Funny, enlightening and engaging Tracee Ellis-Ross gives ‘girlfriend talk’ at the BET Experience Genius Talk hosted by Charlamagne Tha God.
BET Experience weekend delivered a very special conversation with Tracee Ellis- Ross at the Los Angeles Convention while Charlamagne Tha God played the perfect host asking all the right questions. He started off the conversation by asking Ross what does Black Girl Magic mean, she stated “O gosh I think it means so many things but I think it’s also black girl reality. I think black girl magic is really real. I think it has to do with style, power, a sense of self, a clarity of self, really. It’s something about that black girl expression that I love but I also want to bring the reality into it because black girls are real and black girl magic comes from the real things we do.”
When asked if she ever felt pressure growing up as Diana Ross’ daughter her response, “you know how you say growing up in someone’s shadow, I always felt like I grew up in my mom’s grace.”
Ellis shared her favorite TV shows which include “Chewing Gum,” “Queen Sugar,” “Billions,” “Flee Bag,” “Underground,” “Power” and “I Love Dick.” When asked about her Golden Globe and if she felt more validated for winning she stated, “I was very excited but there was so much more going on I felt like my personal experience took a back seat to the overall arching theme of the fact that it had been 32 years since a Black woman had been nominated or won a Golden Globe.”
The audience of mostly women went crazy when Ross spoke about self-worth stating, “I don’t believe my physical appearance and somebody else liking the way I look determines how I feel about myself or how loveable I am, period. My worth does not come from what I look like. My worth comes from what I read, what I believe in, what I stand up for, how I love, how I let myself be loved. Don’t get me wrong I like shoes, I like looking cute, I go to the gym and all that and there is a sense of vanity about it. I like looking good but it’s not the only thing that makes me feel good. I go to the gym not just because I want to look good but because I want to feel good and I want my body to be strong so that I can do the things that my heart and mind want to do.”
Charlamagne Tha God also asked Ross about a “Girlfriends” reunion or movie stating “Sex in the City” got two movies. The crowd cheered and Ross laughed and the conversation continued.
