December 14, 2010
Just Shatera
I feel like titles and labels limit me. Titles do not denote my identity. I don't want to be defined by the things I do. I don't like being called a writer or a poet or a singer. I'm fine with just Shatera. With titles come expectations. I don't want to be forced to live up to a title. Titles put us in boxes. These boxes are filled with stereotypical behavior associated with the titles. It seems to just be a cycle that I don't want a part of. It may sound funny but that's just how I see it...
December 2, 2010
I ♥ My Hair
Wow its been 18 months since my BC. I hadn't even realized it had been that long until last week when I cut off the relaxed ends of my sister's hair. She did the same for me in May 09, which really doesn't seem too long ago. But that's not the point of this post...
I'm so tired of people saying that going natural is a fad. To me being natural is not a hairstyle. Its a choice. A conscious decision to accept yourself in your natural state. Being natural to me isn't about a lifestyle, its about learning how to be yourself. There is something so beautiful about a woman that rejects society's ideas of what is acceptable and rejects what they've been taught their whole lives to learn their own truth. Nappy hair is beautiful and I wouldn't trade it for anything else. There's this certain confidence I found that I never had before. I feel like I'm more me than I ever was before.
I seriously ♥ my hair.
I'm so tired of people saying that going natural is a fad. To me being natural is not a hairstyle. Its a choice. A conscious decision to accept yourself in your natural state. Being natural to me isn't about a lifestyle, its about learning how to be yourself. There is something so beautiful about a woman that rejects society's ideas of what is acceptable and rejects what they've been taught their whole lives to learn their own truth. Nappy hair is beautiful and I wouldn't trade it for anything else. There's this certain confidence I found that I never had before. I feel like I'm more me than I ever was before.
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| May 09 |
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| Sept. 10 |
I seriously ♥ my hair.
December 1, 2010
She's Single - Raheem DeVaughn
Monday night at 11 PM Raheem DeVaughn released his new mixtape Jackin 4 Beats, which was accompanied by his new video for She's Single. I automatically fell in love with the video (there's not much that Raheem does that I don't like). The video is a bit explicit and has caused quite a stir with people. I've been hearing a lot of complaints and I'm having a hard time understanding where they're coming from. Here's a few that I've been seeing repeatedly:
1. Its distasteful - I can understand that not everyone is interested in seeing a sexual act reenacted in a music video. Ok that makes sense. But what is so nasty about this video? As Raheem has stated numerous time, he makes grown folk's music. So whoever is watching this video should be grown and hopefully, mature. This video is just a representation of what grown folks do when alone. And we, as sexual beings, should not be so afraid to embrace when someone wants to showcase their sexuality.
2. It's disrespectful - Huh? To who? The woman in the video is not being disrespected in any way. It looks to me like quite the opposite is happening. And as a woman I do not feel disrespected by watching this video. One person said that if little girls watch this video it will lead to them allowing men to disrespect them. Huh? 1. Little girls shouldn't be watching this, at all. 2. I see no correlation between watching people have sex and disrespect. I just don't. There is no disrespect here. Just grown people consenting to enjoying each other's bodies.
3. OMG who is this guy? Who even cares? - You're wasting your time commenting for one. And for two, Raheem DeVaughn has been around for years and he has quite a following. His fans understand that he is a complex artist. Which leads me to the next one.
4. This is so out of character for Raheem, what is going on? - Raheem is a self proclaimed R&B Hippie NeoSoul RockStar and he lives up to his name. He doesn't like being put in a box, and he definitely shouldn't be. Yes he makes bedroom music, but he also makes socially conscious music and let's just party music. Its ok to do more than one thing. As humans we are complex beings - people need to understand that.
5. The quality of music videos is declining - I agree. Most videos are surrounded by sex, drinking and partying. Those videos are pointless to me, but at the same time Rah's video can seem pointless. But it isn't. Since so much sex is involved people don't see the art in it. He is entitled to artistic expression and he used it. I actually enjoyed this video (after I got over the initial shock lol). I even felt envious of the girl in the video and I don't even want Raheem in that way lol. It told a story of enjoyable lovemaking and now, the thought of the video makes me smile. Mission accomplished.
You can decide for yourself if the video is too much.
Did he go too far?
1. Its distasteful - I can understand that not everyone is interested in seeing a sexual act reenacted in a music video. Ok that makes sense. But what is so nasty about this video? As Raheem has stated numerous time, he makes grown folk's music. So whoever is watching this video should be grown and hopefully, mature. This video is just a representation of what grown folks do when alone. And we, as sexual beings, should not be so afraid to embrace when someone wants to showcase their sexuality.
2. It's disrespectful - Huh? To who? The woman in the video is not being disrespected in any way. It looks to me like quite the opposite is happening. And as a woman I do not feel disrespected by watching this video. One person said that if little girls watch this video it will lead to them allowing men to disrespect them. Huh? 1. Little girls shouldn't be watching this, at all. 2. I see no correlation between watching people have sex and disrespect. I just don't. There is no disrespect here. Just grown people consenting to enjoying each other's bodies.
3. OMG who is this guy? Who even cares? - You're wasting your time commenting for one. And for two, Raheem DeVaughn has been around for years and he has quite a following. His fans understand that he is a complex artist. Which leads me to the next one.
4. This is so out of character for Raheem, what is going on? - Raheem is a self proclaimed R&B Hippie NeoSoul RockStar and he lives up to his name. He doesn't like being put in a box, and he definitely shouldn't be. Yes he makes bedroom music, but he also makes socially conscious music and let's just party music. Its ok to do more than one thing. As humans we are complex beings - people need to understand that.
5. The quality of music videos is declining - I agree. Most videos are surrounded by sex, drinking and partying. Those videos are pointless to me, but at the same time Rah's video can seem pointless. But it isn't. Since so much sex is involved people don't see the art in it. He is entitled to artistic expression and he used it. I actually enjoyed this video (after I got over the initial shock lol). I even felt envious of the girl in the video and I don't even want Raheem in that way lol. It told a story of enjoyable lovemaking and now, the thought of the video makes me smile. Mission accomplished.
You can decide for yourself if the video is too much.
Official Video: Raheem DeVaughn - "She's Single" from 368 Music Group on Vimeo.
Did he go too far?
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