Things I'm loving on the Web

During my downtime, I write this blog and also read a lot looking for inspiration. Here are a few of interesting things that I ran across this week while reading and web surfing.

Sisters from the South

Borrowed this from YouTube. You can take us out the South, but you can't take the South out of us!  This video did my heart good. I'm a long way from home, so to see two sisters from Houston, TX, Beyonce and Solange (so alike and so different, like my sister and me!), grooving to some old school New Orleans bounce made me a bit homesick and a lot nostalgic.

Sound Off: Yasiin Bey, b.k.a. Mos Def, Talks Barclay Poetry and Avoiding Beef With Jay-Z
And about Mrs. Carter's husband. . .This article is from one of my favorite online magazines, Clutch. The author discusses a recent interview with Yasiin Bey (formerly known as the mighty Mos Def; remember him from this post?) and his critique of Jay-Z's involvement with the building of the Barclays Center. I'm interested to see how this will play out, or if this plays out at all. Bey raises some points to really ponder as it relates to community growth, expansion, and materialism. More than anything, this article highlights how we can criticize constructively and in the spirit of love and respect. I like Bey's moxie. I don't know too many MCs who'd be willing to address Jay directly in this way.

On Seeing Lena Dunham Naked
I'm a huge fan of the HBO series Girls. Yeah, I get the criticisms about the lack of diversity on the show. I really don't care because 1) the show is well-written and acted; 2) I can still relate to the stories (I've been young and dumb; and 3) the show is based on Hannah's reality, and her reality speaks to the larger reality of gentrification. Hannah very well may not live in a multicultural Brooklyn, well, at least she doesn't really acknowledge it. And, yeah, she's naked a whoooole lot, which is really offensive to some folks. Not gonna lie, I've cringed a few times myself. I ran across this great article that discusses body image and Lena Dunham's decision to flaunt her figure all over cable TV. In some ways, I identify with the author's struggle to learn to live in the skin you're in. I get it, Lena. I think I finally get it! Let's hear it for the girls whose thighs rub together (mine included)!

I CAN'T STOP WATCHING THIS!!!

The music. The beauty. The talent. The clothes. All. Of. It. Nice work, Miu Miu. I've been a fan of Ana DuVernay's work since My Mic Sounds Nice, a documentary about female MCs, and I absolutely loved her film, Middle of Nowhere. This short film, with no words mind you, reminds me of what makes my girls so special. Each of them bring something unique and different to my life.

Until next time. . . I'll be on the lookout for more cool things to share.