I believe the following Will Ferrell quote was once used to describe the rare sighting of "N*ggas in Paris": "It's provocative — it gets the people going." Yet if I didn't know any better, I'd think it was actually referring to the feigned outrage surrounding pornography throughout the decades. And surely, it's applicable.
For as long as porn has been around, humans have indulged it — at first in secret and then not so much. Our shame and need for repentance hasn't come to a halt but it surely has dwindled quite a bit. If sex sells (because everyone is watching it and doing it), then it's the irony for me — the irony that we would castigate those who bring us excruciating pleasure for delivering what we want. Men lie, women lie, but the numbers do not!
And while we break free of our own shame, it seems that sex workers in the adult entertainment biz have boldly been asked to carry the shame load of shame we got off, while being castigated to unethical standards and exploitation. And where there may have been a progression in the digital age, laws such as SESTA and FOSTA set all sex workers back (some more than others, but still harmful). Thankfully, we're seeing many sex workers reclaim some of the powerlessness that came with those laws through platforms such as OnlyFans and Patreon.
The greatest benefit of these platforms is that it has lifted the burden of sex workers having to give up hefty chunks of their profit or compromise on their value due to shady production companies, and sites like PornHub that don't pay for the work they post. Industry folks are finding new, innovative ways to take charge of their art and autonomy — ensuring the creation of ethical porn — porn that properly compensates, protects (from on-set harassment and assault), and serves its workers and consumers (albeit a bit differently).
Really quickly: Black porn consumers are often relegated to racial stereotypes, misinformation regarding pleasure and consent, and much more.
Below are 5 of my favorite creme de la creme favorites of ethical, blackity-black porn. These sex workers are creating waves in the adult entertainment industry, serving up orgasms and opportunities to educate. An intimate index featuring all shapes. Sizes. Complexions. Kinks. Now tell me that isn't a happy ending.
1.Raquel Savage
You've definitely seen me rave about Raquel Savage and her thirst trap series on Instagram, but her paid content is even better — worth every penny you won't regret the decision to subscribe. And that's off the strength of the JOI vid alone.
2.King Noire
Mister King Noire is the jack of all trades. From his music career to his production company, he's more than a hard body. But his solid abs and nice size...endowment sure do make a gyal curious. Not to mention the range he brings with his co-stars. In fact, you may notice a few features from this list here.
3.Professor GAIA
The people have spoken and a fan favorite, indeed! Gaia never disappoints. *mic drop*
4.Elexus Jionde
SHOW FUCKING STOPPER! That's what she is! Elexus offers top-tier content with her gifs. If you're not hooked by the time you scroll through that thread — I mean, that won't even happen so I'm not worried. This is genuinely one of my favorite accounts as she puts energy into whatever character she's tapping into. Sis stays serving lewks and body (check the Velma and Daphne look).
5.Jessa Jordan
Jessa brings big personality to her nudes, video, and all that she does. Jessa's works of art are thoughtful masterpieces to say the least.
Featured image by Shutterstock
Adrian Marcel On Purpose, Sacrifice, And The 'Signs Of Life'
In this week's episode of xoMAN, host Kiara Walker talked with R&B artist Adrian Marcel, who opened up, full of heart and authenticity, about his personal evolution. He discussed his days transitioning from a young Bay Area singer on the come-up to becoming a grounded husband and father of four.
With honesty and introspection, Marcel reflected on how life, love, and loss have shaped the man he is today.
On ‘Life’s Subtle Signals’
Much of the conversation centered around purpose, sacrifice, and listening to life’s subtle signals. “I think that you really have to pay attention to the signs of life,” Marcel said. “Because as much as we need to make money, we are not necessarily on this Earth for that sole purpose, you know what I mean?” While he acknowledged his ambitions, adding, “that is not me saying at all I’m not trying to ball out,” he emphasized that fulfillment goes deeper.
“We are here to be happy. We are here [to] fulfill a purpose that we are put on here for.”
On Passion vs. Survival
Adrian spoke candidly about the tension between passion and survival, describing how hardship can sometimes point us away from misaligned paths. “If you find it’s constantly hurting you… that’s telling you something. That’s telling you that you’re going outside of your purpose.”
Marcel’s path hasn’t been without detours. A promising athlete in his youth, he recalled, “Early on in my career, I was still doing sports… I was good… I had a scholarship.” An injury changed everything. “My femur broke. Hence why I always say, you know, I’m gonna keep you hip like a femur.” After the injury, he pivoted to explore other careers, including teaching and corporate jobs.
