If anyone were to mention old westerns to you, your mind would immediately go to movies like “The Lone Ranger” or anything John Wayne starred in, right? Well in 2021 “The Harder They Fall” is here to blow your mind - pun intended! Not only do we finally have a real representation of the Wild West (yes, people of color were doing the damn thing back then!), it is packed with a star studded black cast - Regina King, Idris Elba, Jonathan Majors are just a few to name, and produced by non other than one of the greatest rappers alive —Jay-Z. As a lover of films, the stand offs that we have seen in old westerns cannot stand next to the jaw dropping cinematography composed by director Jeymes Samuel. Ride on over to your couch and tune in!

Harlem on its own is one of the most historic and iconic areas of NYC. From the Apollo Theater to Sylvia’s Soul Food, black culture is embedded in the blocks that make up the streets above 125th and below 165th. The abundance of legends that have called this area home are endless - from Alexander Hamilton to Teyana Taylor, the list goes on and on. When it comes to hip hop, the same can be said - Biz Markie, Dipset, A$AP Rocky, Diddy, and even Dave East all came from Harlem. There is no place like it and the way this neighborhood shapes people is incomparable. The Harlem Trap Experience, an interactive pop up exhibit by Trap Genius took place over the past weekend. Rellz the owner of the brand created this event in tribute to a specific time in Harlem and his own life during the 99’s to the 2000’s where there was a shift from praising the drug game to praising the rap game and how the two constantly overlap but the hustler mentality remains the same. From flip phones to the Juelz Santana bandana the exhibit nailed the vibes of the times. We can’t wait to see what other legends are birthed in those Manhattan streets - from Harlem to the world! 

Times Square now has on display its first fountain and you’ll never guess what it’s made out of - 400,000 acrylic nails. Artist Pamela Council created A Fountain for Survivors, a vibrant 18-foot cocoon shaped piece for survivors of all kinds. Once inside you are welcomed by a warm and inviting environment igniting your sense of touch, sound, and scent where the tiered running fountain is housed. In Pamela’s words, “fountains have this way of working in culture as meeting places, as gathering places, and places where people make wishes, giving people this ebullient sense of hope.” Having worked with acrylic nails for over 13 years, the artist developed her own style of African American camp aesthetic which she calls BLAXIDERMY which she applies to all of her work. If you want to take in this architectural wonder in person, you have until December 8th. 

If you are looking for some heartfelt laughs with a good dose of realness please tune in to Aida Rodriguez HBO comedy special “Fighting Words”. This Puerto Rican and Dominican Latina bares it all when it comes to the hilarious yet at times painful experience of growing up as a Latina. Aida is the type of comedian ‘que no tiene pelos en la lengua’ like our people like to say. Touching on topics like colorism, misogyny, and even the infamous beef between Ricans and Dominicans she helps us laugh through the pain that resonate with us all in our own personal journeys of Latinidad. Stay tuned until the end as she shares her travel documentary short during her trip back to both of her motherlands. Aida, we are rooting for you no matter which side you rep!