theHotness Top 7 in the '07

Why seven you ask? Well why not? Seven is a wonderful mystical number, at least in my head-- the seven deadly sins, seven days for God to create the world, seven virtues, seven wonders of the world, the seven seas, Yemaya's number and I could go on and on. So in the spirit of all things inspiring, magical, dynamic, creative and unique I've decided to compile a list of grrrl's or things produced by grrrls that reflect and emanate these attributes. Here's my list. Please share with me who made your Top 7 and you will have a chance to win theHotness 7 CD and your list may also appear in an upcoming issue of theHotness ezine:

7. Maya Azucena - for still keeping it real independent and fly with her independently distributed 2007 sophmore release Junkyard Jewel, which was described by Billboard as "soulful and soaring." Not a newcomer to the scene, this Brooklyn native has been featured on BET and last year blew wigs back with her performance on Washington DC's Great Mall at the Save Darfur Rally. She has made a choice to continue her independent ventures even in the face of mainstream popularity and excess, showing her professional hotness all the way!

6. "Back to Black" by Amy Winehouse - This CD was a breath of fresh air—exhilarating, cathartic, mesmerizing and beautiful. Amy, on the other hand, not so much. No doubt we had been waiting for a record that spoke about vulnerability, love and hurt with this kind of authenticity and rawness for quite awhile (like Questlove so infamously remarked-- this was the album Lauryn was supposed to make) Hopefully Amy will get it together because it doesn't look like Ms. Hill is coming around anytime soon.

5. The Namesake: Directed by Mira Nair and based on the best selling novel by Jumpha Lahiri, this movie gracefully yet fiercely delved into themes of immigration, family, identity and tradition offering up dilemmas that, in its wake, demanded deep thought and contemplation over simple resolution.

4. Jessica care Moore - For founding Moore Black Press a staunch publishing house for poets that celebrated its 10th year anniversary in 2007. MBP has released a number of top selling, critically acclaimed books by such literary luminaries as Danny Simmons, Asha Bandele and Saul Williams to name a few. Looking ahead, Jessica, who recently welcomed a son to her family, will be adding music to her mix, making her a living, breathing reflection of everything she expressed in her poem "Black Girl Juice" that blew heads back in ’95 and led to her infamous 5-weeks of domination on "It’s Showtime at the Apollo."

3. Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama - For holding it down at home as a mom to her two girls, in the office as Vice President for Community and External Affairs at the University of Chicago Hospitals, and on the road as confidante, campaign advisor and supporter to hubby Barack, for being highly educated and civic minded, for being graceful under fire, and humble when she could easily be over the top. For all this and more.

2. Black Rock Grrrls like Santogold, Janelle Monae, MeShell NdegeOcello, & Shingai Shoniwa of The Noisettes for really bringing the noise and taking afropunking to anotha level. The Creator EP, Metropolis Suite 1: The Chase, The World Has Made Me The Man of My Dreams, and What's The Time Mister Wolf respectively and sonically were the bright shining, hardcore heavenly stars of music in 2007.


1. KARA WALKER & her exhibit:
My Complement, My Enemy, My Oppressor, My Love

From whitney.org: "Drawing her inspiration from sources as varied as the antebellum South, testimonial slave narratives, historical novels, and minstrel shows, Walker has invented a repertoire of powerful narratives in which she conflates fact and fiction to uncover the living roots of racial and gender bias. The intricacy of her imagination and her diligent command of art history have caused her silhouettes to cast shadows on conventional thinking about race representation in the context of discrimination, exclusion, sexual desire, and love. 'It's interesting that as soon as you start telling the story of racism, you start reliving the story,' Walker says. "You keep creating a monster that swallows you. But as long as there's a Darfur, as long as there are people saying ‘Hey, you don’t belong here’ to others, it only seems realistic to continue investigating the terrain of racism.”