#afro chill out session

[kaysha2201]

Afro Chill Out Session. Volume 2

AFRO CHILL OUT SESSION 2 | DOWNLOAD | STREAM

[dustedmagazine]

Emergency Group — Venal Twin (Centripetal Force)

Venal Twin is the second album this year from a band hip deep in 1970s fusion jazz. The players, as ever, include guitarist Jonathan Byerley of Plates of Cake and Anti-Westerns, keyboardist (and Barnard college prof) Robert Boston, drummer Andreas Brade (he teaches at Brooklyn School of music), and bassist Dave Mandl, and as before, they spin out from jazz, rock, kraut and psychedelia in heady extended jams.

These four cuts laid down in a separate session, though around the same time as Inspection of Cruelty, of which I said, in a brief review last March, “A 1970s futuristic cool hangs over the whole enterprise, in its chugging rhythms, its radiant runs of electric keyboards, its motorific jams.” All that still applies, in long, evolving reveries that drift and dream, but also twitch with coiled, suppressed violence. The wah-wah’d guitar in the opening title track is on edge right from the onset, and the keyboard thrashes with fever as it seeks out phosphorescing grooves. You can hear the bass better on this recording, and you recognize how Mandl values force and propulsion over all; he is always nudging, always bumping things forward, not bludgeoning exactly, but not letting anyone take a breather. These cuts are lengthy, but not the sidelong rovers of the earlier album, and they allow for brief, fiery bursts of wild shreddery that burst through the seams of head-nodding ritual rhythms.

“Dime Champ” goes the hardest out of this set, relentlessly pushing forward, more than a little funk in its wiry, minimalist frame. Guitar and drums are locked in syncopated foundation, while the guitar squawks, squeaks and italicizes and electric keyboards throw off neon flurries of cool temperature replies. You can intuit a dialog between these two melodic instruments, Byerley’s guitar in frantic, hair pulling agitation, Boston’s keys in icy, sly response. A change in rhythms about four minutes in pushes this cut towards Afro-beat, a clipped polyrhythm heavy on cowbell underpinning wild squalls of bent guitar notes.

The closer, “Wine & Lotto” likewise turns up the rhythm section, a rattling snare cadence braced by ponderous bass taking up the forefront of the cut. Keep listening, and bare-wire tangles of guitar sound jut from this frame, while nocturnal intimations of piano hover and curl. The piece goes on for nearly half an hour, evolving slowly like wreathes of smoke in blue light, a febrile play of heat and chill, of sync and contradiction, that never flags or stales.

Jennifer Kelly

[alexiavonv]

Seas of Treachery EP 1 - Warm Welcomes From The Shining Star

(The Ol' Treachery Arc | previous post | this epsiode's song)

As a reminder, this is part of the summaries recounting each session of my D&D campaign, Seas of Treachery. I'll write a little TLDR at the end of each post in case you'd like it! I'm gonna be including some images here and there, but I am no artist, so most of the time I will probably be using heroforge minis to represent people. Regardless, enjoy

-

The campaign starts with our characters sailing in to the city of Barthélonia, the shining star of the sea. The city is known for being the home of the Tribunal, the Acqeuduct of a Thousand Years (an over 100-foot tall aqueduct/bridge connecting the island of Barthélon Norte to Barthélon Sud), it's massive industrial district, and being the "center of the seas". Each of our characters had their own reason to come to the island - Izzy was looking for a rare ship component, Srian was looking for a forbidden biology book, Alyssane was hired for an unspecified "job", so on and so forth.

The Crew was brought here by a frogman named Rob-Rōnna - a tall, green bullfrog man with a large afro and white disco suit, done down a few extra buttons. He's a fisherman that seems to know just about everybody in the Barthélonian Sea who does any kind of seawork - pirates, squeadores, navymen, fishers, even just random dockworkers. He's an amicable man, even to the people he hates, and thus, he has earned himself somewhat of a chill reputation across the sea. He's the adoptive father of both Triggerfish and Rosemary, and the rest of the crew were able to hitch a ride with him and his kids to come to the city. When the crew left the ship, he did also, stating very firmly "Don't come with me, I have some business I've gotta take care of on my own."

Too bad Trig has authority issues.

Triggerfish decided to follow him, as he led her into the shady back alley black markets of the city. Narrow alleyways, bustling crowds of people, stalls of various illicit, rare, and dangerous materials scattering the dank, musty alleyways. She was in her humanoid form, attempting to keep at least a little bit of attention off of her. Rob walked into a café on a cornerside, sitting down at a stall with a cloaked man who asked "Do you have it?", to which Rob responded "It's all there." Trig found out he was trading some sort of golden idol, likely for cash.

Unfortunately for him, this was a setup, as Admiral Lucia Kirikoban (one of the leaders of the tribunal and its navy - pictured below) walked in with a troupe of navy soldiers. "Rob-Rōnna! Good to see ya', bud! You didn't think you'd be able to run forever, didn't 'cha? Well, the law never forgets, and the law never forgives!" She said to him, getting handcuffs ready to arrest him.

"Oh great, the little pig came out to play! I'm craving bacon." Trig finally piped up from the other seat.

"Who is she?"

"I don't know, who is she?" Rob tried to save face for Trig, telling her he had a plan before handing her a talking head - a magical stone that works like a radio/walkie talkie. Trig is too hot-headed to handle things normally though, and she decided to poke the pig until the pig demanded her dogs kill the snake. Or, for those confused, Trig made Kirikoban amgy, so Kirikoban had her guards attack.

The fight wouldn't last that long, however, as Rob used his Espíritu Power: Bubble Cage on Trig, encasing her in a bubble before kicking her out onto the streets into relative safety. She bounced around, ran over a few horse-riding guards (no biggie), then went back to the ship, where everyone else met.

(Pretty much everything up till this point was part of a pre-campaign side session with Trig's player)

The group all talked about their days and their quests, but Trig scrunched herself awkwardly into the corner with a look of wanting to say something, but refusing to on her face. Eventually, however, Izzy forced the story out of her. With this, the crew decided to at least follow the string he left behind, and they used the talking head.

A mysterious feminine voice came from the other end. "Who are you, what do you want, and how did you contact me?" Was their introduction to a woman named Sarah Saunders (pictured below), who they met in a café next to the industrial district. Around the town, unions and workers have begun striking and protesting, leading to clashes in the streets that even our crew almost got swept up into. The source of these riots all came back to Sarah and her group, Las Unionistas.

Sarah didn't meet the group on very nice terms, cutting straight to business. She said she had a plan to save Rob, and essentially just thanked them for telling her. Trig and Rosemary weren't okay with this, and asked them to let them help save him. Sarah had no trust in them, but through Izzy and Rosemary's combined silver tongues, she was eventually swayed to let them meet Las Unionistas. A half-orc private of the navy walked into the cafe with his guards and shouted at her - "Sarah Saunders, you're under arrest for inciting a riot!" said Private Arbor Whey (pictured below), to which Sarah responded "No need, Arbor. They're in." The two originally planned to test the crew's loyalty by having them beat up Arbor to protect Sarah.

The Crew, Sarah, and Arbor all went down to the basement of the café, then through a false stone wall into the Las Unionistas HQ - a large stone basement with an exit out of a drain pipe into the local canal. Sarah then told the crew that before she could get any work done on saving him, she needed intel from the man himself, who was beind held in the Judicial Fortress. The Judicial Fortress is a massive, 100-story tall stone fortress on a small island in the west Barthélonian strait (only a few minutes from Barthélonia). The Fortress is known for its high security, as well as being where the worst criminals are tried by the Tribunal themselves, and thus was quite an intimidating thing for the party to take on.

Arbor Whey piped up, saying that he could get them in there. "Tribunal law states that you have the right to a lawyer, and I just so happen to have a law degree, as well as experience in the Fortress itself!" He said he could get all the Intel they needed, and that he knew how to get them in. The party decided to begrudgingly take him up on his offer, and thus, the episode came to an end!

-

TLDR; The Funsize Crew came to the city of Barthélonia with their frogman friend with a boat, Rob-Rōnna. They had their own adventures, but Rob went to a café as Trig was following him in secret, where he tried selling a golden idol, but was instead busted by Admiral Lucia Kirikoban of the Naval Tribunal. Trig tried to fight, but Rob used his Espíritu Power to get her to safety after giving her a talking head (communication device). The crew used the device and met Sarah Saunders, who didn't want to work with them to save Rob at first, but was convinced to. They met a man named Private Arbor Whey who could help them get intel on where Rob was being held, and they begrudgingly accepted.

[chanelfunnell]

Mail fri yay chill out

A) anon, I am not good on matching Blackhawks faces to their other halves so far. I have found recently that Kurashev looks differently than I thight. I thought he is Murphy lol.

Now..i have problems mixing up Entwistle with Murphy and two beared guys, not Jujhar Khaira but A Anastasiou with other guy

B) anon I think Seth Jones is more handsome than Caleb. Caleb is more like his mum Seth more like a dad Ronald ,Popeye, although not spitting images or big ears lol I am not going into race or colour details bcs it is always mix and there are three boys but let's say Seth has more Afro-American look after that and Caleb is more white but I think Seth is better looking and nicer. I was just surprised he has a round face in the helmet compared to Tazer. The helmet does not suit him lol

C) anon they are bad actors, wooden Muppets, so Kaner. His bum bag is horrible, I just miss his suspensor lol. And kicking into the car whenever he gets his toddler tantrum bcs they have had a soccer session. Tazer jumping up and down like some puckbunny before kicking a silly ball and then celebrating like scoring gold OT goal in Vancouver.

D) anon she is horrible towards Tumblers, not just me with her erotomania and WAGs. Ten years old obsession with Crosby but so throwing tantrums about Tazer or more about Kaner etc. She wants wag lifestyle defo but gosh...missing not just a reality check and her seniority...the athletes NHLers are 10 years younger lol well, up to Tazer. Young wants. Older Ashley can than...old man cannot and young girl does not know lol...

E) anon, Draisaitl scans the right circle in front of the rival team's net to score majority of his chances and goals . Yeah good point by you..he answered the hot tube before Chicago game and he got a soccer jersey when Chicago Blackhawks hosted FC Arsenal. Chelsea (London) goalie Petr Cech. Smelling goal chance I assume...

[kittehkwrites]

Streets

“No Final Fantasy can we end these games though? ” - Doja Cat, ‘Streets’ (2019)

Summary: Trevante finally decides to say something, revealing to you how he feels and it leads to something the both of you only thought could happen in your dreams.

Warnings: Fluff, angst?, smut

Can be read as a stand alone, or as a continuation to Like I Want You

No backing down now. He thought. 

I've been goin' through some things 

I struggle with my inner man 

“I have something that  I have to get off my chest.” He said. 

There was no hint of playfulness laced in his voice like usual. 

No this was serious and it made you shiver.

Trevante couldn’t help but still get nervous around you and it took everything in him to not kiss you again.

The feeling of your soft lips gently caressing his back in shock but with such fluid motion and the current running between you both was something you wouldn’t mind feeling again. 

Baby, we tried to fight it

We all been there some days

“ I like you. Ok? I’ve liked you since we started hanging out more and i got to know you more but

Thought I needed something else

And acted like I was okay

“But I always thought you weren’t interested in me like that cause you’d always call be your friend and yea there may have been a few times of playful flirtin but I figured that just how it’d be with us and i didnt want to say anything when you would talk to me about those assholes you’d go one dates with and clearly didn’t know how to treat you”

We just had to work it out

“If I knew this was how you’ve felt, or what you thought we could’ve saved us so much time and mindless pinding over the wrong people...”

