Author: Jordan Brown

My brother and I have always loved watching this show. Whenever I feel sad or things seem overwhelming, I turn to this show for it’s corny and hilarious jokes. It’s become my comfort show since moving into my dorm at MSA. And as of recent, I can’t go a day without watching an episode. Welp, let me introduce you to my favorite characters.

#5 Jessica Day

There are a number of reasons why the “main character” of this show is has this low ranking. I would’ve put her lower, but her corny jokes really balance the dynamic of the show. There are times where she doesn’t make the best decisions. One thing I do like about her though is the way personality doesn’t really change. She’s so nice and caring to everyone she meets and softens the hearts of the people around her. The best way I can describe her is a diluted Jules from, “Euphoria”.

#4 Nick Miller

A.K.A the bum of all bums. Nick is kind of a pessimistic and doesn’t really see the light of the world. He sees the world through the lens of a old, grumpy grandpa and I really love that about him. He’s incredibly lazy, but finds new innovative ways to be lazy. I also love that he’s the complete opposite of Jess or “Jessica”. Spoilers, but I really loved the season from where they were dating. Nick has a lovable and stomach curling humor. I would rank him higher, but I hate his aesthetic. Like if he were a real character that I knew irl, I’m pretty sure we would either hate each other, or be each other’s downfall.

#3 Coach

I’m kind of on the fence about this one. Well for one, Coach’s whole thing is surrounded around toxic masculinity. When he first enters the show he’s incredibly misogynistic towards Jess, because of a bad break up that he gets out of. I know that doesn’t justify any of that, but his character development is something I really appreciated throughout the series. He becomes more sensitive and in touch with the women around him. He learns that attraction isn’t everything and builds healthy platonic relationships with some of the women in the show. He’s hard working and eventually has a great personality. Although, the way he sometimes treats Winston makes me angry. I’d still pick him over Nick any day.

#2 Winston Bishop

One of the best characters from the show. He’s understanding, funny, weird, and checks all the marks when it comes to having a great personality. I’m going to use this opportunity to talk about a big nuance in this show. Before coach comes into the picture Winston is there. Up until that point Winston has been very intellectual and opinionated about topics that would come up in their dynamic. Everybody loved Winston and how he would give them great advice and care for them. However, when another black person got added to the show they made Winston the comic relief, or the laughing stock of the show. Nobody respects him anymore and they always make the things he likes or is passionate about seem stupid. Winston deserves better and he deserves to leave the apartment they all share.

#1 Schmidt

The fact that he keeps blowing up on Tiktok should tell you how funny this character is. I really love his sarcasm and how dimensional his character is. He grew up plus size and it really helped to understand why his personality in the show.  I really like that he’s a “ladies man” who is obsessed with being organized and clean. I love he uses his wit and charm as a amour against the world because of the way he grew up. My favorite thing about this character is his relationship with Cece and Jess. Cece is another character in the show who is Jess’s childhood/best friend. He fell in love with her and when he realized that it was like his entire personality hit a 280. There are many episodes of him making fun of Jess, but I really appreciate the episodes where he is just there for her. They have the best most underrated relationship in the show.

The fact that there is even a part two for this is extremely upsetting to me, and yet here we are. This post is mostly going to be highlighting recent events that are extremely serious but is getting little to no media coverage. I feel as though everyone should be paying attention to the issues, especially during black history month.

HBCUs

If you’re unfamiliar on what an HBCU is, it stands for Historically Black College Universities. The population of these said colleges are almost 100% black, so you could guess why this issue isn’t being talked about.

Recently, almost 12 college campus have been sent bomb threats at the start of black history month. These colleges are Howard University, Alcorn State University, Coppin State University, Edward Waters University, Fort Valley State University, the University of the District of Columbia, Morgan State University, Kentucky State University, Xavier University of Louisiana, Philander Smith College and Arkansas Baptist College and Jackson State University. So basically almost every famous HBCU. Maybe you haven’t been paying attention to the social climate of the nation right now, but hate crimes and racial tension are steadily increasing against the black community.

Why am I bringing this to your attention? Well for one, someone needs to see this. Someone needs to pay attention to these black colleges and how vulnerable they are to hate. Highlighting these issues can help boost more media coverage and help these colleges take action against racially motivated hatred. 

Lauren Smith Fields

Firstly, I would like to express the sadness that I’ve felt after hearing Lauren’s story. I know it’s very hard for people to be convicted for crimes against the black community and almost little to none get convicted for crimes against black women.

