By 2006, Julia Beverly was 24 years old and at the forefront of changing tides in mainstream music: the Southern takeover.
As CEO, founder, and all-hands-on-deck of Ozone Magazine, Julia Beverly amplified the voice of hip-hop music below the Mason-Dixon line one month at a time and literally paved a way for hip-hop greats to not only be recognized by the mainstream, but respected, too. Ten years later, she and I are speaking via phone call during an “off-day” from the constant hustle of her 50th consecutive day on a cross-country cycling trip from California to Florida.
Still, her goal from then to now remains the same: to keep things adventurous, bold, and new. “When I was doing Ozone [Magazine], I was just thinking of it as an adventure,” said Beverly. “Like, going to concerts or going on tour with different artists was just an adventure to me, so [biking] is the same thing. It’s all the same to me. I just like not knowing.”
The first time Julia Beverly embarked on a journey of not knowing was back in 2002 when she partnered with the already up-and-running local magazine, Orlando Source in her hometown of Florida. Just a couple years after being introduced to hip-hop through the sounds of Outkast, Julia was setting up Ozone headquarters in Atlanta directly next to their studio. “Before I started Ozone, somebody told me at one point, ‘Oh, you should just start your own business.’ And at the time, I was kind of afraid because I felt like I wouldn’t be able to - because you know, I didn’t have any money. So, I felt like even if I started something, I worried about not being able to financially continue it. I was scared of failing at something. So I was kind of hesitant to actually start a company.”
[Tweet ""I was afraid because I felt like I wouldn't be able to. I was scared of failing at something.""]
But, she did. A company that reached nearly one million people for eight years. And
what was her secret? It appears to be the ability to distinguish weaknesses from strengths. “I wasn’t really a music expert or hip-hop expert so I would always try to bring in other writers to do music reviews and stuff like that— people that were a little more well versed in it than I was.”
The ability to quickly adjust to challenges has proven to be a successful theme in Beverly’s career. As a white woman in a black male-dominated industry, she’s pushed past “culture vulture” labels, misogyny from disgruntled artists, and even public accusations of unjustly eating off of a late rapper’s legacy. But now, she’s way too busy focusing on her next destination on two wheels to have time for a grievance someone may have with her. “On my first trip, I had a lot of knee problems and stuff and once I actually got fitted and put the feet in the proper place and all that, then that problem went away,” she said. “Looking back, we didn’t have any of the right gear, we didn’t know where we were going. It was just totally renegade,” she said about one of her most recent new challenges.
Her first trip on the open road came earlier this year after her friend, Pitbull’s recording artist Vega, fell to a bet gone wrong— and the losing party had to ride a bike from one state to another. “When I learned about it, they had just left Atlanta,” said Beverly. “And it was just the timing of it. I had like two weeks open at the time and I thought, ‘I always wanted to do something like that.’ So, I went and bought a bike and met them the next morning and we literally rode from Atlanta to Miami. And it was an interesting experience… because we didn’t know what we were doing.”
Cycling may be Julia’s newest endeavor, but fitness is certainly nothing new to the music mogul. She’s just always loved sports. As a young, athletic child who played basketball, soccer, and ran cross country in high school— she was following her father’s footsteps and clearly it’s still very much thriving in her blood. With that said, for one who tends to crave bold and new adventures, it made sense that her desire for running came to an end. “If you’ve been running three miles a day for four years, it’s going to start become something that your body needs. Like, you’re gonna have to switch up your workout in order for it to be effective. So, with the cycling, this is what happened.”
But first, came the major transition.
One year after she had decided to shut down Ozone, she found herself between a rock and a hard place—with no trail in sight. “Probably one of the worst points [in my life] was when all of my camera equipment got stolen. And that was about a week before Pimp C’s mother [“Mama Wes”] passed. I had been working with her on the book [Sweet Jones: Pimp C’s Trill Life Story] for I guess about four years.” Julia made the choice to walk away from Ozone Magazine for more reasons than one. “We stopped publishing in 2010, and [at that time] people were worried about losing houses, keeping food on their children’s plates— like they weren’t trying to spend money advertising their independent record labels…and we depended on them. So financially, it was at a point where it wasn’t being profitable anymore and it wasn’t really inspiring me and it was like ‘How much longer are you going to keep doing it?’
