Hey Mofos!

I am absolutely thrilled and over the moon that The MofoChronicles was FINALLY recognized! It's been a long time coming but lemme give you the deets! 

I know y'all follow @mofochronicles on Twitter right? Well the handle won Favorite Twitter Handle in Elevate Lifestyle's Best of the City 2021 Awards. 

Earlier this week, I attended the awards celebration and while I didn't get to give my speech I've been practicing for years, I did pick up my award certificate. Check it out:

I admit, I was in my feelings that I didn't win best talk show or even best journalist (idk if that category exists) or something along the lines of my blood, sweat, and tears, but then I realized this platform was the start of it all, and the twitter account is the extension so I'm a winner regardless of the category. 

I grabbed some of my friends and celebrated the win complete with spicy margaritas for them and reg ones for me and my acid reflux. I'm so grateful to all that nominated me and voted for me. I had noooooooo idea! 

I also realized something else.. all this time I had been glaring from afar, hating on others being recognized while feeling like my efforts and talent were being ignored. Last night, I realized I was letting other people's opinions and negativity steer me into that belief when ultimately the issue wasn't a person or people I was annoyed with.. it's the gatekeepers and cliques in this city that can only handle 4-5 Black creatives at a time. It's really sad because there's a ton of us outchea. I realized that there's room for all of us, THEY just don't see us and that's okay. WE see us and WE can continue to support and uplift each other. 

Before I wrote this blog, I was contemplating this insane desire that I have to do more on-camera work and be on a national platform doing what I love, making the money I deserve and the overwhelming frustration crept up and I wanted to quit. Then I remembered, last night, one person thanked me for believing in her and to me--that's a win because that encouragement from years ago, helped her get to where she is. I also realized that while I may not get the opportunities or accolades that others get around here, I'm still making noise, it may not be as loud, and it may not be on the platform that I want, but I'm still here doing what I love and being fulfilled. I may not have my dream job YET, but it's coming. I know it. 

Look at all this winning growth. Anyhoo.. I'm off to put my award in a frame and manifest a win for Check the Rhymes in some capacity. 

Keep growing and winning mofos! 

~Meik

Hey Mofos!

It's that time of year when VH1's "Black Ink Crew: Chicago" returns! It's season 7 can you believe that? I was super hype to chat with Charmaine Bey and Ryan Henry again about what we can expect this season and more. You KNOWWWW I had to ask Ryan about being triflin and you don't wanna miss his answer! The show premieres 10/4 on VH1--check your local listings chile for the time. 

Catch the interview here on Check the Rhymes TV:

Charmaine and her strength continues to wow me. 

Will you be tuned in this season? Who is your fav on the show? 

~Meik 

Hey Mofos! 

I am so excited for this new Starz series Black Mafia Family that premieres 9/26. 

Here's what the show is about: “BMF" (aka Black Mafia Family) is inspired by the true story of two brothers who rose from the decaying streets of southwest Detroit in the late 1980’s and gave birth to one of the most influential crime families in the country. Demetrius “Big Meech” Flenory’s charismatic leadership, Terry “Southwest T” Flenory’s business acumen and the fraternal partnership’s vision beyond the drug trade and into the world of Hip Hop would render the brothers iconic on a global level. Their unwavering belief in family loyalty would be the cornerstone of their partnership and the crux of their eventual estrangement.

I sat in on a press junket and got to ask Lil Meech and KA$H Doll a question for Check the Rhymes. Press play! 

Will you be watching? 

~Meik 

If you follow me on social media, then you already know that I absolutely adore Kaavia James Union Wade with her cute shady baby self. I'm a fan of her mama, Gabrielle Union, so I had to check her out when she came to town to Blumenthal Performing Arts for her book tour. Her new book, "You Got Anything Stronger" was given out with a ticket and had me almost do a two step in the lobby and wish I had a tambourine. Won't He Do It?

Anyhoo, the moderator for the evening was former news anchor Brigida Mack and her and Gab seem to hit it off. It was like being Pearl from 227, sitting in the window watching Mary and Rose carry on a convo. 

Some gems were dropped and here's a quick rundown:

You repeat what you don't repair. 

There's no such thing as balance, stop chasing it. It doesn't exist. 

There's no need to be ashamed of going to therapy. Tuning up your mental health is just as important as tuning up your car. DO IT. 

Make space for those to be their authentic self. 

It's okay to ask for help. 

Marriage is work. *now this one I wanna see for myself.. COME ON HUSBAND!!!!!!!*

The list goes on, but you need to read the book to pull out the gems for yourself. What really makes me love Gab is her transparency, especially when it comes to something a lot of women, especially Black women deal with when wanting to have children. Fertility issues can drain you in so many ways. Even dating is hard because you wonder ...well you know what, that's a whole other blog.  I've shared my fibroids story complete with an iron deficiency, and I most recently had another surgery back in April, but it's hard to move forward thinking of yourself as damaged goods, but you cry with Gab as she shares her story because you feel every single tear drop she shed. Her story of how she finally got the child she so desperately desired is inspiring, because she didn't give up and it reminds me not to either in any part of my life. 

I want to thank Gabrielle, my bestie in my head, for sharing her life with us, including Kaavia as she is growing up. Sometimes with celebs we don't know what they are going through behind closed doors and I appreciate the transparency, tho if I was famous, y'all wouldn't know ish LOL. Seriously,  I also loved the dance breaks during the tour, it also felt like a women's retreat to woo sah from the ish men be putting us through! Ok maybe that was my take away. They asked pre-submitted questions from the audience, but I was wondering how the hell those 5 people knew to submit questions because I had a couple questions. But maybe, just maybe, I will get the opportunity to interview Gab one day. 

I suggest you grab a copy of this book and definitely give it a read. Join a book club and chat about it and as Gab said, build your community so you have people to talk to and lean on. You can't do it alone. 

~Meik