I would love to go into a full explanation about this, but this was just brought to my attention a few hours ago. So, here’s a link to an article that explains the corruption and impact of her untimely death. #SayHerName 

Greek Life

I don’t think a lot of non-black people understand the significance and influence Greek Life has over HBCUs. I’m basically referring to fraternities and sororities like A.K.As and Omega Psi Phi. There is an unspoken respect and hierarchy that comes to these things.  

That being said, recently, a lot of PWI’s frats and sororities have been seen posting social media mocking these historical traditions. I don’t know what it takes to stop people from disrespecting things that are seen as scared to my community. I don’t know anyone who would have the gall or the audacity to dare disrespect Greek Life in an HBCU.  There may be in house fighting, but when someone outside of that life disrespects anyone from that community they will not hesitate to band together and take action. Be mindful of this and apply to many other things that are associated with the black community.

Be better and educate yourself. Happy Black History Month!

I think it’s safe to say that I had an abnormal obsession with Kingdom Hearts growing up. Despite being obsessed with the main characters, I really fell in love with the plot line. I love that it’s very confusing yet simplistic with childlike undertones. There were so many aspects to this games that really made it stand out in the early 2000s. It made the 13 year wait all worth it.

the perfect trio

These games have a way of building very strong trios. They all have a range of different personalities that makes us just love them so much. The one that stands out to me the most during this entire series is the relationship between Aqua, Ventus, and Terra. It’s almost similar to Sora’s and his friends, but I personally feel as though it’s stronger. They’re like a very close-nit family that would do absolutely anything for each other. In Birth by Sleep, I would usually play as Aqua, and her love for those two was very admirable. Once she learns of Terra running away she doesn’t hesitate to go after him and make sure he stays in the light. She also makes sure Ventus is safe no matter what. Sadly, by the end of the game they all get separated because of an “evil force”. I won’t ruin it for you just incase you want to play it.

the worlds

My favorite aspect of these games is the incorporation of the Disney franchise. The gameplay is basically you jumping into different Disney “worlds” as you follow the plotline. For example there is a Toy Story world were you play in the setting of Toy Story. There is also a world for Big Hero 6 and Frozen in the most recent games. I find it something very interesting to take these original Disney stories and further them more through games. It personally helped me to fill in holes left from the Disney originals and further look into the lives of the characters.

my favorite world

Growing up I also had an unhealthy obsession with The Little Mermaid. I had the dress, the outfit, the flipper, the hair, the table, the cups, the utensils, and a unmundane sized doll. So, you could imagine my surprise when I saw that it was one of the worlds on Kingdom Hearts II. I think that had to be the best storyline for me because I loved seeing Sora and Ariel develop each other’s personality. Sora’s whole thing is that he learns to be a hero by going through these different worlds and learning these lessons from Disney characters. I just really love that aspect of it as well as the plot of friendships in this game.

Though I love the aesthetic and pleasant character developments of The Little Mermaid’s world, I really value the combat aspects  in Big Hero 6’s world in the latest game Kingdom Hearts III. The animation for these games has always been ahead of it’s time. The development of setting for Big Hero 6 is something I couldn’t have ever been prepared for. There’s a whole thing about the Keyblades, which can be interchangeable, that helps you fight the “bad guys” in this game. You get a new one based on the world you just beat. The best ones in my opinion are from Big Hero 6 and Frozen. The Big Hero 6 keyblade is based off of the Nano tech that Hiro Hamada developed in the movie. It has a feature that if you build of enough momentum you can do a special attack, and I personally think it’s one of the best ones. You should really watch the gameplay or even play yourself. It’s a very wholesome and interesting series to follow. It also has a manga for people who prefer to read it.

almost anything can bring you nostalgia

Just imagine yourself peacefully sitting in a park. You could be people watching, waiting for someone’s outward personality to inspire you, or you could be flower picking, making a natural bouquet for your own personal collection. Then suddenly, a distinct smell dances across your nose and in an instant old memories begin to flood your mind.

You have no control over it. Whether it be a good or traumatic memory, you almost can never control what memories choose to pop up in your head. Sure, you maybe one of the lucky ones that has fast enough reflexes to block said memory, but other people may not have that luxury. Even if you do choose to suppress your memory, the fact that it even popped up in your head may not even leave your mind until the next day.

once you experience nostalgia you may stop at nothing to feel it again

It might just be me, but whenever I have a pleasant memory brought back to me, I feel compelled to relive it again. I tend to fixate on that feeling for a while, until I’m able to achieve the same bliss.  And that’s not always attainable. Which tends to shift my focus from more productive things.

