Showing posts with label #MyTwoCents. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #MyTwoCents. Show all posts

8.13.2025

My Top K-pop Songs so far in 2025

 Hey Subbies,



I've been I was trying to wait for Google to fix the upload for photos because who ever wrote the new code made it hard to upload gifs so I had had to write the code manually. However, now my favorite platform Giphy isn't allowing youtube links to make gifs which actually is how I inadvertently get them more views especially in the this current economic climate so I had to find an another platform that take gifs and then upload the final product to Giphy. But it looks like it was finally addressed it because y'all know I live for my gifs and I created them myself. Also so many K-pop concert announcements my wallet and mental can't really keep up. I mean I've seen Aespa again 3x again last time this happened was the year they did Coachella with HITC 88rising. I think my next concert is Le Sserafim I'll be attending which is September and I'm trying to focus on just seeing artist on my Tri-annual list because these K-pop tickets need loan at this point to go even KCONLA. Can ya'll also space out the concert like give people at least 3 month heads ups. Also I've been more active on my instagram account which I pretty much my k-pop account and I've been trying to figure out what to do with my old account which more forward facing than my new one. If I hear someone say "Remember when K-pop wasn't Western" clearly doesn't know the what the are talking because some western songs were literally ripped off for some k-pop songs and with a whole english feature also MOTOWN to SMTOWN... yall really thought photocards and deluxe albums started with K-pop...like do better ppl.

I did a Wordpress deep dive on the Blackpink members solos and updates to their group personas. You can usually find out the direction of group based on their pre-debut evaluation videos and BPs muse was Bad Gal Riri, BeyoncĂ©, Tinashe plus Miley Cyrus (Jennie & Lisa), Kendrick (Jennie), Ariana Grande (Jisoo). Another example is aespa parent are Taemin & BoA and the grand-parents are Michael and Janet Jackson; NMIXX mother's are Destiny Child; ILLIT was supposed to have strong/sexy concept but I think Katseye was already in production so TWICE; their mother is Ariana/Gaga/Beyonce; and IVE; Wongyoung was their overall muse; became ILLIT's muses and probably why Youngseo left). Yes, Blackpink actually has lore it's not widely explored because of YGs track record, the perception of them online and those who call themselves fans but are toxic when they act like hive mind manic terrorizing other fandoms. Yes, every fandom have bad apples and that's probably due to a lack of self awareness which breeds narcissistic behavior and the lack of critical thinking these days. We keep telling them to go get job but they have a job and need to go hug tree and touch grass.  Anyways, I really enjoyed Jennie's album overall, she put in the work and I saw her set at Coachella and my suggestion is a need to focus on physical stamina/ endurance (that why people keep saying "she's lazy" but it really comes down to how much time training and adapting preparation as you get older in the business especially) but commend her for expanding her vocal range for the album. People think performer aren't athletes but really they are because your body is instrument. Even though I didn't go to the tour all of them vocally upgraded. Next, Lisa was second most listened to but the execution of her concept was a bit carelessly put together based on her interviews she kind of winged it and just see her performance online and offline. I'm a Designer so I pay close attention to brand recognition and execution. My mom watched her in the White Lotus so she was a bit surprised to see her in the flesh.

Now Speed Run: Le sserafim's come over is probably my most listened to track and we love retro throwback. TEN is a Stunner, he kind of giving Justin Timberlake production and he is that performer you can be proud of and he has a JP ep out now. People were saying they hate the use of curse words in this song but it rock leaning song and unexpected from SM but giving it to Seulgi was on brand. Yeji's Air was giving me Air and styling was reminding Locá so she's definitely channeling Ari, the Black hair was giving Britney Spear Toxic era, and 2000s Madonna. NMIXX has been mixing up but I really need to sit down and process their hero's journey because it like waking into world the 3000 leagues Interstellar Odyssey, C.S. Lewis and Lewis Carol. Now G-dragon album and tour name only received side eyes while others got the smoke ;this reaffirming that sexism and double standards are still thriving in the k-pop community but go off sis trying hold the top of the class accountable when it was the School Principal orchestrated the situation all a long so clock that tea; the album should have been called Home Sweet Home or POWER since that is a song on the album but I digress. Chungha's album should have been living because it's R&B gold and no skips but I think she needs some more features maybe with IOI/Produce 10/label mates Somi /Zion T or Sejeong, Soyeon/Chowon, pH-1/Sik-k/Gray to grow here audience and possibly some latin collaboration like KAROLG, Bad Bunny, Ozuna, JBalvin, or Maluma.  However I would like a album with more Drum&Snyth Track, Sultry track, Jazz-Trap Track, more Break up Rock track, 2000s R&B track, String-Synthpop track, Dancehall track, Piano & Violin A cappella ballad. Saw 2NE1 without Park Bom and IFYKYK then your day 1 fan like myself but they look'd good and they teased about new music which hopefully come out after all touring but CL got the alpha visual sauce but if they remember their YT channel password to promote their performance that will help with exposure but I can settle for social media updates.

