Epiphanies: Necole Bitchie Tangible Success
LIVING PROOF OF TANGIBLE SUCCESS
"Life's a b*tch, and then you blog". That famous quote was created by one of my favorite bloggers and one of the most successful bloggers period. Necole Bitchie. She was recently featured in a two page spread in Ebony Magazine's March issue chronicling her struggles and her rise to success. Necole began blogging when she was 26years old after the death of both of her parents and dropping out of two colleges. At the lowest point in her life she found refuge in blogging and was smart enough to turn it into a business through featuring various advertisement on her site and even creating media kits for companies to feature advertisements on her blog. Today www.necolebitchie.com has an estimated 3.2 million monthly visitors and Necole supports herself off of the soul income of the site which is at minimum in the six-figure range. Not only that but she is capitalizing on the "Bitchie Brand" through Bitchie TV and an upcoming clothing line. Necole is a young African-American successful woman with an edge, and despite her "Bitchie" alter-ego, through the various interviews I've read and listened to she seems extremely humble and sweet.
Becoming excited and inspired by Necole's success I took to twitter as I usually do on a daily bases and tweeted : @Hersheys_Kash: Reading this two page spread and article in Ebony Magazine on my favorite blogger @NecoleBitchie i love her! While browsing over the article once more I was surprised by the next twitter notification i received. It was from Necole herself! @NecoleBitchie your so sweet! thx! My friends began tweeting me excited that Necole had tweeted me and how they couldn't wait to see me reaching that level of success. It made my day. I know to some of you it may seem small or childish that three small words via twitter impacted me so much but it's more than that. That tweet reminded me how tangible success is. It was a normal tweet from a normal person who had simply made there dreams come true. It reminded me that I too could put myself in that position if I work hard enough. It also reminded me of how I want to reach people through words the same way her simple words had reached me.Necole is not a singer or a model or an athlete. She is a blogger. She took something she was d*mn good at, worked persistently at it, and turned ambition into tangible success. I am not at the best point in my life but hearing Necole's story gives me hope that even with defeats, personal vices I have yet to overcome, and opposition, I will still succeed.
The Necole Bitchie Ebony article will be on my vision board along side one of my goals, which is to become an intern for Necole next summer!(2012) *fingers crossed*. Never stop dreaming readers! Epiphanies&808s
PLEASE PICK UP A COPY OF THE MARCH ISSUE OF EBONY MAGAZINE TO READ THE NECOLE BITCHIE ARTICLE
Egypt's President Murbarak finally Steps Down
NEW FOUND EUPHORIA
The Egyptian Revolution
Eighteen days ago in the country of Egypt large protests began with the notation to end President Hosni Mubarak's reign of over three decades. The protests hit a breaking point early last week when internet and cell phones were cut off by the government around the country to derail the access of communication outside of the country. This intern caused citizens to become more enraged and protests grew. While protests remained peaceful, continual pressure was placed upon Mubarak to step down. Last night after allies of the Egyptian President indicated that the President would finally heed to the peoples request and give up power, he instead surprised everyone and announced that he would maintain his title as President and transfer his power to the current Vice President Omar Suleiman.
Egyptians immediately began protesting in record breaking numbers and openly showed there disdain that Mubarak remained in office. Earlier today Mubarak finally relinquished power after thirty plus years. The departure was announced by Egypts Vice President Omar Suleiman. "At the current time the country is being run by the Supreme Court of Armed Forces."
Following the news of the successful revolt President Barak Obama addressed the public with his words on the events. "There are moments in our life where we have the pleasure of witnessing history, this is one of those moments, this is one of those times." He went on to acknowledge the large role that Egypt has played throughout history. "Egypt has played large roles in history in the last 6,000 years, now we've witnessed history turn it's wheels at a pivotal pace ." Obama then stated that the U.S. is willing to help Egypt get back on it's feet during this reconstruction period. "But this is not the end of Egypt's change, this is the beginning. Egyptians have made it clear that nothing less than genuine democracy will carry the day." He said challenges they faced would include revising the constitution, lifting the emergency law. He also goes on to note something that this revolution seems to signify. "I see extraordinary potential for this generation to take flight."
