Nappturalite Radio and Nappy Muse Video Chat make natural hair a Sunday best.

Just when you thought the kinky boom had reached its promotional zenith with being seen everywhere from big screen to small screen and even on Hollywood red carpets, two Chicagoland natural are working to pool their talents and enthusiastic love for textured tresses to provide a tag team new media platform that informs, encourages and inspires.

After a bit of low key promotion via the natural hair Twitter community The Nappturalite Radio Show broadcast its first episode in February of this year and showed promise right out of the gate. Presented on Blogtalk Radio each and every Sunday at 5 PM CST, the original vision of the show was born after natural “newbie” host Dawn Yerger shared her BC story on another Blogtalk show she co-hosted with her friend Jaye Reliford.

“As I shared my experience, I thought about how fun and inspirational it would be to share my new journey with others on a radio show dedicated to natural hair,” Yerger shares with Laquita Thomas-Banks in a Clutch Magazine interview. “Immediately, I asked Jaye, who had been a natural for 10 years, to join me as a co-host.”

The first episode was a modest affair with a conversational tone, opening with Dawn reading a Spoken Word piece by Ms. Reliford followed by an introduction to the show and the term nappturalite as described by the host. From there Dawn and Jaye fell into easy banter that demonstrated their breezy rapport and led to a discussion with About.com’s Black Hair Expert Del Sandeen. Although the vibe of the show was laid back and casual, more a “sister circle” confab between long term friends than an actual radio show, the balance represented in this flagship episode was the first indication that The Nappturalite Radio Show would be a mainstay in the days to come.

From those humble beginnings Dawn’s enterprise has grown. In between newly included segments like “Hair Say” which features new topics from the natural hair community and “Jaye’s Nappy News” where Jaye offers care tips for the mind, body and tresses, hair related music tracks are spun and natural care product are routinely given away on air. One of the best features of the show is that Dawn and Jaye readily showcase naturals from everyday walks of life instead of cultivating a celebrity focus, which gives listeners relatable resources they can apply to their lives. Past guests have included “Thank God I’m Natural” author Chris-Tia Donaldson, Kinky Curly founder Shelley Davis and Columbus’ own knotty mistress M. Michele George. This is not to say Dawn turns down celeb appearances on the show, which is evidenced by a special interviews with Nappily series creator Trisha R. Thomas, actress and singer Marva King and Def Jam recording artist Chrisette Michele. In addition to the guests and the easy vibe, the interactive chat room function, where listeners can commune with Dawn, Jaye the show’s guests and each other, lends a sense of community to the production.

Once the curtains close on the weekly Nappturalite broadcast, listeners are invited to join the official “after party” as Dawn and Jaye switch hats and produce the  Nappy Muse Live Chat Show on Facebook. Spawning from Jaye’s Youtube channel, Nappy Muse initially started live broadcasts via Ustream at the same time NR went on the air. After a few technical difficulties using Ustream’s programming, Jaye took the show on the road and found a safe haven using a Facebook application and from there it took off.

“The show is designed to be a cross between The View, a Neo-Soul Lounge and TMZ.” Reliford, who is also from Chicago, confides in the aforementioned Clutch Magazine article. “You are basically hanging out, and the focus is on you and your needs; and I mean everyone that comes. So, the more interaction and the more people that come equipped with webcams or mics, the better the show.”

The format is very much “come as you are” with host Jaye Reliford setting the show off every Sunday with live video streams and words of wisdom, inspiration and always sporting a fierce natural mane. To the platform Jaye brings a poetic and spiritual based that lends a holistic approach to the aspect of natural hair. As a cohost, Dawn Yerger adds the sisterhood of the community with her "Nappy Diary" installments which features weekly natural hair challenges in addition to supplying her POV that help fulfill the show’s “pursuit of nappyness”. Show regulars like California natural Njemile, owner of CalSun Jewelry and Gifts often pop in the que with questions and occasionally the hosts are joined by Ria Starchild, founder of Naturalistas and the show’s “Nappy Advocate” as Jaye calls her, to share her intellectual view on the natural journey that rounds out the show beautifully.

But Nappy Muse is about much more than natural hair, it’s about the natural you and is described by Jaye as a movement that celebrates the “inspirational life of experience the Natural.” Although Nappy Muse’s setup is free flowing and open to everyone, Jaye has have hosted a few special guests such as personal chef and owner of NaturiBeauty hair products Shelley Davis who gave insight on how the importance of diet in the aspect of cultivating healthy hair, and Spoken Word author and the Verb Radio Show host L. Marrie who blessed viewers with a couple of her original pieces.

The Nappy Muse Video Chat Show airs every Sunday at 6:30 CST, and is open to everyone. If you don’t have a Webcam or microphone, viewers are more than welcome to participate in the interactive chat that runs alongside the video feed.

Fans of both show agree, these are two great tastes that taste great together, giving the men and women who tune in weekly a place to “let their hair down” and know they are fully appreciated. For more information on The Nappturalite Radio Show on the official NR Website, and you can learn more about the Nappy Muse Live Chat Show on its official Website.

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