Starting Over
You make it happen!
You Let Yourself Go!
Let Me Be Free CD Review
Who is that Girl? It’s Tuyeni ! Who is that Girl? It’s Tuyeni ! If you’re familiar with the Chicago poetry scene you are familiar the chant that announces the arrival of Tuyeni Akanke. Tuyeni has a BIG personality so quite naturally there is a rich story that goes with it. “Let Me Be Free”Is her latest project and it’s a story of the events that have shaped the woman we see today. Her story is a familiar one, many of us have experienced trials and tribulations throughout life however all of us have not triumphed at the same level. Tuyeni like many others knows what it’s like to nurse a wound. One of the wounds that I saw in this project is referred to as “The Mother Wound”. Our mothers are the first glimpse of God that we see. We depend on them for all of our car and they serve as conduits for our sustenance. When your relationship with your mother is challenged it can create some bumps along the way. Throughout listening to the album we are introduced to a colorful cast of characters that dropped love into the artist as she developed. Without giving all of the details of the album out Tuyeni had the help of a strong extended family to assist her in blossoming into the woman she has become. We all could benefit from the days of yesterday when the extended family model was stronger. I enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about the BIG personality behind “It’s Tuyeni! I believe that many others will be able to identify with Tuyeni’s story and heal from it. Make sure you grab a copy of “Let Me Be Free” and follow the artist on all social media at Tuyeni Akanke. You can follow us on Facebook at @Openyonated.com and Twitter and IG @MROpenyonated
Go Hard or Go Home “Hair Cut Party” By Mizz Wallace
Those that know me personally know that I used to be what some would call a kitchen beautician. What’s a kitchen beautician you may ask? It’s someone with no official training that offers hair services in their kitchen LOL! I’ve colored hair, cut hair, relaxed hair, finger waved hair and done sew ins and. Even after all of that I was not familiar with a “cut party” at least not until the Blue Lady introduced me to the term, The cut party that I attended on March 31, 2019 opened my eyes to a new world that consisted of hair creations full of glitz and creativity as well as hair cutting and styling sessions done in record time. I’ve always heard about how fast paced and exciting hair shows are but this time I had the opportunity to see it in person. Chicago artist and entrepreneur. Mz. Wallace A.K.A. “The Blue Lady” put together a great show that showcased different aspects of the hair industry. The evening started off with a fantasy hair competition that showed off the talent and creativity of various hairstylists. There were blue aliens as well as pumpkins that rotated in the house. Another highlight of the evening was the various haircut competitions that consisted not only of cosmetologists but barbers. Viewing the haircutting at rapid speeds definitely showed viewers that you do not have to spend hours in a salon for a haircut! The event was entertaining and of course gave attendees a chance to shop with local vendors. The shopping experience gave you a chance to purchase purses, hair care products, soaps, body butters, gourmet taffy apples, designer clothing and vendors who customized items. It was a great experience for my first time attending. The next Hair Cut Party is scheduled for September 22nd 2019 make sure that you follow the Blue Lady on all social media for the event details. To stay in tune with local happenings in Chicago be sure to like Openyonated.com on Facebook and Mr Openyonated on all other social media.