With the major use of technology in the world and the education of the youth the voices of the young generation are proving more monumental than ever. The changes in Egypt could possible have a counter affect to other middle eastern countries and ignite a new age of freedom. Today the world celebrates Democracy and the worth of multiple human beings coming together with the voice of a single nation to stand up for basic human rights. This is something President Obama dually notes "We can't help but here the echo's of history, Martin Luther King once said as I repeat it now, there is something in the soul that cries out for freedom."
Following the news of the successful revolt President Barak Obama addressed the public with his words on the events. "There are moments in our life where we have the pleasure of witnessing history, this is one of those moments, this is one of those times." He went on to acknowledge the large role that Egypt has played throughout history. "Egypt has played large roles in history in the last 6,000 years, now we've witnessed history turn it's wheels at a pivotal pace ." Obama then stated that the U.S. is willing to help Egypt get back on it's feet during this reconstruction period. "But this is not the end of Egypt's change, this is the beginning. Egyptians have made it clear that nothing less than genuine democracy will carry the day." He said challenges they faced would include revising the constitution, lifting the emergency law. He also goes on to note something that this revolution seems to signify. "I see extraordinary potential for this generation to take flight."
With the major use of technology in the world and the education of the youth the voices of the young generation are proving more monumental than ever. The changes in Egypt could possible have a counter affect to other middle eastern countries and ignite a new age of freedom. Today the world celebrates Democracy and the worth of multiple human beings coming together with the voice of a single nation to stand up for basic human rights. This is something President Obama dually notes "We can't help but here the echo's of history, Martin Luther King once said as I repeat it now, there is something in the soul that cries out for freedom."
808s: Big Sean, T-Pain, Trey Songz, Justin Timberlake
808S: NEW SINGLES GEARING UP FOR NEW ALBUMS
Big Sean was signed to Kanye West's label G.O.O.D. Music in 2007 and has released 3 consecutive mixtapes (Finally Famous vol. 1 through 3).He's Generating a buzz as new artist to look out for now at the top of 2011 and with the release of his highly anticipated Finally Famous the Album on March 29th he's released his first official single. I personally LOVE the track which features noted R&B crooner Chris Brown listen below:
Big Sean feat. Chris Brown "My Last"
Trey Songz "6'7" triggamix
These days it seems like you can catch Trey Songz laying down a freestyle or two over all the hot Hip-Hop beats. Is this sensation considering adding this set of skills to his next album? Or simply looking for cross over appeal? Either way we're listening checkout his version of Lil'Wayne's hit "6'7" below:
T-Pain feat. Chris Brown "Bes Luv Song"
T-Pain boldly announced that he hasn't gone anywhere on Wiz Khalifa's "Black and Yellow" G-Mix and now he's released the first listen into his new material. Teaming up with Chris Brown yet again the two belt out more auto-tuned vocals. The track will be featured on T-Pains new album rEVOLVEr. Listen below:
Timbaland feat. Justin Timberlake and Keri Hilson "You lied. You Cheated."
On Timbalands website for "Timbaland Thursdays" a track featuring Keri Hilson and Justin Timberlake was released. Sounding like the classical bass hitting futuristic sounds of of the producer could this be a possibly be a single for the album JT's been working on? Do you think the song makes the cut? Listen Below:
Timbaland feat. Keri Hilson - You Lied, You Cheated (Produced by Timbaland) by Next Selection
Fashion: Italian Vogue Black Allure
ITALIAN VOGUE: THE BLACK ALLURE
Oh the beauty of Blackness! Italian Vogue is at it once again. After their unforgettable All black issue in July 2008 they are featuring yet another all black editorial in the February 2011 issue. The shoot was shot by British photographer Emma Summerton and styled by Edward Enninful. Some of the notable gowns and dresses are by Givenchy, Jil Sander, Lanvin and others. Top models of color include: Chanel Iman, Jourdan Dunn, Joan Smalls, Melodie Monrose, and Arlenis Sosa just to name a few. Some wonder if this is simply a gimmick or is the fashion world turning over a new leaf? In the future I hope to see more integrated women of color within regular issues of top fashion magazines but until then I will surely enjoy these spreads! Here are the pictures below :-)
Wale: signed to Maybach Music Group and Releases New videos
WALE SIGNS WITH MAYBACH MUSIC GROUP AND RELEASES NEW VIDEOS
Yesterday via twitter Wale announced that he has officially signed with Rick Ross's label Maybach Music Group.The two recently worked together on a track called "Pandemonium" which they also shot a video for. (check out the song HERE). Wale also stated that ROCnation will still be handling the business aspect of things. A day after announcing his new representation Wale's released two new videos for the tracks "The Break Up Song" and "The MC" both are off of his well received "More About Nothing" Mixtape. Check them out below.