MY TOP 10 ARTIST SO FAR Q1-Q2

1. Jennie (Coachella)

2. LE  SSERAFIM (TOUR)

3. TEN (SMTown)

4. SEUGLI (SMTown)

5. LISA (Coachella)

6. YEJI

7. NMIXX (KCON)

8. G-Dragon (HITC)

9. Chung Ha

10. 2NE1 (HITC)


HONORABLE MENTIONS: ONEUS, ONEW, KiiKii, YVES, GFRIEND, M.O.N.T, IVE


MY TOP SONG MVS







2.17.2024

2023 Skincare and Makeup Empties

  Hey Subbies,

It took me a while to do this post because I was waiting for the Lunar New Year which is usually the week of my Birthday and Super Bowl. I have more empties than usual and some decluttering to include because of the panorama. lol. Don't worry it's mostly minis because of those trips I had last year and some things took me longer to get through because of the density/texture of the products I had. I tried to put all the products in their own categories to make it easier but some of the single product shots because I had some empties around my room. Most of these came from Marshall's, the KCON convention, my South Korea trip, or from online orders ( I will recommend Stylevana for skincare enthusiasts doing 14-28-day reviews because they have options for minis.)

Cleansers
First, I really enjoyed the Nivea body wash but the bottle typography did confuse me when I first bought it because I thought it was body cream. I'm currently on my second bottle but white bottle version. It was a great alternative to the Olay body which was really drying and overly fragrant. The Banana Facewash was a 2 set but this one is a declutter because the smell and performance were telling me it was going bad. Sirois gel cleanser was okay but I think I talked about the weird smell last year so it will not be a rebuy. Hemish vs E.L.F. cleansing balm and E.L.F. won this battle in texture, hydration, and spread/density. Heimish caused me to break out so I had to use an electronic face brush to make sure I didn't leave behind any residue but it became tedious to the point I just wanted out of my routine ASAP. I almost forgot about Innisfree Apple Wash which is really great for beginners and this I think was the second bottle I went through.
Toner
Next, Abib Heartleaf toner has to be my favorite out of all four of these. If you have sensitivity/inflammation then pick this up. It calmed my skin and even helped with hydration levels in my skin when I used it as a quick mask. The Roundlab Dokdo 1025 toner I got in Korea before it became viral and I would recommend it for the Spring/Summer if you have a sensitive combo skin type like me. I really enjoyed using the Abib and Roundlab toner last year in the summer going into fall. I want to talk about Cosrx AHA toner for Whiteheads because it's very comparable to The Ordinary's Glycolic acid toner but if you want a simple formulation go with Corsx. The Pacifica Rose Flower Mist was hit or miss for me I just bought thinking it would help with dehydration.
Essences
I LOVE Missha The Revolution and I know it's not SK-II but my skin does amazing with it that my mom even notices a difference instantly. Definitely recommend this to intermediate skincare users looking to add fermented ingredients to their skincare regime. Okay, Elf Skin Pure Skin was really hydrating oat milk/aloe juice and will with texture but I think I need to pick up the full size. Holy hydration is basically the same but you'll smell the witch hazel which may be a bit harsh for some people's skin. I need to buy the Neogen in full size because I finished it so fast and they need bigger minis lol. Medicube Deep Vita C is what I received when I bought the skincare devices set for my mom and me. I personally think it works better with the Booster-H devices or the original formula of the Collagen Glow Bubble Serum. When it comes to vitamin C treatments I found 15-20 min masks or creams better penetrate my skin than the serum that requires daily use. Also, ingredients really help with inflammation and have protective properties.
Ampoules
We talk about the high percentage of Activities when the studies show you only need .25% - 5%...these companies really want to be regulated like what the EU is doing right now. Again Missha is that girl lol, and this is also a dupe for Estee Lauder's advanced night repair and this also a staple that is my backup just like the ELF Antioxidant booster which isn't available anymore online. The Rovectin LHA blemish Ampoule was a nice addition to my skincare regime I think is what helped with the hyperpigmentation I was struggling with since it has Glutathione and wasn't irritating. ELF Skin Superrefine with 10% Niannamide thankfully has that B5 with a buffer from irritation but I would not recommend it. The Skinmiso Pore Vitamin-C Serum is similar in consistency to Medicube vita-C which has 100,000 ppm more. However, I found that the Skinmiso worked faster possibly due to the first key ingredient isn't water, it's Sea buckthorn which is then followed up with moisture-soothing extracts to reduce scars, wrinkles, and treat acne with other antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory extracts but it does contain fragrance. The last two are oils I use for my whole body. I love the smell of Sweet Almond oil and really helps me keep my skin from dehydration which usually causes irritation. This Tamunu oil is really thick so I would add it to my soap, lotion, and baths which helps with fading blemishes.
Mask
I really enjoyed this mask and it does help to brighten the skin.
Moisturizer 
I used the Holika Holika aloe over the summer to help with overheating and inflammation. I liked adding the aloe to lotions after a bath or shower. The d'Alba multi balm has a lot of fruit extracts but it did help with dry patches or helped fade some scarring/blemishes. The belief aqua gel paired nicely with the Isntree hyaluronic SPF because for a while I could not use either one cause they did pair well with other products. I suggest getting aloe, belief, and Isntree SPF with a water-based foundation to avoid peeling. ELF BRING BACK THE CICA SUPERMASK!!! I currently using the Laniege Cica sleeping mask and it is very comparable but the ELF Mask requires you to wash off after 15 mins because it has a higher percentage of Cica.
Body
