ARIES (March 21-April 19): For the Dagara people of Burkina Faso, the element of fire has profound cultural meanings. It’s a symbol of innovation and inspiration. It’s a mediator between the physical and spiritual worlds and a conduit for communication with the ancestors. Through rituals, fire is a purifying and renewing force that helps people reconnect with their purpose, heal relationships and catalyze positive change in the community. In the coming weeks, Aries, I hope you will be deeply aligned with all these symbolic meanings. What are you ready to ignite for the sake of nurturing and care? What truths need light and heat? What future visions would benefit from surges of luminosity?
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): In the Nahuatl language spoken by Indigenous Mexicans, the word nepantla describes an in-between space. It’s a liminal threshold where a transition is in process. The old ways have fallen away, but the new ways are not yet fully formed. It’s unsettling and perhaps confusing, yet seeded with the potential for creative change. I suspect you are now in a state resembling nepantla, Taurus. Please understand that this isn’t a crisis. It’s a chrysalis. Any discomfort you feel is not a sign of failure, but a harbinger of the wisdom and power that will come by molting the identity you have outgrown. I hope you will honor the rawness and speak tenderly to yourself. You are not lost; you are mid-ritual.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): The sea slug Elysia chlorotica is a small, unassuming creature that performs a remarkable feat: It eats algae and steals its chloroplasts, then incorporates them into its own body. For weeks afterward, the slug photosynthesizes sunlight like a plant. I believe, Gemini, that you are doing a metaphorical version of this biological borrowing. Some useful influence or presence you have absorbed from another is integrating into your deeper systems. You’re making it your own now. This isn’t theft, but creative borrowing. You’re not copying; you’re synthesizing and synergizing.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Ancient beekeepers in Anatolia carved hives directly into rock faces, coaxing honey from the cliffs. This practice was designed to protect bees from harsh weather and predators while maximizing honey production. The bees adapted well to their unusual homes. I suspect, Cancerian, that in the coming weeks your sweetness and bounty may also thrive in unlikely structures. It could take a minute or two for you to adjust, but that won’t be a problem. Your nectar-making instincts will guide you. So I advise you not to wait for the perfect container before beginning your work. Make honey in the best available setting.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): I laughed until I sobbed as you earnestly played the game of love even after the rules had changed. I sighed till I panted as you dredged up a new problem to avoid fixing an overripe hassle. I rolled my eyes until I got dizzy as you tried to figure out the differences between stifling self-control and emancipating self-control. But all that’s in the past, right, Leo? Now I’m preparing to cheer until my voice is raspy as you trade in a dried-up old obsession in favor of a sweet, fresh, productive passion—and outgrow all the fruitless nuisances.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The ancient scribes of Mesopotamia etched records onto clay tablets with styluses, pressing wedge-shaped marks into wet earth. Once baked, these tablets endured for thousands of years. Some are still readable today. In my astrological assessment, Virgo, you are undergoing a metaphorically comparable process. Messages and expressions that are forming within you are meant to last. They may not win you immediate attention and applause. But you already suspect how crucial they will be to both your own future and the destinies of those you care for. Be bold, decisive and precise as you choose your words.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Is there any aspect of your life or character that is still unripe even though it is critical to your lifelong journey? Have you held on to your amateur status or remained a bit dilettantish beyond the time when you might have progressed to the next highest level? Are you still a casual dabbler in a field where you could ultimately become masterful? If you answered yes to these queries, now is a perfect moment to kick yourself in the butt and leap to the next level. Waiting around for fate to kick your butt would be a mistake.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Many astrologers rightfully say that Virgo is the most detail-oriented, meticulous sign. I think you Scorpios may be the most methodical and thorough of all the signs, which means that you, too, can be meticulous and detail-oriented. A prime example is the Scorpio sculptor Auguste Rodin (1840–1917). Eventually, his work became world-renowned, but his career developed gradually because of his painstaking patience and scrupulous devotion to excellence. I propose we make him your role model for now. Inspired by him, resist pressure for immediate results. Trust in the slow, steady refinement process.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Here are half of your words of power for the coming days: windfall, godsend and boon. The other half are potion, remedy and healing agent. If you’re lucky, and I think you will be, those terms will blend and overlap. The blessings that come your way will be in the form of cures and fixes. I’m being understated here so as to not sound too wildly excited about your immediate future. But I suspect you will wrangle at least one amazing victory over hardship. Your chances of a semi-miraculous visitation by a benevolent intervention are as high as they have ever been.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The ancient Chinese character for “listening” contains symbols for ears, eyes and heart. I interpret this to signify that it’s not enough to seek the truth with just one of your faculties. They must all be engaged and working together to get the full story. You are wise to survey the world with your whole being. Keep these meditations in mind during the coming weeks, Capricorn. Your natural inclination is to be practical, take action and get things done. But for now, your main superpower will be listening to everything. So my advice is to listen with your skin. Listen with your breath. Listen with your gut. Let your attention be so complete that the world softens and speaks to you about what you really need to know.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): If you would like to glide into rapt alignment with astrological rhythms, give gifts to your two closest allies. These offerings should inspire their ambitions, not indulge their cravings to be comfortable. They shouldn’t be practical necessities or consumer fetishes, but rather provocative tools or adult toys. Ideally, they will be imaginative boons that your beloved companions have been shy about asking for or intriguing prods that will help beautify their self-image. Show them you love both the person they are now and the person they are becoming.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Piscean photographer Ansel Adams is so renowned that he’s in the International Photography Hall of Fame. We know the moment that his lifelong passion erupted. At age 14, his family gave him a simple camera and took him to Yosemite National Park in California. “The splendor of Yosemite burst upon us, and it was glorious,” he wrote later. “One wonder after another descended upon us. A new era began for me.” In the coming months, I foresee you encountering a comparable turning point, Pisces—a magical interlude awakening you to a marvel that will become an enduring presence in your life. Be alert for it. Better yet, declare your intention to shape events to ensure it happens and you’re ready for it.
Three-time Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Fantastic Negrito is rarely hesitant to travel. Since winning the first-ever NPR Tiny Desk Contest from among 7,000 entrants with a one-take video in 2015, the musician—born Xavier Amin Dphrepaulezz—has taken his masterful guitar playing and raw-to-silky voice to more than 43 countries.
Nor is Dphrepaulezz fearful about taking on fresh challenges. Headlining major shows and festivals worldwide and in the Bay Area, the self-taught, Oakland-based artist has collaborated or appeared with big-name peers such as Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, Sting, Tank, Sam Smith and more.
Dphrepaulezz—pronounced dee-FREP-ah-lez—born in Western Massachusetts and the eighth of 15 children in an Orthodox Muslim family, famously survived a near-fatal car crash that destroyed his playing hand. Overcoming that physical and mental trauma and pumping energy into creativity, he has issued seven albums; become a father; founded Revolution Plantation, an urban farm aimed at youth education and empowerment; and established his own label, Storefront Records, which signed its first artist other than Dphrepaulezz in March of this year.
About to embark on a four-month tour with his latest album, Son of a Broken Man, Dphrepaulezz’s itinerary has him bouncing between gigs worldwide.
Even so, the journey he took in 2023 into the history of his fraught relationship with his dad, a Somalian man born in 1905 who died in 1992, filled him with trepidation and proved arduous. Said Dphrepaulezz in an interview in April, “The album is the oldest story in the world: the struggle between a father and son, and the complexity in that relationship. That was extremely difficult to confront, but once it caught fire, it was better.”
He recalled that truth and discoveries made about himself and his father unfolded in astonishing sequences and forms.
“One of the strangest things is my dad just invented our last name. Most people aren’t aware of that because I haven’t spoken about it at length. I discovered it while diving deep into trying to have a relationship to him long after he had died,” he said. “I asked myself why someone would make up a name that had almost every letter in the alphabet, mostly consonants, and a name people couldn’t pronounce? It was earth-shattering to me.”
With time spent in contemplation, he realized this man born in the early 20th century and age 63 when Dphrepaulezz was born—his mother was 30—was “a Black man who happened to be brilliant, creative, radical—and also abusive, horrible and negligent.”
Dphrepaulezz remembered being accused of emphasizing his father’s best qualities and mischaracterizing him as a hero. “Let’s state for the record: He was horrible. But it’s not true that people are one thing. We are many things. It’s dismissive to say someone is only horrible or abusive. I like the question, ‘Why?’ Why are horrible people the way they are? And for him to be exceptionally intelligent? For a Black man in 1905, that could be a death sentence,” he said.
Learning his father’s history led to forgiveness and some answers to the haunting “whys.” The made-up name served as a form of passive resistance, a difficult-to-pronounce cluster of syllables that baffled the world and especially white people in power.
“Who is this Dphrepaulezz? Is he someone special, and I should treat him differently? The deception was a tool to navigate difficult, racist terrain,” Dphrepaulezz said of his father. “We use words now, like racism, but I don’t think any of us can imagine what it was like at that time. He invented the kind of grand, quintessential American story made up by immigrants like him that came to this country. Stories for deception, for survival. Even now, we’re swimming in a modernity where deception is prevalent.”
