Hello good people! Oh how I’ve missed you all. We have so much catching up to do – so let’s get this party started.

As some of you might be aware, last week, the Rockets lost in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals. And it sucked.

I won’t get into the details of the game but just know we were all nervous wrecks and heartbroken. We were so close to sweet-sweet, amazing, braggadocious victory for our city and it was all stripped away by a freaggin’ funky hamstring in game 5 (get well CP3). Now we have to live through another insufferable matchup between the Warriors and the Cavs. And while being knocked out of the finals is devastating enough, I just happen to now live in the very place that brought us to our demise – the Silicon Valley/Bay Area.

Oh yeah, I moved. That might be a surprise to a few of you and something you might have missed over my 2-month hiatus. I relocated to Northern California to pursue my writing career with a large technology company…ironic right? So now here I am, a Texan in California.

And I need y’all to understand, I’m real a Texan. I’m a super-real Texan. I love BBQ, beer, big hair, shiny things, long chats out on a porch swing with friends, yelling just because I need to relay a message across the room and my Texas teams (not the Cowboys though, sorry Daddy).

Now, I live in Warriorland, where even the transplants support a team they barely even know. And here it is, sure, I will support the Golden Boys and other folks when they’re not playing my guys. I won’t switch teams just because where I currently reside is cool and trendy to love. Oakland nor Silicon Valley raised me – Houston did, and I’ll never forget it.

My love for my Southern roots won’t change with new gigs and digs. There’s no place like home and sometimes I find myself wishing I were back in my old life but I truly look forward to the adventures ahead. I’ll happily live here in Cali…while wearing all the red Rockets things I can find, talking loud, eating tacos, and chugging down margaritas. I’ll do Texas anywhere I go, because – Murica.

The point is I’ll never forget. I’m so proud of where I’m from and so proud that special place made me ready for the world. I’ll be Red Nation in whatever country I live in. You can take the girl out of Texas, but you’ll never take the Texas out of the girl.

Where are you from? Do you carry your hometown pride with you? <3

-D.Wright

We have much to celebrate this week, aside from Beyoncé and Jay-Z announcing their joint stadium tour and Rihanna breaking streaming records.

Black Panther officially surpassed the $1B mark worldwide, this weekend marked the first time in history two Black directors have the #1 & #2 slots a the box office (I’ll be stepping out to see that Wrinkle too)…AND all is well in Wakanda! Yes, my friends, we are kicking off an amazing week for African American people in entertainment.

Seeing Is Believing

I saw Black Panther a couple weekends or so ago and it was awesome. Everything you would expect out of a superhero movie, it delivers. You have male/female eye candy, special effects, fight scenes, corny punchlines, cool villains and all that jazz topped off with some phenomenal actors. The biggest difference is basically what everyone has been celebrating, a majority African American cast/production company with a major studio budget. Now look, I know there are a bunch of skeptics and cynics out here. And I get it, you don’t see color, but the rest of the world does and they see bliggity-bliggity BLACK baby!

Marvel/Walt Disney Pictures

Power to the People

So yeah, the flick is solid but I recognize the role that curiosity and unwavering Black support played in driving attendance to the film. I, myself, was even curious to see what this all-star cast and production team could do and was extremely pleased with the outcome. And I must say, it was so cool to see the buying power of the African American community really leading the charge for a sci-fi movie. The reception of Black Panther gives us a little more insight into the power of our unity. Undoubtedly, we saw what could happen if minorities rallied around projects or causes they believe in.

The Votes Are In

Walt Disney

And yeah, there were a few mixed reviews out there where folks were disappointed because of the hypebeasts across the web…they’re fully entitled to their wrong opinion (clearly no bias here at all). No, but seriously, it makes sense to be let down by the film if you were expecting anything outside of a superhero movie and didn’t happen to be Black. Me seeing Lupita and Danai wearing out some bad guys, and fineAF Chadwick Boseman KILLING it was not only mesmerizing but inspiring. It’s kind of like the first time I first saw Boz at Apple Music, sitting at the head of the table and running this HUGE meeting. That moment meant everything to me as a young woman of color. And while everyone else saw it as just another day at the fruit stand, I saw it as a potentially unlimited future for myself and other women just like me. Tha one, singular event SHOOK me but just imagine, this movie has the whole world SHOOKETH! Everyone, young and old, is beginning to see the possibilities of their futures in entertainment and can believe themselves to make strides in an industry that has not truly demonstrated progress in diversity until most recently.