"The Breakup Song"
"The MC"
Its Poetic: Joshua Bennett makes The Grio Top 100
JOSHUA BENNETT: THE POWER OF A VOICE
Every year top African-American News and media website TheGrio.com release a list of the top 100 African-Americans making history. The unique list includes educators, politicians, media moguls, music artist, athletes, and a plethora of many more fields. These honoree's range from the age groups of children to senior citizens. This year a gentleman on the list by the name of Joshua Bennett is one that stood out the most. He is the only Slam poet featured on the list and has performed everywhere from the White House to the NAACP Image Awards. Speaking on subjects such as personal struggles, Hip-hop, family, and politics he is managing to captivate a culture through the ingenuity of his words. He is Taking his art form to a higher platform and engaging audiences who wouldn't normally pay attention and getting them to listen. Bennett has a unique way of allowing him self to shrink to the muster of his vulnerability in front of complete strangers which allows his message and words to be elevated through the exposition of his thoughts. "It's nothing but you and the microphone, your story, and a group of people who have gathered there to listen and just the hope that somebody will be moved." Here's a little more about this artist.
Bennett's Background
Bennett was born in the Bronx and raised in a low-income neighborhood in Yonkers, New York. He attended a private high school and went on to pursue his degrees with a double major in African Studies and English at the University of Pennsylvania. He's currently pursuing an MA in Theatre and performance studies at the University Warick in the UK. Bennett began doing spoken word poetry at the age of Seventeen after attending a Hurricane Katrina benefit at Sarah Lawrence College in which he saw spoken word for the first time and was inspired by the artists performing there. A week later he wrote his first Spoken Word poem.
Accolades
Bennett's Background
Bennett was born in the Bronx and raised in a low-income neighborhood in Yonkers, New York. He attended a private high school and went on to pursue his degrees with a double major in African Studies and English at the University of Pennsylvania. He's currently pursuing an MA in Theatre and performance studies at the University Warick in the UK. Bennett began doing spoken word poetry at the age of Seventeen after attending a Hurricane Katrina benefit at Sarah Lawrence College in which he saw spoken word for the first time and was inspired by the artists performing there. A week later he wrote his first Spoken Word poem.
Accolades
- Former member of UPenn's Spoken-word team "Excellano Project"
- Co-founded The University Of Pennsylvania's NAACP Chapter
- Co-founded The UPenn's "Black Men United" Chapter
- Published a book of autobiographical poems entitled Jesus Riding Shotgun
- Grand Slam Champion of numerous Slam competitions around the country including Champion of "Brave New Voices"
- Performed at NAACP Awards to honor Russell Simmons
- Recipient of the Marshall Scholarship
- Performed at The Sun Dance Film Festival
- Performed at White House Poetry Jam in 2009 for President Barack Obama
808s: New Music
New Music
Trey Songz Feat. Rico Love "It's Gon On"
Bowwow 6'7 Freestyle shows of a more aggressive and sped up flow than we have seen from the rapper before could this be a peak into what expect for his upcoming release?