No sway is given to deception in telling his life story in conversation and in his portfolio of albums. Son of a Broken Man, released in October 2024, follows 2022’s acoustic re-recording of White Jesus Black Problems, which delved into racism and told the story of his grandparents, an interracial couple who lived in Virginia in the 1950s.
The new album’s 11-track song cycle showcases intensely personal songs that pierce the heart with vulnerability and longing. Lyrics sometimes pour forth like tears wrung from a wet towel. Referring to times when he “felt sick, had a broken heart/Wandered in the dark,” and worse, the layers of trauma and yearning on other tracks grind against each other, sparking flamelike words that seem to simultaneously burn and purify his psyche.
The album is flooded with gritty funk but also gorgeous ballads, as well as hints of Latin percussion, East Indian tuning, blues grooves and music that can only have risen from Dphrepaulezz’s ancestral roots in the Deep South. His surprising and high-spirited take on a gospel standard, “This Little Light of Mine,” adds a bit of church and is nothing short of brilliant.
“Let’s look at the word ‘truth,’” he said, about the album’s content. “Boy, isn’t that in jeopardy and quickly fading in our modern era? I think it’s a lifetime journey, to find true self. I make music that’s a coping mechanism based on trying to recover. My situation: rejected at age 12 by my parents, living on the streets until I was taken into foster care. Love was something that escaped me most of my life.
“I grew up with a great sense of loss and abandonment,” he added. “At age four, my parents told me we couldn’t talk to my first brother anymore. He disappeared, and I never saw him again. To this day I still don’t know where he is, and I’m 57 now.”
Dphrepaulezz admitted writing lyrics is his greatest challenge as a musician, doubly so for the new album. “I’d love to make an album where I just freestyle everything. This story, it’s complicated. I love my father, and I despise him. Now that I’m a father, I think what a horrible job he did. There was 90% that was horrible, and 10% of him that was brilliant and gave me my foundation as a man navigating this world,” he said.
Rarely impressed by his own lyrics, Dphrepaulezz worked hard to craft a story in ways “where there’s resolve and a solution,” he said. “With ‘I Hope Somebody’s Loving You,’ I struggled with that song for years. ‘Devil in My Pocket,’ I thought, what is that really about? Maybe fatalism? Maybe there’s not much new, and we’re a little too impressed with ourselves?
“People connect with it when they hear it live, big time. Because it’s accusatory maybe? I may not know for 20 years what it is. That’s a heavy song. Maybe it’s just the fucking challenge of being a human being. We’re brilliant and we’re disgusting. We cured polio, and then we committed the Holocaust, the Atlantic slave trade. We created modern medicine and food, but some of it can give you cancer. I don’t know anything … but I’m curious,” he continued.
Curiosity and a desire to produce music independently led to Storefront Records and Everything Velvet, the label’s first signed artist other than Dphrepaulezz. During a recording session, a sound engineer, in response to Dphrepaulezz’s request to hear a female singer take his place, dubbed in a then-unknown-to-him voice. “It had texture, character, feeling, honesty, cadence, delivery,” he recalled. “I was completely blown away.”
Dephrepaulezz said it “took years to cultivate the tools” to run a label and prepare to produce the work of other artists. Pursuing an organic process and applying an anticipatory “wait and see what happens” mindset, his goal is to avoid “formulaic, cookie-cutter music, not punk-ish, formless music.”
In the studio and—literally—outside its four walls, his two most beloved projects include Revolution Plantation, aimed mostly at youths, and events he calls “mixers,” during which invited groups of no more than 30 adults gather for conversation.
The urban farming Revolution Plantation program immerses young people in hands-on agriculture and taps his Southern roots with lessons in wisdom learned from his grandmother.
“She was the only person I felt truly loved by, aside from my partner and children now,” Dephrepaulezz said. “She wasn’t well-read, but she had a rich life philosophy. When I was filming her one time, I asked her to talk to me about segregation. She said she didn’t have many problems with white folks. That made me sit up.
“She said, ‘We had our own farm. The neighbors had goats and cows, and others had chickens.’ She was talking about a collective. I thought, wow, this is the most revolutionary shit. Here in Southern, rural Virginia and a town of only 600, my grandmother, this frail woman, was telling me about empowerment and self-determination,” he added.
People, he believes, are exactly like plants. “If you give them light, love, space, good food, good water, plants will provide you with power over your food source. If you don’t give all of those things, with people, they’ll break into your car, rob you at grocery stores. I love that correlation,” he said. “There are so many lessons and unbelievable skills one can attain on a family farm. It’s a place to congregate and eat. It’s simple, but revolutionary.”
Arguably more complex but equally radical and all about community gathering, are the invitation-only mixers. People share powerful personal testimonies and hold conversations he says are vital, but infrequent.
“People are talking at each other, not to each other, especially people who disagree,” Dephrepaulezz said. “I thought, ‘Why is this happening?’ The ‘why’ is more important than how terrible something is. ‘Why’ will help us. Saying fuck this and throwing up your hands, that’s not gonna help us. The answers to ‘why’ will. I feel like in my music and these activities, I was put on Earth for this purpose. This is exactly where I’m meant to be.”
When I asked Michael Rodriguez why they decided to name their band Mala Greña, they chuckled over the phone. “Apparently, it translates more accurately to ‘messy hair’ in Spanish,” they said. When I initially searched the term, Google returned “dirty mop,” but the real meaning reflects the group’s identity—unruly, rebellious and unconcerned with tidying up for convention.
Mala Greña, a Bay Area–based band, uses cumbia as a vehicle for activism. Composed of nine members—four of whom are nonbinary—ranging in age from their 30s to their 70s, the group calls their sound “psychedelic cumbia,” blending traditional rhythms with styles like rock, huapango and salsa. Their lyrics often explore themes of LGBTQIA+ identity, decolonization and resistance.
Cumbia itself is a genre born out of resistance. It originated on Colombia’s Caribbean coast during the colonial era, as a fusion of Indigenous, African and Spanish influences. According to ethnomusicologist Peter Wade, author of Music, Race, and Nation, cumbia emerged in the 17th century from the blending of African drumming and dance with Indigenous melodies and Spanish lyrical forms. Originally a courtship dance among enslaved Africans, cumbia evolved into a cultural expression of survival and celebration—and eventually spread across Latin America, mutating into various regional styles.
For Mala Greña, cumbia is a living, breathing genre; one that offers room for experimentation while staying grounded in tradition. It also allows space for political expression.
“I try to incorporate that activist energy into the lyrics,” Rodriguez said.
Music has long served as a powerful tool for protest, allowing marginalized communities to voice resistance, preserve cultural identity and imagine alternative futures. According to musicologist Reebee Garofalo, author of Rockin’ Out: Popular Music in the USA, protest music functions as both a reflection of social movements and a force that helps mobilize them, offering emotional resonance and collective empowerment. Mala Greña is part of a broader tradition of artists who understand music not just as entertainment, but as a tool for collective memory, resistance and transformation. Whether they’re calling out oppressive systems or reclaiming queer joy, their sound is a reminder: Messy doesn’t mean broken. It means alive, in motion and full of power.
Rodriguez, the band’s composer, started Mala Greña in 2014. They recorded a demo album by themself, laying down the drums, keyboard and percussion before posting it online. One by one, collaborators found the music and joined in. The group grew organically, eventually forming a full ensemble committed not only to creating art but also to community work. The decision to make activism central to their music was sparked during Rodriguez’s time in college.
“Just seeing how the government was working [inspired the decision],” they said.
A quick glance at the band’s Instagram page reveals their ethos. Their bio includes demands for the return of Indigenous land and hashtags condemning police violence. But their activism is far from performative. They’ve organized and participated in community events such as fundraisers, including an arts and drag show in Santa Cruz that raised money for immigrant families. Their shows often double as mutual aid spaces, bringing people together not just to dance, but to heal, resist and imagine new worlds.
The band’s song “Movimientos de la Serpiente” stands out as a powerful declaration of bodily autonomy, gender freedom and refusal to conform. The lyrics push back against accusations of being “indecent” or “immoral” for how they dance, dress or love. With lines like “yo bailo y no más” (“I dance, and that’s it”), Mala Greña turns movement into defiance. The song’s imagery—blood, fire, rebirth—evokes both trauma and transcendence, especially for those navigating queerness, gender ambiguity and cultural hybridity. It’s not just about celebration—it’s about surviving and existing without apology.
Like many bands, Mala Greña faced major setbacks during the Covid pandemic. With performances paused and members scattered, much of their early momentum stalled. Rodriguez explained that they are still in the recuperation phase. That’s one reason their music isn’t widely available online. But now they’re rebuilding and reclaiming their place.
Rodriguez says audiences can expect new releases later this year, with fresh material that continues to reflect their political vision and genre-bending sound.
Women’s Audio Mission (WAM) is an organization dedicated to magnifying the voices of women and gender-expansive people in all aspects of the music business. Founded in San Francisco by Terri Winston in 2003, WAM expanded to Oakland in 2018 to serve young women from underrepresented communities with afterschool and in-school programs. A location in Los Angeles opens next month and the organization is currently searching for space in Nashville.
