The Blog

At the end of the sixties, the world found itself recovering from political and social turmoil - the Biafran Civil War was coming on to two years, as well as the death of Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., the Cuban Missile Crisis and the failed invasion of the Bay of Pigs. Morale was low, and the dawn of the new decade seemed rife with questions about what the future might bring, if anything good.

In came The 5th Dimension, a music group starring Lamonte McLemore, Marilyn McCoo, Florence Larue, Ronald Townson, and Billy Davis Jr., a collective of college friends and accomplished artists in their own right, who came together as a musical group in the early 1960s.Their song “Age of Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In” was one of Billboards’ tops songs at the end of the sixties, in part due to the fact that it was incorporated into the musical “Hair”, but also because it symbolized the dawn of a new age - not only astrologically, but socially, politically, and culturally.  

Astrologically, Aquarius is the eleventh sign of the zodiac. Considered self-reliant, clever, and optimistic, Aquarians also rule innovation and technology as well as public welfare, and a desire to educate and inform for the greater good. When ushering in an age for a new astrological season, it is implied that the themes associated with that sign are themes we can expect to see in the upcoming duration of time. Even though astrologers argue that this song was metaphorical, considering the age of aquarius is a two-thousand year period that began long before 1969, the message still held true for the upcoming decade in the seventies, a period of time that saw a lot of advancements, coincidentally, in space travel, education, and free thinking.

“Harmony and understanding/sympathy and trust abounding/no more falsehoods or derisions/golden living dreams of visions”. These lyrics are significant because they highlight the collective transitions people in society were trying to make in the midst of political and social upheaval, whether in Nigeria, Vietnam, Cuba, or the United States. The song was a message for others to look outside of themselves and forge a sense of common compassion in the struggle of others.

This held true into the first few years of the seventies; the gay rights and women’s rights movements were picking up speed with social disparities in the United States under a social microscope as injustice globally was also being called out and bringing people to rally. These movements, however, competed with the Watergate scandal, as President Nixon and members of his cabinet were standing trial for a multitude of political crimes. It can be said that the “age of Aquarius” was coming in full force with a heightened emphasis on public welfare and education as to the rights of citizens and society implementing its ability to mobilize.

Innovations were also made in regards to science and technology - the first Magnetic Resonance Imaging Machine was tested in 1977, and the first blockbuster movie - Jaws - was released in theathers, a fantastical story about a man-eating shark that terrorizes the East coast of the United States. Whether it was the influence of Aquarius or the urge for greater knowledge and a general sense of unrest, there was a push to explore the limits of the world, literally and figuratively. It was becoming understood that the realm of imagination could spread into the confines of the tangible world, and thus created a push for advancements in all areas.

However, The 5th Dimension had different ideas when it came to the advancement of their group - Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. left the group in 1975 after getting married to pursue projects of their own, leaving the remaining trio to find new members while still releasing songs. However, being signed to Motown, their songs were sometimes passed to other artists (a la LaRue’s “Love Hangover” being given to Diana ross) and they were subsequently uncharted. McCoo and Davis Jr. found success with their solo and collaborative projects, and the group reunited briefly in 1990 and 1991, with those being the last years the original quintuplet performed as a group. While some might see The 5th Dimension as a one hit wonder, the journey of their group further symbolizes the influence of the Age of Aquarius on them as a collective - the freedom to explore and understand their dynamic, while still adjusting and adapting parts of it to be better suited to their individual lifestyles and ambitions as performers. There was freedom to grow as well as an innovative spirit in allowing themselves to move forward musically in the directions they felt best suited in, individually and collectively.

Rushing from work to catch the back end of a show at Sounds of Brazil was a new experience for me. After bargaining with a scalper to sell me heavily discounted (possibly counterfeit) tickets, I find myself standing against a sea of bodies, all raptured by the stocky, energetic man on the stage. He was sweating profusely, rapping, in French, to a beat that seemed to pulse not only from the speakers, but the walls as well.

If you were to see the crowd inside of SOBs, dawning colorful outfits and eye-catching hairstyles, nothing would tell you that it was a damp, cold evening outside in the lower west side. But they were here for one unified purpose - Naza.

The twenty-something year old afrobeats artist from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Naza is a breakthrough artist over the last few years, finding a solid fanbase in the francophone community. With his last three studio albums - Benef, Incroyable, and C’est La Loi - topping international lists, he soon began to gain popularity with French and English speakers alike.

His most recent song, “Cristina”, released on YouTube and other streaming platforms a little over a week ago, and still the crowd sang along, bar for bar (in French as well, much to the satisfaction of Naza himself).

Hikaru Utada’s First Love is a dance and r&b blend - one of the first of its kind, considering it is the most notable Japanese pop album of the nineties, and blends Western sounds with the often compounded Japanese vocals.

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Hikaru Utada is a Japanese-American pop artist, who broke records as being one of the first Asian female artists to gain international recognition in the Western music scene. One of the most revered artists in Japanese pop, Utada’s second album, First Love, debuted in 1999 as her first Japanese language album.

The album incorporates traditional r&b, dance, and soul elements, on tracks like “Automatic”, “In My Room”, and “Movin’ On Without You”. Poppy synths and Utada’s longing vocal range somehow make the tracks, while not in English, vaguely nostalgic. Maybe it’s because there are elements of the tracks that resemble Black classic 90s bands (SWV and TLC, looking at you), or because the themes of love and loss are so universal, they transcend the barriers of language.

The album garnered mix reviews on Japanese message boards, with some people calling the album “generic” due to the similarities to the American r&b and the types of pop coming out at the time, while others tout Utada for her production abilities, especially at such a young age (being only 16 when First Love was released).

The most notable tracks on the album include “Movin On Without You”, a dance house staple and most impressive due to the fact that Utada wrote and produced the entire song on her own. With a combination of synths, a repetitive piano riff, and her powerful vocals, it has been featured on chart lists as one of the most notable international dance songs of the 90s, and “Give Me a Reason”, a notable deep-cut ballad that starts slow, but overtakes the listener using deep drums that introduce a monolithic sound to what is otherwise a lighthearted love ballad.

Segen Assefa: Ok, well first of all, thank you for agreeing to talk to me - I know you’re very booked and busy but I thought it was a cool opportunity so I took advantage of it. But, to give you a long story short, I’m working on a piece right now about Black DJs and house music. I feel like the current resurgence has been very, very white focused, so I’m trying to talk to more, like, people of color in that space, and I know the event [held on 09/16] was very rap focused, but I’m probably just going to talk to you a bit more about the house aspect of what you do if that’s alright?

Mike Nash (DJ Mike Nasty): “Yeah that’s cool, that’s like my focus - I’m a house artist [static] I just do the hip-hop part to pay the bills.”

SA: [laughs] Yeah, I mean, I heard you mentioning during the set that you were representing Memphis, so are you from Memphis originally?

MN: Yeah, born and raised in Memphis [for] the first seventeen years of my life, went to college at the University of Tennessee, moved to Atlanta after I graduated, was in Atlanta for three years, and I’ve been in New York since 2017.

SA: That’s a while…damn. Is there a lot of crossover between the Memphis music scene and house music or is it something that you had to actively find yourself seeking out and getting into?

MN: I’d have to say growing up in Memphis, I never really knew about a house scene. I know now, with it being 2023, there are young artists in Memphis trying to curate house events, but growing up I never really knew or saw anything through the lens of my hometown. I started getting into house music when I moved away to Knoxville for school. You’re around other cultures from other cities and countries, and we were just sharing music and finding out about other artists - even outside of house; like, I really got into psychedelic rock bands, and things like that. I went to college in ‘09 - so that was when the EDM wave was kind of growing - like trap music, hip-hop mixed with dance music, and Disclosure was kind of bubbling and doing their thing, and that just kind of opened my eyes to it. Then, when I moved to Atlanta, I started incorporating house music a little bit more in my open format parties but I wasn’t really able to throw a house music party until I moved to new york - there’s just more people into it up here.

SA: Yeah - and I’ve never been to Tennessee - is it diverse for the most part? Mostly Black? Mostly white?

MN: It’s really just Black and white. There are Mexican neighborhoods, a few smaller Asian populations [in Tennessee]. Atlanta is a little bit more diverse; there’s a huge Korean population there, but for the most part, the south is kind of just Black and white. I don’t see as many, you know, Dominicans, and Puerto Ricans, and people from France and all of that. Everyone is in New York.

SA: Yeah, no, New York is very interesting, to say the least. So I guess you moving here, was that to continue music or was there a separate decision that pushed you out here?

MN: I moved solely for music. I felt like I wasn’t growing anymore as a DJ in Atlanta. I had a conversation with somebody and they convinced me to come up here for a business trip for a month. The third week I was here, I just felt so good. I felt like this is the place I needed to be - with like minded individuals pushing the culture forward and creating the culture first, in terms of the type of music I like. so I made the move. Best decision of my life, really.

SA: I watched one of your other interviews and you mentioned that you moved to Brooklyn and just stayed in Brooklyn. Was there a particular reason that you didn’t go out to the other boroughs, or you just felt that Brooklyn was it, that it was you.

MN: I DJ a lot in Brooklyn, so it just made the most sense. WhenI first got here, I stayed with a homie in Bushwick and it was the first neighborhood I was exposed to. I live in Bedstuy now and this is my favorite neighborhood - I like the food culture, the Black culture, the Black history - like the Black Panthers were out here doing their thing back in the day. It’s one of the few Black neighborhoods really left. I see people from the African diaspora that have shops on Fulton street where I can go get African black soap and other things to cleanse my body - things I didn’t know about growing up in the south because we were just using skincare products and hair products from Walmart and that stuff really isn’t good for you. Just the African culture here, the Caribbean culture here, I gravitate towards it.

SA: When I see house or techno events, they’re all centered in Brooklyn, so what were your experiences first getting here and going to those kinds of events and seeing the difference between what it was in like Tennessee or Atlanta - whether it’s the demographic or the kind of things people were gravitating towards?

MN: It's crazy because everything is so white, you know? You’d see a few Black people, but it was still few and far between. I remember going to events like Tiki Disco which Eli Escobar throws or Le Bain, which is in Manhattan, and just seeing a lot of white people. The music was good, but I still haven’t found a space where Black people can hear house music outside of my own parties. I want to throw my parties more, and I want it to be monthly, but you know it’s hard to get these house music venues because they’re not really booking Black parties. They’ll book Black people but it’s their token Black people that are the few they let in there, and those Black people get in those spaces and they’re not really tryna let you in; they just bring in their friends. So, if you’re not a part of these communities or these cliques, it’s even harder. [...] And it’s really bad out in LA. The people I talk to there say there’s not really a house scene out in LA for Black people. I feel like that’s my lane, and that’s like my mission. I already throw Black parties so just like why not throw them with a different genre of music.

