*Spoilers for the plot of Netflix’s Blood Sisters below
I have to admit, when it comes to new and original content that keeps me dialed all the way in, Netflix typically misses a few steps for me. I’m not sure if it's their competitors’ content that has me in a chokehold (hey, HBO Max, Hulu, Peacock, etc.) or if I’ve written the platform off too soon as somewhere to chill with old throwback faves. Either way, one Sunday evening I sat down ready to tackle some work and flipped through the platforms for a show or series I could watch for more than just an hour. Now, if you’re like me, you need some background noise to help break up the work you’re about to fall headfirst into. Just me? Cool.
I landed on Netflix and immediately was greeted with a “Top 10” suggested series, Blood Sisters. Beautiful Nigerian women, shovel in hand, suspense, and…did I smell drama? Okay, I thought, let me give this a try. I hit play and put the remote down, with plans to focus on the work - while also trying to take in the plot.
Let’s just say my week would never be the same.
Side-note: This contains SOME spoiler alerts. I will not reveal everything but read at your own risk.
The story of Blood Sisters centers squarely around the importance and beauty of the relationships that are closest to us in our lives; whether chosen or blood. The series opens as we see the gorgeous Sarah and her mega-successful fiancé Kola, preparing for their engagement party. Kola immediately gives me “catered to for his whole life, while being mommy’s fave” vibes, and boy was my “f-boy” radar on point. Kola is one of three children to a villainous mother, Udak, who makes no secret that she prefers Kola over her other two children, choosing him to run their family business, and, in turn, causing a never-ending power struggle led by drugs, booze, sex and oh…hired hitmen to take baby boy Kola out. At his engagement party. Whew, I was glued all the way in.
After, we find out that golden boy Kola is just about as copper as the pennies that fall between the cracks in your purse. In fact, he’s not only jealous, controlling, and abusive, he seems to have himself convinced that it’s “normal”. Sarah and her best friend Kemi are the only ones who are over trying to act like Kola is who he isn’t and, after a beating during the party, the best friends, who have been inseparable since they were 5 years old, hatch a plan to get Sarah out of her engagement. The only problem? The plan backfires majorly and the two best friends go from trying to find a way out of a bad relationship to trying to find a way out of the venue with Kola’s dead body.
Yes, the besties are now “killers.” What happens next goes from figuring out how to get rid of the body and evidence to how to portray themselves as grieving and, finally, making a decision to run and get out of the country. Even with all the drama going on around Kola’s murder, and his evil mom, Udak, using every resource she has to remain the biggest “B”, the story has a LOT going on. Family betrayal, murder, suspense, culture, and the importance of having a ride or die bestie.
While I won’t give up any details on Kola’s murder (like who did it and why), just know that by the end you’re less sympathetic to his murder and more enamored with the true-blue love relationship between Sarah and Kemi. Never wavering. Never questioning. Honest and protective. No, I’m not advocating for having your best friend's back when they’re wrong…but I am advocating for not abandoning them when they are. Kemi and Sarah are fictional characters with real-life similarities to many best friendships out there. Whether you’ve known them forever or are newly connected, a relationship that is worthy enough of being called a “best friend” should always be a safe space to empower and be empowered, and to remind you of your worth.
Yes, most best friendships don’t involve running from organ harvesters or bounty hunters, but let's assume they did…which side are you on with your bestie? Once the police found out that two unlikely suspects were likely involved, the two best friends had a heart-to-heart. One advocating for turning themselves in and the other for running. “I never want to do anything without you being by my side,” one says to the other. It hit me hard. My best friend, Lynette, is my ride or die. From college to adulthood and now transitioning to being those pesky adult children who have to remind their parents to go to doctor’s appointments by wagging our fingers at them, we’ve been through a lot. Through every bad decision, heartbreak, side-eye, and even a disagreement, (which felt as intense as running from the law), I’ve seen the beauty of a sisterhood that doesn’t abandon but uplifts. The sisterhood that makes space for you to be you - not who you pretend to be to the outside world. The sisterhood that makes you a better person and will go to the ends of the world to make sure you see it. And vice versa.
