We made it! We really it did it, y'all: we survived 2020!This year was filled with death, heartache, sickness, and sadness. However, we learned how to truly appreciate life. For a lot of us, we prioritized our communities, our mental health, and our survival. But, we didn't do this alone. With the help of family, friends, therapists, and musicians, we withstood this horrid year.

As we enter 2021, we must remember we are still in the midst of a pandemic. Life didn't just go back to normal when the clock struck 12, on January 1st, 2021. We do have a light at the end of the tunnel with the vaccine. Spoiler Alert: I will take the vaccine. With that said, many Black people are being necessarily precautious, myself included. It is not because we are anti-vaxxers, it is because we know the long and twisted history of Black people being unethically used in medical experiments. You cannot recognize our fear, but not understand the trauma that got us there. The majority of 2020 was focused on Black Lives Matter and equality and justice for all. It is funny now, how people can pick and choose what they will acknowledge or dismiss when it comes to our struggles. Black people have had one of the hardest years of our existence. From COVID and police brutality affecting us disproportionately to us honestly, waking up everyday just trying to live. But, our people overcame, as per usual. In fact, a lot of our country came together to proclaim that bigotry may have been breeding here, but we will no longer allow it.

2020 was about triumph. And, for those of you reading and listening to this episode, you were able to make it through. Remember that. You are alive. You are significant. You are a champion.

Trigger Warning:

53:54-58:35: Discussion of the deaths of Casey Goodson, Jr., Ernie Serrano, and Andre Hill

100:05-104:13: History of Medical Racism and Unethical experiments conducted on Black people. Discussion of Dr. Marion Sims performing surgeries on Black females, who were enslaved, without anesthesia, The Tuskegee Experiments, Henrietta Lacks, continuously high mortality rates of Black patients, and the unfortunate and recent death of Dr. Susan Moore.

Election 2020 will be one we never forget. Mostly, we won't forget the anxiety that prevented us from eating, sleeping, and thinking. But, at the end of the day, we, well most of us, did what we had to do and got Dumspter out. Now, as long as we do the work and hold Biden & Harris accountable, we have a chance to change the game. Destroy this entire system rigged against us. "We The People" did this. We got them into office. It wasn't necessarily because we wanted them there, but it was because we wanted him out.

For this episode, I will dive into the voter demographics of this election, the story they tell, and discuss how Black Women, once again, saved the day. With that said, it is important for me to address a conflict that I am sure many Black women are having in regards to Madam VP-Elect. And, as always, I will point out issues, while also providing solutions. This will be a short, but in depth overview of Four Seasons Landscaping's Best Week Ever!

While most filmgoers are focused on the terrifying scenes in horror movies, I'm like, "What song is that in the background? It's a bop," while someone on screen is getting brutally attacked. Priorities! Most people do not think about the music in horror movies, but hey, I am not most people. Horror movie soundtracks, especially in the 90s, are the absolute best. During that time in particular, a new musical genre was born and it gave this angsty teen all of the feels. As bright and full of sunshine as I am, I definitely have a dark side when it comes to music. And during Halloween, I let it all out. Strap on in my little goblins; because this episode, I am taking you on a musical horror journey. It'll be spooky scary, scary spooky, but nothing you can't handle. Happy Halloween! Hope you get more treats than tricks, unless the tricks bring the treats!

Trigger Warnings:

Unplugged - Discuss the murder of Jonathan Price (5:45-6:18)

Unmastered - Discuss the history of a song, which mentions public suicide (1:06:45 - 1:07:42)

History can lead us to the conclusion that music and revolution go hand in hand. Just as Nina and Marvin stepped up for our people, we are now seeing Janelle and Anderson do the same. Unfortunately, our past keeps on repeating, almost like it never truly left. Music has therapeutic abilities, which is the reason we all turn to song when we are happy, sad, angry, and tired of being sick and tired! We all know that art imitates life. But can we be hopeful enough to believe that life can imitate art?

Us Yankees know Richmond, VA as the capital of the confederacy, the heart of racism. However, there is so much more to this glorious city. The diversity is incomparable and the art is a sight to behold. As my mother said to me when I returned home, “See, this is why you do not judge a book by its cover!” Although this city has a history rooted in bloodshed and injustice, it has also been the heart of the Civil Rights Movement, in the 60s and now. I learned more than I ever thought possible during my 9-day trip. So, as I stand at a crossroads in my life, with no commitment to a job or partner, Richmond is looking like a snack. And, someway, somehow, the music found a way to let me know that home should be RVA.

**Episode Content Warning: Discussion of rape in regards to slavery, slavery in general, and the murders of Natasha McKenna, Jacob Blake, and Anthony Huber.

There were many nights a DJ saved my life. Club Culture and Music have played a huge role in my life. House music has always been a safety net for me. Primarily because it is a place that requires inclusion and individuality. For better, and for worse, House DJs have shaped the entertainment world since its inception.

Being a part of a culture is supposed to be a freeing expression of self, so why is it so restraining? Why do we use culture to define others, including ourselves? Aesthetics and identity are two different things; however, people tend to confuse the two. From the music you love to the clothes you wear, you are not defined by the material, but rather the internal and spiritual. This episode I will dive into artists who are outside the box and genres that have never been in one.

Our country is suffering through 2 pandemics. There is, unsurprisingly, an abundance of distractions. The music and entertainment industry is partially responsible. The appearance of solidarity is not always what it seems. We must remain diligent and focused.

Corrections:

Intro —Zach is a drummer for the band Caused BY Carelessness but Cause Carelessness

Unplugged —Loveland Foundation, not Organization. Clearly, when I speak of the white artists who made a statement of solidarity, that does not include H.E.R., who is a Black artist, very about the empowerment of Black people. Definitely listen to “I Can’t Breathe.”

Uncharted —Mike Brown was murdered by former Ferguson police officer, Darren Wilson, in 2014, not 2015