New Music | Drake - Headlines

Drake has released the first official single off of his upcoming sophomore album, Take Care called Headlines. Honestly, I love it. It's not exactly like the other singles from the album like Marvin's Room or Dreams Money Can Buy, but it still kind of has that smooth feel we get from those two. Headlines is a more upbeat song, but it still has that R&B flow. Drake sure does have a way of getting me excited for his album.

October 24, 2011 - Take Care.

Throwback | The Hits of 2009

Mashup 2009 par DJ Earworm - United State of Pop... by thony911

I love DJ Earworm's mashups! I just thought I'd share this one with you all. I sang every single song 'til the death when they came out. It's hard to believe these songs came out like two years ago. Funny how music can be so timeless. Enjoy!

Stop The Black on Black Crime!

I was scrolling through my tumblr and this is what I saw. Ignorance. I'm ashamed that people of my own kind (black) take part in this war within ourselves - light skin vs. dark skin. I really just don't understand. Black people always want to be the first to say or remind others that we were once a surpressed people, but to turn around and hold yourselves back? It's insane. All skin is beautiful, whether it's dark skin, light skin, white skin, whatever. It's already difficult to be black in America, why add the numbers going against you because your fellow competitor has dark skin and you don't. How does that even make sense? It doesn't, and I'm glad I surround myself with teens that agree with me. The black on black crime is unnecessary nonsense, whether it be just verbal or physical. It needs to stop. We need to move forward.

Okay, if you don't have a StumbleUpon, you are really missing out! I stumbled across this amazing video of this dance group called World Order from Japan that is led by formal martial artist Genki Sudo. I don't speak Japanese so I don't understand the song he's singing, but here's an explanation from Genki.

“The unprecedented disasters unfolding in Japan; earthquakes, tsunami, and nuclear explosions, will somehow change things to come. And to send my message about this, I have expressed it here with WORLD ORDER. These disasters can be interpreted as a turning point for civilization. I think that we have arrived at a time of revolution, shared with all the people of the world, in today’s society, economy, and political systems. Incidents themselves are neutral. I believe that every single one of us, wandering through this deep darkness, can overcome anything, if only we let go of our fear, and face the it all in a positive light. The world is not going to change. Each one of us will change. And if we do, then yes, the world will be changed. It is darkest right before the dawn. Let’s all rise up to welcome the morning that will be so very bright for mankind.

WE ARE ALL ONE”

Amazing.

Fun Stairs!

I was on my new favorite website StumbleUpon today and came across this video. We already know that America's obesity rate is way too high, and this is a fun way to help with that. It would be annoying if every staircase was turned into a piano, but it a cute idea that can go a long way.

Piano Stairs > Escalator.

New Obsession: Jeffery Campbell's Lita

Aren't they just beautiful?! I would love a pair of these. The only issue is, as of right now, I don't really wear heels besides to special dressy events. However, I feel like by the time I'm in college, I will have evolved into that girly-girl that can wear heels for no reason. ^_^ Until then, I will just admire them from my computer screen.

Check It

Everyone who appreciates music should stop and watch this video. Beat boxing is absolutely amazing to me. StumbleUpon led me to this video and I thought I'd share it with you all. Enjoy!

Like I Never Had It At All

Today is just one of those days. All of my thoughts are just blending together in my head, and I can't really verbalize anything I want to say. I'm so focused on saying the right thing and getting everything across clearly, but it won't even leave my brain properly. I'm listening to music and My Last by Big Sean feat. Chris Brown started playing and some parts of my brain started to calm down.

It's the summertime. What am I thinking for?

I'm sitting around focusing on things that I really don't need to bothered with. I'm starting to stress about my junior year even though it's only July. I'm worrying about boys like my love life is headed somewhere fast. I need to just live, because lord knows when things actually get going, I won't have time to just chill and enjoy life. I'm sixteen years old. I'm not perfect, and to be quite honest, I'm not really trying to be. I need to take advantage of the time that I have, because I may not have another day. Nothing is promised. I want to make some mistakes. I want to do something that I never thought I would even do. It's difficult to try and define myself when I don't really have the chance to know what I like or don't like; what I can do, and what I can't.

I know that I need to just go with the flow but for me in particular, it's not that simple. However, when I do get the chance to just roll with the punches, it's great. I just need to get to that comfortable place and stay there. My summer days are getting limited, I need to just LIVE.

