Not Your Average Marvel Movie: My Reaction to Black Panther

Let it be know that on a hot, sunny afternoon in Houston, TX, I took a trip to Wakanda and didn't want to leave. Yes, I got to see Black Panther in theaters, and I will go see it again. Why? Let me jump into it.

First and foremost, BP is packed with a lot. Various themes and nuances that kept audiences captivated. What gripped me the most was the family dynamic. There's quite a few things going on between parents, siblings and cousins, much more than I've ever seen in a superhero movie. And all for the love of country.

Secondly, this may be the first time ever that a black people group is dwelling ahead of the rest of the world instead of behind. We may be seeing this in 2018, but the country of Wakanda was designed decades ago, which is refreshing to know. Preconceived notions are blasted away, and present dreams of the diaspora today are fully realized.

Third, current colloquialisms are a thing of the past to Wakandans, which gave us moments of comic relief when so much imagery and symbolism was displayed within a two-hour period.

Lastly, there is a call to action from within. Unlike many African countries today, the leader of Wakanda now has a choice of what to do with their most prized resource: vibrainium. Instead of being plundered by colonizers, they strategized and concealed themselves before being found out. It makes me wonder if other nations had a chance, would they have done the same.

Those are the main themes I picked up from the BP. I do plan on seeing it again so I can further unpack and share with the world. If you didn't get a chance to see it this past weekend, GO! You will not regret it.

The Ultimate Denial

So.

The Grammy's have come and gone, and once again, the hip hop world is disappointed by its own peers. In a sad surprise, Bruno Mars swept every single big award last night, with Album of the Year sealing the nail in the coffin. Even in his acceptance speech, the music from the music industry was clear.

They are denying the power of hip hop.

Don't get me wrong. I absolutely love 24K Magic. That album has great hits from beginning to end, and it was a drastic stray away from Bruno's typical pop sound. However, two more albums came out that revolutionized the very sound of hip hop: Jay-Z's 4:44 and Kendrick Lamar's DAMN. Both albums received critic acclaim, successful tours, and many people talking beyond the music.

Personally, I believe DAMN. should have gotten the top honor, and so it makes me really wonder about the movers and shakers of the music industry. In the almost 40 year history since the release of "Rappers Delight", there has been a slow acceptance of hip hop and rap into the mainstream world. Sure, there are listeners of all colors, backgrounds, and countries, but the recognition of such reach has been severely delayed. The rap category was not introduced until 1995, leaving the founders and pioneers of hip hop completely left in the dark. However, there has been progress.

In a very rare occasion, two rap albums were nominated for Album of the Year, which speaks volumes, but when will the music industry accept that hip hop and rap is here to stay? Evolving rappers are basically banging on the front door, and yet they are still denied access. Bruno's sound, which sounds heavily like the r&b of the early 90's, was accepted before the raw, honest, quintessential rap of today. What kind of message is that?

If I could, I would apply to be a member of the Recording Academy, but I only write about music as opposed to making it. I can only hope that the group of voters increase, and as the newer generations of recording artists and professionals make their voices known, that hip hop and rap can no longer be denied as a powerful musical force in this world.

My 2018 Grammy Hopefuls

The Grammy's are tomorrow!

I gotta be honest. 2017 was a really good year in music. I say this as a music lover a whole different era: the late 80's-early 90's R&B and Hip Hop. But, oh, the music of 2017 had me listening to new music and the radio every chance I could get. Here's who I hope gets those little gramophones tomorrow night.

Record of the Year - this category is actually very hard this year. For once, I have listened to all of the nominations and enjoyed them all for different reasons. "24K Magic" is my jam, and "Redbone" sometimes has me in my feelings, but "HUMBLE" should take it all. Beat is sickening, lyrics are flame emojis, and everyone knows this part: "My left stroke just went viral!"

Album of the Year - There aren't too many albums that I can listen to from beginning to end, and honestly that's what I did to 24K Magic. However, DAMN. was so damn good. You have to really listen and let his words digest in your soul. Also, I don't have Tidal. How you gonna do me like that, Jay-Z?

Song of the Year - I'm going to be a little simpler here. My 2 year-old cousin loves "That's What I Like." Nuff said.

Best New Artist - Hands down, SZA came through with her smooth, challenging sound made her more of a sensation than I thought. I thought all of the quirky girls loved her, but oh no. Everyone does. She has this in the bag.

Best R&B Performance - this is a hard category for me because I love R&B more than anything else. "Get You" became a new wedding song for Millennials, but "The Weekend"? Simply put, it's relate-able. SZA explores the myriad of thoughts and emotions that people have when in that type of situation. No matter where the universal moral compass is steered, her experience was made into art.

Best R&B Song - Another hard category because all of the songs are great, but "Supermodel" kinda hits you in the gut. I love a powerful female voice, and she fearlessly expresses all of those girly emotions that we feel sometimes. Raw, uncut, and strong.

Best Rap Performance - Several of these songs I can easily bump to, but the top dog? "HUMBLE." Also, see Record of the Year. Side note: the music video is bananas.

