Drama + Controversy

Three Undervalued 90s R&B Classics

Everyone and their daddy knows that the 90s era of R&B music was phenomenal. It has become the go-to era to reference for what a true R&B love song should sound like. When a song from that era comes on, there is a sudden rush of emotion that forces your body into some sort of reaction; often in the form of an off-key karaoke-style sing-along

There are a few songs from that time that evoke such nostalgia, but no one can ever remember who it was singing. It was like “that’s my jam!” but had no idea who was on the vocals. I remember them, though, and today they will get the props they deserve for creating such memorable classics.

Something’s Going On (1993) – U.N.V.

UNV - Something's Going On — UNV – Something’s Going On (1993)

Love slipping right through their fingers with obvious signs of trouble in paradise is what the men of Universal Nubian Voices (U.N.V) were singing about in their 1993 R&B smash hit “Something’s Going On”.

Trying to figure out how things took a turn for the worst in their love, the four gentlemen out of Detroit, Michigan gave pleasurable vocals in the process of exclaiming their disdain for a love gone wrong. The song peaked at number 3 on the US R&B Singles chart and actually hit number 29 on Billboard Hot 100.

A relatable song we fell in love with back in the day. The lyrics and emotional delivery gave chills.

Cry No More (1993) – II D Extreme

II D Extreme - Cry No More — II D Extreme – Cry No More (1993)

A sensitive, understanding man is always the cure for a broken heart and there were three of them singing to us in their 1993 song “Cry No More”.

The trio, who originated in D. C., came through with just what we needed to nurse our heart back to health.

With regal vocals and acute harmonies, we felt “seen” as the gentlemen of II D Extreme killed us softly with their song. They were there for us to pick up the pieces after heartache.

An unforgettable song from the 90s era.

So Alone (1992) – Men At Large

Men At Large - So Alone — Men At Large – So Alone (1992)

R&B legend Gerald Levert landed on a gold mine of vocals in his discovery of the Cleveland originated group, Men At Large.

The tear-jerker “So Alone” was one of those songs that got stuck in your head, even though it was sad as all get out. It was seven and a half minutes of tears-streaming (album version), yet we still couldn’t stop listening.

Reaching number 5 on Billboard Hot R&B Singles and breaking through the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at 31, people across the country found “So Alone” so amazing.

What If?: Tamar Braxton Edition

Everything happens as it should, right? Well, even if that’s true, let’s imagine that each time a choice is made, the other options play out in a parallel dimension. Doesn’t that make you feel better? To know that in another life you’re living out every one of your dreams? Yeah, let’s roll with that and imagine Tamar Braxton was full-out famous as Beyoncé back in the early 2000s.

Ms. Tamar Estine Braxton – premier vocalist extraordinaire – has become well-known for her one-of-a-kind personality and out-of-this-world vocals. She’s been around since her teenaged years, starting out in the 1990s as a member of The Braxtons with her four sisters, including THEE Toni Braxton, and later launching a solo career (late 1990s – early 2000s). However, her well-deserved ascension to stardom didn’t happen until over a decade later when her reality show, Braxton Family Values, came on air in April 2011. It wasn’t until then did we get to behold the authentic personality that would set the internet abuzz with tons of catchphrases. And with the release her first post-reality-show album, Love and War (2013), Tamar had proven that she was slept on for far too long. A solid R&B EP with her personality shining through fully, I was completely sold. Before that, she lived in her big sister’s shadow and never really got the shine she was due. Not that I’m obsessed or anything, but I often wonder why she never blew up back in the day. She definitely had the potential. Besides, she would’ve been good competition for Ashanti… and eventually Beyoncé. Yes, I said Beyoncé.

Don’t get me wrong, I am a card-carrying member of the BeyHive; however, I’m not so blinded by the ineffable Mrs. Knowles-Carter’s grandeur that I cannot give props to other artists as I see due.

After witnessing the very outspoken Ms. Braxton on Braxton Family Values alongside her sisters, I realized that we’d been deprived for many years of something amazing. Not that she didn’t make good music prior to that, it’s just that she didn’t get the play or notice she deserved. “Get None” (1999), from her eponymously titled debut album is so very Tamar and the video was giving! She also killed her feature on R&B group, Silk’s, song “Don’t Go” from their album Love Session (2001). She was not a one hit wonder type of artist. It’s like there was something trying to keep her in a box, and that is just someplace Tamar didn’t belong.

Tamar Braxton – Get None (1999)

I wonder if it was because her voice or look was too similar to Toni’s? Maybe music executives felt there wasn’t a clear-cut niche for Tamar so the “machine” wasn’t put in full-throttle to push her forward? I can see how it could appear that way, and maybe back in early 2000s, personality wasn’t as important is it is today, but we sure could have used a Tamar in that era. The Tamar with the outrageous commentary and tear-provoking vocals. The girl who could drop it low but also sit on a stool in the middle of an empty stage and send chill-bumps up our arms with those chilling vocals.

Oops, too much like Beyoncé? Well, that would have been a bit of healthy competition that would have required Tamar to give it all she had, which means we would have seen all that poppin’ and droppin’ and sassiness given and received with full adoration. That Beyonce/Tamar [healthy] rivalry would have been lit.

Watching her “Love It” video (from her Calling All Lovers album) makes me believe she felt like she had FINALLY burst out of her box and was able to be the woman she wanted to be from the very start. The woman who would’ve given all the early 2000s hot girls a run for their money.

When we want to bring someone up against Beyoncé Giselle Knowles, there must be verifiable receipts to back up such audacious claims of worthiness. Besides the fact that this is all how I personally envisioned that era with Tamar Braxton officially on the scene, there is no doubt that Tamar has the talent. Don’t get me wrong, Beyonce shut it down with the whole package – dancing, vocals, and fabulousness beyond measure, giving life from the moment we heard “uh oh, uh oh, uh oh oh no no”… it was done. But just to imagine that there was another on the scene who could keep up – and in my mind, that would’ve been Tamar, if only the stars had aligned correctly. Had she had the team and the backing, she could have torn up the 2000s. With vocals comparable to Mariah Carey, I am for sure in my heart of this.

No, she doesn’t do much dancing in her current videos, but obviously she has the ability. Please take the time to view The Braxtons’ “Good Life” performance from 1990. Just find it online and behold the moves that a young Tamar was giving. Watching her compete on the 21^st season of Dancing With The Stars in 2015 actually caused me a bit of grief because I felt we had long been deprived of something great. Not that what she’s giving us at the present isn’t great enough, I just realize that there could have been so much more given had her star arose back in the 2000s. So much talent was subdued for far too long.

Tamar with The Braxtons – Good Life (1990)

I don’t know all the details of what happened with Tamar back then. Her big personality could’ve been an hindrance or maybe it just wasn’t her time yet.

Lose the Poverty Consciousness

Ok, my people. That is all races and religions, with a special dedication to my community. We need to realize that the way we see the world is just our bubble of thinking. We do that not realizing how detrimental it is to still look at things differently. Us, in these human bodies, forget that we have to run this world as a unit. There is so much irony in this world and the way we do things. This leads me to think about poverty consciousness.

When I start my day, one of the first things that I do is thank God and the Universe for such endless possibilities of success. That has to be applied in everyday thinking as well. Poverty has stricken our communities and thought patterns for years. At some point we have to be held accountable for the choices we have to make decisions for. Making life work without so much trial and error.

I know you are wondering where I am going with this sooooooooooo……..TEN HUT!!!!!! If we would just take a minute to make our actions line up with our literal definition. Poverty consciousness comes when we feel like we need to do just enough to get by.

A poverty conscious mind is almost like suicide. Living like there isn’t enough to go around. So as simple as I can put it. How could that be suicide? Well if we began to live like there isn’t a great supply, we began to set unnecessary limits on things and most importantly, life.