The audience may have started the series engulfed in a toxic love story about Kola and Sarah, but we ended it realizing that the true love story was between two best friends who never gave up on each other. The idea that one person believing in and riding for you can impact your own vision for what you can and can’t do was so prevalent in the series, that I had to pause it a few times to ask myself “What would you and your bestie do?”
Blood Sisters is beautifully shot, has amazing cultural highlights, and an amazingly talented range of creatives and I’ve literally been telling everyone I know about it. Aside from the deep and meaningful relationship between the best friends, the consequences of mistreating or glorifying family members can’t be denied. It doesn’t matter who we are, how much money we have in the bank, or what fancy clothes adorn our bodies, at the end of the day, there will be a reckoning for how you treat people in your life.
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Featured Image via Netflix
Some women have their whole wedding planned out, from the bridal gown and venue to the bridal party and playlist. However, KJ was not one of those people. “I didn’t foresee a wedding in my future,” she reveals. “I was just gonna be the boss chick, rich auntie. I didn’t force love in my life until recently. I never had an idea of what a dream wedding would look like, it was easier for me to elope.”
KJ Smith
Photo by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
And to many people’s surprise, that was their original plan – until Skyh brought up a valid concern. He was raised by his grandmother and thought she should be at the wedding, and naturally, that led to KJ wanting her grandmother to be there as well – then her mom – and later her sister – and, you’ve gotta invite the besties too, right? From there, the guest list continued to blossom. Much like the updo and pop of color bold red lip, she wore on her special day, which was initially on her Pinterest board as a soft glam look with her hair hanging on her shoulders, KJ is okay with changing her plan if it brings her and her loved ones happiness.
So let’s get into the wedding, which took place in Malibu, CA. The first thing you should know about the celebrity couple is that they’re non-traditional. They know, and they don’t care. So, in true unconventional fashion, they shared the morning of the wedding together.
“I woke up with Skyh, we walked our dog, had black coffee, and said good morning to the people who stayed at the venue with us,” she says.
Now, it was time for hair and makeup. While she was getting glammed up, she had Black-owned McBride Sisters wine and champagne (which ties into The Black Experience theme) on deck with her mom and friends, had her besties help rework her vows, retried on every outfit (sis is very Type-A), took photos, and ended the early-celebration with prayer and meditation. It seems very non-Bridezilla, I said.
“Yeah, I was the most unbothered bride ever. Everyone was just so supportive. As entertainers, we go on red carpets all the time. We actually have a production company,” she explains. “The get-ready process was like a day at work, but with people we love the most. Being entertainers, we didn’t feel stressed at all, but my excitement was so high.”
Things moved quickly, and before she knew it, it was time to line up to walk down the aisle.
“Yeah, I was the most unbothered bride ever. Everyone was just so supportive. As entertainers, we go on red carpets all the time. We actually have a production company. The get-ready process was like a day at work, but with people we love the most. Being entertainers, we didn’t feel stressed at all, but my excitement was so high.”
KJ Smith and her bridal party
Photo by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
Since everything started with their grandmothers, the couple wanted to ensure they honored them and planned to keep an element of their wedding traditional. Although we’ve all seen the reception videos and photos online, you may have noticed visuals from the wedding itself are harder to find.
“We planned for it to be traditional, but we’re not like that, so we tried to create those moments. We jumped the broom and had a salt ceremony (where the bride and groom individually pour salt into a glass container, symbolizing their lives becoming one.) But honestly, still, nothing was traditional about it.”
She goes on to explain that her mom caught the holy ghost coming down the aisle, her glam team was on deck, and she became so nervous with excitement that she had an anxiety attack – something she struggled with for years, she explains tearfully. Her friends had to literally cheer her down the aisle because of how overwhelmed she felt until she eventually calmed down.
