I wanna be down BET Hip-Hop Awards 2014

Recently, lightening struck twice in one year when Queen Latifah, Brandy, MC Lyte and rapper Yo-Yo reunited to perform Brandy’s 1994 hit, “I Wanna Be Down” (remix). The song was hot then when it brought together all different styles and talents and the performance was even hotter now.

All four women of the hot remix reunited earlier this year on “The Queen Latifah Show” to talk about the story behind the creation of the beloved song. Each one of them reminded us how beautiful, timeless and wonderful Black women can be as they age.

We gathered quotes from each of the performers about what it takes for Black women to stay healthy this day and age. Here’s what they had to say:

Brandy: “Eating the right foods and staying active are ways to stay fit. It isn’t what others say about you, it’s what you say and do to yourself. Being active, like playing a sport, dancing, or exercising are all ways you can keep fit. I take tae-bo classes to maintain a healthy body and spirit.”

Queen Latifah: “…for a lot of the things I’ve wanted to do in life, I haven’t looked typical, I was not born a size 2. I’m not skinny, period. When I was around 18, I looked in the mirror and said, ‘You’re either going to love yourself or hate yourself.’ And I decided to love myself. That changed a lot of things.”

MC Lyte: “Aligning with the right team of folks is of great importance. Surrounding myself with people who are experts in their given fields. It also takes a dream and vision and lots of discipline. Getting rid of distractions is a must.”

Yo-Yo: “Check yourself before you wreck yourself.” It’s still relevant today.

Check out the video below:

Speaking on the performance on Instagram, Brandy said “Dear God, thank you for this moment!” And Yo-Yo said “20 years of sisterhood and great music. Love you ladies @mclyte @4everbrandy @queenlatifah and the greatest producer @keithcrouch wish you could of been here. We lite the stage up!!”

“I Wanna Be Down”: How Hip-Hop Stays Healthy 20 Years Later was originally published on blackdoctor.org