

Cassie Talks Overcoming 'Personal Demons' To Manifest The Life Of Her Dreams
Just like seeds, we are all planted. While most times, our cultivation happens in soil that we don't necessarily choose, this fact doesn't make the growth process any less miraculous. Growth isn't a one-time transaction, issa process that happens over time; and with enough patience, you're in for the glow-up if the century, sis. Just take it from Cassie, who recently sat down with Hatch for a maternity interview and explained that although she never expected to be walking down the aisle with a baby full of belly, now, she knows that she wouldn't have wanted her wedding day to be any other way.
"At first, I was NOT down with the idea of being a pregnant bride! I dreamed of having champagne and dancing at our wedding! However, once I weighed the amount of time we would have to wait (hello, birth, and breastfeeding), I realized what I cared about was being his wife and our family, not about whether I was pregnant or not at our wedding. In the end, we had a beautiful intimate ceremony on a bluff overlooking Malibu during sunset. Everything was perfect."
It's safe to say that Cassie has had one helluva year. The couple married last month in an intimate ceremony in Malibu, and Cassie says that although they both had jitters, that all melted away when they met each other at the altar:
"Leading up to the day, we were both nervous and had jitters because of the stress around planning, not the marriage itself. As soon as I saw him waiting for me down the aisle, all my nervousness melted away. It feels as if it was always meant to be."
Becoming a fiancé, wife, and mother, and CEO of her own record label in the same damn year is no easy feat, especially while the whole world is watching (and frequently bringing up your ex), but the newlywed said that her new life is everything she didn't know she needed.
Cassie and Alex initially revealed the news of the bundle of joy and got engaged in a cowboy-themed proposal in August, and while the couple's pregnancy wasn't planned, she explained that it "also wasn't unplanned" and also shared that she and her now-husband discovered their newest blessing in a pretty unusual way:
"We were open to having kids and had just started to explore the idea when I got pregnant. It was my husband (still getting used to saying this!) that noticed I hadn't had my period in a while. When he said something to me, I was like, 'Who pays attention to that?!' Apparently, he does. So, I took a test, and it was positive! We were both over the moon!"
While Cassie's newfound life is consumed by becoming a newlywed and preparing to welcome a baby girl into the world this December, in a recent Instagram post, the entertainer explained that she still takes time on the woman she used to be:
"Do you ever come across old pictures of yourself and get blown away by how much you've transformed? When I look at pictures it brings me back to the exact place and time where I can literally touch the feelings I was feeling, almost experiencing them all over again with a sense of calm. It's a form of therapy for me. Was I happy? Was I eating that day? Did I sleep the night before? What was I stressing at that moment? What front did I have up that day?"
We all have a habit of taking a trip down memory lane (or our old Facebook photos) and admiring the women that we were, but Cassie says she uses her memories as a reminder of the woman she's become. She told the publication:
"This photo was of me in NY on May 31st, 2017. I feel sad for the girl in the picture because I know the personal demons she was battling, but I'm so excited for her growth to come. It's bittersweet looking at this photo. This is a shout out to everyone on their journey! I'm still on mine and I hope that me sharing can help others know that there is so much joy in recognizing your growth every step of the way."
Regardless of what's to come in Cassie's future, one thing is for damn sure: she'll always remain true to the woman that she is and was, simply because her daughter deserves it:
"I don't want to lose myself in becoming a mom. Of course, I will do anything for her, but I also want to remain true to myself. I want her to grow up watching me do my thing. I want her to see me making music, building my business, being a mom, a wife, a force, and be inspired by it all."
To read her feature with Hatch in full, click here.
Featured image via Cassie/Instagram.
Taylor "Pretty" Honore is a spiritually centered and equally provocative rapper from Baton Rouge, Louisiana with a love for people and storytelling. You can probably find me planting herbs in your local community garden, blasting "Back That Thang Up" from my mini speaker. Let's get to know each other: @prettyhonore.
Exclusive: Gabrielle Union On Radical Transparency, Being Diagnosed With Perimenopause And Embracing What’s Next
Whenever Gabrielle Union graces the movie screen, she immediately commands attention. From her unforgettable scenes in films like Bring It On and Two Can Play That Game to her most recent film, in which she stars and produces Netflix’s The Perfect Find, there’s no denying that she is that girl.
Off-screen, she uses that power for good by sharing her trials and tribulations with other women in hopes of helping those who may be going through the same things or preventing them from experiencing them altogether. Recently, the Flawless by Gabrielle Union founder partnered with Clearblue to speak at the launch of their Menopause Stage Indicator, where she also shared her experience with being perimenopausal.
In a xoNecoleexclusive, the iconic actress opens up about embracing this season of her life, new projects, and overall being a “bad motherfucker.” Gabrielle reveals that she was 37 years old when she was diagnosed with perimenopause and is still going through it at 51 years old. Mayo Clinic says perimenopause “refers to the time during which your body makes the natural transition to menopause, marking the end of the reproductive years.”