3 Remarkable Remakes

1. You Give Good Love (Whitney Houston & Demetria McKinney)

Who would dare come for THE legendary Whitney Houston’s vocals? With such audacity, one must come correct or not come at all.

At the age of 21, Whitney released “You Give Good Love” on February 22, 1985, as a single from her self-titled debut album. Written by La Forrest “La La” Cope and produced by the late singer/producer, Kashif, “You Give Good Love” garnered Houston an AMA win and two Grammy nominations and went on to become a pop and R&B classic.

With that said, it takes a brave soul to attempt to revamp such a timeless classic that was originally belted out by one of the most amazing vocalists of all time.

I can confidently say that the multi-talented Ms. Demetria McKinney has come correct.

We may know Demetria McKinney as the stunning actress who has graced our television screens in various series including Tyler Perry’s House of Payne and the Bounce TV drama Saints & Sinners. She also portrayed Whitney Houston herself in the Bobbi Kristina television film on TVOne. However, respect is due in her talent as a vocalist as well. Around the time the Bobbi Kristina movie aired, Demetria released her album, Officially Yours, in October 2017 which included the “You Give Good Love” remake.

Sometimes remakes are cringy and aggravating, making you even question your love for the original song. This is not one of those instances.

In her rendition, Demetria kept it close to the original script with a little bit of a modern twist. Her vocals were on point and the vibe will definitely cause you to close your eyes as you sway your head back & forth with a finger snap. Demetria’s version somehow manages to induce the same nostalgia as the original, which is a clear sign that this was a job well done.

2. Prototype (Andre3000 & Kevin Ross)

“Prototype” is a single that originated from rap royalty Andre 3000 on the double album for the iconic rap duo OutKast. The song was the melodic creative expression of Andre 3000 and was released along with Big Boi’s “Ghetto Musick” from their 2003 double album, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below.

Obviously a rapper but lending us his palatable vocals, Andre 3000 gave us a new anthem. If bae doesn’t make you feel like you’ve found your “prototype”, they are not the one. With its funky yet chill vibe, we are walked through the love experience of finding the one who resuscitates our heart and inspires hope. An ode of gratitude for the one capable of rekindling the flame of love in our life and bringing us “back to this world”.

Singer/song-writer Kevin Ross gave the song a true R&B vibe with a minimalistic musical tone and smooth lyrical delivery. Kevin’s voice is perfect and the emotion he provides gives the song a new dimension. His rendition appears on his 2017 EP, Drive, released on Motown Records.

3. Stay (Jodeci & June’s Diary)

The 90s was the decade R&B music ascended to a new level of amazing. Groups like Jodeci arrived and thrived on the scene during that time, creating timeless music that became the soundtrack of our lives. “Stay” was the third single released on Jodeci’s debut album, Forever My Lady, in 1991.

An ode to rekindling an old flame, the mellow jam is a staple on everyone’s love song playlist. Jodeci is one of those groups with a distinct sound and flavor that is hard to replicate, which is why remaking their music is a daunting task.

Nevertheless, girl group June’s Diary was up for the challenge. Founded by Kelly Rowland right before our eyes on their reality show, Chasing Destiny, the group is stocked with stellar vocals from five beautiful women.

Putting their own spin the classic song, June’s Diary added a feminine element to the lyrics while keeping it reminiscent of the original. “Stay” was on their debut mixtape, Male Edition, released in June 2017.

Delilah Recap, S1 E5: No Good Deed

Delilah is an interesting new drama which premiered on OWN in March 2021. It focuses on the complicated life of a divorced attorney who juggles being a single mom with her litigious caseload. She faces challenges with friends and family while running her own law practice.

This episode opens with Delilah (Maahra Hill) rummaging through the damage created after a break-in at her client and friend from college, Leah Davis’s (Saycon Sengbloh), home. Delilah is on the phone directing someone to dig deeper into the investigation of Osbourne Tactical and the death of Gary Shay to get to the bottom of why Leah is being targeted. Gary Shay was recently murdered when he decided to talk about what was happening at Osbourne Tactical regarding military radios that were exploding. Leah met Fred Osbourne, a married man, on a dating app and ended up working for him at Osbourne Tactical afterwards but was recently fired and sought legal counsel at Delilah’s practice. Delilah believes the perpetrators in both Shay’s murder and Leah’s break-in would be identifiable in a police lineup. A police officer comes to take a report and Delilah emphasizes that her client could have easily been the next body bag had she not been able to reach for her cell phone in time. The police officer stated that most burglars try to avoid confrontation which is why Delilah believes there was more to the break-in than meets the eye.

As another police officer enters Leah’s apartment, he reveals that the devices in question are not able to be found because the perpetrator removed the locators on Leah’s computer and cell phone. The officers wrap things up and prepare to leave but Delilah is adamant that they check Osbourne offices to further investigate which vehicles were dispatched out and by whom. The first officer reminds her that they would need a search warrant and there won’t be any viable evidence until the fingerprint test is complete. Both officers seem to doubt the verity of the situation, so Delilah advises them to interrogate the neighbors for more proof. The first officer is fed up with Delilah’s bossy behavior but the other officer reminds him that she is the daughter of a respected police chief. They agree to speak with Fred Osbourne to find out what he knows about the break-in. Leah chimes in and asks them to also speak with Tamara Roberts (Jill Marie Jones) but Delilah shuts that down. Tamara is an attorney who is Delilah’s best friend and is currently on opposing counsel.

The officers leave and Delilah begins to ask Leah about Tamara’s involvement in this incident. Leah says Tamara called her earlier and wanted to meet, although she knew she wasn’t supposed to. Leah agreed to meet because she thought there was a better settlement offer from Fred Osbourne on the table but when she arrived at the specified location, Tamara did not show. Tamara later called Leah to explain why she didn’t show up and said there would be one last offer on the table that would be better than the current one. A little while back, Delilah set up an interview with a reporter so that Leah could step ahead of the character assassination pertaining to her involvement with Fred Osbourne; however, Tamara’s law firm sent an imposter reporter instead and Leah aired all her dirty laundry when Delilah had to step out of the room. Although Tamara denies any connection to the plot, she threatened Leah that she would use that information if they end up going to court. After dealing with Tamara, Leah returned home to find the intruder in her home and believes that it was a distraction to allow time for the intruder to confiscate the information pertaining to Osbourne Tactical. Delilah is visibly distraught.

In the next scene, Tamara is in the bedroom of her high-rise apartment and her newly engaged fiancé, Casey (LaMonica Garrett), enters, straight from the gym, and pretends to ravish her on their bed. Tamara laughs with joy but reminds her Love that he is a sweaty mess. As Casey is walking into the bathroom, he asks Tamara if she has heard from Delilah and Tamara is a bit dismissive. Instead of answering, she asks him if he had spoken with his friend, Jamal, about the date they set up for him and Delilah. Casey advised her that he had indeed spoken with Casey who said that Delilah had to end their date early because of an urgent issue. Tamara goes in on Delilah and her tendency to mess up good things, which seems to Tamara to be something done on purpose so it can become an obstacle that Delilah is later victorious at overcoming. Then comes the real reason for the animosity: Tamara explains to her fiancé that Delilah scheduled Fred Osbourne’s deposition against her will to feed her need for drama. As she sits on her bed with a slightly distressed countenance, Tamara says she is pushing to move the case forward with a possible settlement to get it over with as quickly as possible. Casey had walked back into the bathroom but returns quickly with a serious facial expression when Tamara mentioned that she is willing to settle the case. Her face lights up with a smile and she coyly advises her man that she will explain later. He laughs and returns to the bathroom just as Tamara’s cell phone rings. Upon the realization that it is Delilah, she answers with an attitude. Delilah sternly asks her to meet her the apartment building’s lounge since they will not have privacy at Tamara’s home due to Casey’s presence; there is a serious conversation that must be had.