Best Rap/Sung Performance - I know people are more than likely fawning over Family Feud by the Carters, but two other songs grabbed my attention: "LOYALTY" and "Love Galore." Both heavy-hitting songs. "LOYALTY" I think should get it. If nothing else, Rihanna was done dirty last year after putting out such a good album, ANTI.

Best Rap Song - For a good while, I really didn't know who Cardi B was, and that was during her reality TV days. "Bodak Yellow" was her official introduction. She's one of the songwriters, and some of her lyrics are her life. She really doesn't dance anymore. Them two mixtapes released in six months? You can find them on Spotify. The mixing and mastering of this song does not follow the normal flow of a song, and she only has two verses. This woman earned the Grammy for this one.

Best Rap Album - Look, I don't have Tidal, and I haven't been convinced to really so otherwise, I would possibly listened to 4:44 if given the chance. Besides all that, I hope Kendrick wins for DAMN. It was easier to digest for the average music listener, and he came even harder in his lyricism and overall theme.

Those are all of my hopefuls. Only five or so will be televised live tomorrow night, but the big categories are saturated with urban music selections, so we're in for a very good show. Do you have any hopefuls? Let me know in the comments!

She's Judging You, Houston

As a bookworm at heart, I ironically have not met many authors or attended a reading at a local bookstore. When I found out that the Houston Museum of African American Culture was bringing New York Times bestselling author Luvvie Ajayi, I jumped at the opportunity to see her. I had known about her off and on for the last few years, but she mainly caught my attention when her book came out last fall. Her first book, I’m Judging You: The Do-Better Manual, is loosely based on posts on her popular blog, Awesomely Luvvie. She covers a myriad of topics in her book, including how to better handle pop culture, social issues, and technology and social media practices. Her humor was more than enough to convince me to buy a ticket.

 A few days prior to the event, HMAAC had sold so many tickets that they had to change the venue. Originally, it was going to take place at the museum, but instead, they booked the Shrine of the Black Madonna, in South Union. By the day of the event, the countless emails and notifications were heard loud and clear as hundreds of people, majority black women, made their way to the Shrine. Inside the sanctuary, there was an alternative religious feel, almost glorifying the black American experience than any majorly accepted deity.

After a slight delay, Luvvie appeared quietly. Everyone could see her, but there was a breath of silence before the audience round up their applause. I wanted to give a shout of excitement, given her level celebrity, but I decided to blend in with the crowd. Luvvie wasted no time getting into her lecture. She was pleasantly surprised at our warm response, and was thankful that we came to hear her speak.

Though she had a full experience of moving to the States at age 9 from Nigeria, her story started in college, when she was going to school in Chicago. Like most Nigerian kids, she was culturally convinced to pursue a medical profession. It wasn’t until she was in graduate school that she strayed far away from her parents' wishes, considering a career in writing. In her early years, she unknowingly gained traction on her blog, and by the early 2010s, she was gathering attention from Oprah and Shonda Rhimes and landing a major book deal.

The audience was completely captivated by her story, gaining inspiration with each risky step she took. The lecture had the air of a Baptist church service. Anytime she mentioned something that resonated with audience, mms and applause followed, along with hearty laughter at the realities of life. Her authenticity and openness was so relatable to the audience, many of us going through the same things as young, educated black women.

By the end of the lecture, we gave Luvvie a rousing round of applause, hearts filled with great hope that we all are doing great things if we take a couple of risks and a couple of leaps of faith.

Luvvie and I!

To Nigeria, With Love

Greenway Plaza is somewhat like a maze. The fact that a megachurch is part of the area is of no help, either. After I had to navigate myself through the nearby Saturday evening church crowd, I made my way to the Doubletree Hilton. As I took the escalator up from the parking garage, finely dressed melanated people came into view. I had made it to the Nigerian American Multicultural Council’s 6th annual Gala and Awards Show just in time for cocktail hour.

The gala and awards show highlighted the accomplishments the non-profit organization has made in the past year, as well as honored prominent members of the Nigerian community making a notable difference. Having just found out about the event the week before, I was thrilled to join and take a deeper look into an organization I had also found out about the same day. Gala guests donned a mix of formal and traditional Nigerian attire, with its dazzling designs, bright colors, intricate details, and even some sparkle. Local artists and a few other vendors were able to showcase their artwork, offering some up for sale.

My ensemble for the evening.

The theme of this year’s gala: Building Unity. The meaning was twofold, as one could interpret building stronger connections within the Nigerian community, and also, they are raising funds for a brand-new multicultural center, the first of its kind. There is a related predecessor, the Igbo Catholic Community center in southwest Houston. NAMC, however, is focused more on unifying all Nigerians, no matter what tribe. Such a building would be so fitting in Houston, given the overwhelmingly large Nigerian population, the most of any city in the U.S. outside of New York City.