I bought the Sol De Janeiro 62 set during the spring sale last year and I'm hooked and got the bigger size bottle but I used this when I would go to the gym. Usually, I don't have time to test out the other fragrances but I went to Sephora on my birthday to test them out; 40 which I have mixed thoughts about it because of the jasmine/musk, and the newest 59 which fits with my birthday month (Plum, Violet, Orchid, and wood) but vetiver hits me in the face so it might work better for people born in Spring and or Autumn; however I think the body butter is forgiving. Also, it might be because something I noticed that Sephora had to water down some of their testers because of the issue with preteens/teens messing up the testers. I also bought the full size of the Quai body and hair scrub but the sandalwood is really overpowering to the point I think it smells like tobacco to me but don't worry I finally bought a new body brush.
Protection
The first item is a Korean ointment I was prescribed when I had CO2 treatment for moles and wurts removal. Next to the ointment Differin gel which I highly recommend for beginners. I used it mainly as a spot treatment for acne flare-ups and texture. I went on to try out The Inkey list's Retional which is a cream type. Like I said before the Isntree watery Sun gel works best with other gel types or it will peel. I really enjoyed using Heimish Artless glow balm SPF which I think formulation had mica which helps tone up your skin. Bringgreen Tea Tree CICA Tone Up Sun Cushion made for a really good base especially if you have redness and suffer with ance. Next to it is an EM cosmetics Daydream cushion that I had to declutter because it's past its best-buy date. I'm so happy Ms. Pham added backups but I bought two packs because I thought I might have to buy another one in the future.
Lips
Most of these are old formulations of ELF's lipsticks, glosses, and balms that aren't sold anymore. I wish ELF would bring back the Alissa Ashley formula because it bit more pigmented and could be a dupe for the Rare Beauty lip oils or any of these oil higher-pigmented hybrids.  I don't think I like lip plumpers right not because I feel it burning my lips. I enjoyed using the moisture lipsticks but I had to get rid of them because they are going bad. The last two are NYX and that I can't pull off.
Misc 1
I loved using the ELF liquid eyeshows and are very universal because I use them as a base with an SPF or lotion or highlight or contour. The ELF precision pencils are literally pencils and I went through them really fast and might be more comparable to the new Benefit Precisely, My Brow Detailer. I literally go through ELF products but the fibers remind me of Japanese waterproof lengthening mascara that has me hooked.
Face
The bronzer is an old ELF one which was very beautiful but I think it exploded when I opened it so I had to use the alcohol trick because that's what I found in how to fix broken shadows. Thankfully it didn't change the performance or quality. Next, the Dr. Gio cushion was the best skincare foundation cushion compact I have tried but there haven't been any updates from the founder/company. I was supposed to get a replacement but never received one and I contacted the company so who knows what happened but upset because I really wanted to get another one. The elf bake highlighter and blush is just really old and it's hard to get any pigment now. One of the Black ELF compacts is a cream foundation but it's way past its best buy date and the other was a precursor to the current primers pots but closest to it is the Perfect Finish HD Powder.
Misc 2
These just need to be decluttered because again one is an ELF conceal stick and the other is LABIOTTE Chateau Wine Lip Tint that used to be really popular and was heavily duped. 
Blush
The first I think is a finishing powder but I hit pan on it and the one below is what the  brow kits I used to like. The blushes on the right are really old oranges/peaches that don't fit my deep/ winter color palette which is also this year's color of the year. 
Mousse
I love these two and they smell great. I usually use them to revive my hair when it's feeling dry or I use them to refresh my protective hairstyles.
Dry Shampoo
This is my favorite dry shampoo brand but Marshall's sometimes overpriced them so I haven't been able to get my hands on more. I just found out last year that you should use a blow dryer to get the formula to absorb faster.  I used this manly to help with the oily scalp and bacteria from going to the gym, especially in the summer.
Supplements
I was watching Andrew Huberman's podcast and the expert said Rhodiola Rosea helps with Brain Fog in women and I had been struggling with brain fog probably since the first year of college but this definitely helped. Also, I tried AG1 right before getting this supplement but I noticed that it also had this supplement. If you struggle with insomnia get Lemon Balm, my coworker literally told me to get some coffee which would just make my insomnia worse. I think PMS symptoms are starting to really affect my sleep and anxiety when in the past I could easily just knock out. The Green tea was to helps me walk up and help with oxidative stress. SECRET OF BEAUTY Skin Master collagen chewable is a product I got from KCON and contains collagen, vitamins and minerals to help with skin concerns.
SPF SunStick
Why is this so hard to get your hands on!? I found a seller based in Korea on Amazon because other websites it was sold out. I know a lot of brands don't want to get into trouble with the FDA but I still wish Korean brands would sell their formulation as an option because as an American I hate our sunscreen because they are oily and our government could care less about our FDA's funding in R&D. Anyways, It's really hydrating however when it got to summer this made me look really oily and cause my foundation to smudge during the hot summer heatwaves we had. 
Washcloth
This is my old Japanese body towel but it's in the new Daiso packaging aka both scrub cloth. The new one I have is not as exfoliating as this old one here so look for the COURSE version and you can also find some Daiso products on Amazon. 