[Tweet ""I kind of thought people would stop f*cking with me, but that hasn't happened.""]
After she made the move, she easily found new avenues to explore. “I kind of thought that people would just stop f*cking with me or whatever, but that hasn’t happened. I still get invited to the events. I still go. That’s when I realized at a certain point, that in addition to building Ozone - which was a strong brand - I had also done a pretty good job of branding myself as Julia Beverly.”
Beverly continued her successful booking company, Agency Twelve, which books (damn near everyone!) from rappers and singers to reality TV stars worldwide—as well as her career as a photographer. So, although she was ready to get out all of the amazing material she researched of Pimp C— she didn’t have the time. “I would work on [it] for a week or two and then Rick Ross would go to London and I would fly off [with him] and would totally forget about what I had been working on. But when my camera equipment got stolen — of course, it was a terrible thing and I couldn’t really afford to replace everything right away. What it did was, it forced me to look at it like a message. Like, OK— sit down and finish writing this book! But [it] was definitely a low point financially because when you’re sitting down, working on something for literally, probably 12-14 hours a day that hasn’t produced any income, of course that’s going to be tough.”
But, it was at least new and challenging— Beverly’s M.O. And so, she took the next nine months or so to write, edit, revise, and complete the 700-page epic about one half of the hip-hop legendary group UGK, Sweet Jones: Pimp C’s Trill Life Story. After self-publishing the book, she went on a three-month tour that ended in December. And then, her calendar was completely empty (given that she can do her booking agency from anywhere in the world).
“So, I started planning a bunch of trips,” Julia said. “I went to hike The Inca Trail, hiked the Grand Canyon, the mountains, just all these trips to find something to get into.” That’s when she hiked from Atlanta to Miami; and then the northern coast of Spain; which led her to cross country biking from San Francisco to San Diego along the pacific coast of California.
That’s how she came about her current adventure: The Southern Tier.
“I was thinking about doing the cross-country thing [after completing the trip to San Diego] but I was like ‘Oh that might be too much, that’s a huge commitment,’ so I had almost talked myself out of doing it. I was on my bike and I rode past this building where somebody had [painted the Henry David Thoreau] quote on the side [of the building]: ‘Go confidently in the direction of your dreams and live the life you have imagined.’ I saw it, and it had just stuck in my head all day long and I kept thinking about it and I was like ‘OK!’”
[Tweet ""Go confidently in the direction of your dreams and live the life you have imagined.""]
As far as her current journey, Beverly has biked from California to Arizona, through New Mexico, the huge state of Texas (which she pointed out was one-third of the entire trip) and made it to Louisiana (where she and I caught up), continuing towards Mississippi and Alabama, to finally end in her home state of Florida. Beverly has done the cross-country bike trip through the multiple sclerosis non-profit Bike the US for MS. “Yeah, so only 16 more days left,” she said in a way that would make anyone besides herself and her co-riders feel like a fitness failure. “It sounds easy at this point, having come this far.”
Far indeed. “When I start to bike, if I have to bike 70-80 miles, the first 10 miles are hard. And all day you’re kind of thinking to yourself like, ‘Aww man, 30 more miles, how am I going to do this?’ and then all of a sudden, it’s like you’re done.”
And the new challenges aren’t really challenges when you prepare—to the best of your ability, at least. “I do Google Maps, walk through the route ahead of time and look at everything in the area, satellite images, you can read up on the itinerary and all of that, but you really don’t know what it’s going to be like until you get there. And it’s always going to be unexpected things that happen. And I like the kind of uncertainty of it, just not knowing what might end up happening. It could be bad or it could be good. It’s 50/50. It’s all the same to me, it’s just a cool adventure.”