On the other hand, I always have a burst of inspiration to find the aesthetics that match that memory. Which sprouts my love/hate relationship with Pinterest, but that’s another topic. From that inspires my poetry and other aspects of my writing process, so I guess you could say it’s somewhat helpful.

don’t get caught up in the small details

It’s almost inevitable to have bad memories form feelings of nostalgia. The important thing to remember is nostalgia comes from memories of the past. You can not change the past, but you can choose how to react and determine your future. 

I haven’t done one of these blogs in a while, which means I have a lot of new music to talk about.

4:oo A.M~ Taeko Ohnuki

If you’ve been on TikTok for the past month, then you should be familiar with this song. I love that trend so much!!! But this song is actually a part of one of my most favorite genres ever, Japanese city pop. I think this era of music is like a hidden gem of some sorts. Not a lot of people are familiar with it which is such a shame. Now, the vocals in this song are ascending. I felt like I grew wings when the choir part came, and the instrumentals were out of this world. The saxophone added a totally different tone and it made seem jazzy in a sense. This song is extremely catchy, and I easily learned the chorus after a few listens. I don’t speak a lick of Japanese and I think that speaks volumes for this song. Overall, 10/10 would recommend to play on a loop.

Intimidated ~KAYTRANADA ft. H.E.R

If you don’t listen to KAYTRANADA, are you really listening to good music? This man is an absolute genius when it comes to producing beats and remixing favorites. He is like a god to me and I really look up to him producer wise. There isn’t one KAYTRANADA song that doesn’t slap. He has a way to get people moving and his songs just bring a sense of nostalgia that you wouldn’t expect of the bat. Now pair his funky beats to the angelic voice of H.E.R. This track is so good! It’s definitely going down in my top ten! 

Loretta~Ginger Root

I prefer to listen to the Japanese version of the song. I think it’s so beautiful to hear different languages in music and compared to the english version, I personally think it sounds much better. Now this is and indie pop track, but it sounds like Japanese city pop. I don’t know what it is about this song, but it just fills me with nostalgia. It kind of reminds me of the music they would play in the old Piggly Wiggly we used to have back home, or upbeat elevator music, but the elevator music that is actually good. I really like how they capture an old essence in a modern song, and I can’t get it out of my head. The animated video is so pretty to look at  as well as the actual video. I know a lot of time and money went into making that video, I think all of which came out of their own pockets. So, please go stream it on youtube and I’ll give you a frozen gogurt <3.

Illusion ~ Sumpa

So, I was just typing up a novel on NanoWrimo with my Ipad playing music on shuffle on youtube. One of the things I love the most is seeing people perform live. It’s nothing like hearing the recorded version and I really love raw music. Now, one of the youtube channels that does this is called A Colors Show, its where artist from all over the globe perform live in front of a colored back round. Another thing I love about this is when artist show up and such beautiful high fashion pieces, it’s really something to look at. Anyways, back to the story, so I’m just typing my life away, and suddenly I hear the smoothest voice that has ever grazed my ears. I immediately stopped typing and looked at my screen and there I discovered this wonderful song. So of course I’m just vibing along to the beat and the voice and I realize he’s singing in German! This song is such a beautiful piece and his voice was so filled with emotion that I automatically related to whatever he’s singing about, despite not knowing a word he’s saying. It’s one of the things I love the most about music, it’s something that ties the world together!

Si Yo Me Vuelvo a Enamorar ~Jennifer Peña

Dare I say, this is one of the best love songs ever?! Her voice is so unique and powerful, and I just love every second of it. She low key reminds me of Chanel from Cheetah Girls. Their voices are somewhat similar, but Jennifer just has a different aesthetic to her music. I really love this song. It is very easy to learn and follow along. I don’t know what it is about Hispanic instrumentals, but they have me in a chokehold. 