Trey Songz Feat. Rico Love "It's Gon On"
Here is a new unreleased track from Trey Songz produced by The Runners. The track is another staple to the Trey Songz "love making" sound and is an mid-tempo version of something you would hear on his Ready Album. Enjoy :-)
DAWN RICHARD "Me Myself & Y" by mskolnik
Fabolous "Wolves in Sheep Clothing" is the first leak off of his upcoming mixtape The S.O.U.L TapeDawn Richard "Me Myself and Y"
After the major success of Diddy Dirty Money's "Last Train to Paris" in 2010 group member Dawn Richard is gearing up to put out some of her own music with the February 7th release of her mixtape #AtellTaleHeart this track is a sneak peak of what to expect.
DAWN RICHARD "Me Myself & Y" by mskolnik
Bowwow 6'7 Freestyle shows of a more aggressive and sped up flow than we have seen from the rapper before could this be a peak into what expect for his upcoming release?
FOOD 4 THOUGHT: Can a Male and Female be Bestfriends?
CAN A MALE AND A FEMALE BE BEST FRIENDS?
Barriers in society are being broken daily. More women are becoming CEO's and Firefighters, and more men becoming stay at home dads and RN's. In addition we are also seeing changes in the dynamic of friendships between males and females. Which raises the question, can a male and female be best friends? It seems as though everyone I talk to has a different opinion on the matter and feel strongly about it. Some say that it is completely possible for a male and a female to be best friends and others say that the friendship will always turn into more than just a "friend"ship. Instead of deciding on a simple answer I decided to dig deeper and do some research based on what my peers and professionals said and I concluded some interesting findings.
In my mind I naturally wanted to assume that yes males and females can be best friend but if I said I was sure of that it wouldn't be the truth. The answer seems all about variables. One of those "it just depends" scenarios and that rings true here. Lets look at both sides:
An article on psychologytoday.com stated that it is in fact possible for this to occur but that the friendship faces different obstacles than a same-sex friendship would. Among those challenges were defining the relationship and dealing with doubters. When Becoming friends with the opposite sex things can get confusing quickly especially if the two individuals are attracted to one another. That's why in order to avoid complications in the relationship you define exactly the guidelines of your friendship so that no party ends up confused or expecting more. The hardest part would be dealing with the doubters "Are you really just friends?" is a common question, it also suggests that society is not ready for friendships between men and women. These constant questions often have the affect on the two individuals in the friendship questioning themselves and if they really are just friends based on the ideas being drilled into there heads by peers, which otherwise would not have been their if outside opinions weren't involved.
Studies show the benefits of a having a best friend of the opposite sex for males was having someone to talk to and relate to on a personal level, verses bonding with other males through activities such as sport or organizations. Woman said the friendships are lighter and more fun because men aren't as sensitive to things and they receive the male perspective on things which they can't from female friends. Both sexes said that these friendships are more emotionally rewarding. Kathy Werking, Author of We're just Good Friends said that her work has shown that the number one thing male and female friends do is talk one-on-one.
Although these finds prove to be true their is still some doubt. Some believe that a male and a female referring to each other as best friends is simply hiding behind the title to avoid the complications of a real relationship. Also stating that the majority of the time their counter-parts posses the same traits and qualities they would look for in a spouse. Often these lines become blurred resulting in action. In a study 62% of people admitted to having a platonic friendship that crossed the line and became romantic or sexual. However, the majority of the same percentage of people said the friendship still did not result in a relationship after the line was crossed. BUT those same 94% said that their best friend would make a great relationship partner for them. Interesting.
As you can see it can easily go both ways and really depends on each unique individual relationship between to whether it be platonic or simply hindering something more that is beneath the surface. The only way for that to be decided is between the two individuals involved. Yet, a question is still plaguing me. Is it some type of rule that states a person can only have one title in your life? Why can't your best friend be your significant other simultaneously? And if someone does serve best as your best friend then what is the rush in forcing things to be more than what they are if supposedly you two will be brought together anyway? I certainly hope the person I marry someday is someone who knows me best.
