do it scared.
a few thoughts on stepping out on faith + reads & vibes for your weekend.
Hi friend! We’ve reached the end of another week and there’s a lot to discuss, so why don’t we just jump right in?
thoughts at large.
This has been a very interesting week for me. As we come to the end of it, I’m grateful. I’m in a position that I didn’t foresee at the top of the year (more on this later,) but I am brimming with expectations of what is to come next. I saw this clip earlier this week, and it hit me right when I needed it most. It was definitely divine timing. I’d like to share it with you now. Click the post below to watch:
Sometimes, you have to be willing to choose obedience despite your fear. It can be really tough, especially when you can’t see how it’s going to work out. The bottom line is, that you have to have faith - in God or yourself - to follow that still-small voice and trust that everything will work out in your favor. That’s not to say that there will not be challenges, but wouldn’t you rather live the life that you’re supposed to live by taking a little risk? That’s where I find myself on this Friday. It’s scary, but I’m confident that the risk is going to be worth the reward.
I’m going all in on myself, something that’s long overdue. I’ll be sharing more over the next few weeks, but just know, you’re going to see me pouring a little bit more deeply here and on my socials. I hope that you’ll follow along with me on the journey. And if you find value in what I provide here, I encourage you to pledge your support. This newsletter will remain free, but I’ll be crafting a few more special things for paid subscribers - like a weekend guide and some audio content 👀. I am grateful for your support, and I’m looking forward to continuing this journey with you.
Let’s do what we know we have to do to win, friend!
need you to know.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected Hamas’ terms for a cease-fire by calling them “delusional,” and pledged to continue fighting until Israel achieves “total victory.” [more]
President Biden addressed the nation last night regarding his alleged misuse of classified documents. [more]
The FCC has determined that robocalls that feature AI-generated voices are illegal. [more]
A jury found Jennifer Crumbley, the mother of the Michigan school shooter, guilty of manslaughter, setting a precedent. [more]
reads & vibes.
Time released a list of 18 Black leaders who are doing their part to close the racial wealth gap. Some of the names include Issa Rae, Brian Flores, and Angelica Ross. Read here.
The GRAMMYs went down over the weekend, and if you haven’t seen it, Jay-Z had a lot to say about the Recording Academy’s blatant disrespect of his wife. Watch here:
On a more positive note, Victoria Monet walked away with the Best New Artist award, which I was excited about. The big winners of the night were SZA, Killer Mike, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, and Miley Cyrus. Find the full list of winners here.
Yolanda Saldivar, the woman who killed Selena, is up for parole next year. Ahead of her potential release, Oxygen is rolling out a docu-series called Selena & Yolanda: Secrets Between Them. If you’re interested you can watch the trailer here. When I tell you there is nothing that I want to see LESS than this! They can keep it. I think it’s crazy that we continue to platform people who have done the unthinkable. I believe that people should be forgiven, but I don’t think that means we should be out here promoting their perspectives, either. Am I wrong?
Club Shay Shay has become the spot for the uncles and aunties to air their grievances! I don’t think Shannon Sharpe anticipated his show taking this turn but here we are. This week, he sat down for a conversation and a drink with Mo’Nique and she let the chopper sing on Oprah, Tyler Perry, Will Packer, Kevin Hart, and D.L. Hughley. You can watch the entire episode here.
There’s been a lot of conversation around women’s sports, particularly around women’s basketball and the WNBA’s validity over the past few weeks, but objectively, women’s college basketball is much more exciting than men’s right now. A large part of that is driven by talented young ladies like Angel Reese, Caitlin Clark, and USC’s freshman phenom, JuJu Watkins. She covers the most recent issue of SLAM Magazine, and you can read her cover story here.
The Super Bowl is on Sunday - and I’m ready for the halftime show. Usher is getting two minutes more than usual to do his set, and I’ll be dancing right along with him. Who do you think will win the game?
I do want to highlight that Usher’s new album “Coming Home” is available now. I’ve run through it and it is driven by love, romance, and 90’s influences. I don’t know about you but that’s my favorite brand of R&B. Off of my first listen, there are about 3 songs that I think will have high replay value for me. I’ll test it in the car this afternoon and report back next week. Listen here on Spotify or Apple Music to form your own opinion.
Speaking of romance, ❤️ Happy [early] Valentine’s Day ❤️ to all that celebrate! I am single again this year on this day 🙃, but I will say that I’m not mad at that. I have a lot of love to give - and in more ways than one… I’m a free agent. 😜 Slide in my DMs if you’re about it.
Last year, I put together a playlist called CERTIFIED LOVER GIRL and it’s filled with songs by women, about love. Not sex, but love. I’ve added some new stuff to it, and I think you’ll enjoy it. That’s available on Spotify or Apple Music for you as well. Enjoy that, and celebrate as you see fit. Just know, single or in a relationship - you are valued and loved. Don’t forget that.
There’s lots of new music this week! I’ve added new songs from Latto, Tori Kelly, Kanye West & Ty Dolla Sign, T-Pain, and more to The Update Weekly Playlist. Grab it on Spotify or Apple Music.
That’s all for today, fam. I’ll see you next week, and Go Usher!