SA: I was looking on your instagram and saw the page for the Jumpin’ and Thumpin’ events that you throw and it looks super cool. But I was looking at the pictures and thinking like “Where are…the niggas?” Like, where are the Black people? Have you noticed when you throw house or techno events versus things that are more rap/hip-hop/r&b focused, what’s the response that you get from these venues, or even people that want to attend?

MN: So it depends on the venue. More venues do cater to their regular crowds, so when I do throw a party at Elsewhere, it would be 50-75% white because that’s their audience and their ticket prices are extremely high - higher than what I would charge for my own parties. A lot of Black people hit me up and they don’t really wanna come and pay +$30 to go to the party - they wanna support it but they just can't afford it. We’re in a recession, we’re coming off the back of a pandemic, but when I’ve thrown my parties in other spaces, when I first started, in other venues, it would be like 85% Black people. It also depends on the neighborhood, but there aren’t really house music venues in Bedstuy or other places where I can have more Black people come out - you gotta go to Bushwick or Manhattan, which are areas where Black people don’t really congregate. That’s been the battle right now. I have a lot of Black people that wanna come to it [Jumpin’ and Thumpin’] but I have to get the venue and the deal structure that would allow me to have a certain price point that people would feel like paying.

SA: I feel like nowadays, as a black person, when you say “I’m a DJ”, you expect to hear a lot of trap, or hip-hop, or even dancehall mashups, and now more and more black people are getting back into house and techno, but still not as heavily as white people. Do you feel when talking to other DJs or other creatives - specifically those that don’t do as much work with the same music you do - that you get weird responses about being a black person that’s so invested in house and techno?

MN: I feel like if anything, I'm inspiring a lot of people to venture into house music. I see more and more people dropping house mixes or attempting to throw house parties. I won’t say they're the most authentic but it is a step for the culture. And I feel like people respect me for what I do - I'm literally a one of a kind DJ in america. I don’t see many other DJs doing what I'm doing at this high of a level; being a house music artist, throwing house events, but can still sell out Brooklyn Ball and have 900 people singing to a Future song. I don’t see anybody like me and that’s why I feel like my movement is so special and so powerful. To be this eclectic and this well rounded as a DJ is just amazing. I’m not too concerned about the [other] DJs; there’s a lot of them that hit me up and want to spin the house but I'm more concerned about the crowd and getting more black people to come to these parties.

There is a scene of Black people that are into house music in Brooklyn but they only party at these specific venues that don’t book a lot of Black DJs, and that’s just kind of their scene, that’s what they’re into and I understand that. So I’m at the point where I’m spoon-feeding people, trying to pull people from those audiences like “I get - y’all love this scene, but there's something new for us that’s growing and y’all gotta be more open minded to other DJs”.

I feel like the fact that I spin hip-hop keeps people from attending my parties because it’s more like “Oh, is he a poser?”. I’ve had someone come to one of my parties and say they had to come see me spin house because they’ve only seen me spin hip-hop and they wanted to see if i could do it. There’s a lot of people stuck in their head; they go based off of social media and think that they know you.

The thing is, I don’t even listen to hip-hop like that - I’m listening to jazz, funk, soul, house like 90% of the day, but people don’t realize that DJing is a job, so if hip-hop is going to pay me well, then I’m going to continue to do it. And we all come from hip-hop; people get older and try to branch away from hip-hop and be like “Oh I only listen to house and techno” like yeah…but you didn’t come up that way. When you’re in a Black household, you’re listening to hip-hop, disco, oldies, all of that. It’s a process but I think with Beyonce and Drake, and all these other artists getting into it [house], it helps introduce people to Mike Nasty as an artist. I remember when their albums dropped [Beyonce and Drake] and people were tweeting me like “You’ve been on this bro”.

SA: Before I get into the other questions, out of the blue, what was your opinion on Drake’s album? I’m not going to get into Beyonce, but I know a lot of people - when it first came out - were very much like “what is this?” So, what was your opinion in terms of introducing house music to a more unconventional crowd?

MN: I would say it's more mainstream house. I know of the producers that worked on that project and some of them are legit house producers, or people that are into tech house and things like that, but I'd say that was more for a white audience. The music is still going to go and get played in more mainstream venues and events. It’s not bad music, it's just not my style - I'm more into deep, soulful house. And that’s another thing - everyone hears one kind of music and says “Oh, that’s house” or “Oh, that’s EDM” but those are umbrella terms. There are so many genres; I've sent charts to my friends that break down the history of house music and what it is. You got tech house, minimal, techno, ghetto tech, deep house, classic house, jackin house; there are so many different types of house and each pocket, each lane has millions of fans that like those types of music. The internet is not that old, and it’s still a young thing, and now music is so accessible, but people are so conditioned to want one style of music. So now they hear one thing and classify it under one umbrella term.

SA: When it comes to Black people and house music, do you think it’s kind of the same thing that white people do when it comes to rap? There’s not that deeper knowledge or appreciation or do you think it’s something else entirely?

MN: I’m not going to say that because I would say that white people understand rap - I say that after going to a PWI and being in these spaces. I know white country boys from the backwoods of Tennessee that listen to Young Dolph and know more of his lyrics than I do. It’s just that hip-hop is not as complex in terms of subgenres. In hip-hop, you have New Orleans bounce, Florida has its own sound, Tennessee got a sound, Texas got a sound, you know what I'm saying? It's more based on your region. But with house music, it’s really global. You got jungle music, drum and bass, garage; that's like its own thing; that was a movement. There's so many other sub genres that are based on other countries. We created house in America, but like the UK, they did some whole other stuff with it. That's why they're able to have a BBC Radio station where you can listen to house music 24 hours a day. We don't really have that here. We got Sirius XM, but who listens to satellite radio? You know, mainstream radio only plays mainstream music in America. It's about what we are fed.

SA: Yeah, I feel like it's also definitely how we're fed it too. I feel like the way that a lot of people process music and take it in, there's not a lot of space for people to do their own individual exploration if they're not being pushed to like, look for something different.

MN: And that's why I feel like I'm so important. I have mainstream fans that listen to the City Girls, and Megan the Stallion, and even Kaytranada. I won't classify what he does as house music, I'll just call it dance music. But there are his regular fans that call his music house and it brings more people, to people like me that have a more refined sound.

SA: House music was created in America, but I feel like there was a drop off at some point, especially for Black people. Why do you think that was? How do you think white people - even just non-Black people were able to co-opt house music so easily? And most importantly, why do you feel like there's a resurgence of Black DJs and Black artists trying to come and take it back?

MN: It’s just crazy because I’ve been talking to so many people about this. I've been talking to OGs that are in their 40s, and they were saying that hip-hop and house used to get played in the same parties in New York City. And then there was like, when hip hop started getting more like gangsta rap-ish and violent, and then there was just this separation - house music went this way, hip hop went that way, and the stigma around hip-hop became negative. Meanwhile, house was still rising in places like the UK. As Black people, we create music, but the fact that we're creators and like, you know, the originators of so many things, we're just constantly going ahead - we just keep moving ahead, moving ahead. I also I feel like with house starting in the gay community and the stigma Black people have historically were part of the seperation. House stayed underground, you know, but there were historically popular house records that were on mainstream 80s and 90s radio. I think music in America is constantly evolving. Like Europe and Australia, they still dig for vinyl; I was in London, I went to a record store and there’s still a record digging culture over there. There's a resurgence now - I see more young people getting into vinyl, but like, it never stopped over there. You know what I'm saying?

SA: Yeah, I guess it's just a different method of looking for things as opposed to just going and based solely off of what's on the internet and stuff. Right?

MN: Yeah, I will say it's a cultural thing. I don't want to generalize but I feel like a lot of Americans don't appreciate older music. Like I've seen somebody say something online about my DJ sets like, “Oh, he played 90s and 2000s stuff.” and it's like bro, I was born in ‘91 - this is good music! Why can't we listen to Michael Jackson or Earth, Wind, and Fire in this party? Why is it seen as old music? Overseas, people appreciate good music but in a lot of mainstream [American] culture, we just don't. It's like bro, this is classic music.

SA: No, I get what you're saying. Also crazy that you bring up Earth, Wind, and Fire because it is September 21st. Are there elements that you feel like you try to incorporate into your sets or into the music that you make that you think that other artists don't?

MN: I'm really just into melodic jazz and soul music infused warehouse. And minimal vocals - just good, deep house - like that's just my thing. Everything right now is like the disco - everybody doing happy disco. You know, the Black lady singing on the record, like that's very popular. Really popular with white people. But I feel like there's underground culture that appreciates instrumental music. People would be like “Oh, your record doesn't have enough vocals, or any vocals on it”  and I'm like, I got my own lane, you know, it’s like classical music. People not singing over classical music - it’s just good music.

SA: Do you think people give that kind of credit to classical music - again - because it is very white dominated? Or do you think it's something else entirely?

MN: I don't know. I've heard a lot of things they try to debunk, like Beethoven was actually Black and all that stuff. I don't know. I can't really say; I got to do the deeper research on that. But I will say I grew up listening to classical music. My mom used to play it for us. You know, they say it makes you smarter, so. And I grew up playing saxophone, so like, that's cool. I started in sixth grade and played all the way till I was in 12th grade. I still have a saxophone, I can pick it up and play to this day. I've been trained in classical music and now, I'm taking jazz piano lessons. Those are some of the dopest music, art forms - jazz and classical music are like the most intricate. People have to compose this stuff and write music for an entire orchestra - that is that is the highest level of expertise in music. I just have an appreciation for it. So it's like, why not have the same mindset with your own music?

SA: I don't know if this is strange, but I feel like I've never met anyone that actually plays the saxophone in real life. So that's kind of cool. Um, so there's like, three minutes left, so I wanted to ask you really quickly about your YouTube, I saw that you have some tracks that have visuals to them. In addition to your process behind coming up with those visuals, what would you say is your inspiration, whether that's musically or visually, in terms of creating those or even just your tracks in general,

MN: My inspiration is books like this [holds up art book]. This is all vintage fucking soul covers. I have one for jazz, rock, and disco. Literally just 1970s album covers. I just go to these books, and see stuff and I'm like ‘Oh, okay, that's dope.” I have illustrators in three different countries; the Philippines, Costa Rica, and the UK. I just feel like they have a different take on the world and life and they all have different contributions. I'm just like, you know, here's a mood board, here's the inspiration., this is the vibe I’m going for - and then they just take my ideas even further. Books, art books, are really my thing. I rarely pull from new art. I'm a nostalgia junkie, like I like films, too. I'll watch an old movie, like from the 80s or something. I might be in the studio and put on the first Matrix movie from the 90s or something and it’s just like, the art inspires everything from you.

SA: Is there ever a specific feeling that you're trying to emulate? I know, obviously, it changes from track to track but is there an overall, encapsulating feeling that you want people to feel when they listen to your music, or when they watch your visuals?