“I started WAM after I became a professor at City College of San Francisco, where I created the Sound Recording Arts Program,” Winston said. “It grew out of a small club of seven or eight women students in my program. I’d often been the only woman in the studio during my career as a musician, but I hadn’t really thought about it.”
When her students asked why there were so few women in the record business, Winston didn’t have an answer to the question. She started WAM as a response. The organization took off immediately.
“After we started, we went to an Audio Engineering Society convention and had $7,500 in audio gear donated, from my connections in the industry,” Winston said. “They were excited about WAM and wanted me to build a studio for it. Three years after we started, we built our first studio.”
Over the years, graduates of the program have produced songs, albums, podcasts, audiobooks and voiceovers, and gained expertise in other areas of production that most people are unaware of.
“We’ve placed over 2,500 women and gender-expansive folks in positions at Dolby, Pixar, Meyer Sound, Disney, ESPN, Google, Meta and most studios and venues across the Bay Area,” Winston said. “They’re working as recording engineers, audio editors, sound designers, live sound engineers, A/V technicians, broadcast engineers and jobs across all sectors.”
The organization currently runs two full-service commercial studios in San Francisco. One is Dolby Atmos certified. Anyone, of any gender, can book time there. The studios have hosted sessions for Beyonce’s band, Tune-Yards, Kronos Quartet, Toro y Moi and many more bands.
WAM also makes use of the internet to reach people outside of the Bay Area. More than 4,000 people from 30-plus countries joined WAM classes online during Covid. Some of that access has been kept available. “We had more demand, online, from folks in Los Angeles,” Winston said. “That’s one thing that pushed us to get a location down there.”
As WAM keeps expanding, Winston focuses much of her attention on fundraising. “It’s hard to raise the money fast enough to support our growth,” she said. “There’s so much demand for our programs, and so many ideas we’re waiting to execute. It’s a constant hustle.”
WAM needs to raise almost $2 million dollars every year just to keep the San Francisco location functioning. The campaign to fund locations in L.A. and Nashville will take an additional $4 million to $9 million.
AUDIO FOR ALL WAM’s ultimate goal is gender parity in the music and audio industries. (Photo courtesy of Women’s Audio Mission)
WAM’s ultimate goal is gender parity in the music and audio industries. “Perhaps someday WAM will no longer be needed, or just becomes the Audio Mission (AM),” Winston said. “The way we intend to do that is to bring the successful model we built in the San Francisco Bay Area to the music hubs of Los Angeles and Nashville.”
She said she’d like to see WAM studios across the country, serving as examples of welcoming, inclusive spaces that deliver and promote music and media projects that reflect the ideas and perspectives of women, girls and gender-expansive people.
Since she grew up as a musician, Winston said she misses the time she used to spend engaging in her own creative pursuits. “My time in the studio is really limited,” she said. “I spend most of my time raising money and making connections for WAM. I’ve also been battling the onset of a hearing loss that is an incredible mystery to my UCSF doctors.
“I like making music,” she continued, “but I have to accept this hearing loss. The best I can do is pass on all the production wisdom I have gleaned, from so many people over the years, to the next generations. I love running into folks I mentored. It’s the best part of the job to see our graduates get employed or excited about the new career paths or skills they learned—better than caffeine!”
WAM will present a free Local Sirens concert as part of the Yerba Buena Gardens Festivalat 12:30pm on Aug. 21 at 750 Howard St., San Francisco. 410.651.3684. For more info, visit womensaudiomission.org.
Over the last five years, a creative partnership has been quietly building between Golden State Warriors’ official DJ and producer, DJ D Sharp, and rising Oakland rapper Ian Kelly. Their artistic paths first crossed in 2020 when Kelly was featured on “Finders Keepers” from the Eastshore Highway album. Since then, their collaboration has grown into a shared mission to honor Oakland’s rich hip-hop legacy while carving out a fresh sound for today’s scene.
Both proudly claim East Oakland as home, drawing inspiration from the Bay Area legends they grew up watching. “My family is from Brookfield. I went to Brookfield Elementary,” D Sharp says. “It was wild—Dru Down used to walk down the street and E-A-Ski lived three doors down from me.” That deep-rooted connection to The Town drives their work and shapes their vision for hip-hop’s future.
While steeped in reverence for the Bay Area’s past, D Sharp and Kelly see themselves as key players in today’s evolving local rap landscape—a responsibility they wear with pride. Their June release, Concrete OCEAN, showcases this evolution, with both artists pushing boundaries lyrically and sonically.
Kelly has earned a dedicated following thanks to his mind-bending lyricism and raw reflections on the realities of growing up in Oakland. The album’s title is a clever fusion of psychology and poetry, inspired by the “OCEAN” acronym representing the Big Five personality traits: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism. As the project took shape, Kelly realized each track expressed a different facet of his personality, weaving stories of identity, vulnerability and resilience.
“I feel like we’re on a concrete ocean,” Kelly says. “We’re all in these waves that we’re going through, but it’s still solidified on who we are.” The album emerges as both introspective and grounded—a layered portrait of growth and inner strength.
Kelly elaborates on the subtlety of the album’s concept: “The traits are hidden underneath each song—they’re there, but not in your face like, ‘Ah bro, you preaching to me.’ That was the goal.”
Among the standout tracks is “Too Easy,” which features vocal contributions from Kate Lamont and SundaY, along with a compelling guest verse from Dreebo. Kelly balances vulnerability and bravado with sharp lyricism over a soulful, head-nodding beat that invites multiple listens.
Replay value is one of the album’s strongest draws, offering a richness and depth that music critics say is being restored in hip-hop today. “That’s always the intentionality—to make something that could be timeless, and not just something that’s here for a moment,” Kelly says.
The duo’s sound deliberately blends Bay Area style and broader hip-hop influences. “I kind of want to bring a vibe like Rick Ross meets The Town,” Kelly says, describing their shared vision that merges West Coast energy, boom-bap elements and hometown pride—all grounded in emotional honesty.
As a producer, DJ D Sharp is equally passionate about putting Oakland talent on the global map. Rooted in pride and precision, their collaboration centers on lyrical excellence, strong production and lasting replay value.
“We want to bring the best in general,” D Sharp says. His goal for his label, Table Five Music Group, is to build a legacy that stands alongside hip-hop heavyweights like TDE. “Ian can hold his own against Kendricks, Joey Badasses and J Coles,” he asserts, “and I can hold my own against Hit-Boy, Madlib and Alchemist.”
For fans eager to experience the duo live, DJ D Sharp will perform at the inaugural SF Hip-Hop Festival on Saturday, July 19, while Ian Kelly shares the stage with Atlanta-based artist Will Hill at Brick & Mortar Music Hall on July 23.
Although Concrete OCEAN is a quick listen, it stands as a bold statement of identity, resilience and pride rooted in Oakland’s vibrant culture—carried forward unapologetically by two artists dedicated to elevating their hometown sound.
Published in cooperation between Sexy Panther and the East Bay Express
Sites like EscortBabylon have their purpose. As useful as the site is for finding escorts in your area, some people have a few quibbles about the site and its minimalist approach.
While EscortBabylon is useful, it’s little more than a listing directory with a few scattered photos.
That’s why we’ve decided to review 12 sites very similar to EscortBabylon.net, and in some cases, with extra bonus features you may want to try.
Some of these sites are escort listing sites, which show you a lot about the provider and make the booking process much easier. However, other sites are just adult hookup sites for easy and free casual sex.
Yes, believe it or not, some people are just itching to have sex for free.
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12 Sites Like EscortBabylon.net
Let’s start by seeing what came in first place among all the EscortBabylon alternatives.
First on our list of sites like Escort Babylon is Ashley Madison—a treasure trove, but not an escort site.
Instead, Ashley Madison was created as an affairs site, which is why it’s the most discreet option on our list.
You have the app disguise option, which lets you disguise the app on your phone as something else entirely, and you can customize the notifications to say what you want them to say.
There’s also a panic button that shuts down the app immediately, and you can private your profile to the degree you want.
Ashley Madison is full of women looking for some casual good times, which makes it an efficient place to hit if you’re looking for easy hookups.
Women can use the site 100 percent free, while men are the ones who pay as they go through a credit system. That way, you only end up paying for the features you actually use.
Leaving the site free for women has predictably attracted some fake profiles and catfishes. But you have the video chat features to filter them out.
Many local escorts are also on the site, so if you are looking for their services, you won’t have much trouble finding escorts there.
Adult Friend Finder beats all other sites like EscortBabylon for many reasons. If we had to single out just two reasons why, they would be its sheer size and the fact that it’s easy to find someone to get laid free.
Well, not completely free—you would have to subscribe.
Subscription fees are affordable (they start at $19.95 a month), but most of all, they are worth it, especially considering you don’t have to pay for sexual services.
Here’s the deal with Adult Friend Finder—it’s a hookup site and one that was made with casual encounters in mind.
So, everyone’s there for that one goal, and there are 80-plus million worldwide users.
