Good morning!

Today we have a couple of Tusday Tunes that feature some of our fave artists at the BET Awards.Who was your fave performance?

Check it out!

Kendrick Lamar & Erykah Badu

Janelle Monae & Erykah Badu

Mariah Carey

Good morning!

Time to jump start this week with some positive energy from one of your fave celebs! That’s right, listen to what Pharrell has to say about reaching your dreams and how staying true to yourself will allow  you to reach your full potential!

Last week, we talked about forgiveness. Well, this week, I want to look at the other side of the equation – apologizing. It wasn’t until my early twenties that I truly learned how important and how hard it can be to apologize. I mentioned last time that forgiveness can be tough, but in a lot of instances, apologizing can be just as difficult, if not more so. The thing that makes apologizing such a difficult task is that it requires us to humble ourselves. First we have to be humble and honest enough to admit we were wrong. Then, we have to call on those same two traits to ask the person we offended for forgiveness. When those things are done sincerely, they can be very humbling, especially for the inexperienced apologizer.

See, most of us are used to giving and receiving half-assed apologies. Those are the ones that people offer without much thought or sincerity, and they rarely contain an admission of what was actually done wrong. That ain’t how it goes. A real apology requires some introspection to admit to yourself that you were wrong and that the offended party deserves to be treated better. In addition to introspection, there also has to be some perspective in order to see your actions from the other person’s point of view. Then, it requires the humility to admit the things that you just admitted to yourself to the other person. Finally, a true apology requires maturity because it takes a mature person to be able to offer up an apology and really mean it.

Yes, you may feel a little better once you apologize, but the apology isn’t about you. It’s about showing the other person enough respect to admit that you were wrong and that they weren’t deserving of that kind of treatment. A real apology is about trying to set things right. It’s about doing what you can to start the healing process for all parties involved. If you’ve ever been hurt and later received an apology, you know how much those words can mean and how they often make it so much easier to let things go. Everyone deserves the opportunity to heal, so when you’re the one who did the hurting, step up and also be the one who starts the healing.

Summer is here! Yes, time to get officially excited! Ok, so even though your days and nights are surrounded by warm weather and fun times, don’t forget about your health! Take advantage of the days where you do not have to stand in the cafe line at school. This does no mean gobble down every fast food place you see either. Check out how simple choices can change your entire of day of how you feel and act! Trust me, you’ll thank us later!

Check out a couple healthy snack to keep your mind sharp for….dun dun dun summer school! You may be surprised of what’s number 1

Being smart about your funds is just as important as sporting the hottest fashion trends out right now. Hmmm… think about it. If you don’t know how to save then how are you going to buy those hot shoes for your bestie’s party next month? Your parents are going to start giving you that good ol’ side eye the next time you kindly reach your hand out for more money. So hey, before they even give you the “You need to start being responsible” speech beat them to the punch and watch your account grow! Ok, ok enough of the speech let’s see if you are a Budgetnista or not?

Closet Check!– Yes, I know the feeling of fresh clothes in your closet is somewhat addictive! You can feel yourself wanting to rip off the tags as soon as you pull it out the bag and find the perfect place to debut the new piece to your clothes collection. BUT ask yourself how often do you buy new clothes? And where are your fave stores? Do you give yourself a spending limit before going out? Oh how I know you love all these questions I’m tossing your way! Just remember that giving yourself a limit of how often and what you spend can save you extra money ! And even if you are a fan of boutiques or stores like H&M . Make sure your wardrobe is a mixture of higher, lower and thrift pieces!

A Foodie??– You’re telling yourself look, I’m not in 2nd grade anymore and packing lunches are the most annoying thing in the world. I know it seems like all 5 minutes of you preparing a meal the next day is life threatening but its not. How many times do you go to the drive thru after summer school? Or how many McGriddle wrappers are in the back of your car? Setting aside 10 extra minutes to eat breakfast at home or throwing a snack for after school will save up! You’ve probably spent 10 bucks in just vending machines already…Think about it.

Small Temptations– Well, you know that they say it’s not the big problems that drive you crazy but the small bumps in the road that will drive you up the wall. Well, it’s same for your budget. Is it easy for you to get sidetracked? Do you make a lot of thoughtless purchases? It’s not always the huge purchases that makes your account slowly dwindle, it’s more of your small daily temptations that add up! From the Redbox station to the Passion Fruit Ice Tea from star bucks to the new nail polish you snagged at the drugstore. If you really added up a week of your random buys, you just saved up for your prom shoes…Yes, it’s true.

Good morning!

Time to kick up the energy this morning! Check out these dope dancers from U4ria Dance Studio based in Coral Springs, Florida!

First kick it off with the summer hit Grown Woman by Beyonce…

Time to slow things down with Alicia Keys- Fire We Make

Last but not least check their hot choreography to Ciara’s Body Party

Good Morning Fly Girls!

So, you automatically know that you’re gorgeous, fly and fierce you are no matter what size or shade you are. It’s a simple fact! It does not matter what any other person thinks or even says about your stunning beauty. As long as you know your worth and flyness, you dictate how others view you as well! As girls of color we sometimes seem divided by our sizes, hair texture, backgrounds and yes, even different shades. We all can turn on the TV and may see that different skin tones are embraced more in media.

