~Elle Shanice~ APPROVED ✔: 10 Things I Want To Say To A Black Woman

When I first heard this poem by Joshua Bennett, it moved me in a way that I have NEVER experienced before. Maybe it is because I have never been in love or that I have always wanted to hear something like this being said to me.

This is not me being insecure and hearing exactly what I wanted to hear. It is the hopeless romantic in me that looks forward to having someone in my life that feels this strongly about me, but the overall message is just as strong to me.

I love being a black woman and it is VERY refreshing to hear a black man feel this way about us, especially in today's black culture. A lot of the things that he loves about black women were things that I didn't think most guys noticed. Maybe that is my limited experience with men, but I LOVED when he said that the way to a man's heart was through the "heaven in your hello". I LOVED how he said that "light dances off your teeth" or talked about the beauty of a black woman, from her determination to her skin.

My favorite part is #7:

You are like the SUNRISE in a nation at war: you remind people that there is ALWAYS something worth waking up to.

That statement is the essence of how I want my future husband and the father of my children to feel about me. I want him say something like this and above ALL else, I want him to mean it. 

THANK YOU Joshua Bennett...you help me remember that there is something worth WAITING for.

2nd Look: "I Love My Hair" (Sesame Street Video)

I didn't know how to feel about this video from Sesame Street when I first heard about it. A little girl singing about hair? I didn't exactly know where they were going to go with that, but when I watched it and found out the story behind it, I couldn't help but think that it was the CUTEST thing EVER! I liked how the song showed the many different ways that black hair can be done and that all of them are beautiful. It is about time that positive aspects of the black experience are being highlighted and I know some grown women who could use this positive attitude about their hair.

I want to know who they little girl is that they got to sing it, because she is very talented and I thought that it was especially nice that the white writer did it for his black adopted daughter so that she would appreciate her hair as a part of her heritage. I can appreciate the message that is directed towards little black girls may be ashamed or teased about their thick, kinky, natural hair. I definately think that my 7-year-old sister can benefit from seeing this and can be ok if her hair is not as straight as what she may see on TV.

I Can't Wait To See "For Colored Girls"

November 5th can't get here fast enough!!!!!  I can't say that I am a fan of ALL Tyler Perry projects, but this movie has me excited and I think that this could be his best work yet. If this movie is as good as it looks, then he should seriously consider JUST producing dramatic films.

Other than the fact that this movie has a star-studded cast with 2 of my FAVORITE actresses in it (Loretta Devine & Phylicia Rashad), the preview (below) has me waiting anxiously to see it and the website http://www.forcoloredgirlsmovie.com/ is AMAZING!!!!! They have these living portraits of each of the characters that gives you a glimpse into each character. Some of them are haunting, especially Kelly (played by Kerry Washington) and the pain in her eyes gave me chills. Good job TP!!!!! You have captured my interest yet again...but now you have to deliver.
 

~Elle Shanice~ APPROVED ✔: Bruno Mars

Last night, I just happened to be flipping through the channels when I stumbled across Bruno Mars performing on SNL. He was singing one of my favorite songs right now, "Just the Way You Are", which is #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 right now. I really enjoyed his performance and his stage presence, plus his band was great also.

This performance did what it was supposed to: made me interested in him as an artist and made me want to listen to some more of his music. I also liked the other song that he performed called "Grenade", which is the 1st song on his album. I listened to the rest of the album and I think that it is one of the best of the year, especially from a new artist. I felt alot of doo-wop influence in songs like "Runaway Love", which is obvious from the title of the title.

Some of my favorite songs from the album show a vulnerable side of him, which made me like him even more. The song "Talking to the Moon" was especially sweet to me, because he was singing about lost love and "Our First Time" is my favorite song because of it's slow groove and his voice is even better.

I was first introduced to Bruno Mars when he was featured on the song "Nothin On You" by B.O.B. I remember seeing the video & not reallly thinking much of him, other than he was really CUTE. However, his first single off of his album, Doo-Wops & Hooligans, began to grow on me. Every time I listened to "Just the Way You Are", it made it's way into my heart because of the sweet lyrics & made me wish that he was singing to me.

I look forward to seeing what he was in store for the future and I hope that I can go see him if he comes to NYC on tour one day. Bruno Mars...You are ~Elle Shanice~ APPROVED✔

Bruno Mars Performs On SNL
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