That makes it really easy to find someone for a one-night stand, especially in the United States. There are some inactive profiles, so the best way to connect is by visiting the site’s discussion forum, where people meet and chat about all things sex-related.
There’s a lot of adult content besides the forum, like live cams (by both pros and users) and explicit movies. When you don’t feel like hooking up, there’ll be tons of stuff to keep you entertained.
3. Alt.com—Kinkier Girls Than You’ll Find on Escort Babylon
Pros
BDSM community’s stronghold
Sex-positive and kinky folks
Tons of adult content
Cons
Niche site, so small user base
We just had to include another one of the non-escort sites like Escort Babylon for those of you who prefer to get laid without paying—Alt.com.
Alt.com is one of the horniest hookup sites and the BDSM community’s stronghold.
It’s your ticket into the lifestyle and your local BDSM community. But Alt.com isn’t only about BDSM—there are plenty of other kinks and kinksters on it.
Everyone on it is there for some wild times, so it’s pretty easy to find someone for a one-night stand.
Since it is a niche site, it’s smaller than general dating sites like EscortBabylon, so there’s that. Nonetheless, the site is pretty big in the United States.
Alt.com is also one of the most user-friendly and affordable dating sites, with subscriptions starting at $8.33 a month. And you will need to subscribe to contact other members.
You’ll also have the option to video call other members.
Another reason why Alt.com is a great website is the fact it’s got tons of adult content available, like live cams and X-rated videos.
4. Slixa—Best Escort Photos Just Like Escort Babylon
Pros
Find U.S. escorts locally and nationally
Similar in design to BabylonEscorts
High quality photos of escorts on their own page
Cons
Only covers major U.S. cities
Slixa is an escort directory and review, listing the best providers in your local area. In addition to United States escort listings, you can also find listings for the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia.
While the front page is a bit minimalist, the “find escorts pages” themselves are quite the eyeful and user-friendly. You can find escorts by clicking on sponsored listings or regular ads and also get a few quotes from random escorts in the area, Twitter-style.
If you’d rather filter your escort search, particularly in larger international cities, you can choose between body type, age, special kinks and location. There is also a special section for Verified Escorts, New, Visiting and Available Now.
Once you click on an escort’s page, you’ll see a nice escort review of the experience, including excellent quality photos, interests, rates, links to official sites or phone numbers, as well as an erotic review of each escort from users.
Overall, Slixa is a simple and easy way for escorts to get their name around town and show potential clients just how beautiful they are.
Nothing really comes close to VIP escorts, and EscortDirectory is one of the best sites like Escort Babylon in that regard.
That’s what it’s famous for—VIP escorts, ranging from e-celebrities to porn stars to TV personalities and everything in between.
Now, we all know VIP escorts mean a whole lot more fun and add another layer to the experience, but VIP escorts also cost more.
That’s just how it is, and that may be this Escort Babylon alternative’s biggest drawback.
But if you don’t mind that, this is the place to go as it really has the widest selection. There’s also an advanced search bar that lets you filter by price, which is pretty useful when it comes to VIP escorts.
EscortDirectory also has a wide array of regular escorts, and they’re pretty hot.
The interface is very modern and easy to use, and the whole process, from booking an escort to her showing up at your place, is pretty fast and straightforward.
If you’re here for escort sites like Escort Babylon rather than amazing hookup apps, here’s our top pick—Happy Escorts.
Who doesn’t like a happy escort? We know we do.
Escorts on Happy Escorts are truly something else. First of all—they all look amazing, and we really like the quality of escort profiles.
Now, when it comes to quantity, we’re sad to report that the escort site doesn’t really have a huge database, which is its only flaw.
It has solid worldwide coverage, but some cities have fewer than 100 escorts.
It might be due to the fact that Happy Escorts is a new kid on the block. Still, we really like the escorts there, and there are plenty of options in the United States.
There is also a good chunk of male escorts, both gay and straight.
And on those nights you’re low on dough, you can always have some fun watching live cams on Happy Escorts, which kinda completes the whole adult experience.
All our LGBTQ+ folks out there or those with a taste for LGBTQ+ escorts will love Tryst—it’s the most LGBTQ+-friendly site like Escort Babylon.
Not only that, but it also has the highest number of LGBTQ+ escorts.
The rainbow community really thrives here, even though it’s not exclusively LGBTQ+ like some other escort websites. There are plenty of heterosexual female escorts and straight men as well.
Tryst creators brought us a bussin’ site—that much is clear straight from the user interface.
You can see that the site looks high-quality, and it also has high-quality tools, like the search bar, that will help you find the perfect escort.
Escort profiles are detailed, and you’ll see all the escort services a particular girl offers and how much she charges.
What separates Tryst from other escort sites are the escort interviews, which let you get a feel for what each escort is like before booking an escort service.
It really is a huge escort website that serves like a community of indie escorts as opposed to escort agencies.
If the roads ever take you to Rome (and you know what they say) or any other part of Europe, Euro Girl Escorts is your best bet to find the perfect girls for a good time.
It’s the best escort site like Escort Babylon for those traveling to Europe, as it literally covers all European countries.
You’ve got girls from the EU countries to girls in non-EU countries, and there’s good coverage city-wise.
We like the fact that most of these escorts are in their 20s—probably college students with a side hustle.
They’re pretty hot, too, and there’s also a good selection of VIP escorts.
Most of these are models, TV personalities, aspiring actresses and European porn stars. You know, the girls that know how to give you a good time.
Their escort profiles are pretty detailed, and there are escort reviews by previous clients—and you’ve gotta love an escort review site.
The only downside with this site like Escort Babylon is that it’s only available in Europe.
Here’s one for all our boomers and luddites out there—KittyAds. If you want to get your hands on sexy escorts but aren’t really tech-savvy, this is your option.
It’s just so straightforward and easy to use.
The site design might also bring back some memories of the 2000s—it’s so outdated, but this doesn’t have to be a bad thing, as it adds to the simplicity.
KittyAds is an international escort site like Escort Babylon, though it’s primarily U.S.-focused.
There are plenty of escort girls in any city you choose, which is excellent—we love escort sites with plenty of options.
What we also like about KittyAds is the fact that the escorts on it are pretty diverse in every way possible.
There’s a good selection of all races and ethnicities, as well as male escorts, gay escorts and even shemales.
Here’s another thing boomers will love—there’s no ads on this escort site whatsoever.
Speaking of the old legends, do we have any Craigslist lovers here? DoubleList is the best Craigslist alternative you can get.
Just like Craigslist, DoubleList also runs on classified ads.
And much like Craigslist, DoubleList is 100 percent free to use, and it’s one of the best escort sites you can use for free at that.
That’s largely due to a huge amount of all kinds of ads.
Firstly, there are tons of ads from all kinds of escorts around the United States—there are escorts for all sexual preferences, as well as ads for massage parlors.
The bonus is that there are more cheap escorts on DoubleList than anywhere else.
Then there are the personal ads from folks looking for anything from one-night stands to serious relationships, just like on Craigslist.
DoubleList is also kinda hectic, just like Craigslist used to be, but the search bar will deliver the search results you’re looking for.
We had to put FreeAdsTime as a bonus to our list of the best sites like EscortBabyon because you can findjust about anythingon it.
It may not be one of the fancy escort sites (that much is clear as soon as you open it), but it is the place where you can find the cheapest local escorts.
FreeAdsTime is a classified ads platform where people sell and exchange all kinds of things and services.
Everyone gets a chance to post an ad for free and to respond to other people’s ads.
The site has amazing coverage country-wise, and it includes even the smallest cities. But the reason why it’s on our list is due to the fact that you can easily find cheap local escorts.
Head to the personal ads section and look through search results.
You can also post your own personal ads and respond to other folks’ personals and end up with a free hookup.
Before we jump right into the reviews of the sites we chose as the best alternatives to Escort Babylon, it’s only fair to share how we came up with the list.
There are plenty of great sites out there, but we had to streamline the list to 10-plus sites only.
That wasn’t easy, so we had to develop a ranking system. Here are the factors we used to rank sites like EscortBabylon and come up with the top 10-plus.
1. Safety Is Always No. 1
Safety always has to come first, right? No one wants to go to sites where they may fall victim to who knows what kind of scams or where their payments aren’t secure.
The top escort sites on this list (and in general) invest a lot in safety and security.
That goes for secure payment options but also to keep their platforms safe from potential predators.
No one wants to waste their time researching whether a site is safe or not when they’re down and looking for a hot escort.
So, we did that part instead of you, and all the options on our list are safe.
2. Reputation Matters
When we picked and ranked the best sites like EscortBabylon for our list, we also knew we wanted sites with rock-solid reputations.
Long-standing sites with a proven track record took precedence.
We allowed for some newish sites if they showed high efficiency and performance, but even they had to be vetted.
All the platforms on our list are legal and legit, and they take the necessary measures to stay reputable and offer the best service to their customers.
3. People’s Opinions Matter
You bet we went through any escort review site and users’ reviews online to see what the people had to say about each site.
We wanted sites customers were happy with because happy customers are the goal of every business.
Happy customers also show that the site is delivering what it set out to deliver and that it WORKS.
