Where are all the girl groups?

I was listening to a song online today and I had no idea who it was. So, I looked them up. The song was called "Get Your Swagger Right" by Rich Girl. I was surprised to find that it was a girl group and not a solo artist, which got me to thinking...

WHERE ARE ALL THE GIRL GROUPS?!

It seems like since Beyonce, Michelle, and Kelly fulfilled their "destiny" there hasn't been a truly successful girl group.

Sure, we had the Pussycat Dolls, but there were just too many to count and keep up with, and they all ended up blending in with each other.

Then there was Danity Kane, but they suffered the curse of P. "Can't Make a Band" Diddy. (sigh)

There was also some group Electrik Red, but they just seemed like a bunch of pretty girls stuck together.

The dynamics of a music group are always difficult as there is always someone who must stand out as the lead. Dealing with egos, varying salaries, fan bases, and personal issues can lead to disaster if not treated carefully.

Very few have managed to be successful and maintain longevity. But even the best of things must one day come to an end.

Here's my run down of some of the best girl groups

1. Martha and the Vandellas

Everyone always notes the Supremes, but Martha and the Vandellas were quite successful in their day. You may know some of there hits like "Heatwave," "Nowhere to Run," and "Dancing in the Street."

2. J.J. Fad

Who can forget their upbeat, funky hit "Supersonic." It made them the first female rap group to receive a Grammy nod.

3. SWV

SWV is undoubtedly one of the best female R&B groups of all time. SWV stood for "sisters with voices" and that's exactly what they were! Their smooth melodies were undeniable!

4. Brownstone

Bump what you heard, Brownstone was the ish back in the day! Those harmonies were insane!

5. Destiny's Child

You knew Destiny's Child would make the cut, but I have to say they had stiff competition like Total, and Xscape. But there was nothing like the original DC3. I still miss them. I hate when groups disband for solo careers :-/

Here's the song I was listening to earlier that started all of this.

	RichGirl - Swagger Right .mp3
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

We need to bring back the girl groups!

Women I Admire: Simmons Family

I haven't done a "Women I Admire" post in a while. When thinking about this one I thought, Oh, the Simmons sisters! But then I thought, there's Kimora and then there's Justine! So...I decided to do a family post (LOL).

I may have been the only one, but I was a big fan of Run's House. They didn't seem to be your average stuck up "celebu-spawn" with no sense of reality. Angela and Vanessa appeared to be young women with their heads on straight who, despite having loads of money, still had work ethic. So much so, that they launched their own sneaker line "Pastry" in 2007, which has grossed somewhere around 50 million dollars. Not to mention they are both just twenty-something.

Even though they got a little help from Dad and Uncle Russell, they are business powerhouses in their own right and make a conscious effort to be role models for young women. It's always refreshing to see young ambitious women making it happen for themselves without sacrificing their values. Gotta love Ang and Ness!

The two obviously took a page from their fab Aunt Kimora Lee Simmons, who at the ripe age of 13 began modeling for Chanel. After capturing the modeling world by storm, she went on to conquer fashion, launching Baby Phat in the late 90s. She nurtured the brand for nearly 10 years, but recently shed the Baby Phat in 2010.


I love Kimora because she didn't let such a huge blow defeat her. She let us know that Baby Phat is not her only claim to fame and reminded us that she made the brand and the brand did not make her. She's moved on to bigger and better things like her hit reality series "Life in the Fab Lane" as well as her multiple fragrances, jewelry line and new, mature clothing line, KLS. She's a true renaissance woman balancing family life with her husband and three kids, with her booming business in fashion and entertainment, and on top of it all, still manages to make it all look so fabulous! I love the "go-getter" in Kimora.

And then there's Justine, the loving matriarch of the Simmons clan. What I love about Justine is that she reminds me so much of my own mother. She married Joseph Simmons who had 3 children from a previous relationship and loved and supported the children as if they were her own. Justine never struck me as the typical "look-at-me" hip-hop wife. She was grounded and made sure to keep her family grounded in spiritual values. She's more concerned with the well-being of her family than being known in the industry. It's no wonder the children are so successful. They obviously have the best cheerleader in their corner. Go Jus!

Gotta Love Uncle Charlie

Charlie Wilson makes the best romance songs.

This video was too cute not to post.

Watch Video:

There's a Limit to My Love

Photo Credit: fashioncappuccino.com

I saw these shoes online and the first thing that popped in my head were the lyrics to Keri Hilson's Breaking Point. (LOL)

Surely my ankles will be at a breaking point if I ever got nerve enough to rock these bad boys. I love heels, but there's a limit to my love and it ended 3 inches ago.

Here's Keri Hilson's Breaking Point Video. Sing along if you feel me.
"There's a limit, there's a limit..." (snaps)

Black TV: Single Ladies Trailer

Photo Credit: studentfilmmakers.com

A while back rumors were circulating that Lisa Raye, Stacey Dash, and Lauren London were doing a television series that would fill the void of the UPN hit "Girlfriends."

Well turns out, its actually a movie called "Single Ladies" executive produced by Queen Latifah. (I see you Queen!) She's also executive producing the new BET series Let's Stay Together.

Anyway, Single Ladies is supposed to be a cross between Girlfriends and Sex In the City (we'll see about that) and it seems Lauren London has been replaced by a blonde I don't recognize (No dis).

Perhaps, they're piloting the movie to see what the response will be before green-lighting a series. (Smart)

For your viewing pleasure, here's the trailer.


What do you think? Will you watch?

Via Clutch Magazine: New Series ‘Milk + Honey’ Stars Debbie Allen, Lance Gross, and Idris Elba

Photo Credit: clutchmagonline.com

Since I'm a fan of all things Lance Gross, I felt it only befitting that I post about a new online series Milk & Honey that he's co-starring in. Oh yea, and its executive produced by Idris Elba. Need I say more?

On a serious note, I just LOVE that black television is back and that we are getting more shows to choose from.

From Clutch Mag:

The series follows four African-American women as they traverse spiritual, professional and romantic journeys in the City of Angels. The show stars legendary actress Debbie Allen, as well as Lance Gross, Bryce Wilson, Faune Chambers, and newcomer Asha Kamali.

“Milk + Honey” is being Executive produced by Idris Elba and the production company Brown Paper Dolls, which is comprised of three dynamic Black women—Dana Gills, Asha Kamali May, and Jeanette McDuffie.

According to Dana Gills, one of the series’ creators, “Milk + Honey” is a labor of love.

“Milk + Honey is a passion project. Working on it for over 3 years, [it was] created because we wanted to showcase positive and diverse images of women of color—[which you] don’t see many on the big or little screen.”

According to Clutch Mag, the show will only be available on the web, but the series creators are hoping it gets picked up and aired on TV soon.

In the mean time watch the trailer...

milk + honey series trailer from brown paper dolls on Vimeo.
For more information visit milkandhoneyseries.com.

Nail Design Archives

If you haven't noticed, I've mostly been doing nail posts lately. Well that's how I'm feeling right now for one, and secondly I realized there were a lot of designs I haven't posted from a while ago.

So, I decided to do an archive post with all my past designs instead of breaking them up into individual postings.

Hope you enjoy!