“It just did not get me—even with any success that happened in anything—those times, back then, I was so unhappy. And you know, to a different degree. Like not just like, ‘I really want to be a singer so that’s why I’m unhappy.’ Nah, it was like, it was not fulfilling me in any form or fashion.”
On Connection Between Pursuing Music & Fatherhood
He recalled performing old-school songs at age 12 to impress girls, then his father challenged him: “You can lie to these girls all you want, but you're really just lying to yourself. You ain't growing.” That push led him to the piano—and eventually, to his truth. “Music is my love,” Marcel affirmed. “I wouldn’t be a happy husband if I was here trying to do anything else just to appease her [his wife].”
Want more real talk from xoMAN? Catch the full audio episodes every Tuesday on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and don’t miss the full video drops every Wednesday on YouTube. Hit follow, subscribe, and stay tapped in.
Featured image by xoNecole/YouTube
Self-Validation, No Meals After 5 P.M. & The Wellness Rituals That Helped Lizzo Take Her Power Back
Don't let the "weight release" fool you, Lizzo's transformation wasn't just physical. It was spiritual, emotional, and deeply personal. In her Women's Health cover story, the "Good As Hell" artist opened up about the low point that became the catalyst for radical change in her life, inside and out.
In the summer of 2023, Lizzo found herself at the center of what she calls painful allegations when some of her former dancers filed a lawsuit against her. The 37-year-old singer has denied their claims, and though she has experienced "backlash my entire career," going through such legal woes coupled with public scrutiny proved to be detrimental to her mental health, leading her to one of the darkest periods of her life.
She told Women's Health, "I got very paranoid and isolated. I wasn’t even talking to my therapist. I wasn’t present. I wasn’t open. I wasn’t myself anymore."
After spending months in isolation, Lizzo, whose real name is Melissa Viviane Jefferson, decided to go to a tour stop on the Renaissance World Tour. She was nervous that the public would shun her, boo her, or reject her, but instead, she was embraced. It shifted something in her and after feeling so in the dark, she saw the light again. "It made me feel like, wow, maybe I don’t want to die," she shared with Women's Health.
"That was the kick-starter to me being like, ‘Okay, Melissa, get your ass in gear and take your f*cking life back.’"
Her first step in Operation Get Your Life Back? Cutting out the external noise. She gave her team total control of her social media and stopped looking at comments. "My validation was from external sources, people telling me they loved me, or that I look good, and accepting me," she explained. "But if that’s all I’m getting my validation from, when it changes—and it will, because people are not always going to like you—what happens? Where are you going to get your love from?"
Lizzo continued, "I can convince myself that I’m beautiful, my body fine, no matter how big or small. But reminding myself that you can’t let others tell you who you are—that was hard work."
Lizzo started going to therapy again, she started practicing quigong meditation, reading books, journaling, and doing sound baths. She released unhealthy relationships, drank echinacea tea, and began incorporating Pilates as a means to "feel sacred" and "be gentle" with herself.
But what many have interpreted as a "weight loss transformation" after she popped out sharing she met her "weight release" goal earlier this year, Lizzo has clarified that it has been something deeper for her than the aesthetic of a smaller body. "I wanted to be big-girl skinny," she told the mag. "Every big girl knows what I’m talking about. Big-girl skinny is 250 pounds." According to her, it was her back issues that inspired her to take the physical part of her wellness journey seriously.
I DID IT! #weightrelease
@lizzo I DID IT! #weightrelease
Through her friend Kelly Rowland, she linked up with her now-trainer Marvin Telp and developed a fitness regimen that prioritized strength and intention. Her weekly schedule now includes moves like single-leg deadlifts, reverse flies, and lateral lunges, along with infrared sauna sessions and cardio. Add to that a change in eating habits after realizing her vegan diet no longer served her (to be fair, she wasn't doing the vegan thing the "healthiest" way).
All the meat substitutes, bread, cashew cheese, and soy left her bloated and lightheaded, so now she's switched things up a bit to fill the nutritional gaps. When it comes to diet, it's heavy on the protein and vegetables for Lizzo. A typical day eating looks like scrambled eggs and cauliflower hash browns for breakfast, Thai chicken salad or lettuce wraps for lunch, and turkey meatloaf with greens for dinner.
She also has a strict cutoff of no meals after 5 p.m. to support her GERD and give her body the time it needs before bed to digest her food sans the acid reflux. Of her relationship with food and wellness, she told Women's Health, "There's a balance. I think that's what true health is."
Read Lizzo's full cover story with Women's Health here.
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Featured image by Stephen Lovekin/Shutterstock