As soon as Tamara exits the elevator, she angrily asks Delilah what she wants. Delilah unloads on her about how she underhandly spoke with her client, Leah Davis, which Tamara says she did in effort to save Delilah from herself. Tamara reminded Delilah of her plan to pursue the military together regarding their efforts to cover up the carnage of the exploding radios and vehemently urged her to settle the case. Delilah then explains the burglary that ensued at Leah’s home that resulted in theft two specific items of interest for Tamara’s client, Fred Osbourne: Leah’s computer and cell phone. Also, that the robbery coincidently occurred while Leah was interacting with Tamara. Appearing to be caught off guard, Tamara listens intently to Delilah’s recount of the burglary and realizes that Delilah believes this is all Osbourne’s doing. Tamara agrees to speak with her client in the morning pertaining to the incident but warns Delilah that impromptu angry work meetings are not ideal. Delilah half jokes that she doesn’t know what is acceptable for Tamara anymore. As Tamara is about to leave, she turns to ask if they are still on for her lunch on Monday to discuss her wedding since Delilah is her maid of honor. Still being a friend, Delilah assures her that she is still in and they end their interaction as Delilah shifts in the lounge chair and appears to take a moment to cool down from the madness of their meeting.

Next, focus is shifted to Delilah’s ex-husband, Gordon (Lyriq Bent), who is cuddled up in bed with his modelesque girlfriend, Katya (Amanda Tavarez), as she receives a text message from her roommate, Erica. In a past episode, it was revealed that the two women have been forced to exit their current home because their landlord is selling. Katya asked Gordon if they could think about her moving in with him but Gordon was not ready. Katya explains that the place Erica wants to view is too expensive and Gordon is nonchalant about it and says he has work to do anyway. Katya feels some type of way about his indifference and removes herself from his arms with an attitude. As she’s getting dressed on the edge of the bed, Gordon, who seems to have no idea why she’s agitated, asks Katya what he said to aggravate her. She responds with sarcasm and reminds him that she will be homeless in two weeks. Realizing that Katya is fed up with Gordon’s indecisiveness about their cohabitation, he says he will speak to Delilah to feel out her reaction to the possibility of having a live-in girlfriend since their kids frequently visit. Katya is at her breaking point with their relationship always having to be a specific way and reminds Gordon that she has a lot going on for herself and doesn’t deserve to constantly be placed on a backburner to appease Delilah. She breaks up with him and leaves in anger.

Delilah’s military veteran brother, Nate (Leonard Harmon), who returned from overseas paralyzed, calls his wife, Christine (Candace B. Harris), from the VA rehab center where he is currently residing. Christine has not taken Nate’s paralysis well and has been estranged since he returned in a wheelchair. She has checked out of their marriage and refuses to see their young son, Dion, who has been living with Delilah. Lying in bed, Christine rolls her eyes as she answers the phone. Nate asks if she would come visit him so they could spend time together and she agrees to “try” to meet him tomorrow evening. Before ending the call, Nate says, “I love you” and Christine simply says bye and hangs up, then cuddles up with Nate’s trusted “friend” who is lying in bed with her, who kisses her on the head.

Next, Delilah drives up her to her father’s house, with whom she has a love/hate relationship. Wes (Nigel Gibbs) is outside doing lawn maintenance and is surprised to see who has rolled up into his driveway. Once Delilah reaches her father, she explains with situation with Leah Davis, which her father is already aware of because he heard from the two officers who handled the burglary report. Delilah was wondering if her father could enforce his power as chief of police to put different officers on the investigation so she could get the upper hand with Fred Osbourne. Wes is obviously not compelled. To motivate her father to make a move, Delilah explains that the radios in question from Osbourne Tactical are likely the cause of his son’s, and her brother’s, injury while on active duty. Wes asks for proof and Delilah pulls out files which contain two different accounts of what happened to Nate in his accident. The discrepant reports were created by the same military officer, Rick Pattengale, who sent one copy to Nate and the other to Osbourne. Apparently, there were similar discrepant reports for other injured soldiers. As Wes is looking over the files, Delilah tells him that she believes the military and/or Osbourne are trying to hide something and that she wouldn’t ask him to put his neck out for her unless she was out of options. She said she’s had no luck locating Rick Pattengale and it would help her case tremendously if she could prove the break-in was orchestrated by him and/or Osbourne. Wes guessed that the reports came from Gary Shay’s files — an accusation for which Delilah pleaded the fifth when Wes asked. He dauntingly advised his daughter that it would behoove her to impel Gary Shea’s widow, Cindy, to turn over the files to the Department to avoid charges of obstruction since they are pertinent to the open investigation. He used the files as a negotiation piece to give him a reason to apply heavier pressure on Osbourne. Without agreeing, Delilah turns and walks away but does turn back briefly to offer a very mouthy “thank you” before leaving.

Over a card game, Delilah discussing the meeting with her father with her friend and private investigator, Mace (Joe Holt), who acknowledges the fact that they are now at least on speaking terms. Delilah pretty much tells him not to get his hopes up on that. Mace ponders on why someone would be sent to confiscate Leah’s computer and cell phone and while he alludes to more X-rated reasons, Delilah has a hunch that there were messages on the devices exchanged between Shay and Osbourne that Osbourne doesn’t want to see the light of day. Delilah says Leah had been ambivalent about bringing the devices in to her firm to be copied and ended up never following through. Mace said he spoke with an investigator regarding soldier Rick Pattengale and his contact said his strange disappearance is a possible indication that Pattengale is currently associated with the CIA. When Mace changes the subject back to her father, Delilah ignores him and continues to talk about the case. Apparently, she blames her father for the death of her mother, and Mace assures Delilah that her dad is not responsible for her mother’s death, although she died after he left her. After getting ahead in the card game, Delilah sarcastically advises her friend to pay more attention to his hand instead of trying to get into her head about her situation with her father. As he’s advising her of his hard-learned lesson with his own father, Delilah claims victory in their card game and Mace attributes the win to her strategy that kept him distracted with talk about the case. Walking toward the door to leave, Mace turns to Delilah with clear attraction in his eyes and asks Delilah out on a date, to which she declines using his full name, Mason. That is a definite diss, dude. He takes his L and politely exits. Delilah looks flattered yet pensive.

Back at Tamara’s law firm, Win Lockley & Associates, she walks in on Win (Gray Hawks) reviewing a document with his feisty secretary who advises Tamara that he’s not yet available. Win allows her to enter as they are wrapping up their business and, picking up on Tamara’s attitude, inquires what he’s done at her displeasure. After Tamara explained the burglary at Leah Davis’s home, Win looked at Tamara with a calm demeanor and said Osbourne will be disappointed that the devices were stolen since he was looking for them. Tamara made it clear that she believes it’s possible that Osbourne was behind the burglary. On that sentiment, Win moves on to ask if Leah is ready to finalize the settlement. Tamara said that although Leah is ready to settle, she won’t proceed until it is clear that there was no involvement from the law firm pertaining to the burglary – particularly by Win or his father. Win speaks for himself and assures Tamara that he had nothing to do with it and welcomes her to feel free to address her concern directly with Win, Sr. if she’s bad.

