LETTER TO YOUNGER SELF
I KNOW THINGS DON’T ALWAYS MAKE SENSE AND YOU’RE TRYING TO FIND YOURSELF. JUST BE TRUE TO YOU AND DON’T CHANGE FOR ANYONE. YOU GONNA GET YOUR HEART BROKEN A FEW TIMES BUT TRUST ME TIME HEALS ALL AND YOU WILL BE OK. NOTHING MAKES YOU WHO YOU ARE EXCEPT FOR YOU. AND YOU GOTTA LOVE YOURSELF BEFORE YOU POUR IT INTO ANYONE ELSE. YOUR SPARK AND CREATIVITY IS A BEAUTIFUL THING YOU SHOULD NEVER LET GET TAINTED. ALWAYS EXPLORE, ALWAYS PUSH YOURSELF, AND NEVER STOP DREAMING. LIFE IS GONNA HURT, BUT IT’S UP TO YOU TO TAKE THAT PRESSURE AND LET IT MAKE YOU STRONGER OR LET IT BREAK YOU. YOU NOT BREAKABLE. EVERYTHING YOU COULD EVER DREAM OF IS IN WITHIN YOUR GRASP. YOU JUST GOTTA BELIEVE. AND NEVER STOP BELIEVING. I WOULD KNOW. I’M YOU.
LETTER TO YOUNGER GIRLS
I WISH SOMEONE WOULDA TOLD ME HOW LIFE WAS GONNA WORK WHEN I WAS YOUNGER. MAYBE I WOULDN’T HAVE MADE SO MANY MISTAKES, OR FALLEN FOR THE WRONG GUYS, OR HIT MY HEAD BEING STUPID. BUT HONESTLY, YOU GOTTA TAKE LS IN ORDER TO GET TO THE W. YOU’RE GONNA EXPERIENCE HEARTACHE. YOU’RE GONNA LOSE. YOU’RE GONNA SUCK AT A LONG OF THINGS UNTIL YOU GET GOOD ENOUGH TO BE GREAT AT THEM. IT’S ALL EXPERIENCE AND PRACTICE. I WISH SOMEONE WOULD HAVE TOLD THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO IS TO EMBRACE THAT YOU’RE GONNA FALL FLAT ON YOUR FACE, AND BE HAPPY FOR IT BECAUSE IT’S GOING TO MAKE YOU A MONSTER SOMEDAY. I WANT YOU TO GET IT WRONG SO MUCH SO YOU NEVER HAVE TO WONDER WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF YOU TRIED. GO FOR IT, WHATEVER IT IS. NEVER HOLD BACK, AND NEVER BE AFRAID. FEAR IS WHERE DREAMS GO TO DIE. THE BEST VERSION OF YOU IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF LIFE HANDING YOU SHIT AND YOU MAKING SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL OUT OF IT. I SAY THIS WITH LOVE- FAIL OFTEN. SO YOU CAN BE AMAZING. EVERY LITTLE GIRL HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE THE NEXT GREATEST THING WALKING ON EARTH. YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL AND PRECIOUS. LIFE IS EXTREMELY SHORT AND YOU SHOULD LIVE LIFE FOR YOU. DON’T WORRY TOO MUCH ABOUT THE BRUISES ALONG THE WAY. YOU’LL TURN OUT FINE, AS LONG AS YOU TRY. BEST ADVICE I COULD EVER GIVE.
LETTER TO WOMEN IN HIP HOP
I JUST WANT TO TELL ALL MY SISTERS THAT I’M PROUD OF YOU. I’M PROUD OF THE HEAVY HITTERS THAT CAME BEFORE ME AND LET ME HAVE A PLACE TO SHINE TODAY, AND I’M PROUD OF THE GIRLS GOING SO HARD NOW THAT’S BREAKING DOWN EVEN MORE BARRIERS FOR US. IT’S TRUE YOU DON’T GOTTA CHOOSE ONE OF US, YOU CAN LOVE US ALL AND I LOVE ALL OF YOU. FROM MISSY TO NICKI MINAJ TO MC LYTE TO LAURYN TO MS. JADE TO LADY B, TO EVE AND LEFT EYE, TO QUEEN LATIFAH, KIM AND FOXY YOU SET THE TONE SO WE COULD BE HERE TODAY, WOULDN’T BE SHIT WITHOUT YOU. TO ALL MY WOMEN PUSHING THE CULTURE FORWARD, FROM CARDI B, MEG THEE STALLION, TIERRA WHACK TO LADY LONDON, BIA, RICO NASTY TO OMERETTA, FLO MILLI AND YOUNG BABY TATE, MALIIBU MIITCH TO KALI AND SO MANY MORE Y’ALL INSPIRE THE FUCK OUTTA ME. WE MORE THAN JUST PRETTY FACES. WE BEEN AND STILL ARE OUT RAPPING ALL THESE NIGGAS IN THE GAME! KNOW THAT THE GAME NEEDS EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU. I’M GIVING YOU YOUR FLOWERS.
