By the time you read this, that will be me. Posted up on a white sand beach in Barbados getting some much needed relaxation and reflection for eight whole days. Hope to come back refreshed and ready to take on whatever the latter half of this year has in store.
While I’m away, don’t be a stranger! Take some time to dig around in my crates a bit.
I’ve mentioned in a couple of posts how hype I was about the Legends of Hip Hop Concert that went down this past weekend in Baltimore. As you know, I abhor much of the mess polluting the airwaves these days. So whenever I am blessed to catch real emcees blessing the mic I am all over it.
I’ve been falling back in love with hip hop one real emcee at a time this year. First with KRS One and more recently at Rock The Bells, which I’m still buzzing from. So I was more than ready to continue the love affair with Big Daddy Kane, KRS One, Slick Rick, Whodini, and Doug E Fresh– all on one stage. Felt like the show needed a femcee though. Didn’t anyone give MC Lyte a call? Somebody was listening because a while later I got word that she had replaced KRS One on the roster. Could the line up get any tighter?
Yup, yup.
A couple of days before the show, I heard that Kool Moe Dee, Chubb Rock, and Rob Base had been added. I started reminiscing about how so many of these emcees songs were in constant rotation on the soundtrack of my life. It’s times like these that I am truly glad to be a part of the thirty and over crowd. Can you imagine the bullshit these kids growing up today will be reflecting back on? Songs comparing some woman’s ass to a donkey and demanding that she suck on your “lollipop?” What a pity.
Enough of that rant.
The show started with a local R&B artist whose name escapes me. Apparently her album is big overseas.
Perhaps if they are all going deaf over there.
I think it would have been better to have a local up and coming young hip hop artist who could have then gotten schooled by cats who have been in the game since he or she was a twinkle in their father’s eye. Anyhow, her set was good for the comedic element alone. One of the background dancer’s tacked on ponytail went flying across the stage. The DJ even mentioned it afterwords. Where was Dr. Dre on the lineup? I surely needed medical attention after that one.
Rob Basewas up first. Crowd was still sparse because you know how ya’ll do. But everyone got hype when he performed “It Takes Two.” Reminded me of how HOT that joint was. Definitely a defining song for me as I was growing up.
Surprisingly, Big Daddy Kane came on earlyin the lineup. For a man about to put forty candles on his cake in a few weeks, he still got it. If this is what the old man in the club is selling, I’m damn sure buying! He performed some of my faves like “Raw,” “I Get The Job Done,” “Ain’t No Half Steppin,” and “Smooth Operator.” When Scoob Lover joined him on that stage and they started warming it up, it was like the clock rewound twenty years.
So at this point in the show, it was very apparent that timing was going to be an issue. Pier Six Pavilion in Baltimore shuts down at a certain time and with all the folks still left to perform, it was very obvious that we were going to be looking at abbreviated sets from artists that should have been on at least 45 minutes. I overheard the man in front of me remarking that this was NOTHING like Rock The Bells. At times, we waited up to twenty minutes between acts and there were no set changes! Not sure whose fault that all was but now that I’ve seen the prototype of how it should be, I know it doesn’t have to go down like that. I know a lot of drama often goes on behind the scenes but I figure if you can get artists like Meth and Red and Nas to come out on time, surely they could have kept it moving at this event.
Anyhow, Chubb Rock was up after Big Daddy Kane and he kept the party going. As many of the artists did, he interspersed tributes to the classic soul and reggae hits from the 80s and 90s in with his own songs. However, there was something just extra hype about his set. He is truly a great performer. I’d love to see him and Doug E Fresh emcee a party together.
Here’s Chubb performing “Treat Em Right,” another song playing on the soundtrack of my life. He even commented on the video!
Kool Moe Dee was up next. He told us that he’d seen the flier and knew he had to get in where he fit in even though the well had run dry. He blessed us with “Wild Wild West,” “I Go To Work,” and “Go See The Doctorrrrr.”
He made an important point that even though there was beef between him (a lyrical master) and LL Cool J (“on his sexy superstar shit”), they never talked about shooting each other. Word.