In light of this post I must admit my best friend is indeed a male and I agree with the majority of the things stated above on both sides of the argument. I don't know about in general all I know is that my relationship with my best friend is far to valuable for me to question it continually and I would rather just enjoy it because good friends of either sex are hard to come by and the pros far outway the cons for me.With that said I leave you with this quote from Dave Mathews Band a friend of mine told me long ago. "A girl and a guy can be friends, but at one point or another, they will fall for each other, maybe TEMPORARILY, maybe at THE WRONG TIME, maybe TOO LATE, or maybe FOREVER." Just something to think about.
To go more in depth check this out:
www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200109/can-men-and-women-be-friends/
I want to know your opinions comment below!
In my mind I naturally wanted to assume that yes males and females can be best friend but if I said I was sure of that it wouldn't be the truth. The answer seems all about variables. One of those "it just depends" scenarios and that rings true here. Lets look at both sides:
An article on psychologytoday.com stated that it is in fact possible for this to occur but that the friendship faces different obstacles than a same-sex friendship would. Among those challenges were defining the relationship and dealing with doubters. When Becoming friends with the opposite sex things can get confusing quickly especially if the two individuals are attracted to one another. That's why in order to avoid complications in the relationship you define exactly the guidelines of your friendship so that no party ends up confused or expecting more. The hardest part would be dealing with the doubters "Are you really just friends?" is a common question, it also suggests that society is not ready for friendships between men and women. These constant questions often have the affect on the two individuals in the friendship questioning themselves and if they really are just friends based on the ideas being drilled into there heads by peers, which otherwise would not have been their if outside opinions weren't involved.
Studies show the benefits of a having a best friend of the opposite sex for males was having someone to talk to and relate to on a personal level, verses bonding with other males through activities such as sport or organizations. Woman said the friendships are lighter and more fun because men aren't as sensitive to things and they receive the male perspective on things which they can't from female friends. Both sexes said that these friendships are more emotionally rewarding. Kathy Werking, Author of We're just Good Friends said that her work has shown that the number one thing male and female friends do is talk one-on-one.
Although these finds prove to be true their is still some doubt. Some believe that a male and a female referring to each other as best friends is simply hiding behind the title to avoid the complications of a real relationship. Also stating that the majority of the time their counter-parts posses the same traits and qualities they would look for in a spouse. Often these lines become blurred resulting in action. In a study 62% of people admitted to having a platonic friendship that crossed the line and became romantic or sexual. However, the majority of the same percentage of people said the friendship still did not result in a relationship after the line was crossed. BUT those same 94% said that their best friend would make a great relationship partner for them. Interesting.
As you can see it can easily go both ways and really depends on each unique individual relationship between to whether it be platonic or simply hindering something more that is beneath the surface. The only way for that to be decided is between the two individuals involved. Yet, a question is still plaguing me. Is it some type of rule that states a person can only have one title in your life? Why can't your best friend be your significant other simultaneously? And if someone does serve best as your best friend then what is the rush in forcing things to be more than what they are if supposedly you two will be brought together anyway? I certainly hope the person I marry someday is someone who knows me best.
In light of this post I must admit my best friend is indeed a male and I agree with the majority of the things stated above on both sides of the argument. I don't know about in general all I know is that my relationship with my best friend is far to valuable for me to question it continually and I would rather just enjoy it because good friends of either sex are hard to come by and the pros far outway the cons for me.With that said I leave you with this quote from Dave Mathews Band a friend of mine told me long ago. "A girl and a guy can be friends, but at one point or another, they will fall for each other, maybe TEMPORARILY, maybe at THE WRONG TIME, maybe TOO LATE, or maybe FOREVER." Just something to think about.
To go more in depth check this out:
www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200109/can-men-and-women-be-friends/
I want to know your opinions comment below!
