Brown Girl Swagger

BLK GRL has some happening shit going down and we are seeking women from ALL aspects of the BLK GRL Diaspora. That means Black, Caribbean, African, Asian, Latina, Indian, Arab and all things in between, we need you.

WHO’S THAT BLK GRL? AD CAMPAIGN

If you are an ambitious, amazing, dynamic BLK GRL we need you for our “Who is that BLK GRL?” ad campaign. The campaign will focus on women whop do amazing feats on an everyday basis in one of our shirts. The right lady will be photographed and styled (clothing, hair & makeup) wearing a BLK GRL shirt and then featured on our blog, the BLK GRL T-shirt line (unveiling soon!) and in our internet ads. We are shooting in December and have a few women lined up thus far but we are looking for three more Super Women to highlight.

If that is you please send us a description of what makes you so amazing (please no more that 300 words, including any press, links or images) and a recent picture of yourself. You can send all inquiries to blktshirts AT blkgrl DOT com

Sistah Speak

We (meaning me folks lol) are planning to launch the Sistah Speaks video series. This series will focus on women of varying race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status with diverse professional and educational backgrounds. These conversations will have take place around drinks and brunch, dinner or lunch at various haunts around town and will flow like conversations with some of your best sistah girlfriends. The resulting conversation would then be edited down and featurd on the blog and YouTube channel.

If you would possibly be interested in that please contact us at SistahSpeaks AT blkgrl DOT com and include your professional and educational background and what you think are the most important issues of the day.

and people like me.

I just finished watching the debates and I have to be honest, presidential debates annoy the fuck out of me. Depending on the facilitator and the questions, often time candidates are given too much wiggle room to give sound bytes and ambiguous answers. Thank God this was the last one because the honest to God truth is that I always feel obligated to watch them.

I did realize something, McCain keeps calling himself a “maverick” but based on the debate I just watched he is a condescending, quip, rude, stiff armed, half dead, disconnected geriatric who felt the need to actually finger quote “women’s health” and kept using the term “pro-abortion”, who the fuck is actually pro-abortion?

I actually wasn’t completely sold on either candidate because my personal ideology: fuck the politics. The government exists to facilitate the needs of the communities that exist within it and the power should be given back to the communities to do so. And in the American democratic process as it currently exist as corrupt and oppressive, until we change the system we are all screwed (unless you are one of these CEOs with a golden parachute)

Revolutionary, I know (insert sarcastic ass smirk).

But after watching this debate Obama pretty much gave me a hard on.
Read more…

I got a confession: I would smash Lil Wayne.

Yea, I am well aware he looks a lot like he was put through a blender a few times, I don’t I think he is so unattractive that he’s kinda cute.

That and the swag and the shit talking. He looks like he eats the kitty like it was a jello pudding pop (say that last part like Bill Cosby in one of those Jello commercials).

Mrs. Officer kinda turns me on.

Never mind he’s about half my size and I would look like his SA-CURE-ITY…

Don’t judge me people.

I am pretty hard on the disposable rounds of “singers” that seem to pop up out of nowhere. They all seem to be the new somebody (what happened to just celebrating the old somebody?) so when I started to hear about this other bluesy brit, I was all ready to hear another over hyped, just above average singer like ya girl Amy Winehouse. But when the first chords of Hometown Glory poured out from my speakers like a perfectly aged Cabernet Sauvignon, I indeed felt drunk and continued to drink it up until I felt dizzy with giddiness.

Am I exaggerating?

No, that is exactly how I felt when I first heard Adele.

Adele is a 20 something year old brit that is big shit on the other side of the pond and is set to be a fucking smash over here too. And I am always a bit leery when they start comparing the YT girl s to the likes of Ella and Etta (coughJossStone&AmyWinehousecough) but I am sure Adele is making miss Ella quite happy right now. She has a wonderfully mellifluous voice and at the age of 20 she has the control that most singers in there 40’s still strive towards.