As Delilah enters her practice, her secretary, Harper (Ozioma Akagha), gives her the rundown of clients requesting her services. Due to the intensity of the Leah Davis case, Delilah is unable to take on anything else so she asks Harper to set up a list of other lawyers to recommend to one of the requestors, Nona Benson, who has a pregnancy discrimination case. The tension is high between Harper and Delilah tenacious newly hired assistant Demetria (Susan Heyward), as evidenced in Harper’s response to Demetria’s array of plants lined up near a window directly in front of Harper’s desk. Leah’s deposition is scheduled for the next morning and Delilah orders Demetria to place Gary Shay’s file back flawlessly in preparation to be turned over to the police department. Demetria anticipated Delilah’s next move pertaining to Mrs. Shay which slightly impresses Delilah. Demetria’s take over spirit is obviously irking Harper’s nerve as Demetria walks over to close the window blinds Harper just opened less than five minutes earlier. Anxious to get started on the files, Demetria moves towards an office in the back and bossily urges Harper to get moving with her, which sends another chill of aggravation up her spine. Delilah finds their interaction a bit humorous as she turns to walk into her office.

Back at the VA, Nate is laughing with his assistor as he speedily transfers from his wheelchair onto the bed. He’s working hard to get acclimated to his new lifestyle so he can return home to his wife and kid. His assistor offers to help with his clothes but Nate insists on being self-sufficient so he won’t feel like a burden once he’s back with his family. Perhaps he’s extra motivated because today is when his wife agreed to come spend time with him. His assistor wishes him good luck before exiting and Nate transfers himself back into the wheelchair.

Delilah receives a call from Gordon as she’s walking outside and he requests to meet with her at home this evening to discuss his plans with Katya, which he did not divulge to Delilah on the phone.

Next, Delilah is seated with Tamara at a swanky restaurant, both have started the meal while looking at each other without speaking. After sipping from her glass of wine, Tamara asks Delilah to find some old Bayang-free pictures from college to use the slideshow Casey is preparing for their wedding reception. There’s clearly tension between the two and Tamara begins to complain about their seating since it not their usual booth. There’s a brief awkward silence and then Delilah inquires about the status of the wedding venue. Tamara used her connections, namely her fiancé, to ease her way into prestigious venue on a busy holiday, which prompts Delilah to offer some dry, sarcastic humor. Tamara seems to be all about using any resource or connect available to achieve her desired result and feels judged by Delilah for doing so. Delilah assures her there is no judgment. Tamara advises her friend that her boss, Win, as well as his father was not aware of the break in at Leah’s. Tamara also advises that she address Fred Osbourne about the matter at the deposition prep the next day and also assures Delilah that she is not trying to pull the wool over her eyes. She then blames Delilah for creating a situation where they would have to oppose each other but guarantees to relay any and all information regarding Fred Osbourne’s inquisition about the burglary. When Delilah second guesses whether or Tamara actually addressed Win, Sr., she becomes defensive which tips off Delilah that the answer is “no’. She then gives a spiel about Nate being confined to a wheelchair because of whatever Osbourne is trying to cover up and feels Tamara is not concerned enough. Tamara is over it and gets up to put on her jacket as she invokes one of their old friendship rules which entails an olive branch being extended by the offending party by midnight. Delilah sticks to her guns and Tamara reaches in her purse and places an $100 bill on the table before walking out. Delilah shakes her head.

Wes is driving when he receives a call he’s been expecting from Paul Greene, his former police partner, who requests a brief in-person meeting that evening. Wes prioritizes his wife’s desire to watch a new TV show that night and instead suggests that they continue to discuss the matter at hand over the phone. However, John insists that they meet at a specific location they both seem to be mysteriously familiar with.

As Delilah is getting the boys settled in bed, her son, Marcus, is excitedly recounting an exciting video game moment to his cousin, Dion, who is thoroughly enjoying the story. Delilah scolds Marcus for embellishing the truth but Dion was already hip to the lie. Just as she is done tucking in the boys, the doorbell rings. As she’s walking to the front door, Maia’s violin can be heard throughout the hallway. Delilah taps on her daughter’s door to advise her that it’s bedtime.

Gordon is at the door and as Delilah escorts him in he thanks her for taking the time to talk. He asks for a minute to speak to the kids before starting the discussion.

Nate has his room at the VA set up for a romantic dinner with candles and flowers. As he’s straightening the silverware on the table, his wife knocks at the door. Nate does a brief self-check before inviting her in. Christine walks in with a countenance of slight disinterest and Nate thanks her for showing up. He tries to make light conversation after noticing Christine picking at her food and there’s a brief awkward moment after she mentions her loss of appetite.

To brighten her mood, Nate unveils a picture puzzle of Niagara Falls with a green bow around it. He said it’s time they went since it’s a location they desired to visit together and Christine is unsure how to address his mobility issue. Nate has it all planned out, though, and explains that his paralysis would not hinder their fun. He re-proclaims his love and dedication to her and their family but Christine is honest about her uncertainty. Nate is visibly distraught after she pulls her hand away from his.

Back at Delilah’s, Gordon is exiting the boys’ room and Maia comes out to ask him for a moment to talk before sinking into her father’s arms. Gordon, concerned, asked what’s wrong and Maia asked said she needed his help with something so they go into her room to talk.

Shortly after, Gordon returns downstairs and sits on a couch across from Delilah to talk. He gets right the to point about Katya, and Delilah brings up the painful fact that Katya was his student at one point. Gordon assures her that Katya’s parents are in the know about their relationship and goes ahead to inform Delilah that Katya will be moving in with him. Delilah vehemently forbade her kids from staying with him as long as Katya is there since she is the reason he was fired from his previous teaching position. They get into it about Katya’s age and the way the relationship began and Delilah admits that she is barely over how he wrecked their family with his affair. Gordon expresses his desire for happiness while it seems he feels Delilah will never be. While Delilah is still reeling over Gordon’s decision, he reveals that their daughter wants to apply to a school of arts located in Philly which would require her to skip senior year but would not hinder her attaining her high school diploma. He was respectful enough to advise Maia to consult with Delilah before proceeding, even though he gave it the green light. Maia attempts to assert her control over the decision to have their kids around Katya but Gordon shuts it down and exits after calmly bidding her good night.

It’s nighttime when Wes arrives at the location specified by Mr. Greene and as they walk toward each other, Mr. Greene extends his hand for a shake but is left hanging. Wes wants to get straight to the point, but Paul seems to be feeling a bit nostalgic. However, Wes’s old partner soon reveals, with a bit of angst, the reason for their meeting which was to address Wes’s decision to put Ken Collins for Internal Investigation on the Leah Davis burglary investigation, which Paul seem to feel was unusual. Ken revealed to Paul that he was asked to interrogate Fred Osbourne. Paul reveals that Osbourne Tactical has pledged to provide body armor to the police force with a press release happening tomorrow and advises Wes that no one should want to stand in the way of that opportunity. Wes hears and understands but when Paul drives the point home by bringing up Delilah’s request and Wes gets agitated and begins to walk away. Paul keeps talking, reminding him how easy it is for a small situation to get out of hand resulting in a dangerous situation, appearing to allude to a previous incident. Wes exits in his vehicle without a word.

Tamara and Casey are at home discussing the wedding invitations and Tamara notices that her boss, Win, was not on the list. Casey felt that having Delilah and Win in the same room wouldn’t be a good look but Tamara nonchalantly insists that they will have to just deal with it and adds Win and his wife anyway. Still upset that Delilah implied that she was not concerned about Nate, Tamara gets defensive when Casey suggests that she call Delilah and feels that this time it’s Delilah who needs to reach out to her. Nate gives her a convicting look but Tamara sticks to her guns about who needs to call who. Casey gets up for a drink.

Delilah is home cooking eggs and toast while Mace sits in a barstool next to the kitchen sink bringing up the fact that the guy Tamara hooked her up with, Jamal, must be a non-factor since he’s been invited over twice in one week. As she hands the plate of food to Mace, along with a bottle of hot sauce, she relays that she is still upset with Tamara for lying to her face. Mace is not thoroughly convinced but Delilah reminds him that they’ve known each other since middle school so nothing much can get past her. He knows of their friend pact about resolving the issue by midnight but Delilah is not eager to oblige. She realizes that although Tamara is tenacious about self-preservation, she felt she would still always have her back and is trying to process the fact that their lives are veering apart. Mace grabs her phone and starts to call Tamara to intercede but Delilah gets upset and yells at him to stop.

