them that made me love h.e.r

 

 

 

This is how I'm going to tackle the fact that music sucks. I'm going to bring you some of the most prolific, provocative, and most importantly beautiful music we as lovers of the art have encountered. I need to start somewhere that I will admit I may have overlooked. I must start with jazz. The backdrop to any hip-hop worth listening to started with James Brown/Funk and jazz. Bob James is a catalyst for hip-hop and the landscape his music provided.

OK fuck that. I'm going to back this post up and clarify the deeper meaning behind this post. True hip-hop heads are some of the most serious, bougie music listeners who don't get the credit they deserve for their ear and taste. I just mentioned jazz and funk were the inspirations behind some of if not all classic hip-hop that is sorely missed today. Dudes sampling Bob James and a host of others first had to know where to go to find these samples. Trust me kids back in the day these cats released vinyl with maybe a good 4 or 5 songs clocking in at 9 minutes with no problem. You MUST have appreciation and a serious ear to take apart these songs and know just where to break up the music.

Bob James had many groundbreaking albums during the 70s but 3 stand out among them for hip-hop heads. Simplistic in title but complex in musicality One, Two, and Three have served and been done proud. Nautilus from the One album has been sampled well over 60 known times. I'm only going to give you the tip of the iceberg because we'd be here all day. Slick Rick's Children's Story, Ghostface's Daytona 500, and Run-DMC's Beats to The Rhyme (now stay with me folks because one of the most recognized samples is coming with the DMC).

Did I mention and not that it matters, but Bob James is one of the funkiest white dudes to ever do it. The multitude of musicians who played on these 3 offerings was down from the first record to the last, talk about loyalty, camaraderie, and respect. Everyone from Grover Washington Jr to Earl Klugh has collaborated and they've done joint ventures. Remember those 2 names because they will be revisited.

Now what you've all been waiting for. The heaviest and to me most representative of Bob's work is the sample from Run-DMC with Peter Piper, OMG the bells are INSANE. The sample comes from James's Take Me To Mardi Gras of the Two album. When I listen to the original it amazes me that this man could come up with something so funky and melodic and it wasn't even the main focus of the song. Then you fast-forward to the 80s and Run and DMC straight ripped the beat. Nasty.

Lovelies I gotta break these posts up because I could talk all day long and night about music. There is so much I've discovered and so much more to the point where it literally never ends. It scares me to know I've only uncovered a chunk of the music available around the world. I'm in a 70s period of all types of music. I could honestly hit you with some Patti Smith or Chaka right now but I'm not going to do it.

On a side note I've just figured out the main focus of this blog. Music history, its influence, the decline, and the one are filling it with hope again.

God Bless us ALL.

Part 1: Music and why it sucks

Why does music lack the integrity and soul of the pioneers? I think it has to do with the people making it being lost and focusing on materialistic ways. Of course back in the heyday of exceptional music you didn't see Marvin Gaye or Stevie Wonder selling cologne or American Express. First off being black and gifted was not accepted and it was not treated as being phenomenal as a human being, forget the occurrence.

I'm saddened because the music I grew up on and breathed is dying. I cannot fathom the existence of this immature and lack of thought-provoking music that is being pimped and pushed upon us. I spent a good portion of my days listening and singing along to the greats and new arrivals that would become staples in many genres. These recording flukes today are catering to a mass that doesn't even buy their records; surely capitalism has arrogance and a thug nature.

Music after 98(I'm giving those 2 years between 96 benefit of doubt because a lot of respectful artists are still standing after questionable choices e.g Nas ft. Ginuwine) went down a hill full of cocaine and commercialism. I think the impact of two and if not the best rap artists contributed more to the decline than anyone is willing to admit. Pac and Big were a testament to uninhibited artistry, extravagance, and bravado in the hip-hop world.

The hip-hop world and the r&b world collided and did justice during the 90s. No artist since then has gotten it right except for those who conceptualized it. I from time to time wonder what the future of hip-hop soul would be if Mary stopped singing. Anyone who denies Mary's impact doesn't fully grasp the fusion she put on the map, of course Teddy Riley really was the brainchild of the movement of hip-based production intertwined with r&b(come on Aaron Hall is the musical daddy of R. Kelly, and if we want to go back further Charlie Wilson from the Gap Band(funk mixed with r&b) is their daddy put together).

I think what has been said indirectly is this: there is no INNOVATION in today's music. Music has not evolved from Pac and Big, everyone is still trying to push the concept of M.O.B and Pac had been there and done that in 96. Everyone wants to be metaphoric and hold on to Big and quite honestly what that man did in 2 years these rappers sadly won't be able to achieve in their lifetime because they lack individuality and imagination.

The essence of the music I grew up on came from introspection, passion, and not wanting to be like the next nigga. Every rapper had their own swag; every singer had her specialty note that once you heard you knew it was Mariah, Whitney or Toni. Today everybody is using the same producers, the same tired lyrics.

When is anyone going to wake up and realize if everyone sounds like recycled shit, then no one is going to sell. If I hear the same concept and the same bullshit why wouldn't I just download and then non-mistakenly delete it once I realize it can't stand 5 minutes musically.

Fuck it, I've said my peace. I could go on and on but I got to save something for down the road.

*out of respect for dumb ass niggas that regardless are getting their hustle on I won't post pics or past judgment on who I think should have NEVER signed a recording contract*

The Healer

 

I had the mind-altering pleasure to see this woman live this past May in Richmond, umm do I really need to tell you that she KILLED any conception of any future R&B/whatever you feel you need to classify. The point is this: there is no classification for Erykah Badu. I loved her before New Amerykah but you could say the love has grown to full blown admiration for her. In the absence of notable singer s and musicians she has continued despite the lack of appreciation for real artistry. I like many have been missing Lauryn Hill but the void felt has been carried on by Erykah. She's fire, water, spirit, soul and heartfelt all wrapped into one.

Many do not understand her conceptual, visual, and sonically genre busting outings, but for us off-beat nothing holds truer than what she offers. I'm still listening to Mama's Gun (coincidentally this era was my first Erykah concert) but New Amerykah gets just as much attention. The Healer is one of my favorites as well as Me, That Hump, but Master Teacher is my personal audio mirror(ok I’m going to copyright that shit right there). Erykah is a refined taste, either you instantly get her or you fall under her spell overtime or you just listen without insight. She's not an easy read and that's why I respect her so much.

I just wish she would sign D'Angelo, Lauryn, Maxwell and anyone else with musical divinity into her cipher. Keep marching analoguegirl and we'll ride to the end.