You thought of all the times you went on those dead-end dates with guys that couldn’t hold a conversation to save their life or the ones that talked so much that it irritated you to no end and how you’d go to Tre and he’d be there. Waiting on you with open arms, hanging onto your every word and giving you advice.

That’s why you thought he didn’t feel the same. What man would be so selfless? 

You wanted to leave and try to move on in hopes of protecting yourself when really you were causing more problems and you could’ve potentially caused him to lose interest..

And baby, I needed space

“I’m sorry for trying to basically avoid you at every cha-” 

“It’s alright. I guess you wanted to protect yourself from disappoint like you’d normally be on the receiving end of, but i'm not them and I can definitely say that without a doubt, you’d be my queen and not second fiddle against the juvenile excuses some of those dicks told you back then.” He was right. He’d always treat you so nicely and you misread it as friendly behaviour when for him he didn’t want to run. He wanted to stay out of fear that someone would take you away or treat you in a way you didn’t deserve.

There was a bit of silence between the two of you.

You're pouring your heart out

“we are idiots aren't we?” You both laughed, breaking the silence and it made you both feel lighter knowing you’ve spoke your peace and to have the next person feel the same made you want to float above the clouds even more than you were now. 

“I guess we are, but it makes it interesting.” He said, softly in your direction.

His smile was gracing his face and it made you melt to know that he felt the same and to know that he was there even when you tried to leave, made you feel so dumb to keeping your mouth closed about how you felt and you were sure your friends knew but wanted to leave you both to doing what you were doing incase they were wrong. 

You held me so down

All those nights you’d go to him about those aint shit niggas that wasted your time...

So down I never grew

You didn’t see that as a sign of his attraction. Just as a sign of his friendly nature and you blamed it on your lack of healthy relationships before meeting this great man that you knew no one could compare to.

Yon knew that no one else could hold you down like he did.

I tried to find out

All those guys were nothing. 

They meant nothing like the man sitting next you did in your whole time of having feelings for him but you wanted to make sure that it wasn’t you that was self-sabotaging these short term talking stages or relationships, if you can even call them that.

When none of them came through

But it wasn’t you. You thought, as you looked at his structured face, glancing over every little feature from his eyebrows to the hairs in his beard. They just weren’t him and you knew that now. 

now I'm stuck in the middle

And baby had to pull me out Like you

That night brought on an onslaught of feelings and emotions but you both remained outside until your friends called it a night and he sobered up to drop you back to your place.

The ride was comfortably silent with fluttering glances and the soft music playing through the speakers made you feel safe and right about the future of this “friendship” between you two.

Like you

Over the next few days, you both facetimed, called, texted whatever way you could keep communication open, you both did it and it was like old times again, except you both knew the others feelings and it changed from “friendly” to him essentially courting you in a way you both hadn’t put an exact label on but you both knew it was exclusive and no one could break that apart.

After a few dates and some more group hangout, you both managed to agree on having a “sleepover”, but this time it wouldn’t be like normal ; no friends or interruptions, just the two of you and it made you nervous but excited for the days to hurry past.

The days indeed were passing quickly and you made sure to pack an extra set of clothes and some nice undergarments incase you got the chance to change into it, or you’d have another opportunity to wear it for him and you knew he’d appreciate it with the way he always compliments you and your body when given the chance and it made you even more sure that he was the one that was it for you as he didn’t comment on the weight but when you wouldn’t be noticeably be eating a lot around him because you were worried about your college work and submissions he’d subtly give you food during the shared study sessions you’d have with him and your other friends. Similarly, you’d make sure he was eating when he had finals or a sports event.

You guys felt that bonding and caring was leading towards the formation of something beautiful and stable.

When the day finally came, you told him you'd forget to mention the offsite visit you’d be taking to see an exhibit on african american and afro-caribbean art being held for the month

He was happy that you were happy. 

The way you were gushing about the work you’d see and how the artists all incorporated the ideas of the diaspora, feeling lost but building some form of unity in their situations brought chills to you and the other students that accompanied the tour. 

He loved seeing your pictures that you sent when you got there and when you got the chance, you’d take pictures with the artists and creators.

He knew you’d forget to text him when you reached back to the campus or if he’d need to come get you, to which you’d appreciate seeing as the others seemed to want to stay longer than you had hoped and others had already gone and you didn’t feel like getting in other people’s cars that you werent too close with. 

Could you come for me in the next hour?

You asked and saw the three dots before his text came through.

Send your location.

That was his text to you and you weren’t about to lie and say you didn’t feel the little “flutters” as you pictured him laid up and thinking about you like you were him.

Location sent.

This is it. You thought. 

No holding back. You convinced yourself, mentally as you continued moving around the exhibit to look at the other pieces you didn’t get the chance to yet when you guys were allowed to take a break as they were opening up some of the other areas for public viewing now

Closed mouths don’t get fed and you were hungry you argued as you saw his latest text that he was on his way, wondering where the time went but anticipating the activities you’d both get into.

You began to look around a few more times before making your way to the front of the building after saying your ‘bye’s, nice to meet you’s and see you later’s.

Leisurely walking to the front you stayed in the cool conditioned air of the building, awaiting the man that managed to continuously surprise you with his bold, straightforward nature.

Glad I brought my bag and waxed the other day so no worries about any fuzz being down there, if things went as you’d hope, you thought before opening the glass door seeing the next he was around the corner and then seeing him pull up to the front.

He pulled up to the front of the building as you made your way outside of the facility.

You watched as he got out of the 1973 Chevrolet Impala you would often watch him work on,

or he’d offer to take you in to go on those long drives that would make you think things once you saw him drive with one hand and his seat back.

Like you said, it made you think things.

He came over to you and walked you back in silence.

Damn papa, you a rare breed, no comparing

The cool air brushing over his exposed arms.

The wind carrying his scent that hit you as you slightly trailed behind him, before coming up to the car door and opening it for you while taking your bag and placing it in the back.

And it’s motherfuckin’ scary

He shut both doors and made his way round to the drivers side, getting in and buckling up himself before stealing a quick glance at you as you did the same.

“Ready.” The click of your seatbelt heard before your voice altered him.

He looked over at you, one hand on the gear stick, and the other on the wheel before racking his dark pupils over your shy-seated form. You saw as he but his plush bottom lip before his lips formed a smirk that made your thighs clench.

She better be ready. He thought as he knew that this shy act you had going on was only turning him on more and he wanted to hear that sweet voice of yours yell his name like he dreamed.

Y’all made it back to his and you were met with the warmness and enticing scents coming from within his space. 

“I made your favourite.” He watched you walk in slowly, eyeing you again before waking in the light trail of your perfume and body lotion that left you smelling like candy and he wanted to have his dessert now. 

You were so consumed with what he said and what he’d done that you hadn’t responded. He turned and looked to you as he made his way ahead when you stood frozen at what he had done for you when you thought no one would ever do such a thing. 

Tryna keep him 'cause I found him

“Princess?” There goes that nickname that had you shivering slightly and gave him a chance to openly gaze into your beautiful eyes with a look of confusion at your silence in regards to food.

“Huh? Oh! No! that’s great. I was starving.” You expressed and progressed to his smaller dining room, still shocked at the set up of your favourite laid out and you knew it wasn’t order either because you’ve watched this man cook and always taste tested so you knew you weren’t about to be dissapointed.

“I told you to stop starving yourself. You need me to start bringing you lunches again?” He cared. The fact that this fine, tall, dark and handsome man was willing to come to you and bring you lunch still was getting you all warm, along with the delicious food that was hitting the spot.

This man is bout to get it, you thought before sitting and enjoying the food he prepared.

Both sitting under the dimmed lights and intimate atmosphere he managed to create with what he had, intensified your emotions and the glasses of wine you had with dinner got you to loosen up. 

He didn’t want to force conversation. He was ok with just being in your presence and for that, you knew he was the one and you’d do anything to keep him happy and ‘Let a ho know I ain't motherfuckin' sharing’ (or whatever it is Doja Cat said.) You’d thought as he ushered you to his couch after collecting the plates and placing them in the sink before returning to you.

He saw you and couldn’t help but think about you being his. Like actually his.

I could take you to the parents, then to Paris

Plan a motherfuckin' wedding

Tonight i’m gonna make her mine and there’s no doubt about it. 

He sat so close and for a second, you felt those shocks you felt the night he first kissed you when your legs touched.

You couldn't help but look at him and see the burning desire he had in his eyes. It was the same for him, seeing your deep pools looking at him with adoration and contemptment that he wanted to fall to his knees and beg for your love, even though he could guess you loved him the way he did you. 

You the type I wanna marry (Yeah) and keep you merry

I'll put the ring on when you ready

There was a split second.

Then clothes began to drop around your retreating forms, leading to his room.

The kisses were hard and passion filled. Hands grasping body parts.

Hot skin against hot skin. 

The soft glow of the candle he’d lit in his room providing him with enough light to tell that you were ok with this but he still had to make sure 

“You sure about this babygirl? Cause once we start...I don’t know if i’ll be able to stop.” He voice dropped many octaves and resonated deep in your soul to the point of setting off a gush between your legs that had you mindlessly nodding your head at the man.

“Words Princess.” He gripped your chin and kept that intense eye contact.

“Yes sir.” The name set off something in him and he had you flung across his mattress, head between your legs and hands gripping your thighs while he kept his eyes on your face contorting in pleasure. 

We play our fantasies out in real life ways and

No Final Fantasy, can we end these games though?

He made you cum with a powerful orgasm but you knew he could do better and he knew that he was just warming you up for one of the best nights of your life...besides marrying him and having kids together. 

THAT’S how sure of himself he was that he’d ruin you for anyone else.

Could you blame him tho? He finally has you how he’s been dreaming about and he isn’t gonna hold back in let you know how much you mean to him. He’s gonna make sure you feel his love for you like he’s been saying.

You give me energy, make me feel lightweight (Woo)

He saw you come down enough to get on your knees, staring into his face like he was yours. 

You saw your essence glistening in his facial hair, the moonlight that made its way in and added to the soft glow of the candle made him look like a beautiful shade of blue and near obsidian black. 

Your hands making their way up his sculpted arms, joining at the chest and making their way down his sculpted torso, leading to his happy trail and the prominent tent in his jeans that you couldn’t help but rub your palm against.

“No teasing, Princess.” His voice snapped you out of your day dream of the erect member laying between his thick thighs, encased by the light washed jeans. 

You looked up at him through innocent eyes and you swear you saw his pupils dilate even more, overtaken by lust as he brought his hand up your stomach, corse palms over your delicate skin and thick fingers wrapping around your neck for a tight squeeze before he gently pushed you back onto the bed once he saw you close those pretty eyes and bit your lip at the action. 

Like the birds of a feather, baby

He pulled you closer to the edge of the bed before he started to remove his denim bottoms. Eyes never leaving yours as he pushed his jeans down his muscular legs, taking his boxers off at the same time before standing at attention once kicking them off.

You couldn’t help but look down at the one-eyed monster between his legs and he took notice at the way you looked at him.

He gripped the base of it before calmly saying “Don’t worry baby. You’re a big girl and I know you can take it.” His hand pumping slowly at the look in your eyes and the wetness between your legs. 

He grabbed a condom from the nightstand, rolling it over his tip causing you to let out a whine at not being able to feel his girth in your mouth.