Overall, the emotional ties to this movie will likely always play a huge factor in its franchise success, just as it did for Wonder Woman (which I also love btw). See it if you’re into sci-fi/fantasy action movies. It’s definitely worth a view in the theatres. And on that note, Wakanda forever. <3

-D.Wright

I don’t really do product reviews or anything like that but I definitely wanted to hip some of you guys to one of my new favorite things, Hue Lights.

It’s weird but I never knew lighting could be so influential to your overall mood and experience in a space. I was definitely a cynic of the Hues and initially felt they were as silly as they were “overpriced.” Eventually, I started doing some research and realized how much people were actually spending on lighting and home automation in comparison to others (like Hues) out on the market. It is insane! So, since I’m all for balling on a budget and never intend to spend thousands of dollars on lights, I did the next best thing…waited for a huge price reduction during the holidays and said  YOLO!

Last December I took the plunge because the deal was too good to pass up and I’m a sucker for a good sale. I initially started with 6 lights for my living room and bedroom. I unpacked my lights, set them up, and instantly turned into a 5-year old for like a whole evening. I’m not going to lie to you, I played with them for a couple hours that first night. I sat on my sofa while listening to music and writing and changed the lights just for the heck of it. I, of course,  wanted to get the swing of them but honestly, I wanted to play with my fancy new lights. Within that week, I ended up with 4 extra lights and now feel like I have my own mini music venue at home. I love it!

Getting Started

So what will you need for your own lighting set up? It’s pretty simple, all you need is a smartphone or tablet, Wi-Fi, and the starter set that includes the lighting hub. Eventually, you can add on up to 50 lights per hub and Philips has quite a collection of light options to select from. What’s also pretty awesome is they’re really easy to install and the set up should only take you about 10-15 minutes.

Using Your Hue Lights

So, there are many creative ways to use the Hue lighting system. I’m pretty practical and use them to wake me up every morning throughout the week for work. It’s been super helpful and I love that I can set geo-location to cut them on or off when I’m headed to or leaving my home. They’re also wonderful for all sorts of home events like parties, dinners, big games and other things you’d probably hold in your home or workspace.

You might also be wondering about glitches or connectivity issues. Initially, I was concerned on if the lights would work if my Wi-Fi ever went out. I was pleasantly surprised to learn they are all standard bulbs and will revert back to white light you can still operate. You can learn more HERE.

Have Fun

So when using your lights, you have to remember to have fun! You can do all sorts of cooky things with your lights. I’ve heard people set them to light up the room every time their favorite team scores. I’ve also heard folk set them like strobe lights and to change with the beat of their music, it’s pretty cool. There are all kinds of apps out that help you get the fullest potential out of your lights and they’re available on multiple platforms so you’re not restricted to one or another.

I’m glad to have made such a huge small investment and I’ll probably get more as I design my space. If you get any lights, tell me how you like them, I love mine! <3

-D.Wright

Stop, Grammy-time… (Forgive me for the long pauses, I’ve been so stupid busy.)

Day 3 – The Call

On day 3, I woke up earlier than I expected after a long night out galavanting all over the town, and I’m so glad I did because this is the morning I received that fateful call. “Hello, is this DeAndre Wright?” “Yessssssssss, who’s calling?” “This is Blankitty-Blank with the Recording Academy and we saw your request for a ticket since you emailed that you were in the New York area. Still interested?” “OH MY GOSH! Uh yesssssssss.” Blur blur blur. Yada yada yada. “Alrighty, well your ticket for both the ceremony and show have been confirmed and processed. Can you come in today to pick up your ticket at bippity-boppity-boo?” “Yes! I’ll be there within the hour!”