Live like I never had it at all.

In All Honesty

It's Sunday, and Deeply Rooted is officially over. As much as I complained about it and barely ever wanted to go, it was one of the best experiences of my life. Going into this program, I wasn't sure what to expect. The very first day, they made us right down three goals we wanted to achieve by the end of the program and on Saturday before the first show of the night, we got this index card back and we could talk about if our goals were relevant.

• More flexibility
• More strength in my hip flexers
• Clean consistant doubles & triples on my left and right foot

As I was looking at my index card, I haven't really achieved anything I wanted to. Being a dancer, these are things that you just have to work on constantly. I've gotten SO much more out of this intensive. Yes, I got the physical aspect like technique, but I also got the mental approach of dance that I've never experienced before. It's also crazy that I can get along with people of all ages from 11 to 25 in such a short period of time. We were walking around Kennedy-King this weekend twerking and singing every single song we knew like we grew up together. It was great to be around dancers who appreciate the art just as much as me and also just accepted everyone just the way they were. I can genuinely say that I loved every single person that did Deeply, even if I didn't really know them. I loved their spirit.

I loved the teachers, and the professional dancers that helped me throughout this process. They didn't care if I was tired or if I didn't want to be there. They worked us into the ground because they wanted to make us stronger and better. They did it because they loved us, even though at the time it seemed like they were out to get us. I love them for it because in the end, that's what I needed.

Deeply Rooted was one of the greatest, if not the greatest, experience of my life. I'm actually sad that it's over. Seriously, the people I've bonded with and the things we've done will always be a big part of me.

Respect

"Dance is life for many of us out here and is nothing to take lightly, and it's personally offensive when people blatantly disrespect our work and our mentors. We're a community that shares our heart and soul with one another, if you can't understand and respect that you need to find a new "hobby". Because it's far more than that for us." - Dorian Rhea


I was just scrolling through my Facebook when I came across this status. Dorian is a really good friend of mine and a really talented dancer. Like myself and a lot of my other friends, dance is something we are seriously dedicated to. It's something that we actually want to do. It's more than just a hobby, it's a passion. He hit right on the head with this status. I'm very serious when it comes to defending my fellow dancers and our art. To hear someone say something rude and inaccurate about what I plan on dedicating my life to, I get offended.


I personally believe that dancers are VERY underrated. For example, in music videos people typically focus on the artist, not the back-up. Of course dancers notice them. Some dancers that I idolize and adore, no one has even heard about them. There's nothing wrong with that, but that's why dancers are so willing to share their talent. Why not have everyone experience what you love?


I totally understand not liking dance and not wanting to have anything to do with it, but please, all I ask is that you respect the art and the hardworking dancers beating themselves into the ground everyday trying to perfect it and amaze the people that ARE interested.

Now Playing | Frank Ocean - Nostalgia.

It's about 100 degrees in Chicago right now. With that being said, I'm cooped up in my nice air conditioned room with my laptop, playing music. I'm still rebuilding my itunes with music I haven't listened to before so I decided to listen to Frank Ocean's mixtape. Now I've heard Frank Ocean before, but I didn't think he was all that special. My view has totally changed since I first played the tape. Something about him is just soothing. The lyrics, his voice, the music, I'm just all.... ^___^ He's really talented, so now I have a reason to be excited about him being in the studio with Hov.

For those who haven't listened to Nostalgia, you should really do so.

Gabriellaaaa!

A$$.

Dance (A$$) - Big Sean


For those of you who enjoy shakin' dat A$$ and making that motherf* hammer time, this is the jam for you. :) *Ahhh, throwback photo. End of 2008? Man, we couldn't get enough of each other. My sisters. <333

Swag?

So, can anybody really define the word for me? It's not really clear. On Facebook, there are so many stupid pages for "Chicago's Finest" or "Chicago's Most Dope" or "Chicago's Bhaddest" some other really dumb shit. When I look at these pages though, it's typically a bunch of nobodies with Jordans, snapbacks, khakis, and jean jackets. Oooh, swag? Nah, I don't think so.

