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This was heavy on my spirit this morning. We all are trying to figure out and live life and do not always have time to see certain people as much as we’d like, but a simple phone call or text can really brighten a person’s day. Communicate with others not just because you want something from them. Listen to what people say and watch their actions or lack thereof. If you’re “the strong friend” you at times need someone to just be there for you for once. Reciprocity is so important! Realize that friendships and communication are a two-way street. It’s not fair to a person to always be there for others, yet when they’re in need or tables turn one isn’t there for them. Friends do not have to agree on everything, but tell one another the truth in love. Some people are friends for a season and others friends for a lifetime. Okay, rant over.😊

#supersoulSunday

#friendships

#proverbs

#friends

#relationships

#friendship

#reciprocity

#thestrongfriend

#browngirlbloggers

This weekend was The One Music Fest held in Atlanta, GA. This year the music festival was at Central Park in Downtown and the music festival is now divided into two days. I only attended the first day (Saturday) of the festival. I got to the venue late afternoon to see singers H.E.R. and Miguel and rappers Big Sean and Nas. These artists were at two different stages in the park. For example one artist may be performing at 6pm and another artist at 7pm at another stage in the park.

I enjoyed all the artists however there were some sound and technical difficulties. Some artists sets were delayed and some artists were at different stages and the times to see them overlapped. For instance in the middle of singer Miguel’s performance the rapper Nas was beginning his set on another stage in another area of the park and you could see the crowd leaving in the middle of an artist performance to go hear the other artists music. Despite those issues the diverse eclectic millennial crowd seemed to have enjoyed themselves.

Miguel is an amazing live singer, and performed hit slangs such as “Adorn” and “Sure Thing”. H.E.R. also did great and she performed her hits “Best Part” and “Focus”. Big Sean performed many of his hit singles and features such as “IDFWU”, “Blessings”, “Bounce Back”, and “Big Bank”. Nas also performed songs like “I Can”, “Hate Me Now” and “Oochie Wally”. During the concert sets most people stood up or had blankets or yoga mats sitting down on the lawn because there were no seats this year. Each artist had about a forty minute set on stage.

This is the kind of outdoor concert where you should dress comfortable and not wear stilettos. Prepare to sweat, stay hydrated, walk, and be in large crowds. The park had food trucks, bars,and water stations, but the lines were super long. I took Uber to the venue because there was very very limited parking. I’ve been to a lot of concerts, but this outdoor festival in the park had a different energy. There seemed to have been more people this year, but a lot of the musical artists who were originally on the line up pulled out of the show last minute. Cardi B, Jeezy, and Brandy were suppose to be performing, but were replaced with other artists such as Monica, 2 Chainz, Big Boi, and T.I. who are scheduled to perform on the Sunday show.

This was my third year going to One Music Fest and I must say I liked it better when it was at Lakewood Amphitheater where there was reserved seating as well as a lawn area. The old venue seem to have been more organized and had more space. Maybe from a business perspective Central Park could’ve been cheaper. I’m not really sure, but it made for a beautiful backdrop of the downtown Atlanta skyline at night. It should be interesting to see if it’s at the park in 2019.

To know more about the annual concert, see pictures, and how to purchase tickets check out http://www.onemusicfest.com or follow the hashtag #OMF2018 on social media.

I recently had an opportunity to see my beautiful and talented cousin, actress Taylor Jackson, perform in the musical called “Ain’t Too Proud” currently playing at The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. The phenomenal musical is about the life and times of the 60’s era R&B/Soul group “The Temptations” who were part of the legendary Motown music label. My cousin, Taylor, played one of The Supremes, Mary Wilson, and also played a character named “Johnnie Mae” who managed The Temptations in the beginning stages of their career before signing to Motown Records.The musical is told from the perspective of the last surviving original Temptations member, Otis Williams. For many people The Temptations’ musical catalog was the soundtrack for their formative years. The musical covers the life and times of being a black musician during the racially segregated Civil Rights Era. The Temptations endured hardships from being threatened with violence in the Southern United States when they performed to battling family issues, alcoholism, and drug abuse. Despite the challenges the group persevered and paved the way for so many R&B groups from The Jackson 5 to New Edition. Their legacy continues to live on through their music through songs such as “My Girl”, “Just My Imagination”, and “Papa was a Rolling Stone”. The performance was around two hours and had one 15-minute intermission. Every actor did a phenomenal job singing, dancing, and acting! Also, the lighting, band, and sound were so precise! If you ever have an opportunity to see the musical you will be amazed! To find out more about the musical check out http://www.kennedy-center.org. Check out the musical trailer by clicking the link here:“Ain’t Too Proud” Musical Trailer