The film’s directors Bill Duke & Channsin Berry covers the separation that some girls have with overcoming having darker skin tones in their movie “Dark Girls” that recently premiered on the OWN network. Berry said, “When Bill called me with the idea of a documentary about dark-skinned women, I was in right away. Being a dark-skinned Black man, like Bill, I have gone through similar traumas. Being separated and discriminated against by our own people. It stifles your self-esteem. Bill and I shared our similar experiences and immediately understood that we knew the best way to approach this.”

Check out the preview…

Do you feel that this is an issue you deal with at school or with your group of friends?

SPEAK OUT!

Good morning!

Get into Wale’s new song/vid for ‘Love Hate Thing’—->

Throughout the years, Amor Kismet have honed their performance skills, appearing at countless open mics and large festivals in Georgia.Inspired by the greats such as Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Bob Marley, Shania Twain, and Selena, Amor Kismet aims to write and perform timeless songs that transcend genres. Amor Kismet have also built a large online following, with thousands of followers across Twitter and Facebook, and nearly half a million views on YouTube. Backed by a strong belief in God and solid family values, Amor Kismet is ready to see where fate takes them in the next step of their musical journey…

Music is a powerful tool to express yourself, how has it impacted your life?
Erika: Music has impacted my life in every aspect. It is my channel of emotional expression and my one of the only passions in my life. I live for it honestly. There is nothing else I would rather do than music.
Crystal:Music has impacted my life is a great way. Music really helps me get through certain situations. The songs we write , are basically things we have been through or want to experience
Galissa: Music has impacted my life in great measures. It impacts my life, because its a form of expression that’s bigger than me. Because music encompasses life, it’s the biggest impact in my life. Music runs parallel to the our human souls, so it impacts all of us.

What has been your favorite song the group has covered? Do you enjoy writing original material also?
Erika: My favorite song that my sisters and I have covered would have to be The Star Spangled Banner. It is acapella and shows our tones and harmonies to perfection.
Crystal: My favorite song we have is Mariah Carey feat Miguel . The reason I say that song is because the song is a very nice / sweet song. Yes, I really enjoy writing original songs because it gives you a chance to relate to other people and what they are going through.
Galissa: My favorite song we covered so far is our Miguel, I really like that song alot!

What are 3 pieces of advice you would give to girls who want to pursue their dreams in music but are too nervous to start?
Erika: 1.Always do what you love to do as a career ! That is the only way you can continue to discover yourself as you grow older.
2.Take your career in your hands. Always be involved in decision making.
3.Don’t get discouraged. Patience is definitely a virtue the key is to remember that God is always in control.

Crystal: 1. The number one advice I would give to girls is to always have dedication in the music they do.2.Secondly have passion about your music, without passion its impossible to ideally perform your job. 3.Last but not least always have determination , take on every challenge head on and do what you need to accomplish.

Galissa: 1. Drop the nervousness, fear holds all of us back, Depend on God! 2. Believe in yourself, God put music in all of us, you have to believe in yourself never doubt yourself! 3. Practice and be positive, & be open to critiques,

We are all about EMPOWERMENT at C.O.R.E mag, What does empowerment mean to you?
Erika: Empowerment to me means staying true to yourself. Doing what makes you happy without caring about people’s opinions.
Crystal:It means reaching my goals and over coming my fears in life.
Galissa: Empowerment to me means, being free from fears, doubts & anything negative.

Where do you see your music taking you in the next 5 years?
Erika: The next 5 years my music is going to be amazingly successful and known around the world.
Crystal: Being known world wide and globally & doing huge concerts.
Galissa: I see our music helping others & being people joy.

Fun Faves! Fave Food? Artist? Song? Celeb Crush?
Erika: My favorite food is pasta lol I love it ! Favorite artist is Selena Q. And I don’t have a celeb crush lol

Forgiveness is one of those things that can be very hard to accomplish. It’s very common for us to be wronged by someone and decide that we’ll let it go. We have every intention of doing so, but a lot of times we don’t know how. I’m one of those people who generally has a hard time holding a grudge. If you make me laugh, I’m pretty much on the road to being cool again, but there have been a few times that people have hurt me so deeply or pissed me off so severely that I still feel the hurt and anger of the situation as if it just happened yesterday. I know that it is cliché to tell you that forgiving someone can make you feel as good as or better than the person you’re forgiving, but I’m going to tell you anyway because it’s true.

Letting go of the hurt, anger, and resentment that you hold on to before forgiving someone is truly a burden lifted. It feels good to be able to see and/or think about someone who did you wrong and not get all worked up about it. When you’re able to do that, it means that the person and that situation no longer have any control over you. It means that you’re free from whatever madness to which you may have been chained and can move forward with one less thing to worry about.

Therefore, my little piece of advice this week is to just let it all go. Your friend stabbed you in the back? Don’t even trip on it. They did you a favor by showing you who they really were. Believe them, decide how to deal with them going forward and just let it go. Your boyfriend is working your last nerve? Don’t fall into the trap and start an argument. Just charge this one to the game and let it go. Teachers and parents giving you a hard time? Make sure you’re doing what you’re supposed to do, and just let the rest go. Don’t be confused; this isn’t about adopting a nonchalant attitude. This is about recognizing that we all are human and make mistakes and being able to allow yourself and others to make them without holding onto those mistakes forever. Just let it go!

-Tiffany Vicks