Next, Tamara and Casey both sit up in bed staring at her phone waiting for it to ring. When Delilah finally calls, Casey calls it and lays down to sleep. Tamara thanks her for calling and straight away admits to lying about asking Win, Sr. about his possible involvement in Leah’s burglary. Trying to survive and thrive at a predominantly white law firm had her shook and she was afraid of Delilah’s judgment. Delilah reminds her that even after the Leah case ends, Tamara will still have to endure the tumultuous conditions of working at Win’s firm. After reaffirming her concern for Nate, which Delilah acknowledged, Tamara doesn’t feel that the case against Osbourne is strong enough for her to walk with Delilah on the case. Delilah presses her on asking Fred Osbourne about the burglary and what she would do if it turns out he was proven to be involved. Tamara says she will cross that bridge when she gets to it. Tamara is all about business and is irked that Delilah gets emotionally wrapped up in things. Delilah is quite and seems stunned by Tamara’s coldness. She speaks with a hint of sadness as she goes to sit at her laptop on the bed to send the pictures of young Tamara (without bangs) to use in the reception slideshow. Fighting back tears, Delilah asks if she is still going to be the Maid of Honor and Tamara says that once the trial is over, things might improve so they’ll just take a little hiatus from each other but will be forever “sisters”. They both end the call in tears.

At the office, Delilah compliments Demetria on her excellent work, even though she is a bit overzealous in her efforts to get a leg up in the Leah Davis case. Delilah then delves into Demetria’s clash with Harper; however, Demetria’s take-over spirit arises again, to Delilah’s chagrin. In walks Harper, just in time, bearing the news that Wes has come to see Delilah.

Hoping for good news about Fred Osbourne, Wes, instead, tells Delilah that no one has been questioned at this point due to office politics and explains the news Paul Greene relayed to him the other night about the body armor deal. Wes acknowledges that he’s reviewed Shay’s files and found the discrepancies Delilah mentioned but believes that finding Rick Pattengale’s whereabouts should become the priority over antagonizing Fred Osbourne. Delilah gets upset but she feels her father always puts work before family. Harper abruptly interrupts, immediately followed by police officers who apologize to Wes and then proceed to arrest Delilah for evidence tampering and obstruction. After commanding the officers to stand down, Wes asked who issued the warrant and was advised it was a Judge Acres, which was of no surprise to Wes. Interrupting the officer’s Miranda citation, Demetria announces herself as Delilah’s attorney. Another officer dismissed Demetria to allow the arrest to proceed. Delilah glances at her father as the handcuffs were being applied.

Delilah airs Tuesdays at 9pm on OWN.

Celebrity Lookalikes: KJ Smith + Sanaa Lathan

Another case of celebrity doppelgangers?

The beautiful KJ Smith is an actress best known for her role as feisty Melinda on Bounce’s Family Time and most recently, as Andi, the love-struck lawyer on the Tyler Perry dramedy, Sistas, which airs on BET. She is a phenomenal actress with great acting range and is surely a legend in the making.

Is an intro really necessary for Sanaa Lathan? This gorgeous lady has graced our screens for decades, but by the looks of things, you would think she was still 21. From The Best Man, to Brown Sugar, to The Wood, to Love & Basketball, and Nappily Ever After, her resume is extensive and her presence in timeless classics has made her a respected veteran in the acting game. She has also rolled deep in the television arena, with a new show currently in the works based off The Best Man movie. The Best Man: The Final Chapters has been greenlit for limited series production on Peacock.

Do these two queens lookalike? Yay or nay?

Album Review: Kelly Price’s GRACE

Multi-talented, multi-genre, and multi-Grammy nominated artist Kelly Price has returned with her eighth studio album, GRACE, which is her first studio album in nearly seven years. In the meantime, she and her beautiful spirit have GRACEd our television screens most recently as a host of BET’s gospel singing competition, Sunday Best.

Ms. Price is known for swerving all over the highway of musical genres and has made it clear that she has no lane. From R&B to Gospel, her powerful vocals have contributed to the soundtrack of our lives since her iconic R&B song Friend of Mine was released by in 1998. Her spirit exudes through each song she blesses up with, and her legendary hit, It’s My Time, is prime example of how she chooses to use her gift to inspire and uplift.

GRACE is not necessarily a traditional gospel album — it leans more towards being an inspirational album with heavy gospel influence.

Dance Party

The album starts off with some TURN UP! The first song, Dance Party, is an upbeat jam with a very appropriate name. As soon as it starts, there is really no way you’ll be able to NOT pull out a shoulder bounce or body roll. She even made it interactive, giving us a chance to join in with a “You say, you say”, and it’s guaranteed that you will indeed follow through with “I, I wanna dance! I wanna dance and I’m gonna do it now! I wanna daaaanccce!” It’s an ode to perseverance over negativity and obstacles that tend to bring us down; a reminder that no matter what, that voice within, that spark of Divine, is bigger and more powerful than anything so choose JOY and peace over everything else. Knowing Who is in charge is reason enough to DANCE so let it all go and give praise.

Grace

Kelly slows it down with the title track, Grace, which is essentially a mellow love song to the most high for His forgiveness, mercy, and GRACE. The song itself has an R&B feel with a gospel message. Her vocals are smooth with a spritz of jazz. The message relayed is that no matter how many times we fall, no matter how wretched we are, God continues to cover us when we turn to Him.

What I Need (Interlude)

This interlude fazes in with Kelly reading from Matthew 6:8 over a slow R&B beat: “Be not ye therefore like them: for the Father knows what you have need of, before you even ask him.” She reminds us that our prayer should be guided by Spirit and leads into the Lord’s Prayer with a twist, and those classic, incomparable vocals will give you chills. The interlude is only just over a minute long but you will definitely want to hear more because the way she was belting out that prayer is worthy of an entire song.

What I Need (A Sinner’s Prayer Remix)

The next track begins with a certain intensity, kind of like the calm before a storm. Kelly’s masterful vocals are heard over dramatic R&B music, with a piano adding an extra dramatic effect. There is a fusion of hip hop with rappers Jon Conner and 901$outh lacing the track with meaningful, hard-hitting bars that draw you in and cause you to feel every word. There is absolutely no fluff on this track – from start to finish, it’s all business. Spiritual business. Kelly intermittently graces us her dynamic vocals, pleading for God’s Will over her own desires. Chills will ensue, guaranteed.

I Want To Thank You

Kelly speeds it back up on this next track leading in with a semi-acapella vocalization. Then the beat drops and it’s giving us 80’s vibes. It’s like one of those songs you hear at a cookout where good vibes are abound. Kelly’s vocal range is astounding and as she sings praises to God for sending her love, we are moved to feel grateful as well – grateful for the talent Ms. Price shares with us all. The message all in all is that if you do what’s right and keep faith, you will be blessed. In her powerful delivery, she reminds us to continue to look up and blessings will eventually fall down.

Faith That Conquers

The next and final track has a classic gospel sound with heavy piano influence and Kelly channels Mahalia Jackson with her powerful delivery. It’s that song that the lead vocalist in the church choir sings on Sunday morning moving everyone to tears and praise. Her tone gives the song so much depth and the message reminds us that with faith, nothing is impossible — faith allows us to create our circumstances by first conceiving it with vision and manifesting it through belief that God will bring it forth. A much needed reminder during these unusual times we face, especially in the aftermath of the tumultuous year 2020. Thank you, Kelly, for reigniting the flame of FAITH for those whose fire may have been extinguished while trying to survive through a pandemic and times of social injustice.

