used to go to Big Pooh's weekly UStream (I even ran up the stairs and busted my ass this one time) and I'm just ecstatic.
This is how the Beehive feels like when Beyonce releases a new album.
Please note, I'm kind of in the Beehive so I don't know why I used that reference like I don't understand or have never felt this way. Nonetheless, I'M HYPE.
I'll report on it next week but literally, Joyful, joyful, Lord I adore thee.
MUSIC TO LISTEN TO:
I’m literally obsessed with Snoh Aalegra’s new album -Ugh those feels again. This album serves as the follow up to her last project Feels, which I also fan girl-ed over. Snoh is so beautiful and has this great raspy, soulful voice that I'm obsessed with and this album continues my deep love. Snoh breaks down the tracks here, but what I really love about the album is the way it flows. It starts from the beginning of relationships, the coy and uncertainty that sometimes exist, to deeper feelings - love, loss of love and such. This album really flows like a story, and like I mentioned I'm obsessed. I'm pretty sure I'm going to be in my feelings for a long time.
In addition to Snoh, I've been enjoying the Rick Ross album, Port of Miami 2. It serves as a follow-up to his debut album, and I love that it's kind of a sequel but not in the traditional sense. What this project proves is something that has been clear about Rick for years, he's a beast at beat selection. Again, this album makes me want to smoke a cigar, and eat shrimp on a yacht like the fancy lady I am.
*flips hair*
slow flip because I am currently in braids.
I also braided way too many braids so these will be departing me shortly.
Random tangent but in other music news that I've been vibing to lately, BJ The Chicago Kid's new album, 1123 has been in heavy rotation, along with Burna Boy's African Giant and Bas' Spilled Milk. Single wise, I can't stop listening to "No Guidance" by Chris Brown and Drake, and "Actress" from Tori Kelly's new album, Based on True Events.
You know what single I haven't been playing? Meg and Nicki's ode to "Hot Girl Summer" featuring Ty Dolla $ign. I'm not feeling it. Perhaps, I'm really just ready for Cozy Girl Fall because it's not hitting how I hoped. It did, however, hit #1 on the Billboard charts so good for them.
In a somber musical note, my older cousin Greg passed away a few weeks ago. Greg was a great musician who went under the name Ras G, and was just a beautiful, beautiful soul. There have been tons of tributes to him popping around in different places with murals like this and this in his honor. Not to mention, this great article.
THINGS TO WATCH:
Over the weekend, in an attempt to escape the heat and to re-braid my hair, I finally watched the HBO documentary The Defiant Ones about Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine. It’s not new—it’s from 2017 but it’s so interesting. I know most of us know the story about Dr. Dre’s come up, but it was really interesting learning about that and Jimmy’s history as well. I also enjoyed seeing the drama unfold with the infamous Source Awards and the response of Interscope. Also, watching this documentary made me wish I loved the song “California Love.” Yes, I know, I’m doing a disservice to my soil by publically dissing and/or walking off the dance floor to a song that speaks about it but I live in my truth.
THINGS TO READ:
"The world is a turntable that never stops spinning; as humans we merely choose the tracks we want to sit out and the ones the inspire us to dance."
Loved this quote. It's from the book that I just finished reading, With the fire on high by Elizabeth Acevedo. I definitely recommend this book - it was an easy and light read. It's also being adapted into a movie I heard and it would be an interesting movie. In other reading news, here are a few articles that I read during my hiatus.
Lastly, please give the gift of love and share this newsletter with your friends.