I Hate U ~ SZA

I was so happy when SZA released this song. I will never get tired of listening to CTRL, but as much as I love that album, I need new music. Now I know that she’s released two songs since then, but I think now it’s time for a new album. I love this song though. It’s a perfect song to scream your heart out to, even if you don’t hate anyone. This song was released just a few days after going viral on TikTok, which is great. We didn’t have to wait forever for it to release. However, I’m still waiting on her to drop T-shirt. 🙁

Honorable Mentions

Super Tuna- Seokjin from BTS

Lemonade- NCT127

Carefree- Mick Jenkins

OKRA- Tyler, The Creator

I think I’ve said this a lot of times before, but music is a big influence in my work along with some of these shows. Most, if not all, have changed my perspective of things in some way. Whether it be just a silly animated comedy, or a hearth thumping K-drama, they’ve all changed me and help me to write about experiences and situations I wouldn’t be able to fully capture without them.

The Uncanny Counter

There is so much I want to say about this show, but for the sake of time I’m going to try to sum up everything I like about it. So, it’s kind of hard to explain with this show about, because it follows a lot of different plots within the show, all the while focusing on a certain goal. So our main character, So Moon, survived a car crash that unfortunately kills his parents and ends up leaving him with a horrible leg injury that he eventually has to use a crutch for when he gets older. Years later, after another Counter dies the soul of someone ends up entering his body in a hurry to not be eaten by an evil spirit. This soul ends of giving So Moon his powers, fixing his condition so long as he joins a team of more Counters. Counters are humans that take down evil spirits with the help of other souls. An important thing to mention is that you have to be in a coma or close to death in order to become a Counter, which So Moon hasn’t done either. This helps him to gain advantages. There are a lot more information about this, but you really have to watch the show in order to understand. My favorite character would have to be Mo-tak, his character attachment to So Moon is so wholesome.

Itaewon Class

I don’t want to give too much away, but the entire show is basically about determination. There are a lot of factors that play into the plot and a lot of twist and turns that help keep the audience engaged which is something I really love about this show. Park Saeroyi, played by Park Seo-joon, is an ex-convict who aspires to open a restaurant dedicated to his father who was killed by his “bully” in a car accident. But things don’t go as plan when the father of his father’s killer create obstacles and set-backs in order to “teach Saeroyi a lesson of staying in one’s place”. And as much as I should hate the antagonist, I just really think he’s an adorable old man. One of the things I love the most about this Kdrama is inclusiveness. Before this show came out there were rarely, if not none, black people shown in Kdramas. I think the timing of releasing this show really helped to highlight anti-blackness in East Asian media. 

Hilda

This show absolutely got me through the pandemic. The thing I love the most about it was the animation and how aesthetically pleasing everything looked. Hilda will always and forever be my favorite comfort character. I love that she’s brave and willing to put everything on the line for friendship and adventure. 

Steven Universe Future

I love the original Steven Universe just as much as the next person. The plotline and animation were immaculate and it really stood out from other cartoon shows. Not to mention the soundtrack. There is so much to love about this show including it’s inclusiveness and insight to a spectrum to a lot of different things that’s going on in the real world. However, I especially like Steven Universe Future more because it was about healing. You always see these teenage/kids go on the big adventures, battling demons, and making tough decisions  throughout any childhood TV show, but to show the harmful affects of that is so eye-opening. I really love that Steven grew up to eventually deal with the trauma that he went through as a child. Steven taught me that self-care and mental health is just as important than anything else.

I am by no means an experiment on the MCU. I just watch pass the end credits and put things together. I am an absolute nerd when it comes to theories on the MCU. Overtime, I’ve learned that everything that is put in these movies is intentional. I’ve predicted a lot of things in that’s happened in the movies, along with the help of my sister. So here’s what I think is next.

There’s going to be an X-Men and MCU crossover

Technically, this was supposed to have already happened. I believe in the original comics, the X-Men teamed up with the Avengers to fight Thanos. But let me tell you why I think this is definitely going to happen. So if you’ve watched the Disney Original Series What if? and Loki then you would know about the infinite number of timelines. Now this part may get a bit confusing, as this was very tedious to put together. In the series WandaVision, there is this part where Wanda becomes the Scarlet Witch. This was a pivotal part in her timeline as she becomes more powerful than anything in that universe.

At the exact same time, and you can put them side by side, in Loki, there is a part where The Watcher pauses almost as if something has gone off script. Then he proceeds to say, We just crossed the threshold. Now, I don’t know what this means exactly, but from there he proceeds to go on a rant about protecting the time line. Now the Loki Variant, Sylvie, ends up killing a version of The Watcher, causing the timeline to open. From here there are an infinite amount of possibilities, including one where we have an X-Men/MCU crossover.