GRACE comes across as a facilitator of healing during a time of such intense trauma and also encourages us to reflect on what is really important in life. It inspires us to re-anchor ourselves with faith and remember that nothing is greater than God. Each and every track on the album has a place and a purpose which indicates that Kelly Price moved with intent and purpose while creating this extended play. There will be dancing and there will be quiet reflection, but most importantly, there will be a reminder that God’s GRACE allows everything – every trial and tribulation – to work out in the end. Kelly Price’s GRACE is definitely sufficient.

Tyler Perry’s Sistas Recap, S2 E22: In The Shadows

Tyler Perry reels us in every week with an amazing storyline for Sistas. The show is very entertaining and the characters are super relatable.

Starting off this episode, the girls, Andi, Danni, Karen, and Sabrina are in the grocery store shopping when they run into Andi’s assistant and ride-or-die, Fatima. Karen’s ex, Zac’s, name was being thrown around within earshot of Fatima who then inquires about Zac’s relation to the crew. Before figuring out why Fatima was asking about Zac, the girls began making jokes about the sexual rendezvous that recently took place between Karen and Zac back at Karen’s salon. Karen has words for Fatima as Zac comes back down the grocery store aisle to meet up with Fatima. When he discovers who Fatima is conversing with, he gets uncomfortable. Karen inquires about the status of Fatima and Zac’s relationship and since there was no definitive answer given, Danni decides to insert a debauched status derived from her own comical point of view. Unable to deal with the heat, Zac eases his way back down the grocery store aisle. Karen then addresses Fatima, wondering if she knew that Zac was her ex since Fatima had previously hung out with the girls and had even had her hair done personally by Karen at the salon. Danni continues her cut-and-dry shenanigans pertaining to Karen and Zac’s on-and-off relationship. Placed in an awkward situation, Fatima tries to explain that although Zac mentioned an ex, she was not aware that the ex was indeed Karen. Zac returns to intercede before his name is dragged through the mud and urges Fatima to leave. Fatima respectfully requests to speak with Karen one-on-one at a later time and Karen agrees. Danni asks Fatima directly if she knew of Zac and Karen’s recent sexual experience. Fatima is visibly agitated and states she did not know. Danni advises Zac to divulge the details to Fatima and when questions are asked, Karen and Zac get defensive. Fatima gives the details of how she met Zac and Danni puts the pieces together and realizes that Fatima is the woman who has been helping Zac. Karen wishes the couple well, albeit with a bit of bitterness. Fatima apologizes to Karen and it’s received. Zac returns to whisk Fatima out of the store to be done with the tension of the situation. Fatima apologizes again, this time to Karen and Andi. After they leave, Karen angrily redirects her questioning to Andi pertaining to her knowledge of the situation and Andi assures her that she had no idea that Fatima and Zac were involved.

The car trip home with Zac and Fatima is tense. Zac wants to lay it all out on the table but Fatima starts off a bit dismissive. She acknowledges the sexual encounter between Zac and Karen and gets upset because she feels that Zac should’ve been honest with her about it. Zac says he was trying to protect her feelings, but Fatima said it was far more hurtful for her to find out the way she just did. The ambiguity of their relationship status comes up and Fatima is agitated at how quickly Zac pointed out that they were not dating. She simply wanted to be in the know, and it seems that she was beginning to catch feelings for Zac. It appears that Zac’s combativeness is something he picked up from his previous relationship and Fatima shut it down quickly. She further decides that she and Zac should dissolve whatever “relationship” they had and that Zac should just use the money he earned from the real estate program to move on since there still seems to be feelings there between him and Karen. Zac assures Fatima that he is over Karen but their history keeps them tied. Fatima makes it clear that she has to be Zac’s number one or his nothing at all. Zac is aggravated because he feels that Fatima doesn’t even know what she wants when it comes to a relationship but is making demands regarding how they should interact. Fatima is relieved that this situation came up before she caught real feelings and Zac is just concerned about whether or not he will still be able to take advantage of those late-night benefits they had previously partaken in at Fatima’s home.

Calvin is chilling at the apartment he shares with his extravagant roommate, Maurice, who is standing behind him wearing a beauty mask. While sitting on the sofa smiling at his phone, Calvin is startled as Maurice, who is peeping over Calvin’s shoulder, calls him out for stalking Sabrina’s social media. Calvin has a serious moment of contemplation, asking Maurice what is so wrong with him that Sabrina does not want to be with him. Calvin feels that he and Sabrina had a good thing and Maurice gives his perspective stating that Calvin was the only one “good” in the situation because Sabrina seemed to be daunted by how quickly things were moving. He advised Calvin to give her more time to come around. He also advised Calvin to do something “bold and daring” for Sabrina, but Maurice’s suggestions were a little too raunchy for him to digest. Calvin decides to head to Sabrina’s place.

On the car ride after the supermarket debacle, Karen, Danni, Sabrina, and Andi discuss the situation Karen is facing with Zac. Karen basically admits that she enjoyed their sexual encounter. Andi is surprised that Fatima never mentioned Zac to her and Karen was disheartened that Zac never mentioned her name to Fatima since Karen and Aaron discuss Zac on a regular basis. Upon the realization that she was “just an ex” to Zac, Karen gets upset. Andi advised her to move on. Danni rubs it in while bringing up how positively Zac spoke of Fatima and how quickly he managed to move on from Karen. The girls hasten Danni’s exit out of the vehicle as they approach her home.

As Danni enters her door, she greets her boyfriend, Preston, who was sitting on the couch. Just as Danni was getting ready to saddle up on her cowboy, Zac strolls into view. Danni kicks him out but he refuses to leave and she whips him with Preston’s belt, which was enough to motivate Zac to leave. Preston intercedes because he has developed a bond with Zac and is concerned about where he would stay if he is forced to leave their apartment. However, Danni sticks to her guns and forces Zac out. Danni then realizes that her boo is a good person on top of being fine since he stood up for Zac, but also naïve. Preston feels that Danni doesn’t want to try to improve her attitude because she is never receptive to his attempts to help. A bit agitated by his insinuation, Danni excuses herself, leaving her man on the couch alone.

Sabrina sits on her bed with a glass of wine and checks her phone. Obviously missing Calvin, she verbalizes her disappointment that he hasn’t called her at all. In need of some male attention, she calls her work boo, Jacobi, who was more than happy to hear from her. Jacobi is trying to make his way to her place and is persistent in his attempts. He reminds Sabrina of the nature of their relationship and she assures him that she just wanted to talk, which they can do over the phone. Still persistent, Jacobi says he isn’t a “phone guy” and says he’s heading over now and hangs up, leaving Sabrina speechless. Shortly thereafter, she receives a call from Danni, who is in the bathroom to get space from Preston. Danni tells Sabrina that Preston was trying to “save” her, or help her, and Sabrina believed that he was just trying to show Danni a different way, but she is never receptive to advice from anyone – not even her girls. Slightly annoyed by Danni’s shenanigans, Sabrina ends the conversation, but not before Danni makes a joke about Jacobi making a booty call.

Both at their respective homes, Andi checks in with Karen by phone to see how she’s holding up after the day she’s had. Karen is torn between Aaron and Zac and Andi advises her to make up her mind on who she wants to move forward with. Andi receives a call on her landline from the front desk requesting to let Gary up, even though he has a key. Karen surprisingly stays out of Andi’s way this time when it comes to Gary; it would mighty hypocritical of her to intervene being that she was just contemplating calling her ex, Zac. Karen ends the call feeling confused.

Gary knocks at Andi’s door and says he doesn’t know what happened to any of his keys; even the ones to his car. He suspects they were misplaced by housekeeping personnel at the hotel he’s staying in. Andi suggests that he move in with her. Gary is surprised she asked, and a little hesitant to accept her offer because he is concerned her girlfriends won’t approve. He asked her politely to keep some things between the two of them and Andi said it’s something she’s been learning to do lately. Gary changes the tone as he takes Andi in his arms and starts sweettalking which swiftly leads them into the bedroom.