Just because you wear khakis, converse, and dyed the front of your afro blonde while screaming TGOD doesn't mean you have swag. Just because you take ALL of your pictures showing the bottom of the J's that EVERYONE in the city of Chicago got at the same time doesn't mean you have swag. Just because you still rock your fitted doesn't mean that you are a swag-less loser. Who even said that was okay? I don't think swag is getting your belly button pierced and wearing only crop tops and J's with ya legs all pigeon-toed and bowlegged. Swag isn't posing in the mirror with your weave and your polo hat with your acrylics to the camera flipping the bird. Swag isn't buying out the Hollister store. Swag isn't posting pictures of you smoking weed. Swag isn't getting hella pointless tattoos. Doing all these things doesn't mean you have "swag."

Now if you do all that stuff, then shit, do you. I'm not here to tell you to stop. It's just the fact that everyone is following a trend, and wants to be the first motherfucker to call someone out wearing a fitted or some dumb shit. Fuck, let them do them, just like you and 80% of Chicago are on that other shit... that just so happens to be the same shit. If that makes you happy then by all means.

I think swag is the way you carry yourself. The way you do things because you want to. The way you just are. I personally don't think swag is only a materialistic thing. There's reason someone has swag... and it can't just be because they look like the next guy with cargos and a snapback. But hey,

I guess the term is up for interpretation.

Sorry 4 The Wait. Eh, Don't Apologize.

So, recently Lil Wayne released his mixtape Sorry 4 The Wait to apologize for his album The Carter IV being pushed back to releasing in August. I finally found the energy to listen to the entire thing. Now there are mixed reviews about the tape. Some people says it nukes, some people say it's garbage. I personally don't care for it either. I don't think it's his lyrics because we all know how Weezy is, maybe it's the songs he sampled. I'm tired of hearing the originals of the songs he remixed. We can thank the radio for that though.

Then there's Grove St. Party...... this song actually made me mad. Lil Wayne decided to feature Lil B on this track. He's terrible. Seriously, he's awful. He's off beat a majority of the time and it just sounds like he didn't even know they were recording! I was listening to it like
DEAR GOD. WHY?
Weezy, you didn't need to apologize for the wait... really.

Stay Perfect.

I've loved Pink for... a really long time. Her music makes me feel good and this is one of those songs that I needed to listen to. I'm in love with this song and I think if anyone is feeling down, they should listen to this song. Sure no one is "perfect" but there is no need to feel worthless because you're not like the next person. You're the perfect you for someone else. If you like the way you are, you're the perfect you for you.

What else are friends for?

So, like everyone knows, I'm doing this strenuous dance program this summer called Deeply Rooted. Well yesterday I took a well needed break. Lately I've been feeling really stressed, and defeated, and just a mess. I figured getting some fresh air wouldn't hurt and it'd do me more good than sitting in the house all day. So I headed downtown to meet up with a friend of mine. Now, I haven't seen like any of my friends since Deeply started and he's one of the people who I've genuinely missed... a lot. We didn't do anything spectacular seeing as how downtown was super dead yesterday, but now that I think of it... we never really do anything spectacular when we hang out. We always just walk and sit and talk. We did go shopping for his little sister though. :)

Let me just say this now, I like him. He's easy to talk to and just a whole lot of fun. I also get the feeling that he's always looking out for me. Okay well, not always, but a lot. He reads into my actions way more than any of my other friends do, so he's always asking me what's wrong. He's willing to help me out, whether he's being my "doctor" lol, or willing to help me find a job. He's a sweetie pie. That's not something I'm used to getting, from a guy anyway. I appreciate that.

While we were walking yesterday, we walked past this homeless guy who asked him if I was his queen and that if I was, I'm a keeper. Then this other guy, who's an up-and-coming rapper, asked if he could holla at his girl. I didn't know that two people walking together meant they were in a relationship? Then we went and sat in the park, not even on no romantic stuff, even though sitting in the park sounds super corny haha. We were just chillin' on a bench, talking and laughing. Everything with him is just chill, and yesterday, I completely forgot about my emotional breakdown the night before and my feelings and how sad I've been.

It feels good to have a person who can do that for you. I'm glad I got to spend the afternoon with Jade. He gave me what I needed, without even knowing. He's a good friend.



But hopefully by the end of this.... ;)
Lmfao I'm done.

Pac Div.

