Summer Walker Gets Honest About Motherhood And Her Child's Father: ‘I Wish I Paid More Attention’
When Summer Walker began gaining popularity with her debut album Over It, her personal life also took center stage. The “Body” singer worked on her first album with her now ex-boyfriend, producer London On Da Track, and they welcomed a daughter together, Princess Bubblegum. Their relationship was challenged by cheating rumors, and the 26-year-old found herself going back and forth with London’s exes on social media for consistently bashing the singer and the producer.
Summer and London have broken up multiple times but they put the final nail in the coffin in 2021, the same year their daughter was born. (London has four kids in total.)
That same year, she dropped her highly-anticipated second album Still Over It filled with songs inspired by their breakup. She even titled one of the album’s singles “4th Baby Mama," with the title inspired by her experience.
The Atlanta native was interviewed for Essence’s Festival of Culture issue, where she opened up about soul music and motherhood. “It’s really stressful and it’s really a lot of sacrifice. Sometimes, it’s like, is it worth it? Then they smile and make your day, and the answer is yes,” she said about raising her daughter.
While she loves her daughter, she confessed that she wished she made better decisions about London. “I wish that I paid more attention to the person I procreated with,” she revealed.
“It’s still like you never really know anybody. Even how long you can be with people, you just never really know,” she added.
“People be in long-ass marriages, and they just switch up and you’ll be like, “Yo, what the f–k?” So, I guess you can just never really know.”
Summer is currently dating Larry aka LVRD Pharoh who is a rapper and someone from the “No Love” singer’s past. When news spread of their relationship, the rapper shared a message on his Instagram story, addressing those questioning who he was. “FYI: I'm not the 'new boo' lmaoooo. The real ones know we been in each other's life since 2014.”
They also have each other’s names tattooed on their faces.
Summer is working on her healing, telling Essence, “I have a scholarly teacher and different people who are really good in their fields that are helpful with my healing.” She also noted that therapy and religion have helped her in that journey as well.
Over the weekend, the singer announced that she was expecting her second child, which will be her first with Pharoh. She shared on Instagram Live, "People asking me if I'm pregnant…I am and you know I'm very, very, very, very, happy about it. Very excited about it. And this is gonna be — I'm very very excited because it's going to be different from how it was before. It's really peaceful, really happy, lots of help, lots of love."
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Featured image by Amy Sussman / Getty Images
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