Jessie J- "Who You Are" Album Review

Born Jessica Cornish in Chadwell Heath, London in 1988, Jessie J started her career in show biz at the age of 11, performing in the West End production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Whistle Down the Wind. Jessie J had major health problems on the road to stardom. Following a major stroke at age 18, she gained a Sony publishing contract and penned hits for the likes of Chris Brown, Dutch X Factor winner Lisa Lois, and Miley Cyrus (the American number two hit "Party in the USA") and many more. her debut album, Who You Are, reveals she's more than capable of coping with the pressure.

 The album was released on February 25th 2011 and had been awarded The billboard 200 on Peak 11 and Top Canadian albums on Peak 6. Jessie J has come from a very distinctive family and not to mention the hysterical health issues that could have prevented her from being the talented female she is today. "Who You Are" consists of 13 songs all of which had distinctive sounds and beats.

The album has also been awarded MOBO Awards for Best Album, and BBC Radio 1 Teen Award for Best British Album. My favorite song on the album would have to be "Who You Are" I believe this songs channels her inner spirit in ways of telling her story without physically doing so. You can tell just by the video that she was going through a lot and looking for a resolution to her problem by first fixing her thoughts and finding who she really was.

Grade: 8/10
Recommended Tracks: Abracadabra, Who You Are 

5 Easy and Beautiful Prom Hair Styles

Its that time of season again -- PROM season! This day is special for many reasons, its that time to style up, glam up, and spend time with friends. It's important to select the perfect hairstyle which complements your dress, your style, and makes you feel beautiful. Prom is very time consuming so the styles I chose are very easy and can also be done at home in a short amount of time.

1. Elegant Updo-Just like the name suggests, this updo looks super elegant, which is perfect for an occasion like prom.

2. Curls, Curls & More Curls-Look and feel beautiful at your prom, just like Cinderella at her ball! 

3. Half Updo w. Flower-If you don’t feel like putting your hair up, nor want to let it down completely, this is the perfect hairstyle for you.

4. Straight down-Many don't like having their hair up and just want it to be bone straight. A simple silk press will do the job.

5. Fish Tail Braid-If you’re a braid-kinda-gal, and don’t want to worry about your braid falling apart all day, check this braid out!

I hope that you have enjoyed my blog and plan to use one of the following quick and easy hairstyles for prom. All of the following are beautiful and will enhance the beauty of the individual who decides to showcase it.

OPINION- Homicides in the District

Homicide, another term for murder. The deliberate and unlawful killing of one person by another. When conversing about the charges to be faced in the case of a homicide in DC includes: Felony Murder, Involuntary Manslaughter, Murder I & II, and Voluntary Manslaughter. The difference between them a person living in the District should know.

• Felony Manslaughter- A low level felony often remembered by killing that fall under DUI
• Involuntary Manslaughter- Involuntary manslaughter is the unlawful killing of a human being without malice aforethought, either expressed or implied.
• Murder I- An intentional killing that is not premeditated or planned, nor committed in a reasonable "heat of passion"
• Murder II- A killing caused by dangerous conduct and the offender's obvious lack of concern for human life.
• Voluntary Manslaughter- the killing of a human being in which the offender had no prior intent to kill and acted during "the heat of passion", under circumstances that would cause a reasonable person to become emotionally or mentally disturbed.

(DC marks the 100th homicide and these are their victims)

All of the victims in the image above lives fell short to homicide. Their suspects some have been arrested and others are still unknown. The question still remains is DC a victim of increased "homicides" or is it just a coincidence? Many people commit these crimes and in my eyes do not receive the time in jail as they should. Some murders can be intended but its up to a prosecutor to decide? One may say it was an accident but "murder" will forever and always be murder. That's a life gone innocent or not nobody deserves to grieve over the loss of a love one because of petty beef or whatever the case may be. The District violence has increased within the past 5 years and there's no telling why. Its up to the community to stop the violence of the well known term in the District.

8 Ways Meditating Change Lives

Mindfulness meditation is unique in that it is not directed toward getting us to be different from how we already are.

Reduces Stress: Meditation is a simple technique that, if practiced for as few as 10 minutes each day, can help you control stress, decrease anxiety, improve cardiovascular health, and achieve a greater capacity for relaxation.

Increases Clarity: Mental clarity is easy to lose, but you can get it back quickly too. Meditation is used to help one focus on their mental state of mind.

Blasts of Energy: Upon relieving stress comes a blast of energy a person never knew he or she had in them. One can had so much on their mind but once its let off they're a whole new person.

Better Sleep Schedule: The more calm one's mind is the better good night rest is for them as well. One will simply feel at ease after meditating.

Enhances Creativity: Meditation offers enormous benefits for everyone, and a set of particular benefits for those who are engaged in a creative activity like writing.

Boost Self Esteem: Meditation gains self awareness. Self-confidence is one of those byproducts of meditation that few people talk about. Yet, this kind of self-confidence can make a big impact on a meditator’s life.