Later in his set, we were blessed to see Wild Style came alive on the stage as Kevvy Kev and Master Rob of [Grandmaster Flash and The] Furious Five and LA Sunshine of The Treacherous Three performed. Thirty years of hip hop history right there. I was still in diapers when these cats were making music with their mouths. It was truly a beautiful thing.
Do the ladies run this mutha? HELL YEA!
Hands down, Lyte had the best intro. She came out to “Flashing Lights.” How fly was that? She was also the only one that hasn’t gained a pound since she hit the scene in ’86. I’m real salty about that too. She’ll also be turning 40 later this year and probably looks younger now than she did back then. Can you believe that?
She’s still the dopest female that you’ve heard thus far – despite what some ignorant ass blogger had to say. She told us that one of them wrote, “Why is she still rapping?” Boy do I wish I knew what blog this was. Makes me wanna go and fly this fist against their lips! Or I could simply and post her performances of “Paper Thin,” or “Cha Cha Cha” or
Cappuchino, Poor Georgie, and 10% Dis
By the time Doug E Fresh took the stage, time was scarce. Slick Rick came out with him, although I’m sure he was supposed to have his own set. Very disappointing. Doug EFresh performed “Keep Risin To The Top” and Slick Rick did “Children’s Story.”
Vicious joined Doug E Fresh for “Freaks”(throwback!). Vicious ain’t “lil” no more. Very hot performance. The set ended with “Lodi Dodi” and “The Show.” I wanted more! It was really good to see Rickwith his blinged out eye patch and ten pounds of truck jewelery.
Overall it was a very good show. These are the artists whose Fresh and Right On pull out posters adorned my walls – along with Al B. Sure, but that’s another post. I used to let my tape rock til my tape popped playing a lot of these songs I’ve featured here. Now here I am over twenty years later and they are still up there doing it to death.
As always, there are more videos from the show up on my You Tube channel.
I had another post on tap but I got something I just have to get off my chest. Not sure why but bear with me.
Recently, I caught up with a friend I hadn’t seen or talked to in a while. Thankfully social media has enabled us to keep up with the haps in each others lives. So as soon as we sat down for dinner, I couldn’t wait to start grilling her.
“What is the story behind you and ole boy breaking up to make up…to break up?”
In a span of about three months or so, her Myspace/Facebook status message has gone from “In A Relationship” to “Single” then back to “In A Relationship” to now “Single.” I was amused when I saw this because I knew exactly what was happening.
You’ve probably seen those commercials for Restless Leg Syndrome? Well she has Restless Coochie Syndrome. Don’t think they’ve come up with meds for this one yet though. When she first met this dude almost a year ago, she told him straight up that she had never been faithful to any of the men she’s ever been involved with or even engaged to. Never. Not one time. She told him she didn’t even really even understand monogamy. Doesn’t think it’s natural. She put all her cards on the table from the beginning. She didn’t send her representative. He heard her clearly and didn’t particularly like it. But he – say it with me – thought he could change her. A grown ass 29 year-old man thought he was the one that would finally cure the syndrome. He was so great that this this 25-year old woman, who by her own admission has been pimping since she was a tween, settle down ’til death do they part. Keep in mind she has no desire to change.
Even after the first breakup when he discovered she had been stepping out and made her choose, she tried to convince him that an open relationship could work. I wonder if she illustrated her point by using Ruby and Ossie or Jada and Will? Of course he wasn’t with that and told her that she had to make a choice. At the end of the day, she loved cared deeply for him and didn’t want to lose him. So she kicked whoever she was seeing to the curve and settled back into pseudo-marital bliss.
Then the syndrome flared up again.
This time he resorted to reading her e-mails and found what he was looking for. Now he’s sitting up in his room like Brandy crying and blasting “A House Is Not a Home” and “Cause I Love You.” Pitiful. Did I mention they live together? So this is what she has to come home to every night. No wonder she resurfaced after all this time.
Do I sound callous? I guess I am. He blames her but I told her not to accept that. I remember at the beginning of the relationship when she told me she let him know from day one that she had the syndrome and he still went along with it, I said back then, “Well he deserves whatever he gets.” I still believe that. Apparently, he had intentions of wiving her from the beginning. He went in with that attitude. Somewhere during the course of this relationship, he even brought her a “promise ring.” Why proceed in that manner if someone basically tells you from jump, “I am going to cheat on you and break your heart.”
