Better role model than slay queens India Arie
In this age of Beyoncé, bow down b****ches, Cardi B ( I do enjoy Cardi B's music though), Nicki Minaj, Wendy Shay's, Ghanaian slay queen actresses, presenters and musicians. And music centred around black women being sexual objects, fashionistas, designer brand ambassadors ( real or trying to be ) and YouTube female black stars promoting a similar lifeclass. Who is going to teach our young women to love themselves, without hype, designer garments, success, make up, houses, expensive getaways, get rich fast and followers.
Who will teach them self respect, dignity, natural beauty, intelligence and the comfort of being unique and being at home in ones own skin. That a girl doesn't need followers to be lit. That she was formed by God to exhibit beauty and, that beauty comes from the inside and shines on the outside. Becca, use to do that for Ghanaian girls, now all over her pages, we see designer wear constantly, and unnecessary videos with walks that want to exude sexiness, but fail.
Wiyalaa and Eshun are doing a good job. However, one African American female singer stands the test of time. India Arie with dreadlocks, has taught black women all over the world they are not " average girls from the video, but have to learn to love themselves unconditionally because they are queens... their worth is not determined by the price of their clothes, no matter what they are wearing they will always be" themselves, she says " no matter what I'm wearing I will always be India Arie." ( paraphrased -India Arie Video)
" Keep your fancy drinks ... I don't need that to have a good time... don't need your silicone. I prefer my own what God gave me is just fine. " ( paraphrased-India Arie Video) Imagine if all Ghanaian girls could say no to slay queening and prostituting to live beyond their means. So they can feel like they are special, because they can afford big houses, and designer clothes. Imagine if Ghanaian girls felt they did not have to compete with other women, bleach, and inject themselves to be loved.
Imagine if they could say " I am beautiful like a flower, more valuable than a diamond, powerful like a fire, I can heal the world with my mind, and there is nothing in the world I cannot do, when I believe in me who is powerful, me who is brilliant, me who is resilient." ( paraphrased India Arie Beautiful flower)
If they could be comfortable wearing different hairclasss and not feel like a real woman has a one way hairclass, European or western class. Or, be natural to follow trends. If they could sing within " I am not my hair, I am not this skin, I am not your expectations no, I am not my hair I am not this skin. I am the soul that lives within.... I'm exploring my creativity." ( India Arie -I am not my hair)
If Ghanaian girls stopped looking for men with money, and status and, looked for someone who " heals them, knows the real them, and accepts them, and never ever hurts them... with so much compassion in his eyes.. even when she's wrong he's still kind, he chooses his words wisely when he tells her she's not right, yes he's a beautiful man. But is also a beautiful friend." ( Paraphrased India Arie-he heals me)
If they realised they could just be themselves and told themselves " just do you somebody's got to be a star.... if you just do you there's no way you can loose. Or told themselves to " break the shell, you cannot touch the Sky from inside yourself, the bird cannot fly until it breaks the shell, its time for us to be for real... it's time to peel back all the layers you've put between who you're meant to be and go be who you are." ( paraphrased India Arie -Break the shell) That she is light " I've am not the mistakes that I have made... I am the God on the inside.... my soul inside is all light."( paraphrased India Arie- I am light)
If Ghanaian girls could repent and sing to God " river rise carry me back home, I cannot remember the way... I bow down and I humble myself, I can't do this lord I need your help. " If they could see " it's the little things and the joy they bring " that make life beautiful. Or that they can choose " to be the best that they can be, choose to be authentic in everything they do, their past don't dictate who they are, they choose... they don't have to change the way there are to get a man." ( paraphrased India Arie- I choose)
Instead of going to sakawa, juju, dissing and whatever they do these days. They can simply say " they try to poke the stick in between my wheels but they can't stop my motivation, nothing will. Though I walk through the valley were the shadow of death is. I fear no evil because I'm protected. No weapon formed against me shall prosper cause I'm walking with the Heavenly Father and I do believe it that I'm going to prosper. ( India Arie- Psalm 23)
There's a better life out there than chasing material acquisitions, body, face, skin, luxuries and followers. Our young girls need to know they should be focussing on healing the world with their mind, and achieving their goals by loving themselves " fear, but do it anyway, not let it stand in their way... it's time for them to show improve." ( paraphrased India Arie- Just for today) Instead of masquerading around like they are something their not. That person they are play acting is broken, bruised and seeking a self that loves itself. Slay queening will not bring them self love.
India Arie's YouTube channel:
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCDbh1xpPIxfP0cARTpsjS8A/videos
India Arie's playlist is below:
https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL23B53DE0EA1CB533
Ghanaian girls " swallow your pride and be who you are, and don't care who don't like it yeah. " ( Paraphrased India Arie's- Just for today) "Remind yourself there's only one you, just take a moment to give thanks for who you are." (India Arie- Beautiful day)