RIP Natina Reed of Blaque

Yesterday was an awesome and sad day. I got a chance to once again participate in North Carolina A&T's homecoming festivities, including seeing one of my faves (Trey Songz) twice and experiencing the amazing Elle Varner in concert. Although A&T is not my alma mater, I married into an Aggie family, so I am one by default!

However, the Twitter universe quickly spread the sad news of Natina Reed's untimely passing. Natina was a member of  the 90s girl group Blaque. Blaque, an acronym which stands for Believing Life Achieving Quest Unity Everything, was discovered by Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes of TLC, who died in a tragic car accident in 2002.

As a young tween/teen in the late 90s, Blaque was a favorite group of mine. They were like a younger version of TLC, complete with two singers and Reed as the rapper of the group. Blaque's most popular hit, "808", shot up the charts in 1999 and was followed up by "Bring It All to Me". The group also dipped into acting, starring in "Bring It On" with Gabrielle Union in 2000.

I remember buying their self-titled debut and playing it to death with my younger cousin. Natina was my favorite person in the group and I would rap along with her :) No, their music was not groundbreaking nor Earth shattering, but it was fun and lighthearted.

Their music takes me back to a time when women didn't have to strip down and be overtly sexy to get attention. The days before bills, stress, heartbreak, and uncertainty.....good ole childhood.

Natina Reed was hit and killed by a driver on a busy Altanta road this past weekend. Sadly, she would have turned 33 today. Its eerie to note that she, like Left Eye, was not only the rapper in a girl group, but also died at the same age in a motor vehicle accident. 

I hope her son, family, and group members find comfort during this difficult time. Blaque was in the process of reuniting and working on a new album...

RIP and Happy Birthday Natina!

-T. Amour

The Essence of Sade

My world has been spinning at an alarming rate. Each day frantically scampers by me as I focus on my daily routines. The rhythm of life beats so vibrantly, I barely get a chance to partake in the beauty of it all. I need to slow down. Relax. Release some things and some people. And enjoy life because when the curtain closes, you don't get an encore.

My favorite artist to listen to when I need to calm my spirit is Sade. Born Helen Folassade Adu, she is a British jazz singer and a rare jewel in music. Since rising to fame in the 80s with her band, also named Sade, she has become well known as a mysterious, classic beauty with a velvety contralto. To me, Sade is more than a pretty face and voice. She is a soul-soothing therapist.

 She has a legion of loyal fans who hunger for the rare, yet instantly classic, releases of new material, but she is not a celebrity. Sade chooses to be reclusive, only emerging to tour and share her talent with the world. She doesn't need scandals, heavy promotion, or a hyper-sexualized image to validate her talent. It speaks for itself.

Her voice is inimitable and touches the very of heart of a human being. And, she is beautiful, but in a quiet, natural way. If you have never heard her music and/or seen her in concert, you are missing out on an experience. Purchase Sade's Ultimate Collection...now.

Here is a sample of her released signature tracks...enjoy the essence of Sade.

1) "No Ordinary Love" (1992)

2) "The Sweetest Taboo" (1985)

3) "Kiss of Life" (1992)  *she is stunning in this video*

4) "Soldier of Love" (2010)

5) "Smooth Operator" (1992)

6) "Your Love is King" (1984)  *THIS. IS. LIVE.*

Sade, thank you for your iconic music and image.

I love Sade,

-T. Amour

DOPE Artist Alert - Jhené Aiko

Beyonce. Rihanna. Carrie Underwood. Lady Gaga. There is a strong star power connected to each one of these female artists. They are Grammy-award winning, multi-platinum mainstream singers who are world renowned for their talent.

But, when it comes to the vast landscape of female artists, they are not the alpha and omega. Any true lover of music knows that if you look past the artists who get constant airplay and exposure, you will find rare gems whose star shines just as bright, even though you don't typically see their names illuminated.

Jhené Aiko is one of the bright and soulful lights.



What is her story?
Jhené is a singer and was originally associated with the early 2000s R&B boy band B2K.She was featured on several of their albums and a few movie soundtracks, but never got her chance to fully display her talent.  After her debut album was shelved, she returned to school. However, her desire for music never waned, and she made an attempt to return to music. As a beautiful young woman who had "commercial" appeal, record execs wanted to sex up her image and encouraged her to "sell her soul". Instead, she decided to take the reins of her career and be the captain of her destiny, choosing to go the mixtape route to build a fan base.

What are her musical accomplishments?
 In 2011, she released her mixtape, Sailing Soul(s), an ode to her desire to be the master of her musical destiny. Now an adult and a mother, she poured her entire being into the mixtape and before the end of the year, she was a signed artist.

Next up for Aiko is the impending release of her true debut album, Souled Out. 
 
***Remember my post about the five fierce females you need on your Ipod? Yep, this is why she was on my list.***

What differentiates her from the pack?
Subject matter, soul, grit, and sound. If you are looking for her to sell sex, you will be sorely disappointed.  Her lyrics take a deep and painful look at the human psyche and how we processes heartbreak, depression, and the struggle to discover/remain true to ourselves. Its rare for a woman to make music that appeals to both sexes, but Jhené pulls it off flawlessy. She manages to combine her light, airy vocals with unorthodox production and occasional raw language (this girl will curse lol) to bring a refreshing atmosphere to R&B music.

Name 5 songs I need in my collection

1) "Growing Apart Too" (feat. Kendrick Lamar) *check the link from last week's post!*
2) "You Vs. Them"
3) "Do Better Blues"
4) "For My Brother" *this song is in memory of her brother, who sadly passed this year from cancer*
5) "3:16" *Check the video out for the lead single of her upcoming album*

I admire and I am inspired by Ms. Aiko's gift of writing and storytelling. I hope she continues to stay true to who she is and create her own definition of success. Honestly, we should all apply her philosophy to our lives. Instead of letting someone else package us into what they believe the world desires us to be, we need to command our own moves and find our path to success on our own terms. It would be an extreme tragedy to lose our authenticity to gain notoriety.

Love Jhené,

T. Amour

T. Amour's Playlist

Hello everyone!

Well, its been a busy couple of weeks for me, filled with work woes, hospital visits, and enough drama to get my own show on VH1.

But, I'm back, I'm focused, and I'm ready to get back into doing what I love: blogging and writing my novel!

Look out for upcoming posts about Chris Brown, Jhene Aiko, Solange, and a few up and coming artists (!!!) as well as some great poetry.

Here's my current playlist, complete with links! I hope you enjoy!

 ***All rights reserved to respective owners***


1) Jhene Aiko feat. Kendrick Lamar and H.O.P.E.  - "Growing Apart Too"

2) Frank Ocean - "Thinking About You"

3) Nas feat. Amy Winehouse - "Cherry Wine" **this is a serious tune**

4) Solange - "Losing You" **very beautiful video...she is amazing**

5) Elle Varner - "SoundProof Room"

6) Chris Brown - "Don't Judge Me"

7) Bobby Brown - "Don't be Cruel"  **love old-school, hi-top, sanging/rappin/dancing Bobby...a groundbreaking artist for sure**

8) Stevie Nicks - "Edge of Seventeen" **recognize the guitar riff? Yep, Destiny's Child sampled it for Bootylicious**

9) Santana - "Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen" **gotta love Carlos Santana**


That's just a sample :) What are you listening to? Any suggestions for me? Let me know in the comment.

Love you,

-T. Amour