MN: Yeah, definitely. It’s more of a musical term, but it's minor chords. Major chords are happy, but minor chords bring dissonance. Minor chords do something to people - it's like the basis for blues and like soul music. These chord progressions that are just dark and light at the same time. You can't really describe it. I just know everything I do is a minor chord.

SA: Okay, I'm gonna have to go and do research on that, because that's kind of interesting.

MN: Yeah, just research music theory.

SA: I guess to wrap it up, is there anything you want to say that we didn't talk about in this interview -  not even just a reference to your own music or your inspirations, but about house and techno and just music as a whole?

MN: Since we’ve been talking about Black people, I just want to say I feel like Black people in these spaces can show more camaraderie. I think that's what we're lacking. It's like a metaphor - they're in a helicopter, they escape from the island and then they don't drop. These people get whisked away back to society and the rest of us are still on this island. I say that to say like, there's Black people in these spaces, but there's way more Black people that want to be in these spaces. And the fact that we don't have many Black owned clubs in New York or other cities in America hurts because we don’t have other Black people representing us from the top level. White people own everything and I get it - everybody not cool, everybody doesn't want to just give handouts or whatever. But people have to create a pipeline where it's easier for Black people that are interested in a genre to go up. If we don't have that, then white people are just gonna steal our music.

Imagine if in New York,Texas, LA, Miami, all the Black house DJs were rocking with each other - throwing parties here, throwing parties there, and we just got this network throughout America. And then people just document that; we’d have documentaries and articles and all these write-ups, and we just had his Black house techno network, this dance music network, throughout the whole whole nation. I've already heard from people that white people at the top are looking for Black artists, but it's like, we don't need them. I started my own label because I got tired of trying to get records signed. I did the paperwork, LLC, EIN number, website audit, all of it. House should be, you know, Black ownership and creating spaces for other black people to come into. I actively tell my friends all the time, I'm looking for Black DJs, but they got to have the knowledge. They got to be able to play a certain way. They got to understand what house music is. I did my research for years before I even started DJing house, you know.

SA: Do you think social media has been a good incubator for finding other Black DJs or do you think it has to be something more organic, like people coming to shows and meeting in real life?

MN: I’d say social media brings awareness to people’s movements. It makes you aware, but it doesn’t make people reach down inside of themselves and say ‘I want to support’.  It’s more like ‘Ok, he’s doing something dope, alright what can he do for me?’. DJs hit me up, thousands a year, from all over - LA to Miami, wherever - and I’m just like…how can you want to spin in a space you’ve never attended, never supported. Not that I even need that, but I’m always down to reach back - I’ve never been about what someone can do for me. If you’re talented, I can provide the platform for you. But it’s happening - the page [Jumpin’ and Thumpin] has over four thousand followers, and I only started it right before the pandemic. But within the last year, I’ve really just caught the momentum. So just imagine a year from now, the page might be at around 10 thousand followers, might be at bigger venues selling out - it’s just about the slow grind.

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Young Thug’s new project, Slime Language 2, is almost reminiscent of Pi’erre Bourne’s TLOP4, except more features (Thug got all these niggas in the studio and told them “We’re doing this now or never”), including ex-girlfriend and entrepreneur Karlae, Jim Jones, Drake, Travis Scott, and Coi Leray. There is a heavy YSL l influence (obviously) as well as some OVO features (hey Drake, hey Nav!), Coi Leray (no comment), and even a Rowdy Rebel feature, fresh from the pen. This project does a good job at touching different extremes of the rap music spectrum – Thug manages to get some songs for the ladies (“I Like”, which, to me, is very reminiscent of the City Girls, “On the Low”, and “Trance”), typical athlete walk-out music, and some songs that follow that “no one ever believed in me/everyone leaves me” kinda vibe.

If we’re gonna keep it 100, the album in itself is not necessarily a stand-out – very few songs have that “wow” factor - and to be honest - it’s mid, as the kids would call it. BUT, in the spirit of neutrality, I’ll be breaking down my favourites, as a self-proclaimed know most and trap music enthusiast, especially since today marks the one-month anniversary of its release - and if you disagree, suck ya mum (JK….kinda.)

“Take It to Trial” – Young Thug, YSL, Gunna, Yak Gotti

This track is probably one of the best on the album, and not just because the Yak Gotti feature ties it all together, but for the overall cohesiveness of everyone on the track, which almost makes it sound like one person entirely throughout. Take It to Trial was one of the tracks on the album that was released before the drop of SL2, giving it some time to marinate before the drop of the project in its entirety. While the beat is nothing too crazy, it’s still a standout due to the lyricism of the track and the abnormally high pitch Thug manages to hit on the chorus, as he adamantly requests to take this shit to mf’in trial.

I don’t know if the herpes bar making me think of NBA YoungBoy makes me a bad person, but I guess only time will tell.

“I Like” – YSL, Karlae, Coi Leray

Now, listen. I am not going to lie and say that I support all women. Somewhere in my heart, I know Coi Leray got to where she is due to a combination of light skin privilege (insert noises of disgust), some form of nepotism, her marketability, and her longstanding time in the industry (she was, in fact, one of the Mindless Behaviour video girls, so that in itself should tell you how long she’s secretly been in the game. She’s almost like a slightly darker Alexa Demie, except she isn’t lying about her age).

But this song???

THIS MF SONG?

There has to be crack in it. Because it’s not that good - the beat is not one which you run back for its complexity, nor its lyricism, but DAMN, it’s a good ass song.

Both she and Karlae captured the effortless sexy feeling certain songs are supposed to give you (fellas, not sure if you’ve ever felt it, but I feel like the laydeez know what I mean). It’s giving very much Uber Black on the freeway in an amazing outfit, drunk out of your mind - and I’m here for it! While I do feel like Karlae can rap circles around Coi, if given the opportunity, I think one thing I can say is that Coi does have the unabashed confidence of a man in her same position and that in itself makes this song *that* much more powerful.

“Mil in Vegas” – YSL, Young Thug, NAV

When I’m old and in my nursing home of choice (Astagfurallah, but you never know), I hope Young Thug drops a purely R&B album; something like Hndrxx but a lil’ less suicidal.

Or that the nursing home has enough money to hire him for a mid-afternoon senior citizen concert, but let’s tackle one problem at a time.

This track is almost like the niggas’ version of “I Like” but instead of boo boo Mizz Leray, we get a melodic NAV feature. In addition to my appreciation of him realizing he needs to stop using the fucking n-word (he shouldn’t have been using it in the first place, but progress is better than perfection), I think there’s something to be said with rap songs that are done outside of the major key; it def adds a little pinash, and some depth that wouldn’t have been there before – and NAV’s voice is suited perfectly for these otherwise challenging scales.

The only other thing going for this song is the way Thug looks in that yellow turtleneck on the Spotify visualizer – and with that being said, I hope niggas will be rocking more bright colors in the seasons to come.

(Also, what the fuck is NAV’s obsession with Los Angeles? I swear there’s at least one bar in every song).

“Slatty” – YSL, Young Thug, Gunna, Lil Duke, Yak Gotti

Mark my motherfucking words - when we have in-person sporting events, I will bet my Large Telfar bag that at least one draftee has this song as their walk-out music.

This track incorporates the one word that every nigga in YSL records (and current rap culture) has heat-stamped in their vocabulary, and while the word “slat” has been massacred by hordes of white teenage boys on TikTok, I will say that this chorus is catchy as fuck.

The real star of this song (shockingly) is the juxtaposition of Yak Gotti’s gritty, emory-board vocal cords, the raspy voice of Lil Duke, and the familiar buttery sound of Thug’s vocals.

Why the visualizer has P. Diddy in it, God only knows. But our adeer is doing his thing in those big ass Versace shades, so who am I to say anything.

“Diamonds Dancing” – YSL, Young Thug, Travis Scott, Gunna

I have no commentary other than asking rappers to please stop using Dr. King for any of their metaphors – he cheated on Correta with a white woman (and only one that we KNOW of, for that matter).

So, I stand here humbly before you, petitioning for the alternative bars including:

“Dripped in Dolce & Gabanna / Black diamonds like Thomas Sankara”

“New girl like Lori Harvey / chain Black like Africa, Marcus Garvey”

or something along those lines. Even a Sojourner Truth bar, at this fucking point.

  “Solid” – YSL, Young Thug, Gunna, Drake

Of course, OF FUCKING COURSE, this track was saved by none other than the culture vulture himself - the man, the myth, and apparently now, the fucking candlemaker, Mr. Aubrey Drake Graham.

(Sidenote: Why is graham such a hard word to spell?).

I know y’all niggas heard - and felt - him very clearly when he said he needed some head and some moral support right away (not like y’all are gonna get any, but understandable if you felt it).

Something about the subtle use of steel pan, and mafioso type beat that the OVO clan has such an affinity for, really brings this hoe all the way together.

Another interesting point to note – and why I think Thug and Gunna make such an incomparable duo - is the fact that Thug and Gunna could almost pass for one another on the second verse, and even in the chorus. The only distinctive giveaway in this is the fact that Gunna does not make use of the whimsical bars in the same way that Thug does (because who the fuck is putting macaroni and cheese in their pockets besides the man who made a whole Instagram live about having a dirty dick? Exactly.)

Surprisingly though, this is one of the only songs on the album that hasn’t drilled holes in my eardrums, even after listening to it for an entire month, so bravo on them for that.

“Proud of You” – YSL, Young Thug, Lil Uzi Vert, Yung Kayo

I’m going to use this song to expose my corniness in saying I’ve definitely thought of using this song for some Instagram captions.

I think the combined genius of Thug and Uzi is often overlooked due to everyone wanting to worship Uzi with the androgynous Vampire Ma- I mean, Carti (who also makes a great duo with Uzi in his own right, but Uzi and Thug just remind me of two eccentric uncles, minus a few decades).

It was also rumored in 2018 that these niggas had over fifteen hundred songs together and I honestly wouldn’t it put it past them for that to be true.

Will they all be hits? Probably not, but it’s nice to be a dreamer – plus, their previous tracks (What’s the Move, It’s A Slime and Strawberry Peels) can’t be disregarded either.

“Really Be Slime” – YSL, Young Thug, FN DaDealer, YNW Melly, Bslime

In my honest opinion, I think YNW Melly (and TayK!) should have been pardoned from jail way before Reptar (Kodak) or the other gremlin, Mr. Weezy F Baby – not doubting this artistry, but I do think this man requires a serious rest; musically, emotionally, and physically).

This nigga Melly bodies every feature and brings such mischievous energy to every single track. Also, the minute the rhymed “butter pecan” and “Puerto Rican”, he was fr a genius in my high school eyes.

You can’t deny that the other niggas on the track, even Young Thug himself, fall a little short and that FN DaDealer is trying a bit hard to give us Lil Baby teas, but for what it is, it’s not a bad song. The beat, again, nothing too impressive, but I’m honestly just so glad to hear a YNW Melly feature after what feels like forever.