I was beyond excited to discover that the host of the evening was a woman of new celebrity. Nigerian-born actress Yvonne Orji is most famous for her role on the HBO series Insecure, a show that virtually took off instantly. I admire her as an actress and as a woman in real life, so I was looking forward to possibly meeting her.

Ms. Orji and I #instagramfilter

Nigerian jollof rice. Yum.

Nigeria is pretty dense with different groups of people.

I am what you would consider an honorary Nigerian. Since one of my best friends is a first-generation Nigerian-American, I have learned quite a bit about the overall culture and sub-cultures for the last decade. When Yvonne made a cultural joke about the struggles of being a single woman with anxious parents, I was able to understand and laugh about it with everyone else. One highlight of the gala, besides being served Nigerian jollof rice, was the slide show running throughout the dinner, showing the different tribes Nigeria is comprised of. I was so delighted to learn even more about this densely cultural country in west Africa.

The honorees ranged from the founder of Glazed Doughnuts, a doctor who conducted a successful fetal surgery, and Ms. Orji herself, for representing her home country in everything she does. Her acceptance speech was what pulled everything together for me. It’s no secret that the American Dream is the dream of many immigrants that grace our shores. While many people are away from their homeland, that homeland is never far from the heart. According to Yvonne, what keeps her going is “the love of God and country.” I was touched by how Nigerians constantly support each and keep their culture alive and well within another country. My ancestors did not get the chance to pass language, food, and family values down from generation to generation, so I have a deeper appreciation for a people, some away from many loved ones, striving and thriving for the people and country they represent and love so much.

If you would like to learn more about the Nigerian American Multicultural Council, you can visit them online at namchouston.org.  

Here Everything's Better in Bellaire

One of the more exciting local news stories I caught this year was the coming of a new HEB in the city of Bellaire. For those who do not know, Bellaire is literally inside of Houston. Yes, I am a fan of the almighty HEB. The prices are reasonable, its always a positive shopping experience, and depending on the location, there's free samples on Sundays.

Anywho, I work in Bellaire, so I shop there from time to time. And it's a nice enough stuff, but it's under an old model, and some key parts of the newer model are not present, like a pharmacy. I guess that's why they decided to start from scratch and build a brand-new HEB with two floors, probably set to open in 2018. It will be the second store of its kind in the state, and given the surrounding area, Bellaire deserves a shiny new store, in my opinion.

In order to bring this double-decker monster to town, however, the current store and the adjacent businesses would have to be moved somehow so that the entire small shopping building can be demolished. But where would the businesses go, I wondered a few months back. Most of the businesses are small neighborhood places frequented by residents pretty often. Then, one by one one, I started noticing the businesses moving to nearby spaces in the area. First was Jimmy Johns, then the cleaners. Before I knew it, the liquor store not moved but was able to expand and sell wine. Win!

Today, I was happy to discover that the two remaining businesses, Thai Cottage and a nail salon, had found new homes and will be there in the new year. I was legitimately concerned about these businesses getting kicked out of their spaces, spaces that had been occupied for years and years. The newest HEB was built at the expense of demolishing an entire apartment complex. Where did those families go? I now would imagine they were given ample to find new homes, just as these Bellaire gems did.

I also got word today that the demolition was pushed back some six or seven months. The reason as to why doesn't matter at this point I guess. What matters is the fact the city of Bellaire will be able to keep the peace and harmony going....until all of the noise starts.

The Timeliness of a Blessing

One thing I've learned in my time as a barista is that the world is watching, so govern yourself accordingly. Sometimes, I forget this little tidbit because a random customer's rudeness has irked me at astronomical levels. For the most part, though, I am as sweet as they come, and sometimes I go out of my way to make their trip to Starbucks a little easier. Today I got an unexpected surprise blessing that made me feel wise.

If you're not familiar with Mobile Order & Pay, you can basically order your drink on the app, and ideally it'll be ready by the time you get to the store. It's much easier to achieve by midday. This particular young lady was not the most courteous. I acknowledged her while I was making another drink, but I observed as she just gathered her drink and headed outside without a thank you. The lack of a thank you irked me a little, but I let it go. 

A couple of minutes later, another Mobile Order came in with her name on it. She was in the car, which I could see from outside our large windows, so in true barista fashion, I went the extra mile. I made the drink and took in out to her, since it's an easy drink, and I didn't want her wondering. It's amazing when you decide to be kind to someone who may not been the kindest to you.

When I took the drink out to the young lady, I was pleasantly surprised to see that her mom was a regular, and not only that, but a regular I like to greet when she arrives. Without thinking that I knew where the drink was going to, she was so touched that I even bared the cold to brink it to them. The mom was so touched that she gave me special tip. I was humbled and I thanked her.

What I she didn't know was that I had wanted to put a little gas in my mom's car, and I had left my money at home. Though it wasn't a super dire need, I was able to carry out my plan for the day, and that is a blessing. It's a beautiful thing when you do something nice for someone, even something beyond the norm, and they feel compelled to bless you in return. My heart is happy to know that my simple act spoke volumes. 

Even in 2016, acts of kindness are very powerful.