“I haven't crossed over the next phase just yet, but I think part of it is when you hear any form of menopause, you automatically think of your mother or grandmother. It feels like an old-person thing, but for me, I was 37 and like not understanding what that really meant for me. And I don't think we focus so much on the word menopause without understanding that perimenopause is just the time before menopause,” she tells us.
Gabrielle Union
Photo by Brian Thomas
"But you can experience a lot of the same things during that period that people talk about, that they experienced during menopause. So you could get a hot flash, you could get the weight gain, the hair loss, depression, anxiety, like all of it, mental health challenges, all of that can come, you know, at any stage of the menopausal journey and like for me, I've been in perimenopause like 13, 14 years. When you know, most doctors are like, ‘Oh, but it's usually about ten years, and I'm like, ‘Uhh, I’m still going (laughs).’”
Conversations about perimenopause, fibroids, and all the things that are associated with women’s bodies have often been considered taboo and thus not discussed publicly. However, times are changing, and thanks to the Gabrielle’s and the Tia Mowry’s, more women are having an authentic discourse about women’s health. These open discussions lead to the creation of more safe spaces and support for one another.
“I want to be in community with folks. I don't ever want to feel like I'm on an island about anything. So, if I can help create community where we are lacking, I want to be a part of that,” she says. “So, it's like there's no harm in talking about it. You know what I mean? Like, I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change. I'm just getting better and stronger and more intelligent, more wise, more patient, more compassionate, more empathetic. All of that is very, very welcomed, and none of it should be scary.”
The Being Mary Jane star hasn’t been shy about her stance on therapy. If you don’t know, here’s a hint: she’s all for it, and she encourages others to try it as well. She likens therapy to dating by suggesting that you keep looking for the right therapist to match your needs. Two other essential keys to her growth are radical transparency and radical acceptance (though she admits she is still working on the latter).
"I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change."
Gabrielle Union and Kaavia Union-Wade
Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images
“I hope that a.) you recognize that you're not alone. Seek out help and know that it's okay to be honest about what the hell is happening in your life. That's the only way that you know you can get help, and that's also the only other way that people know that you are in need if there's something going on,” she says, “because we have all these big, very wild, high expectations of people, but if they don't know what they're actually dealing with, they're always going to be failing, and you will always be disappointed. So how about just tell the truth, be transparent, and let people know where you are. So they can be of service, they can be compassionate.”
Gabrielle’s transparency is what makes her so relatable, and has so many people root for her. Whether through her TV and film projects, her memoirs, or her social media, the actress has a knack for making you feel like she’s your homegirl. Scrolling through her Instagram, you see the special moments with her family, exciting new business ventures, and jaw-dropping fashion moments. Throughout her life and career, we’ve seen her evolve in a multitude of ways. From producing films to starting a haircare line to marriage and motherhood, her journey is a story of courage and triumph. And right now, in this season, she’s asking, “What’s next?”
“This is a season of discovery and change. In a billion ways,” says the NAACP Image Award winner. “The notion of like, ‘Oh, so and so changed. They got brand new.’ I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
"I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
She continues, “So I'm just trying to figure out what's next. You know what I mean? I'm jumping into what's next. I'm excited going into what's next and new. I'm just sort of embracing all of what life has to offer.”
Look out for Gabrielle in the upcoming indie film Riff Raff, which is a crime comedy starring her and Jennifer Coolidge, and she will also produce The Idea of You, which stars Anne Hathaway.
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Feature image by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images
Victoria Monét Opens Up About Feeling ‘Validated’ Months After VMAs Turned Her Down To Perform
Victoria Monét has had an incredible year. Thanks to the success of the widely popular “On My Mama” that went viral, the singer/ songwriter’s Jaguar II album debuted in the top 10 of Billboard’s Top R&B Albums chart. She also went on to headline her own sold-out tour. So, when the MTV VMAs happened in September, everyone was surprised to learn that Victoria’s team was told that it was “too early” for the “Smoke” artist to perform at the award show. However, a couple of months later, the mom of one received seven Grammy nominations, including “Best R&B Album” and “Record Of The Year.”
Victoria is currently in London and stopped by The Dotty Show on Apple Music and shared how she feels “validated” after being dismissed by the VMAs.
“It really does feel nice and validating because, in my head, the reason why I wanted to be a performer at the VMAs or award ceremonies like that is because I felt like I am at the place where I should. I would work really hard to put on the best show that I could, and I was excited to do so,” she said.
“And I guess the best way to describe it for me is like when you're like on a sports team, and the coach is like, ‘No, you gotta sit this one out.’ When they finally put you in, and then you score all these points, and it feels like that feeling. You're like, yes, I knew it wasn't tripping, but I knew I worked hard for this, and so it's been super validating to just have these accolades come after a moment like that, and I know the fans feel vindicated for me.
While her fans called the VMAs out on their decision, the “Moment” singer kept it cute and is still open to performing at the iconic award show. “I feel no ill towards them because it's just maybe that's just truly how they felt at the time, but I hope their mind has changed,” she admitted.
Aside from recognition from the Grammys, she has also received praise from legendary artists such as Janet Jackson, Kelly Rowland, and Usher.
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Feature image by Amy Sussman/WireImage for Parkwood