And that about wraps it up – overall, I’d give this project a solid 5/10. It could have done a bit more; and for the number of features (as well as their duality), honestly could have been more experimental. I get that this was highly anticipated, but in that case, I’m sure niggas wouldn’t have minded waiting a bit longer for it to go the extra mile.

If you feel like I missed any important tracks, that’s too damn bad; but feel free to argue with me in the comments of Instagram.

African restaurants in the U.S., while not as popular as their foreign counterparts, are not far and few between in states such as a D.C., New York, and Georgia having large African communities. In recent weeks, videos of people trying variations of fufu and stew have popped up seemingly out of nowhere, unknowingly creating a “trend” called the #FufuChallenge. While some of the reactions were positive, many of these videos were quite the opposite, in which individuals with little to no home training had the absolute gall to record themselves treating the food as if it were 50 Shades of Grey – including but not limited to spitting, slapping, tossing, and other things that are considered incredibly disrespectful.

Now, fufu is native to West Africa and made from boiled and pounded cassava. Different countries have their versions of the same food, give or take a few ingredients - banku, eba, ga’at, ugali, mofongo, and cornmeal coucou (fungi, for my VI people). As disclaimer – I am an adventurous eater, and the first time I tried fufu, I was a fan. I don’t think it’s a food that’s hard to enjoy flavour-wise, but I can see how the texture may not be agreeable for everyone. Additionally, being from a culture that eats with their hands, there’s a lot of etiquette that’s instilled in at a young age– the most important being that food is not a toy. However, the recent videos have sparked a debate about Black acceptance between different members of the diaspora.

It is interesting how, during a time of inclusivity and unification within the Black community, it is taking no more than pounded root vegetable for most of you to show your ass. I don’t feel like now is the time to remind Black Americans that some of “common” foods would be considered abhorrent to others – chitlins and pickled pig feet, we’re looking at you. Everyone is losing their mind over pounded cassava, but the idea of eating soggy cornmeal – also known as grits – is a normal phenomenon. We can also bring snack foods into this - hot pickles in a bag, Vienna sausages - but the point of this conversation is not to sit here and bash culinary history, but to make the argument clear that every culture has foods that others would find less than palatable.

In the same breath that we want to come together, fight systemic oppression, and be on some fake Marcus Garvey shit, people are referring to African food as disgusting, garbage, and even “dog food”. But you want to go back to Africa, right? Find your roots?

Have you all lost your damn minds?

Black people exist everywhere, and that inherently means that the techniques and methods of cooking we use are prevalent in a lot of other cultures. If you don’t believe me, take the time to Google Korean fried chicken and the fact that the idea of frying chicken in batter was introduced by Black soldiers stationed abroad in the 1940s and 1950s, or how gumbo and jambalaya are variants of traditional African foods, created using recipes that date back to slavery. So, there’s a chance that there are other foods across various cultures – including Black American meals - that resemble traditional African cuisine. Why don’t you drag those on social media as well?

More likely than not, before the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, this is probably the food that peoples’ ancestors were eating, and by reasonable conclusion, it’d be the food that OUR ancestors were eating. Additionally, there are so many other cultures with foods that can be turned into trend, so why was the Internet’s thought process to bully African people for no reason other than for laughs on social media? No, just traditional African food? Ok, noted.

Like ENNY said, please free my people from clout. PLEASE. I’m begging at this point.

And non-Black people have not escaped scrutiny either – so if you found yourself at a protest this year or have a cheeky little “BLM” in your bio, but you still found the time to degrade African culture on your timeline, I’m going to need you to go ahead and click backspace on your bio for me really quick, because the math is not math-ing. When it comes to other ethnic groups asking for parts of their culture to be respected and kept sacred, everyone wants to be quiet and listen, but when Black – specifically African people - ask for the same respect, people struggle to do so and are left with two options, or what they think are their only options – to, A, dismantle parts of Black culture to be co-opted and renamed to be acceptable to the white gaze or, B, label these things as disgusting and left at the mercy of Twitter think piece writers and Clubhouse podcasters who have nothing better to do than talk about things that they absolutely have no knowledge on.

Lastly, a LOT of foods from other cultures that are popular in the United States are not even authentic to that culture. To stand in front of a Taco Bell, or Panda Express, or Olive Garden and tell anyone that is your idea of eating “ethnic” food is not only a lie, but the curse of nationalism and Western closed-mindedness.

If you think our friends in Mexico are sitting down at their tables each night with a Crunch Wrap Supreme and Nacho Fries, you are highly mistaken, beloved.

But, with no empathy, authentic African culture has been co-opted as a sort of internet trend in which it’s acceptable to bash damn near an entire continent for food that takes immense labour and cultural knowledge to create successfully. And then, the people who posted their negative reviews actually had to sit, order the food, set it up, film themselves eating it, decide they didn’t like it, go back and edit the video – with their disrespect front and centre – and thought they could post it on the internet free of scrutiny. Like, we (as Americans) aren’t even eating traditional foods from other cultures to BEGIN with, so why was now the time to start, and why did you all start with African food?

Answer, and quickly.

There has always been tension within the Black community between Black Americans and the African diaspora, over feelings of perceived superiority and inferiority on both sides, and in all honesty, this is an argument I don’t subscribe to - at the end of the day, systemic racism does not care what flag you have in your bio, or how long you’ve lived in America – you’re Black, plain and simple.

But West Africans were not the first people who hopped on the internet and begged people to try their food, so the unwarranted opinions are more proof that maybe sometimes, it’s ok to gatekeep. And no one is begging for these reactions either or saying that you have to like it – if you’re not a fan, just nize it and maybe just…delete the video? Outside of the topic of respect also, the Internet is forever. So those of who you unabashedly are posting disrespect on the internet, think where this video will be circulating in a year or so.

Lastly, if you think Africans are blowing the response to the “fufu challenge” out of proportion, keep that same energy next time you see white women in box braids, rocking evil eye pendants, doing intricate henna on your timeline, or trying to lecture you about aligning your chakras, since it has now been established that disrespecting peoples’ culture is no more than acceptable social media discourse.

One of the best parts of Toronto is the large, flourishing community of black creatives that has developed over the years within the city. After engaging with her vibrant, sometimes larger-than-life pieces on Instagram (and hopefully, soon, in person) I was intrigued by the work of local artist, Ehiko Odeh, who's artwork centers around life, the divine, and her Nigerian heritage.

I had the opportunity to ask Odeh a few questions about her creative process and her inspirations, holistic healing, and her words of wisdom to other young, black creatives on their respective journeys.

   ☆～☆～☆～☆～☆～☆～☆～☆～☆～☆～☆～☆～☆～☆～☆～☆～☆

Segen Assefa: At what point in your life did you realize that you wanted to be an artist and why?

Ehiko Odeh: I moved to Canada in 2015 and was about to graduate from high school in Hamilton. I knew I wanted to get into art and be more serious with it. Life is all about creativity. Art is magic and my way of connecting the divine, as well as being a tool that has healed me in so many ways. I hate how people see artists as unsuccessful - I want to show artists that success is what you make of it - not just what it can bring for you monetarily - and that art should be taken seriously.

SA: And just to clarify, do you consider yourself an artist in the traditional sense, or would you prefer to give yourself a broader title?

EO: I don't like to put myself into categories since there is more to oneself than labels. Therefore, I am a multidisciplinary artist, because there are multiple ways to express oneself and the divine.

SA: You draw a lot of inspiration for your art from Nigerian culture. Why is this important to you, and more importantly, why do you think it should be important to others? How has this changed your relationship with your background and your roots?

EO: I wasn't really exposed to my culture(s) that much, growing up in Nigeria, and identity is something has always been important to me. When I came to Canada [in 2015], I became obsessed with knowing more about my culture and my history to maintain a grasp on myself and where I come from - I didn't want to "lose" myself, you know? Art was a great way to channel that, in addition to doing more research on my heritage.

My journey of cultural exploration has been important to me because there is a comfort in knowing who I am and the people who came before me. It's important to keep an open mind because there's so much we can learn from one another - making art about my background has drawn me closer to those who came before me, those who are still here, and those who are yet to come.

SA: Knowing that you have a Nigerian background, and coming from an African background myself, I know how parents can be when you tell them your passion is doing something other than what is considered the “norm”. How did your parents feel about you wanting to pursue a less traditional career path?

EO: At first, they weren't so comfortable with it - they thought I was joking. But I wrote them a whole letter about my intentions on this path, showing them how serious I was and that I wasn't going to fold on what I wanted. Since then, they've been incredibly supportive, and I feel blessed to have that.

SA: I see you have a deep appreciation for herbs and natural healing (from what I’ve seen on your story ☺). How is this important to your personhood - as a creative, a Black woman, and as a person in general?

EO: Yesss! Learning more about herbal medicine has been the best thing I’ve ever done for myself, just because it brings me so much joy! For me, herbal medicine began when I was trying to revert my menstrual cycle back to being more regular, after having an irregular cycle for years. These doctors were trying to put me on birth control, and I said fuck no! I began finding different herbs to heal the womb, as well as beginning Yoni steaming and being more intentional in the means in which I heal myself. The whole learning process of natural healing and herbal medicine has been my biggest flex.

I think it’s so important for people - especially Black women - to know that there are many other alternatives than what has been given to us. It's just about doing the work and discovering what works for you. I've had doctors tell me that irregular periods and other bodily ailments were normal when they're not, and treated me and others as if there aren’t alternatives for healing your body.

Holistic medicine saved my life and has taught me so much about living in balance, respecting nature, and taking only what you need. Anything can be healed when you address the root of the problem and are disciplined in your healing journey.

SA: So, would you say there's a specific connection between art and health for you?

EO: I'd say in a way, there is. To me, making art is medicine within itself. Being on top of my health and in alignment with my body allows me to create better and be more in tune with my work, as well as more intentional in my processes.

SA: How has this pandemic changed how you maneuver your creative processes and how you view the world in relation to your art?

EO: I really miss working in the painting studio at school, but the pandemic forced me to re-evaluate how I see and utilize the space I do have. I turned half of my room into a mini studio space and it's been blessed ever since. I haven't been able to create really large scale works or work with mediums like oil paint, but over time, I’m finding new ways to manipulate other mediums. This pandemic has allowed my works more intuitive and expressive, rather than planned and structured.

SA: Ok, and lastly, if you had to give any advice to other creatives, specifically Black women, what would it be?

EO: Surrender to the process - let it teach you. Keep creating because you never know whose watching you. Trust yourself. Take each day as it comes and try not to compare yourself or your art to others because no one is YOU!

I love cold weather.

Incredibly ironic, considering I grew up in the Caribbean, but I digress. Cold weather is the season of puffer jackets, turtlenecks, and most importantly, jeans.