And just like that, I was set to go to my first awards show, the 60th Grammy Awards in Madison Square Gardens. I don’t even think I believed it. I was in shock. It’s been weeks since that call and I’m still in shock. At the time, I didn’t even think it was real life. Like how could my random waitlist inquiry turn into a whole ticket? I don’t know, but it did. I made a few calls, squealed a bit, threw on my best fabulously-casual ensemble and headed out to pick up my tickets.

It was crazy. During my walk, I was stopped by a random lady who asked me if I knew a rapper named Montana who just left some nearby nice-store on a shopping spree. Took me a few minutes to realize she meant French Montana and that I was absolutely headed in the right direction.

So I made it to the ticket pick up location and I’ll spare you the details but as I walked out, I almost scored red carpet credentials (by accident). Drunk off excitement, I practically powerwalked back to my hotel room as I talked to my mom and stepdad about my adventure. I laid my tickets on the bed and sat in disbelief. It was all too good to be true.

After hiding my tickets in in the room (yes, I sure did), I got ready for my next hoorah. It was time to meet New York extraordinaire, the Ms. Sara Katherine Runnels.  I’ve known Sara since the 6th grade and in my adult life, she’s become a kindred spirit full of ambition (mixed with a healthy dose of shenanigans). Sara wanted to take me somewhere “Instagram-worthy” and we ended up here –at Magic Hour Rooftop Bar & Lounge.

We talked, ate and drank champagne for hours while looking at the Empire State Building as our backdrop. It was fabulous. I felt just like Mariah Carey on MTV Cribs. All I needed was a bathtub…but real life, it was amazing. Then she took me to Little Italy where we bar hopped our way over to Chinatown and later met with my college friend Darrel. I felt like I fit right in. I was a New Yorker. Thanks Sara and Darrel.

Day 4 – The Dress

Sunday, I woke up early again. How? I don’t know. My body hated me but I made it up and got a call from my friend who wasn’t able to make the trip. In all of her PR-marketing wizardry, the chick scored me a dress with a new designer from New York and demanded me to be at my fitting in less than an hour. This was on Grammy Day y’all. I was like are you kidding me?! I barely had pulled my life together but I trekked my way to 5th Avenue and went upstairs to this beautiful studio full of glamour goodies. I was in heaven. Thank you Gracy Accad!

After dropping the dress off at my hotel, I had to grab food and hit a couple shops to finish my look. My friend Darrel (from the night before) was nice enough to meet with me for lunch and show me around the city a little more before my big night. We even got to walk through Central Park, it was beautiful and I can’t wait to go back when it’s green.

So I get back to the room again, with everything I needed and there I am with this fabulous dress panicking over my new look. It took me about an hour or so to do my makeup and then my buddy from Houston (Christopher Allen) did an impromptu photo shoot with me in my room and in the lobby of the hotel. As you might imagine, people were utterly confused. I didn’t care though, I felt like a Grammy nominee and I was low-key kicking myself for letting those Red Carpet credentials slip through my fingers.

After the drama of getting to the show in my Uber (there were shut down streets and traffic on the sidewalks leading into the venue), I finally made it. It was glorious. There was a sea of gowns and tuxes, faces I recognized from past associations and a slew of beautiful people. Mama I made it! I’m not rich but I sure did feel it.

I hiked to my seats in 5-inch heel, took in the view and started making new friends out of my neighbors before hearing from behind me “DeAndre?” I’m like, who at the Grammys knows me? It was my buddy Huy, a former A&R I met during my music label interning days. Then I ran into another friend of mine who was actually working the show so, naturally, we caught up and snapped pictures between the breaks.

