Hip Hop royalty Tron Austin discusses his musical journey, his creative process, and the inspiration behind his hit single "Captions" By: Airielle Lowe | Published on July 27th 2020 When I first hop on the phone with breaking artist and child of Rozonda Thomas (otherwise known as “Chili” from TLC) and Dallas Austin ( a talented producer and songwriter), I immediately get the vibe that this interview with Tron will be lively. A zestful, charismatic, and humble individual, Tron makes a point to shout out some of the most important people on his music journey throughout the interview. In addition,...

By Cross Colours | 07.28.2020

“I think, in the grand scheme of things, you have all the space in the world to test run things.”   By Dara McGee | Published on June 5th 2020     The world seems to be unrecognizable. When we turn on our television sets we see statistics and numbers staring back at us that only an expert or a well versed master’s student could comprehend. Personal visits are now phone calls, college students complete class work on their beds, and business meetings are ironed out at the kitchen table. The world goes on, and although it may be out...

By Cross Colours | 06.08.2020

... before Lil Kim, before Nicki, before Cardi, before Megan, it was TLC who was pushing the envelope in a way the world had never seen women do before.   By Kadeem Pilgrim | Originally published on Blavity.com, November 15, 2019     One of my earliest memories of TLC, and music in general, was catching glimpses of the “Creep” music video while getting dressed for kindergarten. The song would ultimately peak at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 music charts, as well as earn the group a Grammy in 1996 for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or...

By Cross Colours | 06.08.2020

... there is a bit of your own history woven into its fabric.   By Kadeem Pilgrim | Originally published on Blavity.com, October 14, 2019      The saying, “what’s old is now new” seems to encapsulate the energy of 2019. Xscape is back together, Doc Martens are rebranding, and denim-on-denim is once again socially acceptable.    There appears to be an air of nostalgia making rounds throughout the entertainment industry, impacting everything from today’s music to fashion. Hip Hop artists such as Earth Gang and YBN Cordae are echoing the sounds of pre-aughts rap, reinforcing the fact that authentic...

By Cross Colours | 06.08.2020

"I do things I love with people I love or things I’m passionate about with people I’m passionate about."   By Marquia McKnight | Published on June 5th, 2020     With just a few days before Easter Sunday, celebrity publicist Trell Thomas and I introduced ourselves as he finalized plans for his first ever virtual Black Excellence Brunch. Since COVID-19 has shut down physical gatherings, this brunch that typically met in person, with guests such as Tina Knowles and Broderick Hunter, was re-imagined as a virtual experience.    Yet, that didn’t seem to stop Thomas as he eagerly described the plans he had...

By Cross Colours | 06.05.2020

Revisiting the LA Riots 28 years after the city of angels imploded in racial discourse By Mark Edwards | Published on May 3rd 2020 It has been twenty-eight years since four white LAPD officers were acquitted of brutally beating Rodney King, and the conversation surrounding police brutality has not changed. In fact, various forms of protests opposing police brutality have become increasingly familiar in the U.S. following the infamous LA riots of 1992. With the help of technology, the subject of police brutality and its impact on the African American community has become more visible to the public.  In the...

By Cross Colours | 09.28.2019