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.”

MeShell & Left Eye

Last night I went to see my grrrl Meshell at Madison Square Park. Where da hell is that, right? It's the tiny park on 23rd between Madison and 5th. For this performance Ms. NdegeOcello assembled a musicially fly crew of musucians she's calling Grand Mission. Dude on the drums (listed on the website as Adam Deitch) was so crazy ill. His style was like Ahmir "?uestlove" from The Roots (his coif was blowed out too except on some Creme Of Nature tip), but dipped deeply in some Tony Williams sauce. Mike Severson who was on guitar was definitely channeling Santana. Even though I only caught the last 30 minutes of her set which ended promptly at 8pm (only 1 hour long), I was digging the funky dub vibes. And Meshell's vocals were, as always, very soothing, sultry, even when she probably didn't mean them to be. I didn 't recognize any of the music I heard, but that's neither here nor there especially since I'm drinking wack juice for not having copped her most recent joint. Well all that matters is that she ripped it and the cool part was how after she said her thank you's, homegrrrl just walked off the stage and out of the park on to Madison Ave. talking to some cat like she was taking her usual afterwork stroll thru the park. Never mind the hundred or so cats that were applauding and yelling her name just a few feet away. Very funny. Very New York!

After Meshell's jam I hopped on the #2 train and headed uptown to the Vibe Urban World Movie premiere. Even though I got there at 8:35, I was still able to catch the last hour of the Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes doc they were premiering. Wow, it was really insightful in terms of getting the back story to so much of the "drama" that seems to represent, or at its very least, taint the memories we have of Left Eye. This is a doc that she filmed while on retreat in the Honduras and where she gets mad open especially about her love/hate relationship with Andre Rison. Lisa also gives us her side of the story behind her rather detached involvement with the promotion of the Fan Mail cd. Last Days of Left Eye had some eerily deep moments. Moments that my comrade keenly noted, mirrored Tupac's doc in that they-- Pac & Left Eye, both seemed to sense, no KNEW, that they were going to die young and tragic! I really wish Left Eye had more time on her side because you can tell that she was about to lay some ish on the line. Maybe about T-Boz and Chili, who knows but something was eating at her spirit and she was ready to release it to the Universe. But alas when I saw her get into that red pick-up truck, I knew I was looking at the final moments of her life. I was sitting on the edge of my seat because I didn't know what I would see in these last minutes but I knew it was more than I ever thought I would see in terms of viewing a person's final moments of life. (Aaliyah's video that was shot hours before her plane crashed freaked me out, especially that scene where she's swimming underwater, but it looks as though she's floating upward to heaven!) Not to give anything anyway I will say this... I was left with many more questions afterwards than before I saw the film. I won't say I was disappointed because I wasn't. It was a good film and I hope all of you watch it when it airs on VH-1, but like anything sweet and seemingly so ripe, I just wished that the other producer would have squeezed a lil' more outta one of our most unique and talented individuals. At the end of the film Left Eye says in voiceover that with death there is transformation and a new star is born. Now nothing against Beyonce or Alicia Keys, but unfortunately in both Left Eye's and in Aaliyah's case I am still awaiting that blindingly bright new star.

Brooklyn's Finest

Brooklyn is still rocking strong even though Biggie is gone, Lil Kim is on lock and Jay is retired. Never mind that today's Ellen Degeneres show was filmed in BK and that she had two of the flyest Latinas to conquer Hollywood in the house-- Rosie Perez and Rosario Dawson. Never mind that as gentrified as Fort Green and Clinton Hill are there are still pockets of soul on Fulton, Atlantic and Dekalb and Junior's is still da spot for cheesecake. Never mind all that cause Brooklyn's Finest seems to be the ladies. They are doing the damn thing out there! The Love Noir, Love Yourself event at Danny Simmons gallery was fresh and was produced by just one sista and it was big. There were manicures and makeovers and skin care consultations-- lots of shea butter, jojoba oil and lemongrass. Kamilah Forbes from The HipHop Theater Festival and Def Poetry stopped by and says that she will be leaving her Clinton Hill pad for Paris to begin a theater residency. From there my grrrl Aissata, another CH’er, suggested we head to this place she had been to once that had decent drinks. The place was Grand 275 and it had been on my list for almost a year to check out. Dwayne, the photographer, was spinning Fela and there were three ladies dressed entirely in gold (like carnival gold-- body paint and everything) sitting at the bar. First thoughts about Grand: eccentric like a mutha, fake like Erykah Badu with lock extensions to her knees, and probably pricey like anotha mutha. So I take it slow and order cranberry and Ketel One. It’s only $7 (wow!) and the bartender is mad personable (say word). I found out the Golden Grrrls had been in a fashion show held earlier and that usually on a Saturday night the sisters keep the gold makeup within the confines of their eyelids and lips (whew!)... Duane puts on Black Gold Of The Sun, I see Laini Madhubuti from The Schomburg celebrating her birthday. I’m feeling like I can trust this spot and so I order a raspberry ginger martini. Yummy and it’s only $8! I turn around and get a “what’s up hotness?” It’s MeShell and she too is a CH grrrl. She tells me that she just finished her reggae/ dub record and is enjoying some much needed time off. Damn it’s like Cheers for fly a*s BK grrrls up in this piece. Michaela, Jacquette, Sharon, and Julia are there too. On second thought this place is real like Erykah with her caesar. I get hugs, a few what the hell’s and even a buyback. Intoxicating. The space is a whirl of dancing, laughter, and chatter. Barron and his beautiful wife roll in. Another ginger martini. The designer Dudumoko and even Brianna is in the house. Brianna y’all! This is historic. Mad fun. I left at 4 am. Drunk. Happy. Golden.