Sweat Sesh Playlist – Inspired by the Empire Series

Here’s a new addition to the collection of posts I will be making regularly here at Pretty Darn Fit. You’ll find “Listen” under the main menu to bring all the playlists I will be compiling for you guys to listen to on Spotify.

I’m making the bold move of uploading a hiphop-R&B playlist FIRST here on the blog for everyone who is looking to pump up their workouts. But before I get to it, I’m saying it’s a bold move because a good number of songs on the playlist have explicit lyrics and if any of these offend you, I apologize in advance but also encourage you to loosen up a bit, brush it aside and let the music move you.

One thing many people don’t know about me is how much I LOVE Hiphop-R&B music. I grew up with it and I listen to songs like these to elevate my mood most of the time. I guess it also sort of breaks the image people have established of me in their minds. Many are shocked when I play a hiphop song in my dance fitness class, and yes, in my yoga classes (although not ones with explicit lyrics in yoga!). I used to hesitate and skip through the tracks even when I’ve already put them there prior to going into the studio. But later on decided to just let them play anyway. As one of my favorite yoga teachers, Les Leventhal, put it “Who says Rihanna isn’t for yoga?” Of course, Rihanna isn’t really a hip-hop artist but I guess his point is we should break the mold society is trying to fit us into. Why should one aspect of you as a person define another chunk of who you are? It’s one of the most liberating things I’ve ever heard from any of my teachers.

So here, I put together a few songs that should last you an hour of sweat, with a few minutes to cool off. Greatly inspired by my current favorite series, Empire, with songs produced by Timbaland.

Now, go break a sweat!