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The official video finally dropped! Me likey.

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One of my goals is life as a young woman is to completely master my grandmother’s hot water cornbread recipe. Myself and others in my family try our hand at it, but it just doesn’t taste the same as hers. My grandmother has been making hot water cornbread for decades so she has it down to a science, but I think the secret ingredient is music and sound. When she’s cooking, she’s usually humming a tune, or listening to the radio. Being a younger version of my grandma, I listen to my Imeem playlist, and sing and dance while cooking. And I tell you, it never fails to make my food taste better. That’s the soul of food, the music. 

When I found the recipe for Arepas with Cheese and Corn, it reminded me a lot of my grandmother’s hot water cornbread. Arepas are native to Venezuela, and are described as a cornmeal-bread. They’re very similar to the El Salvadorian pupusa, the American pancake, or even the French crepe. It’s always interesting to me the similarity of dishes across different countries and cultures. It says a lot about migration and history, and reminds us of how we’re all the same, but different. I can’t wait to make arepas myself and share it with my grandma. It will be my twist on her classic.

Ok, enough reflection. Here’s the recipe! 

1. Put cornmeal in a large bowl with salt and cheese. Put milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until steam rises, then add butter and stir until melted. Remove from heat and stir into cornmeal mixture until a thick batter is formed. Fold in the corn kernels, scallion, cilantro and chili if using.

2. Let batter rest until it thickens into a soft dough, about 15 minutes. Gently form 3- to 4-inch balls from mixture and flatten with palm of your hand to a 1/2-inch-thick disk. (You can cover and refrigerate disks for a few hours if you like.)

3. Heat oil in a large skillet and cook arepas, working in batches, until golden brown, about 5 minutes, then flip and cook for another 3 minutes on other side. When all arepas are cooked and cool enough to handle, carefully slice them through the middle. If desired, serve with butter or stuff with beans, vegetables or sour cream.

Yield: 8 to 12 arepas.

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Let me tell you something. This song right here! Makes you want to punch the hell out of somebody. The sheer amount of bass in this song is absolutely insane. Gotta play this one on high decibels, piss everyone off! File this one under “fight music.”

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Visiting the Hip Hop DX blog today, Aliya Ewing posted this dope ass art project by a Graphic Designer named Logan Walters called “The Wu Note Project.” He took all the Wutang Clan album covers, and remixed them and put them into a set. Shit is dope. I would rock this on my wall. 

Walters says:

The cleverest thing the Wu-Tang Clan ever did was negotiate separate contracts for everybody, but since these came out on so many different labels the cover art varies drastically. The “Wu-Note Project” is my attempt to amend this all the covers work as a set.

I would say Walters’s intention was well executed. He notes in an earlier post that his inspiration was the Blue Note Records album covers. I’m digging the fusion of art, jazz, and hip hop manifesting itself in the realm of digital media. 

Source, Source

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The Spliff has come a long way, I tell you. It’s at The Roxy now, and it’s 21 + now, too! If you want to check out some real hip hop and see new, up and coming artists out of LA this is where you need to be. I may actually dip through since it’s not a bunch of kids anymore.

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Fe Fe Dobson, swagger jacked by Rhianna since 2003

Don’t you hate it when folks try to bite your style? They adopt the things that make you…YOU. It would be wonderful and great if everyone could cultivate their own unique, individual greatness but alas, it just doesn’t happen like that. So what do you do when a chick tries to swagger jack you? 

1. Continue to be yourself. You’re the original, an imitation can never beat that. Eventually the copycat will find someone else to emulate. 

2. If you don’t like conflict, take the non-confrontational approach. Don’t put her on blast. Although SHE’s the whack mofo going around biting your style, be the bigger person. 

3. Go ‘head and switch the style up. If they hatin’ let ‘em hate, and watch the money pile up. Take the Madonna approach. If you’re constantly evolving, its too hard for others to keep up with you. Don unique items that are hard to find. Which leads to my next point…

4. DO NOT TAKE THE SWAGGER JACKER SHOPPING WITH YOU. That’s just giving her the bait. Go shopping alone, or with another person who isn’t a copycat. Shop at independent stores and avoid malls and department stores. 

