Holiday Gift Guide

I love H&M for mom, sisters, aunts, cousins, and BFFs!

A great gift for Dad!

A deluxe shaving kit from The Art of Shaving makes a great gift for the boyfriend, brother, or the son!

Future Fashion Now - H&M Life

Printing Afro Blue

Kitchen Cosmetics with Fran

Nicki Minaj - Pink Friday - Commercial

VIBE VIXEN Style Profile: Keeping Skirts Relevant This Fall

Sevyn Streeter - I Like It [Official Audio]

SOLANGE - LOSING YOU

VIBE VIXEN Style Profile: Karrueche Tran

love bliss bests

Indian Summer/Fall Style File

The Carrie Diaries Trailer HD

Middle of Nowhere (2012) Official Movie Trailer

Tracee Ellis Ross Discovers a Hair Miracle

Art from Jasmine Rose

Nia Long: Falling for You - A Target Short Film Event

Dance Class

Ophelia DeVore-Mitchell: A Modeling Career

AfroPoP: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange - Web Clip - "An African Electio...

SOLANGE - LOSING YOU

Happy Equinox!

njidekaakunyili.com

jazz

New Jazz Jewels for the Cuffing Season Playlist

September 19, 2012 by Shakira Hightower

Another cuffing season approaches. The time of the year when young men and women buddy up for sleepovers during the fall and winter cool-down.

This year maybe you’ve planned to sip herbal tea leisurely and read new autumn book releases at your place while cozy in your honey’s arms after a long day at the office. Perhaps you will spend lots of weekends at his loft playing chess and learning about his childhood over pasta dinners you prepare together.

No matter what activities you choose, make sure you have the perfect playlist to help you enjoy the season, including songs from the new, fresh cadre of musicians and vocalists who have assumed the legacy-keeping business of jazz, a list devoted to the task of furthering the music and culture with rewarding listening experiences for today’s audiences.

The vanguard includes iconic Bed-Stuy Brooklyn-based vocalist Gregory Porter. Porter’s trademark sound is warm and rich as he croons the single “Be Good.” It’s also dense with an authenticity that is heard on “Illusion” and “Pretty” — additional tracks on the Porter’s sophomore jazz album entitled Water. Seasoned, traditional fans of the genre and younger, new jazz audiences alike welcome Porter’s sound to the jazz scene — making Water a top-selling download and CD. Porter — born in Southern California — was a professional football hopeful until an injury prematurely sidelined him. With inspiration, which includes Kamau Kenyatta and Hubert Laws, Porter recovered nicely with a career that includes Jazz at Lincoln Center performance dates, steady jazz radio airplay, and international acclaim that continues to grow. Porter will be in concert this fall in multiple cities, singing his instant classics.

Award-winning pianist Robert Glasper of Blue Note Records and Grammy winner and strings-master Esperanza Spalding round out the vanguard to complete a triumvirate.

Glasper was inspired by his jazz and blues songstress mother and different denominations of Christianity. His albums Double-Booked, In My Element, and especially Black Radio showcase the artist as a brave innovator of jazz music. He’s re-arranged Herbie Hancock and Nirvana tracks, for instance. He’s brought the hip-hop and neo-soul stylings of Lupe Fiasco and Erykah Badu to the music, and celebrated by audiences from Australia to Atlanta. Glasper’s latest album, Black Radio, is a good example of his eclectic stylings. He welcomes friends like Lalah Hathaway, Bilal, new super-female singing trio King, and Ledisi to share his vision on the LP. The chart topper will be followed by a remixed version of the original, Black Radio Recovered: The Remix EP. The 6-track EP and a tour of North America are due this fall. Catch his concert to switch up a bit from your couples’ board game nights and Wii battles.

Spalding tracks will keep your nights festive and thoughtful with conversation. She continues making headlines with Radio Music Society–her March 2012 release. But the Berkelee College of Music graduate first delighted fans with the volume Junjo, a collection of Brazilian-influenced, mainly instrumental songs that quickly brought her expertise to the foreground for jazz followers. Esperanza, the second collection of songs from Spalding, propelled the young artist to even greater heights. With performance invitations from President Obama and a first win at the 53rd Grammy Awards for Best New Artist in 2011 (the first jazz artist to do so), Spalding is changing the game for women and young musicians in all music genres. See her in concert this fall, too.

Now that you have a few suggestions for your cuffing season soundtrack, the only remaining suggestion is to steady your emotions during the romantic scenes sure to develop from your set stage. Your informed music choices may move you to explore more concentrated stuff, such as Coltrane, Miles, and Dizzy, and deeper into that funny zone between really liking your cuffing season beau and new love.

http://www.clutchmagonline.com/2012/09/new-jazz-jewels-for-the-cuffing-season-playlist/#comments

Photo Credit:  @pinterest

True Life: I Want to be a Healthy Vegetarian.

Lira - Phakade - Full Version - HD

Introducing COVERGIRL Janelle Monáe!

How to Sew a Square Pillow: {Maeling Designs #1}

Powder Tips

Classic Sesame Street - Richard Pryor's alphabet

Clutch Magazine's New Writer: Me!

