Bridget Kelly: BP3 Tour Diaries // What's in YOUR Wallet?

So ... we're not sure how many of you ladies have been keeping up with Rap-Up.com's Tour Diary with Roc Nation artist/songwriter, Bridget Kelly ... but we thought we'd take it upon ourselves to bring you up to speed on some things ...

Rap-Up TV caught up with rising star Bridget Kelly when she stopped in Los Angeles for Jay-Z’s “BP3” tour last week. ... Check out the plush digs where she eats, breathes, and sleeps when she’s not performing “Empire State of Mind” with her boss nightly.

We were going back through the archives ... and got really into BK. She's totally dope and personable ... and making some really awesome moves right now. We found her pretty @uthentic.

SO VERY CUTE ... was her discussion of her daily must-haves on tour. Catch a brief piece of it below ...

One thing is for sure, life on the road can be long and boring, but I’m good as long as I have:

1. A dope pair of headphones – Some big ones to tune everything out.

2. My BlackBerry – My link to the world!

3. My passport – In case London calls…lol!

4. A couple pairs of shades – My future is looking prettybright.

5. Flatiron – To keep the mane in tact.

6. St. Tropez bronzer – To keep the skin glowing.

Ok ... so I must admit ... we wanted to play TOO! I mean we're movers and shakers over here! Trust us ... :)

so ... of course we emptied out our purses.

to you ... from e a s e ...

e a s e.e living can only be achieved through 11 items. Call it my mantra, but all the items below help create the @uthenticity for your viewing and experiencing pleasure.

• Cell Phone>>how else can i maintain being connected to important folk? Needless to say, sometimes i wish i had another just to separate the many non-personal calls that come through to my personal number, BUT in the meantime, my little palm is one of the forces behind the @uthentic madness you seem to enjoy regularly ;)
• lip gloss>>this will definitely show you how girly i am, but i canNOT go without the gloss...and the one pictured is my longtime bff called M.A.C Lipgelee. She's always right on time when the pucker matters!
• leather journal>>because my thoughts are always brewing and even though many i do not express verbally, writing down thoughts and moments that deserve documentation are extremely important. Everyone is not a writer, yet everyone has something to say.
• wallet>>ummm, that's how the business gets done, ha! or how i eat/live/survive!
• ipod/earphones>>yea, music is a necessity for all the things listed above. I talk with music, put lip gloss on, write, pay for stuff allll with the tunes on play. Currently digging Wale, always Thievery Corporation, J*Davey for the fiesty side and Sade for the relaxed e a s e.
• glasses>>for the early morning and late night driving!
• business cards>>because networking is sexy. enough said. everyone should have one.
• check book>>makes the payment official ;) and organization of the $$ is where its at!
• lotion>>because being dry isn't hot at all! lol
• pen>>to write down the thoughts, appointments and transactions that help make my life more interesting by the day!
• chapstick>>the plan B to the #2....or the inbetween moments when #2 is out ;) and i'm off to the store to get more.

to you ... from me ...

well ... i've recently done some downsizing ... mainly because i'm either on the road, or in an airport, or in a meeting ... or ... well you, get it it! i'm always somewhere ...

so here's what's usually with me ...

1. iphone ... it's eliminated my journal, mp3 player, and hp mini that would have normally been here. i mean ... really ... you know it does everything.

2. flip cam (that's what's in the pink case) ... you know kholi kam is always in full effect

3. receipts ... i'm a stickler for them ... with retail therapy being my ONLY therapy these days ... i have to leave myself the option to change my mind ... an option any girl should have, right?

4. Corregidora ... what?!? i'm in a PhD program ... this could have been any book ... but there's ALWAYS a book! lol

5. Orbitz ... i've developed a mild addiction thanks to a homie/lover/friend

6. jump drive ... sometimes i need to reach back in the vault ... and do some work that was begun long before we got this iphone.

7. an assortment of lip glosses (what?!? you've seen my lips ... they're absolutely to large to be NONlustrous. lol. cuz that's a word. -_-)

8. burt's bees ... for hands and lips. nj wind and weather is hard for a pimp.

9. digi cam ... for the same reason the flip cam is always with me ... i like to capture things! like hearts. and great lighting! lol.

10. the only louis vuitton thing i've ever had ... (and this may be this way for awhile) ... my change purse turned make-up case. .... what?!? i've never seen anything hold mascara, lipgloss, receipts, the cards and cash (as you see pictured), and cough drops SO WELL!!!

not pictured: my 32 oz. pink water bottle and 3 bottles of daily vitamins (a multi, green tea, and a b-complex ... what?!? gotta keep it healthy ... and energized. :) ... oh! and the SECOND phone for fam and downtime ... NOT business ... it's clearly being used to take the pic. sighh)

so anyways ladies?!? Are you on the move?!? of course you are ... you're an @uthentic chick!

Well what's in your wallet?!? Or purse?!? or pocket?!? or backpack ... or however you roll, authentically?!?