I’ve worn a school uniform for most of my life and the fit of khaki pants is a very far cry from denim. After moving to Minnesota, I realized leggings and sweats weren’t going to cut it for every day, and I graduated to those painfully elastic jeans from Target.

It was all fun and games for a while, until I realized that not only were they essentially denim print leggings (i.e. poor quality), but they were also not flattering to my apple-esque body shape. So, we regressed, and went back to sweatpants up until my second year of university.

Working in retail for a number of years (and my obsession with thrifting and clothing) has encouraged me to learn more about the different styles of denim, how to care for your denim, and – most importantly – creating a list of criteria to determine the perfect fit based on the look you’re going for.

This post is for all my people who want to find themselves a reliable pair of denim for the upcoming winter (and beyond!), and whether you thrift or buy from a big box store, this guide is relatively foolproof for finding the pair that will work for you.

Determine your fit

The first step in finding a pair of jeans that will become your holy grail pair is determining the look you’re going for, and the level of comfort you want. I prefer a baggier fit, but with something that still gives me some structure in the waist and hip area in order to balance out my upper and lower body. Some people may prefer a skinnier fit or something with a more flared or tapered leg. Whatever it is, do your research and play around with some styles to see if they’ll be flattering with the items you already have in your wardrobe and for your everyday life.  

Pay Attention to the Wash

This is another key. For some reason, dark wash denim is definitely more forgiving, light wash jeans have a tendency to emphasize your bum and legs, and black denim can be very hit or miss, but done right, can go with everything. My other piece of advice is to try a few different washes and see what you prefer. Most washes can go with any kind of clothing, but in my opinion, mom jeans look better in light wash, and skinny jeans gives a bit more structure in a darker indigo colour.

Research the composition

This is another important step in determining what kind of denim will be most comfortable, as well as what kind of denim will be the most realistic to take care of. I love a good pair of 100% cotton jeans – the most popular brand of these style of jeans being Levis – but if you move around a lot or require a pair of pants with a little bit more give, then you may want to look for jeans that have between 5-25% elastane. For non/low stretch jeans, try Levis, Wrangler, Rustler, Zara, and Faded Glory (even Walmart has some good, non-stretch denim for a relatively good price). For jeans with medium to high stretch, try Fashion Nova, American Eagle, and Levis 721s and Mile High Skinny.

Try it On

I feel like trends with jeans come and go, but it’s also important to make sure that the jeans you have in your rotation can be worn with a variety of outfits – specifically, the items in your wardrobe. If there’s a specific style you want to try before fully committing, find a similar style at your local thrift store and try it with some of your most worn outfits. This will help you determine if the style is flattering and what you’re going for before making a full on commitment (and if you decide you don’t like the jeans, most thrift stores have a 7-14 day exchange policy, but you can read more about that in my other post here).

Be Honest with Yourself

While this guide is all-inclusive, the fact that I put “big body” in the title should indicate that I’m writing for the thicker shorties out there, and this tip is probably one of the most important. Y’all. Every trend is not meant for every body. And that’s ok! Maybe you like the look of skinny jeans but not how they fit on your shape? Go for a straight leg, non/light stretch fit for a similar look with a bit more structure. If you want the baggy jean trend without looking too shapeless, go for a non-stretch jean one to two sizes up and get the waist altered for an effortless fit minus all the sagging. Finding the perfect jean takes time, especially if you’re midsized or plus sized, and that’s ok! Don’t be forcing things to fit just because you want to dress like everyone else.

Make Friends with a Tailor

Read that once. Now read it again.

Making friends with a good tailor is probably one of the biggest steps you can take to finding a good pair of jeans, as well as just getting the rest of your wardrobe in shape (especially if you’re someone who likes to thrift your clothing or shifts between sizes depending on the time of year). Clothes is not one-size-fits-all, regardless if that’s how it seems on social media. Fact of the matter is all things can do with a bit of adjusting. If you have weird gaps or bunching in your jeans, don’t be afraid to take it to a tailor and let them work their magic. Plus, paying an extra $10 to get a hem or waist altered, as opposed to paying out for a brand-new pair of jeans, is not only environmentally friendly, but will keep your pockets from hurting later on. Plus, a tailor can help you play around with trends (split hem, crossed buttons, slashes, and embroidery) without paying a fortune or sacrificing quality.

Take Care

So, you’ve found your perfect pair – you like the fit, the wash, they’re comfortable, and they were relatively affordable. But how do you take care of them? Most people will tell you that jeans are an item whos’ washings are meant to be few and far between. And their right. Unless they’re really dirty or the fit is starting to give out in places where it shouldn’t, your jeans should be washed only when needed. I like to machine wash mine with cool to warm water, and then dry on low heat. If you have the time, you can hand wash them and leave them to air dry (which usually doesn’t take more than 24-48 hours). This will preserve your jeans for as long as possible, and prevent fading, fraying, and other cosmetic damage.

September – the season of changing leaves, pumpkin spice lattes (those are nasty but if I speak…), and – usually – back to school shopping.

However, now that life has transitioned online, there is no reason to wear anything that is uncomfortable or at least two sizes oversized on a day-to-day basis. But – and don’t fight me on this - there is nothing more satifying than new and quality loungewear.

This is where Los Angeles Apparel comes in.

The brand formerly known as American Apparel rebranded as Los Angeles Apparel – the same basics brand, full of heavyweight cotton, styles ranging from classic to contemporary, and a wide range of colours, everything from neutrals to neon colours.

After bankrupting twice, American Apparel was purchased by Canadian manufacturer, Gildan, in 2017. Gildan went on to rebrand and remove the more notable points of the company’s marketing strategy – namely, the borderline pornographic advertising and sinfully high price range (some AA products can now be purchased on websites such as Wordans and Amazon).

Founder and Montreal native Dov Charney (who has his own demons, including accusations of sexual harassment and mismanagement of funds when he ran American Apparel in 2014*) then decided to take his ideas elsewhere, introducing Los Angeles Apparel.

Now operating out of a south Los Angeles warehouse, LAA poses itself as an ethical, basics, brand, paying workers between $15-$20 USD, as well as overtime pay and benefits, and varies from other fashion retailers in the amount of transparency to behind the scenes of their warehouse and in the production process – many of the brand’s Instagram stories include shots of models, posing outside and throughout the warehouse, and well as videos of various garment and production workers at their daily dyeing, stitching, and cutting tasks. Another plus of this brand is the composition of the garments, specifically their sweatshirts and sweatpants, tops, and bodysuits. Most places do not manufacture goods with 100% cotton - traditional brands either use a 50/50 blend of cotton and polyester, or an 80/20 blend for goods in the heavyweight category. Using 100% cotton leads to a garment that looks even better with wear and tear, as well as prevents pilling, worn out elastic cuffs and hems, as well as less discolouration. Lastly, LAA is mostly devoid of branding – their clothing has no flashy logos or tags, no awkward stitching or excessive distressing, product styles, and unsavoury colour combinations – likely stemming from their roots as a wholesale blanks company. There is a bit of 90’s flavour to the styles shown on the website, included oversized sweats and t-shirts, lots and lots of pleats (pants, skirts, shorts, everything), as well as having more fresh-faced models, both men and women.

I’ve never personally been a huge American Apparel shopper – the original brand was not the most inclusive in terms of sizing as most of their items run on the smaller size (even to this day – their 2XL fits more like a very roomy XL) or were the dreaded “slim fit” (the ugliest cut of clothing to touch down on this face of the Earth, please don’t argue with me). However, since rebranding, Charney and the rest of the LAA team began to embrace more true-to-size and oversized fits. After rebuilding my wardrobe with quality basics, I can say about 80% of my wardrobe is from LAA – the pieces are good quality, minimal, and tasteful. Also, as a person who tries to be as ethical with my spending practices as possible and invest in quality clothing, I feel a bit better knowing the $40 t-shirt won’t be falling apart in the wash or after a few wears. For anyone who has considered dipping their toe into LAA or has been looking for other basics to add to their collection, here is a listed review of my favourite items from Los Angeles Apparel**.

HF09GD Unisex - Garment Dye 14oz. Heavy Fleece Hooded Pullover Sweatshirt

If I had the power to get rid of all of the hoodies in the world and replace them with only one, this would be it. This hoodie is thick as hell to the point where sometimes it feels like canvas, but not in an uncomfortable way. The colours are also super rich – my favourite one is Chocolate (one day we will talk about how brown is the supreme neutral for its ability to be and blend with both warm and cool tone colours, but I digress). Another interesting thing about these hoodies is that they don’t hold smell the way I’ve found polyester blends do and when washed, literally smell like an entirely new garment. This is also one of the products that I found is actually more of an oversized fit, and as with most cotton goods – stretch (but not unreasonably) with wear. It comes in a huge selection of colours as well and the sizing is fairly unisex, as both me and my boyfriend have worn this hoodie and have marveled at the quality. While it is an investment ($100 CAD per hoodie, about double that for the whole set), it is truly the hooded sweatshirt I’ve ever owned.

Size: XL, Colour: Chocolate, Price: $100 CAD

3380GD - Heavy 2x1 Rib Crop Tank

As our beautiful friend who was floating around Twitter not too long ago said, “Get into eeeeet!”. And she was absolutely right. This tank top is made for the people who want to get into the w*fe-beater/undershirt-as-a-shirt trend but don’t particularly enjoy the length or thinness of those traditional tops. This cropped tank is a racerback, but not to the point where it is completely unwearable without a bra, provided you have a convertible bra. This top is also 5% elastane as opposed to polyester (for those who are curious, elastane is a member of the Lycra and Spandex family, so the stretch in this top will also provide some shaping benefits). While it does only come in two colours for the time being, I’m one of those people who owns everything in my closet in both black and white, so this was perfect for me. Another thing to note, all my BBWs, this top does not roll up or require too much adjusting throughout the day, and sits just above the belly button for a cropped look without making you look like Roger the Alien (you know what I’m talking about….). This tank top is relatively affordable, considering the wearability, and the ribbing isn’t too noticeable so if you wanted a nice cropped but semi conservative top, this just might be it.

Size: L, Colour: Black, Price: $30 CAD

1215GD - Heavy Jersey Garment Dye Casual Pants

Ok, you know when you want to wear sweatpants, but you also realize that maybe the occasion is not appropriate, or you just need a little bit of pizzazz without all of the frump? This is these pants. When I first read the reviews, I was skeptical, but after realizing all I own are jeans and sweatpants, I copped a pair. I wore these in 75-degree weather, walked a good three or four miles, and was comfortable all day. Plus, unlike most traditional womenswear pants, these pockets are DEEP. Like Mariana Trench deep, which I love because one thing about me – I’m going to use a damn pocket. I would say to avoid these if you aren’t into the straight leg look because with a t-shirt, they do give very public-school art teacher vibes, but they also come in a huge range of colours. A lot of people complain about the elastic band for a lot of their products (too tight), but personally I prefer that – it provides a longer wear time before you have to wash (since it takes longer for the garment to stretch out) and keeps everything cute and covered. These pants are also a nice alternative to jeans, and even come in the couple shades of blue to mimic the idea of dark/light wash. The price is a little obscene for some casual pants, but I think you’re someone who usually wears pants from Urban Planet, H&M, or even Zara, these will be a nice upgrade, sure to last a very, very long time.

