Happy Things!

As you may know, I don't say Happy New Month (except I've royally messed up and I need an ice breaker). It doesn't mean I don't wish that you have a happy new month though, it just means when I said Happy New Year, it was intended that I meant for you to have happiness the entire year and it was also intended that I did not intend to wish you piece meal happiness twelve times in the year.

Phew! Mouthful!

Ok. So Thursday Post Day!!!! (Don't worry, I will soon get tired of saying this "Thursday Post Day" something. I'm even already getting tired sef! )

I loved how January went for me. I had that joy unspeakable full of glory from the 2nd of January right down to the 31st (it is assumed that everyone had joy on the 1st, what with seeing a new year and all). 

Considering the fact that I literally gave my joy away to the devil for almost all of last year, this was a big deal for me. I just loved God so much and He in turn lavished so much love on me and taught me so many things about myself, about life and living. I'm still learning and growing; messing up but not staying messed up and getting right back up, following and standing tall. That's been my year so far. I'm most grateful to see a new month with mines. I just can't deal with the insecurity, grim news and despair everywhere. I just keep praying for those that are lost and missing to be found. It is distressing. 

So today, because I am not ignorant of the depressing news everywhere, I want to share some things that have made me happy in the past month in the hopes that they brighten somebody's day. 

Please note: This is a looooong post. Sorry. But I promise you'll be entertained. If you are not, accost me. I won't even say anything back.

1. Re-branding and (Re?) Launching my business

I decided this year to just go for it...whatever "it" is. 

One of my gifts is conceptualizing ideas; business and social, but one of my shortcomings is analysis-paralysis. I over-analyze to where I give myself a tummy ache and decide that the venture won't work...fast forward some time down the line, someone is killing it with the SAME idea I had!!! 

Sometime ago, I heard a song about not returning to heaven filled with ideas that could have changed the world. This really resonated with me and  I started a little party centered business last year. I didn't really push it but  even in my lackadaisical state, I managed to get about three clients who were reasonably satisfied with this service. 

This year, I have vowed to be more proactive and to do anything God puts in my heart to do. From a logic stand point, what's the worse that could happen, right? Also I got a masterclass in the story of the talents in Matthew 25 and I decided to stop burying my "talents" and basically get on with life. 

This has informed the renewed drive to do better with this blog and some other things including re-branding/(re?) launching the business I started last year. (Question, is it really a re-brand and a re-launch when you did not exactly brand or launch in the first place?). I've decided to go ahead and really BE in business. New tools (deez tins are cost!!!!), a fresh look and two clients booked already! Won't He do it?! God really be praised!

There are so many things I don't have and wished I had. Old me would have decided to hold off till I am able to get those things but new me is pushing ahead and WILL  kick ass with what I do have. I am nervous, excited, happy, scared, all the mixed emotions but it is truly a happy time.

2. New Edition Mini-Series

As if I wasn't blessed enough, social media was abuzz with news last week of a BET sponsored three part mini series on New Edition.

Now, if you follow this blog or follow me on Twitter, I have mentioned a few times how for me, New Edition is a super group and the prototype for the modern boy-band. I LOVE NEW EDITION.

So I'm minding my business and hearing that someone FINALLY decided to do a biopic on the group had me like...

Yasssss hunty!!!!! YAAAAASSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!

 I mean, how dumb is Hollywood? This story NEEDED  to be told. A three part mini series does not do justice to the story of "Ronnie, Bobby, Ricky and Mike" and Ralph...(well and Johnny...much later). How had the story of a group smashing to pieces, birthing a sub-group and solo artistes as big as Bobby Brown not been told? I have heard so many spoilers but I am still so excited to see the series. 

One thing that truly made me happy was that they were in charge of telling their story. I can't stand how the Nina Simone and Aaliyah biopics were handled with their legacy all but tarnished to make a quick buck. Till date, I do not watch the Wendy Williams show (I know...Sikira of Okokomaiko does not watch Wendy Williams, Wendy Williams issue pleas for Sikira to forgive her *eye roll* I don't care that she doesn't care that I don't watch her stewpid show. Whatever! Lol.) for how she and Lifetime did Aaliyah dirty in that vomit they called a biopic. It was inexcusably. They couldn't even be bothered to cast accurately! How in God's name was Missy Elliot a UK size 10 woman in the 90s? Someone help me edakun. 

Shout out to BET for putting up the money for this and shout to Robi Reed (casting director extraordinaire who cast Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing back in the day... love her!) for the excellent job she did in casting this movie. She got it too right! From the young NE to the teenage NE to the relatively adult NE. F A N T A S T I C!!!! 

Mad props to BET for how they respected the guys' stories and especially for reintroducing them to a new generation of fans. Some songs from guys in the group are still popular today (eg. Poison by BBD) and the younger generation will get to know the guys behind the music and this gladdens my heart because I feel they never really got the props and payday they deserved from jump and to end up falling into Diddy's hands later in life, one has to ask who they offended that will not forgive them (one day I will rant about how Diddy is a career destroyer of epic proportions).

Also, from all indications, this story was not a cover-up story. 

The good, the bad, the ugly, the "what the bloody heck?!!" was apparently  revealed in the mini series. 

These guys have been together since 1978, broken up, gotten back together, survived infighting, drugs, bankruptcy and are still standing.