Check out my writing on clutchmagonline.com. Today's article is on wines:  how to learn more about them for business and pleasure.  

10 Ways to Tie A Silk Head Scarf

The Darling Dardens...

James Van Der Zee Photos

Miles Davis - Summertime

Easy Desserts : How to Make an Ice Pop

Give Me Water - John Forte & Valerie June

Summer Vacation Fashion

Day 2 Night Summer Style: Little White Dress - Style Me Grasie

Happy Black Music Month

Natasha Trethewey - Poet of Honor

Rebecca Ferguson UPTOWN Photo Shoot

Target Style + Vashtie Kola

Lianne La Havas | Is Your Love Big Enough? (Official Video)

Art and Inspiration

New Kehinde Magic

Donna

Beautiful Dorothy Dandridge introduces MLK

Rompers We Heart!

Just about all of our favorite popular chain retailers and boutiques have unique styles. Here are just a few:  a playful floral, conservative striped and button-up versions, and soft fabric, rich colored ones to get you thinking about expanding your options. 

GIOGO The Nail Show

My Black Is Beautiful: Best in Beauty

The My Black Is Beautiful (mbib) movement is truly soaring. After you view the video featuring Wendy Williams and my Spelman sister and mbib beauty correspondent Tai Beauchamp, log onto myblackisbeautiful.com to read the movement's featured true beauty story by yours truly!

Gregory Porter - Be Good (Lion's Song) - (Jazz Music)

ChocQuibTown - Calentura ft. Tego Calderón y Zully Murillo

Working at Vogue (Part 1) - H&M Life Video

Alice Smith - Look 66: "The Ross"

I Have Always Worked Hard in America, Elizabeth Catlett

Restless City | Theatrical Trailer

Free printable from blogger Abiola !

One Night In Brooklyn Indiegogo Trailer

Janelle Monáe - Metropolis

Art:21 | Kara Walker

Friday Nights With the Crew!

In D.C., New York, and Miami there's so much to do...museum parties, late night jam sessions...what to do...what to do...;)

Tiffany Brown Ltd. Rocks the Fashion Scene

Tiffany Brown recently opened a new location in Atlanta for fashionistas to enjoy. We caught up with her to learn more about her work in the business:

Q:  How long have you been in the fashion business?  

I have been in the fashion industry since 2008.  I sketched my first line that included shoes, handbags and clothing.

Q: How did you decide on becoming a part of the fashion business and what steps did you take to get to where you are today? 

I learned the business from the ground up.  I read a lot about the fashion industry. I taught myself how to sketch and learn the process of constructing an article of clothing.  I decided after showing my swimwear collection during Miami Fashion Week that I would open an store. Having a store builds your personal brand and limits a lot of lost revenue that come from spending time getting your line in other stores.

Q: What is a "typical" day for you?

I run in the mornings and then get started with my day. I am usually focused on the administrative side of the business during the day such as scouting space for new stores, staff development, and merchandizing the stores.  The last half of the day is dedicated to sketching and creative aspects of the business. During the day is short term goals and the evening is long term goals.

Q: What is your favorite dress in your wardrobe and why?  

I have a yellow strapless dress with a sweetheart neckline,  I love it because it is so 50s and Marilyn Monroe.  I [can] dress [it] up or down and I even [wear] it for a photo shoot for my book. 

Behind The Scenes: Tracee Ellis Ross [PHOTOS + VIDEO]

Behind The Scenes: Tracee Ellis Ross [PHOTOS + VIDEO]

Go-Gos - Head Over Heels

when was your last crush? and how did it go;)

How Do You Read A Fashion Magazine?

Skip the ads first? Pit stop in the beauty section for parfum samples and then onto the goodies?...How many ways do I love thee...

The Couple: Bed Side - Minisode #1

Ah Yeah feat. Musiq Soulchild and Chrisette Michele

How Many Movies Did Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte Star In?

Just how many movies did Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte star in and what are they? Come on out to the Auburn Avenue Research Library on Sunday, February 12 to dazzle everyone with your expert knowleddge in the history of beauty and fashion of such icons like Ms. Dandridge. We'll have refreshments and prizes. We begin at 2pm. Mark your calendar!

Happy Founder's Day

Fly High

Tuskegee Airmen pose for a picture before taking to the skies.

AfroPoP (Season 4.0) - Everyday Sunshine -- PROMO

Sundance and Spike

Happy Birthday Dr. King!

Tiffany Brown Ltd - Second Location Grand Opening Celebration

I had an awesome time at this event. From clutches to jewelry, dresses and blouses, this boutique has lots to offer the fashionable lady of today. I scored an awesome clutch that I plan to carry when I attend a Porgy & Bess performance (Audra MacDonald stars on Broadway) in New York at month's end and I'm letting everyone know that the conversation piece is from the ATL-based boutique. While I enjoyed yummy cake and champagne, I chatted up the event's publicist Nicole Shields and store personnel. Everyone was friendly and helpful. We look forward to featuring an article on Brown and on how she got her start in the fashion biz. For more information in the meantime,  log onto www.tbrownltd.com. 

Blessed Rest

Give thanks!

Vlisco commercial 'Family Portrait'