1.20.2024

Happy New Year, Life Update and Quick K-pop Prediction

 


Hey Subbies

OMG, it's been so long but I'm happy to be finally back on my computer. The reason I was gone for so long was that my room needed to be rearranged since I was so inspired by that Tiktoker feng shui guru that kept showing up on my YouTube reels and my old bookcase was basically falling apart. I had to take advantage of the IKEA sale that recently just ended. I was basically building furniture and moving my room around which I had been thinking about doing since I got this Verizon internet and my new PC is running Windows 11 which is a new learning curve for me right now. 

I don't know how I'll be doing this post it may be just a simple life update but I know that I need to get my yearly Top played LPs and EPs plus Update my Spotify first then I can get the Yearly Best of Skincare and Empties which there is a lot. Oh, I wanted to do a quick Kpop Prediction but I didn't want to type up anything during Mercury retrograde. I was so happy to see some of my predictions did happen like the genres of "Rock, R&B, and Alt" taking over K-pop because NMIXX's recent comeback was really nice to see them mix it up again and yes, pun intended. ITZY tapping back into their dark self-empowerment roots was great to see, "Born To Be" kind of made me think of their Unnies' "Ready To Be" comeback and it is really catchy for a prerelease, and "UNTOUCHABLE" is currently on repeat along with Chaeryeong's "Mine" and Lia track needs more attention because it is certified bop but JYP needed to do better for them and I think the reason why ITZY wasn't doing numbers recently on top of having been one member short with Lia being on haitus is how they did their roll outs they could have staggered them because that's months of content they could have capitalized on. But the good news is Chungha signing to a new label, Jihyo had her solo, Red Velvet had a chilling coming, and Survival shows groups will stay flopping. And let me not forget that P1Harmony is performing at the Governor's Ball in NY which I hope they would promote more here in the States in past predictions. Also, have y'all seen the lineup for Coachella because I'm shooketh. It has only been close to three weeks and there are so many Nugu groups popping up on the feed it's crazy. Unfortunately, I need need be very mindful about going to concerts now so I probably go to 4 concerts/conventions this year but a little side rant: Promoters please stop scheduling K-pop acts in the middle of the week in LA specifically. 

Okay, here are the groups I'm looking forward to seeing this year...

  1. Le Sserafim
  2. Jeon Somi
  3. aespa
  4. Key
  5. IVE ( I wanted to see them unfortunately this is the year of travel I got save PTO time. Also Tuesday thru Thursday is when people go into work here in LA and some of the gurls likes to do VIP/ VVIP which will have you at the venue till 11:00pm.)
  6. CRAXY
  7. ARTMs (I going to ODD EYE CIRCLE's concert this month)
  8. KARD ( Still waiting for their first win on a music show)
  9. NCT 127/DOJEAJUNG
  10. Seventeen
  11. Red Velvet
  12. B.I
  13. TripleS (I wish I could have seen them live last year bc I the gas prices)
  14. DeVita 
  15. GOT the beat 
  16. TomorrowXTogether (TXT) 
  17. xikers 
  18. NIMIXX 
  19. PURPLE KISS
  20. MAVE:
  21. cignature 
  22. Penomecco 
  23. TWICE
  24. XG

We will probably get some homages to 1-gen and 3-gen K-pop It would be cool if we got more Jewelry, Bada, Shinhwa, Highlight, IU, G-Dragon & Taeyang, and TVXQ homages as well as Western pop which we got the Collab with Jungkook and Usher. In addition, the little references to Gwen Stefani during her Harajuku era/Problematic era references in Jeon Somi's "Gold Gold Gold" MV and KARD's "ICKY". I don't know how the West didn't see that Asia was coming to major prominence even back then with the tokenism but we are here now. I wonder if Alicia Keys, Maroon 5, Beyonce, Pharrell William fresh off his LV collab, Katy Perry and Imagine Dragons are willing to do collabs now. Just found out that V and IU are collaborating so can't wait to see that. I think that's it for now but I might come back to this post in the future if I remember something because I usually don't write down my concerns and wishes but I have a hobonichi to keep track now.