At Ease 2019 Kick Off
At Ease Sundays kicked off its 2019 season with Dope features Unorthodox and Favored Essence as well as an action packed list of Open Mic artist. At Ease Sundays is hosted by Hoodraised and is entering its 7th year as an open mic. It occurs every 1st Sunday at AJ Styles Beauty and Barber Salon located at 6624 West North Avenue Chicago, IL At Ease Sundays is a platform for artists from all walks of life to perform. Check out their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Teamatease/ Check out some of the stills and pop by our Facebook page for the compilation video. https://www.facebook.com/Openyonated/ Follow us on all social media at @MrOpenyonated
Protection From Unseen Dangers
When I reached middle age I started questioning everything. I questioned many of the choices I made, the people who I chose as friends, my career choice, and my personal faith. This apparently is the season of questioning for me. I believe that doing a self inventory is VERY important as you go through life. At some point in life you want to ask yourself “Is this really working for me?” I have been going through the process of seeing what has been working and what hasn’t. Sometimes a self inventory is scary because you may find that some things and people who you really have taken a liking to simply are not adding to your life but actually taking away. This is one of the reasons that many people don’t inventory their lives. One particular area that I am in the process of inventorying is my faith. A few of the major questions that I have asked myself are: Why does God allow so much suffering? Does God bless his children in abundance in all areas? Does God really care? I know you must be saying “How could a believer have these type of questions?” My answer is that everyone’s journey is different and does not have the same relationship with God. Our relationship with God just like with people evolves and we understand it better as we get to know not only him but ourselves. Most people that know me know that I consider myself frugal. I’ve never been into shiny things and have pretty much lived a simple life. Sometimes my approach to life leads me to procrastinate. There are some areas that you should not procrastinate in, safety is one of those areas. This brings me to the center of this story. I drive a modest 1999 Honda Civic. It’s not shiny or elaborate it just serves it purpose to get me from point A to point B. You must be saying “what does a car have to do with midlife or ones questions about God?” Car repairs are always a headache and no one likes to shell out money especially if the expenses are unplanned. When you drive an older model vehicle there are bound to be repairs, when you add in driving on the streets of Chicago that number escalates! Cars normally will give you an indication when something needs attention. Sometimes there is an indicator on the dashboard, sometimes,a rattle or a sputter all of them scream I NEED YOUR ATTENTION! Unfortunately we don’t always pay attention to the warnings and in this case I chose not to address the matter immediately. So I hopped in my car one evening to attend a wedding on the South side ignoring the screeching and other things that were going on. Later that evening on my way home I was pulled over by a police officer. Now I almost always do the speed limit and figured did I turn wrong? Did I become distracted with my device while supposed to be watching the road? The officer asked ” Do you know what I stopped you?” I answered, “No I don’t.” He let me know that my one of my front lights was out and asked me for proof of insurance and my drivers license which I handed over. Everything was clear so I was let go without a ticket and encouraged to get it fixed. Now we know that things don’t always turn out that well when a Black man is stopped by the police so I thanked God because even though I am at this point of inventory and questioning blessings and care I was taken care of in that instance. The next day I took my car to my mechanic to replace the lights and figured I needed to fix the brakes as well even though I was ignoring the signs that they needed to be repaired. I found out that I not only needed my brakes shoes replaced but that my rotors were pretty bad and that a tie rod was on it’s last leg and that there was significant leaking in one of the brake drums in the rear as well. I thought to myself you have been driving all over putting yourself in danger because you are procrastinating and ignoring the signs. I also said to myself that God has been protecting you from unseen dangers. In closing I am still on my midlife inventory and I still have questions about multiple things BUT I am glad that even though I have questions about God he is still keeping me as I get to know him better!
Your Start Does Not Have to Be Your Finish
It’s possible to start on a journey with a destination in mind and end up in a totally different place. Many of us have had our lives all planned out but because of the way that life works we have ended up somewhere different. Things not going as planned can sometimes leave us feeling frustrated, confused, and hurt. Sometimes when this happens we are left questioning everything that we thought to be true. Sometimes the way things begin are not the way that they finish. Detours arise which cause us to change our course or adopt a new way of life or philosophy. We should plan for hiccups on our journey and give ourselves and others room to evolve, develop and change. You don’t have to become a prisoner to your past or your plan A and you don’t have to be held hostage by someone who does not accept your evolution!
Mahogany Brickhouse Birthday Celebration
Spoken word artist Mahogany Brickhouse celebrated her birthday at the Velvet Lounge 62 East Cermak with a dope open mic. The evening was filled with friends, family poetry and music. The event was hosted by Chicago Spoken Word Artist Prolific. Check out some of the photos from the event.