#qt black

[qualr]

Abdu Ali · Tears Of A Black Mova [Prod. Dj Haram]

I got rage of a black mova

You don't want this fiya.

[womanistgrrrl]

As an hour approaches, I gradually relax my tensed shoulders. Then I overhear European-American lips carelessly utter unsettling words–“dyke” and “ghetto.” I nervously fiddle with my plastic straw to keep mypalms from shaking. My shoulders return to their tensed position as I wonder how much longer I can wait for the European-American woman from WDRW. I whisper a prayer to Bastet,the Nubian-Egyptian goddess of sexuality and check my silver watch. My date is forty-four minutes late.

+

That watch is a gift my mother gave me when I received my college acceptance letter. “Iboro, Omuhara mi— my daughter Iboro—you're continuing a great legacy,”1 I remember her saying in a thick East-African accent. “Your grandmother went to college,” she continued.

“I went to college and now you.”

My mother didn't mention my West-African father who never made it to college.

He had a great legacy too.

+

I think of how disappointed my mother will feel when she realizes her “prized possession” is a college dropout.

Bisexual. Undocumented. Living in a library.    

Endnotes

1 “Omuhara” is a Rutooro word that means “daughter” in English. Rutooro is the language of Batooro people.

PRE-ORDER D1 L1F3 OF 1 B1SEXUAL BL4CK (B1BL) B1OLOG15T HERE!

[womanistgrrrl]

Kaytranada and Syd’s "You're the One" Is Still Perf for Summer Nights Alone

This week has had its ups and downs, but coming home to tunes like “You’re the One” by Kaytranada and Syd mos def make up for the down moments (and feelings of singleness in our boo’d up society) for several reasons.

First, the colorful, hip and highly-melanated visuals in “You’re the One” complement the ever melodic, ever soulful sound of our very own Syd (who I am very much still in love with). And we all know what vibrant colors and on-point rhythms do for our dopamine levels, correct? Plus, this is a great reminder that if single Black QTs like Kaytranada and Syd can create this level of magic, so can a large number of single Black QTs out there (this is also a reminder that romantic relationships can mos def be a hindrance to our creative genius).

Second, the seamless addition of Black QTs at the African party in the video is giving me all kinds of highly-dopaminated feels as a bi Black (bibl), bi African, being. To remain sane, I like to believe that in my lifetime the mainstream cis-hetero African community will get over their QTphobia and this song is a reminder that we are getting to that future. 

Thirdly, there is no third reason. I am a Black bisexual who is fond of twos. Goodnight.

Just kidding.

Thirdly, this tune is hella packed with self-love mantras and we need a lot of self-love mantras to get us through the pressures of society to rush into unhealthy romantic, platonic or work-related relationships rather than remain happily single while waiting for the healthy relationships we deserve. My favorite mantras to myself are “You know I want you [insert your name here], you know I do. I'll give you my heart and the rest is up to you” and “So imma take my time [and] go with the flow [’cause] you [insert your name here] got a face that I just can't say no to.” 

Most of the other lyrics in the song are honestly super-complicated-millennial-Black-QT relationship-angst and I don’t fully endorse everything said but the rhythm is undeniably on-point and Syd’s vocals are truly goals which is why this song is mos def still perf for summer nights alone.