“Don’t worry Princess, you can have a taste later. Right not i want to feel that sweet pussy gripping this fat dick, that alright?” He said a soft voice but it was gruff that it had you getting slick even more at the dominance he had in that moment and the way he put receiving on the backburner. 

You just nodded you head and he got close to you to rub his tip between your folds, lubricating the condom with what you supplied. It was a sight for him that he had to think of anything besides busting in the condom then and there.

We real life made for each other

He made you look at him before pushing into your wet valley. He took his time as you relaxed and felt every hot inch insert itself so deliciously slow.

And it's hard to keep my cool

You weren’t going to lie and say you didn’t like the gentle strokes he was giving to let you adjust, however you knew he wanted to go faster and harder if he was as sexually frustrated as you were from subpar partners.

Cause you’re a one in a million 

There ain't no man like you

It was like he was reading your mind. 

After he noticed you moving your bottom half off the bed to meet his strokes, he grabbed your legs, placing them over your shoulder, not missing a beat and going deeper into your depths.

“Oh shit tre!” He had to let out a breathy chuckle before he felt you grip his dick with your tight walls. That caused his body to jerk even deeper before he could process it and had him releasing a deep grunt you don’t think you’ve ever heard from him before.

“Shit Princess. Got this tight pussy grippin me like this? Who said you could do that?” He was gonna make sure you knew who was incharge in the bed room but you had a surprise for him when you were able to catch him off with the slip of a whispered ‘daddy!’ that made his hips stutter and him lose focus.

You were able to get him on his back, his large member not slipping from your clenching muscles and managed to start grinding on the massive amount of muscle lying beneath you.

“I did. Nigga” You went in after that.

Trevante watched in awe at the way you were taking him, knowing this position meant you’d definitely feel him in your gut if you sat completely over his pulsing, thick pole.

You planted your feet on either side of his hips, hands moving through the wisps of hair sprayed across his chest and switched the pace of your movements.

Up. Down and grind then up again.

He wasn’t going to lie and say that you were riding him like the perfect woman, like he’d always imagine after hearing about the way a woman could trap a man with good sex, he finally believed it with you over him.

That intense i contact was adding to the pleasure for you both and he couldn’t help himself. He brought his hand down on your ass quick and hard before gripping the round flesh in his hands and picking you up to lay back on the bed again before he started to pound into you faster once he saw your eyes rolling back and felt your pussy clenching him even harder.

“You gonna cum on this dick babygirl? Huh?! Answer me and take it like a big girl!”

all you could do was nod your head and repeatedly chant “Yes Yes Yes Yes” even after he finished speaking to you.

You layed under him a blubbering mess but wanting to prove to him you weren’t a punk.

“Cum on this dick Princess. I want to feel that pretty pussy cum all over this -fUCK! THAT’S RIGHT!-yea cum on this dick! Make it yours bitch!”

That word did something for you.

“I’M CUMMING.”

“Then cum bitch.” He whispered into your ear and it ignited the spasms and feeling of pure bliss of release.

He watched you convulse under him and he felt his sack tighten at the way your face looked that he couldn’t take his eyes off yours even for a second.

“Look at me bitch! I said look at me!” He gripped your cheeks between his large hand and got you to face him, seeing your dazed state and then he recognized you were going to cum again.

“You gonna cum again? You like this? Huh?” He waited and raised his leg onto the bed, bending it and forcing your legs to go wider by taking them from around his hips.

He had you so confused in this position. 

You didn’t know if you wanted to run or stay there but you knew it had you cumming closer. Then you felt a smack to the face.

“I asked you a question! Answer me!” His loud voice, deep and all baritone like bounced off the walls at his command.

“Yeees I’M CUMMING!” You responded, equally loud you were sure the neighbours would hear but they should mind the business that pays them you thought.

You were getting the pounding of your life and didn’t want to have to stop because of nosey people calling security to check on the unit.

If they didn’t know what was going on, then that’s tough. But you were gonna make sure you got railed well tonight.

He didn’t know what came over him but he had to say it

“You love this dick baby? You love how I feel inside you?” His voice was still deep but that roughness made you tingle and he felt the flutter of your walls over him

“Yes!” You squeaked out.

“FUCK! I feel that pussy gripping me even tighter!”

He looked at you and you managed to pry your eyes open and stare into his as he said what he felt was right in that moment.

“You wanna be my girl? Huh?” His eyes still held list in them, but there was a softness as he slowed down to ask this, coming closer to you to pepper kisses over your face and embrace you.

“Yes!” You loved the way he felt but you wanted him to go harder so when you pleaded “Harder Tre! Please? I need you to go harder” He fixed his position and granted you your wish by pounding into you harder and faster, his gentle thrusts out the window and your ecstasy written all over your face.

You tried pushing his hips away but he smacked your hands away, grabbing both wrists and coming to you closer and to your ear.

“You gonna cum when I tell you to? You gonna be a good girl for me?” He watched you in pleasure of maintaining his composure and not cumming the first minute he sunk into your velvety pussy that he couldn’t even manage would feel so heavenly as it does now.

“Yes” You sounded so pathetic and it turned you on more than you thought possible at being so dominated but the big heap of dark, thick hefty muscle plowing into you made you feel safe even with his belittling of you but you knew it was only for the sex. 

“Yeah? My girl huh? You’re so pretty under me.” He whined. It was so beautiful to hear so loud into your ear in the close position he was in. 

This close proximity made you feel so connected and had you tearing up a little at the fact you knew he was still being gentle with you and it brought you closer.

Trevante looked down at you and saw the cloudy look in your eyes. He knew you were cumming again and he was right there with you so he let you go and pushed one of his hands between your sweaty bodies, finding your clit and stimulating you double time to climax together.

He saw your eyes rolling back when he felt that tightness in his sack before he shouted out to you,

“CUM! CUM ON THIS DICK!” He roared out to you.

It was a rush you hadn’t been prepared for as he managed to get faster but his rhythm started to become irregular. He still managed to hit that deep spot in you that had you going crazy when his tip would rub over it and all that could be heard was you both climaxing then heavy breathing.

He continued to grind into you slowly, careful that it may hurt you but he wanted to ride out the best orgasm he’s had in awhile, and knowing that it was with you made him want to keep his dick deep in you.

If it wasn’t for the condom, he’s sure he would’ve gotten you pregnant and totally stepped up to the plate to take care of you and his seed.

Like you

He couldn’t believe that you were here, in this moment with him and he had to make sure you know that you were all he could ever want and more.

He raised up and you whimpered at the loss of warmth he provided and the way his body calmed you down after such a session.

“None of that.” He said, leaning back down to place a gentle kiss to you lips “I’ll be back Princess” and then slowly pulling out of you to tie the condom and through it away. 

You couldn't help but watch his retreating form go into the bathroom and come back with a damp rag to wipe you up and then leave the room to get you some water and lay back in the bed with you next to him. 

You both stared at eachother once he got back in the bed and you managed to fix yourself in a comfortable position, not caring about the sweat or the way you may look like a mad woman.

Instead, you brought your hand up to his cheek and watched as he closed his eyes before puckering his lips, leaning to you for a kiss that you happily gave him and he pulled you to lay on his chest.

He thought you had fallen asleep as you hadn’t moved in a while and knew he had to catch some sleep to if he wanted to get up early and make you something for breakfast. 

He planted a soft kiss onto your forehead, gripping you tighter and released a content sigh.

I found it hard to find someone like you

He wasn’t going to let you go and for a moment he thought he heard you say something but he passed it off as fatigue from the intense session the both of you just carried out after months of sexual frustration and tension. 

Trevante didn’t know that you were still awake and said that you loved him 

I can't be without you

You knew you weren’t gonna run anymore and he was it. Your one in a milllion and you would do everything to keep him, like he would you.

He held you tighter before finally closing his eyes, a small smile on his face.

And I can't be without you

He hadn’t heard you say you loved him...

but that’s neither here nor there.

You’d be alright with saying it again when you both were awake and not high off sexual energy.

Like you.

Taglist:

@killmonger-fics

@browngirldominion

(Dm to be added to the permanent taglist or let me know which actors/characters you’d want me to tag you in when I write)

——————————————————————————

Hey y’all! 

Sorry this took so long🥴 Been busy with uni and some other personal stuff so I put this off longer than intended🥴

But what’d you think, hope this met the standards and was worth it? 

Don’t forget to like, reblog and/or comment 😊

Hope you’re staying safe, checking in on your friends and loved ones and taking time for yourself :)))

Love you all and thanks for the support.

-K💜

[happymetalgirl]

Five* Outside albums of 2020

I do this little list every year of my favorite albums that fall mostly “outside” the metal sphere and weren’t so metal-adjacent that I reviewed them formally during the year. The past three times I have written this little piece, I have kept it to five, but *this year, I’ve just had a hard time narrowing it down, so I figured, why do that? Well, I could go through a few dozen albums or so that I fucked with this year outside the metal sphere, but I’m compromising with the addition of a new, quick (we’ll see) honorable mention section.

So, in the interest of keeping my verbose tendencies in check, I’ll cut this introduction off and get into the honorable mentions.

Honorable Mentions:

Anna von Hausswolff - All Thoughts Fly

I did review Anna von Hausswolff’s previous record, Dead Magic, back in 2018 as part of my bunch of metal albums reviews that year, because it was kind of tangentially metallic. It wasn’t a lot at a technical level, only a few metallic elements here no there, but it had a lot of harrowing qualities that I thought metal listeners might appreciate. For the Swedish singer and pipe-organist, that album really was the closest she ever came to metal’s territory, and I don’t think any flirting with the genre was intentional on her part. Most of what she does is haunting, neoclassical, organ-based music that’s usually not as wild as what Dead Magic was, and this year’s album is a real scale back to her roots and an appreciation for the pipe organ. While I do miss her bewitching vocals on this entirely instrumental album, All Thoughts Fly stands well on its own merits as both a solid tribute to von Hausswolff’s organ playing and as a beautiful, incredibly immersive ambient album that does so much with its relatively small palette. I’ve talked a few times on here about really shitty ambient music that’s approached with a clearly lazy attitude because of its supposed background role. Rather than being made to be ignored, All Thoughts Fly pulls you in and around in a swirl of lush sounds that aren’t too common in ambient music, and with a relatively minimal approach, relying on the naturally serene tambre of the instrument to fill the space with a lightening, floating ambience and well-structured movements to do the gentle moving. It’s a beautiful example of what an ambient album can achieve if it’s actually made with a lot of love and care.

Shabaka & The Ancestors - We Are Sent Here by History

Okay, that first one went pretty long. I’ll try to keep the rest of these here relatively short. Sons of Kemet band leader, Shabaka Hutchings, takes his other group on slightly less chaotic Afro-jazz odessey that what Sons of Kemet have been delivering us. While more contained on the surface within the genre’s usual light grey areas, Shabaka & The Ancestors move with freedom and flexibility on this album in a way that highlights the natural appeals of the Afro-jazz sound pallet through constantly engaging arrangements from masters of the craft.

Lady Gaga - Chromatica

I know we’re all well aware of Lady Gaga, but the pop icon has been relatively quietly been making the best music of her career since taking the edge rather than the center of the spotlight, from 2013’s diverse Artpop to 2016’s more bare-bones Joanne. And now, after her mellower, more traditional Americana-influenced album in 2016, Gaga cranks the volume and the fun way back up. Chromatica is a blast of an album whose wide span of dance pop albums influences new and old keeps it varied and lively all the way through. This album feels very much like it’s Gaga unleashed, just doing her thing and having a good time with a bunch of dance music styles that she’s always loved, and it’s impossible not to feel that enthusiasm secondhand, and groove the hell out along with it.

