I Got So Much Magic, You Can Have It

Walk in your ways, so you will wake up and rise…

…and that’s exactly my mood after I heard Solange’s new album A Seat At The Table empowering black magic and reminding us it’s a beautiful time to be black. From the intro “Rise” to Master P spitting lyrical gems, the album is a must! It is a beautiful and painful reminder of saying, “I know my skin and culture is magic, but other races still think I have a point to give. They still think I have to live my life to prove my melanin matters.” Well I’m here to say, I’m feeling like Solange: “I have no more damns to give.”

There is plenty of magic in the world to go around, but some people rather live a life where racism and ignorance is okay and its also okay to turn the other cheek on issues that need fixing. A Seat At The Table calls people out on their bull. I’m here for this masterpiece and all its greatness. So don’t wish me well. As a long fan of Solange, I’m not surprised she put this flawless masterpiece together leaving jaws dropping. People are woke, meaning they become bolder.

Solange- Cranes in the Sky

My favorites from the album are “Cranes In The Sky‘, “FUBU”, and “Interlude: Tina Taught Me”, a spoken word by Solange’s mother reminding us that Pro-Black does not mean Anti-White.

“I think part of it is accepting that it’s so much beauty in being black. And that’s the thing that I guess I get emotional about because I’ve always known that. I’ve always been proud to be black. Never wanted to be nothing else. Loved everything about it, just…
It’s such beauty in black people, and it really saddens me when we’re not allowed to express that pride in being black, and that if you do then it’s considered anti-white. No! You just pro-black. And that’s okay. The two don’t go together. Because you celebrate black culture does not mean that you don’t like white culture, or that you putting it down. It’s just taking pride in it, but what’s irritating is when somebody says, you know, “They’re racist!” “That’s reverse racism!” or “They have a Black History Month, but we don’t have a White History Month!”
Well, all we’ve ever been taught is white history. So, why are you mad at that? Why does that make you angry? That is to suppress me, and to make me not be proud.”

From Interlude: Tina Taught Me by Tina Lawson

A Seat At The Table wasn’t created for division, but is a creative way to spread awareness that it’s time to unite, and remind us that we can all be great despite our skin color and backgrounds. Ignorance is the root of hatred and it has been for centuries now. I have no more damns to give about the unwritten rule that I have to work ten times harder than the average because I’m black. I have no more damns to give about people being offended by the way I choose to express myself. I have no more damns to give about lowering myself for people who don’t even love themselves. I have no more damns to give about people who are offended because God allows me to love the skin I’m in. Take it or leave it. I’ve always been proud of being a black woman who gives magic, and A Seat At The Table just put the icing on the cake. And I must say it’s a damn good cake.

You can choose to have a seat of unity at the table…or not. Either way, we have enough magic to pass around. We still have enough sauce to be confident in everything we do and touch no matter how you feel about us. I don’t need to bring other people down to prove I have sauce, no matter what color you are. I make a life for myself that shows my sauce daily. Make sure you are doing the same.