 I can't wait to watch it and I have @ed BET Africa for them to do the right thing (you can help me @ them too on Twitter @BET_Africa to not be unfortunate and quickly bring this to our airwaves). In the interim, I will leave you some videos to get started on your NE education. 

 

Boys...circa 1984... (Check out Bobby's weird dancing. Lol!!!) 

Such a typical '80s video with the exaggerated finger pointing and fist clenching

 

...to Men ...circa 1996

 (quick trivia, Micheal Bivins of NE and BBD actually discovered the group known as BoyzIIMen & now you know...you are welcome)

3. A new BBD album!

Somebody pinch me! God is being too good to me!!!! This is actually an offshoot from number 2. You know how I said NE split into a sub group and solo artistes? Well, the sub group is called BBD - for you youngins and those not knowing, this stands for Bell, Biv, DeVoe (Ricky Bell, Micheal Bivins and Ronnie DeVoe). 

When a beloved music group splits up and the members are all still out here doing music, you tend to pick sides. Of all the artistes from NE, the ones I rock with the most is BBD. 

My parents had the Candy Girl Album by New Edition when I was much younger so I pretty much grew up on NE music and the guys but I was introduced to BBD as performing artistes much later in life and I have not looked back. These guys are fire and it was interesting to find that they banded together when the "more talented guys" decided to go solo. So it was a group formed out of desperation and thank the Lord for that! 

NE have had several failed attempts at a comeback but I don't think BBD has ever attempted a comeback maybe because they've never "actually" broken up. They perform their old songs and still tour as a group. In 2008, I almost went for one of their tours in California; paid for VIP tickets (which meant I got to meet the guys) and all then my cousin threw a spanner in my carefully laid out plan, talmabout   "who do you know in Cali? (I know Jesus...He's everywhere) What if they kidnap you?(Seriously?!) You'll fly all the way from Texas to Cali to meet BBD? (Ummm...yeah!) Who still listens to BBD?!(Clearly...me!) You are attending this family reunion we are all here for and that's that! (Really? But I already know you people! Why are you doing this to me!!!! Whyyyyyyy!!!!!!)" Oh the pain! But yet and still, it was the best 60 pounds I ever spent because I support those guys and putting money in their pockets was the least I could do. People that even own a tiny corner of my Masters' Degree. I'm blasting BBD on my way to and from the 24 hour room at 3a.m. sometimes. I think they are fantastic. 

I don't fan girl over artistes; too lazy for what it entails, but, I FAN-FREAKING-GIRL for BBD and ain't no shame in my game so imagine my tremendous happiness when I found out my dudes have a new album out! I bought all their previous studio albums ( thank you Amazon! oh and the person(s) that stole my BBD, Donnell Jones and Carl Thomas albums, repent now for the Kingdom of God is at hand so that the hottest part of hell that I've prayed on you will not come to pass in your life) and this one will be no different, dollar be damned  (a.k.a what is a recession? Lol).

I heard two songs off the new album and all I can say is near bankruptcy would make you holla for that dollar! Lol. On a serious note, their voices have aged like fine wine.The video for one of the songs I listened to was so crisp and though you could see that the guys had gotten up there in age (a year (and in the case of one, two years) from 50) they did a phenomenal job in my opinion. My sister thinks my love for BBD is both blind and deaf but I don't care. They are hustling hard at a time when they should be winding down but I'm glad they are giving it another shot. The recognition they get from the NE movie would bolster sales and old fans like me are so here for this new album.

They are now in charge of their own destinies, thirty something years later and the least I can do as a true fan is put some money in their pockets. The album is called Three Stripes and is available on iTunes. You can check out I'm Betta (I guess this is the hit single) on Youtube. 

So without further ado, let me introduce to some and present to others, the indomitable BBD (and no, Poison is not their only song)

 

This song...sigh! The slide out motion. The coordination. 

The finger pointing. The shiny "power" suits...the 90s man!

4. "In Jesus name, pull up!" - Kirk Franklin 2017

Yo! 2017 was off to a wild start and nothing was wilder than Kirk "Plies" Franklin" doing an invitation to treat on some hot bullets. 

So if you are on Twitter, you probably know this story. If you are not or you didn't hear the story, here's what went down. Kirk Franklin was minding his business and commenting on the ban. He said he'd much rather...you know what, here are the receipts. I cannot type the whole efritin jare. 

 

Kirk "Plies" Franklin shut that man down politely, in the name of Jesus and with a clear message "don't get whooped my brother"

The crowd goes wild!!!!

I laughed to the point of piss! I was howling in my room like a wounded animal. I'm sure my neighbors were concerned.

I'm like...

Ofofo is one of the last free things in this world. I embrace it.

People stay trying to test you because you are Christian and they expect that you will do "peace be still" with them. Well in the words of Madea, Kirk "keeps (him) a PIECE of STEEL" so don't test him if you don't want to get smoked.

 I've been basking in joy all month long and these things added an extra "happy" to my already great month. I hope they cheered someone up and/or informed someone of something they didn't already know.

Again, sorry for the "longness" of the post. But in the immortal words of D'banj:

"are you not entertained?! are you not entertained?!" 

Anyways, leave your comments as usual.

Bisoux tout le monde.