Black Thought - Streams of Thought, Vol. 3: Cane & Abel

Black Thought has had nothing to prove since the relative inactivity of The Roots this past decade, but he has sure been rapping as if he does have something to prove on his solo work. The Philadelphia rapper put out a couple of EPs back in 2018 that showcased his impressive modern lyricism and flow, and the third, LP-sized installment in the series is just another offering of further proof of the man’s lyrical chops. There’s a little bit of an understated delivery in the music overall, but Black Thought really lets his words speak for themselves more than his moderate bravado. It’s not super flashy because it doesn’t need to be.

Phoebe Bridgers - Punisher

Indie folk has always loved to soak in the puddles of personal sadness, but Californian singer Phoebe Bridgers takes the style to whole new depths of personally gripping, bordering on the outright emo, and that is by all means a compliment for rather than a shot at. The album’s candid journaling of Bridgers’ personal struggles is so tangible and so genuine that it would probably rival Connor Oberst’s best work with Bright Eyes. It is just a beautiful, yet tear-inducing album.

Alright, now on to the five “main” “non-metal” albums of the “list proper”.

Hexvessel - Kindred

Hexvessel are a Finnish six-piece whose sixth album of psychedelic folk here manages to touch on the same haunting, gothic tones that groups like Opeth and Gazpacho do at their most forest-y. Indeed, Kindred is an enchanting album, with sprawling styles and a full-bodied sonic pallet to keep it interesting the whole way through. And it’s as strong in its more bombastic song like that which opens the album as it is in its more stripped back acoustic tracks like that which closes it. Songs like “Magical and Damned” straight-up evoke Mount Eerie, while songs like “Kindred Moon” hearken to The Beatles at their most minimal and folky, and there’s plenty of spooky, mystical energy to go around. Definitely one of the best finds of the year for me.

The Strokes - The New Abnormal

Coming at the end of a seven-year gap between it and their previous album, 2013’s somewhat fan-polarizing Comedown Machine (which I liked a lot), The Strokes’ aptly named return is a return to the spotlight, but hardly to normalcy or the musical roots in garage rock that so many of the band’s fans have been sweating for. Twisting the electronic alternative rock of their Angles era into some odd, but mesmerizing forms, The New Abnormal is a subtly wild ride of an album through lots of melancholic overtones and undertones whose impact is made all the more potent by the occasional teasing of sorts with the few more traditionally rockin’ moments on here. It doesn’t take long to pull back the seemingly preppy synth rock or 80’s rock curtains to find the melancholy beneath “Brooklyn Bridge to Chorus” and “Bad Decisions”, respectively. But the band aren’t even that subtle with the immediate depression of just the straight-up guitar melodies on songs like “Selfless”, “Not the Same Anymore”, and the chill-inducing soar of “Ode to the Mets”. The album’s prize piece, though, has to be the utterly gorgeous and empathetic minimalist synth song, “At the Door”, whose simple melodies and bare delivery make for one of the most gently heart-piercing songs I know and of my favorite songs of the year and probably my favorite Strokes song ever, as hard as it is to listen to. Welcome back Julien and company.

Rina Sawayama - Sawayama

Quite possibly the best outright pop album I have heard in a long while, Sawayama sounds simultaneously fresh and vintage in the landscape it was born into, making use of a lot of early 2000’s pop rock instrumentation, even some heavy metal guitars here and there, but most importantly, a real sense of passion that seems to be flat-out absent from so much of the pop that I (usually inadvertently) hear. I don’t want to overstate the prominence of the metal elements, but the album does have a bubbling, infectious energy both vocally and instrumentally from front to back that the occasional bursts of heavy guitars between Sawayama’s charismatic, dance-inducing performances do provide a good snapshot of. Furthermore, there’s a rich diversity of song types across the album that dive into the pop sphere beyond the standard trend-hopping that dominates streaming playlists and make for a dynamic and fun, rather than disjointed, pop album. And that’s all only possible with the consistently tight compositions o the album. Indeed, this is one of the best pop albums I have ever heard, certainly in recent years.

clipping. - Visions of Bodies Being Burned

clipping. are the second artist to be on here two years in a row after last year’s spectacularly spooky There Existed an Addiction to Blood, and Denzel Curry’s one-two punch of TA13OO and Zuu in 2018 and 2019 respectively. There Existed an Addiction to Blood was a thrilling and fresh take on many tropes of horrorcore with the band’s already forward-thinking and creative noise-driven instrumental production guiding harrowing stories of femme fatales and street violence in a more modern setting that often flipped the script on victims and perpetrators, as well as settings themselves. Visions of Bodies Being Burned is quite literally a continuing sequel to that explosive album, also released in time for Halloween this year; the material was recorded in the same sessions as the previous album and in the same unique vein. Consequently, there’s not really a whole lot I can say about this album in contrast with the last without getting way too in-depth and spoiling the fun. Whereas MC Daveed Diggs’ hooks were one of the biggest strong points of last year’s album, the creatively noisy production is the big star on this album. The fans seem to be leaning a bit more toward this year’s release, but I think I’m still a little partial to There Existed an Addiction to Blood. Nevertheless, Visions of Bodies Being Burned is a blood-pumping follow-up not to be missed.

Mac Miller - Circles

The posthumous release from Pennsylvanian rapper Mac Miller captures the man at his most chill and contemplative. The album is more of a minimalist ambient singer-songwriter sort of album than hip hop and its serene atmosphere becomes kind of inadvertently tragic in the posthumous context, but it serves as a beautiful swan song for the creative rapper whose struggles with addiction sadly prevented him from being able to bask in the deserved wide appreciation of his sixth album. Circles is a soulful, bittersweet cap to Mac Miller’s legacy that I think anyone will be able to feel the love and raw humanness of.

[borhap-au]

Joe Mazzello: the fluffy chronicles.

Joe Mazzello x black!reader. First date(s).

It wasn’t a first blind date you were going on – your friend had a tendency to set them up for you every once in a while. You were on a few of them, once or twice even had genuine fun. Those were mostly her friends from work, and she didn’t have an interesting job, or interesting people in the office. You needed something else than an intelligent geek. Even though they were handsome men. And one thing needs to be added – they were all Afro-American. Guys with similar skin tone were your comfort zone. By dating them you avoided people’s judgement and could live in peace. It’s not like those white boys were not your type, some of them were even more attractive than you wanted to admit, but you never took any steps to date any of them. It was just the safe option.

So the day finally came. Surprisingly, you knew absolutely nothing about the guy you were about to meet. Your friend usually gave you at least a few-sentence description of who you’re going to meet, like what college did they go to and how they are. But this time, nothing. As if she didn’t want to let you know him before you see him for yourself. You only weren’t so sure if it was because he was so dreamy you wouldn’t believe it, or just the contrary.

While you were dolling yourself up you thought how weird it is that you’re trying to look your best for someone you don’t know and frankly, you may not even like. You packed your purse – phone, wallet, tissues, lipstick and a pepper spray. You could never be too careful with those young men.

When you arrived at the restaurant, you asked for Joseph – this is about as much as you knew about him. The waiter told you that he will get to you right away, and you took the time to look around. You tried to spot an Afro-American man sitting alone by the table, but there was not a single one that would fit the usual description of the men your friend set you up with. They were either too old, too fat, or just generally not appealing. You were mad, because you knew that somewhere among those men there is the one your friend told you to meet, because apparently he was perfect for you. The waiter came and told you to go with him to the other side of the room. You walked behind him, and saw a very handsome young man, an Afro-American with a nice smile. Yet before you came any closer, a woman sat by his table. What was the meaning of this?

“Mr. Mazzello? This lady asked for you” you turned your head to look at the person the waiter was talking to. Oh- wow. The most perfect young man stood up and smiled to you. Took your hand and kissed it softly.

“I’m Joe” he smiled, and you immediately smiled back.

“Y/N” you answered and he moved your chair. Then came back to his sit. What a gentleman, you thought and smiled internally.

“Our mutual friend told me so much about you” he started.

“Oh, really? She told me nothing about you. Nothing but your name” you explained. He looked at you smiling a bit apologetically.

“I hope I didn’t disappoint you then.” Oh, no, no. On the contrary. You were hardly ever attracted to someone this much.

“If you’re talking about the looks, then no, you didn’t. But I would much rather get to know your personality before saying anything else” you smiled and he nodded, smiling as well.

“I’d like to get to know you too. Tell me something about yourself. What are your interests?” he finally realized you should order something and took the menu.

“Or maybe you can tell me something about yourself. After all, you heard enough about me from our friend” you joked and he chuckled.

“I heard a lot, never said it was enough” charmer. “I like baseball. Cinema. Dancing. My mom has a dance studio, she teaches young girls” you looked at him with interest.

“Maybe she could teach me. Never enough practice” you suggested.

“I can teach you” he said, smiling.

“Oh, no. You’re too expensive for me” you joked and chuckled.

“For special customers I may do it for free” when the waiter came, you both already knew what you wanted. He asked for a bottle of wine, one of the most expensive ones.

“So what you’re saying is, I’m special? Without even getting to know me?”

“Some people have that aura about them. You’re one of those people. I may even say, yours glows brighter than anyone’s I’ve ever seen. There is just that something about you.”

“You sure know how to pay compliments, Mr. …?” you smiled apologetically.

“Mazzello. Or Mazzello, if some prefer” he pronounced his name the second time with a proper Italian accent.

“You’re Italian?” you asked surprised. The ginger hair suggested Ireland, but you didn’t want to be someone who judges people by their looks and stereotypes.

“I have double citizenship, yes. My family comes from there and I’ve been there a few times. But I don’t speak Italian, not as much as I’d wish to. Where’s your family from?” he asked, taking a sip of wine the waiter has just brought for you.

“Africa, obviously” you smiled and he closed his eyes as if stopping himself from doing a facepalm.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t want to be rude. It was so ignorant of me” he sighed and you smiled to him and put your hand on his to comfort him.

“I’m just joking. My parents are from Maine. I came here because I needed the sun” you smiled at each other. You took your hand away and tried the wine. “Oh, it’s good.”

“I’m glad you think so.”

“And what do you think?” you asked.

“It’s really good.” So was the food. You chatted, and laughed, then laughed some more. You felt so incredibly comfortable in his company. He was so funny and charming... And goofy at times. But overall he was making the impression of a guy who’s both, smart and fun. You never had a date you enjoyed this much.

He walked you home. Since he was better prepared for the weather, you got his jacket when you were cold. At your doorstep, he didn’t really want to say goodbye yet and it was visible. He finally kissed your cheek – that was the moment you got the courage to kiss his lips. You kiss was long and passionate, as you put your hands on his cheeks, while his hands were around you, bringing you close to him. When you finally managed to move away from each other just enough to see each other, you both smiled.

“I’d invite you inside… But I don’t sleep with people on first dates” you smiled slightly, and he pet your cheek.

“I don’t do that either. Can I come in nevertheless?” he surprised you, but you nodded.

“Of course” and opened the door for the both of you. Somehow you trusted him. And he never gave you a single reason not to. He was respectful the entire night and only turned out to be an even bigger gentleman. You watched a comedy, ate snacks, chuckled, not really paying attention to what was happening on the screen.

