Jazmine Sullivan & Issa Rae Link Up For An Epic Conversation On Flexing Their Grown Woman Ish
Jazmine Sullivan is music royalty. She's rightfully deemed as one of the best voices to ever hit a studio, and she's also the queen of relatable music, a page out of Mary J. Blige's book. In fact, also similar to Mary, she makes some of the best music when she's her mental health is out of alignment. Ain't that a bitch?
At the top of this year, Sullivan released her highly, highly anticipated EP, Heaux Tales, and even put into the universe a potential collaboration with fellow GOAT, Issa Rae. "What I would love is if me and @IssaRae did a heauxtales short film, and I'd add a few extra songs. But I could just be dreaming. Nvm me. I'm crazy." Issa soon after answered, with five simple words: "Jazmine. Say the f–k less."
Jazmine. Say the fuck less. https://t.co/HRUwr6ZiJK
— Issa Rae (@IssaRae) January 9, 2021
The rest, is Black women's history, as they sneaky linked up for an interview with ESSENCE, hopefully with more to come.
And listen, during this interview, they discussed it all. From being fans of the other, to learning to say 'no more' to the childish things (for now), as our good sis Jazmine says she is now all about therapy, new music, and creating spaces for Black women.
Continue reading for highlights of the cover story below!
On having a master plan...or not:
When Issa asked the crooner how her album Fearless came about, sis responded gracefully:
"I wish I could say I had a master plan, but I really didn't. I was just doing what felt natural, and luckily I had gotten with a record company and with people who allowed me to do that. But for me, I just wanted to express myself in the most natural way, and that means me writing my stories. So many of the songs at that time came from a lot of the childish stuff I was going through.
"For example, busting windows out of an ex's car and literally going straight from doing it to not being able to sleep. I was restless, because I was still in the moment. And so I just started writing about it. I let my girlfriends hear it, and they were like, 'Girl, do your thing—whatever this leads to.' And it led to my world opening up in such a different way…"
On telling Black women's stories:
"Before now, I had really just been concerned about expressing myself and getting my story out there—and people have connected to that. But for this project, it was important for me to share the stories of the women I love and hold dear to my heart. I feel like they are just as banging and dynamic as me. And I want to give space and opportunity to women, period…"
On making space for Black women:
Earlier this year, Jazmine went viral for hitting social media and teaching us all how to perfect the art of the vocal--a skill she is notorious for. As it turns out, she's just looking out for the culture.
"I feel like we get caught up in thinking there's 'only one' of us. There can only be one R&B superstar; there can only be one rap girl at a time. That's not true. God was not stingy when He was giving out gifts. And you're not the only person. There are many other women, especially Black women, who can do what you do. And let's all create spaces for each other to get out there and do that…"
On self-care and finding the right therapist:
"The first five minutes I was holding back tears, because I was like, 'Wow, this is the first time I'm actually speaking about my feelings. And it's not in a song. It doesn't require notes. I don't need to impress anybody with what it is that I'm actually doing. This is the first time.' So I was holding back tears even doing that. But after that first five minutes, I was surprised by how much I was enjoying speaking to somebody, and somebody listening to me, and I didn't have to perform to do it.
"But finding the right therapist is a process—because I went to therapy one time, years ago, and I hated the experience, and I feel like it stopped me from going for a long time. And then I found this new lady, and it's a totally different experience. So you have to find the right person for you, that you actually want to open up to. But once you do that, a weight lifts off of you—just from speaking, just from telling your story. And that's what Heaux Tales was. It's like, 'Tell it, girl. Tell it. Set yourself free.'"
So here for all of this, whew!
Sullivan is headlining this year's ESSENCE Festival of Culture presented by Coca-Cola®. The full conversation between Jazmine Sullivan and Issa Rae for the July/August 2021 issue of ESSENCE, will be available on newsstands + digital platforms June 29.
Featured image via Paras Griffin/Getty Images for Tyler Perry Studios
Charmin Michelle is a southern native and creative spirit who works as a content marketer and events manager in Chicago. She enjoys traveling, #SummertimeChi, and the journey of mastering womanhood. Connect with her on Instagram @charminmichelle.
How This New Bond Repair Line Transformed One Mother's Postpartum Shedding Into The Ultimate Curl Comeback
This article is in partnership with SheaMoisture
For Crystal Obasanya, her wash day woes came shortly after her son did. The beauty and lifestyle content creator had been natural for years, but during postpartum, she quickly learned about one reality many mothers can relate to experiencing: postpartum hair loss. “Sis had thinning hair. Sis had split ends,” she shared about her hair changes in a Reel via xoNecole.
