Featured Blog Posts – October 2016 Archive (157)

Forgive me for the things I may do.

Forgive me for the things I comprehend

Forgive me for reading to seek.

Forgive me for the moments I want to lose control but hide behind my eyes to possibly spare your soul.

I've grown cold,

To only be warmed in grace by something greater than the one that I was limited to be.

truthfully, I think I'm getting closer to heaven



Not the words tainted and preached by the reverend.



I getting…

Tobi Makinde is on a roll with his latest collaboration with Nahdra Ra Kiros. The two have combined to create and unforgettable editorial for "The House of Nahdra," a collection designed by none other than Nahdra Ra Kiros herself. The models Phili Bonyo, Akou Diabakhate, and Abdouramane Ba are stunning in vibrant colors and beautiful prints. We love to see this much melanin radiating in one place, enjoy the photos below!



By T. McLendon,…

Instagram is a goldmine for Black artistic talent and Joshua Mackey is making major waves on the app with his illustrated portraits. The St. Louis based artist is extremely talented with the pen and focuses his energies on uplifting Black men and women with his talent. The



By T. McLendon, AFROPUNK Contributor

@…

We're now just one week away from finding out whether Americans inability to distinguish Reality TV from actual reality will usher in a new era of American fascism. With that in mind, Austin punks BLXPLTN bring out a stream of their latest full-length New York Fascist Week. It's a no holds barred approach to dismantling the jingoism, racism, xenophobia, and misogyny that has formed the backbone of a certain New York real estate mogul's presidential campaign. The…

There is no replacement for rawness in punk music. To me, it is the defining characteristic that makes punk special, the je ne sais quoi that catapults the ethos from safety to truth. In this regard, F U Pay Us, the LA punk trio from South Los Angeles, is a bold addition to the vigorous tenacity punk represents. Three femmes producing fearless, relentless music, overflowing with political commentary and feminist jabs. In their debut show video “Femmes To The Front,” lead…

Yo, I can’t lie, sometimes being a queer woman or femme of color just sucks. Between the mix of racism + misogyny + queerphobia that’s served up with intersecting identities like some kind of twisted jackpot, the struggle to find other people like you, and then the impossibility of being able to just take a break with some comics without the intrusion of heteronormativity, male gaze, and whiteness? I mean Bast knows how we made it this far.



Thanks to the…

The youth are taking over! But you already knew that.

A fresh wave of artistry is making itself known, as young creatives- specifically young creatives of color- reclaim their heritage with essentially potent expression. 17 year old, Toronto-based photographer Jeremy Watson stands at the frontlines of this movement with his latest series "Afro Blue".…

Here is this week's Mokshini illustration! Meet model Tina Johnson (@imightbeher00).



By Nadeesha Godamunne*, AFROPUNK Contributor

*Nadeesha Godamunne is a fashion illustrator from New Zealand now residing in Brooklyn, New York - and the creator of fashion illustration blog Mokshini / Instagram:…

Creative activists Yeni López Sleidi and Em Gee collaborated on this HILARIOUSLY accurate photo project depicting "Authentic Caucasians" costumes memes in the form of those inserts that appear on the fronts of packed Halloween costume. This clever project calls out White Privilege, classism, entitlement, “All Lives…

Yannis Guibinga, the Gabonese photographer based out of Canada, is invoking the spirits of the orisha Oya in her new photo series. “Ode To Oya” is a series surrounding African traditions and spirituality. In the Yoruba mythology, Oya is known as the goddess of winds and tempests. This photo series is meant to highlight and celebrate this traditionally African deity in a culture that seems to now have forgotten about them, but their power transcends time and space. Because…

A Tribe Called Quest are underground hip hop’s most beloved legends and the news that a new album is coming is the type of shit hip hop heads dream about between whining about the new school and collecting rare vinyls. Q-Tip took to Twitter to announce the ATCQ project and the internet went nuts with excitement, and for just cause. Since the untimely passing of ATCQ’s Phife Dawg, many thought that any efforts to make a comeback were thwarted. It seems that in his honor,…

As is the case with all fashion houses, the inspiration for their collections has to come from somewhere and in their new collection entitled TILOCOTO, GUERAS FATIM went straight to the source. Visiting Japan, Jamaica, and the Maasai people of Kenya, all of their silhouettes and color palettes help to inform the designers in their construction of their garments. With kimono inspired pajamas and beaded accessories, this collection is for the international trendsetter, a…

Gentrification is considered to be a primary and imminent problem affecting the Black community. The sentiments of the Black community are that the greedy, avaricious, and rapacious “yuppies”, hipsters, and the top “1%” are “exploiting” the communities that they grew up in. Everyone’s entitled to their individual sentiments and emotions, but not everyone is cognizant of the hard facts and evidence. Gentrification typically happens in major cities with a large amount of…

Adut Akech Bior is drop dead gorgeous as the face of Ryan Storer Jewelry. We’ve all seen editorials where melanin isn’t appreciated or presented as beautifully as it could be, but Jay Exposito doesn’t disappoint in his use of lighting and angle with the stunning Adut. It’s a remarkable time in fashion--there’s so much conversation around representation that we don’t always think about the simplicity of Black women’s flawlessness without a political lens. I encourage you to…

Mango Trice is keeping her options open in new single “Running” featuring CD Spinz. The British-born singer puts a bit of Black girl magic in this track, making it clear that she’s too tired of her lover to keep running back and their love might not withstand the test of time, but her legs can carry her much farther than they can. Mango Trice's alto combines well with the synth-based production, giving some serious texture to the sounds. Mango Trice had this to say about…

Meet 19-year-old visual artist Gabriella aka @based718x, a digital artist rendering some badass fan and original afro-futurist illustrations. Gabriella's technicolor portfolio centers around metaphysical spirituality, energy, and unseen empowerment. Symbols of enlightenment, Pan-Africanism, and the occult adorn the majority of Gabriella’s characters, creating powerful and positive energy, confidence, and Black heritage pride. See some our favorites, down below, and…

Brazil is brimming with fresh-faced and innovative creatives making their mark with digital spaces. Photographer Leandro Lima is hoping to empower and uplift Black women by using icons to inspire and inform the work. Taking a nod from jazz greats like Nina Simone and Ella Fitzgerald as well as the strength, grace, and power of the feminine orishas, this powerful series is overflowing with Black girl magic! View the photos below!



By T.…

As far as men’s fashion is concerned, it’s rare to see designers break the mold. Sure, they’ll use “feminine” colors or play with texture, but really bold decisions rarely make it into the final collection. Enter Rich Mnisi, owner of menswear brand in his own name and an original aesthetic in his own right. The LISOF graduate and Africa Fashion International young Designer of the Year award recipient is catering to the idea of aspiration, young and free at heart, exploring…

If you needed a reminder that the movement for Black liberation is global, look no farther than “Breathe,” the newest single by Nosizwe, a Norwegian-South African songstress with politics and pride at the center of her being. “Breathe” is about the Black Lives Matters movement, about Marikana, about the girls taken by Boko Haram, about Black pain. It offers no conclusions and merely attempts to reflect the times. It features Rene McLean, Naima McLean and Guilty Simpson, all…