Devil in a Dress Part 2

 “Hey Eartha,” a text read from CR.

“Uhh Jay said you were going to call me not text. You already have one strike against you for not asking for my number yourself. Please don’t get two,” I playfully texted.

“Oh it’s like that huh? Well for your information Eartha I’m at work or else I would’ve called. I just didn’t want to call too late,” he texted.

How sweet of him and he had a job too. I guess that somewhat explained his absence from any extracurricular activities. I thought.

Side Bar: If you haven’t noticed already, I was very intentional on dating guys that participated in extracurricular activities, particularly sports. My dad once told me “Always get you a nigga that plays sports because you know two things about him. 1) He is going to be healthy and 2) He gone have his grades right so he can play.” For some odd reason, out of all of his advice that was something that stood out the most.

However, my initial apprehension to CR reframing from sports didn’t bother me so much anymore. After all, most jocks that I knew and dated didn’t have a clue what hard work was. They usually had everything handed to them and were momma’s boys with phony thug exteriors they used to desberately fit in with other phony thug exteriors of their peers. In fact, not only was I no longer perturbed, I was actually impressed with CR, but I didn’t really know him so of course I exercised one of the plays from my jock male peers playbook and stuck to my hard-core-thug persona.

“Well I really don’t care what you have to do. If you wanted my number you could’ve asked yourself and went on your break to call me. You lucky I was feeling a little generous though.”

“Oh really LOL,” CR replied.

“Yes. Really.” I shot back. “But like I said, I’ma let you slide this one time. Where do you work at anyways?”

“I work at a restaurant in Austintown. You wouldn’t know what or where it is so there’s no need for me to explain.”

“How you know what I know?”

“Does where I work really matter?”

He was right. I really didn’t give fuck where he worked. I was just making small talk or text rather but he didn’t have to get smart.

“Note to self this nigga low-key got smart with me,” I thought.

“So are you single?” he asked.

I guess I knew that was coming. I hated questions like that and usually handed them with care like a politician ducking the real issues. I mean, on one hand I could’ve simply answered yes. One the other hand though I didn’t have a boyfriend per se, but I had a few candidates in mind. One, was looking promising, a second, who was just a fling and probably headed nowhere fast, a third who was an ex from a few years back that I kept in touch with from time to time and whom I shared a deep connection with and then there was the slew of guys that I just flirted with but had no interest in what-so-ever. I guess, right now CR was kind of a mixture between two and three.

I could’ve explained all of that, but instead I chose the much easier and none-of-his-damn-business route.

“Yes. I am single.”

“Oh really?”

“Yes. Really.”

“Well I hope I can change that soon,” CR texted with several smiley faces.

What I should’ve said: “LOL thanks that was sweet, but I’m really not trying to be in any kind of relationship right now and I’m not trying to lead you on.”

What I said: “Maybe.”

Well there it was. I’d completely doused with gasoline and set on fire any chances of me being able to act naïve. Farewell to my opportunity to say that I was just “talking” to him and not leading him on. I definitely was and I knew exactly what I was doing from the start. He was giving me what every girl wanted though—attention. It was the right feeling, but just coming from the wrong person I suppose.

Tom my surprise, the time I spent with CR was so amazing. I was actually having a great time just shooting the breeze with CR. No sexual innuendos, no bitter arguments or other females glaring at me from across the room. It was perfect. Sure it had only been a few weeks but for the first time in my dating career, I was stress-free. I was actually just enjoying the platonic company of the opposite sex with no strings attached. I know he was under the assumption that things were headed in the direction of a romantic relationship and I was going to have to deal with that, but in the mean time I couldn’t help myself.

“I’ll talk you later on okay Eartha,” CR said as he headed out the school doors to catch his bus.

“Aight.” I said.

I was just about to open my locker when until I was almost knocked to the ground.

“What you want dude?”

It was none other than Kain. He was one of the situations that I was juggling. A smooth chocolate brother, who for legitimately reasons had every right to never and I do mean NEVER..EVA..EVA…EVA date me again (that’s a whole blog post in itself), but for some reason always made it his business to….. BE IN MY DAMN BUSINESS!

“I see you into ole boy huh?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Chuckles. “Dang you stay pippin?”

“For one, I don’t know what you’re talking about and two, why does it matter because last time I checked Eartha was as single as a dollar bill.”

“Yea but you know you still luh me girl,” Cain said cuffing my chin.

“Man quit playin and you should probably go check on ya’ home girl over there too. She don’t look too happy and she been staring at us since you walked over here. She lookin like she ain’t feelin you being over here cuddled all up on me so I would go handle that if I were you. I’m just sayin.”