I'm adding my KCONLA 2024 lineup Prediction here because since KCON Japan lineup just came out and this year they decided to move the convention into July so they don't have won't have any weather related issues again like last year. The funny thing we're going back into a La Niña weather pattern so it will be a hot dry summer aka going into a drought type weather pattern again this year unlike the last couple of years. And as usual for KCONLA we usually get like 20-25 artist on average:

  1. HOST 1: CHA EUN WOO 
  2. HOST 2: TAEYEON
  3. HOST 3: XIKERS
  4. ZEROBASEONE
  5. 8TURN
  6. LIMELIGHT
  7. BOYNEXTDOOR
  8. LUN8
  9. P1HARMONY
  10. TEMPEST
  11. TNS/TNX
  12. THE WIND
  13. RED VELVET
  14. RIIZE
  15. KEY
  16. YENA
  17. &TEAM
  18. INI
  19. JO1
  20. GOT THE BEAT/ KEP1ER
PRE-SHOW/ SPECIAL STAGE: EVVNE, NCT WISH, ILLIT, VVUP, WHIB, TWS, Woo!ah!, ADYA
MY WISHLIST ADD-ONS: KISS OF LIFE, TRIPLE S, H1-KEY, ICHILLIN
Convention Booths: Torriden, Make:prem, Aestura, Ma:nyo, Stylenanda, Musinsa, Olive Young

 







I hope we get more Songs in this Vein, K-pop tends to stick to the generic 80s Funk (90s music for South Koreans because trends take years sometimes to cross the world back them) do something different, or go down the rock or ballad route ( I just need more rock/hip hop as y'all know.)

11.04.2023

Let's Dissect Cobra

 Hey Subbies,


From Sweetie Pie to Her to Plan B to Cobra, this is the song that I have been waiting for since the prelude. People kept saying Meg was falling off but she has remained consistent throughout this last couple of years on this roller coaster ride. Unlike Sweetie Pie this song holds a lot more symbolism and reserves all the metaphors in her lyrics. This song is not for the religiously Herpetophobia types so keep your personals to yourself thank you. Megan funded this project herself after leaving her label thankfully the quality didn't drop or disappoint and to think people wanted her to do an up-tempo track when she had just done a Summery up-tempo collab with Cardi B. I love the fact that's a rock that fits in the rhythm and Blues genre that goes with the storyline.

Megan here is sharing mental struggles and her personal views which is really relatable to us as women who are realizing the trauma and reflecting on it by shading our skin so that it becomes our past. And you know Megan is big on advocating for Mental Health since she lost her Mom, Dad as well, and Grandmother while going through legal battles. Anyway, I still have to work with her framework along with the cinematography of the music video so be patient with me y'all because it's in a more similar vein to Gaga's 911 than Sweetie Pie symbolically. Thankfully, I have experienced recently covered K-pop groups like Blackpink, aespa, LE SSERAFIM, and even Hwasa which there seems to be a theme going on these couple of years so it won't be sparse.

A little recap from my Dissect of Sweetie Pie so if you haven't read that post you might want to before going to read this dissect. "Cobra [Naga / Nagi (f)] here to be exact. In Hindu (and Buddhist) iconography,  snakes are divine gods that live in bodies of water and underground in an underworld called "Patala." The Nagas are guardians of treasure and keepers of magic. They live in an enchanted underworld filled with jewels, gold, and other treasures. They can sometimes appear in (a) humans with snakes on the head and neck; (b) Fully serpent; and (c) Half-human, half-snake. Megan is an Aquarius "The water bearer." Aquarius (the old ruling planet is Saturn) the modern ruling planet is Uranus which is King Vasuki/ Naga in the Hindu epics the "divine being great king snake" (cobra) with a gem (Nagamani) on his head."

Lastly, I noticed how they filmed Megan here. They start with close Intimate head shoots to slowly revealing the rest of her body. It's kind of like when we hear a snake we usually see their face before we see the rest of the body. 

What does the Cobra mean to Megan?


Courage
Cobras exemplify courage and self-reliance. They stand tall and
fierce in the face of challenges, teaching one to tap into their inner strength and rely on oneself to conquer their threats. Emulating the cobra helps one be more confident in the person they are within.


Fun Fact: "There are 21 species of cobras, but the king cobra is the sole member of the genus Ophiophagus. It is distinguishable from other cobras by its large size and neck patterns. The name “king cobra” stems from its ability to kill and eat cobras."