Size: L, Colour: Black, Price: $52 CAD

1406GD - Long Sleeve Garment Dye Mockneck T-Shirt

Another one of my favourite things about LAA is the fact that a lot of their products are unisex (while not explicitly labelled as such, you will see a lot of the same items in both the men and women tabs on their website). I love a good long sleeve shirt, but my proportions were never too forgiving to pull it off without looking like a 1960’s ghost, or like I had gotten dressed in the tent section of Home Depot. This top is more of a boxy fit, but the bottom is cropped enough to make it hit just above the thighs for a nice, slouchy look. The colours in these are also super nice, veering more towards neutrals and pastels. This shirt looks good with bike shorts and tucked into jeans, and (the best part) the white is not see-through at all, which was one of my biggest complaints when buying shirts from brands like Hanes, Gildan, Fruit of the Loom, and Keya. The neckline is a lot higher than most traditional crew necks, but I’m a fan. Plus, I feel like it looks a lot better when you layer jewelry over it. If you’re springing to get a basic colour, I’d say it’s totally worth it, at $41 a pop, considering that it’ll last damn near forever.

Size: XL, Colour: White, Price: $52 CAD

B128CF - Long Sleeve Crossfront Bodysuit

The bodysuit that started it all. Y’all. The number of compliments I get whenever I wear this top is insane, not to mention of all the bodysuits I have purchased from this brand, this one is the most flattering, the most versatile, and the most forgiving, in terms of sizing. The cross-front bodysuit is a happy medium for people who want to get into the criss-cross top look without the hassle of strings and shit like that. Not to mention, many bodysuits in this style tend to be ribbed – and not the good kind of ribbing either *retches*. I own this bodysuit in both a medium and a large, and my advice would be to size down, especially if you’re planning on wearing it without a bra (not much of a choice considering this bodysuit has a deep, deep, V neck) and will definitely add to the effortless look of the whole ensemble. This bodysuit can be dressed up and dressed down, but my favourite way to wear this is with some slouchy ass sweatpants, white sneakers (preferably a little beat up) and a small shoulder bag – ad square or transparent sunglasses for some big 90s energy, like you just left a Bikram yoga class or something. The colours on this could be better – aside from the white, black, and flesh toned colour, I really don’t see a purpose for the coral or blue shade, but I may be biased considering I do avoid bright colours like that. Now, it may seem a little overpriced for what it is, but I promise you – in my years of bodysuit research, the only brand that’s coming close to this, especially for larger chested laydeez, is Capezio, and that’s literally dancewear. Like, industrial ass dancewear. Regardless, this bodysuit is top 2 and it’s not 2.

Size: M, Colour: White, Price: $49 CAD

BD12 - Bull Denim Oversized Bag

If I had to give a name to my aesthetic – particularly when it comes to accessories – I’d say I’m somewhere in between “Bag Lady” by Erykah Badu and first year art student in the Midwest working part time at a dusty bookstore. This bag is more of the latter. For reference on size, it’s about as big, laid flat, as my large Telfar, but when on, doesn’t have the same structure, thus keeping it from looking like a burlap sack (or keeping you from looking like Santa on December 24th). The material is bull denim, which is similar in texture and style to regular denim, however, dyed to give it a rich and uniform colour. Also this bag comes in literally all of the ROYGBIV colours, plus black and white, and in a variety of styles and closures (they have one with a zipper for people who are diligent about things like that, as well as a more standard tote size and shape). This bag is perfect for literally everything – I like it when I go grocery shopping, or even getting from A to B when I have to carry a million things. Another bonus is the construction of the strap is thick without being comical, meaning that you won’t have those nasty lines in your shoulder after a long day, and you won’t have to worry about a strap busting and embarrazzzzing you (Nella Rose voice) when you’re out. In terms of pricing, you could get a little pleather number from H&M for the same price, but if you don’t take yourself seriously, then just say that (kidding!). as someone who loves the look of a good canvas tote, without wanting to look too much like a crunchy granola kinda person, this bag is lowkey one of my favourites (sorry, Mr. Clemens!).

Size: OS, Colour: Navy, Price: $58

Notes:

*= We do not condone predatory behaviour from anyone, but it is important to highlight that just because you love something doesn’t mean it’s perfect. Part of being a responsible consumer is also knowing about who you purchase from, not just what and how things are made. I am aware of this and am taking accountability for not knowing this information sooner.

This blog post is in collaboration with Envly, a black-owned, online platform promoting awareness, community, and sustainability. Thank you so much for the opportunity to collaborate on this post, and please make sure to follow and check out their page for updates on their amazing work!

I dare you to find me one person that doesn’t enjoy spending money on clothes, or who doesn’t feel even the smallest rush after buying a new pair of pants or shoes. However, in the progression towards adulthood, one should always strive to be ethical and live sustainably.

In high school, I began actively shopping in thrift stores, forgoing fast fashion and online retailers. I was able to find more clothing more aligned with my personal style, without breaking the bank, and participate in a more ethical source of consumerism. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized there are some brands that are notoriously hard to find second-hand (looking at you, Los Angeles Apparel), but I still find unexplainable joy in the thrift store experience.  

The average Canadian throws out 81 pounds (37 kilograms) of textiles annually – about the weight of a newborn calf1. Additionally, clothing sent to landfills is made using synthetic materials – think polyester, rayon, nylon, and acrylic - and when broken down, releases toxic gasses, such as carbon dioxide and methane gasses2. Additionally, modern capitalism is built off of exploitation and the use of sweatshop labour in countries such as Bangladesh and Honduras results in minimal wages, disregard for human wellbeing, and some sketchy business practices. If that isn’t enough (and you feel like looking closer to home), the California Bureau of Labour Statistics notes that the second largest work force in Los Angeles is the cut-and-sew labour force (read: textile and garment labourers). Of the 46,000 individuals who comprise this labour force, 71% of these individuals are immigrants3 – making textile production inherently anti-black and anti-POC.

But fret not! There are ways to get your shopping fix that are ethical and reduce the amount of textile waste greenhouse gas emission we put back into the planet. So, for some tips on how to be a sustainable shopper, keep reading4.

To the left, to the left (everything you own in a box to the left)

Between social media, fashion magazines, and subversive advertising, it can be hard to distinguish what in our closet we need, versus what we want (or what we’re told are “closet essentials”). Empty your closet and be objective about what you need and what you don’t. The baby t-shirt you kept that your grandmother gave you? Those warm sweats from high school with holes all through the bum? Leggings that are about 2 inches too short and are threadbare in the inner thigh? Toss, babes.

Create four piles – donate, toss, alterations, and keep. One way to simplify this process is to create a mood board (Pinterest is good for this) for a clothing style you like and would actually wear.

Another trick to help this process is to establish something of a personal uniform. Do you find yourself always gravitating towards denim and flannel combinations? Do you enjoy bright colours and unconventional silhouettes? Whatever it is, take the time that you need – I would recommend anywhere between 3 hours or three days – and get to it.

Keep a list and check it twice.

Now that you have a better idea of the state of your closet, create a list of pieces that you don’t currently own, but would wear quite regularly if you did. A plain black hoodie? A simple, going-out dress? A nice blazer for work? Add it all to a list and organize it whatever way you’d like – whether it’s whatever comes to mind first or in order of personal importance.

Preparation is key

 If shopping is a sport, then thrifting would be akin to a marathon. Before you head out, make sure you give yourself ample time to shop around and make informed, well-thought out decisions. New, COVID-era regulations have required many thrift stores to restrict the usage of their dressing rooms. To get around this, my favourite thrifting outfit has been things that mould to the body and are easy to try clothes on over; things like body suits, tank tops, biker shorts and leggings. Bring some headphones to really put yourself in the zone and make sure you have a fully charged phone battery – helpful for directions, checking sizing, and for the impromptu FaceTime call to friends to ask, “How do I look?”. Also make sure you understand a store’s return and exchange policy to avoid any unwanted purchases.

Go virtual

Kijiji is not just for sneaker resellers and creeps looking to prey on young women for affordable housing. When looking for more niche wardrobe essentials (think winter jackets, bags, and sneakers), apps like Envly, Poshmark, Kijiji, and Depop can be your best friend. My motto is someone, somewhere is always selling something that you want5. Don’t be shy to arrange meetups to save on shipping and price negotiations.

Do your research

Not all clothing is made the same, and while it may be nice to be oblivious to things such as material or authenticity of an item, it pays off in the long run. My favourite material is cotton, and while 100% cotton may not be cheap, it is more accessible than people would want you to believe – as well as better for the environment and easier to maintain. If you notice that a majority of clothing in your closet is a certain material, then try to stay within your comfort zone and be vigilant. Also make sure you read the care labels on your thrifted items! There’s nothing worse than throwing a cute item of clothing in the wash, only to have it shrink 3 sizes when you pull it out.

Sew what

Maybe you don’t need any new clothing, but you’ve held on to some ill-fitting items for too long. Don’t worry! Toronto is full of tailors with reputations that precede them, and for a decent price. Feel free to DM me for my favourites from Mississauga to Scarborough.

Patience

Before you head out to the thrift stores, understand that one of the sacrifices for sustainability is convenience. Thankfully, we have brands like Envly changing that, but with thrifting and second-hand shopping, it is important to remember you won’t find everything you want all at once. Unlike your favourite fast fashion brands, you won’t find everything you want on your list all at once, but feel free to look at your thrifting adventure like a treasure hunt – it’ll be more than worth the wait.

Sources

1 https://rco.on.ca/the-average-person-throws-away-37-kilograms-of-textiles-annually/

2 https://www.upworthy.com/9-reasons-you-shouldnt-throw-away-clothes-and-4-things-you-can-do-instead

3 https://www.forbes.com/sites/syamameagher/2020/02/05/the-not-so-hidden-ethical-cost-of-fast-fashion-sneaky-sweatshops-in-our-own-backyard/#644c8b5525d1

4 While these tips are focused around clothing, they can also be applied to home goods and entertainment, including furniture, appliances, electronics, and entertainment media.

Whenever a global pandemic decides to rear its ugly head, I have the bad habit of believing that I am somewhat untouchable. In my middle school days, when the kids were catching dengue left and right1, I swatted it off – literally and figuratively. The same thing happens every year with the common cold– and even when I do get it, it’s always after everyone else has had it, making me believe that my immune system is nothing more than a follower. I eat relatively healthy, I get enough sleep, drink water, and maintain and generally healthy state of mind 2.

