I’m super late on all the GRAMMY news.  I had no idea the GRAMMY’s went through a category restructuring and during the nomination ceremony for the 53rd GRAMMY Awards I was asleep.  When I got around to caring, everyone was ranting about how Beyonce and Kanye West had been snubbed, as if they are the only two people who make music, and Miguel was going off about how he had been snubbed, so I decided to not voice my opinion.

Well today I care, and while I’m usually very opinionated, I’m going to keep my GRAMMY comments short.

1.  Record of the Year
Adele’s 21 was amazing and she should sweep every category she is in, but “Fireworks” and “Grenade” are easily two of my favorite records of the year.  If you aren’t a fan of Pop music then yes, you might be inclined to feel as if Kanye should’ve been thrown in the category, but you my friend, are wrong.

Record of the Year is awarded for a single or for one track from an album. This award goes to the performing artist, the producer, recording engineer, and/or mixer for that song. In this sense, “record” means a recording of one song, not the composition or an album of songs. Often, the nominees and winners of this song represent the most successful songs of the year.

Kanye is great, but a Record Of The Year nomination he did not deserve.  Song of the Year is exactly where he belonged.

2.  Album of the Year
I haven’t listened to every album in the category, but I do know that Rihanna is a cult classic.  While Album of the Year may be a stretch for a Loud, is she not deserving?  She had an album with hits, great televised performances, sold out arenas and broke some #1 records.  Leaving her out of the GRAMMY’s would have caused just as much uproar.

2.  Miguel would have been nominated had the GRAMMY’s not reduced the R&B categories from 8 to 4 (part of the GRAMMY AWARDS Category Restructuring).

Out of 20 categories could Miguel have been giving one spot, maybe, but being “f**king pissed” won’t help him get that GRAMMY nomination.

PS:  My roommate and I have set a personal goal of going to the GRAMMY AWARDS next year (working a GRAMMY carpet is on my Bucket List).  If you can help make it happen, please let me know!!!  You can’t purchase tickets unless you are an Associate or Voting Member.  I was in LA last year during GRAMMY weekend working the B. Cox x SESAC Pre-Grammy Brunch and had a small window of opportunity to go, but I didn’t pursue it.  This year, I’m hoping to make it happen.

Two of my good friends and NYC’s coolest couple, Jordan (All-En1) and Tiph (Girl Vs Machine), celebrated their birthdays and invited a few people out to Veranda to celebrate.  (UPDATE: Jordan informed me that we actually were at Verlaine and not Veranda.)

While chatting and drinking I realized that I was having a movie moment.  The lights were low, the music was flowing and I was surrounded by a good accomplished, successful and somewhat intimidating group of friends.

The older I get (currently 25) the more I am beginning to have movie moments – moments that I first saw on the Small or Big Screen and said “Mom, that’s the life I’m going to live.”  Be it “Living Single,” “Martin” (these two are pretty much my day-to-day life), “Love Jones,” “Brown Sugar” or “The Wood”, throughout grade school I watched all of these movies/sitcoms and envisioned myself as one of the characters.

At 25 my “Brown Sugar” list is almost complete - a list that I started when I moved to NY in 2008.  (I’ve done the Def Jam rooftop party, talked with music editors, sat in the studio with Angie Martinez, and ate a hot dog in Central Park.  I just need to get the MaCallan 25… and when the time is right to drink it, I’ll know.) While at times, it’s difficult to maintain PR projects in the ever so crowded entertainment industry,  I am living the life that I dreamed of as a child and blessed to be surrounded by great friends and mentors.  I’m excited for the new opportunities that 2012 will bring and eager to start my “Before I Turn 30″ list.

This weekend was packed and an all around good time.

Usually for me, a good weekend in the city involves leaving the city altogether or spending it relaxing close to my apartment.   After attending different events throughout the week, the last thing I want to do is go out Friday – Sunday.

I kicked off the weekend with the BET Holiday Party with DJ Commish on Friday night.  It was good to see everyone outside of meetings/email and I hope to work with them all at some point throughout next year.

Saturday, I woke up and grabbed brunch at 5 and Diamond in Harlem with my Big Brother (fraternally) Trey.  He was in town from Chicago and after brunch we hit a few stores down in Soho, including Uniqlo, which he wanted to visit after reading the Uniqlo story in December’s GQ Magazine.  Later that night, a group of friends headed downtown for my roommates birthday party at West Way, which is another story within it itself.  The party never happened and we spent almost an hour looking for a place in Harlem who’s kitchen stays open late.  At 2am we settled on the  usual go to, Amy Ruth’s, who keeps their kitchen open 24 hours on weekends.

Sunday was the weekend grand finale and certainly did not disappoint. My awesome roommate, T-to-the-I-IF, scored us floor seats to the Knicks Blue/Orange Scrimmage.  We ended up sitting directly behind the Knicks bench and the energy in the Garden was amazing.  The whole experience was surreal and I can’t wait until the start of the season.

After the game, I met up with my college friend, Yodit Gebreyes and her boyfriend as they finished brunch at Red Rooster.  We walked around harlem for a few to catch up.  I always enjoy their company when they come to the city.

To cap off my Sunday, I walked around the Ralph Lauren Mansion on Madison Avenue with my roommate, Dustin, as he did some Christmas shopping.  My favorite part of the RL Mansion was the floor with The Ralph Lauren Home Collection. I spent the entire time dealing with the realization that there are people who live such lavish lives.

Throughout the weekend I found myself not wanting to return to my project apartment and my “normal” life.  Some cool events and a few of my friends provided for a great weekend. Weekends like this come few and far between.

ad·ver·tise·ment
n.
1. The act of advertising.
2. A notice, such as a poster or a paid announcement in the print, broadcast, or electronic media, designed to attract public attention or patronage.

A few months ago, my roommates and I painted an accent wall in our apartment (because all cool adults have them), but failed to do anything to it.

 For months it was just the “cool” orange wall that matched our “cool” pillows and acted as a “cool” backdrop for camera phone pictures.

Basically, a waste of orange paint…

 With a little bit of help from Ikea, an artificial plant lying around the living room and every orange DVD or book I could find in the apartment, our wall now serves a purpose.

NOW WE ARE COOLER.