Keeps You Young: Meditation is not escapism. It isn't an altered state of mind where your problems don't exist. Quite the opposite. In meditation you give your problems space and find the most wise and compassionate ways to handle them.

Makes You Smile: When we reach a state of ananda ( bliss ) , also added seems like the head seems to pull upwards which in fact does happen and a blooming smile appears on the face . a beautiful sensation of everlasting joy .

Lifestyle: "What's In My Bag"

I know this may seem weird coming from a teenage female but I think the question many wonder is why females carry big purses? or why is a females purse so heavy? Since I get these questions quite often I'm going to tell you ladies "What's In My Bag".

1. Personal Documents- An average female might keep important paperwork inside of her purse such as birth certificate, social security card, etc. Inside my bag I keep very little personal document except for my Identification Card because that's kind of mandatory.

2. Make Up Bag- If a female is a fan of makeup more than likely she will carry a mini make up bag inside her purse. My make up bag consists of foundation, concealer, 10 different lipsticks, eye liner(both liquid and pencil), mascara, make up removal wipes and brushes to apply all these things to my face.

3. Wallet- I doubt very seriously if a female is unorganized inside her purse so she is more than likely to have a wallet present. I definitely keep one inside my bag for my smartrip card, my ID, and credit/debit cards. Also the average females keeps money in there wallet.

4. Phone Accessories- I for one have to admit I can not leave the house without a car charger, a wall charger, and 2 cases. Maybe it's just me but I'm obsessed with my phone so I need everything possible to protect it from dying while I'm out or even breaking.

5. Snacks- I have to admit I can not go anywhere without at least a pack of gum or some chips in my bag. Many females are very busy during the day and do not have time to go out and have the proper lunch so they carry a snack to hold them until they have time.

Hopefully this explains why a females purse is so heavy and extremely large. Females find everything important so if it can fit in the purse it will definitely be found there but always remember NEVER TOUCH A FEMALES PURSE.

OPINION- What "REALLY" Matters in America?

The question still remains, Is it time to talk about "Black Privilege" yet? Surprisingly you have some well educated African American teenagers like myself who totally disagree with the article posted on March 31st, 2016 relating to black privilege. "Here's some good news for all you black folks complaining about racism in America. You don't know how good you have it." said John Blake. Exactly how good do we "Black People" have it? I don't understand how one can undermine another race when nobody is perfect. From the name calling dating all the way back to slavery, Nothing from the past can be erased so you would think one would focus on making the future a better place for everyone.

Now lets get down to the overall issue at hand: Equality. "I want to take a stance cause we are not free, And then I thought about it, we are not we, Am I in the outside looking in, or am I in the inside looking out?" stated Macklemore in "White Privilege II". Many people complain about their lives not being as they suspected it to be but how can we as a community or country all pitch in if we are so racially discriminated against one another? Take the Michael Brown protest for example so many people took a stand but did they really mean it? Ask yourself are you protesting to make a difference or just doing it for attention? "If you try to embrace being white, you are portrayed as being a racist. If we had a White History Month, that would be viewed as a racist holiday." said Drew Domalick. One month dedicated to African American is not just for recognition its to embrace the fact that we have came along way since then. Try looking at it from the inside out being apart of the minority, White Americans have more days celebrated for them than how many days there are in a year. I just don't understand how one can be so selfish but complain about how the past is affecting the future. Think about it, Are we really equal or Are we as American Citizens just trying to differentiate ourselves from one another because of our past?

OPINION- Teacher Showed Minors 50 Shades of Grey

50 Shades of Grey, is a 2015 American erotic romantic drama film directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson with a screenplay by Kelly Marcel. Although this movie was Rated R, meaning anyone under 17 requires an accompanying parent or adult guardian (age 21 or older) and 25 years and under must show ID in order to see this in a theatre this was an off campus event. The teacher was not alone on this trip she was accompanied by a school board member and coach named Kelly Kohegyi. There were two vehicles being driven to safely transport the young ladies to their destination.

The teacher in this case was requested by the teens (17+) to watch the movie at a pit stop heading to their activity. She gave them what they asked for and in my opinion she was not wrong. There could have been ways to prevent the young lady from seeing it by asking everyone in the car their age and making accommodations for her to get in the other vehicle. I don't believe the teacher should be put on administrative leave because for one a coach knows her team better than anyone especially since she spends the most time with them. The parent on the other hand went a little too far but her stance isn't overlooked. I understand she was not raising her 14- year old daughter to watch R-Rated movies but things happen. Living in todays society sadly she was bound to be exposed to things of negative nature as she was growing up whether it just be from walking down the street or on a television screen. She could have expressed her concerns verbally with the adults who were present without harassing them. She's trying to be revengeful as far as getting the teacher removed from the school when thats not needed. Her daughter was simply in the wrong car which by the way did I mention was filled with young ladies ages 17+ at the wrong time. How can one learn if you don't let them live? Simply without letting her live and learn from her mistakes can lead her down the road of making bad decisions and movie choices.