Let us know! leave a comment ... send us a pic @ authentic dot famc @ gmail dot com ... or post a link!

until we see you again, stay @uthentic.

e a s e:: kholi.::

The Happiness Chronicles: Service Before Self

Hey, AUTHENTIC!

I'm a bit excited today because we are one step closer…to being AMERICA'S NEXT MODEL! Wait. I apologize. We are one step closer to officially having Barack Hussein Obama as our Commander-In-Chief! Yes We Can/Did/Will Do. However, as we learned every year in elementary school, the calendar is only big enough to include one Monday that is dedicated to one black man and his service and greatness and story. Greatness thy name is Martin Luther King, Jr. And this is where today's history lesson stops. Dr. King did wonders for America. And I am not uninterested in MLK 101, but it's been my experience that people remember and embrace and practice what you preach when that preaching can be enacted in a tangible way. Thus, how will we make change and create progress in our lives? Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and President Obama both encourage a life of community service. Which brings us to our newest installment of "The Happiness Chronicles!"

[INSERT ROARING CROWD  & APPLAUSE HERE].

My ridiculousness aside, AUTHENTIC is dedicated to uplifting women of color and all of the wonder and greatness you possess. Happiness is but a reflection of your efforts made manifest in your works. Thus, community service is three fold: it yields purpose beyond ourselves, connects you to your community, and ultimately makes you (that's right!) HAPPY because of the sense of pride and progress you'll experience as you see your involvment grow and manifest change. And like my girl Kholi says, "There's no small change." At least that's how I think it goes.

With Obama Nation a day away, service is pivotal to aiding our new administration in succeeding and reviving our economy and strengthening the ties of diversity. For many of us who wish to/and do serve our community, the pressure to be part of something big can be overwhelming. Although starting at home may seem small, it is reasonable and more personal. You can really put your stamp on local projects by volunteering at local Boys & Girls clubs, YM/YWCA, Big Brother/BigSister, local nursing homes, youth book clubs, and even soup kitchens. You might even tell your friends to tell their friends about checking out AUTHENTIC and her various connects on Facebook, MySpace, and the Ning network. You may donate money to your causes, but in today's economic  climate,  finances may not be your first choice of service. I advocate volunteering your time before giving your dime.

Here are a few volunteer ideas that make a great difference with little to no charge to you. They may even make someone else happy…and that's the business we're in, at least for January.

1.smile at a stranger

2. hug a friend

3. pay a compliment to someone with whom you rarely speak

4. offer to clean an elder's front yard

5. spend some time with a local youth

Check out the video below. The First Lady in Chief Michelle Obama declares Monday, January 19, 2009, a day of service. Get involved. Get AUTHENTIC.

The Happiness Chronicles: Cleaning Out Your Friendship Closet (Hater Be-Gone Edition)

What is friendship? It has been said that a friend is one of the most precious gifts we are to receive here on earth. Mr. Oxford defines friendship (noun) as

1. the state of being a friend; association as friends; 2. a friendly relation or intimacy; 3. friendly feeling or disposition.

This concise definition of friendship means one thing: Oxford has never had a friend. Unlike the institution of marriage (I Heart America),anyone who has enjoyed (and endured) the company of a friend knows that friendship is not concise, easy, simple, or even definable. Psychologists argue that friendship is integral to healthy self development. Even religious folk speak the gospel of friendship and the importance of turning the other cheek and the Golden Rule and an eye for an eye and hate those who are not like thee. Well, maybe not the last one. Nevertheless, whether it be the careless days of the sandbox, the shady days of high school, or the Baracking days of the 21st century (the first eight years don't count), friendship and our need for it has existed since the beginning of time (circa 1985 A.D.).

What is a friend?

We all have our own working definition:

"some nigga that makes me laugh and keeps it real and doesn't lie and shit."

--Dre aka random dude standing outside the gym who I assumed wouldn't give me the aforementioned answer. I should know better...not to speak to athletes.

(J/k...I'm an athlete. Yes, dancers are athletes, no matter what my junior high gym teacher says.)

Dre's definition aside, it is important to keep our own definition in mind when embarking upon new friendships and in maintaining old friendships.

Last week I shared my plan for life in 2009, number one on my list being that I will maintain my happiness at all costs.

Let's go back to the future for a moment.

Picture it: Sicily , 1942. My twelfth grade speech course with one Mrs. Wingfield.

I was instructed to decide my worth. Many of my classmates put dollar amounts on themselves. I didn't agree with this interpretation of the assignment because it proved conflicting with that whole 400 years of slavery thing I got going for me. So, I told Mrs. W that I didn't want to complete the assignment. Mrs. W said she didn't want me not to graduate. So, I compromised and, unbeknownst to myself at the time, I wrote a little blurb that I now use when I begin relationships with new people, places, and things:

"I am expensive meaning that I am not without ambition, goals, focus, and energy. I demand life and nothing less, so if you (yes, you!) are not bettering me in any of the aforementioned areas, why, then, should we waste each other's time? I care not to judge other peoples' paths in life, but I refuse to let anyone, anything, any event or situation sully a dream that rightfully belongs to me. This life is mine for the living."