Now if you are familiar with X-Men, then you would know that the villain  Magneto has kids. This is where everything becomes messy, but not because of the story itself, but because of production. Originally, Magneto’s kids are Wanda and Quicksilver. Now we were only introduced to Quicksilver and Wanda was nowhere to be seen throughout X-Men. Since Disney took over Marvel, this theory was completely thrown out of the window when they decided to have an entire different person play the MCU’s version of Quicksilver. HOWEVER, in WandaVision the original actor that played Quicksilver was portrayed as her brother. And when Wanda is finally pulled out of her delusion, everything that is considered to be a “her imagination” goes away. For example, the old Vision, and her kids go away as the veil of delusion goes down. Do you know who doesn’t go away after it’s all over? The X-Men version of Quicksilver. There is also a part where they expand on it a little bit when Agatha, the villain, says that this character is a real person and not just a made of version of the brother she’s lost. Now this left me with a lot of questions, but I believe that this is the actual Quicksilver from X-Men and not some doped version of her MCU brother. I believe that he’s been stuck there ever since X-Men: Days of Future Past, where Wolverine goes back in time to stop a few things. The reason I say that is because in the clip where Agatha finds Quicksilver and makes him her minion it, it shows the same exact house Wolverine found him in Days of Future Past. Thus sparks my theory for a crossover.

Dr. Strange is actually Mephisto

If you’re familiar with Spider-Man, then you would know about the new movie that’s coming out in December. THIS IS ABOUT THE TIMELINES!!! So, yeah, anyways, I’ve watched the trailers for Spider-Man and something seemed extremely off for me. Dr. Strange was sending off too many red flags. Now if you know Dr. Strange then you know that he does not play about the timeline. He quite literally threaten anyone who tried to abuse the time stone in his movie and in Endgame. With the timeline no longer being protected by The Watcher, it is now vulnerable to so many risks. Some that we’re going to be introduced to in the new Spider-Man movie. Now here’s why I think Dr. Strange is actually the demon Mephisto.

For one his nonchalant attitude and misuse of power is completely out of character for him. Now if you’re familiar with the comics, then you would know that  Mephisto is basically the devil version of the MCU. He’s is also Dr. Stranger’s main enemy. No one would be as irresponsible and play with the timeline other than Mephisto, it’s literally his whole purpose, causing chaos. Also, I would like to add that Mephisto also appears in the Fantastic Four comics and is an enemy to Dr. Doom. This may be an opening to a timeline to a possible crossover. Fingers-crossed.

Did anybody else get confused at the ending of Shang-Chi?

Now this isn’t a theory, I just wanted to express my concerns. Yet again I am left with nothing but more questions because I am cursed with watching the clips after the credits. I could make my life much easier if I turned off the TV after the movie ends like a normal person, but curiosity killed the cat.

SPOILER ALERT (I know that this movie is relatively new so if you haven’t watched it, don’t read this part.)

So at the end of the movie Shang-Chi and Katy are pulled into a portal guided by Wong, Dr. Stranger’s friend. There they discuss where the Ten Rings could have originated from with Captain Marvel and Bruce Banner A.K.A the Hulk. As Wong disscets the rings, he notices that a small part of the ring serves as a beacon for something.

Actually I do have a theory now.

Maybe this beacon was for the villain in The Eternals. I haven’t watched the movie yet, but the trailers suggest that a powerful energy wave served as a beacon for the one thing they were sent there to fight. If it is, I would like to say whoever directed these movies is a genius. This was a perfect transition into The Eternals franchise. They also mention that the Ten Rings predates anything they’ve ever known before. Do you know what else predates anything they’ve ever known before? THE ETERNALS!!! Maybe this is their technology. This just made me even more excited to go watch it!

I might make this into a series, because I have a ton of Marvel, X-Men, and Fantastic Four theories that are just waiting to be shared.

Not to be narcistic, but I literally don’t have any more ideas for a blog.

My Ult K-pop Group is Monsta X

I know I talk about BTS a lot, like a lot a lot, but my heart will forever belong to Monsta X. I first heard of them through my favorite show We Bare Bears, and ever since I’ve been following their music path. The members are Shownu, I.M, Jooheon, Kihyun, Minhyuk, and Hyungwon. There is one more member, but due to certain circumstances, he left the group. He debuted as a soloist last year, and still has ties with his life long brothers. It was one of the worst days of my life, but Wonho is doing so well now and I love to see him living his life to the fullest.