“Oh you got jokes?”

“Nah. I just would hate to see you get caught up again. You know what happened the last time. That wasn’t a good look for you boo boo. Plus, I thought I taught you better than that pimp,” I said laughing so hard I damn near pee’d on myself.

“Man them hoes was trippin. I ain’t get caught up in nothing and I they both still callin me but I see you dun added another playa to the roster doe?”

“Whatever dude. And you know I keep me about fo’ five on the squad. Never know when you might have to cut a ma’fucka.”

“Well you need to leave Chance alone.”

“Umm like I told you before I’m not with Chance and even if I was what that got to do with you?

What you tryna get on or something?”

“What if I was?”

“Mannn… you trippin.”

We played around but underneath all of the sarcasm rested some pretty strong feelings. Kain was a beautiful specimen with dark chocolate skin, long hair and handsome features, but I knew I had fucked that up a long time ago so there was absolutely no chance of us ever rekindling any flame. He was just in one of his I-still-like-you-but-can’t-be-with- you moments. Sometimes it was cute to watch him still get jealous. Other times, like this one, it was confusing and put me in a bad space. We joked around so much I never knew if or when he was serious. I would’ve given it another shot if he was willing but my pride and ego were way too big to come out and say that. If he wanted to get back with me, he’d have to make the first move and I knew that was highly unlikely so I usually smiled and tried not to get so much in my feelings.

Later that night I wish I could tell you how I spent the evening preparing a script telling CR the truth and investigating my harbored feelings about Kain, but unfortunately I did neither. Instead, I spent the night ignoring his calls, halfhertidly responding to his text messages and talking to Kain….

Artist debuts own music/poetry publishing company

Adrian (7 Hykoo) Watson II is a songwriter, singer, vocal arranger, musical producer, spoken-word artist, and instructor. And can now add both entrepreneur and music publisher to that list with the opening of his own music publishing company, Sevanna Sounds.

Growing up in church back in his hometown of Cleveland, Oh with a mother as an organist and a father as a singer, Watson had music in his genes. At the age of 4-years-old he began playing drums and by 18 began composing music lyrics.

Created in February 2013, his publishing company was created after a mentor gave him a behind-the-scene look into the music-publishing industry alongside his own personal research.

“I did a lot of research myself and I have a mentor he gave me a lot of insight. I’ve known a music publisher and he explained to me how the publisher has so many rights. The publishing company was solely to keep my creative control intact,” he said. It’s kind of like the bridge between artist and copyright. A song itself is worth 200 percent. The first 100 percent of the song is dedicated to the writers and the other 100 percent is for distribution”.

According to Watson, all to often artists, particularly in the African-American community lack enough education and mistakenly shy away from the business side of the industry—a mistake he asserts he is trying to avoid.

“I feel like there is a lack of education in the music industry in the black community from a communal stand point. It’s a lot of gifts and talents that aren’t reaping what they’re sewing. You could be really good at something but if you can’t recoup off of it, then what are you doing?,” he said.

Watson will be releasing his first project titled “The Relationship (EP)” under Sevanna Sounds and says it won’t be long before he begins extending his expertise to assist his fellow artist.

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“I solely opened it [Sevanna Sounds] up for me so I could test the waters on my own success. I do indeed want to open it up to others artist to catapult their success,” Watson said.

Jayaira Grhim is 'Painfully Beautiful'

In just a little more than a decade, 22-year-old Jayaira “Artistic Genius” Grhim has overcome more obstacles than many of her peers, yet has found her own unique way to tell her story through spoken word.

The Youngstown State University student transformed her trials into triumphs with the release of her book of poetry, “Painfully Beautiful” in January 2014.

“It feels kind of surreal because I never saw myself here with a book and everything. I can’t believe that I am where I am today. And to have people say that I’m inspiring is a great feeling, but it’s also humbling,” she said.

Grhim, who says she began writing as a means to escape the harsh realities of drug addiction and violence growing up in the projects of Campbell, Ohio, developed and honed her skills 3 years ago but never considered herself a poet.

“I [was] always a writer but it wasn’t really poetry. I started writing from pain”. She said. “I moved to the projects when I was 6 from a house to an apartment complex then the violence and the drug abuse started to pick up heavy even in my family".

In her book, she combines the same vulnerable grit that she uses to captivate her audiences while on stage. Her words are unapologetic, yet honest—something she asserts surprised some of her readers.

“A lot of people were kind of shocked when they sat down and read the book. Everyone who got the book can relate to a different poem in the book. I just want to bless at least one person,” she explains.