Sabrina is straightening up a bit and hears a knock at the door. On the other side is Jacobi, looking all good and stuff, like a Boris Kodjoe with hair, albeit emptyhanded. After Sabrina lets him through the door, she continues to pretend she doesn’t understand why he wanted to come over. Jacobi downs some wine and then gets straight to the point that their sexual tension is obvious. He continues to try to talk Sabrina out of her good girl act and then confesses that he actually did come bearing a gift: WEED. She quickly reminds him that they are drug tested at work and Jacobi urges her to let go of work stuff on this special night. He moves in for a kiss that lasts a couple of seconds before Sabrina pushes away. He pulls her from around the other side of the kitchen island and begins to seduce her with neck kisses. She is adamant that nothing will happen between them but Jacobi’s confidence is not shaken one bit. Sabrina is unable to ignore the large bulge in his pants and Jacobi guides her hand to discover, firsthand, exactly what he’s working with. To ease her fears, Jacobi assures Sabrina that they don’t have to go too far if she’s not comfortable.

Danni is walking into her living room as Preston comes back in from taking out the trash. He apologizes and Danni reciprocates as she gives him a hug. They sit on the couch and have a heart-to-heart about Danni’s insecurities that stem from her past relationships. Danni advises him to stop trying to save her and Preston says there are a few things that she needs to work on in order to improve herself. He also admits that there are things she could help him work on. Preston also advised Danni that his mother would like to meet her she trips out a bit but didn’t blatantly decline.

Sabrina and Jacobi’s passion did not allow them to make it into the bedroom and as they appeared to christen the kitchen island, there was a knock at the door. Sabrina breaks loose and answers, thinking it was Danni. However, standing on the other side of the door was the man she was sitting by the phone pouting over, Calvin. Trying to be cordial, Calvin asks to come in for a drink but Sabrina is trying to cover her cleavage while acting hella guilty. Calvin’s heart appeared to drop when he heard Jacobi yell Sabrina’s voice from the kitchen. He pushed the door open and sees Jacobi naked behind the refrigerator door. Calvin recognizes Jacobi from the bank and walks away upset as Sabrina tries to talk to him about it, but he exits.

As Andi sleeps in her bed, Jasmine, Gary’s ex-wife, walks in acting crazy. Gary walks into the room and yells at her, triggering her to pull out a gun and slug him twice in the abdomen. He falls to the ground and Jazmine turns the gun on Andi, who is crying and pleading as the episode closes.

What a way to end the season. We’ll have to wait until June 9^th to see what goes down.

Queen Sugar Recap, S5 E7: June 1, 2020

Season Five of Queen Sugar has been a heavy one thus far. The focus has been on the torrential year 2020 with its steady downpour of tragedy. It’s like there was an interruption in the regularly scheduled program in order to reimagine the horrible year through the lives of the fictional residents of St. Josephine, Louisiana. The show is hard to watch at times. Having to relive the panic of the deadly Coronavirus pandemic and to walk through horrific instances of social injustice all over again tends to dredge up feelings we’ve all tried to bury in order to move on. Nonetheless, the storytelling is phenomenal and the acting is amazing.

To start, newlyweds Ralph Angel and Darla are resuming life after their honeymoon, which was dampened by the surge in racial injustice outrage that began to pop of in the Spring of 2020. A bright spot was discovering that their little boy, Blue, is exceptionally gifted. Although it was previously revealed that Blue is not Ralph Angel’s biological son, Ralph Angel loves him as his own with all his heart and soul.

Drama and controversy are taking a toll on Charley as she awakens in the morning with a cramped neck after a night of tossing and turning. Throughout the night, her subconscious mind drew forth the negative experiences of the drama that she has treaded through over the past few years with the Landry’s/Boudreaux’s and the issues she’s had trying to stand up for the people of St. Josephine.

Aunt Violet, better known as Vi, the generous and caring soul, is set on checking in on everyone to ensure they are navigating 2020 with grace while weeds of negativity are taking root right in her own house. Her husband, Hollywood, is struggling to keep his peace after losing his mother to Coronavirus and witnessing the horrendous deaths of black people on the news. Hollywood tells Vi that sometimes she deserves to be on the receiving end of love and she sternly reminds him that “loving folks ain’t some sort of tit-for-tat parlor game”. Violet subtly addresses Hollywood’s indulgence in libations after witnessing him throwing back a beer for breakfast, again.

Nova has organized a social justice march for the children of St. Josephine and while preparing t-shirts with her friend Rid, she addresses the insidious polarization that gnawed away at unity during the Trump administration’s reign. This scene was a bit hard to watch. Speaking on the continuous fight for social equality that intensified concurrently with the spread of a deadly virus that claimed the lives of so many mothers, fathers, daughters, and sons dredged up a lot of negative emotion and sent us spiraling backward into a time we’re all still struggling to recover from.

Micah is determined to do his part in the fight for social equality and plans to use is social media influence to make an impact regarding the killing of George Floyd. Charley couldn’t help but to be proud of her son, whose resolve and passion matches hers when it comes to standing up for what’s right.

Nova and Charley converse about Nova’s quest to continue to hold the powers that be accountable when it comes to the handling of black people in a report for her website, Tru Papers, even during a pandemic. Charley’s stress continues to plague her body as evidenced in her distressed leg rub throughout the telephone conversation with her sister. On top of that, she’s concerned about Micah as he branches out into the world to leave his indelible mark at such a young age. Nova is quick to remind her of the young activists who blazed the path for young people like Micah such as Ella Baker and John Lewis.

Little boy Blue is fully enthralled in the social justice movement, creating protest signs in preparation for Nova’s march. Darla and Ralph Angel are forced to explain to Blue the tragedy of George Floyd’s murder. Darla ends up in tears after dealing the heaviness of having to explain social injustice to a 10-year-old and feeling the responsibility of creating a safe space for her son who will grow up to be a black man.

Calvin’s daughter, Courtney, who has been staying in the house with Nova and her boyfriend, Calvin, for the past few weeks, is preparing to return home. The trio will be taking a road-trip to take Courtney back to her apartment in Texas. Nova gifts Courtney, who is fond of Nova’s work, with a copy of a rare publication. Soon after, Nova receives a distressing phone call regarding the permit for her children’s social justice march.

Ralph Angel relays the news of Nova’s canceled march to Blue and Darla after receiving a phone call from Nova. Blue struggles to understand why permission is required to march/protest and his parents explain. Ralph Angel decides that their family will take their signs and protest anyway while Darla is quiet with her concern.

Charley sits in her kitchen to enjoy one of Aunt Vi’s famous pies while discussing Micah’s trip to Minneapolis. “When exactly did you allow him to go gallivanting out of state in the middle of a health crisis and a race crisis!?” was Vi’s response, as she sat in a chair across from Charley with a face mask on. Charley, learning to loosen the reigns and offer support to Micah’s burgeoning activist spirit, explains that Micah’s life is now his own. He is now officially an adult, after all. Even with her controlling nature, Charley admits that Micah has changed since college but she is adjusting and allowing him to continue to grow. Things get touchy for Violet when Charley asks about Hollywood. She explains the challenges her husband is facing since the death of his mother. However, there was a glimmer of good news pertaining to Mr. Prosper, who seems to have overcome the depressive state he suffered through at the beginning of the pandemic. Violent reminds Charley that family must be a priority during these difficult times.

Next, Courtney and Nova are in the car preparing for the road trip to Texas and while waiting on Calvin to finish a work call, they begin to discuss Nova’s cancelled children’s march. Courtney tells Nova that the cancelation might have been a good thing to protect the kids from being around negativity and Nova is visibly distraught but remains non-argumentative.