“If someone’s interested in doing something like [biking cross country], I would definitely look into the Pacific Coast route because people have one of two reactions: either they love it and they want to do it again or they never want to see a bike again. So, you might want to try doing the short trip before you look at doing something like that cross country,” she laughed. “I don’t think there’s a lot you can do to prepare for something like this. I think that it’s just something that you have to do. Either you do it or you do not. And I think you’ll be surprised at what you’re able to accomplish.”
[Tweet ""Either you do it or you do not. You'll be surprised at what you're able to accomplish." - @JuliaBeverly"]
On October 30, 2016, Julia Beverly concluded her cross-country biking journey. In a matter of 65 days, she went through the cities of San Francisco to St. Augustine. 3,235 miles, with nothing but time, space, and the open road. How's that for adventure?
For more Julia Beverly, find her on Twitter and follow her crosscountry cycling adventure on Instagram: @juliabeverly. If you want to be a part of a cross-country bike trip, learn more about Bike the US for MS here.
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Whether you're planning to meet a certain financial or fitness goal, or you're simply trying to maintain and build on the progress you made this year, having something to look forward to is always a good look. Setting actual goals, according to research, actually leads to more success than just playing things by ear. So here are a few to get you started, sis:
(Disclaimer: Not everything is for everyone, so do like my Granny always says: "Eat the meat. Spit out the bone." Take on five out of the 40 and focus on that for the remainder of the year, or do them all. Either way, this is just to get you started.)
40 Ways To End The Year Strong and Inspired
Money Moves
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1. Increase your retirement (or other savings/investment) contributions by 1%.
Experts have found that you could be leaving money on the table by not upping your contributions when you can.
2. Cancel two to five subscriptions.
You could be missing hundreds, even thousands, of dollars a year due to sneaky price hikes and "updates."
3. Create a "fun" in a high-yield savings account.
This is especially important if you struggle with the dreaded b-word (budget) and will make next year's efforts a lot less intimidating. Even if it's $10 a month, do it.
4. Put on your big-girl panties, and set up automatic transfers and payments for at least one bill.
It reduces the stress of managing bills, lessens the chance of a missed payment---and the fees that come with that---and there can be cost savings for doing so.
5. Invest in a cleaner or housekeeping service.
Bosses who value their time (and mental health) invest their dollars into areas where the time they'd spend doing those tasks themselves could be better used to focus on other money-making projects. (And yes, rest is part of that.) Get a housekeeper, sis, or drop off that laundry, even if it's once per month.
6. Donate to a charity.
Beyond the tax benefits, it's a win-win for the greater good of communities you care about.
7. Review your insurance policies and negotiate a better rate (or move on) before their end dates.
Experts often agree this is a small but mighty step to take each year, especially since insurance rates are competitive, you could be spending more money than you need to (or not enough) and your insurance rates can affect your mortgage payments.
8. Call your loan provider and refinance.
As interest rates fall, “millions of borrowers may be able to refinance and get more affordable payments. As interest rates eased down to 6.5%, about 2.5 million borrowers could already refinance and save at least 75 basis points (0.75%) on their interest rate,” the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reports. You can also refinance student and other types of loans.
9. Stop buying individual items and stock up via going bulk.
Research has found that, among 30 common products, buying in bulk could save you 27% compared with buying in lower quantities. Water, paper products, and baby products like diapers, toiletries, and garbage bags are the top items where people see the most cost-effectiveness. (This has been a lifesaver for me—children, large family, or not—especially when it comes to toothpaste, deodorant, toilet paper, and feminine hygiene products, saving stress, time, and money.)
10. Go cash-only for the holidays.
If you set smart goals and stick to limits on things like gifts, going out to eat, or groceries, you'll see the benefits of this. Cash-stuffing is one method recommended, but something as simple as taking a $10 bill out for lunch, disabling that card for an hour, and leaving your card in a safe place at the office can give you that mindset jump start to see how far you can take your money without the need to splurge.