So, you can image my surprise when a friend I had been in close contact with tested positive for coronavirus. I was not as scared as I think I should have been However, that afternoon, I did my civic duty and took myself and a friend to get tested at the local hospital.

Before I get into what having the virus was like for me3, let’s talk about the test.

Thankfully, the process was nice and fast, so that part is free from scrutiny. All of the healthcare workers were kind and understanding of the fact that we didn’t have health cards – and one of them complemented my 1s, so you know I have to give them a glowing recommendation. The real horror came after check-in process.

I sat in a back office, the air conditioning blasting, awkwardly crossing and uncrossing my legs. Two nurses in full PPE and running sneakers talked quietly back and forth, occasionally scribbling things onto notepads. The first nurse drilled me yet again – asking why I had decided to get tested, whether or not had symptoms, and how I was currently feeling. Once my answers were up to par, she left the room, and the second nurse produced a long-stemmed cotton swab.

I am no stranger to pain – I have nine different piercings, five of which I’ve done with safety pins, and have dislocated bones, suffered from burns and some pretty disgusting cuts - but I was a bit apprehensive when I saw how big of a cotton swab it was. I asked the nurse how much this test would hurt. In her exact words, she told me, “It doesn’t hurt at all! If anything, you’ll feel a little discomfort.” She compared to the sensation of water rushing up your nose, something none of us are a stranger to.  

Y’all, when I tell you this lady LIED.

I have never been in so much pain in my life. As a kid, I was fascinated by ancient Egypt, but there’s a big difference between reading about mummies and feeling like one4. Not to mention the fact that the test took her three tries because every time I felt the cotton swab poke my literal brain, I had to stop and take a breather5 . Fortunately, my results came in relatively fast - less than 48 hours – and I began to quarantine the day I got tested.  

The first week was mild. No real symptoms except for body aches, and the occasional headache. However, as a person with chronic migraines and aches, I didn’t really chalk it up to coronavirus symptoms, and instead to the fact that I was spending eighty percent of my day laying in the bed – the other twenty percent was spent in the shower, or standing in the kitchen, watching the tea kettle boil. Also, fortunately for me, I caught this virus near the end of summer school, meaning that I wasn’t just wasting away in my house, and it gave me something to focus on instead of my throbbing body aches. Considering that my entire friend group was sick at the same time, it was also nice distracting one another with zoom calls. However, we were definitely spoiled by spending the majority of the summer together, so this diet version of socialization was not ideal.

Another hurdle was not being able to quarantine at home. My housemates have high risk family members, so staying in my original place of habitation was not really an option. Fortunately, another friend of mine, who also had the virus, was kind enough to open up her home to me, allowing me to eat her groceries, run up her water bill, and bum around. I know people always tell you how your mask doesn’t just protect you, but the other people you encounter and live with, so this was a bit of a lesson on how my prevention – or lack thereof - doesn’t just impact me, but the people we live with, especially if they aren’t our immediate family.

There was also the slight detail of the Toronto Public Health Department being on our asses. My experience with quarantine procedures in the states indicated that public health officials were not as vigilant as communicating with people in quarantine as TPH (read: daily). For reference, my home state of Minnesota made masks in public spaces mandatory at the end of July, so that should let you know how seriously the United States is taking this virus 6 . Once a day, I would get a call from my Public Health official. The calls were pretty thorough in the first few days of quarantine – asking about my interactions with others in the days leading up to me getting tested – everything including the names, and license plates of the Ubers I had taken, who’s homes I had been to, restaurants and shops I had visited, everything. After they had gathered all that information, the calls became about my general health and wellness, in addition to six separate emails about how long was quarantine was supposed to last, what I was and was not allowed to do, and the penalties for leaving the house before the end of the quarantine, including a fee to the tune of five thousand dollars.  

In week two, most of the initial symptoms I had started with began to subside, and the only one that was left was an even impending feeling of boredom. I started doing things like watching soccer7, binge watching Law and Order: SVU, and spending copious amounts of money on Uber Eats. It wasn’t too much of a change from normal life except for the fact that I felt like TPH would swoop around the corner if they ever caught me outside when I wasn’t supposed to be – felt a bit like being a fugitive if we’re keeping it two Virgils with one another.

As the end of my quarantine period approaches, I have to be honest – this was not a huge, transformative experience. I acted irresponsibly and my actions caught up with me. That being said, there are plenty of people who have actively social distanced, followed the rules, and have still caught the virus. I don’t think this is something that should be looked at as damning, more like there is a virus and we mere human beings can’t beat out a pandemic. After this whole ordeal, I will definitely be taking PPE a bit more seriously, but I’m also really grateful because this experience could have been a whole lot worse. So, my peoples reading this, wear your mask! Invest in some travel size Wet Wipes and hand sanitizer, stay at home, and most importantly, remember that virus prevention is a group effort, not a solo endeavour.

Notes

1 Growing up in the Caribbean, dengue was a normal occurrence.

2 Disregard the fact that I didn’t mention exercise.

3 I will have one left of quarantine after publishing this blog post, so yay for that!

4https://www.si.edu/spotlight/ancient-egypt/mummies. That is all I will say.

5 I also did cry a little but we can just act like that part never happened.

6 About as seriously as police brutality, if that puts things into perspective…

Niggas all over the timelines are baking banana bread, doing headstands, and making Tik Toks. Yeah it was fun the first few weeks – but now we’re almost four months deep into quarantine and the gworls need some change! A bit of variety. Some pizazz, if you will.

Well, fear not!

I am here to help (as per usual). Digging into the depths of my chicken breast-like brain has been hard, but I’ve done it to compile a list of things to try now that quarantine is dragging along. Some of these you’ve definitely heard before (but they were so good, it was worth mentioning again), some of these you may have considered but never really saw the value in, and some of these seem like I pulled them out of my ass, but I promise, they’re a fun time and definitely worth the try.

Take up a new workout routine now that gyms will probably cease to exist.

I can’t even speak on this one (my record this quarantine has been four days without leaving my bed), but health comes in different forms. Even back in the early stages, one of my favourite things to do was get a coffee and aimlessly walk around downtown – it got me out of the house, it didn’t feel like exercise, and was an excuse to take advantage of the warm weather. Exercise is both important for physical as well as mental health, as cited by a million and one studies, and can break up the monotonous cycles of online shopping, self-loathing, and eating that everyone seems to be trapped in these days. Your options, however, go beyond yoga and walking. Buy some weights or use one of the jars of canned tomatoes you have sitting your pantry (…) and do a weight routine. Go for a run. Climb some stairs. Bring back step aerobics like the bad bitches from the 80s. Ride a bike (Queen’s Quay is really nice, and pretty empty on the weekdays). The other benefit to establishing a good routine now is that you can carry it out through the winter. Maybe not the bike riding part, but you get my point.

Socialize (safely).

           I never understood the obsession with patios until I went to El Jefe a few weeks ago, and it got me thinking about how fun that actually must be when everyone isn’t terrified of getting a virus from the person eating chips and guac two tables over. But! There are alternatives! I know you don’t believe me but there are! Toronto has more parks and green spaces than you’d think, and now is the perfect time to take advantage of them. Connect with nature, friends, and socializing in an environmentally friendly space (throw those White Claw cans in the trash, please) and you and your friends will literally be the peak of ecofeminism. If you’re tired of wearing your crop tops and lashes to the grocery store, picnics and beach days also give you a reason to look cute in public again (and with a mask, you don’t even have to put foundation on the bottom half of your face. #win). Some of my favourite places include Trinity-Bellwood Park and Woodbine Beach. If you have a car (or a lot of patience) Scarborough Bluffs is also definitely worth the commute. I think it’s a game changer that “going out” now means sitting in the grass making small talk, instead of getting hammered in some dark, damp club, but maybe it’s also improvement.

Clear out the clutter that you always tell yourself you’re too busy for.

           I know you see it, bitch. That box of clothes overflowing in the back of your closets. Or the basket of random hair ties, scraps of paper, and pen caps on your shelf. What about when you open social media – Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, whatever – a see all these random people on your feed that you don’t remember following, much less ever meeting in real life. Quarantine has forced us to retreat to our own spaces, physically, mentally and emotionally, and now more than ever is the best time to reflect and take inventory of what brings you joy and (God forbid we’re in this situation again) what you’d be ok with surrounding yourself with 24/7. It may be hard – times of crisis especially encourage a scarcity mindset instead of an abundance one – but it doesn’t hurt to try and reframe your thinking!

The 3 Restaurant Rule

If you’re anything like me, then you love Uber Eats. Since this virus has stripped the joy of going out to eat from my small and soft hands, we’ve had to find ways to work around this. One of these compromises has been Uber Eats. But that, much like anything else in life, can soon get repetitive (and niggas were clowning me for actually enjoying Swiss Chalet. Fuck y’all.) So, I established some ground rules, one of which being the three-restaurant rule. Do I follow it all the time? No. But knowing that it exists had made trying new foods more like a game. Here’s what you do:

1.     First, pick a type of cuisine (I’m partial to sushi, so we’re going to use that for this example).

2.     Next, really study Uber Eats. Find the best restaurants in your area specializing in that kind of food and pick three restaurants that look the best to you. Another alternative (especially if you’re lucky enough to live downtown where a majority of restaurants are doing take out) would be to curate a list of places on Yelp! I loved doing this when outside was open – it made eating out feel a bit more purposeful, almost like it was for research).

3.     Then, keep a lil list – on your phone, on paper, in your camera roll - wherever. When you’re not in the mood to cook, consult the list, and don’t pick a restaurant twice in a row. Start building up a list of places that you can say you’ve tried. Keep tabs on how you felt about the food to compare it to in-person dining when restaurants re-open, or make it an event with friends. Dress up, get together, crack a bottle of wine (or some beers, or sake, ya know – whatever floats your boat) and make it an event.

The other upside to this is now when people ask me for recommendations, I can give them with confidence instead of bullshitting like I would have before (sorry y’all LOL).

Learn how to do your own personal upkeep.

           It would probably take me ten hands and feet to count the number of videos I’ve seen of nail salons throwing customers out for being black or on the prejudice of race and/or class, or the number of hair salons and stylists who charge extra fees for thickness, length (or lack thereof), or for specific styles and modifications, etc. If you knew me, you know I was devoted to my nail salon. I loved the feeling of getting a full set of acrylics, having all the work done for me, the little burn on my cuticles when they’d slide my hands under the UV light. But in quarantine, a lot of things happened – nail salons closed, I became unemployed, and suddenly, $60 manicures every two weeks were not realistic. YouTube has so many videos on how to do basic self-care - things like cutting or dyeing or braiding your own hair, doing your own nails (whether it be acrylic, gel, even a basic polish manicure), doing your own eyebrows – the possibilities are all there. And, if you get good enough – you can always go ahead and make it your own side hustle (with salons operating at half capacity, the demand for people that do house calls is rapidly increasing). I’ve recently swapped my acrylics for press on nails and let me tell you – game changer. They last just as long, look just as good, and allow me the freedom of talon-like nails without having my bank account scream at me (a post on how I do my faux-acrylics at home coming soon!)