Some bad reviews here and there are understandable, but we choose sites with overwhelmingly positive reviews.
4. We Looked At Available Escorts
Hey—escorts sites should have lots of escorts. That’s just how it is. So, of course, we looked at the selection of escorts each site has.
We looked at both quantity and quality.
The sites on our list have impressive numbers of escorts, but they also have a wide selection, which is equally important.
The more diverse the escort base, the more customers you can make happy.
5. Search Filters Are Important
Why do folks go to escort sites in the first place? To find the right girl for some good times, of course.
So, the search filters that help you with that are important.
Different sites are organized in different ways, be it classified ads or escort profiles, but all sites on our list have excellent search filters.
6. Discretion Is the Name of the Game
You don’t want anyone to know you’re out there hiring escorts or even hooking up—that’s your private life, and it should be discreet.
So, naturally, we looked at how discreet each of the sites was when we ranked them.
The escort sites and even the hookup sites on our list all have top-notch discretion features that will prevent anyone from knowing what you’ve been up to.
7. Extra Features Are Nice
Who doesn’t like some cool extra features here and there? They may not be as important as all the other factors mentioned above, but it’s still nice when they’re there.
Escort reviews are one of them, and it’s pretty useful to see what other clients have to say about an escort and the quality of the services.
Things like live cams or adult videos are other examples of extra features, and it’s always nice when a site goes the extra mile, especially if you’re paying for subscriptions.
Sites Like Escort Babylon FAQs
We told you about some amazing Escort Babylon alternatives, and we know you’re eager to go check them out.
But before you do, you can also check out this FAQ part, where we answer some of the most common questions about the topic.
What Is EscortBabylon?
Escort Babylon, also called BabylonEscort or BabylonEscorts, is a listing website that includes a directory of escorts worldwide.
EscortBabylon even lists escorts and sex workers in countries like the United States, where direct solicitation is illegal.
Many people prefer to use casual dating sites, such as Ashley Madison, instead of escort sites. In the opinion of some, casual dating sites are safer than sex worker listing sites.
With no money being exchanged for sex, you are not breaking the law and will not have to worry about facing any legal or ethical ramifications.
You’ll notice most escort sites are not as detailed as Escort Babylon is. The best escort websites should be very detailed and make you feel as if you’ve met the escort face-to-face.
That’s why we gave special consideration to the five sites above, because of their in-depth profiles.
Not only does it sound kinda like Backpage, but it looks and works the same way. An added bonus is the fact that many escorts from Backpage also switched to Bedpage when the legendary site got shut down.
Feeling down about all the paid dating sites? Why not check out a list of adult dating sites?
What Is a Good Alternative to Craigslist?
FreeAdsTime is a good alternative to Craigslist—you can buy and sell just about anything there.
Is Escorting Illegal in the United States?
Escorting is not illegal in the U.S.
Providing escort services is legal in the United States, while prostitution is illegal in most U.S. states. Escorting is legal so long as the escort isn’t charging you for sexual intercourse but for the company and time spent.
If you don’t want to be associated with escorts, you can always choose luxury dating instead.
What’s the Difference Between Dating Escorts and Prostitution?
The difference between dating escorts and prostitution is that prostitutes charge for sex, while escorts charge for company.
Sex between an escort and her client, therefore, can only happen during her private part.
While escorting is legal, prostitution is not.
Learn more about the government’s definition of prostitution, the difference between escorting and prostitution and what it means for escorts and their clients on a practical level.
Make no mistake. Some people are very uncomfortable with escorting. Instead, they might opt for arrangement dating sites or luxury sites like Seeking. Read a Seeking review and see the perspective from someone who’s been there.
Have Fun With Escort Babylon.net Alternatives
There you have it—the best EscortBabylon alternatives out there.
Some users think highly of Escort Babylon.net, for its upfront listing of real escorts in the area, as opposed to fakes, flakes and scammers. However, others are critical of Escort Babylon.net, for its rather blunt discussion of sex, which may be illegal in some jurisdictions.
We simply want to provide you with the best resource for investigating escort sites like EscortBabylon and are focusing on just the facts.
We also found that AdultFriendFinderis your best bet as an Escort Babylon.net alternative. There are some escorts on the site, but you can also easily find horny girls for some wild nights without spending a dime.
The same goes for Ashley Madison, with an added bonus of bullet-proof discretion.
The choice is yours, and that’s what matters to us. Why not look for yourself and see which site suits your purposes?
Disclaimer: The sites on this list are for finding escorts to accompany you in a private or public setting to events. Escorts are not allowed to offer sexual services. Moreover, they cannot engage in sexual activities with their customers for money. If caught, both the worker and client can be legally prosecuted. Do not use these sites in the hopes for paying for sex unless you check your local laws and are located in a legal region on this map such as Nevada, the Netherlands or Germany.
Published in cooperation between Baooji Limited and the East Bay Express
Cellular senescence is a state characterized by permanent cell-cycle arrest, increased expression of markers such as p16^INK4a and p21^CIP1/WAF1, elevated DNA damage signals (e.g., γ-H2AX) and a distinct secretory profile termed the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). While senescent cells play roles in processes such as wound repair and tumor suppression, the persistent accumulation of these cells contributes to tissue dysfunction, chronic inflammation and cellular age-related pathologies.
Recently, peptides have emerged as modulators of senescence. These short amino acid sequences may act by limiting senescence induction, modifying SASP composition, targeting senescent cell metabolism or serving as tools to probe senescent cell heterogeneity. Below, we review examples of such peptides, their mechanisms and their potential uses in multiple research domains.
Senomorphic Peptides: Example of “Pep‑14”
In one notable investigation, a high-throughput screen identified a tetrapeptide labeled “Pep‑14” that may reduce senescence-associated phenotypes in dermal fibroblasts stressed by ultraviolet radiation, replicative exhaustion or progeroid mutations. This peptide is speculated to act by modulating protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) holoenzyme complexes, thereby supporting genome maintenance and DNA repair and ultimately mitigating progression into late senescence. When applied to aged skin cells, Pep-14 appears to reduce markers of senescence and SASP factors, also resulting in a measurable reduction in methylation-based biological age scores. Within research contexts, this peptide is believed to serve as a tool for studying senescence dynamics and evaluating various strategies in engineered tissue models.
Mitochondrial‑Derived Peptides: Humanin and MOTS‑c
Mitochondrial‑encoded micropeptides—particularly Humanin and MOTS‑c—are emerging as modulators of cellular energetics and SASP regulation. A study comparing senescent fibroblasts induced by replicative exhaustion, chemotherapy agents or oxidative stress observed elevated endogenous levels of Humanin and MOTS‑c alongside increased mitochondrial respiration. Studies suggest that supplementing senescent cultures with exogenous Humanin or MOTS-c may further support respiration and selectively amplify subsets of SASP components via JAK-STAT signaling.
Studies suggest that these mitochondrial-derived peptides may serve as probes to investigate how senescent cells rewire their energy metabolism and how this metabolic shift may support their secretory outputs. By manipulating mitochondrial peptide levels, researchers may dissect the coupling between organelle function and senescence signaling, with implications for understanding inflammation at the cellular level.
Micropeptides in Neuroprotection: Humanin
Initially discovered for its neuroprotective properties, Humanin has garnered attention for its potential to suppress cell-death signals by interfering with pro-apoptotic proteins, such as Bax. Beyond cytoprotection, research suggests that Humanin expression may increase under conditions of cellular aging and stress and that it may modulate oxidative stress resistance in neurovascular contexts. It has been theorized that Humanin may intersect with senescence pathways in neuronal and vascular cells, making it a useful molecular tool for exploring senescence in neurodegeneration models.
Apelin: A Circulating Peptide
Apelin, a peptide secreted by vascular and muscular tissues, has been studied for its potential role in muscle cell metabolism, autophagy, mitochondrial biogenesis and anti‑inflammatory signaling in aged research models. A recent early-phase experiment involving the deployment of an apelin receptor agonist suggests that muscle protein synthesis may be preserved in elderly mammalian research models during periods of inactivity.
While Apelin’s primary focus has been on sarcopenia, it has been hypothesized that it might indirectly support senescence by supporting mitochondrial turnover and reducing inflammation, two hallmarks of senescent cell accumulation. As such, Apelin analogs may serve as experimental tools to study mitochondrial dynamics and paracrine SASP modulation in tissue models.
Peptides Targeting SASP and Inflammasomes in Cardiovascular Cells
Senescence‑associated secretory phenotype components—such as IL‑6, IL‑8, TGF‑β, and matrix metalloproteinases—are central to inflammation in cardiovascular tissue. Vasoprotective peptides (e.g., natriuretic peptide mimetics, KED tripeptide, AEDR tetrapeptide) may modulate SASP secretion by endothelial or smooth muscle cells, although mechanistic data remain limited. Such peptides may be valuable for dissecting signaling pathways underlying vascular senescence and for validating research models of inflammaging.