Love And Romance
11. Say "no."
There are clear mental and physical health benefits to saying no including the setting of healthy boundaries, creating time and energy for other self-care activities, and protecting yourself from physically harmful situations (i.e. unprotected sex or abuse). Just say it, clearly and simply, when you need to.
12. Set a fun, free, adults-only date night for once a week or twice a month with your spouse.
If busy, high-profile folk have touted the success of this, even you can make the time for quality time with your partner. And it's even better when it costs nothing. The best connections are made doing something chill, challenging, or outside the usual dinner-and-a-movie date. Play a game that allows you to reconnect, take a walk in your neighborhood to chat and laugh, or try a little erotic chocolate/edible liquid/paint episode a la Mea Culpa.
13. Go out with Mr. or Ms. "Not My Type."
I love my man, but if I were waiting out for my "type" at the time, we wouldn't be celebrating seven (going on eight) years together. Sometimes having strict, unrealistic expectations for a spouse (especially related to things like height, physical features, or career path) is what's keeping you alone and lonely.
Take the pressure off and explore all your options. I'm not telling you to stop popping the balloon on the guy who earns $20,000 less than you if that's a hard no that Jesus himself told you to skip. I'm asking you to explore other options and see what else God might have out there for your love journey.
14. Immediately apologize and pray together.
I've learned that always being "right" isn't always ideal when you truly care about someone and you're in a relationship for the long haul. Defaulting to an apology when necessary, even when things aren't 100% resolved, is a good way to prioritize peace and save your energy for more worthwhile battles. Research has even supported the benefits of apologies in relationships, and how couples married for five or more years do it often.
15. Get a Rose and discover true self-love.
Do I really have to explain this? You've gotta know what satisfies you, and how better to figure that out than to practice self-love in the bed by yourself? You can also try this with a partner, but as a woman who got on this train very much later in my sexual activity journey. I have a lot more learning to do on my own, and even in a satisfying relationship, I like to find out new things about myself, by myself.
Figure out what you're into, watch what you want to watch, and read what you want to read to define pleasure for yourself. There's a freedom and empowering element there especially if you're used to prioritizing pleasing your partner.
16. Be direct and have the "money talk" with bae.
Money issues are one of the leading causes of divorce, so you need to have those conversations before you even think about marrying someone. And true, nobody can predict the future so you won't be able to avoid some challenges altogether, however, talking with your potential spouse about how they view money, their spending habits, and the pain points in terms of their approach to money management can at least give you a glimpse into what's in store if you do walk down the aisle, move in with them, or decide to share a bank account/business/child with them.
17. Invest in the "paid" version of that dating app.
I know plenty of successful, married folk who did this and met "the one" as a result. Let's be honest: The free version is for playing around. I had a lot of fun with my "free" profile back in the day, trust me. Upgrade that photo, profile, and package, and see if the quality of your dating adventures changes when you're serious about finding a true partner. Dating coaches and matchmakers cosign this.
18. Solo travel to meet that long-distance connection.
Sometimes, your perfect match isn't within 100 miles of you, and that's okay. Make it an adventure, enjoy the memories, and book that ticket. I met my man this way and it's been a whirlwind escape ever since. If you're not comfortable traveling solo, travel or (network to plan travel) with a group via Facebook.
Career And Business
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19. Schedule coffee or virtual meetups with smart people from your graduating class, previous employer, or current employer.
I have gotten many freelance opportunities by doing this. It's as simple as connecting and offering value (or simply learning how you can better equip yourself to do so.) It's also a great way to expand your network, spark new friendships, or find out about new job opportunities.
20. Invest in a well-made suit.
I don't care what industry you're in, a suit says "power," and it's not as old-school or out-of-style as you'd think. Plus the whole experience of looking for a new one (or getting one tailored) is fun and affirming. Try these options. I swear, anytime I wear a blazer, I'm treated like a celebrity or boss, especially when traveling. I was once upgraded to first-class wearing a yellow blazer outfit, and the airline professional literally said, "You look like somebody important. Here you go."