Now, don't get me wrong, I don't recite this word for word every time I begin a new relationship (that would be crazy and exhausting), but I make sure to visit it from time to time so that it's present in my dealings with my friends and might-be friends. I remember the parentals telling me that "you are who you hang with." To some extent, this is true. I believe in energy and the exchange of it. When you surround yourself with positive and progressive people, you, too, enjoy the fruits of this exchange. Likewise, when you surround yourself with negative people, you slowly unravel, your productivity and light diminish. Therefore, it is always good to do an inventory of your friendships when reassessing your life. And in the spirit of New Year's Resolutions, the top of the year is a good time to do so.

When, then, is it time to end a friendship?

My rule of thumb is to release my peeps from duty when they no longer positively exist within the confines of my definition. For me, the key words are 'positively exist'. Those who no longer seem to be traveling parallel to me and my path aka the Yellow Brick Road are free to leave (or they kindly become acquainted with my voicemail and his girlfriend the Busy Signal). When I take my Tact Pills, I actually have a formal conversation with the newly free person, explaining to him/her that we're no longer compatible. But, in this fast paced world, who has time to be tactful? I guess I should add 'tact' to my 2010 New Year's Resolution list.

I have been very blessed to come across some very special people who transcend my definition. Little surprises, I call them, are always nice. These people help me realize that much like the Constitution/the Bible/Vogue Magazine, my definition is always open to interpretation. So, I suppose, that you should let go of someone when the limits of your definition buckle under the pressures of your relationship. If your respective definitions cannot be sustained within the walls of your relationship, then it's time to let go and move on.

As for the haters, they gets no love. They get one line in this post:
They hate. We love. We're incompatible. We let go of the incompatible.

Healthy friendships and relationships are one way in which we maintain our happiness. However, when your counting calories and making your treks to the gym and rocking that new hairdo and trying to hide that ugly and three-sizes too big sweater your Aunt May bought you for Christmas (sorry for personalizing on this one), take some time to evaluate your friendships and booships and booty-call-ships (if there is such a thing). It's still the top of the year, and any changes and new outlooks you wish to exercise and experience can still be titled as a New Year's Resolution. But, even if it takes you until June or November or January 2010 to clean out your friendship closet, change is change, past, present, and future. Make something happen. You'll be glad you did.

just being authentic...till next time!

2 Oh ... OH! 9 ... TO DO!

For 2009 my Post-it Note says that I am

1. maintaining my happiness at all costs
2. nurturing my talents...on the daily
3. focusing on servitude within my community, both locally and globally
4. And lastly, but never least, being flyy like only I can be (this includes, but is not limited to, eliminating posers, unmasking truth, and seeking the positive.)


thanks mikey!

I'm, sooooo! Posting this to my wall!

Hey guys?!? How are you doin you in 09!

The Happiness Chronicles: Par Deux

Happy 2009, AUTHENTIC!

Well, happy may not be the term to use. As I mentioned last week, I was unable to answer a really important question: Am I happy? In the spirit of new beginnings and New Year's resolutions, it's important to me to be able to claim my happiness, or at least develop a plan of action that will place me on the road to happiness. I was making my rounds for New Year's Eve day (the pre-cursor to a night of debauchery that I'll save for another day's discussion) and in speaking with my friends and family, I was surprised and, unfortunately, comforted in knowing that they, too, are suffering from this absence of happiness. Now, do not misconstrue my intentions. I do not enjoy people being unhappy or negative. Rather, these revelations served as a wake-up call to me: why are we not happy or if we are happy, why can we not readily locate it? Seriously, where is Happiness? Why is she M.I.A.?

Now, I do believe that all change begins with oneself. Therefore, after mini-wrap sessions with the fam, I realized that I needed to start off 2009 dedicating the better part of my energy to being happy and maintaining my happiness. I'm a control freak and I'm addicted to Post-it Notes. So, while waiting at the barber shop one day, a bored Friday morning doodle gave way my focus for the next 365 days. It's tentative, as all things are, but I'd like to share it with you.

For 2009 my Post-it Note says that I am

1. maintaining my happiness at all costs
2. nurturing my talents...on the daily
3. focusing on servitude within my community, both locally and globally
4. And lastly, but never least, being flyy like only I can be (this includes, but is not limited to, eliminating posers, unmasking truth, and seeking the positive.)

Simple enough, eh?

We are the means to an end. The end being our happiness. January is the start of a twelve month cycle in which we can enrich and enjoy ourselves or continue to exist as drab, empty shells held together with inconsistent labels, yet cracking under the pressures of society's weak sense of the normal or the right or the traditional. I don't know your various stories, but one thing of that I am sure is if we continue to let Happiness pass us by without us acknowledging her or simply checking in with her from time to time, we have no one to blame but ourselves for the gray days ahead.

Choose happiness.

See you next week when we'll discuss Happiness Pt. 3: Cleaning out your Friendship Closet aka The Hater Be-Gone edition.

mic aka the envy of the world