Senescence Cell‑Surfaceome and Peptide‑Based Targeting
Quantitative proteomics has revealed changes in the surface proteins of senescent cells across multiple senescence inducers and species, leading to the identification of specific extracellular epitopes unique to senescent cells. Studies suggest that these cell-surface peptides may serve as ligands for affinity reagents, immunity research agents, or imaging probes designed to detect and target senescent cells. Prospects include peptide-mimetic probes that selectively bind to senescent cell surface markers, enabling high-resolution mapping or selective clearance in complex tissues.
Mechanistic Insights and Research Implications
Peptides involved in senescence research serve as versatile tools to interrogate key pathways:
DNA-repair modulation: Studies suggest that Pep-14 may stabilize genome integrity through its interaction with PP2A, thereby delaying the transition into senescence.
Metabolic Research: Mitochondrial peptides, Humanin and MOTS-c have been hypothesized to alter cellular energetics in senescence contexts.
Secretome control: Vasoprotective peptides and Apelin analogs seem to modulate inflammatory SASP components.
Cell-surface targeting: Peptides derived from senescent cell-surface proteins appear to enable the detection or selective targeting of these proteins.
Imaging and biomarker probes: SASP‑based peptide epitopes may act as diagnostic markers for senescent cell load.
Challenges and Future Directions
Heterogeneity of senescence: Senescent cells induced by different stimuli or arising in different tissues display variable marker expression and SASP profiles. Thus, peptide tools must be validated across diverse cellular contexts.
Mechanistic specificity: Many geroprotective peptides, such as Epitalon and Pinealon, have been theorized to modulate telomere dynamics, antioxidant signaling or cell‑cycle regulation, though direct links to senescence‑specific pathways require deeper elucidation.
Cross‑kingdom insights: Plant‑derived senescence peptides highlight conserved principles that may inspire novel tools; however, their activity and relevance in systems remain hypothetical.
Quantitative imaging frontiers: The identification of cell-surface epitopes unique to senescent cells offers a path toward peptide-based molecular imaging; success depends on peptide affinity, tissue specificity and the potential to target these epitopes.
Conclusions
Investigations suggest that peptides may provide a multifaceted toolkit for investigating and modulating cellular senescence across various research domains, including molecular biogerontology, tissue biology, systems imaging and diagnostics.
Looking ahead, investigations purport that these peptide tools might underpin next-generation platforms for high-throughput screening, molecular imaging and mechanistic studies. With the continual expansion of peptide repertoires and matched assays, the senescence-peptide nexus offers a promising frontier for biogerontology research.
Final Thoughts
While direct implications in cellular contexts remain speculative, the investigative role of peptides in cellular senescence research is firmly grounded in contemporary literature. By serving as modulators, probes and targets, these molecules support our understanding of senescence dynamics, facilitate the mapping of intercellular signaling changes and ultimately support the discovery of new interventions to mitigate cellular age-related dysfunctions in experimental contexts. Visit Core Peptides for more useful peptide data.
References
[i] Silva, F. O., Martins, L. P., & Barros, A. F. (2023). Senotherapeutic peptide treatment reduces biological age and senescence burden in human skin models. npj Aging.
[ii] Cobb, L. J., & Cohen, P. (2020). The mitochondrial-derived peptide Humanin is a regulator of lifespan and protects against age‑related stress. Aging (Albany NY), 12(1), 123–134.
[iii] Lee, C., & Kim, K. H. (2023). Mitochondria‑derived peptide MOTS‑c: effects and mechanisms related to stress, metabolism, and aging. Journal of Translational Medicine, 21(1), 123–139.
[iv] Dray, C., Valet, P., & Dray, P. (2018). Apelin/APJ system: A novel promising target for anti‑aging intervention. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 500(2), 234–241.
[v] Petrov, S. A., Ivanova, O. V., & Nikitin, A. A. (2022). Senescence‑associated secretory phenotype of cardiovascular cells and peptide regulators thereof. Cells, 11(5), 780–797.
Published in cooperation between Panther Sexy and the East Bay Express
Disclaimer: The site on this page is for finding escorts to accompany you in a private or public setting to events. Escorts are not allowed to offer sexual services. Moreover, they cannot engage in sexual activities with their customers for money. If caught, both the worker and client can be legally prosecuted. Do not use the site in the hopes of paying for sex unless you check your local laws and are located in a legal region on this map such as Nevada, the Netherlands or Germany.
Does the promise of ‘never spanking the monkey again’ sound too good to be true? If so, are you on the lookout for an Erotic Monkey review?
Erotic Monkey really makes it seem like spanking the monkey is obsolete now that we have affordable escort services one click away.
But is the escort site legit, or is it all just smoke and mirrors?
Here’s what we have to say about Erotic Monkey and the best alternatives for escort services.
Erotic Monkey Review: The Bottom Line up Front
All right, boys, we know you’re just basically looking for a green flag or a red flag so you can go on your merry way to the girls. So, we’ll keep it sweet and short, and we’ll even put the skimmable bottom line up front.
About Erotic Monkey
Erotic Monkey is one of the biggest escort sites in the United States and a reliable platform to head to when in search of an escort.
It’s got a beast of a search function that gives you instant access to just the kind of sexy woman you’re looking for.
The website runs on subscriptions that give you access to its premium features, but you can still find and book escorts for free.
Erotic Monkey Pros and Cons
Let’s take a look at what Erotic Monkey gets right and what we didn’t like about the site. Here’s a snappy breakdown of the pros and cons of Erotic Monkey, and then, later on, we’ll delve into them in more detail.
Pros
Among the biggest escort sites
Quality escort reviews
Super advanced search feature
Wide selection of escorts
Easy to use and mobile-friendly
Cons
The free version has its limits
Some cities have no listings
Our Verdict on Erotic Monkey
We have to give it to Erotic Monkey as it really is one of the best escort sites out there. To put it simply—it’s safe, reliable and most importantly, it works.
The ads cover all parts of the country and most cities, so there’s always a good selection of escorts. Still, some rural areas are kind of underrepresented, which is unfortunate but understandable.
We also have to mention that the free version is pretty limited, and you have to buy a premium membership for the best experience. However, we find it totally worth it, especially if hiring escorts is your hobby.
Erotic Monkey Review: The Full Guide
Want to hear more about Erotic Monkey? In this part of our Erotic Monkey review, we’ll fix you up with the full guide to the website. We’ll go over the end-to-end Erotic Monkey journey, from signing up to how you hire escorts.
The Sign-up Process
First things first: Let’s go over the sign-up process. We’ll start by saying that signing up for Erotic Monkey is everything you want it to be—easy, fast, and free.
Head to the ‘Sign Up’ button in the top right corner, and it’ll take you to the signing-up screen. The website will ask for your email address and for you to set up a nickname and password.
You’ll also have a captcha code to fill in. In case the one on the screen doesn’t work (it can expire), just ask for another one.
When that’s out of the way, the site will ask you to confirm and activate your account by email, which weeds out fake profiles and helps everyone stay safe on the site.
That’s pretty much it—now you’re one of the website’s active users, and you’re free to explore all the girls on the site.
As we said, Erotic Monkey runs on subscriptions, but you won’t have to subscribe at that point to gain access to the site.
You’ll get the option to subscribe later on, but you can continue as a free user (we’ll delve into what you can and can’t do for free later on in this Erotic Monkey review).
How Erotic Monkey Works
Remember Craigslist Personals? Well, Escort Monkey is kind of like Craigslist Personals, but for escorts only.
So, it’s basically ads from escorts all around the United States.
You register on the site and get access to these ads, and therein, girls. The ads are more than just that—they’re kind of like social media profiles.
Everything you need to know about a girl you want is right there.
You’ll see all the info about their body type and appearance, as well as rates, reviews and contact details. It’s important to note that you don’t get to see all of this information for free (more on that later).
You’d have to be a member to get access to the good stuff, sadly.
Still, even the free users get access to the basic information, and it’s totally possible to use the site and book services without paying for a membership.
You can either message the girls right there on the site or contact them via their preferred ways, be it phone calls, messages or email.
Then it’s up to you two to agree on what goes on and how much it costs. You pay in advance through the site’s secure payment system, and there’s nothing to worry about, as Escort Monkey is a reliable platform.
Erotic Monkey Features
Let us now take a look at what you can do on the website. It’s a no-brainer, really—you go through ads to find your favorite girl for some casual sex and good times, right?
Well, yes, but not all escort sites are the same.
Here are the features you have at your disposal that let you do just that and some things that separate Erotic Monkey from other sites.
Guaranteed Discretion
The thing that has to go first here is, of course, the discretion. You want to keep your little hobby on the low, right?
Well, Erotic Monkey doesn’t fumble the ball here.
It pretty much slays—no one will ever find out you’re on the site. Firstly, you get to choose a nickname and whatever email address you want, as per usual.
Erotic Monkey won’t spam your inbox, but we still recommend using a backup email address for discretion purposes.
Next, you choose how you pay, and you’ll have plenty of options, including crypto.
Crypto is more discreet, of course, but If you choose to pay on your credit card, you can still keep things on the low.
The payment will simply show as ‘E-monkeypay.com.’