21. Volunteer for a worthwhile project or cause that's important to your company.
If you're overworked and underappreciated, skip this one, but if you truly have the time, love what you do, and want to advance, this move is clutch. Volunteering for extra projects got me where I am today in media because I had foresight, and knew that was the only way at the time to leverage relationships, and I was able to challenge myself to learn skills that 20 years later are still bankable. That VP you can't get a meeting with will be at that gala your company is planning, so join that committee, sis.
22. Write down why you deserve a raise and ask for it in your next one-on-one.
Gather those receipts (ie sales increase numbers, KPIs met, deals closed, people acquired via recruitment, the impact of systems updates, or other tangible success metrics) and ask for that raise before the first or second-quarter budgets are being finalized.
23. Instead of quitting, write down your exit plan.
While revenge quitting is set to be a thing next year (and maybe you're among those who will be leading the trend), try the better boss move and quit with a real plan.
24. Start automatically separating that estimated self-employed quarterly tax estimate.
If you have side hustles (or you're collecting 1099 income,) baby, you do not want to neglect those quarter tax payments. Talk to a professional, do your research, and set up automatic transfers to an account specifically for paying these at the appropriate due dates.
25. Sign up for a free one- to 11-week course related to your industry—or the industry you want to be in next year.
Institutions like Harvard University and platforms like Coursera offer free courses that can enhance your skills. You can also invest in certificate courses with accredited colleges as well as tech training.
26. Hit "Easy Apply" for 10 dream jobs listed on LinkedIn.
While you shouldn't solely rely on this when actively job-seeking, using this convenient LinkedIn option is a great way to get into the habit of applying for positions. And if you're already employed, you should still be "dating" other employers if you're looking to make a move in the next six months. Keep your interview skills sharp, practice toughening up for the "nos," and get a bit of an ego boost in the process.
Self-Care And Wellness
27. Pre-schedule three month's worth of massages.
Oftentimes this is cost-effective since some spas offer deals for multiple bookings. Also, it makes an act of self-care deliberate and important, not an option. When you get that reminder call, you'll know it's real.
28. Fire that therapist and try another one.
Cultural competency in mental health support is one major problem that can hinder Black women from even bothering with therapy. And who wants the added stress of spending multiple, paid sessions explaining why something is a microaggression? Cut the cord and move on to try someone else, either via a Black women therapists channel or recommendations from others.
29. Join a small group at church.
Bedside service ain't gonna cut it and neither is going to the usual Sunday service. Join a smaller group and upgrade your efforts to connect, network, and elevate spiritually. Even if virtually, take a step to dig a bit deeper with more targeted Bible study and discussions.
30. Say no, even to loved ones.
This is on here twice, for a reason. Saying no is the simplest, most powerful micro-action you can take today to make 2025 better. No explanations. No guilt. Say no.
31. Choose one "luxury" beauty product for skincare and stick to it.
This was trending big on social, especially for millennials hitting their 40s. There's just something so freeing about not giving in to every trend and sticking to the basics that work, especially when there are quality, healthy ingredients involved. Put those orders on auto-renew.
32. Sign up for a new sport or fitness class just for fun, not for results.
It's great to be on a weight-loss or weight-lifting journey, but try something just for the fun of it. Switch things up with a couple of these fitness activities.
33. Book a staycation.
Leave the passport at home and explore a nearby community or another town in your state. There's so much enrichment in your own backyard right here in the U.S., and you don't even have to break the bank.
34. Pre-schedule your mammograms, Pap smear, and peri-menopause checkups for next year.
Take control of your health by pre-scheduling essential appointments like mammograms, Pap smears, and peri-menopause check-ups for 2025. Prioritizing these screenings early ensures you stay on top of your wellness and make time for self-care in the new year.
