Beyonce, Meg Thee Stallion, Ari Lennox & More: Here's Your Mid-Week Playlist
The economy is in shambles, public safety is at risk, and the future is uncertain than a MF.
Despite our ongoing fear of the unknown, we can always count on our faith and a bomb ass playlist to uplift our spirits and xoNecole has a list of bops that will help you overcome your mid-week slump with ease.
Whether you're on an Afrobeats vibe with Davido, Summer Walker, and Jidenna, or you're ready to get smooth and sultry with new heat from Ari Lennox and DVSN, we've got you covered, sis.
Scroll below for 8 songs to add to your mid-week playlist ASAP:
Megan Thee Stallion - Savage Remix (feat. Beyoncé)
Beyoncé knew our hearts when she hopped on Megan Thee Stallion's viral TikTok hit "Savage" for an H-Town Hottie remix that proved Queen Bey has bars for DAYS.
Wale - Sue Me (feat. Kelly Price)
"Sue Me" proves that Wale is a national treasure that must be protected at all costs. The DC rapper's latest collaboration with Pyer Moss creator and director, Kerby Jean-Raymond takes a look at life through an alternate lens that will give you all the feels.
Missy Elliott - Cool Off
It's been 20 years and Missy Elliott has yet to take her foot off our necks and her latest music video proves that this icon doesn't plan on letting up anytime soon. Featuring celebrity choreographer, Sean Bankhead, the visual has already inspired dancers across the internet to turn up for the #CoolOffChallenge.
SiR - John Redcorn
The King of the Hill reference brought me here. SiR made me stay. I must admit, I've been high-key sleeping on Inglewood-bred songwriter, singer, and producer, but his latest cartoon-inspired music video woke me up expeditiously.
Ari Lennox - BUSSIT (Official Music Video)
Ari Lennox can do no wrong and her vibrant new video for "BUSSIT" is everything that's right with the world. In a flick that makes us miss the beauty salon more than ever, Ari links up with her tribe for an epic girl's day-in.
Davido - D & G ft. Summer Walker
Nigerian singer Davido and Summer Walker just linked up for lux visual for his 2019 single, "D&G" and the aesthetics were everything. Davido, whose fiancée recently overcame a Coronavirus diagnosis, pledged to support the Dolce & Gabbana and Humanitas Together for Coronavirus Research fund with proceeds from the video.
dvsn - Between Us (feat. Snoh Aalegra)
Last week, R&B duo DVSN dropped their third studio album, A Muse in Her Feelings, featuring their collaboration with fellow Canadian songwriter, Snoh Aalegra and it will give you the wind-down energy you need to prepare for the weekend.
Victoria Monét - Dive
Victoria Monet needs to know what a man's head game is like and I really felt that. In a song about deep diving into deep conversations, Victoria Monet says what we're all thinking in "Dive".
Jidenna - Feng Shui
Insecure's soundtrack always proceeds to give us what we need and Season 4's playlist is no different. Jidenna, who even made a cameo in the show in 2016, debuted his latest single "Ferg Shui" in episode three.
Featured image by Giphy.
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.
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