Barbie, Beyonce, Bunnies
in other words la bella mafia
I been gone for a minute / Now I’m back at the jump off!
By now, we’re all sick of hearing about Barbie. After I saw it last month, I looked up pictures of Barbie dolls I had and was shocked at what a strong scent memory it was. Looking at Totally Hair Barbie and others filled my nose with the nostalgic, strong scent of plastic and plastic fiber hair. I got annoyed thinking of that dumb, plastic comb that always gnarled the hell out of her hair—and, is that another metaphor for the patriarchy, or what? I’m glad I grew up when things were still made out of bad (and toxic?) things, so even though I have a poor memory (are scented markers the culprit?), at least I can attach certain smells to the 80’s and 90’s.
Lil Kim has transformed herself in a Barbie-fied fashion, so it felt extra fitting to start with a quote from La Bella Mafia, her sophomore album which turned 20 earlier this year. Sure, she had a lot of help writing, but Kim gets overlooked as far as blueprint to female rap success goes.
On the not-so-female focused nostalgia tip, lately everyone’s making a big deal about hip-hop turning 50, and I’m an old head who’s been loving the stuff the NY Times is doing for it. I know I sound corny, but have you even peeped 50 Rappers 50 Stories?.
My latest favorite read is their article, The Future of Rap is Female which started off with this banger of a quote:
Like American men in general, our top male rappers appear to be in crisis: overwhelmed, confused, struggling to embody so many contradictory ideals. As a result, the art is suffering, too.
It featured a few of my faves, KentheMan, Lola Brooke, as well as Flo Milli who dropped insightful takes on the possibility of messages that female rappers are capable of sending out in the world. The other featured artists are people I’m looking forward to doing a deep dive into. Continuing to discover music as one ages is one of my most important tenets of life!
beyonce - LIVE!!
MetLife Stadium (night 2) was as good as promised, and it seems to be one of her personal favorite shows, based on the number of outfit shares on her insta. I’ve never been to a concert that large, or even to a football stadium. I was absolutely elated to hear her live vocals SO loudly!!!! Impeccable. I can’t even believe she’s a human person. Cishet men don’t get it but we need Beyonce to lift us up.
bunnies
All year I’ve been carrying a tote bag that says Year of the Rabbit with twelve designs of bunnies by different tattoo artists. All summer my brother has been going on morning walks and seeing bunnies in front lawns. All past two weeks that I’ve been in my new apartment I’ve discovered that I live in bunny central!
I’m still taken by nature and all that surrounds me, so vastly different than my former city life: the peeping frogs peeping as dusk begins, the birds taking a birdbath in the backyard, the tiny bats swirling in the sky as evening rolls around. But the main character is the bunnies. There are at least three constant bunny visitors who like the front yard, the backyard, and the neighbors’ yard. Being on the second floor of a house allows me to see them do their thing without scaring them off.
It’s becoming part of my morning routine as I sip my tea and watch the sun rise over the gray house across the street. I go to grab my phone every time, having not yet learned to appreciate them as they are. I’ll get better at that, but if I see their little, white, cotton tails, forget it! TOO CUTE. I guess it goes to show I’m not quite one with nature yet.
Only thing I disagree with is that cishet men don't get Beyonce. They do. Trust me, they do.