35. Cut off support of beauty and wellness professionals whose customer service is below standard.
This is another one that many Black women have been vocal about—from unrealistic pre-appointment requirements, to booking fees, to long waits, to unsavory in-salon experiences. Spot the red flags early, and just stop accommodating foolishness. Support salons or experienced stylists who are kind, have proper systems in place and value your time.
36. Schedule five to 10-minute moments of silence on your calendar.
Again, wellness is not optional, and if it's not on my calendar, it's not official. Sit quietly. Pray. Meditate. Or do nothing. The benefits of silent moments are almost endless.
37. Download a meditation app.
If you've found that meditation is difficult to schedule or to even start, an app can help. Try this, this, or this one, and take that step to embrace something new to enhance your wellness routine. If you're tired of downloading apps, create a playlist for meditation via Amazon Music or Spotify and schedule a reminder to do it once a day or week.
38. Invest in a healthy meal prep or delivery service.
Time is emotionally expensive, so save as much of it as possible. Getting into meal prep to keep to your goals is a great way to save time, stress, and effort. The health benefits of meal prepping have also been proven via research.
39. Create a positive playlist on Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube, or other streaming platform.
It can be podcasts, music, affirmations, or somatic sounds. It's a game-changer. You can even set an alarm to wake you up to start your day with the positive playlist. Not into creating your own? There are plenty to choose from with a quick search.
40. Set up reminders for Alexa (Siri or other AI) to remind you, "You are loved," and "You are okay."
This simple effort can boost your endorphins and remind you that you're indeed, not alone, and you will be okay, regardless. To set mine up, I simply commanded, "Alexa, remind me everyday 'Jesus loves me,'" and like clockwork she does. She almost scared the ish out of me one day when I'd forgotten the reminder was active, but it was the reminder I needed when anxiety had gotten the best of me that week.
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While the movies and shows on this list vary in genre and style, they all have toe-curling elements that make them truly mind-blowing.
1. Love & Basketball
Now, Love & Basketballis a universally memorable movie in the Black community in its own right, but that sex scene was almost revolutionary. The raw, realistic portrayal of Monica’s first time as she loses her virginity to her childhood soulmate Quincy was an important moment for young Black women everywhere. For a scene that had no on-screen nudity, the chemistry between the characters was enough to have us all feeling a little hot under the collar!
2. Set It Off
This 1996 sex scene between Blair Underwood and Jada Pinkett-Smith’s characters Keith and Stony had all the elements that take a sex scene from good to great. And let’s not let the fact that Jada used a body double take away from how iconic this scene is. Attractive actors, focused foreplay, close-ups, tension-building music (shout out En Vogue!), and chemistry for days. When I rewatched this movie recently and noticed the way Keith moved his chain out of the way (IYKYK), I yelled! Those little details set this sex scene apart.
3. Out of Time
Denzel Washington has been fine his whole life. He’s intergenerational fine. And when this movie came out he was in his PRIME, okay?! The chemistry between Denzel and Sanaa Lathan in Out of Time is undeniable. So much so that when the movie came out, rumors began to circulate that the actors were romantically involved. And if you’ve seen the movie, I’m sure you’re not surprised.
The icing on the cake for me was that roleplay scene (peep the video above). You know, the one where Matthias pretends to be investigating a crime and Ann talks him through what the “intruder” did to her and he reenacts it? Turns out WE were the ones intruding on a crime - assault with a deadly weapon, if you will.
4. Scandal
Thursdays haven’t been the same since ABC’s TGIT. Shonda Rhimes was in her bag when she gave us back-to-back episodes of Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, AND How To Get Away With Murder. Lives were changed. Aside from nail-biting drama and salacious storylines, Shonda also consistently gave us an array of dangerously attractive characters and sexual tension so thick you could cut it with a knife.
I’ll forever be team #Olitz. Their steamy sex sessions were made even hotter because their relationship was taboo, scandalous, even.