You even fell asleep with your head on his lap, but woke up after a short while. When you were asleep, he softly pet your head, trying to be quiet. When you woke up, you took a shower, then there was his turn. You gave him some big old t-shirt, and he slept in his boxers.

“I’d go to sleep on the couch” he suggested. You chuckled quietly.

“I think we’re adult enough to share a bed” and you did. You snuggled to him, and he put his arm around you, petting your back until you fell asleep. Actually, he was the first one to do so, and you smiled looking at his peaceful face. In the morning he woke up first. He started making a breakfast when you got to the kitchen, with messy hair and everything.

“What a nice view” he smiled widely greeting you and came to hug you. “How did you sleep?” he asked before you can deny being a nice view in the morning.

“Better than ever. And you?”

“Same. You have a very nice bed.”

“And you have good cooking skills. It smells delicious” you smiled sitting near him.

“Wait with your judgement ‘till you eat” he chuckled, but it was really good. After the breakfast, you both got ready and then you spent the entire day together. You had a walk in the park, went to movies, then to pizzeria, after all, he’s Italian. On a third date you took him to the California African American Museum. He listened with interest to every story you told him and tried to remember as much as he could. In the evening you held a quiz for him of the knowledge he gained that day.

After the fourth date, he asked you if you slept with guys you knew for over a week. You denied. After that, he didn’t asked again. He waited patiently. About a month later you were chilling on his couch and watching some incredibly boring movie, so naturally you found yourself something better to do. You had a steamy make out session, when your hand slowly went down his chest to his zipper. It didn’t take your hand long to land in his underwear.

You never had anyone eating you out so passionately before. He held your hand, petting it with his thumb, and his other hand was squeezed around your thigh, bringing you close to him. His tongue was doing unbelievable things around your clit and your labia, making the guy who invented Kamasutra looking incompetent. You held his hand and the pillow tightly, as you came three times, before he has even entered you.

He had a nice cock, and you were too embarrassed to mention you had never actually see a white cock before. But he was a good lover, and proved you wrong about anything you might’ve thought about white boys and their abilities.  

At your birthday, he was literally the only white person there. It didn’t stop him from feeling relaxed and having a good time. He talked to everyone, and he was the perfect example of how the world should be – we should look at each other as people, not as representatives of different races, genders, sexualities. And most importantly, we should not judge people by those features. Joey knew that, and you were so incredibly proud when your sister called him “the coolest white boy” she knew. Most of your friends liked him too. He didn’t feel different at the party, because he didn’t look at skin complexion. He looked at the attitude, and you’ve always surrounded yourself with laid-back people with sense of humor. Just like your boyfriend was.

Also, out of all the presents you got, the one from him was the best. He got you a neckless with a little silver book, and if you opened it, it read “and they lived happy ever after.” The ring he proposed to you with a few years later had the same words written inside of it.

You friend was your bridesmaid at the wedding. After all, if it wasn’t for her idea for a little blind date with a boy you knew nothing about, you wouldn’t be marrying the love of your life. You owed her that. You both did. And your firstborn daughter had a similar neckless with a book to the one you had, but it read “chapter two.”

[sushiraw]

AFRO CHILL OUT SESSION 2 | DOWNLOAD | STREAM

[adityatodi]

New Orleans

October 6, 2019 Sunday

On my way back to Boston from New Orleans.

I arrived in New Orleans late Thursday night (midnight) on the same flight as Angel Saez. We took an Uber to our AirBnB in the French district.

Friday morning started with breakfast at Bear Cat Café with Ben, his wife Ilkania, Akash, Dana, Jaclyn and her boyfriend Blake, Rebecca, Macy and Kumiko. The huge portion sizes served as a welcome to the city. We then headed to the Whitney Plantation to get a tour of the plantation and learn about the history of the plantation and more about slavery. Some of my takeaways/learnings:

Often when we think of slavery, we think of slaves working in plantation or house maids. But system of slavery also included skilled Black labor and craftsmen whose stories are often not ones told

The first form of dehumanization in this whole process was stripping the recently arrived Africans of their African name and giving them French name

While in 1808 Trans-Atlantic slave trade ended, it continued to flourish within US boundaries until 1864 and beyond

When we talk about colonialism, often large portions of blame is assigned to British. Why do we not put same blame on the French, Belgian or the Portugese, who were actually the ones who were “pioneers” of Trans-Atlantic slave trade

Often times when we talk about humans doing bad things to other humans the reference is Holocaust. Slavery was brutal, why are these analogies not made—because they are Black lives?

Why are the rebellions that slaves fought, e.g. there was one in 1811, not given the same heroic importance as the Revolutionary Wars for American Independence?

After the tour we head to the historic Café Du Monde to get coffee and the delicious beignets. Walk around the area, head home to do some work, drinks at Cane and Table and 3-course dinner at Sylvain. We then go to a bar playing Jazz on Frenchmen street (really good music), then a handful of us (Kumiko, Dana, Liz, Akash, Zubby and I) go bar hopping along Bourbon Street.

Saturday morning starts with brunch at Ruby Slipper with people in my AirBnB (Kuba, his girlfriend, Tory, Claire, Graciela, Eren and Katie). I then join a group from the other AirBnB to do a walking tour concentrating on the musical and artistic history of New Orleans. Thankfully the weather is bearable and not too hot. The guide carried a speaker and iPad with him to show us pictures and take us through the evolution of music starting with Armstrong Park dedicated to Louis Armstrong. I had first heard of Armstrong in college when I heard “What a Wonderful World” and was blown away by the melody and the tune. Some learnings

Urban slavery was different than rural slavery (e.g. plantation). In New Orleans given the influence of the Catholic Church, Sunday was a holiday for all including the enslaved. There were Sunday market gatherings at Congo Square where enslaved people could buy and trade for money it this became a step towards emancipation

Jazz originates from the confluence of traditional European music, particularly brass band with the Afro beats that African slaves brought with them

Armstrong received very little formal music education. It was a total of 18 months that he spent in jail because of firing blank bullets during a celebration when he was 11. In a crazy coincidence, his first wife dies of a heart attack while playing the piano at Armstrong’s funeral

After the tour we walk around, go to a café and then I head to the AirBnB to get some work done. At 7:45 Zubby, Kumiko and I go to the Spotted Cat Bar on Frenchmen street to hear some jazz. This was certainly the highlight of my trip. It’s a small bar and we’re all gathered around the stage. The band of 7 plays amazing amazing jazz—probably the best live jazz performance I’ve heard. Band name—Panaroma Jazz Band. The vibe of being in this small bar in New Orleans, drinking beer and chilling with a couple of friends on a wonderful evening with great music. This is the sort of stuff one imagines doing in New Orleans and I’m glad I got to do this. Zubby and I then head to get some Cajun food at Pierre Maspero’s. We strike a deep conversation on race, sexuality, and how often times those who complain of being oppressed are oppressors in other situations. After our meal we find ourselves walking back to Frenchmen street and somehow end up doing Karaoke on the way and improvising and just having a great time singing, making things up, being complimented by passerby’s on our skills, goofing around. The karaoke session continues at the AirBnB with the culmination of Louis Armstrong’s “What a wonderful world”. Ah! Grateful for such moments of pure joy. Zubby has an early morning flight so he heads to bed. I head out to Blue Nile to join a few others who are there. Some more jazz performance and back home for the night.

Sunday morning—late wake up, pack-up and get ready. Brunch at Satsuma Café and then I go to explore the WWII Museum. Takeaway/Learnings/Thoughts:

WWII was framed as a fight for democracy and democratic ideals. If today the US does not stand up and defend these ideals abroad, can one not say that WWII was fought in vain

Good to see a portion of the museum devoted to Japanese internment and the treatment of African Americans as second class citizen along with Native Americans and Latinos. However, the section seemed very small and I would have liked they spent more time talking about the implications of war on minorities

• I was able to better understand the significance of D-Day and the heroic efforts of the troops to capture Normandy. I especially enjoyed learning about the detailed deceptions that were devised to trick Nazi Germany to believing that the Allied Troops would instead attack Calais. The sheer number of tanks, planes, ships, boats and troops used for this battle was mind blowing

I found myself eager to see how this museum would talk about the dropping of the atomic bombs especially since the Hiroshima Peace Museum left a lasting memory on me. I was disappointed (but also not shocked) that only a very small small portion is devoted to it. Basic narrative---the Japanese were not willing to surrender->Americans dropped the first bomb->Japanese still not willing to surrender->Americans drop second bomb->Japanese finally surrender->Pictures of some devastating effects of the bomb->This evil was used to stop a greater evil of losing more people through conventional fighting

This narrative and the fact that the human impact and after affect of the dropping of the nuclear bomb was not covered thoroughly left me deeply frustrated. You have devoted 90% of the museum on technicalities, on how brutal war was for soldiers, how industry and Americans mobilized to fight the war, but how the f*** can you not talk about the bombing in a more sensitive way. War is not glorious. Let’s engage with this issue

Would Americans have given it more of a thought if they had the option to drop the atomic bomb on the German population? Of course, definitely yes. Because these were “Japs” who are supposed to be brutal and animal-like according to all the propaganda you spread, you find ways to justify killing civilian population and use mathematical logic of numbers to explain a war crime. Had Germany dropped nuclear bomb on U.S. cities and lost war, would the planners and executors of it not been tried for such an atrocity? Of course they would have. F*** this sh** and this convoluted logic. The U.S. needs to issue a blanket apology for what they did. It is a war crime and the American leaders who made this decision should have been tried—yes Truman should have been tried.

Step back. New Orleans.

Glad I came for this trip and was able to see this part of the U.S. Amazing food and music—such a touristy New Orleans thing to say. But honestly, that evening in the Spotted Cat bar was magical!

[dustedmagazine]

Electric Jalaba — El Hal the Feeling (Strut)

El Hal / The Feeling by Electric Jalaba

Gnawa music sets a trance-y mood, its percussive stringed guembri picking out jagged cadences as a singer wails out plaintive melodies. Native to the Magreb region, it unfolds in lengthy, hallucinatory Lila sessions which seek religious revelation as much as a groove, though the two are obviously not mutually exclusive. Electric Jalaba is all that, but not in its purist form, rather reflected by Western appreciation. The band is a bit of a hybrid, formed around an authentic Gnawa master, the Moroccan Simo Lagnawi, but surrounded by first world initiates, an Italian/English drummer Dave DeRose and the four British Keen siblings: Henry, Oliver, Nathaniel and Barnaby. It taps into the fluid spirituality of gnawa, but adds dance beats, synthesizers, jazz-fusion blues notes and eerie electric washes of sound, falling somewhere between a prayer and a full-body shimmy.

Consider the almost house-like “Cubaili Ba,” framed by sharp angled robotic synths and whipcrack drum machines. It’s a Teutonic groove, futuristic and drained of sentiment until Lagnawi comes in, crooning in a rough, distance-crossing way, utterly primal, and thrown back at him by the other musicians in a rapid shouted response. It’s a disco. It’s the desert. It’s both at the same time.

“Daimla” is equally stirring but less dance-y, highlighting Lagnawi’s soul-shredding voice with a bit of echo, a buzz of bass and the castenet-like krakebs native to gnawa music. Here, you hardly notice the the modernizing elements, the flicks of high guitar, the dubby resonance of bass and guembri, stray space-age pings and whooshes. It feels very strong and grounded.