I first fell in love with writing through Spoken Word

I first watched someone perform spoken word at a school assembly. It was about gun violence and I loved how so much emotion could be shown through such poetic ways. I still remember how excited I was to go home and watch more spoken word pieces on my Aunt’s iPad. I started to write pieces in the 4th grade with the help of one of my favorite teachers. I think I still have the papers somewhere, hidden in a dark corner. Writing poetry led me to write a short novelette of some sorts a year later that I received an award for in the 5th grade. From there my love for writing kept growing.

I can speak enough Korean to survive a day

So I started to really get into Kdramas when the pandemic hit. I have no problem reading the subtitles, but I began to grow very curious about different languages. I really began to question why English was kind of like the default language and how there are so many different languages. So, I started to study Korean. I’ve been learning for almost a year now, but I only know enough for necessities. I know how to write and pronounce words, but I still have trouble knowing what they mean and forming sentences. I had a study group, but no one was as consistent, so I could blame it on not having enough motivation. I really would like to visit South Korea one day and be able to survive on my own. I also really want to study linguistics and history of different languages and cultures, so learning Korean and the culture is like a very great start.

Before last week, I’ve never heard of 10 Things I Hate About You

Uh, my suitemate told me about this movie. Honestly, I’ve been living under a rock because this was one of the greatest throwback Romcoms I’ve ever watched. 10/10 would recommend solely for Heath Ledger and the teacher.

My Favorite Anime will forever always be Ouran High School Host Club

Now I understand how problematic some parts of this show was. I do not agree with those values, nor do I support them at all. However the slow burn romance between Haruhi and the other members of the Host Club was the absolute highlight of the show. Despite what other fans may think about the relationship between Haruhi and Tamaki, I personally think they don’t make the perfect couple. If you think about it Haruhi and (I think) Kaoru are practically soulmates. I could go on a rant about how much I want them to be together, but the fact of the matter is, we’ll never find out 🙁

I Cannot Draw To Save My Life, but I Think I Can Paint Pretty Well

Like a lot of people I’ve had a lot a free time on my hands throughout the pandemic. So, I took up painting as a hobby. I haven’t had much time to paint since coming to MSA, but it still one of my hidden passions.

I Wrote an Entire Album in the 7th Grade

This is so embarrassing, but I used to be a “rapper”. Really all I did was turn my poetry into songs and people seemed to like that. I was actually in a rap group, but we broke up due to unforeseen reasons. Please don’t look it up, but I performed in a lot of local Talent Shows. I was supported by my old Band Director. He considered himself my producer and would help me record some of these songs and would even make beats for me. Luckily, I lost the files. Now that I’m older and a little less cringe, I think I can go back and rewrite it. Needless to say, I am lyrically gifted:)

I can play 7 instruments

So when I first joined my home school’s marching band I started off on flute. Everybody thought I was made for it, so that’s what I chose. Honestly, I’ve always wanted to be a drummer. So it took me like four months to master the flute, then I got upgraded to piccolo. But I decided to learn more instruments. I switched to the drumline in eight grade and learned to play the bass drum, snare drum, quads, cymbals, and tenor drum. Our band director made sure that everyone on the drumline would be able to play all of the drums in case someone was ever sick and to have more things we could audition for college with. He also knew that I wanted to learn more, so he taught me to play piano xylophone, and trumpet. The summer before he left, he got me a bass guitar, so that we could have a jazz band. Little did I know that it was going to be his parting gift. I am so grateful to have a caring teacher that was willing to work with me even on the toughest days.

I Hate Chicken on Pizza

Not everything belongs on pizza.

I Talk Too Much

Despite what you may see, I am a very talkative person. It just takes the right kind of people to bring it out of me. I wouldn’t say I was known as the class clown back home, but I did manage to make people laugh even when they didn’t want to. Since coming here, I’ve learned to stop talking all the time and just listen. You learn a lot when you don’t talk, honestly it is the best thing I’ve ever done. It helps creativity to flow when you actually listen to sources of inspiration.