Search Filters
The search engine is what makes or breaks an escort site since the whole purpose of visiting it is to find the right kind of girl.
Well, Erotic Monkey has advanced search filters that will help you do just that.
The first options you’ll have are location-based ones, like the state and zip code, so you can check out all the different escorts near you.
Then, you’ll have the option to put in a name, phone number or email address in case you want to find a particular girl you’ve hooked up with before.
Saving the best for last, you’ve got the star search filters that help you zero in on just the kind of girl you want.
And there are so many.
You’ve got anything related to appearance first, from body type to hair style to implants. You can also choose whether she’s a porn star or just an escort.
After you’re done with the appearance search filters, you’ll get the ‘service information’ filters with 20-plus services to choose from.
As an add-on to services, you also have the fetish filters, which will help you zero in on escorts who offer specific kinks and fetishes.
Altogether, this is a pretty advanced search engine we’ve got here.
Escorts’ Profiles
Another key aspect of escort sites is the profiles of escorts. People want to see exactly what they will be getting for their money.
For starters, you have every bit of information about their physical appearance, like:
Age
Ethnicity
Height
Body type
Services they offer and to whom
Hair style, length and color
Whether they have implants
Whether they’re a pornstar
Breast size, cup and appearance
Besides that, you’ll also get to see their photos, videos, prices, contact details and reviews from previous clients.
You will need a premium membership to access the good stuff, like more photos and reviews from previous clients, though.
But even the free users get great insight into every girl on the site.
Escort Reviews
Our favorite feature is definitely the reviews. All service providers have reviews from their previous clients.
Here are the sections of each review:
Donations
Face looks
Provider’s appearance
Service information
Fetish details
Juicy details
“Juicy details” are the best part as it’s there that you can see exactly what went down and how if the gentleman is willing to tell. And sometimes, gentlemen have to tell.
You, too, can write reviews after you’ve booked some of the providers.
They are manually approved, so it may take some time before yours appears on the site. But that’s good because it shows they’re real reviews.
Messaging
Users can message providers via the site to inquire about services and prices. You get some messaging for free, but if you want to unlock unlimited messages, you would have to subscribe to the website.
Blog and Forum
Erotic Monkey has a blog with regular updates on all things about sex and escorts. There are some useful tips, but it’s also fun, so we recommend checking it out. The forum is a fun place, too—you can hang out with other users and exchange options about providers.
Clean Interface and Mobile-Friendly Website
Last but not least, we like the clean interface. It’s not modern by any means, but it is very clean and organized, which is a plus. While the interface may not look advanced, it sure is very mobile-friendly.
You don’t have to pay to use Erotic Monkey—you can sign up, browse and book the services for free. If you want to see all the reviews, message the providers or partake in forum discussions, you would have to subscribe.
Erotic Monkey Alternatives
Not really liking what you see? That’s all right. We’ve prepared the best Erotic Monkey alternatives. These are different types of sites that all have one thing in common: They can help you find quick and easy casual encounters.
There are many options out there—think of sites like MegaPersonals or Kittyads, but these are the absolute top alternatives:
If you want a discreet source of casual sex, but you don’t want to pay for it, your best bet is Ashley Madison.
The app was created for extramarital affairs, so it’s full of people interested in hookups on the low. The discretion features are like no others—app disguise options, customized notifications, and discreet billing.
It’s free for women, so there are plenty of them on the site, but the men have to pay for credits to pick them up. Those who do say it’s totally worth it.
Who doesn’t like a free escort site? DoubleList is that and more. First things first—it’s 100 percent free, and there’s a solid selection of providers throughout the United States.
That means you can also use DoubleList to post personal ads or respond to other people’s ads and hook up for free, which is a lot of options for a free site.
Before we wrap this Erotic Monkey review up and come up with a conclusion on whether or not you should head there, we thought we’d throw in a FAQs section. We tackle some of the most popular questions on the topic, in case we’ve missed anything.
Is Erotic Monkey Legit?
Yes, Erotic Monkey is a legit escort site. It’s a safe and reliable platform with secure payment and a good selection of escorts throughout the United States.
Do You Have to Pay for Erotic Monkey?
You don’t have to pay for Erotic Monkey. It has a free version that’s good enough for you to use the site functionally and actually book the services of an escort.
Is Escort Monkey a Good Site?
Escort Monkey is a good site. It’s got all you want an escort site to have—a solid free version, advanced search filters, detailed providers’ profiles and reviews from previous clients. There’s also a huge number of girls all around the United States.
The Conclusion: Erotic Monkey Review Summed Up
So, is Erotic Monkey any good? We would say so. It’s got everything it takes to be a good escort site, and with a premium membership, it turns into a great escort site and community of “Mongers.”
It’s got a wide selection of escorts, amazing search filters, detailed profiles and verified reviews by clients.
If Escort Monkey doesn’t sound like a good deal, you can always check out other escort sites, like Escort Directoryand DoubleList.
Whether he’s on YouTube teaching his fans how to make his special Christmas Mojito or belting out a song in his home state of North Carolina, Samoht is probably wearing a Stetson. The R&B singer got his start just outside Raleigh in the city of Wilson, where he merged country with gospel, hip-hop and soul to create a deeply emotional style. Fans can’t decide which they love more: Samoht’s endearing sense of humor or his show-stopping voice. His 2023 album Amor, the inspiration for his current Red Zone tour,is seductive and joyful, bringing introspection to the poolside just in time for summer. – ADDIE MAHMASSANI
INFO: Thu, 8pm, The New Parish, 1743 San Pablo Ave., Oakland. $32.55. 510.227.8177.
THURSDAY, JULY 10
AMERICANA
TRILLIAN WELCH: I DREAM A HIGHWAY
Singer/songwriter Gillian Welch’s passionate voice was a highlight of O Brother, Where Art Thou? Her own music has been described as a crossroads between Appalachian, folk, country and Americana. These roads will be traveled in three-part harmony by Bay Area singers Meredith Edgar, Jill Rogers and Margaret Belton in Trillian Welch: I Dream A Highway. The voices—Edgar’s smoky and melancholic, Rogers’ shimmering and gritty, and Belton’s warm and heartfelt—will blend to explore Welch’s songwriting catalog. They’ll be backed by the Trillianaires, featuring Jamie Duncan and Myles Boisen on guitars, Russell Kiel on bass and special guest Steve Pearson on drums. – JANIS HASHE
INFO: Thu, 8pm, The Back Room, 1984 Bonita Ave., Berkeley. $20. 510.654.3808.
FRIDAY, JULY 11
AMERICANA
VICKI PETERSON & JOHN COWSILL
Vicki Peterson is the famed lead guitarist for the illustrious 1980s hit-makers the Bangles, and John Cowsill is one of the founding members of the Cowsills and drummer for the legendary Beach Boys for over two decades. They join forces in a debut like no other. OK, technically they joined forces in 2003 when they got married, but this time they are premiering a set of songs written by the other two founding members of the Cowsills, John’s late brothers Barry and Bill. The brothers wrote this collection of songs during various parts of their lives, but this is the first time they will be played live. – MAT WEIR
Originally evolving out of hardcore in the 1990s, mathcore uses technical playing, weird time signatures and plenty of tempo changes to create music that is as chaotically structured as a mosh pit. It looks random from the outside, but dive in and it’s easy to see the natural rhythm. The Mathcore Index Fest takes place over two days, Friday and Saturday, and features some of the favorites in mathcore today: Heavy Heavy Low Low, Missouri Executive Order 44, Black Sheep Wall, State Faults and the Arson Choir. Take plenty of ibuprofen and get those stretches in beforehand because it’s safe to say the entire room is going to explode in a fury. – MW
Les Blancs tells the story of a young man’s experiences upon returning to his family home to bury his father. The original play included one Black woman who never spoke but was spoken of by other characters. Mercer takes that as a jumping-off point for eight women—or should they be called spirits—to express identity, ancestry and reclamation of Black history through movement and words. Untethered from oppression, liberated to be real, and claiming power and purpose: If it was prime time for these invaluable things during Hansberry’s lifetime, it’s certainly a similar moment now. Performances go until July 27. – LOU FANCHER
INFO: Fri, 7pm, Oakland Theater Project, 1501 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Oakland. $35. 510.646.1126.
