After a year of presidential debates, impeachment hearings, fighting for women's rights, and trying to make the world a more inclusive space for Black women, sis is tired. I am sis. Sis is me. And who better than to ease the woes of the world than our flute-playing, p*ssy poppin' BFF in our head Lizzo?
It's cool if you're not in the mood to blame in on your "Juice", because earlier this year, Ari Lennox pulled up with the Black AF R&B soundtrack to life we didn't know we needed when she released Shea Butter Baby. Black artists were king when it came to the charts last year and we have a recap of the best albums to catch up on before bringing in the new year.
Whether you're prepared to give your knees a workout with Megan Thee Stallion's Fever or you want to get existential with Wale's Wow... That's Crazy, xoNecole's Best of 2019 Playlist can match your vibe.
Scroll below for 10 of our favorite albums of 2019:
Beyoncé: 'Homecoming: The Live Album'
Genius
Last year, Beyonce paid homage to HBCU culture in the dopest way possible at her highly-anticipated Coachella performance and in April, she snatched all the edges we had left with the release of her surprise concert film and soundtrack. Although the film was tragically snubbed by The Emmys this year, the greatness that is the Homecoming: The Live Album will forever be a national treasure in our eyes.
Ari Lennox: 'Shea Butter Baby'
Genius
Ari Lennox quit her job at a storage facility to sign to Dreamville and thanks to that leap of faith, we were blessed with one of the Blackest albums of 2019. Complete with extra Shea Butter and a hot pot of garbanzo beans, Ari's debut project turned out to be a major win for the culture and will set the mood for whatever flavor of Black girl magic you feel like serving up today.
Lizzo: 'Cuz I Love You'
Genius
Everything Lizzo touches turns to gold. At least that's what you'd think after listening to her chart-topping, history-breaking studio albumCuz I Love You. Although "Truth Hurts" was originally released in 2017, this track, along with a number of other bops featured on her album, were what helped make the 31-year-old singer the No.1 artist in the country over the past year.
Megan Thee Stallion: 'Fever'
Genius
Breakout artist Megan Thee Stallion emerged from the underground with her debut album this year and had our knees begging for mercy. With features from industry legends like Juicy and up-and-comers like DaBaby, this project promises to have you in Hot Girl Hustle mode all damn year.
Summer Walker: 'Over It'
Genius
Summer Walker's highly anticipated Over It was produced by her romantic partner, London On Da Track, and broke the streaming record set by Queen Bey herself after the release of Lemonade in 2016. Artists like 6lack, Usher, Bryson Tiller, and Jhene Aiko make appearances on this project.
Solange: 'When I Get Home'
Genius
A little than two years after creating a PSA for the non-touching of Black hair, Solange returned with yet another love letter to the melanated mavens of the world. Featuring popular tracks like "Almeda" and "Binz", When I Get Home picks up right where A Seat At The Table left off––in the mind of an apologetic AF Black woman.
Snoh Aalegra: '- ugh, those feels again'
If Sade and Amy Winehouse had a love child, she would probably sound a lot like Snoh Aalegra, the breakout Swedish songwriter who is sure to make waves in the new year. "I Want You Around", "Find Someone Like You", and "Nothing To Me" are a few of my favorite tracks on the project.
Wale: 'Wow… That’s Crazy'
With features from Meek Mill, Rick Ross, Bryson Tiller, Ari Lennox, Boogie, 6lack, Lil Durk, Wow… That's Crazy peaked at No. 7 spot on Billboard's Hot 100 and told an intimate story of love, mental health, and rediscovering self-love in a way that's unique to rappers in the digital age.
Doja Cat: 'Hot Pink'
Genius
If you didn't know who Doja Cat was in 2019, you'll definitely see her in 2020. The 24-year-old LA-born songwriter went viral after releasing her viral single "Mooo!" and recently dropped her second studio album, Hot Pink, with features from Gucci Mane, Smino, and Tyga.
Chance The Rapper: 'The Big Day'
Genius
Chance The Rapper has had one helluva year and commemorated his many milestones with the release of The Big Day. Guest-starring artists like Nicki Minaj, DaBaby, En Vogue, and Ari Lennox, the project dives into Chance's life as a husband and father.
Featured image by Tenor
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- The 50 Best Albums of 2019 | Pitchfork ›
- 25 Best Albums of 2019 | Revolver ›
- Best Albums of 2019 - The New York Times ›
- Pitchfork's Best Albums of 2019 - Album of The Year ›
- 50 Best Albums Of 2019 | Esquire Editors' Favourites From Stormzy ... ›
- Best Albums of 2019: Top Music Albums of the Year | Complex ›
- The 10 Best Albums of 2019 | Time ›
- The 50 best albums of 2019: the full list | Music | The Guardian ›
- Best Albums Of 2019 - Stereogum ›
- Top 50 Albums of 2019 | Consequence of Sound ›
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