In the album’s second half, the music leans further into fusion-y styles. “Fulan” splices spirit-rousing African choruses to a syncopated 1970s funk rhythm, pure Afro-beat. “Shabakru” chills the heat of chant and hand drums with whizzing scraps of computer-ized noise, while “Lagmami” lounges in slow, smooth jazz conventions, only the haunting thread of sung melody saving it from synthy quiet storm cliché.

The story goes that the Keen brothers followed Lagnawi’s voice through the grounds of an English music festival, finding him finally in a structure built to resemble a North African tea tent. They were captivated by the strange, evocative power of his music and wanted to take part, and now, three albums in, they’ve struck an interesting balance between gnawa’s mystery and more accessible, dance-y forms. But it’s the voice that you’d follow anywhere, here very sensibly allowed to take precedence.  Bringing age-old traditions into the modern era is mostly a matter of leaving well enough alone.

Jennifer Kelly

[moozixxx-blog]

Klimeks - Reborn - YouTube

Knife Party & Tom Morello - Battle Sirens - YouTube

Korede Bello - Do Like That ( Official Music Video ) - YouTube

Koven & Memtrix - Pessimist - YouTube

Kraddy - Into the Labyrinth - YouTube

Krazy Baldhead - The 4th Movement (The Glitch Mob Remix) - Free DL - YouTube

Kučka - Honey (Medasin Remix) - YouTube

Kukuzenko - Don't Call Me [Teaser] - YouTube

Kyau & Albert - About The Sun (Original Mix) - YouTube

Kyau & Albert - Bend Girl (Original Mix) - YouTube

kyddiekafka - For No One - YouTube

L'One - Все Танцуют Локтями (Slider & Magnit Remix) :: www.slamdjs.ru - YouTube

LA Priest - Oino - YouTube

Las Ketchup - The Ketchup Song (Asereje) (Spanish Version) (Official Video) - YouTube

Last Regrets (Instrumental) - Kanon Last Regrets / Kaze no Tadori Tsuku Basho Single OST - YouTube

Late Night Alumni - Montage (Mitiska Signature Mix) - YouTube

Le Youth ft. Ava Max - Clap Your Hands [Lliam + Latroit Remix] (Official Audio) - YouTube

Letting You Go - YouTube

LEVV - Collateral Damage (with lyrics) - YouTube

Lexie - Like A Mercedes (Official Video) - YouTube

Lexie 刘昱妤 려위위 - Coco Made Me Do It feat. Nafla - YouTube

Light Prayer - School Food Punishment - YouTube

Light Up The Sky - Stop Me (Official Music Video) - YouTube

Lights Out - Rick Astley - YouTube

LIKEY, Twice - 8 bits - YouTube

Lil Kesh - Shoki Rmx [Official Video] ft. Davido, Olamide - YouTube

Lil Uzi Vert - Push Me (Official Audio) - YouTube

Limp Bizkit - Break Stuff - YouTube

Liniakea - Shore Of Heaven [Original Mix] - YouTube

Linkin Park vs. Ariana Grande - Into Numb You - YouTube

Liquid Soul & Neodyne - Cherub - YouTube

LITE - Ef - YouTube

LITE / Ghost Dance - YouTube

LIVEFASTDIEYOUNG - YouTube

LL Cool J - Headsprung - YouTube

Lloyd - Tru (Official Video) - YouTube

LOCO - No Manners (ft. Gray) [Color Coded Lyrics Eng/Rom/Han] - YouTube

London Elektricity - Hanging Rock | Drum&Bass Heaven - YouTube

LONG TIME COMING - YouTube

Lookas - Apollo - YouTube

LOONA Odd Eye Circle - Chaotic LYRICS [Color Coded Han/Rom/Eng] (LOOΠΔ/ 오드아이써클) - YouTube

LOONA Odd Eye Circle - ODD Front LYRICS [Color Coded Han/Rom/Eng] (LOOΠΔ/ 오드아이써클) - YouTube

LOONA Odd Eye Circle - Uncover LYRICS [Color Coded Han/Rom/Eng] (LOOΠΔ/ 오드아이써클) - YouTube

Loona yyxy-01-dal segno mp3 - YouTube

Louie Lastic - Need Girls - YouTube

Love - Primary (Feat. Bumkey, Paloalto) [Eng Sub] - YouTube

Love Comes Again - YouTube

Love Here (Bassnectar Remix) | Bassnectar - YouTube

Lower Than Atlantis - Had Enough - YouTube

Lower Than Atlantis - Long Time Coming - YouTube

LTJ Bukem - Atlantis - YouTube

Ltj Bukem - Horizons - YouTube

Lucy Rose - Our Eyes - YouTube

Ludacris - Vitamin D ft. Ty Dolla Sign - YouTube

Luke Bond - U vs Loud Luxury & Brando - Body vs Exis - The Count (AVB Mashup) - YouTube

Lumïsade - Let You Go (Extended Mix) - YouTube

Lusine - Baffle - YouTube

Lusine - Gravity - YouTube

M.anifest - Palm Wine & Whisky ft. Dex Kwasi - YouTube

Ma$e - Breathe, Stretch, Shake - YouTube

Machine Gun Kelly - LOCO - YouTube

Machine Gun Kelly - The Gunner - YouTube

Machine Gun Kelly - Wild Boy (Official) ft. Waka Flocka Flame - YouTube

Majid Jordan - Asleep (Official Audio) - YouTube

Majid Jordan - Body Talk - YouTube

Majid Jordan - Not Ashamed (Official Audio) - YouTube

Majid Jordan - OG Heartthrob (Official Audio) - YouTube

Majid Jordan - Phases (Official Video) - YouTube

Majid Jordan - You (Official Audio) - YouTube

Major Lazer - Cold Water (feat. Justin Bieber & MØ) (Official Lyric Video) - YouTube

Malhari Full Video Song | Bajirao Mastani - YouTube

Manafest - Stones (Official Lyric Video) - YouTube

Manu Chao - Me gustas tu - YouTube

Maor Levi - Reflect [2007] - YouTube

Maroon 5 - Wait - YouTube

Martin Solveig & GTA - Intoxicated (DJ Fresh Remix) [HQ] - YouTube

Mase - Welcome Back (Official Music Video) - YouTube

Mat Zo - Vice - YouTube

Matt Fax - Horizon [OUT NOW] - YouTube

Matt Fax - Shift (Original Mix) [Colorized] - YouTube

Maya Jane Coles - "Werk" (Official Audio) - YouTube

MEDASIN & X&G - The Zoo (feat. josh pan) - YouTube

MEG - 02 KiTTENiSH - YouTube

MEG - 04 PRiSM BOY - YouTube

MEG - PASSPORT - YouTube

Melih Kor - Night Rider - YouTube

MHD - AFRO TRAP Part.7 (La Puissance) - YouTube

Michael Gray - The Weekend (Official Video) - YouTube

Mighty Mouth (마이티 마우스) _ 나쁜놈(feat. Soya) _ MV - YouTube

Migos, Nicki Minaj, Cardi B - MotorSport (Official) - YouTube

Mihka! X Kyoto Black – Kodokushi (孤独死) - YouTube

Mike Mago & Dragonette - Outlines (Official Music Video) - YouTube

Mikkas & Amba Shepherd - Finally (Original Mix) - YouTube

MIKNNA - Electric - YouTube

Milly Rock x 2 Milly - YouTube

Mirrorball House (feat. Kali, 예하나) - House Rulez (하우스룰즈) - YouTube

Missy Elliott - I'm Really Hot [Video] - YouTube

MK - 17 (Lyric Video) - YouTube

MOBB - '붐벼(FULL HOUSE)' M/V - YouTube

MOBB - '빨리 전화해 Feat. KUSH(HIT ME)' M/V - YouTube

Moon Hyuna 문현아 - Cricket Song 크리켓송 (Acoustic Chill) Official Video - YouTube

Mord Fustang & Lazy Rich - We Are - YouTube

Motionless In White - Reincarnate (Lyric Video) - YouTube

Multiverse - My Light - YouTube

Mura Masa - ...Girl - YouTube

Mura Masa - Lotus Eater (Tonton Remix) - YouTube

Mura Masa - Suicide Blades - YouTube

Muramasa - Cloud Claps (Soundtrack to a Death) - YouTube

Muscle - The Pump - YouTube

Myon feat. Alissa Feudo - Omen In The Rain (Myon Club Mix) - YouTube

Myon feat. Alissa Feudo - Omen In The Rain (Seven Lions Remix) - YouTube

NAZAR LAG JAYEGI Video Song | Millind Gaba, Kamal Raja | Shabby | Hindi Songs 2018 - YouTube

NCT U 엔시티 유 'BOSS' MV - YouTube

Ne-Yo - Sexy Love - YouTube

Needed Me - YouTube

Neon Bunny - Romance in Seoul - YouTube

Netsky - Lost in this world - YouTube

Netsky - Memory Lane - YouTube

Nevaeh - she tempts me - YouTube

Never Surrender - YouTube

New Era (Original Mix) - YouTube

New Vibe (Giran's Old Vibe Mix) - YouTube

New Years Day - Relentless (Official Lyric Video) - YouTube

Next In Line - YouTube

NF - 10 Feet Down (Audio) ft. Ruelle - YouTube

NF - NO NAME - YouTube

NF - Real - YouTube

Nick Sember - Mezzo Forte - YouTube

Nickelback - How You Remind Me - YouTube

Nigel Good feat. Richard Caddock - Falling A Little (Original Mix) - YouTube

Night - YouTube

Nipsey Hussle - Come Over (ft. James Fauntleroy) [Crenshaw] - YouTube

Niykee Heaton - Bad Intentions ft. Migos - YouTube

Niykee Heaton - Champagne (Lyric Video) - YouTube

Niykee Heaton - Lullaby - YouTube

Nu.D (누디) - Soulmate MV - YouTube

Nucleya - BASS Rani - Aaja feat Avneet Khurmi & Guri Gangsta - YouTube

Ø F D R E A M // Black Mass - YouTube

Ø F D R E A M // Real answer - YouTube

Ø F D R E A M // Thelema - YouTube

OBESØN - Night Shift - YouTube

Of Mice & Men - Another You (Official Video) - YouTube

Of Mice & Men - Back To Me (Official Music Video) - YouTube

Of Mice & Men - Defy (Official Lyric Video) - YouTube

Of Mice & Men - On The Inside - YouTube

Of Mice & Men - Sunflower - YouTube

Of Mice & Men - Unbreakable (Official Music Video) - YouTube

Of Mice & Men - Vertigo - YouTube

Øfdream - Catacombs - YouTube

Øfdream - Fallen Angel - YouTube

Øfdream - Ninth Gate - YouTube

Øfdream - Our father Enki - YouTube

Øfdream - walking__ On the Abyｓｓ - YouTube

Oh be clever - Love you now (remix) by Jeff Kaale, Englewood and Philo - YouTube

Oh Me Oh My (Malaa Remix) - YouTube

OH SHIT I'M FEELING IT (Better Audio) - YouTube

Oliver Smith - Over You - YouTube

Olivia Hye & GoWon ft. Heejin (LOONA) - Rosy (Color Coded Lyrics/Eng/Rom/Han) - YouTube