Adultery aside, Olivia and Fitz’s sexy time scenes never left anything to be desired. Interestingly, my favorite Olitz sex scene is their very first time. After six episodes of build-up, they finally did the deed and alleviated all the sexual tension we’d all been feeling. I think we all developed a new level of respect for Fitz when he ordered Olivia to take her clothes off, and she did not disappoint because she served bawdy in that white lingerie (I see what you did there, Shonda). Olivia served at the pleasure of the President, and so did we. For all 6 seasons.
5. Bridgerton
Dearest Gentle Reader, this couple certainly set the Ton abuzz in Bridgerton season one. For a Duke who was once lost for words, the cat’s certainly no longer in possession of his tongue. And luckily, it seems the Duchess is more physical touch than words of affirmation.
The Hastings basked in newlywed bliss all over their new abode and that library ladder scene - you know the one - took the couple’s sex life to new heights. What made this scene with Simon going down on Daphne while she’s suspended on a ladder so incredibly hot is how it centered *female* pleasure. He a good man, Savannah!
6. Insecure
One thing we could always expect from Issa Rae and Larry Wilmore’s hit series - a jaw-dropping sex scene. What I loved about Insecure’s sex scenes is that they’re not only seriously hot, but alsoVERY relatable. From that incident with Daniel, to Issa and Lawrence’s freshly-broken-up-unfinished-business ex-sex.
The one that tops my list has got to be when Issa and Nathan joined their own version of the Mile High Club on the Ferris wheel at Coachella. Cinematically, the scene was gorgeous but it also felt truly organic, like it was the perfect first time for them. I feel like we all collectively exhaled because she finally chose a man we could actually root for. You know what that is? Growth.
Honorable mention: the we’ve-finally-reunited couch sex Lawrence and Issa have when they finally get back together.
7. Power
From gunplay to foreplay, Power held nothing back. Every sex scene was spicy in its own way from Tate and his staffer, to the pilot episode Ghost and Tasha, to Tommy and Keisha. So many to choose from! The one that stands out in my mind is when Ghost and Angela get it on against the window of his hotel room overlooking the New York cityscape. Their chemistry was undeniable and the yearning was palpable in every single one of their sex scenes. Now, that’s acting!
8. Love Jones
WhenLove Jones premiered in 1997, a Black romance about a couple of creatives living and loving in the city was unprecedented. Between the novelty of the story and the charming dynamic between Darius and Nina, Love Jones quickly became a cultural classic. And even with the plethora of Black stories that have since graced our screens, Love Jones is a movie the conversation always comes back to. I mean, with bars like “I’m the blues in your left thigh trying to become the funk in your right”? Yeah, I would’ve folded.
Nina and Darius having sex on the first date felt bold and spontaneous, but that’s only part of why that scene was so steamy. Music can make or break a moment on-screen - sex or otherwise - and Maxwell’s "Sumthin’ Sumthin’" playing in the background made it feel like they were truly making love. Romance is sexy too, right?
9. Queen & Slim
Finally, on-screen car sex that actually looks enjoyable! It’s a beautifully shot scene with long, slow closeups of the characters making intense eye contact (IYKYK!). And the passion between the two actors is so realistic that some people even questioned if the scene was real! The buildup that led to this spontaneous daylight, on-the-run hookup made it even sexier. 10/10, no notes.
For so long, we’ve been starved of seeing positive Black female sexuality on screen and the She’s Gotta Have It remake helped to change that. DeWanda Wise absolutely killed it in the Spike Lee remake as Nola Darling, a polyamorous pansexual woman living her best sexually liberated life, boldly approaching relationships in a way we usually see as taboo. Men, women…one, two, three on rotation, Nola’s pleasure was Nola’s priority (IKDR!).
While her sexual appetite meant her loving bed saw many visitors, I think her best sex scene came when she finally decided to give monogamy a try with her girlfriend Opal. While the scene was pretty graphic, just like the others, this one was different because it was special. It felt like Nola and Opal were two women passionately in love. And what’s sexier than sex with someone you love?
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