Over a year into her postpartum journey, Crystal explained she also had dry, brittle hair, noting that keeping it hydrated before pregnancy had already been “a task.” The 4C natural recalled going from thick hair during pregnancy to a thin hairline due to postpartum shedding as “devastating.” When it came to strengthening and revitalizing her hair, the new SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection was just the thing she needed to elevate her damaged coils to revive and thrive status and get them poppin' again.
SheaMoisture is providing us with the cheat code for transforming dry and damaged strands into thriving and deeply nourished crowns. By unveiling their 4-step hair system, the SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection is equipping you with the tools to reverse signs of hair damage caused by protective styling, heat, and color and is uniquely formulated for Type 3 and 4 hair textures.
The haircare system revives damaged natural hair by repairing and rebuilding broken hair bonds through a game-changing combination of HydroPlex Technology and AminoBlend Complex, a unique blend of fortifying amino acids formulated specifically for curly and coily hair. Scientifically proven to reduce breakage by 84% and make your hair six times stronger (vs. non-conditioning shampoo), the collection infuses your hair with the nourishment it craves and the strength it deserves.
All five products of the SheaMoisture Bond Collection are infused with natural strengthening ingredients like Amla Oil and fair-trade shea butter. The collection consists of the 4-step breakage-fighting Bond Repair system, as well as the Bonding Oil.
“When trying it out, I quickly noticed that my hair felt revived and renewed, and my curls were so hydrated,” Crystal said while using the Amla-infused Bond Repair Leave-In Conditioner. “I also felt my hair strands were stronger.” So much so that the influencer felt brave enough to get her hair braided shortly thereafter. “I can definitely say that I will be keeping it in my hair wash routine,” she added in the caption of her Reel about her positive experience using the products.
SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection is making bond-building a key player in your wash day routines and the purveyor of life for thirsty manes. Because who doesn't want stronger, shinier, happier hair?
Step One: Bond Repair Collection Shampoo
Rejuvenate your hair with SheaMoisture Bond Repair Shampoo, your go-to solution for luscious locks. Packed with hella hydration power, this shampoo adds moisture by 60% while removing buildup without stripping your strands. This shampoo gently cleanses impurities while significantly enhancing shine, smoothness, and softness.
The Bond Repair Collection Shampoo is the first step in the 4-step Bond Repair system, all of which are powered by the uniquely formulated AminoBlend, and HydroPlex, SheaMoisture’s technology that rebuilds hair strength at its core.
Step Two: Bond Repair Collection Conditioner
Tailored to repair styling damage, this creamy conditioner locks in 12x more moisture than standard non-conditioning shampoos, boosting damaged hair strength by 1.5x with significantly less breakage. The creamy SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection Conditioner deeply hydrates, enhances manageability, and leaves your hair looking healthier and shinier.
Step Three: Bond Repair Collection Masque
This Ultra Moisturizing reparative masque is a moisture-rich game-changer for those dealing with the aftermath of hair damage caused by styling. The SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection Masque delivers 13 times more moisture compared to non-conditioning shampoos, ensuring your hair feels nourished and soft. Designed to repair and rejuvenate, this masque significantly strengthens damaged hair — making it twice as strong while reducing breakage.
Step Four: Bond Repair Collection Leave-In Conditioner
Elevate your curl game with SheaMoisture’s Bond Repair Collection Leave-In Conditioner. Lightweight and hydrating, the Bond Repair Leave-In Conditioner provides 12x more moisture than non-conditioning shampoos and tames frizz with 24-hour humidity control. Designed to define curls and coils, the leave-in conditioner enhances softness and shine allowing you to detangle effortlessly.
Bonding Oil
The SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection Bonding Oil is a multitasking all-in-one formula that acts as a heat protectant and provides the hair with moisture, strength, shine, damage protection, and intense nourishment. This lightweight oil not only offers 24-hour frizz and humidity control but also fortifies your tresses, making them up to 5 times stronger with significantly less breakage.
Featured image courtesy
Rihanna And 4 Other Celebrities Who Experienced Postpartum Hair Loss
Motherhood can be a beautiful and rewarding journey for those who experience it.
For context, they witness all phases of their children's lives, from infancy to adulthood, learning valuable lessons. While many reap the benefits of motherhood, it also presents significant challenges, including physical changes such as postpartum hair loss.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, postpartum hair loss is "excessive shedding of hair" months after an individual gives birth. It is typically caused by hormonal changes that occur "during and after pregnancy." Postpartum hair loss usually lasts less than six months, and women generally regain their hair's fullness within a year with proper diet and hair care.