Beautiful Creatures

So originally, I watched this movie back in 2015 with my sister. I’ve always been a fan of movies about witches or anything magical since I was able to understand it all. This movie is your typical cheesy love story where the main characters have that Bella and Edward dynamic. However, the acting, and stars, and cinematography help bring the plot to life and I fell in love with it. It’s basically about a new girl that moves to the Deep South where people are quick to judge. Of course there is this one guy who thinks he’s different then the rest of the town and seeks out a friendship with the girl, which soon grows into love. I love the power-switch in this and the writer’s and directors choice to make the girl the more dominant one of the relationship. Of course there is more to this story, but I don’t want to ruin it for you. Also I read the book like 36 times, my librarian had to stop me from checking it out so much. If you get to the chance to, READ IT.

Fear Street Part Two: 1978

This three series of horror films was released recently during summer. I kind of watch them out of order, but it helped me to understand it better. This was the first one I watch and I REALLY LOVE THIS MOVIE. I’ve always been a sucker for classic summer camp horror films. I feel like you can never go wrong with it, but the plot development and twists and turns really adds so much to it. This movie is about two sisters in the late 70’s who attend a summer camp, but due to a curse, it ends very brutally. I really loved how spaced out the main murders were. I know that sounds kind of crazy, but the fact that the plot outshone the murder really makes this so enjoyable. If you plan on watching this, I recommend watching the other parts. I think you’ll be so invested in this one that you won’t be able to not watch the others.

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

I think it is very important that I acknowledge Chadwick Boseman’s acting in the masterpiece. Oh my gosh, it was other worldly. I have yet to see a performance be close to this. When I first was introduced to his character, my jaw hit the floor. The best way to describe this man skills is poetic. It felt as though this character was an extension of him and I really love how he embodied him. Every movement was so deliberate. I really appreciate Denzel Washington for being one of the many people who brought this story to life. Every single actor in this movie are my top ten and I love how they were brought together for this project. There is also another recognizable face in the movie.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

I’m going to be honest. Spider-Man wasn’t even in my top twenty favorite superheroes, but after watching this movie he quickly shot his way up. Let’s get into the legendary voice acting. The fact that they casted Shameik Moore as the voice of Miles Morales is pure genius. I’ve been a fan of his since his movie DOPE, and I know this isn’t an actor to be played with. And don’t get me started with Mahershala Ali as the voice of Miles’s Uncle!!!!!! Honestly, I didn’t know what to do with myself after finding out he was in the movie. The animation in this movie is top-tier. The artists really did a great job with color and bringing this comic to life. Overall this movie is a definite 10/10. Miles is the best Spider-Man!

Tyler, The Creator

This has to be one of my all time favorite performances. It’s one thing to listen to this beautiful album on your phone, but to see it live is so crazy. The background vocals were the absolute highlight of this show. What stuck out to me the most was, that fact that you could see Tyler’s artistic expertise throughout the entire show. It was like witnessing a genius at work. He improvised on most of the songs entrapping the crowd and creating a good time not only for himself, but others around him. I love to see a sort of different version of the songs performed live and he really brought his alternative element to this performance. All of the songs performed were from my favorite album Flower Boy and honestly if you haven’t listened to it yet, go listen to it. Right now.

BTS

The timing of this performance was very well needed. This performance was made in the height of the pandemic, just as they released their Grammy nominated song, Dynamite. They performed some of my favorite songs in this, some I consider classics. Their energy could be felt through the screen, which instantly lifted my spirits. The vocals in songs like Save Me, and Spring Day is what really stood out to me the most. I can never get over hearing them perform live, and I really enjoyed this.

Erykah Badu

Who doesn’t love hearing Erykah Badu? I was introduced to her music at a young age, and I’ve learn to appreciate her vocals and style through out my life. I really love the urbanisms of her voice and how abstract it is. You can really differ her from other Neo-Soul and R&B artists. I really loved her performance of Green Eyes. There was something about that song that really made me appreciate her as an artist even more.

Khalid

I’ve been a fan of Khalid since his soundcloud days. So when I saw his face pop up on my home page on YouTube I clicked it without hesitation. Little did I know that he would be the one to introduce me to Tiny Desk and their wonderful videos. I watched this video so many times. I would play it when I had to clean, when I was babysitting, or when I was just bored. I will always love the beautiful sounds this man can create. I can’t describe the artistry in words so I suggest just watching it yourself.

August Greene (Common, Robert Glasper, Karriem Riggins)

When I first watch this video, I played it again, and again, and again. Then, I downloaded the entire album. Let me put this into perspective. Some of the features are Brandy, Maimouna Youssef, and Andra Day. One of their main messages for this album was highlighting women, specifically black women. This is the type of performance you can just put on and do whatever. It’s a vibe start to finish.