“Skyh was standing there with his hand on his heart; we have our own little language, and I could feel the support,” she shares.
It was surprising to hear all these emotional moments happened before the party we saw online. That is until she once again got into the backstory.
“As a Black woman actress, for so long, it was popular to be mysterious and secretive, but that’s not who I am or what I like. Plus, we both wanted to create an experience for everyone there. We are the people who always host family and friends,” she says. “Like for me, the first order of business was getting sandals for the women so they can dance all night long. We had oxtail, D'ussé, and a coffee and sativa lounge – which is part of Skyh and I’s lifestyle and routine. We wanted to bring them into our world.”
Skyh Black (L) and KJ Smith (R)
Photo by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
She went on to discuss the dance routine she did for her husband at the reception, which has taken over the internet. Apparently, that’s another thing that didn’t go according to plan. According to KJ, she had promised a performance at their joint bachelor/ bachelorette party, but her outfit got stolen from her car. So, Skyh ended up performing for her – complete with a strip tease. Still, she never forgot her promise to dance for him.
So, she hired her friend as a choreographer, learned the routine, made friends and family watch it endless times, and attended Beyoncé’s Renaissance show a few days before for a confidence boost. It ended up being a show to remember. But that wasn’t all the night offered. Lil Mo performed, and the guests received special goody bags featuring their favorite Black-owned products like journals, hair care, and more.
“We made sure everyone was taken care of all night. That kind of stuff makes us happy. I wanted everyone there to experience the joy and love I have for myself, my partner, and for them. I wanted them to feel full and whole, and they had the time of their lives,” she says.
But naturally, the internet is going to internet, and while there were countless people praising the event and applauding the newlyweds, some thought it was too over the top. I was curious to know her thoughts on some of the criticism.
“It’s cool. We did what we wanted to do. I’ve decided to share my world with people. Just how I went on social media platforms and found inspiration, I want people to do the same,” she explains. “I don’t think it's fair to my supporters not to give that out. There’s so much I wanna share with brides, specifically Black brides. I love that people are adding it to their Pinterest boards."
"I wanted everyone there to experience the joy and love I have for myself, my partner, and for them. I wanted them to feel full and whole, and they had the time of their lives."
KJ Smith
Photo by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
“I’m happy with it because we did what we wanted to do. They can do what they wanna do. Don’t be cruel, though, because you will get blocked,” she said, laughing.
The more I spoke with her, the more her sense of freedom shined through. People are always going to have their opinions, but at the end of the day, it’s you who has to live your life, and it seems like the couple realizes that and embraces that power. She also stressed the importance of not living for others and the lessons life has taught her.
“I’ve been to countless weddings, and I’ve been in countless weddings. I’m a generally older bride. So when women in my demographic get married, and you and your husband are busy working people like us, you deserve to have the one you want to have,” she shares.
“This is what we wanted to do. Our loved ones love and support us. We did so much to honor them, but we also wanted to start our own tradition, legacy, and creation. I'm not going to be pulled back into ideas of the past when I’m trying to create a future with my partner. “
If you’d like to see more of the couple, you probably won’t have to wait long. Although no content is planned yet, she admits to being an oversharer. “Me being open and transparent about my experiences lets people know it’s okay to have flaws; it makes you human, and for many years, I didn’t believe that was okay. I had pressure to be perfect, and I’d crumble every time,” she explains to xoNecole.
Now, she owns her flaws and uses them as a superpower to connect with her community and feel and express her love.
“Some people give us [Skyh and KJ] a hard time because they say we just seem too perfect. I’m like, why is that a bad thing? I love the people I love. From my man to my mama, to my friends - unabashedly. We move through time and space how we want to move. If we did it another way, we’d let ourselves and our union down.”
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Feature image by Stanley Babb/ Stanlo Photography