The outspoken artist has continued to blossom since the early days of her writing, releasing a mix tape, “Raw but Real” and performing across the country such as, but not limited to the Apache Café in Atlanta and True Voices in Cincinnati, Ohio. She has been featured as a RAW artist in Cleveland, Ohio, won first place in Warren Ohio's African Festival, second place in Youngstown Ohio's All City Variety Show and performed alongside Christian Poet, Karness Turner in Kentucky's Amplified event.

She is the co-host of S.P.E.A.K (Silence Prevents Education And Knowledge) Up Sundays, which is an event every first Sunday of the month located at the Fresh Oil Community Center (2333 glen wood Ave). It is free and open to the public and provides an opportunity for artists to express themselves.

Though the young artist says she has crossed off many goals on her list, she has no plan of stopping.

Dr. Maya Angelou calls popular poetry offensive (A salute to a Queen)

Source: unknown

On February 2009 at 11:58 a.m., I realized my dream. I pushed my fear aside, which normally paralyzed me in my early days as a reporter, and conducted my biggest interview to date – Dr. Maya Angelou. As a 21-year-old reporter, I was to say the least, nervous, but still kept enough composure to conduct a professional interview with the 80-year-old poetic genius and New York Times Bestselling author.

When I first heard that Angelou would be speaking my school, The Ohio State University, for a lecture, I smiled at the possibility of being able to ask her a couple of questions for an article. But then a wave of doubt began to overtake when I considered all my shortcomings. I was a beginning journalism student with little skill set, and I had not started working for the school newspaper, The Lantern, yet. Sure, I knew how to ask some basic questions, but was I able to realistically convey any of my inquires to a famous writer, and then be able to knit her words into something people would be able to read and enjoy?

Needless to say, the pressure was on as it is always for a journalist, and I rose to the occasion, broke to through the crowd, introduced myself and began the impossible. Whatever courage I mustered up to talk to Angelou, it worked, and it was at that very moment I realized reporting is what I was always destined to do.

Rest in Peace to the Queen!!!!!

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Maya Angelou calls popular poetry offensive

In a phone interview on Feb 11, 2010 Maya Angelou, a legendary American poet, spoke candidly about her disdain for some of the language used in modern day poetry.

“Some of the popular poetry offends me, I’m offended by profanity, and vulgarity,” she says.

She asserts that audiences, including herself, deserve a far better choice of words than what artists choose to use today.

“My ears deserve better than that, my history deserves better than that,” She says.

Although Angelou unapologetically criticizes modern day poetry for its usage of vulgar language she also acknowledges the fact that time and culture are forever evolving.

“The forms are changing and people are experimenting and exploring, and I like that  ... I just don’t agree with the vulgarity.” she says.

In addition to voicing her opinion about the state of modern day poetic lyrics she seamlessly transitioned into her political activism, stating that,” everyone is political”.

Angelou, who worked with Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. during the Civil Rights Movement,  has never shied away from fighting for justice.

 She endorsed Hilary Clinton in the 2008 presidential election, and later contributed to Barack Obama’s presidential campaign after Clinton stepped down.

Other topics of discussion ranged from Angelou’s perspective on life to her many sources of inspirations.

“So many people inspire me  ... those who try to change darkness into light…some young people second or third generation on welfare walk down the street as if they have oil wells in their backyard, that inspires me,” she says.

In her trademark distinct and articulate tone she emphasizes the importance of equality amongst people, stating, “Only equals make friends… any other relationship is out of order”.

When asked which piece of work captures the essence of her the most she answered with a loud bellowed laugh.

“I don’t know, it depends on the time of day you ask me … in the morning it could be still I rise, or it could be a song I wrote with Quincy Jones,” she says.

It is apparent that Angelou, who will be celebrating her 82 birthday this April, is an extraordinary woman. She has traveled the world, and will add The Ohio State University to her list on Feb 28, 2010.

            Ohio State’s Ohio Union Activities Board will be hosting the event scheduled to take place at Mershon Auditorium at 7:00 p.m.

   According to lecture committee member, Stephen Humphries, the exact content of Angelou’s speech is unknown, but is expected to focus on race relations and diversity.

“Dr. Angelou is an incredible American figure whose wisdom and experience are unparalleled… we hope that students gain a new perspective on diversity,” Humphries e-mailed Feb 17, 2010.

Though she has created extravagant forms of art in film, theatre, and music she still remains humble, insisting that she is merely trying to be a Christian woman,  which she deems  not an easy task by any means.

“I would like to be known as a woman who worked hard who loved being a human being, loved being an African-American woman in the 20 and 21 century,” she says.