read, watch, & listen vol. 2
media recs for the weekend ahead
remember when the new music day was traditionally Tuesday? i’m so happy that it’s Friday now because it occurring over the weekend always makes it feel like my birthday. there’s SO much newness to listen to, but we’ll get into that later!
collectively, we are just in the midst of a new moon in Cancer, so it’s a great time to feel your feels and be ready to move through whatever you’re experiencing with grace and self-compassion. paradigms are shifting and an evolved you (and thus the collective) is emerging. the rain is heavy today, but in the midst of all this, it’s cleansing.
now, i bring you a second edition of read, watch, & listen including videos you need to see, recommended shows to watch, and new jams to add to your library.
to read
i recently did this round-up of Resortwear brands over on NBGA. check it out for vacation (or staycation) looks inspo!
tap into some poetry and muse on The Collected Poetry of Nikki Giovanni (1968-1998) this weekend (that’s what i’ll be up to).
i also recommend this multimedia feature of the historic Womack & Womack family (aka House of Zekkariyas) on Saint Heron.
to watch
Zaila Avant-garde crushing it at the 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee
if you haven’t already heard of her, i’d like to bring your awareness to this Louisiana legend, Zaila Avant-garde. she just made history as the first Black American to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee — it’s giving Akeelah! she’s also a basketball star with two Guinness World Records at 14 years of age. here’s a video of her winning the spelling competition. search her name on Google for an interactive celebration on your screen.
In Our Mothers’ Gardens
directed by Shantrelle P. Lewis (her directorial debut!), this is such a moving text about matriarchal lineages and honoring the women who came before us. the film addresses ancestral veneration and includes deep chats about generational trauma, self-care, and healing. there’s even a a special message from The Nap Ministry on resting. my favorite parts were with Dr. Koko Zauditu-Selassie — her candor and wit weighed out some of the heavier topics discussed. here’s one of her quotes that’ll stick with me forever.
“You can’t have a short memory and be Black. You’ll open yourself up for attack. You’ve got to have a long memory cause you’re singing a long song.”
Gossip Girl (HBO Max reboot)
if you thought the original Gossip Girl was unnecessarily messy, the reboot is that x10. in just the first 10-15 minutes, there were already so many complicated storylines to keep track of. now, i’ve consumed more insufferable media than i can name because i’ve always enjoyed teen dramas, camp, and the like. and with the OG Gossip Girl, i was an adolescent who had read the books and really attempted to keep up with original airing. admittedly, when i binge-watched the series within the last couple years, much of the content did not age well — many faulty plotlines that could have easily revealed the identity of Gossip Girl, had we not suspended our disbelief.
so i’m intrigued to see how this new show will bring rich people problems, deceit, and hyper-surveillance into the 2020s. i’m glad they brought back Kristen Bell as the narrator though! here’s the trailer below.
Dizzy Fae — “Body Move (Ying Yang Twins remix)”
ok, shout out to Dizzy Fae for coming to ATL to film this fun remix video for her bop “Body Move.” not me being the Leo Dicaprio meme pointing at the screen as i recognize landmarks. and for her to bring the Ying-Yang Twins out for the occasion? my pre-teen self is LIVING for it.
a quick story about Dizzy: i used to play her music in college radio and a couple years later, she came into my old retail job — which was walking distance from the venue where she’d be opening for Toro Y Moi. after i told her how much i loved her music (and how bummed i was to be missing Toro for the umpteenth time), she put my name on the list for the SOLD-OUT show. it was such a kind gesture and a sweet night, even if it was packed! (*sighs* in “i really miss live music”)
to listen
there’s quite a few albums to check out this weekend including the latest from Tkay Maidza, Vince Staples, Charlotte Day Wilson, Deem Spencer, and Snoh Aalegra. many of these projects are short and i’m keeping my headphones on all weekend b/c i need all the little details — like, this panning across Vince’s self-titled album is going wild.
i was also recommended this groovy, bedroom pop album by Drug Store Romeos that i will be revisiting again and again.
happy weekend & stay safe out there!