Keeping his word, Ralph Angel wrangles up his little family and they hold their own mini protest roadside near their home. Passersby honk horns and wave in support. The protest is disrupted by a sheriff pulling up to address a call he received about someone obstructing traffic. The officer walks over and looks at the BLM t-shirts the trio is donning, then proceeds to state that they were protesting on public property. Ralph Angel points out the line of demarcation between the property he owns and the public property. Mr. Officer asks for proof of ownership. The exchange between Ralph Angel and the officer gets heated when the officer asks for identification. To cool things down, Darla offers to go retrieve Ralph Angel’s I.D. from the house. As Darla is running to the truck, the offer makes a suggestive vocalization regarding Darla, which causes Ralph Angel to become even more agitated. Attention turns to Blue as the officer asks him how he is doing. Blue is afraid and grabs onto his father’s arm for security. Ralph Angel questions the officer’s motives, and the officer stated that he would rather be doing other things than attending to complaints about “BLM sign twirlers”. It’s obvious the officer had another word in mind during the brief pause he took before coming up with his decorative name for Blue and his family. Ralph Angel and the officer throw a few verbal jabs, and the overt racist attitude of the officer is intensified when he puts his hand on his gun. The gun grab was sobering for Ralph Angel as he thinks about Blue’s safety. Fortunately, the officer gets a call over his radio and has to leave, but not before sowing a negative seed in little Blue’s mind. As he was walking back to his police car, he turned to Blue and said, “Catch you later, little man.” Ralph Angel embraces his son and offers a tearful apology and then resumes protesting even more fervently than before. Blue is too shaken up to resume.

Nova and Courtney have another moment as Courtney struggles with her desire to be a positive force in the fight for racial equality. Nova reminds her that the fight will continue and requires constant agitation in order to create effective change. The two end their conversation with a fist bump, which felt like a symbol of unity.

Mr. Prosper and Hollywood are lounging at home watching an old game on TV since the pandemic placed a strain on sports entertainment. Hollywood is visibly, yet quietly, agitated. Violet enters with her beautiful spirit and asks the guys what they want for dinner. Prosper is gracious with his response while Hollywood is dismissive and sarcastic. Vi, probably weary from Hollywood’s current state of despondency, wears a slight look of aggravation as she turns to walk out of the room. Prosper notices her demeanor and asks her if she’s OK. Vi proceeds to tell them about the conversation she just had with Darla pertaining to Blue, who Vi feels needs to be better shielded from the current state of affairs instead of being allowed to soak in all the negative news stories and adult discussions taking place during that time of devastation. Hollywood catches an attitude and Prosper takes that as a cue to leave the room to allow the lovebirds to bicker in peace. Vi stares at Hollywood in aggravated anticipation of an explanation for his attitude and he proceeds with, “Vi, if this is where you expect me to make you feel better by telling you how big your heart is and how misunderstood you are, I can’t do it. Not today.” He further explains that he is just trying to numb his mind to the craziness of the world by watching TV and basically tells Vi that it would be best to mind their own business at this time. Violet, with her tenacious positivity, is disheartened by Hollywood’s negative and defeated attitude. She asks him about his new business venture, The Real Spot, and he gives a very negative response as an indication that he no longer plans to actively pursue his vision. He ends his statement with a misogynistic tone and Vi maintains her composure as she exits the room because she is obviously concerned with her husband’s mental state.

Charley is on a business call revealing good news pertaining to her opponent’s plans to build in St. Josephine’s. A while ago, Micah was assisting her with going through old files to find something to help their cases against the Landry’s, Boudreaux’s, and Parker-Campbell’s and an old charter was found that stated public works projects could be halted for a couple of years during a federal state of emergency, which essentially puts her enemies out of business — for a while at least. During the call, her stress comes to a head as she begins to experience tension in her back, which turns into a full-blown anxiety attack so she rushes to end the conversation. She takes a seat on the couch and as she is struggling to catch her breath, she reaches for her phone to find someone to call. She remembers that everyone she’s close to is busy taking care of their own issues but reaches out to her brother, Ralph Angel, and his phone goes to voicemail.

Next, Ralph Angel and Hollywood are on a video call discussing the recent encounter with the police officer during the protest near Ralph Angel’s home. Ralph Angel loses his composure as he discusses Blue’s experience that day and his responsibility to protect him and his youth. Ralph Angel’s camera aims down to the ground and he gets emotional with indignation. Hollywood encourages him to “let it out” and Ralph Angel looks up at the sky and returns his gaze forward as he appears to process what it means to be a father to a black boy in this era.

Mr. Prosper and Hollywood throw back beers as they discuss the relationship challenges Hollywood is currently facing with Vi. Prosper reminds him that reconciliation is required because Hollywood’s own happiness is contingent upon Violet’s. Hollywood then begins to reflect on better days with his beautiful wife in flashbacks of their good times.

Nova returns home alone from the trip to Texas and also begins to reflect on better times with her boyfriend, Calvin. It seems his race and background as a police officer have begun to take a toll on their relationship during the tense times of racial injustice. She has flashbacks of their blossoming love and then remembers when she previously closed the door on their relationship stating, “I can’t be all of myself when I’m with you. I can’t.” Down the line, they eventually rekindled their old flame and were trying to discover if their connection was sustainable on all levels. In present time, Calvin left behind a jacket on a chair in the kitchen and Nova inhales his scent as she continues to reminisce on their ups and downs.

Ralph Angel is in Blue’s room watching him sleep and begins to flashback on the times he felt the need to protect Blue from the world’s cruelty. He remembers times he tried to fill his son up with hope despite the world’s darkness. He then notices a superhero toy in Blue’s room, which happened to be a white action figure. Out of frustration regarding current events, Ralph Angel throws the toy into a wastebasket.

In the final scene, Charley continues to struggle with her anxiety alone as she gasps for air on the couch. Realizing she needs to reach out for help, she retrieves her cell phone once again to find someone to call. Out of desperation, she calls a familiar source of comfort, her ex-husband, Davis West. After all they’ve gone through, there is obviously still a sliver of love remaining that made her think to call him. Desperate times obviously call for desperate measures. What will their interaction bring forth?

Even though this season is very hard to watch due to the dramatization of events that we’re all trying our hardest to move forward from, it is a reminder that we did indeed make it through that horrendous year and continue to move forward with hope and determination. The fight is still on, but now we’ve had time to put on our gloves.

New music: Toni Braxton & Ne-Yo

We’ve been blessed with new music from two of R&B’s most amazing artists – Toni Braxton and Ne-Yo.

Toni Braxton – Long As I Live

Toni Braxton’s new song, Long As I Live, has literally been on repeat since I first heard it a few days ago. In the song, Toni is singing about tripping over the love of her life, also her ex, who has moved on and she’s having to hear about another woman living the life she once lived with him. It’s really one of those songs you play on Friday night while drinking all the wine in the house and then drunk dial your ex. However, I like it because Toni’s vocals are so mellow, yet give so much life – and the beat just flows. The overall vibe of the song is late 90s to mid-2000s and I’m all the way here for it. We need more of this – a revival of R&B music.

Ne-Yo – Good Man

If art is imitating life, Ne-Yo must be a very happily married man. His latest song, Good Man, is basically an ode to his significant other with proclamations of fidelity, assuring her that her that the day he married her he was committed to being a good, honest, faithful man – despite what the haters and naysayers have to say about it. The song samples a bit of D’Angelo’s legendary song, How Does It Feel, and the overall vibe of the song is mid to late 2000s.

I get super excited when I hear new music that has a pure R&B sound. Being a genuine music lover, I listen to EVERYTHING, but my first love was R&B and my favorite era was the 90s, so I obviously have an affinity for love songs. Toni Braxton and Ne-Yo are two artists I can always turn to for a good R&B fix.