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Houstonia Magazine •

Pop star Lizzo has released a new line of shapewear called Yitty

Grammy Award–winning singer and Alief native Lizzo has recently started a new fashion venture that aims to improve body image for women of all sizes. Yitty (which comes from a childhood nickname given to her by an aunt) is a new line of inclusive shapewear distributed by the founders of Fabletics, Kate Hudson’s wildly popular fashion line.

Long the subject of public scrutiny and criticism, primarily because of her size, the 34-year-old star has “spent the entirety of my life trying to change th
Houstonia Magazine •

Darryl Sharpton Is Building a Life Beyond the Field

Darryl Sharpton always knew there was life after football. As a fourth-round draft pick for the Houston Texans in 2010, Sharpton said football provided him with a comfortable living and an abundance of opportunity, but after injuries forced him to retire in 2015 he already had a plan to build a new career for himself and his family.

Gifted with the ability to see life past professional football, (and a degree in business), Sharpton was able to make a smooth pivot to more entrepreneurial pursuit
Houstonia Magazine •

George Floyd's legacy lives on in Houston through his family's efforts

Walking through the Third Ward neighborhood, where George Floyd’s family once lived, you can see the communal ties in real time. At the corner of Tierwester and Winbern Streets, adjacent to their now-condemned childhood home, lies the George Perry Floyd Jr. mural emblazoned on the side of Scott Food Mart, known to the locals as the “blue store.” Cars honk, and passersby stop to shake the hands of George’s older brother, Philonise Floyd, and his wife, Keeta, as a sign of respect and reverence.

G
Houstonia Magazine •

The MAG'S <I>Southern Glory</I> Puts Houston's Fifth Ward on Display

Prauper Studios made a proper return to The Modern Art Gallery in 2023 with an exhibition dubbed Southern Glory. The latest installation comes after Prauper’s two critically acclaimed art shows, From Houston With Love and Houston Forever. The latter was hosted at the former Downtown Texaco building, and Southern Glory marks a permanent return to the Main Street location.

“It’s humbling to be back at Greenstreet,” Prauper Studios curator and owner of The MAG, Emmanuel Alia said. “It’s truly a fu
Houstonia Magazine •

Parker McCollum Will Kick Off Opening Day at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

Parker McCollum is sitting in his office in his Nashville home, where dozens of gold and platinum record sales plaques adorn the walls. These days you could say he’s living out his country boy dreams. But even though he now calls Tennessee home, as the old adage goes, “you can take the boy out of Texas, but you can’t take Texas out of the boy.”

For McCollum, all the awards and honors pale in comparison to the real indicator of success for most, if not all, Texas country music artists—performing
Houstonia Magazine •

Premium Goods Releases Limited-Edition Nikes

As hip-hop has grown in popularity over the decades, so too have many of the trends that were born alongside it. Streetwear and shoe culture in particular have become billion-dollar industries, with legions of fans lining up around city blocks for days to get hot new releases. Today, top artists like Cardi B, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell, and Eminem, to name just a few, have lucrative shoe deals from the likes of Reebok, Nike, Adidas, and others.

Houston's sneaker culture has long existed in
Okayplayer - Hip Hop Music, Audio, Video, Reviews, News, Interviews, Blogs and Discussion Board •

SZA’s 'SOS' is the Biggest R&B Album of 2023; ThankGod4Cody is a Big Reason Why

SZA is breaking records with her latest album, SOS. One of the architect behind the modern day R&B masterpiece is ThankGod4Cody, who produced a number of tracks.

ThankGod4Cody meeting SZA was happenstance — what he calls “just a right place, right time thing.” Around 2015, in a studio in Los Angeles, Cody was making a beat. This was years before SZA would even think about SOS, the album that would take her to another stratosphere. SZA was in her post-Z era, not yet a household name, though she
Houstonia Magazine •

Here's Who We Think Will Be at Bun B's Southern Takeover

Last year, Bun B’s H-Town Takeover was a monumental event that included tons of renowned Houston talent, including Slim Thug, Paul Wall, Letoya Luckett, and more. This year, Bun returns to the rodeo, and bringing some of his out-of-state friends along for the ride.

In honor of Black Heritage Day, this time the performance is dubbed “Bun B’s Southern Takeover,” and will include hip-hop acts from all over the South.

The Port Arthur native, and one half of the iconic rap group Underground Kingz,
Vinyl Me, Please •

VMP Rising: Amindi

Amindi is sitting in her Inglewood home, with her laptop propped up just enough to let natural light in for our Zoom call. She’s thinking out loud about how light she’s going to bleach her hair this time. Her hair is a focal point to her entire persona as a musician — she rocks her it in a low Caesar cut, with the color often changing depending on her mood. As we’re getting acquainted, we share a handful of compliments about each other’s short, near-bald hairstyles.

“I really like for my hair t
Houstonia Magazine •

Lance Scott Walker Has Spent 16 Years Studying the Life of DJ Screw

DJ Screw is a name etched in Houston hip-hop folklore, but he was known by many names to many people during his brief life. To some, he was The Originator, to others he was Screw, and to his family, he was simply Robert Earl Davis Jr. In addition to his many aliases, DJ Screw had a prolific career, filled with music, love, laughs, and no small measure of struggle. While many never had the opportunity to experience DJ Screw’s music when he was alive (he died of a codeine overdose in 2000 at the a
Houstonia Magazine •

Popular Smash Burger Sensation Trill Burgers Goes Brick-and-Mortar

After a series of popups throughout Houston—and an award for Best Burgers in America from Good Morning America—Trill Burgers is opening a proper restaurant.

