Dess Dior on influencer rivalries: "I don't compete with nobody"

“Black Girl Stuff” returned this week and as always, your favorite crew, Akilah Ffriend, Brii Renee, Demetria Obilor, Tori Brixx and Kennedy Rue, gave us the real on all of social media’s trending topics. From birthday responsibilities to conversations with Kid Cudi, Fat Joe, Mary J. Blige, B. Simone, and Dess Dior, this week’s episode was star-packed with tons to say. So, whether you’ve seen it and just want to relive your favorite moments or you need to catch up on the latest installment, we’ve got you covered with a recap! Catch “Black Girl Stuff” every Tuesday on REVOLT at 9 p.m. ET as well as every Wednesday on our website, YouTube channel, and app. Plus, watch the latest episode here.

1. Picking Up the Birthday Tab 

One of social media’s favorite topics to discuss is birthdays — specifically, birthday dinners —and one TikTok clip has Instagram and Twitter users debating what many thought was basic knowledge. Who pays for the birthday dinner? And furthermore, do you cut someone off for not attending? When asked whether she’d cut off a friend for missing hers, Obilor said, “Yes, I’ve cut people off for missing dinner, so imagine it being my birthday dinner. If you’re not going to give me notice — unless something bad happened to you, then I completely understand that, but the thing is, I’m looking for reliable people in my life, and if you’re doing that… I would never do you like that, so what’s the point of us being friends if I can’t count on you?”

On the other hand, Ffriend said consistency is what matters most to her in that situation: “I think for me, it’s more so if that consistently happens. If I’m inviting you consistently and year after year, you’ve got something going on, that means there’s, you know, a lot of tit-for-tat going on… and that means cutting you off.” While social media seems pretty divided on the topic, the girls agreed that reasoning and consistency were big factors in whether they’d begin to rethink their social circle.

2. The Kennedy Chronicles

“Black Girl Stuff’s” resident correspondent, Kennedy Rue, sat down with Kid Cudi, Fat Joe, and Mary J. Blige to talk about the new things happening in each of their careers. Cudi just released an album paired with an animated Netflix film titled Entergalactic. The movie follows the main character, Jabari, as he struggles to balance success and love in the city of Manhattan. Cudi told Rue that while he hasn’t necessarily had much issue handling relationships and work in his own life, he knew that it was a common struggle, and it’s what made him want to take that angle with the film.

Next, Rue sat down with Fat Joe to talk about hip hop’s upcoming 50th anniversary. While discussing his first experience with its origins, Joe said, “When you’re talking about hip hop culture… it was right in my neighborhood. I would walk outside and see Grandmaster Flash, my grandmother’s neighbor was Mr. Ness, so I grew up watching all these guys from day one. I’m so proud of hip hop music 50 years later. It’s the only natural resource the United States really has.”

Lastly, Rue spoke with Mary J. Blige about her new partnership with Hologic, shedding light on breast cancer awareness, and encouraging women to get mammograms. When asked whether she’s always been diligent about her health, the icon said, “Well, what happened was when I was growing up, no one spoke about mammograms or, you know, anything like that…I’d get my pap smears and the doctor said, ‘Well, you should go get a mammogram as well.’ So, when Hologic came to me, I’d just had an aunt pass away from breast cancer and lung cancer. I said, ‘I have to do this because in the African-American community and homes, women don’t speak about it, and then somebody just ups and dies.’ So, that’s why it was important to me.”

3. B. Simone Leads the Silver Screen

B. Simone is a multifaceted social media sensation who has found success in a multitude of avenues, including comedy, acting, and entrepreneurship. She joined the “BGS” panel to talk all about her journey and her new leading role in Bounce’s “Finding Happy.” When asked how it felt to lead a show, alongside her recurring role in “Wild ‘N Out,” B. Simone said, “This is my first time leading a show, so you know, I’ve done movies and shows, but never a lead role, so I was scared, but I feel like I did really, really well.”

With the series being called “Finding Happy,” the spirited go-getter also talked about when she found her happy in real life. She shared, “I feel like it changes. As soon as I find my happy, I change. Or, the things that used to make me happy don’t make me happy no more… You’ve gotta find yourself, you’ve got to see where you are in that chapter in your life and in that moment, and do things that you feel make you happy. But, the only way to do that is to try things. If you’re not trying new stuff, you’re not going to know who you are.” You can stream “Finding Happy” on Amazon Prime or watch it every Saturday on Bounce.

4. Big Dess Dior

If you haven’t heard already, Dess Dior, Jayda Cheaves, Ari Fletcher, and Arrogant Tae are all starring in a new reality series on BET+ called “The Impact ATL.” Dess is a social media star and rapper and has a child with fellow rapper Future. When asked whether she felt as if there was a lot of competition in the influencer world, she said, “Well, I can really only speak for myself… I don’t compete with nobody. I stay in my lane. I stay true to myself. I don’t ever get caught up in nobody else’s success. The only person I’m trying to be better than is the person I was.”

As mentioned, Cheaves — an entrepreneur, influencer, and the mother to Lil Baby’s son Loyal — is also starring in the new series with Dess. The two have been close friends since childhood and when asked about their long-standing friendship, she said, “I feel like it helped because people don’t really get to see a real friendship, so people being able to witness that in real time definitely helped both of us.” “The Impact ATL” premiered on Oct. 4, and you can stream it every Thursday on BET+.

5. Solange Knowles and Ayesha Ash 

The incredibly talented Solange Knowles can now add composer to her long list of accomplishments, as she just became the first African-American woman composer for the New York City Ballet. Her latest achievement is why she’s one of this week’s BG Bosses!

Speaking of ballet, Ayesha Ash started out as a New York City Ballet dancer and has now founded The Swan Dreams Project focused on introducing young Black children to the art form. Ash’s work is why she is the second BG Boss of the Week!