So I Went to the Cincinnati Music Festival

My people! So last weekend, I was invited to go to the Cincinnati Music Festival as a social media correspondent for their top sponsor Proctor & Gamble, and specifically for one of my favorite arms of theirs: My Black is Beautiful. My job was to go, interview some cool people, watch the concerts and share my experience. Basically, I just had to go have fun. And that is what I did.

I took over the MBIB Instagram one of those days too!

First, I went around picking up all types of freebies at the P&G stations. I got stuff from Bounty, Tide, Secret and Always. Why? Because who doesn’t like free things? I racked up on their CoverGirl Queen Collection lippies, though. I was like “I AM TALENT. GIMME ALL THE THINGS.” And the person at the counter cackled. This is why you can’t give me nice things like access.

After that, I watched soundcheck for Judith Glory Hill and her band. Then I got to go backstage to interview her.

Sidenote: I am being told I NEED to SnapChat, and in the middle of me rolling my eyes and deep sighing, I know I actually have to, because my job is social media and that platform is not going away. I actually SnapChatted like 3 times that weekend, including that sound check. YAY ME. BTW, my username is: aweluvvie there. Follow me. And watch me not post anything. UGHHH BUT I know I have to because my book tour is coming up and I need to do geo-filters and whatnot. FINE I GUESS. I hope I don’t fall in love with it and start dog-filtering my face. 

Anywho, where was I? Ah yes. Let’s talk about Judith Hill. If you don’t know her, she’s the amazing vocalist who has sang with Stevie Wonder. She was even supposed to be going on tour with Michael Jackson for “This is it.” She was also Prince’s protege and her latest album Back in Time was produced by him. Her mom and dad are in her band and she’s just super interesting in general.

So I got to interview Judith and we chose to do it backstage on a golf cart. Because: why not? The con about that was reception was terrible so it took 10 minutes and 2 phones before we could get on Facebook Live successfully. But Judith was super patient about it.

May you find someone who looks at you as lovingly as I look at Judith. Amen.

One of the questions I asked her was: If you had to have dinner with 5 musicians dead or alive, who would they be. And she answered: Louis Armstrong, Billie Holliday, Aretha Franklin, Johann Sebastian Bach and Miles Davis. She covered jazz, soul, classical, blues. Talk about LIT. That dinner should happen, even if only in someone’s imagination. Writers, get to work!

Her energy was dope, and it was so fun talking to her. You can watch my full interview with Judith on my Facebook page.

The opening night of the Cincy Music Fest was Judith, Fantasia and New Edition. IT WAS SO GOOD.

This was my 2nd time seeing Fantasia in concert in 3 months. I saw her when she came to Chicago with Anthony Hamilton and I gotta say. Tasia Mae puts on a GOODT show. She didn’t come out her shoes this time but she didn’t need to. She put it ALL on that stage. She even came back to do 3 extra songs after her time was up.

New Edition came on and played ALL their hits. They ended with Can You Stand The Rain, Candy Girl, Mr. Telephone Man and sweated through their blazers. This is my 2nd time seeing them in 3 weeks because I was also at ESSENCE Fest. I Periscoped the last 40 minutes of their set.

The day after, I interviewed the HILARIOUS and amazing Tasha Smith on Facebook Live. We talked about everything, from our love of spas to our love of South Africa. Talking to her was like chatting with a longtime girlfriend. She was more than a delight and I can see why she has longevity in this Hollywood game.

I’ve been a fan since I watched The Corner on HBO over a decade ago. Not only if she gifted, but she is down-to-earth, humble and carries a heart of service within her. She even mentors emerging actors at her school the Tasha Smith Actors Workshop (TSAW).

Seriously. Meeting her was a major highlight for me. After our interview, she turned to me and went “I LOVE your personality and I needed that. Thank you.”

You can watch my interview with Tasha on my Facebook page. It’s worth your time.

Day 2 of the concert was the close. Charlie Wilson and Frankie Beverly & Maze did those honors. As you know, where 3 or more black people gather, there must be an all-white event. It is in the Founding Constitution of Blackness.

When I was walking to the arena, I ran into this troop of aunties, who were in their all white with matching bedazzled glitter fedoras and I got my whole life!

YES, auntie squad goals. Not pictured: the aunty in the gold had on matching gold cowboy boots. COME THROUGH, AUNT LURLENE! I was into it. You know they’d been planning this vacation since last year and they had a text message group going to coordinate their ensembles. Why? Because they came to slay.

Uncle Charlie Wilson had the crowd going nuts. And it doesn’t matter that Frankie Beverly & Maze ain’t came out with nothing new since the first Bush was in office. They know how to sell out a stadium and get folks hype. Because they surely were onstage til 1am. I was like “your uncles do not tire, huh?”

I had a ball, and it helped that I was living the suite life the entire time.

Thank you to the My Black is Beautiful Team for having me and for trusting me to take over your social media. I didn’t blow anything up so KUDOS TO ME. And thank you for helping me live loudly. Shoutout to Jasmine Alston, photographer extraordinaire for making me look damb good too. Her camera is magic.

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by P&G (My Black is Beautiful) but all thoughts, shenanigans and shade are MINE. I keeps it 100 with y’all always.