Etymology of Cobra

Cobra (n.) Venomous hooded snake found in India and neighboring regions, 1802, short for cobra capello (1670s), from Portuguese cobra de capello, literally "serpent of the hood," from Latin colubra "a snake, female serpent" (source of French couleuvre "adder"), which is of uncertain origin. So-called for the expandable loose skin about its neck. The word came to English via Portuguese colonies in India, where the native name is nag (see naga)."The Uraeus was was the Ancient Egyptian cobra symbol of the Goddess as Creator. The symbol was worn on the foreheads of deities and rulers in the position of the "third eye" of the insight. It stood for royal spirit, healing, and wisdom. The Uraeus was a hieroglyphic sign for "Goddess," derived from one of Egyp's oldest deities, the Serpent Mother variously called Uatchet, Utahit, or Ua Zit. To the Greeks, she was Buto, after her sacred city Per Uto. Together with the Vulture Goddess Nekhbet, she represented cycles of birth and death, beginning and ending. These archaic goddesses were known as the Two Mistresses, by whose authority all pharaohs ruled and the cycles of nature were constantly renewed. The Cobra Goddess eventually merged with Maat as the All-Seeing Eye and with Isis as the mother of the Sun."


The Serpent Ouroboros

Several Traditions indicate that the original serpent protecting the World Egg was female, a mother-serpent, like Ananta the Infinite in India, or Mehen the Enveloper (Ua Zit, Buto Uraeus) in Egypt. The male serpent became the guardian of the Egg only after patriarchy was well established. 

Mouth

We open with an intimate close-up shoot of Megan's mouth and her opening monologue. 

Just as a snake shed it's skin we must shed out past over and over again."

 This statement is really about American culture and intersectionality that fragility isn't really afforded to black women. But Megan is ready to rise again although she suffered and made some mistakes which has been really transparent about in her music which is her current confrontable to open up about her struggles in the industry. A lot of people see women talking candidly or not at all as a threat or risk out of fear. 

Tongue

Also, I want to talk about the tongue or power of the tongue which is really on brand for Megan because she usually ends her sentences or phrases with "Aah" and tongue out which has very negative conations in the West due to medieval depictions of devils and it's linked with untruthfulness'. In Asia, an extended tongue is a sign of potency and life force because the tongue between the lips imitates the sacred lingam-yoni. 

Biblically the tongue was synonymous with language such as the well-known term and Acts parable "Speaking of the tongues" which direct copy from Buddhist text that mentions the Ushnisha, symbolizing knowledge of all languages. 

Eyes

"The God of the Circle, the one" in Hinduism and the idea that the cosmos is an unbroken circle repeated by Gnostics with the image of a Serpent eating his tail also known as Ouroboros. By the 1st century B.C., it became synonymous with the Full Moon and the pupil of the All-seeing Eye. Snake Eyes hold a lot of spiritual symbolism and as the saying goes "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" snakes are feared for the most part.

Genesis of the Desolate Garden

[Verse 1]

Breakin' down and I had the whole world watchin'

But the worst part is really who watched me

Every night I cried, I almost died

And nobody close tried to stop it

Long as everybody gettin' paid, right?

Everything'll be okay, right?

I'm winnin', so nobody trippin'

Bet if I ever fall off, everybody go missin'

 After leaving the confines of the snake she enters a setting of tall grass and dead and barren trees. Megan is now seen as Eve or Lilith's archetype character based on her public persona also known as the Madonna Whore Complex is so prevalent in American Religious Zeitgeist. Women are often not given a chance to choose and shamed for failing Relationships. The lack of community that Megan lost over time from her intimated family members passing at a very important transition time for young adults, my generation calls it "adulting" which isn't taught in school. 

The Garden usually associated with Biblical and Near Epics is actually sexual in nature where seeds are fertilized to grow bare fruits and vegetables. But they weren't associated with common folk they were associated with the Kings and Queens and those who could afford it like merchants. The Fruits of labor are a metaphor for the Queen because she produces the next heir(s). Coming back to the Madonna whore complex the Virgin Mary is usually depicted in Vulgate Hortus conclusus so Gardens with the Tree of Life in the center and a fountain which is associated with the cycle of the moon and life.

Black & White (Past) 

[Verse 1]

Shit, I'd probably bleed out some Pinot

When they find me, I'm in Valentino, ayy

He pourin' me shots, thinkin' it's lit

Hah, little did he know

[Chorus]

This pussy deprеssed, hmm, I'm about to stress him, yeah

Pink nails 'round his nеck, huh, but this ain't domestic, ayy

Think it's goin' down, hah, now he stand corrected, ayy

This pussy depressed, hmm, I'm about to stress him, ah

 "Black is the strongest of the neutral colors. On the positive side, it's commonly associated with power, elegance, and formality. On the negative side, it can be associated with evil, death, and mystery."

"The color white has several meanings and associations purity, innocence, cleanliness, blankness, coldness, emptiness, simplicity, and minimalism."

When a person chooses to film something in BW it is usually for aesthetics purposes it brings out things that color can't do and it is very editorial. But in Film it can usually represent a time in the past similar to the classics from Pre-code Hollywood like Film Noir. Megan looks elegant yet cold due to the atmosphere which is great for expressing her lyrics.