5. If you feel the need to put her on blast, confront the trick. Say something like, “Trick, I don’t appreciate you trying to be like me. Get your own fresh, hoe.” She’ll be totally miffed that you had the cajones to call her out, and she may back down. If not, at least you stood up for yourself. Or as an alternative…

6. Come to the realization that you must be pretty fly if someone wants to be emulate you. In life, in business, it’s natural for others to imitate what appears successful and unique. You must be the shiznit!

We can’t control others, we can only control ourselves. Don’t let a swagger jacker get you down, continue to be your best self. Eventually she’ll find something else to copy, and as the originator, none is greater.

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Image via live.drjays.com

I’m never one to shit upon anyone’s dreams, I believe in doing what makes you fulfilled and happy. However, just because you love something doesn’t mean you should try to make a career out of it. You can totally be passionate about something without making it into your career. I love hip hop, you don’t see me out here rapping. I just write about it and integrate it into my lifestyle. I do it how I live, ya dig?

Cassie has been trying to convince us to buy into her singing talent for going on 3 years now, and it’s just not happening. Cassie may love to sing, but face it. She’s not a good singer. Although, one doesn’t need to actually be able to sing to become a famous singer/performer, it’s usually about image. Prime example, the omnipresent Rhianna. I think Rhianna got a pass because she has the reggae/world music sound. But for R&B, you better come with something. And Cassie doesn’t have “it.” Cassie can’t sing, she can’t dance, she doesn’t have a strong stage persona…but she’s very beautiful. It hasn’t seemed to click for her that she should work the beauty angle and be a model, she’s just dead set on singing for us. Cassie, we don’t want you to sing. People love to admire your beauty. She gets more attention for crotch shots and shaving her head, she needs to pimp that angle and do something with it. She has the potential to be a style icon if she would just stop signing. 

Image via live.drjays.com

That said, Cassie’s photos for the Dimepiece collection are hawt fiyah. Spare me the new album, just give good face and look fierce.

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Image via oldschoolsuite

I read a story on NYDailyNews.com about how hip hop icon Roxanne Shante’s record label gave her a raw deal, but ended up being responsible for paying for her college education. Roxanne Shante was hip hop’s first female rap startat age 14 with the 1984 hit “Roxanne’s Revenge” as a response to UTFO’s “Roxanne, Roxanne.” She set the tone for the modern female hip hop artist, although she isn’t as recognizable as big as artists like Salt & Pepa, Foxy, and Lil’ Kim.

Back in the day, Roxanne’s label, Warner Music, stiffed her on the royalties due to her. But the fine print in her record contract indicated that the label was to pay for her education, for life. Today, Roxanne has a PhD in Psychology from Cornell University and has her own therapy practice in NY. 

Roxanne Shante’s story is very inspirational – she may have gotten screwed on the royalty checks but she has an Ivy League education courtesy of Warner Music. One door closed but another one opened. I’m sure she knew that she wasn’t going to be a rapper forever, but she still IS hip hop. She offers college scholarships to young female rappers through the nonprofit Hip Hop Association. Glad to see she is paying forward the gift of education. 

Lesson taken from Roxanne Shante’s story – don’t sign anything that 1) you aren’t sure of and 2) benefits the other party more than you. Always, always, always read the fine print before signing!

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image via epicurious.com

Ladies! It’s Monday, beginning of the week, which means you’re probably mad busy between work, family, and other commitments. How about taking 15 minutes after you get home to make yourself a nice meal? Yes, just 15 minutes! I don’t want to hear any excuses – I’m tired, I don’t have time – stop at the store, pick up a few items, and throw this dish together real quick! Your taste buds and your waistline will appreciate the time and effort.

(Serves 4)

INGREDIENTS

• 4 Tilapia Filets
• Fish & Seafood Seasoning (2 tbsp or to taste)
• 2 tbsp cooking oil (I prefer regular cooking oil because it’s light and has a high smoke point)

DIRECTIONS

• Rinse tilapia filets in cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle fish & seafood seasoning on both sides of fish. Pat the seasoning onto the fish, making sure it sticks to the filets. 
• Heat oil in non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, place tilapia filets in pan, cooking about 4 minutes on each side. You will be able to tell the fish is cooked once it flakes easily with a fork. 
• Remove from pan and serve immediately with sauteed veggies or green salad and a starch. 
• Enjoy the fact that you made a healthy, delicious, inexpensive meal at home! 

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Classic!

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