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Checking In
2022 often felt like multiple years jam-packed into one. I wouldn’t have made it through without books, stories, TV shows, the music, celebrity gossip and the people that make me tick/joyful. To be clear, music got me through mostly, so I have to give a hats off to artists like Doechii, Kenyon Dixon, GloRilla, Alex Isley, and Denzel Curry (plus Bey). These artists injected some much-needed energy into the music conversation.
For me last year was also a soul-searching year. I found more core strengths, chose myself a lot and I also came to the realization of what I want the next chapter of my life to look like: bigger and more expansive in every single way. Yesterday I sat down and wrote out my manifestations and goals for next year, I hope you also set aside some time to center yourself/set some goals.
I’m not going to keep you long, below I decided to dig a bit into what kept me going this year.
The Stories I Was Most Proud to Tell in 2022
How My Mom’s Unapologetic Style Helped Me Find My Own
Dawn Richard’s Journey From Bad Boy To Indie Pioneer
SiR Wants To Bring Honesty and Vulnerability Back To R&B
How Professors Are Making a Case for Hip-Hop in Academia
Lucky Daye Wants To Be More Than a Modern Face of R&B
Ari Lennox, Dreamville’s First Lady, Isn’t An Underdog Anymore
How Jean-Michel Basquiat’s Sisters Reclaimed Their Family’s Narrative With ‘King Pleasure’
Fashion Brand to Keep an Eye on in 2023
Jordon Willis
Ever since my Hypebeast days, I have been in the orbit of Jordon Willis which is why I was so pleased to see SZA wearing a few of the designer’s pieces in her “Shirt” music video. Jordon mixes avant-garde with a hint of modernity and I believe that’s why he’s excelling. Get on the Jordon train now.
The Best Journalism of 2022
Kendrick Lamar’s Life Lessons by Briana Younger
Megan Thee Stallion Will Not Back Down by Mankaprr Conteh
R&B That Sweats, Emotionally, & Physically by Jon Caramanica
Devil in a Blue Dress: Crossing The Line by Julian Kimble
Christopher John Rogers and the Dawn of the Cultured Zoomer Doyenne by Rachel Tashijan
The Inside Man by Shawn McCreesh
Doja Overload by Marjon Carlos
The Astounding Consistency of Future by Craig Jenkins
For Angela Davis and Gina Dent, Abolition Is The Only Way by Hanna Phifer
Shine Bright by Danyel Smith
Future Is The Best Rapper Alive by Elliott Wilson
Megan Thee Stallion Wants To Know: What’s Up Hotties? by Nandi Howard
Mary J. Blige on Navigating Self Acceptance by Nerisha Penrose
Smino’s Family Bonds Run Deep by Tirhakah Love
The Rise Of The BBL by Ruth Samuel
Can You Really Make 80K Selling Your Eggs by Hannah Jackson
The Unstoppable Precious Lee by Alexis Okeowo
The Best TV Shows of 2022
The Bear
Industry
P-Valley
Abott Elementary
Reasonable Doubt
Killing It
The Best Man: The Final Chapters
(Special shout out to my talented friend, Morgan Grain, who was a writer’s assistant for Reasonable Doubt’s first season, so proud of you!)
The Best Albums of 2022
Beyoncé - Renaissance
Kendrick Lamar - Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers
Drake - Honestly, Nevermind
Lucky Daye - Candydrip
Ari Lennox - age/sex/location
Flo Milli - You Still Here, Ho? (Finally interviewed the rap princess).
Ella Mai - Heart On My Sleeve (Read my feature with her here).
Ravyn Lenae - Hypnos (I loved speaking with Ravyn here’s the interview.)
Denzel Curry - Melt My Eyez See Your Future
Brent Faiyaz - WASTELAND (A great interview, not by me).
Future - I Never Liked You
JID - The Forever Story
Xavier Omar - blurr (Couldn’t stop playing this album.)
Alex Isley - Marigold (Whew).
Arin Ray - Hello Poison
Syd - Broken Hearts Club
Santigold - Spirituals
Yaya Bey - Remember Your North Star (Caught up with her here).
Meechy Darko - Gothic Luxury (Bucket list interview).
IDK - Simple
Additional picks: Kenyon Dixon - Closer, Dylan Sinclair - No Longer in the Suburbs, Joyce Wrice - Motive, SZA - SOS, Dawn Richard & Spencer Zahn - Pigments, Moonchild - Starfruit, Smino - Luv 4 Rent, Flo - The Lead, Nija - Don’t Say I Didn’t Warn You.
Best Songs of 2022
Beyonce - “Heated”
Ari Lennox - “Pressure”
Dreamville - “Stick”
Kendrick Lamar - “N95”
Kendrick Lamar - “The Heart Part 5”
Megan Thee Stallion - “Plan B”
GloRilla - “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)
Gunna - “Pushin P ft. Future & Young Thug”
Flo Milli - “Conceited”
Doechii - “Persuasive”
Drake - “Sticky”
Drake - “Jimmy Cooks ft. 21 Savage”
Ella Mai - “Leave You Alone”
Alex Isley - “Still Wonder”
Kenyon Dixon - “Love On Replay”
Ravyn Lenae - “Xtasy”
Robert Glasper - “Shine”
IDK - “Zaza Tree”
GloRilla - “Tomorrow 2 ft. Cardi B”
Kamaiyah - “Oakland Steppin in Detroit”
Additional picks: Brent Faiyaz - “ALL MINE,” Future - “WAIT FOR U ft. Drake & Tems,” Lucky Daye - “Guess,” Dylan Sinclair - “Open,” Xavier Omar - “A Dream,” Alex Isley, Jack Dine - “Love Again,” Kenyon Dixon - “Love On Replay”
Lastly, I want to give a special shout out to Kia Turner, a content creator/writer and Ruth Samuel, a journalist, these two put in a lot of work last year. If you’re not reading the work these two have been creating, change that ASAP. I’ll always be rooting for Black women in media, we deserve so much more.
That’s all! Wishing each of you a happy and healthy New Year.