ONE OK ROCK - Bombs Away [Acoustic] "STUDIO JAM SESSION VOL.3" - YouTube

ONE OK ROCK - Taking Off [Official Video from Nagisaen] - YouTube

Oneeva - Purity (Original Mix) [Audiophile Live] - YouTube

Only Now (Extended Mix) - YouTube

Ost & Meyer - Million Miles Away (Original Mix) [OUT NOW] - YouTube

Our Last Night - "Broken Lives" (OFFICIAL VIDEO) - YouTube

OZROSAURUS / OG - Official Video - - YouTube

PARTYNEXTDOOR - Break From Toronto [Official Music Video] - YouTube

PARTYNEXTDOOR - Recognize ft. Drake [Official Music Video] - YouTube

PARTYNEXTDOOR - Right Now - YouTube

PARTYNEXTDOOR - Sex On The Beach - YouTube

PARTYNEXTDOOR - Welcome to the Party - YouTube

Perfume 「Everyday」(Kan/Rom/Eng Lyrics) カラオケ｜ 歌詞付き - YouTube

Perfume The best thing - YouTube

Phantoms - Just A Feeling ft. VÉRITÉ - YouTube

Pharoahe Monch-Simon Says - YouTube

Phase & Whiney - It Means Nothing - YouTube

Piece Of Me - YouTube

Pierce Fulton ft. JHart - Landmines - YouTube

PLANET COASTER (2017.10.11) - House Rulez (하우스룰즈) - YouTube

Plastician featuring Skepta- Intensive Snare - YouTube

Point Point - F+L - YouTube

Pour it up (Big O Remix) @TheRealDjBigO - YouTube

Pretty Ricky Late Night Special - YouTube

Progressive House | Axis - Lush (Original Mix) [Enhanced] - YouTube

Pyar ho gaya by stereo nation - YouTube

Rae Morris - Do It [Icarus Remix] - YouTube

RAF 3.0 - Phantom (16BARS.TV PREMIERE) - YouTube

RAF Camora - Kosmischer Staub (prod. Abaz) - Videopremiere - YouTube

RAF Camora - OPERA CAMORA / CØRBO EXCLUSIVE - YouTube

Red - Already over - YouTube

Red - Buried Beneath - YouTube

Red Velvet 레드벨벳_러시안 룰렛 (Russian Roulette)_Music Video - YouTube

Red- Still Alive Lyrics - YouTube

Refused - New Noise (The Bloody Beetroots Remix) - YouTube

REZZ - Edge - YouTube

Rihanna - Kiss It Better (Explicit) - YouTube

Rihanna - Rude Boy (Moshe Buskila Dancehall Remix) - YouTube

Rihanna - Sex With Me [Official Audio] - YouTube

Riton, MNEK, The House Gospel Choir - Deeper (Lyric Video) - YouTube

Robyn - Cobrastyle (RAC Mix) *OFFICIAL* - YouTube

Rodg - Heights (Extended Mix) - YouTube

Rodrigo Deem - Blazar - YouTube

Rude Kid - Aliens - YouTube

Sabrina Claudio - "Unravel Me" (Official Video) - YouTube

Sabrina Claudio - Belong To You (ft. 6lack) [Remix] - YouTube

Sabrina Claudio - Belong To You (Official Video) - YouTube

Sabrina Claudio - Everlasting Love (Official Audio) - YouTube

Sabrina Claudio - Used To (Official Audio) - YouTube

Sabrina Claudio - Wait (Official Audio) - YouTube

SALM - Architecture (DWNTWN Remix) - YouTube

Samba - YouTube

San Holo - We Rise - YouTube

[pimpnamedsilverback-blog]

Damn Dannie (The Prolog) Pt. 1

So there’s this this girl I met at my 3rd high school back in 2015. To keep her ID on the DL, I’ll just refer to her as Dannie. Now, Dannie and I weren’t really the best of friends during my spell at that school. We were cool with each other, we just didn’t have much to talk about back then. At the time, all she was to me was the cute girl with an afro from math class, that laughed at all my jokes.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, I was forced to leave my 3rd high school at the end of my first year there. (LMAO, that’s an entire story for another day) This meant I had to leave my closest friends behind and find a new school. After I left, Dannie was one of the few girls from that school I kept in contact with, simply because I dug her energy and thought she was pretty cool. We started texting occasionally then before I knew it, we were texting every day. Turns out we had loads to talk about.

The more we spoke, the more we found out we had in common. The more we had in common, the more we bonded. In December of that same year, we bumped into each other at some party I remember vague details about. What I do remember, is that I spent close to no time with Dannie that day and night. For some reason she had to leave the party super early. And that, ladies and gentlemen is the last time I saw her in 2015.

You know how they say "time flies when you're having fun", what they don’t tell you is that time is constant. 10 seconds has always been 10 seconds, an hour hasn’t ever been 30 minutes, it’s always been an hour. It FEELS like time flies when we have something to give our attention to or distract us. It FEELS like time drags its feet when we’re not doing anything. Well, feelings are unreliable. That’s what this story is about.

The first half of 2016 was a drag. My parents were keeping my phone from me and I was a full time border at my new school (which was on the other side of the country). I lost contact with a lot of my “close” and mutual friends because of this. After a wack 1st term, I finally got to go home for term break and get my phone back. I reached out to some of my friends from my previous school. Got back in contact with all the people I missed, except for Dannie. I immediately met up with a couple of the homies but our social interaction was all foggy now. I didn’t feel like I could be myself around them anymore. They were still the same people though. I just felt like everything was different now, that everyone had changed. Word got around that I was back home and my phone was jumpin'. A couple days after I got my phone back, I got a text draped in heart emojis with the only syllable in my name stetched out. 👇

"Laaaaaaaaaaars 😊💕💕❤❤👅💦"

Off the bat I knew it couldn't be one of my bros. It took me a while but I figured out it was Dannie (my bestie did some research). I kid you not, in that very moment I felt happier than I had felt all year. We got all caught up over the phone and our texting patterns picked up where we left off.

Next thing I knew, we were now 3 quarters into 2016. It had been roughly 11 months since I switched schools and 9 months since I last saw her. We started hanging out more and making plans to see each other every chance we could.

Our plans were always overly ambitious and flopped 9 times out of 10. 8 times out of 10 it was my fault though. We’d plan large get-togethers and not even show up. We were a pair of wild cards, the unpredictability between us kept the friendship dynamics fresh. Dannie was mad extroverted, she always wanted to go out and have a good time partying and turning up. I’m not really into all of that, I outgrew it all in 2016. I’d only slide through because it meant I got to spend time with her. I was low-key about being introverted so she had no idea how much I’d prefer staying home or going to a quiet place just to hang out and talk. That’s when I realized I really fw her. (If ever I leave the comfort of my home to come see you, just know you mean a lot to me.)

She tried her best to compromise whenever she could so it wasn’t completely one sided. I'll take the fall for not being open and missing out on a lot chill sessions. I get drained like, 10 minutes into most social gatherings outside my inner circle anyway.

I don’t remember how it happened, but at some point down the line we became friends with benefits. Matter of fact, I don’t remember us having an official title. I had her saved as her government name (with a heart at the end) on my phone and she probably had me saved as zaddy or something corny like Larshmellow (Yikes). Ion know. We were just going with the flow, which I ironically ended up drowning in. Wish I could’ve caught a break, instead I caught feelings.

For some reason Dannie and I never got down to defining the relationship. This had the both of us messed up because we had skewed expectations from one another. It FELT like I was expecting too much from her, while she was expecting too little from me (or vice versa). I went into the new year of 2017 with high hopes and expectations for us not knowing our ‘situationship’ was about to capsize and sink.

2017 Was our matric (senior graduation) year which meant we didn’t have access to all the free time we had the year before. This meant it was up to us to manufacture and free up as much time to text, call and see each other. We could barely manage to make time for each other when we had access to it, how were we going to make it work when we didn’t? That paired with the long distance from one another (a 4 hour commute) created an emotional and physical barrier between us. Communication wasn’t the issue, the issue was getting rid of the static and maintaining a stable connection from afar. I was adamant to make it work, because I felt like she was worth it.

Despite my best efforts, all we had was our telephonic connection. Which started becoming more and more inconsistent. We were slowly growing distant from one another. It was paralyzing witnessing us grow in the wrong direction, it felt like there wasn't a single thing I could do about it. All I was able to do was watch us become strangers. This was a terrible start to the year. After weeks of inconsistent texting we stopped altogether. In my head, the silence felt more like a pregnant pause instead of what it actually was, an awkward silence. The muteness was infrequently interrupted by a "Hey" or "hi", which barely led to anything. Although it stung on my side, I understood that this show called life had to keep going. So I went about living my life and she went about living hers. We didn't speak for a month or so. It felt like we were done.

During 1st quarter every year, a select few high schools in Eswatini/Swaziland come together to host a competitive sports event among themselves. Something like the teenage Olympics. I think all in all about 1000 teenagers show up every year. Over the years it’s become extremely competitive. Aside from the actual competition, the event has turned into a hub for stuntastic behavior, alcohol + drug abuse and obnoxiously loud music. Picture a sports themed music festival without a stage or artists performing.

I had no plans to go that year. I was actually in a studio right next to the stadium on the day the event was being held, with Young Grixxly (look him up, his music is really good!) and a mutual friend of ours. They wanted to check out who was all over there, I wanted to head home but ended up at the event by the power of peer pressure. We were uber late and couldn’t get in, so we were just awkwardly standing by the gate from the outside looking in. We started seeing familiar faces pass by with a handful of them coming by to greet us and give us play by plays of everything that had been happening since they got there. A bunch of people tried sneaking us in too. It didn’t take much time for me to lose interest in the whole thing. I zoned out and started contemplating my early escape back to the crib, right when I recognized a familiar voice repeatedly calling out my name from the other side of the gate. Y’all wouldn’t believe who it was.

Imma drop some unreleased music on my audiomack if y’all guess this correctly.

Was it…

A) Dannie

B) Vanessa from Phineas and Ferb 

C) Samuel L Jackson

D) Thanos

To be continued.