Her debut album 19 (I am guessing the age she was when she wrote and recorded it) is like jazz, blues, folk, soul and teenage angst all wrapped into an understated but beautiful package.
Adele never needs to show off or overcompensate; most of her tracks like the wildly popular Hometown Glory have very simple arrangement and accompaniment. She lets her voice speak for itself and what it is saying is that she has real talent and staying power!

If you ain’t checked her out then get to it.

CHECK OUT A LIVE VERSION OF HOMETOWN GLORY AFTER THE JUMP.

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In this city, yoga has gotten the reputation as something left leaning, well off white folks or righteous, vegan, nappy-headed black folks practice and… well that’s partly true BUT yoga’s benefits transcend socioeconomic and racial barriers. In fact the origins of yoga are from people of color and like many things in this world, the ones who would most benefit from its use are often overlooked or left out for a myriad of reasons.
The BLK Projek hopes to bring the craft back to the people who can benefit from it the most.

This September 27th at 11 AM in the Boogie Down we will have our first Holistic Hood class.

Holistic Hood was created as a safe space for women of color who live in this big bad city, especially in underserved ‘hoods. The class is FREE on a first come, first serve basis, refreshments, childcare and Spanish translation available.
So if you are going to be in the South Bronx or don’t mind taking a quick ride on the 2 or the 6 train then check out Holistic Hood.
Check out the flyer after the jump.
Reservations are strongly suggested!

Sign up for the Myspace: http://myspace.com/blkprojekyoga

Read more…

She under 30, she’s a stylist who has worked with some of the industry’s most recognized talent, she brash, bold and sharp tongued … and she will dress the SHIT out of you

or tell you when you look like shit.

“She” is Shaunya Hartley and she is making some definite moves in the industry and she has recently unveiled Shop Eat and Sleep, a blog that helps wanna-be fashionistas (or even fashionistas who need a lil extra help) keep up with the latest trends in fashion, music and media. And she recognizes in this big bad world we can’t all drop five hunned beans on a designer blouse but she’ll help you find a comparable and fashion forward piece without looking like a walking Faux Pas.
So mosey on over and tell ‘em Brown Girl Swagger sent ya and then subscribe.

http://www.shopeatandsleep.blogspot.com
ALSO KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED, SOUL SISTAH PROFILE OF SHAUNYA HARTLEY COMING SOON!!!

It’s almost official. . . the t-shirt line is almost here! It’s been a crazy road but like Puffy said “Can’t stop, won’t stop”.
We are currently shooting for the first collection of the line, set to premiere by the end of this year. We are seeking models of all walks of life and all shapes and sizes to model the first collection.

We also need capable, high energy make-up artist and wardrobe stylist to really make the BLK t-shirts POP.

The shoot is unpaid, however all participants will be provided with a un-retouched disc and a free t-shirt!!! The photos may also be used for internet & print ads

If this sounds of interest to you, please send 3-4 recent images of your work and include a contact number to blktshirts AT gmail DOT com

BLK GRL has been on its’ hustle! We finally got those samples back for the line to officially unveil at the end of the year.

We want to give a giant shout out to DOLGE from TME Printing in the Bronx (874 Baretto Ave, Bronx, NY 10474). He really came through when WACK & RON MEDIA screwed us. So if you need printing done, check them out.

We will start pre-orders August 1st. The first 100 orders get a 15% discount…

So peep the ghetto pics of the samples below and let us know what you think!

I rarely plug MySpace groups because I rarely find them intriguing, however there is this bad ass Rock/Indie/Live Band called Mutha Wit, that I have on my Myspace list that I am so feeling. Well for the last couple years they have produced a festival called Urb Alt, this year it is taking place June 21, 27 and 28 up in Harlem and down in Brooklyn at the BamCafe (iight!). My ass will be there, yours should be too!

Lil background on Muthawit: MuthaWit shows can range from 6-24 musicians onstage at a time. Their core team is 6 musicians that are the foundation for all that we do. Boston of Muthawit calls them The Roots of the alternative music set because they often back “name” solo artists during their performances. You can see video from their shows on YouTube or just check out a couple takes on their profile.

P.S.- Besides Muthawit performing Mr. Chocolate Rain, Tay Zonaday will be there as well, so I mean damn this is monumental!