Megan here is talking about some type of self-censoring herself and the people around her were essentially enablers in all her relationships. The snake on the ground symbolically feels like she was exposed and this is backed up by the fact that we are in a bedroom and she is on a bed. A bedroom is a very intimate setting for usually one or two people that definitely turned toxic. Also, white and black snakes like California King Snake, Black Mamba, or Southern Black Racer are usually in flight or fight or flight mode when put in a defense position.

Green With Envy

"It can represent new beginnings and growth. It also signifies renewal and abundance. Alternatively, green can also represent envy or jealousy, and a lack of experience."

Why Women Are Stripey?

The Battle between Mom and Dad gene activation at the 4th-day mark of 100 cell embryo with X-chromosomes (female) to full maturity of the offspring these 100 cells will manifest a stripy partner on the skin of the women. Sadly it's a visible gene expression but is common on other mammals like female calico cats. That's the beauty of Epigenetics

Into the Wilderness


[Outro]  
I ain't goin', yeah, no emotion, ayy  
Back outside, yeah, back in motion, ayy  
He keep callin', hmm, I ignore it (Ayy)  
He say I'm crazy, hmm, don't I know it, ah

 Spiral

Both single and double were among the most sacred signs of Neolithic Europe. They appear on megalithic monuments and temples all over the continent and the British Isles. Spiral represented the Serpent guardians of Sumerian Temples.  The spiral was connected with death and rebirth; Megan's story represents the process of entering the earthly womb represented by a snake at the being of the Music Video and ends with a Sacred Dance imitating this movement of which many pagan European folk dances use spiral lines of dancers circling into a center and out.

All I have to say is Megan is embodying Mami Wata here. And who is Mami Wata you ask...well

"Mama Wata (also Mamba Muntu, Water Mother, La Sirene) is a water spirit venerated in West, Central, and Southern Africa and in the Afro-American diaspora. The appearance of her hair ranges from straight, curly to wooly black and combed straight back. Sacred Fertility dances performed by the African women during ritual possession by their Devine African mothers, and deities, and the European’s Ignorance and fear of them earned her, and the African Goddess, reputation as the “harlot, whore, prostitute, etc..."

I hope you guys enjoyed the read I was actually working on something else before I got a notification from my socials that she dropped this so I'm trying to post this since there has been a lot of discussion recently since it dropped. I may add more as get art history and ancient history books in the future.

11.01.2023

My AKMA 2023 (MNET #MAMA likes Controversy)

 Hey Subbies,

So I made this Speedy Award show again this year because I saw that a lot of stans were mad that their faves didn't make it to the top list. For example, ATEEZ so you all know I use Show Wins as the main backing which is streams, album sales, and people's choice so y'all aren't wrong. However, if the numbers aren't there you can't blame them just one show win with good with great sales numbers isn't enough and unfortunately, there are just too many boy groups that did better overall numbers this year.  Also, they took out the Hip hop/Rap category so no RM or AgustD or BIBI noms so I added them here

Side rant: If you want good music tell your favs and don't buy albums just because they are my fav. I personally expect good quality music regardless of what genre they choose next. That being said here are the nominees...


 Best New (Rookie) Group / Rising Star + Special Stage 

    • Male
      1. BOYNEXTDOOR
      2. ZEROBASEONE
      3. NINE TO SIX
      4. 8TURN
      5. XIKER
      6. RIIZE
      7. EVNNE
      8. The Wind
      9. XODIAC 
      10. SUPERKIND
      11. LUN8
    • Female
      1. H1-KEY
      2. LOOSSEMBLE
      3. X:IN
      4. LAPILLUS
      5. TRIPLES
      6. ADYA
      7. EL7Z UP
      8. KISS OF LIFE
      9. LIMELIGHT
      10. MAVE:
  • Best New Solo Artist
    • Male
      • V
      • Parc Jae Jung
      • JIMIN
      • HWANG MINHYUN
      • Jungkook
    • Female
      • JISOO
      • JIHYO
      • YEEUN
      • MIJOO
      • KIM DOAH
      • YOUNGJI HEO
  • Best Indie/ Rock Band (Overall)
    • LIM YOUNG WOONG 
    • The Rose
    • LUCY
    • Xdinary Heros
  • Best Group
    • Best Ko-ed Group
      • AKMU
    • Best Male Group
      • THE BOYZ
      • NCT U
      • BTS
      • NCT 127
      • NCT DREAM
      • TXT
      • SHINEE
      • SEVENTEEN
      • STRAY KIDS
      • SEVENTEEN BSS
    • Best Female Group
      • NEWJEANS
      • LE SSERAFIM
      • ITZY
      • STAYC
      • IVE
      • DREAMCATCHER
      • TWICE
      • AESPA
      • STAYC
      • (G)I-DLE
  • Best Solo Artist
    • Male
      • ONEW
      • HAN SEUNGWOO
      • LEE GI KWANG
      • JIMIN
      • KIM JAE HWAN
      • KAI
      • V
      • JUNGKOOK
      • LIM YOUNG WOONG
      • LEE CHAN WON
      • HWANG MINHYUN
    • Female
      • JIHYO
      • KWON EUNBI
      • JO YURI
      • JISOO
      • JEON SOMI
      • LEE CHAE YEON
      • YEEUN
      • MIJOO
      • KIM DOAH
      • YOUNGJI HEO
      • LEE JUEUN