[turnaboutxstudios]

Hey all, Happy Sunday!! We hope you're enjoying a chilled out afternoon & evening before we all have to go back to real-life at our day-gigs, as we'll be with the incoming stream & show tonight at Skylark! If you're free tonight, definitely check out these spots or join us as Radkey comes through, paired with CLT's own Fill Ins & The Menders, starting when doors open at 8pm 😎🤘🎶 ~~~~~~~~~~ As well, Crown Station has its monthly 2nd Sunday session, going on now till 9pm tonight, & as well you know Bone Snugs -N- Harmony has the hottest weekly Karaoke spot in the city, brought to you every Sunday till the end of time ⌛🎶. Both events are completely *FREE* to attend, so come through & vibe a bit tonight 🎤🎶💖 ~~~~~~~~~~ Without further ado, here's what's happening in the scene tonight 😎🤘🎶; ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/12 – Sunday The World-Famous Milestone – Metal Church Sunday Service @ 4pm to 8pm Snug Harbor – Bone Snugs-N-Harmony @ 6pm (Weekly) Petra’s – Bill Hanna’s Jazz Sessions (Weekly) @ 7:30pm Crown Station – Second Sundays: Afro Soulful Tribal Classic House @ 3pm Skylark Social Club – Radkey w/ The Fill Ins & The Menders @ 9pm https://www.instagram.com/p/B7O_uAHpARy/?igshid=bfds5a17s8ew

[soulcentralmedia]

51st State Festival Announces Huge Lineup For 5th Birthday Edition  

5 Reasons to Book 51st State Festival - 5 Year Anniversary Edition If you are wanting your summer to get even hotter, purchase your tickets for this year’s ’51 State Festival’ so you and your friends can have the best summer ever. You are probably thinking to yourself, “Why should I purchase tickets?”, “What makes this festival any different from the others?”, “Will I even enjoy myself.?” You’ve come to the right place, as I will be giving you 5 reasons as to why you should book this festival to compliment your summer! ........... The Line Up:  The line up for this year’s festival is incredible! This festival is not only providing a plethora of artists from different countries, but you will be experiencing a unique sound, and you will have the opportunity to enjoy many different genres all in one day! The Atmosphere:  The atmosphere at the past 51 State Festivals is one of those things where reading up on it won’t give it justice, you would have to go to experience it for yourself. 51 State gives festival-goers good vibes throughout the day, and continuous flow of anticipation as you wait for the next artist to come on stage. The DJs:  The DJ’s that will be performing on the day will give you that extra zing you need to enjoy your festival experience. Like mentioned before you will get a sense of anticipation as you will be wondering what tune the DJ will drop next! The Food:  After all that dancing you will get hungry, there will be a few food stalls available so you can eat after you are done dancing! Then after you’ve eaten you can go back to dance! Just don’t get sick xD! Your Summer:  As previously mentioned earlier, the heat on your summer will be turned up a few degrees if you attend this festival! You will be able to create a bunch of memorable moments at 51 State surrounded by festival goers who are all there for the same thing….TO HAVE A GOOD TIME! .............. 51st State Festival Announces Huge Lineup For 5th Birthday Edition   The most complete and comprehensive celebration of all things house music will be back with a special 5th birthday edition in 2019: after last year’s sold out event, 51 State Festival takes place on Saturday August 3rd in Trent Park, London, with headliners: Kerri Chandler, Kings of House (Louie Vega & David Morales), Dennis Ferrer, Dimitri From Paris, Soul Clap, Mood II Swing, Roger Sanchez, Todd Terry, Kevin Saunderson, Todd Edwards, Norman Jay, Joey Negro, Crazy P Soundsystem, Wookie, DJ Luck & MC Neat, and live acts like Robert Owens, Julie McKnight, Tanya Stephens, Crystal Waters, Melba Moore, Joyce Sims, Kele Le Roc, Monique Bingham Over the last five years this festival has built up a real following of house lovers, made a name for itself with plenty of unforgettable moments and a reputation for joining the dots between the US, UK, Caribbean and Europe, between classic, tech, afro, garage, soul, dub, dancehall, disco and deep. The independent event is run by real music lovers and this year the VIP area will be revamped with a revised queuing system, bigger VIP area and structures with superior facilities. A dedicated music arena will also return to the new and improved VIP area. Making seven stages in total across the whole festival hosted by Groove Odyssey, Found, Backto95, We Love Soul, Hot WUK, Disco Disco and House FM. The location for it all is the blissful Trent Country Park, situated in 413 acres of rolling meadows, enchanting brooks and lakes, ancient woodland and imposing historical sites. It is a rare bit of natural green belt beauty in London which offers a place to relax and chill right on the outskirts of the city, making it the perfect place for this one day celebration of house music. The line-up takes in a dazzling mix of world renowned super stars, hot up and comers, legends of the scene and DJs and live acts from all corners of the house world. This is the most essential house music festival in the world, so act soon to secure your place at what is sure to be one of this year’s key historic events in the UK’s capital. PRESS IMAGES TICKETS SURPRISE BIRTHDAY GUEST (UK’S NUMBER 1 GARAGE DJ) Kerri Chandler   Crazy P Soundsystem – Live Crystal Waters – Live Dennis Ferrer Dimitri from Paris Joey Negro Joyce Sims – Live Kevin Saunderson Kings of House (Louie Vega & David Morales with Julie McKnight - Live) Melba Moore – Live Norman Jay – MBE Roger Sanchez Stylo G – Live Tanya Stephens – Live The Heatwave Todd Edwards Todd Terry Wookie --- 2 FOUR 7 Aitch B Anane Vega Barbara Tucker - Host Bobby & Steve Brutha Basil – Live Champain CKP Creed David Bailey DJ Bigger DJ Luck & MC Neat DJ Kanga DJ Replay Elisabeth Troy - Live Ellie Cocks Firin Squad Graeme P & Soul Diva Jason H Jason Kaye Jazzi Q Jerry Bascombe Jerry Rankin Jigs John Morales Jonsey (Café 432) Judi Love - Host Jumpin Jack Frost Kele Le Roc - Live Kenny Ken Kenny Thomas - Live Lady T Listener Lloyd Life Mangrove DJs Masterstepz Matt Jam Lamont M-A-X MC DT MC Kie Melo-O-DJ Mike Ruff Cut Lloyd Monique Bingham - Live Mood II Swing Mr Buzzhard Nick Curly Norris Da Boss Windross Onyx Stone Opolopo Paolo Francesco Philgood & Ram PSG PSR Ragga Twins Richie Dan – Live Robert Owens - Live Robbo Ranx Sammy Confunktion Scarlett O’Malley Seamus Haji Selly J Session Victim - Live Siggy Smalls Sol Brown Soul Clap Sticky Steve Macca Supreme Sweet Female Attitude – Live Terry Hunter Tippa Irie - Live Twinz in Session (SHILOH & SIMIEN) Victor Anderson Wallace MC   Links   Web & Tickets: https://www.51ststatefestival.com   FB: https://www.facebook.com/51stfestival   TW: https://twitter.com/51stFestival   Insta: https://www.instagram.com/51stfestival  Read the full article

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I had a weird cool dream!

It was like some kind of mmorpg, and the intro was kinda like that bus from the third harry potter movie? Everyone started on a long several days bus trip from their various back story tutorial areas to the main town, and the quirky cast of bus staff would give you more tutorials on the more optional features and guilds and stuff. I remember I got one free costume dye thing, and I thought that was a great idea! Everyone's newbie clothes would look more distinct and you'd feel more customized! And it'd be a good preview of an ability you wouldn't be able to use again for ages.

Anyway the main bus NPC was a Cool Gay Grandma who I think maybe was married to the tailor shop grandma so that's why you got the free clothes? Probably you could see more of the tailor grandma later and get attached to her as she talks about missing her adventurer wife who drives all over the world in her magic bus, and then maybe there could be a side quest or something to deliver a love letter between them and you'd have to disguise yourself as a poor newbie in need to catch the bus again...

Man I'm going offtopic lol! Anyway I remember that bus grandma had big red goggles like xerosic and she was super tiny and super nice but also A SPEED DEMON. Her bus was like the monster truck of buses, it was like a whole moving apartment block with giant exhausts/chimneys and then it would blaze across the continents so fast you could make any journey in 3 days. And similar to the bus from harry potter it was like invisible and imtangeable to anyone she didn't choose to allow on as a passenger. But like it felt less like an impossible natural magical occurance and more like one really crazy awesome lady who spent her life finding ways to defy physics just to help everyone everywhere with monster truck power~! Also apparently in this universe it was some sort of stereotype that gay grandmas have dogs cos she was like 'well I guess you guessed cos of the dog toys' and that was like.. The only incoherent part of the dream. She just pointed to some insane unknowable dream object that was apparently a dog toy. It looked like a skateboard made out of those rubber hotdogs?? Also I think she probably either had a tiny Cerberus puppy or a giant sized regular dog. Something monstery! I think it was what fueled the engine with its fire breath, but I didn't get to see it during the dream.

And then the race I picked in this game was demon, and I was like some sort of adorable lalafell-ish one? Like, you could actually select character age, not just one race of kid lookin charries. The vast majority of other demon players were all buff or sexualized or emo teens or whatever and I was just like 'hello, tiny shonen protagonist here!' (Cos it was more like a ten year old than like.. Whatever lalafells are. Five? That would be more messed up if it was an actual five year old being attacked by monsters rather than just a magic fairy who looks younger than they really are.)

Oh and there was like a preview of.. I think guildmasters? Some sort of characters that would be bigger important roles during your journey. But when you met em here it was just like 'hey some odd but nice random customers on the bus.' They'd appear at random every day and sometimes chat with you or join in to help your tutorials and stuff. (Apparently bus grandma is so badass she can boss around the government officials of the demon capital and they'll react like frightened school kids! "If you want a free ride, you'll do some work, Sonny Jim!" "Can't I just pay you?" "NO." *points to sign: free since 96*)

So yeah after your few days journey tutorialy you'd get off the bus and realise HOLY SHIT I WAS TALKING TO IMPORTANT GUYS. I don't remember much about what any of em looked like tho or what guilds they led. Like was it a political thing or were they like the job class masters? But I do remember that they were all demons and I think you'd get a whole different cast of them depending on which race you picked and which starting city was at the end of the line. And I just remember one of them was a cool lady with like the cliche samurai ponytail and then really eye-catching thin elaborately patterned horns that looked the colour of molten metal. She was possibly the swordmaster teacher? And she was all seriously and she had like a.. Friend or brother maybe? There was another character who was always hanging out with her and being all huggy and jokey and she had a general attitude of 'if this was anyone else I would have killed them for that'. Like total opposite chilled out Hau-esque personality and somehow bffs with serious lady. I think he had curly afro hair and blue ram horns that looked kinda like seashells? And might have worn a striped scarf. They were like opposites but I think possibly she also had a scarf and it was like some super serious tattered one that's seen a thousand battles and flows behind her like a sentai hero. And he's just like "LOOK WE MATCH!" *the cutest thing he could find* "sigh.. Yes brother..."

And I think possibly it was some funny dynamic like they were the heads of rival job classes and all their students hate each other and then its like 'hey sis mom packed you a lunch' *hugs* *then straight back to battling* But I got the sense that hugs bro wasn't really into the rivalry, he was just comically oblivious that his team all hate the sword team, and they kept tricking him into stuff like 'yeah let's compete against them in the worldwide tournement, that'd be a full friendship activity!' *stands there blankly as everyone tries to kill each other* 'boy my sister sure does love and respect me' *currently in a headlock by her*

Oh and I think you could choose different back stories for your character? Im not entirely sure what mine was but it involved someone recognising me from a royal ball or something? So maybe I was a runaway prince masquerading as a commoner? Or maybe I was a commoner who broke into that ball and almost got caught? Maybe I was even a phantom thief???

And then the weirdest part of the dream is that I DREAMED A GLITCH IN THE GAME?? On the last day of the bus tutorial it suddenly lagged out from too many players disembarking at once. I think it was something like the whole side quest was a solo instance until the last minute, but they kinda planned it badly and the bus couldn't handle the sheer volume of newbies all taking the quest at the same time. So I literally couldn't get through the door from so many people, and then the lag glitches me out and flew me forward several days in game time. (Cos of the sidequest's gimmick of having multiple days pass with different events) it was like a two week long session of redoing the same tutorials, and then cos the tailor shop preview was time limited all my equipment had vanished by the time I finally got out.

I think the developers said the intention was that you could 'get your first sight of multiplayer' and hopefully make friends with other newbies, but they planned it poorly. So in later patches everything on the bus was singleplayer and then they added sort of a lobby area for newbies only chat and stuff before you got into the main game. And limited it to only showing players in randomly selected blocks of fifty, but with a mailbox NPC that could teleport your friends to the same version of the room if you had a name to go on. (But then it had more glitches with people who'd summon 100 friends to a place with a capacity of 50, but it was generally considered 'well that's your own fault')

So weirdly developed! I think I was playing a real game from another dimension!