Try to watch something that isn’t reality television.

I know 90 Day Fiancee is that GIRL. And if you’re like me, you tend to get very sucked into YouTuber mukbang drama as well (if anyone wants to discuss Nikocado Avocado with me, I am more than willing). But after a while, it gets kind of repetitive, and there’s no harm in educating yourself on other topics. Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, even YouTube all have so many documentaries on a variety of topics – from crime, to health, to cults – there’s literally something for everyone. Plus, there’s something really self-satisfying about learning something on your own. If you need a place to start, my personal favourite is Bikram (Netflix) and any of the Vice documentaries on YouTube, but there are so many, so browse around and find one that suits your personal taste.

           There are also many documentaries on environmentalism and the Black existence/experience/life in America and globally. Considering all the things that are going on right now, it would be wise to educate oneself, especially when the tools for doing so are a few clicks away. My personal favourites are 13 and Who Shot the Sherriff, but there’s so many that you don’t have an excuse not to at least learn SOMETHING.

Severe ties and blame it on the pandemic.

This one is pretty self-explanatory. Maybe there’s the persistent wanna-be friend who you tried to avoid in your Thursday 11-1 lecture and would incessantly text you for notes. Or the creepy guy who would always be in your study spot in Deerfield and message you after with the dumbass eye emojis. Maybe it’s that one friend you used to call to console you of your issues, but by the end of the chat you felt more unnerved than understood. Whomever it is, don’t be afraid to stray away a bit and use the excuse of social distance or “getting your head together” to gradually give yourself some space and make things a bit obvious without having to be a total asshole. It can help, tbh, and the last thing you need in a time like this is to feel guilty for someone else’s feelings.

Be ok with doing nothing.

Quarantine has been lowkey surreal. My constant complaint of never having enough time to do all the things I want/should be doing has now left me bored in the house, bored in the house, bored with nothing but time to get said things done. However, it is a dual edged sword - with the collapse and subsequent reformation of civil society outside my doors, it leaves me wondering – as well as a lot of other people – in the words of Miss Juicy…what the hell we gone do now?

Nearing the end of the first leg of my university career, I should be thinking about getting ready to transition to the next logical stages of adulthood - saving for an apartment, applying for permanent residency, as well as graduate schools and part time jobs. Yet, I’m worried about if these things will even be a possibility within the next month, six months, or even the next year.

On top of ALL of that, the recent BLM protests and the way that people (read: white people, Latinxs, Black men, homo/transphobes, etc.) have shown their asses the past few months is beyond mortifying - especially regarding the treatment of black women and how our value as individuals as well as a collective to society is really perceived.* This is not to downplay the murder of numerous black men in society, BUT who the fuck is riding for black women aside from other black women? And not just the ones who find attractive, or are racially ambiguous, or the ones you feel as if you get “guilted” into supporting and demanding justice for, I mean each and every black woman. I’m just saying, it gets pretty disheartening to feel like the legwork of the revolution is on the back of one category of people, and that your value to society is measured by the amount of emotional labour you’re ready to do for others, or how fat your ass is (but I digress…).

I feel like most people have used material things as coping mechanisms instead of actually facing their feelings and dealing with the things that bother them. Just think of the number of packages that have arrived on your doorstep the past few months. Breaking the glossy seal of packing tape is similar to therapy, until all the boxes are open, and you start feeling like shit again. And now, more than ever, there’s a lot to be bothered about. Western society has dedicated phrases based on the phenomenon of substituting true self-work with figurative emotional bandages (Phrases like comfort eating and retail therapy come to mind).

It’s nice to think that we – the people entering their adolescent and young adult years – will be the one to change these things, but suddenly it’s 2 am, you have twenty different things in your Amazon cart, (who the fuck needs a metal straw cleaning kit?) and you’re trying to see how far you can stretch and grab your debit card before falling off of the bed.

The conflicting messages pushed by society don’t help all that much either. If you look up “Kondo method” or “decluttering my closet” on YouTube, the numbers of videos that come up is astounding. Pages and pages of sweaty-faced, smiling YouTubers monetizing from this kind of faux “minimalism” only to post haul videos a few days later because “I threw everything out and now I have to rebuild from scratch sksksk!”. Does this not just perpetuate a cycle of buying and throwing and buying? I am....confusion, to say the least. Still I watch them, because I’m a hypocrite, and am also easily amused.

I will be the first to admit I have always had a very unhealthy relationship with money, with self-image, and with measuring my self-worth in proximity with “stuff that stems from a complicated relationship with physical self. Follow along:

Growing up, I was a fat kid. We don’t even have to sugar coat it. Think Terrio, but better eyebrows and more hair. Except I was not killin’ em, just myself. I always envied my friends who were able to go shopping at regular stores – read: Hollister, Abercrombie, Urban Outfitters (yes my friends were white), meanwhile I was condemned to shopping in the women’s department.

So, to compensate, I would buy trinkets – things like nail polish, lip gloss, journals, you get the point. My proximity to worthiness was measured not by the things that I bought, but within the act of buying. Growing up with parents who were also financially frugal also altered my relationship with money and blessed me with crippling buyers’ remorse after every purchase, even on things that are important (read: groceries).  

But as a kid, buying “stuff” was fun for me – it gave me some sort of purpose, and the acquisition of things (even if they weren’t the same things my peers had) made me feel like, to some extent, I could compete on the same playing field. As I got older, and I started to have real expenses, I moved towards second-hand shopping. I would religiously find myself at Goodwill on weekend, after school, or with friends. I could literally feel an endorphin rush when I would find something that I would consider a “good deal”, and it made me feel (again) purposeful, to be spending money, even if I didn’t need whatever I was buying.

I should also add that the people in my immediate family does not believe in thrift stores (“Why am I working for you to wear other people’s clothing?”, I remember my dad asking me one day), so the act of second-hand shopping was also my form of rebellion.

I began to amass a collection of clothing that would put Kylie’s closet to shame. I began buying things for events and situations that were yet to happen, for other people, for when I lose ten pounds. It was a madness.

In freshman year of university, I had an unhealthy relationship with clubbing clothes. Did I have the figure for clubbing clothes? Absolutely not. The funnier part is, I couldn’t even go clubbing because I wasn’t 19 at the time. And yet I had drawers and drawers full of the stuff. Not to mention that clubbing clothes is incredibly similar to summer clothing and living between Minnesota and Canada meant that these things were barely seeing the light of day.

The moral of this was – I could never figure out my relationship with stuff, This quarantine has forced me to try and break down the compulsion behind my behaviour.  I felt like I was spiralling the six weeks that they closed thrift stores, and I knew myself well enough to not try and online shop with the same kind of frequency as that. But the crazy part was, I didn’t die. I didn’t go into withdrawal (ok, I did a little bit, but whatever), and I was able to take the time to go through the things I already owned and find some hidden gems that were routinely buried in the cracks and crevices of my closet. It was like the episode of Family Guy when Peter realizes he has a vestigial twin – alarming and cool at first, but then it’s just alarming and annoying.

Its more embarrassing to realize that some semblance of myself image is tied to the frequency with which I am able to spend money. I would never say that participating in capitalist society gives me some kind of purpose as a black woman because God forbid. Also, considering that a lot of big names companies are actually racist and fatphobic as hell creates a whole new dimension for analyzing the power of my black dollar, sometimes creating another spiral of guilt leading to you guessed it – more spending.

As much as it seems like it, however, this self-reflection was not in vain. In the past month, I’ve cut down my closet from +200 pieces of clothing and shoes to about 40. If you ever want a fun, humbling activity this quarantine, just clean out your closet and be honest with yourself about how often you wear certain things. It was revolting to see the number of shirts, dresses, pants, skirts that I had bought and convinced myself wholeheartedly I was going to wear, only to pull them out of my closet months later with the tags attached *insert Marge Simpson covering her face meme*.

But at the end of the whole ordeal, it felt really good to look at my space and not feel burden or guilt. It was somewhat philanthropic realizing that not only will these clothes make someone else happier (I donated pretty much everything because it’s not always about money), but that my quality of life was not dramatically impacted in owning (or not owning) certain things. The past few weeks, I’ve spent more money on going out and sharing experiences with friends, but still nowhere near the same amount of money I would have spent buying clothes and other material possession.

Youtuber Kelly Stamps has a video on how minimalism “cured” her depression**, and the whole thesis boils down to the idea that owning less things gives you less to compare yourself too, thus making you happier (in a sense) and allowing you to focus the energy and time that would have been centered around maintaining and building your collection of possessions other things.

This still doesn’t break down the root of the issue, but it’s a start. I think when you have traits or patterns that you’ve participated in for so long, it becomes hard to step back and be objective enough to realize that you – yes, you – are part of the problem. I can blame my habits on a lot of things but at the end of the day, it’s important to realize that certain cycles seem never-ending because I actively choose to participate in these kinds of behaviours (accountability is sexy, huh?). While I’m not ready to face all my demons quite yet, it’s easier to do it with a nice wardrobe and a streamlined sense of mind.

Notes

*When I say black women, I mean ALL black women. Not some limited, cis-gendered, heteronormative view of what a woman is. Over here we ride for all those who identify as women.

**She emphasizes that she doesn’t actually means that it cured anything, but rather helped with her anxiety, and in turn, helped with her depression.

Links

That Family Guy Episode

If the title doesn’t say it all, let me say it again – welcome to the party (RIP Pop Smoke). Whatever kind of party this ends up being.

If it’s not painfully obvious from the informality of the first few sentences, I am very new to this blogging thing. But scared money don’t make no money so this introductory post is just to tell you a bit about myself and what I have to offer when y’all decide to step away from Instagram and Twitter and what not.

My name is Segen (as I’ve mentioned before). I’m a college senior, majoring in Political Science and minoring in Writing – there is a longer title for that minor, but we can just call it what it is – writing. Outside of academia, I enjoy second-hand shopping, watching cartoons and documentaries, writing, art, fashion, and just generally being a person alive in this world (most times).

This blog is (hopefully) going to be a collection of my thoughts and ideas, however mundane or inflammatory. As a triple fire sign, the oldest daughter in an immigrant family, and a black woman, I usually do have a lot to say.

In addition to this blog, some of my posts will have accompanying podcasts that can be found through the link in the description box. Some messages are better communicated through audible mediums as opposed to written ones, so if you’re the kind of person who prefers to listen to other people rambling in your ear instead of reading some words, then check it out.