  • Best Hip Hop & Urban Music
    • Male
      • RM
      • AgustD
      • YUGYEOM
      • PARK WOO JIN
      • SIK
      • VILLAIN 
      • PH-1
      • HAN SEUNGWOO
      • BLASÉ 
      • JUNOFLO
      • Bewhy
    • Female
      • ASH-B
      • MIRANI
      • JISELLE
      • JESSI
      • BIBI
  • Best Solo Dance Performance / Viral Dance

    • Male
      • JIMIN - LIKE CRAZY
      • TAEYONG - SHALALA
      • JUNGKOOK - SEVEN FEAT LATTO
      • KAI - ROVER
      • AGUSTD - HAEGEUM
    • Female
      • JIHYO - KILLIN' ME GOOD
      • KWON EUNBI - FLASH
      • JO YURI - TAXI
      • JISOO - FLOWER
      • LEE CHAE YEON - KNOCK
      • JEON SOMI - FAST FORWARD
  • Best Group Dance Performance / Viral Dance
    • Male
      • SHINEE
      • SEVENTEEN - Super
      • STRAY KIDS
      • SEVENTEEN BSS
      • THE BOYZ
    • Female
      • STAYC
      • (G)I-DLE
      • NEWJEANS
      • LE SSERAFIM - Unforgiven
      • IVE
  • Best Vocal Performance (Overall)
    • LEE CHAN WON - WISH LANTERNS
    • LIM YOUNG WOONG - GRAIN OF SAND
    • Parc Jae Jung
  • Best OST (Overall)
    •  Ha HyunSang - 'Alright' From" "Crash Course In Romance"
    •  (G)I-DLE's MiYeon & Yuqi - 'Sweet Dream' From "Love To Hate You"
    • Hwang ChiYeul - 'Forgive Me' From "Strangers Again"
  • Best Song Collaboration (Overall)
    • TAEYANG FT JIMIN - VIBE
    • J-HOPE, J. COLE - ON THE STREET
    • SEVENTEEN BSS FT LEE YOUNG JI - FIGHTING
    • KOALA - KOALIFIED FEAT ph-1
    • DEVITA - RIDE FOR ME FEAT DAWN
    • JUNGKOOK - SEVEN FEAT LATTO
    • JUNOFLO & JAEYOUNG & JUSTIN PARK - ACTIVATED
    • SORN - ROWDY FT. SEUNGYEON
    • JUNOFLO - SWEAT FT. MIKE B.
    • KOALA - RSVP FEAT. JESSI
    • GEMINI - ATTENTION FEAT. DAWN, BLASE
    • JUNGKOOK - 3D FEAT. JACK HARLOW
    • TAEYANG FT LALISA - SHOONG!
    • RM - STILL LIFE WITH ANDERSON .PAAK
  • Daesang/ Best Artist of the Year (High Achievers)
    • BTS/ JUNGKOOK
    • BLACKPINK
    • NEWJEANS
    • (G)I-DLE 
    • SEVENTEEN
    • TXT
    • AESPA
    • ZEROBASEONE
  • International Choice/ Influence 
    • BTS
    • BLACKPINK
    • STRAY KIDS
    • SEVENTEEN
    • ITZY
    • TXT
    • ENHYPHEN
    • TWICE
    • NEWJEANS
  • Song of the Year - SOTY/ ROTY (EP)
    • NEWJEANS - OMG
    • STAYC - TEDDY BEAR
    • STRAY KIDS - S-CLASS
    • LE SSERAFIM - FEARLESS
    • SEVENTEEN BSS FT LEE YOUNG JI - FIGHTING
    • NEWJEANS - DITTO
    • JISOO - FLOWER
    • IVE - I AM
    • JUNGKOOK - SEVEN FEAT LATTO
    • (G)I-DLE - QUEENCARD
  • Album of the Year - AOTY (LP)
    • SEVENTEEN - FML
    • TXT - THE NAME CHAPTER: TEMPTATION
    • AESPA - MY WORLD
    • ZEROBASEONE - YOUTH IN THE SHADE
    • NEW JEANS - GET UP
    • TWICE - READY TO BE
    • ENHYPHEN - DARK BLOOD
    • ATEEZ - THE WORLD EP.2: OUTLAW
    • (G)I-DLE - I FEEL
    • ITZY - KILL MY DOUBT