She’s got a gorgeous face and a heavenly voice, and the kind of full, fluffy hair that inspires awe and admiration when you see her. And I can report from experience, when you meet her she is lovely, sweet, gracious and friendly. In a nutshell, Andy Allo is awesome. Who is Andy Allo? She’s a…
afrobella jams
Working Out Like The FLOTUS — What’s On Your Playlist?
Michelle Obama inspires me on so many levels, bellas. She inspires me in terms of her poise, her grace, her accomplishments, her style, and in the way that she makes health and fitness a priority. I’m trying to do the same in my life, and the First Lady’s workout regimen inspires me. Check out this…
Who’s Going to see Fela! in Chicago?
The first time I heard the music of Fela Kuti, I was a college student visiting Chicago. My then-fiance-now-husband, our dear friend Carol (check out her hilariously named food blog!) and I were driving around downtown with a hilarious, gregarious cab driver. He was blasting Fela Kuti — together we heard Teacher Don’t Teach Me…
Love, Peace, and SOUL. RIP, Don Cornelius
I woke up yesterday morning looking forward to writing a celebratory piece on Black History Month. And then, via Twitter, I read the news about Don Cornelius. I know I’m not the only one with a heavy heart today. For so many artists, Don Cornelius represented a certain benchmark. A sign that you had MADE…
RIP, Etta James
Last week, Etta James was heavy on my mind. I was visiting my homeland of Trinidad, soaking up the sun and sand and having a blast with my family and old friends. Even in the midst of that, there was Etta. “Hey, have you heard this Flo Rida song?” my brother asked. Good Feeling is…
What I Love About Lianne La Havas
It takes me a minute to discover new music. I don’t mean to be a late adopter, it just takes me a while to find new artists I’m intrigued enough to attach myself to. Whenever I hear new music I LOVE, I’m gonna make an effort to share it with you! And right now my…
Amy Winehouse’s New Video Makes Me Happy/Sad
The sudden death of Amy Winehouse still remains such a study of conflict in my mind. It simultaneously seems like a long time ago, and like just yesterday. Although the news wasn’t altogether shocking, it was still so tragic and heartbreaking. A posthumous album of previously unreleased Amy Winehouse tracks is about to be released…
RIP Heavy D – Things We Can Learn From the Overweight Lover’s Legacy
Hip hop legend Dwight Arrington Myers, known and loved by the world as “Heavy D,” passed away on Tuesday at the age of 44. And the news is hitting me hard for a couple of reasons. Even though I grew up in Trinidad, Heavy D was known and loved and was a big part of…
Shower Music — What Do You Listen To in the Morning?
What are your absolute essentials when having a shower in the morning? For me, it’s hot water, awesome body wash, my favorite face wash….and music. I can’t think back to a time when music wasn’t part of my shower experience. When I was younger, I used to sing. Around high school, I started finding ways…
Carol’s Daughter Giveaway Winners AND the DJ Diva Afrobella Mary J. Blige Mixtape!
I hope you caught a little of Mary J. Blige on HSN this weekend! The set was stunning, Mary was gorgeous, and it seems that everyone had an absolutely amazing time from what I’m seeing on the Carol’s Daughter FB page! And I LOVED the responses from you all on the Carol’s Daughter and Mary…