Cultural Connect: Super Bowl This Sunday
STEELERS VS. PACKERS IN THE SUPERBOWL
WARNING: THIS IS A BIAS POST I AM A PROUD MEMBER OF #STEELERNATION!!!!! THIS SUNDAY The PITTSBURGH STEELERS WILL FACE OFF AGAINST THE GREEN BAY PACKERS IN SUPERBOWL XLV.THE STEELERS FACED TOUGH COMPETITION IN THE AFC DURING THE REGULAR SEASON AGAINST TEAMS LIKE THE RAVENS AND THE JETS SO MAKING IT THUS FAR HAS PROVED THAT THEY INDEED HAVE ONE OF THE BEST DEFENSES IN THE NFL, NOT TO MENTION ONE OF THE BEST QUARTERBACKS (BIG BEN). THE SUPERBOWL WILL TAKE PLACE SUNDAY FEBRUARY 6TH AT 6:25PM ON FOX. POP GROUP THE BLACK EYED PEAS WILL PERFORM AT HALF-TIME. TUNE IN TO SUPPORT YOUR TEAM. GO STEELERS!
HOME TOWN HERO WIZ KHALIFA PERFORMED HIS SMASH HIT "BLACK AND YELLOW" THE NEW STEELER ANTHEM BEFORE THE KICK OFF OF THE JETS VS. STEELERS GAME IT WASN'T TELEVISED BUT YOU CAN CHECKOUT THE PERFORMANCE BELOW
Wiz Khalifa Kicks Off Steelers/Jets Game With 'Black And Yellow' Performance presented by Hip Hop Flix
HOME TOWN HERO WIZ KHALIFA PERFORMED HIS SMASH HIT "BLACK AND YELLOW" THE NEW STEELER ANTHEM BEFORE THE KICK OFF OF THE JETS VS. STEELERS GAME IT WASN'T TELEVISED BUT YOU CAN CHECKOUT THE PERFORMANCE BELOW
Wiz Khalifa Kicks Off Steelers/Jets Game With 'Black And Yellow' Performance presented by Hip Hop Flix
Epiphanies: Your foundation
Your Foundation
The last month has been a little tough for so many people in my life, myself included. Yet in the mist of things I've noticed a major component to staying on your feet in the during let downs, struggles, and changes. The people around you. This would seem like common knowledge but really you don't understand the true essence until you need those people and aren't just leisurely enjoying their company. Those around you influence you greatly whether it is intentional or not usually serving as a reflection of the qualities that you entail. Your foundation should serve true to the literal definition the base of which something stands. Allow people to positively affect you not negatively infect you. When you feel yourself falling or failing your foundation should help yo remain firm and motivate you to move forward you should be able to lean on an talk to those individuals when something goes wrong. We all need someone turn to and their isn't a greater feeling than knowing if I need to call on certain individuals they will be their. Do you have people like that in your life? Who can you count on. The best close circle or those who praise when the world does and praises you when the world doesn't. Who is your foundation?Its Poetic: The Journey
Recently me and a lot of people close to me have been going through some hard times and we haven't had much time to help with each others problems because of our own individual journeys. My best friend, who was also the inspiration for the "I Am Ambition" poem that is posted to the main page, ask me to write a poem about staying strong in the mist of adversity. I feel like this piece is universally relate-able so here is something to keep you all going during your personal journeys enjoy :-)
The Journey
Blocking out all images of defeat
Focusing on overcoming the obstacles that tempt me to retreat
I have to want it more than I fear it
I have to breed positivity more than just when I hear it
Must become something within myself greater than my current state
Because progressing in the mist a storm makes you change in ways
Taking on the form or an individual pulling strength from my soul
Because everything that’s helping me go on is within me
More than just sought out glory, but a story
One that will only be told if I succeed
The eager need to go on is driving me
Almost like a hunger pain and the only way I’ll make it
Is if I feed on the feeling of conquering
I am as strong as they come yet this is testing my will
At moments I am still not sure if I can go on
Yet Adversaries’, obstacles, and Opposition
Are no match for Faith, drive, and perseverance
I know greatness is near me so I cling to the Adherence
Of all things meant for me
Even when my back is against the wall of concrete difficulty
I some how still find a way to endure a little longer
Remain a little stronger
And those are the moments that drive me
When I’m blinded by things trying to derive me
I must focus on the future and what I see
Because what’s meant for me, is simply meant for me.