The 60th Grammy Awards in Madison Square Garden

Now here’s the good stuff. I saw e’rrbody. I mean e’rrybody! I saw them scramble to their seats and get yelled at by a real-life Siri demanding everyone to sit back down before going live. I saw the stages get loaded with talent before they performed. I saw it all. I saw folks like Kendrick Lamar, Bono, Elton John, Lady Gaga, Cardi B, Bruno Mars, Rihanna, Sting perform. I just couldn’t believe my eyes or ears. People I would never have seen anywhere else were now in the same room with me being honored for their musical greatness. It was absolutely inspiring, then it was all over and time to party.

I headed over to the official afterparty and like everywhere else, fought traffic to even get in the room. And yes, it was as grand as you might imagine. There were floors of entertainment. There were endless drinks and so much food. There were ice sculptures, bars, lifesized floral arrangements and so many people everywhere. My brain was on overload. It didn’t stop me from eating, socializing, twirling, or dancing all over the place though. After doing the absolute most with a couple folks I happened to know, I saw some more celebrity-types and went back to my room. Cinderella’s lil carriage turned back into a pumpkin and the night was done. It was 4 am.

Nile Rodgers at the Official Grammy Afterparty

Day 5 – Pinch Me

My early flight couldn’t bring me off of my high. I made my flight without a hitch and returned home completely dumbfounded by the week I had just experienced. I went from being fearful to letting go and adventuring all over a place I thought I’d never come to love. I met so many people and had such a wonderful time. I felt it couldn’t have possibly been my life. I could barely sleep though I clearly didn’t while on my vacation.

Just Believe

I asked God how a girl like me, who came from the “hoods” of the north side of Houston, Texas could be so blessed to experience the things I have. How could someone like me be plopped into the most unbelievable situations? I don’t get what He’s doing up there but I figure it’s just a preview of the main event.

I haven’t stopped reflecting since then and what I realized was faith only works when you actually have it. I took a leap of faith and found it to be one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done in my life. Just remember friends – if you don’t have faith, you will never believe the impossible can absolutely become possible for yourself. And I’ll tell you what, I’m gonna keep living in this New York state of mind. <3

-D.Wright

Ok…I’m supposed to be finishing up my New York post but dis Janelle mutha-mutha Monáe has me in low key shock! It’s been like 5 years since her acclaimed last album The Electric Lady, she’s had a ton of success in cinema, and never ceases to amaze the fashion world with her lux partnerships but today decided she wanted to take us to another level.

Dirty Jane

Prince-inspired, colorful, sensual and highly SHEXY – Janelle Monáe came to disrupt the game with Make Me Feel.

Now look, I don’t care that she took her lil clothes off and is bustin’ out as a proud member of the Rainbow Coalition. She looks amazing, has always been fit and has always had her sexuality questioned throughout her career. As a fan, what I care about is chick being true to herself and baby she’s doing just that! She has her lil rumored bae all in the video and is YOLOing all over the place. I definitely clenched my pearls a couple of times but I’m pretty sure I saw this whole situation coming, I mean I am a fan after all.

Y’all know she has never really been the overtly sexual so it’s pretty interesting to see her explore this part of herself. And I mean there were some slightly awkward moments in there but hey, Janelle and her see-through pants decided to shoot her shot. I know it’s going to be some HIGHLY upset mothers out there because Dirty Jane obviously gives no effs and is making it all the way known. Check it out below.

Django Jane

And because one video clearly wasn’t enough to snatch wigs…chick came out with TWO! I mean seriously, this is probably my favorite side so far. Give me Django Jane any day of the week and I will live my rapper fantasies out through her.

I feel like this was also a long time coming, especially after that epicness she dropped in Q.U.E.E.N. and that whole introduction to the video about legendary rebels. Come on, we saw this coming too. I also feel like her artist/labelmate Jidenna definitely had some influence on this woke-Jane we have here. It’s such a culturally rich visual with beautiful colors and strong punchlines declaring her femininity and power. We definitely need more of this strength from our fave artists.

And y’all! She was even cussing in these songs and I’m just sitting like OhMahGah!!! She’s doing all the things! Take a listen if you don’t believe me.

Read more about Ms. Monáe’s liberation HERE. Believe me, it’s dope and I’m too excited about Dirty Computer dropping in April. <3

-D.Wright