Ari Lennox Proves Stepping Out Of Our Comfort Zone Requires Recalibration
Ari Lennox's part in the Dreamville song "Self Love" are ones I find myself belting in the car, trigger fingers up at a red light while onlookers question if I've lost my mind: "Tied up in the moment/ I'm living without a purpose/ Wearing it on the surface, love/ Making it look good/ Meanwhile, it's been hurting, oh."
Phew! Our girl is on Twitter giving us more than a word about how important it is to take a step back and recharge when it comes to using your natural talents. Ari took Erykah Badu's advice about singing from her p*ssy and gave us fans enough content to call her one of our favorite new Grammy-nominated artists. However, Ari is evolving to a point where writing about love and sex a majority of the time no longer fulfills her. She calls it writer's block, but from where I'm standing, it looks a lot like growing pains and fatigue. She shared on her personal Twitter account:
"I've always created music about guys. Not really fond of that anymore. I don't really know what else to write about...I can't force something that means the world to me."
I can't force something that means the world to me
— Ari Lennox (@AriLennox) November 28, 2020
Well, the most crucial factor about creativity that many experienced artists will attest to is that: When you do not feel like creating is when you really need to create the most. Not for the consumption of others, but just to keep your creativity flowing the way you would clean out a water pipe. Water that sits for too long stinks and the same concept applies to creative energy, especially writing that serves as a form of catharsis.
Other artists like Rihanna, Beyonce, Eve, and countless others are being transparent enough to let us in on their secret of slowing down, redirecting their creative energy into something that they enjoy and are able to profit from, and then returning back to the demands of the music industry on their terms.
I'm very happy. I just don't got nothing say in song
— Ari Lennox (@AriLennox) November 28, 2020
It takes some big d*ck/powerful p*ssy energy to look bags of money in the face and choose your integrity and peace of mind instead. Fellow artistic OG Missy Elliott weighed in with her own experience and affirmation:
"As a writer myself many may not understand what it takes writing a song... I always say your mind is like a computer it [has] to refresh, if not it will crash. So you trust when you are ready so you can continue to give Quality over Quantity."
Missy is a veteran in playing peek-a-boo with us fans and releasing music but it's hard to complain because when she resurfaces, she does not come to play. Excellence no matter how slow of a start, or how new her sound is has become an expectation, and that is a beautiful standard to hold oneself to.
So long story short I don't see me releasing an album for like years
— Ari Lennox (@AriLennox) November 28, 2020
So without further ado, a huge congratulations to Ari and any other woman who is able to identify parts of their lives that may look pretty good from the outside looking in but they ultimately decide to honor their own feelings and retreat to recalibrate. A break is often necessary and is not to be reserved only for those on the verge of a breakdown.
A break is often needed before a major breakthrough.
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Featured image by Giphy
New Jersey native creating a life that she loves while living in gratitude. She loves using beauty, and fashion to create a balanced lifestyle while prioritizing wellness. A devoted fur mom, and a full-time lover of laughter. She is out for revenge against the darkness by being light, taking her own advice, traveling the world, and letting you know that you are so lit! Connect with her via IG @iamzaniah and please visit Zaniahsworld.com
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Sheila Rashid's Androgynous Approach To Unisex Clothing Is A Lesson In Embracing Individuality
The ItGirl 100 List is a celebration of 100 Black women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table.
For Sheila Rashid, it all started with some free-hand drawings and a few strokes of paint.
The Chicago-based clothing designer and creative director of Sheila Rashid Brand recalls using her spare time in high school to hand paint designs on t-shirts and distressed hoodies, distributing them to classmates as walking billboards for her art.
Rashid sought to pursue fashion design at Columbia College in Chicago but eventually took the self-taught route to build upon her knack for crafting one-of-a-kind, androgynous pieces.
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Thanks to the mentorship of local designers taking her under their wings, Rashid was able to gain valuable experience in putting together collections and creating patterns; equipping her with them with the necessary skills to pursue her own collections.
After two years of living in New York, Rashid returned home to the Chi and uncovered the unique flair she could offer the city. “I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world,” she tells xoNecole. “That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
For the Midwest native, inspiration comes from her time around creative peers and the city’s notorious winters — known to be a main character in many Chicagoans stories. “It's a different perspective and mindset when I'm making stuff because of the weather here,” she explains. “When we get summer, it’s ‘Summertime Chi’ — it's amazing. It's beautiful. Still, I find myself always making clothes that cater to the winter.”
"I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world. That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
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Many designers have a signature aesthetic or theme in their creations. In Rashid’s design story, dancing between the lines of femininity and masculinity is how she’s been able to distinguish herself within the industry. Her androgynous clothing has garnered the eye of celebrities like Zendaya, Chance the Rapper, WNBA star Sydney Colson, and more — showing her range and approach to designs with inclusivity in mind.
“I think I do reflect my own style,” she says. “When I do make pieces, I'm very tomboyish, androgynous. My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes.” From denim to overalls, and color-drenched outerwear, Rashid has mastered the structure of statement pieces that tell a story.
“Each collection, I never know what's going to be the thing I'm going to focus on. I try to reflect my own style and have fun with the storytelling,” she shares. “I look at it more like it's my art in this small way of expressing myself, so it's not that calculated.”
"My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes."
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Still, if you were able to add up all the moments within Rashid’s 20-year career in design, one theme that has multiplied her into becoming an “ItGirl” is her confidence to take up space within the fashion industry as a queer, Black woman. “Being an ItGirl is about being yourself, loving what you do, finding your niche, and mastering that,” she says.
No matter where you are on your ItGirl journey, Rashid says to always remain persistent and never hesitate to share your art with the world. “Don’t give up. Even if it's something small, finish it and don't be afraid to put it out,” she says, “It's about tackling your own fear of feeling like you have to please everybody, but just please yourself, and that's good enough.”
To learn more about the ItGirl 100 List, view the full list here.
Featured image Courtesy