You know, you don’t realize how much you appreciate that there are 31 days in a month until you’re scrambling on the 29th of June (at midnight) to finish a piece for #BlackMusicMonth. …

How one woman of color catalyzed a rap group’s ascension to stardom…using her restaurant. — Day one, 19 year-old twins Ras and Taj Austin move to Los Angeles to pursue their music career, accompanied by their third group member, Columbia-born Rio Loz. Day seven, Ras runs out of money. Day eight, Ras gets dropped off at 5538 West Pico, home of “My 2 Cents L.A.”…

As a sort of “yin” to the already published “yang”, here’s the other half of Black Girls Vent. What I’ve learned from life’s real university, The Universe, and what I’ve gathered outside of “talk” therapy. To those anticipating this sequel for some time, as Lil Wayne once said, “Sorry for…

“A song or an album is made and it almost has a radar to find the person when they need it most” -Jon Batiste It’s a strange phenomenon, dipping into the well of an old journal to find fresh inspiration. …

Hi Medium Family, I have something very special coming up for ya’ll real soon. -Alex In the meantime…take some Universal truths with you that I’ve uncovered. Get off social media. And if that isn’t feasible, take a break. Reconnect with the world around you and follow (and unfollow) people in real life. 2. I’ve been fascinated with the phrase “your reputation…

This is absolutely no joke-though I wish it was. May this short story be a lesson in seeing value who you really are as opposed to the things you have. In a low-lit room, the night sky’s gray cast was slowly starting to lull me to sleep. Reclining back in…

Romance with a plaque-checking, tooth-yanking, drill wielder. 10/10 would recommend. *Well…aside from that time at dinner he noticed my front teeth overlapping from growing wisdom teeth…so maybe 9/10…*shrug* 1. You’re probably not brushing enough on the side of your mouth that’s the same as your dominant hand. Shoutout to the…

At 25 years old, I decided it was time to go to therapy. Rounding out year two of my journey (wow!), I’m in a transition period, switching from dissecting the past to stabilizing my present self and preparing for a more independent future. …