It's just one of many ventures Port Arthur native and rapper Bun B has headed up within the last year. Trill Burgers was seen at music festivals around the country including Coachella, Rolling Loud, Rock the Bells and Something in the Water. The smash burgers made their debut at the 2022 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, selling 12,000 burg
Okayplayer •

A Guide to Getting into YoungBoy Never Broke Again, the Most Prolific Rapper of 2022

YoungBoy Never Broke Again has released eight projects this year. And there is a YB song for every possible mood. Here are the best NBA Youngboy songs of 2022.

Since his entry onto the rap scene at 17 in 2016, Youngboy Never Broke Again has been an outcast. He’s not the atypical rapper, but instead an elastic MC that makes listeners feel everything he says — whether it’s the thrill of turning up or the depths of his pain.

But perhaps the most exciting quality of NBA Youngboy (born Kentrell DeS
Okayplayer •

The 20 Best Rap Verses of 2022

Our list of best rap verses features a wide spectrum of rappers finding new ways to flip language and flows.

Despite what some people might say, rappers are still spitting. And while reflecting on the best rap verses of 2022, we couldn’t help but notice the vibrancy and diversity in rapping: MCs are still finding new ways to flip language and flows, making mundane topics sound fresh and new again.

Our list of best verses features a wide spectrum of rappers touching on a wide spectrum of topics
Okayplayer •

The 10 Flyest Female Rappers of All Time

From Lil’ Kim to Cardi B, these are some of the flyest female rappers in hip-hop that aren’t just rap stars but style stars, too.

Hip-hop has always had an ongoing dialogue with fashion. Since its creation, the genre has had a symbiotic relationship with style, beginning with the B-boy and DJ era. With the advent of rappers, hip-hop only continued to grow as a source for fashion inspiration, and women have — and continue — to play an important part in that. In celebration of the 49th anniversar
Okayplayer •

Despite Rising Gas Prices Houston’s Slab Culture Continues to Ride on

High gas prices have hit Americans’ pockets everywhere, but slabs — and their owners — have held on in Houston.

On any given Sunday in Houston’s historic MacGregor Park, a Saturday night at Carrington’s Sports Bar & Grill, or simply riding down Houston’s Martin Luther King Boulevard, you’ll see a slab line that stretches multiple blocks. Miles of brightly-hued cars, blaring car speakers, and unmistakable elbow wire wheels (commonly referred to as “elbows” or “swangas”) that hog the entire lane
Houstonia Magazine •

Bun B Is Ready to Be an Executive

Today, we’re watching Houston legend Bun B receive his flowers, both as a musician and entrepreneur. At 49, the entertainer is on a high — last month, he made his debut at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, was named grand marshal of the Art Car Parade, launched his smash burger concept Trill Burgers and, to close out March, he headlined Rock the Bells’ Road Less Traveled concert.

Rock the Bells is rapper LL Cool J’s flagship brand centered around hip-hop and the legends that propelled the gen
Chron •

Houston's Tobe Nwigwe reveals he has a son on the way in Ebony exclusive

Houston's Tobe Nwigwe has had an impressive run this year — and we're only halfway through.

The rapper has managed to release new music with "The Pandemic Project" and performed on the national stage with Jimmy Kimmel.

GETTING ACTIVE: Tobe Nwigwe and his team go crazy for his music video 'FYE FYE'

Now, the Nigerian-American artist is on the digital cover of the African-American mainstay magazine Ebony, flashing a mint green grill.

In an Instagram post, Nwigwe described the experience as "Min
Business Insider •

I'm a fourth-generation descendent of Jack Yates, a Juneteenth pioneer. Here's why his legacy is worth appreciating.


• He helped establish Emancipation Park in Houston, Texas, one of the first places Juneteenth was celebrated.
• Many refer to Yates as the "father of Black Houston."

Recollections of family history – specifically for African Americans – are sobering reminders that we're only a few generations removed from the injustices of slavery, discrimination, and segregation.

My fourth great grandfather, John Henry "Jack" Yates, was solidified history in 1872 when he, along with Elias Dibble, Richard All
Houstonia Magazine •

Le$' New Album E30 Is an Amalgam of His Southern Experience

Few artists have had the opportunity to work with heavy-hitting music camps like Curren$y’s Jet Life, or Slim Thug’s Boss Hogg Outlawz. The experiences Houston rapper Le$ soaked up while riding with these independent imprints would give him what he needed to spearhead something on his own, DIOS.

Le$ found agency in his music, which later informed his successful entrepreneurial efforts, like his current clothing and apparel venture.

With his name pronounced “Les," or “L. E. Dolla,” the rapper f
Houstonia Magazine •

Mo Amer on the Humor and Heart Behind His Houston-Set Netflix Series

Houston is a melting pot for multiculturalism—we’ve even been named the most diverse city in the nation. People from all walks of life choose to make Space City their home, helping to grow our population and simultaneously creating niche communities that become their home away from home.

Many of those who immigrate to Houston had lives that likely looked drastically different before making the decision to leave their home country for the U.S. Oftentimes, the journey to American citizenship is a
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