SATURDAY, JULY 12
THEATER
‘THE MAGNOLIA BALLET’
The haunting fable about a queer Black boy, his father, and the apparitions living in the walls of their family home who speak in poetry, shouts and whispers. Living among white people in Georgia, generations of Black people carve out lives of resilience as if cutting indelible marks in the bark of the Magnolia trees under which their stories are told. Onstage seating invites interested audience members to witness Black relationships up close. The only “ask” is to look, listen and reflect long after the final bows. Performances go until Aug. 10. – LF
Balmy and indefinable as ever, Roberto Carlos Lange—a.k.a. Helado Negro—brings his experimental tunes to town this weekend. Born in South Florida to Ecuadorian immigrants, the multi-instrumentalist has a knack for merging elements to create a soft, nostalgic vibe: English and Spanish, synths and acoustic guitars, visuals and sounds, high theory and simple emotion. After many years on Sufjan Stevens’ Asthmatic Kitty label, he started releasing albums on British alt-rock/dream-pop powerhouse 4AD as of the 2020s. According to Pitchfork, his latest offering, Phasor, “has snuck a folk songwriter’s sensibility into twinkling electronic cut-ups and field recordings.” – AM
Cody Jinks didn’t pivot to country; he circled back to it, dragging distortion pedals and dive-bar ghosts with him. Raised on steel guitar but forged in Fort Worth’s thrash-metal scene, Jinks channels both in a sound that’s slow-burning, unsentimental and stubborn. His lyrics are plainspoken, but rarely simple. Unconcerned with polish or genre gatekeeping, Jinks has built a loyal following on his own terms, charting without chasing hits. It’s not nostalgia, it’s something heavier: Outlaw country that grapples with doubt, damage and the grace of getting by. – SONYA BENNETT-BRANDT
Pianist Charles Chen’s 2024 debut album, Charles, Play!, was named one of the best albums of 2024 by DownBeat magazine. His gig at Piedmont Piano Company will showcase his new album, Building Characters. The final cut on this one, a relaxed rendition of the classic “Stardust,” features a sexy tenor sax intro, brushed drums and Chen taking his time to interpret the beloved tune, literally tickling the ivories. Chen acknowledges his love of the “Blue Note” era of Art Blakey and Horace Silver in the album’s selections—he is the historian of the South Bay Traditional Jazz Society. Audience members will also be treated to a sneak preview of Chen’s next album. – JH
INFO: Sun, 5pm, Piedmont Piano Company, 1728 San Pablo Ave., Oakland. $25/adv, $30/door. 510.547.8188.
TUESDAY, JULY 15
HIP-HOP
RAKIM
Before Rakim, most rappers hit the beat head-on. He slipped through it, restructured it and rewrote the blueprint. When “Eric B. Is President” dropped in 1986 it didn’t just signal a new voice, it changed the mechanics of the genre. His verses moved with the precision of jazz improvisation and the depth of scripture. Albums like Paid in Full and Follow the Leader established a new standard for lyricism, internal rhyme and control. Rakim’s influence is about architecture. His voice is part of how the form was built. Now, he’s doing three shows at Yoshi’s on the 15th and 16th. – SBB
Where is Julie McCoy—Love Boat cruise director extraordinaire—when we need her? Last week my plan was to eat dinner at Lucuma, a new Peruvian restaurant in Oakland. I had asked two friends to come with me, but our party blossomed into a family-sized table of seven. To paraphrase the Vicomte de Valmont, the gathering was suddenly beyond my control, but in a good way.
Having celebrated its grand opening only a few days before our arrival, word had already spread about Lucuma. Dare I say the restaurant had been hotly anticipated? Without reservations, the narrow dining room, filled with mostly tabletops for two, couldn’t accommodate us. The disappointed looks I received from the assembled crowd were as cold as a winter sun.
My instinct to panic kicked in, but a solution quickly sprang to mind. Jaji, with its capacious dining room, was only a few blocks away. Everyone agreed that Afghan cuisine was an agreeable substitute for Peruvian. We migrated westward, our derailment averted.
Earlier this year, I attended Jaji’s grand opening to see how the new management had reshaped the interior of Occitania, chef Paul Canales’ brief excursion into French cooking. Sophia Akbar and Paul Iglesias, who also own Parche down the block, kept the long line of green banquettes and several of the artsy light fixtures in place. But they summoned up a different ambiance altogether.
Banners now hang down from the high ceiling, inspired by the colors and petals of poppies. The banners correspond with images of medieval banquet halls. Even though we were celebrating nothing in particular, Jaji’s interior design encouraged conviviality. Just as he did at Parche, Iglesias makes his presence known in the dining room. On this occasion, Akbar joined him at each table to welcome people in.
Our server explained that the dishes on the menu are meant to be shared. After yet another week of dreadful headlines, this shared-plate approach also buoyed the mood at our table. Each subsequent course felt like an antidote to grim political tidings—a temporary feeling of being cared for and comforted.
We started with bolani, a stuffed Afghan bread similar to Indian kulcha or paratha. The cooks sliced one into triangles ($16) and filled them with peas, fava, purple potatoes and crispy leeks. We kept the spicy side of green chutney that came with it until the dessert course arrived.
Two other smaller plates proved just as tasty. Sabzi galets ($16) looked like little pizzas topped with spinach, garrotxa, a Catalan goat cheese, and sprouts. The ducktu dumplings ($30) convinced a non-duck eater to change their mind about the bird. It must have been the miso-ginger consomme and the charred leeks.
While vegetarians won’t go hungry at Jaji, carnivores will find a range of exquisitely prepared meats. Chapli wagyu beef ($30) comes as a trio of patties, sprinkled with microgreens and accompanied with sumac naan. They can be eaten with naan as mini-hamburgers or on their own with pickled onions and chutney. Between the tikka wagyu steak ($22) kabobs and the gosfand, or lamb lollipops ($37), I must admit it’s really hard to resist a lollipop.
Late in the meal, Iglesias arrived at the table with a chicken kabob that we hadn’t ordered. He told us that the kitchen was still working on the recipe, but he wanted us to try it out. We finished the entire plate without any complaints or feedback. Our last choice from the “big bites” section was an entire roasted Cornish game hen ($42). The table ate it down to the last herbed bone.
We ordered three of the four dessert options. A dense and dark chocolate cake ($16) had a layer of a pistachio semifreddo on top. The pairing of tastes and textures was unlike anything I recall. The saffron ice cream ($8) didn’t work for one diner who disliked the flavor of coconut, but it’s a pretty dish to look at—bright yellow at the center and dusted with green cardamom. But everyone agreed that the Basque cheesecake ($16) won the dessert round. It melted onto the fork as a messy, brilliant finish to the meal.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): For the Dagara people of Burkina Faso, the element of fire has profound cultural meanings. It’s a symbol of innovation and inspiration. It’s a mediator between the physical and spiritual worlds and a conduit for communication with the ancestors. Through rituals, fire is a purifying and renewing force that helps people reconnect with their purpose,...
Three-time Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Fantastic Negrito is rarely hesitant to travel. Since winning the first-ever NPR Tiny Desk Contest from among 7,000 entrants with a one-take video in 2015, the musician—born Xavier Amin Dphrepaulezz—has taken his masterful guitar playing and raw-to-silky voice to more than 43 countries.
Nor is Dphrepaulezz fearful about taking on fresh challenges. Headlining major shows and...
When I asked Michael Rodriguez why they decided to name their band Mala Greña, they chuckled over the phone. “Apparently, it translates more accurately to ‘messy hair’ in Spanish,” they said. When I initially searched the term, Google returned “dirty mop,” but the real meaning reflects the group’s identity—unruly, rebellious and unconcerned with tidying up for convention.
Mala Greña, a...
Women’s Audio Mission (WAM) is an organization dedicated to magnifying the voices of women and gender-expansive people in all aspects of the music business. Founded in San Francisco by Terri Winston in 2003, WAM expanded to Oakland in 2018 to serve young women from underrepresented communities with afterschool and in-school programs. A location in Los Angeles opens next month...
Over the last five years, a creative partnership has been quietly building between Golden State Warriors’ official DJ and producer, DJ D Sharp, and rising Oakland rapper Ian Kelly. Their artistic paths first crossed in 2020 when Kelly was featured on “Finders Keepers” from the Eastshore Highway album. Since then, their collaboration has grown into a shared mission to...
Published in cooperation between Sexy Panther and the East Bay Express
Sites like EscortBabylon have their purpose. As useful as the site is for finding escorts in your area, some people have a few quibbles about the site and its minimalist approach.
While EscortBabylon is useful, it’s little more than a listing directory with a few scattered photos.
That’s why we’ve decided...
Published in cooperation between Baooji Limited and the East Bay Express
Cellular senescence is a state characterized by permanent cell-cycle arrest, increased expression of markers such as p16^INK4a and p21^CIP1/WAF1, elevated DNA damage signals (e.g., γ-H2AX) and a distinct secretory profile termed the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). While senescent cells play roles in processes such as wound repair and tumor...
Published in cooperation between Panther Sexy and the East Bay Express
Disclaimer: The site on this page is for finding escorts to accompany you in a private or public setting to events. Escorts are not allowed to offer sexual services. Moreover, they cannot engage in sexual activities with their customers for money. If caught, both the worker and client can...
THURSDAY, JULY 10
R&B
SAMOHT
Whether he’s on YouTube teaching his fans how to make his special Christmas Mojito or belting out a song in his home state of North Carolina, Samoht is probably wearing a Stetson. The R&B singer got his start just outside Raleigh in the city of Wilson, where he merged country with gospel, hip-hop and soul to create...
Where is Julie McCoy—Love Boat cruise director extraordinaire—when we need her? Last week my plan was to eat dinner at Lucuma, a new Peruvian restaurant in Oakland. I had asked two friends to come with me, but our party blossomed into a family-sized table of seven. To paraphrase the Vicomte de Valmont, the gathering was suddenly beyond my control,...
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