Many celebrities have been vocal about this condition after welcoming their children into the world. Singer and mogulRihanna recently spoke out about her experience. During the launch party for her haircare brand, Fenty Hair, the 36-year-old opened up in an interview with Refinery29 about how her relationship with hair has changed after having two sons—whom she shares with longtime partner A$AP Rocky—and dealing with postpartum hair loss.
In the discussion, Rihanna revealed that although she was aware of postpartum hair loss, she was unprepared for the various stages she experienced.
“That was not on the pamphlet. I did not expect it to happen in waves, either. I thought it would happen and grow back,” she said. “But it went [to] this spot. Then this spot, then this spot. At that point, you just say alright, enough is enough.”
Despite the ordeal, the "Needed Me" singer shared that she's been able to accept the physical changes she's experienced and has found ways to incorporate new looks.
“I also got to embrace that in itself,” she stated. “That actually made me get a little bit more creative and clever with my hair stuff.”
Inspired by Rihanna's revelation, xoNecole examines other notable figures who have openly shared their experiences with postpartum hair loss.
Tamar Braxton
Singer and reality television star Tamar Braxton addressed her hair loss journey on social media after fans noticed a change in her edges during a 2014 episode of WETV's Braxton Family Values. The "Love and War" songstress welcomed her son Logan Herbert with then-husband Vincent Herbert in 2013.
“When u HAVE your baby (my son) your hair falls out!!” she wrote in a now-deleted Instagram post.
In the same upload, Braxton credited proper hair care as the solution to her hair loss.
Toya Johnson-Rushing
The second person on the list is Toya Johnson-Rushing.
The reality star and entrepreneur revealed in an Instagram post that after giving birth to her second daughter, Reign Rushing, whom she shares with husband Robert Rushing, in 2018, she began noticing significant hair loss in the center and around the perimeter of her scalp.
“Postpartum Alopecia Is so real... I didn’t know why my hair was falling out. I just noticed my edges and the middle of my hair were getting super thin. Every time I would wash my hair it would come out in chunks. I’ve always had full edges,” she wrote.
Johnson-Rushing added that although she learned through additional research that postpartum hair loss is normal, it's a journey she doesn't enjoy.
“I did some research and found out that new moms are surprised to be shedding more hair than usual in the first few months after giving birth, but it's perfectly normal,” she stated. “There's no need to panic. Your hair should be back to normal around your baby's first birthday. That’s way too long to be without edges, but it’s a part of the beauty of giving birth. I just wanted to share that with you ladies. Who else is experiencing postpartum hair loss? .....cause I don’t like it.”
Christina Milian
Singer and actress Christina Milian discussed her experience with postpartum hair loss in an interview with ¡HOLA! Magazine.
During the conversation, Milian revealed that she was initially unaware of what was happening when she started losing hair, primarily around the perimeter of her scalp, months after giving birth to her second son, Kenna Pokora, with her husband, Matt Pokora.
“I wasn’t expecting it when it happened because nobody ever told me about this,” she said. “I was in the shower. I remember the day because I went from having full, beautiful, long hair to looking at my hair going through the drain. I didn’t know where it came from.”
The "Dip It Low" vocalist also shared that losing large amounts of hair affected her confidence.
“And then, instantly, from that point on, it took a toll on my confidence,” she stated. “I couldn’t figure out if I were stressing out or what was wrong. I was having a perfectly happy pregnancy.”
Milian credited maintaining a healthy lifestyle and implementing a hair care routine with products that promote hair growth, including those containing peppermint oil.
“I focus on my temples and the areas where I tend to part my hair more often,” she explains. “My hair is nice and full right now; I’m not wearing tracks or pieces in my hair, this is, this is the real deal. I‘m running away from his hair loss.”
Victoria Monét
Last but not least is singer Victoria Monét.
The "On My Mama" vocalist welcomed her daughter Hazel Gaines with longtime partner John Gaines in 2021. A few months after giving birth, in September of that same year, Monét revealed on Twitter that she had lost almost half her hair due to postpartum shedding.
“Probably lost about 40% of my hair yesterday,” she wrote. “I’m so [sad] it came out in mounds. Postpartum really don’t let up.”
Following the "Coastin'" songstress' post, fans sent well wishes to the star and shared their own experiences with postpartum hair loss, showing her that she isn't alone and will overcome it.
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Feature image by Leon Bennett/Getty Images