Personally, I'm tired of listening to the radio music and it's artists. For example, Lil Wayne just dropped Sorry 4 The Wait and I can't even get through the mixtape. It's just giving me a headache... it's annoying. So I decided to listen to some other mixtapes by people who I've never listened to. The first one I listened to was Don't Mention It by Pac Div. I don't know too much about them besides they're a hip-hop trio from Cali. I loved this mixtape, like all of it. I  found out about this mixtape because one of my followers said it was probably one of the most underrated mixtapes out. That's crazy.

Even though I liked all the songs, I'll just post the very first one I heard:
Shine (feat. Marz Lovejoy)

One big happy family.

I'm currently in Wisconsin at Kalahari Resorts for my family reunion. It's only night one, but it's better than I thought it would be.
It's crazy to think about how my older cousins with children used to hang around me when they were my age or, to see my younger cousins grow up on me. It just got me thinking. Family is a lot more important than I give credit for. All of my cousins have gone to college & graduated/are in college. Sure I don't make the biggest deal of this, but where would I be if I didn't have these role models?
Everyone needs a period of time to just get grounded and be with family. It's one of the most soothing things in the world to be able to hang around with your 20 something year old cousins like their 14 again. I love my family. <3

Happy 4th of July!

Okay, so I know it's the 5th now and everything but still... I hope everyone had a great 4th. My mom decided she was going to barbeque a little be for the family but uh, my mom isn't the best barbequer lol. Then I decided it would be a good idea to get my cousin Ana out the house with me so we decided to go to Navy Pier to watch the fireworks. Sure it was a lot of people and it was only 15 minutes long, I thought it was pretty. The way home however was crazy. We had an 11pm curfew but as we were rushing out, Ana ran into her boo and they got to talking. Then she ran into two boys she used to go with, one of them thought Ana and I were dating -___- then the red line moves kind of slow too. So we're waiting on 79th at 10:50pm and some niggas on the other side of the street were popping fireworks IN THE STREET. Then they started shooting rockets into the expressway, then they started shooting them at people. So Ana and I tried to avoid all that nonsense and briskly walk to the next bus stop, THOSE BITCHES SHOT A FIREWORK AT US THAT WAS TOO CLOSE TO HITTING US. From then on, we were tweaking the fuck out. When we got off the bus, someone was shooting fireworks in my neighborhood and they looked like they would hit us. Then we saw that my dad was just now getting home off work so we ran to my house. It was fun though. Sort of.

I've already decided I'm watching fireworks with my boyfriend next year... Lmao.

FCKH8.

So I was just scrolling down my dash on Tumblr and I came across this video. It's pretty damn great actually. I don't discriminate against homosexuals at all. I think all people should have the same rights and the fact the people hate on gays and try to tell them that being gay is wrong ACTUALLY irks me. Especially when it comes to religion. If God is so forgiving etc, how is being gay wrong? If a gay person believes in God, who is anyone else to say that their God won't accept them? Foolishness. I want one of those shirts. Either that or a Legalize Gay shirt from American Apparel. I love gay people.
DON'T H8 THE HOMOS.

If you don't like what you see, CHANGE IT.

I haven't really been blogging because I've been busy with Deeply Rooted and taking care of my body. Last night however, my class sat down with Nikki (the director of the program) for Real Talk Thursdays. Now earlier that day, our ballet class was... well beyond our level. It discouraged some of my fellow dancers because that class was a total bust for pretty much EVERYBODY. Bascially, the class was designed to be a wake up call to show us that we need to go back to basics before we can get to the "fluff" that wow's that audience.

Let me get more general -
You can't let yourself get so caught up in the future and how you want things to be, and never put in the work for it. Sitting and staring at the person next to you do things you want to do won't help you get there. You'd still be sitting there staring at them instead of getting to work on yourself. Nikki has a fabulous quote:
"if you don't like what you see, change it."
Now, at first I was like 0__o really now? But it all makes sense. Honestly, there's no reason for you to not be able to change what you see about yourself if you don't like it. At the same time however, you have to be able to realize that it's not all going to happen at the snap of a finger. You need to make a commitment to yourself to get what you want. In this world, nothing is just given to you. And you can't give up. Why focus on the other person? They're doing what they gotta do to get what they want, so FOCUS ON YOU and do what you gotta do.


Deeply Rooted is going to be an amazing experience for me as a dancer as well as just a teenage girl. Everything happens for a reason, and there's a reason why I ended up doing this intensive. It's currently 1:11am and I'm kind of something like exhausted. So I'll leave you with those words of wisdom.