Because…say it with me, “He thought he could change her.”
Negro please.
Viv, cut the boy some slack!
Okay, I got sympathy for anyone that ends up in heartbreak hotel. You can’t take nothing for that kind of pain. But he has nobody to blame for this but himself. It’s a cold, hard lesson to learn but an important one that I got early. When someone shows you (or tells you!) who they are, you better listen up! Do not think for a second that you can change someone who likes themselves just the way they are.
Whether I respect the way someone lives his life is immaterial. I appreciate when a person is upfront and able to tell me exactly what I am getting myself into. In my last relationship, my ex was so fucked up that he couldn’t tell me who he really was. I was able to read between the lines and see how he was emotionally damaged. But I always knew I couldn’t be the one to change him.
Same goes for a person’s belief system and moral values. I have never judged my friend for what she believes. In many ways, I understand it. Although I could never live that way, I respect her for knowing who she is and telling it up front – whether it’s right or wrong. However, it would seem to be common sense that if your beliefs and morals values don’t line up with a potential, you gotta let it go. Chalk it up as another love tko. You don’t cover up the differences with a promise ring and hope they magically disappear.
Don’t know why this got me so riled up. But I’d love to know what you think. Am I being too hard on the dude? Am I completely off base? Does love make things happen?
This week we’re featuring songs with a political/social-political themes.
Plenty of ways I could have gone with this. Immediately I thought of spotlighting James Brown and his involvement in the Civil Rights Movement, specifically how he used his music to heal America after Dr. King’s assassination.
However, I just felt the need to keep celebrating the music of Issac Hayes. I’ve also been listening to a lot of old school hip hop this week, getting hyped for The Legends of Hip Hop concert tomorrow night. As we know, Ike was rapping before we even knew what we even knew what it was. Seems fitting.
I consulted Kevin Nottingham’s list of songs that sampled his music and here’s what I came up with. Not all old school but they sure did pay tribute to the classics.
“Hood Took Me Under”, Compton’s Most Wanted (samples “Walk On By”)
Got another gang story to tell.
Peep, about how a black nigga was born in hell.
And right then and there it’s no hope
cause a nigga can’t escape the gangs and the dope. Damn! And when its black on black, that makes it shitty.
Can’t survive in the Compton city.
“Me Against The World,” Tupac (samples “Walk On By”)
Had to have some ‘Pac on the list. Should also mention “Souljah’s Story” from his debut album 2Pacalypse. It samples “No Name Bar” from the Shaft album.
When will I finally get to rest? Through this suppression
they punish the people that’s askin questions And those that possess, steal from the ones without possesions The message I stress: to make it stop study your lessons
Don’t settle for less – even the genius asks-es questions
Be grateful for blessings
Don’t ever change, keep your essence The power is in the people and politics we address
Always do your best, don’t let the pressure make you panic
And when you get stranded
And things don’t go the way you planned it
Dreamin of riches, in a position of makin a difference Politicians and hypocrites, they don’t wanna listen
“I Can’t Go To Sleep”, Wu-Tang Clan f/ Isaac Hayes. He appears in video. (samples “Walk On By”)
I can’t go to sleep, I can’t shut my eyes
They shot the father of his moms, killed him seven times They shot Malcolm in the chest front of his little seeds Jesse watched, as they shot King on the balcony
They spat at Marcus, Garvey cause he tried to spark us with the knowledge of ourselves, and our forefathers
Ohh Jacqueline you heard the rifle shots cracklin
Her husband head in her hair, you tried to put it back in
AMERICA’S WATCHIN, BLOOD STAINED INK BLOTCHES MEDGAR TOOK ONE TO THE SKULL FOR INTERGRATING COLLEGE WHAT’S THE SCIENCE? SOMEBODY? THIS IS TRICK KNOWLEDGE
THEY TRY TO KEEP US ENSLAVED AND STILL SCRAPE FOR DOLLARS
I tell you, there is surely a good show going on up there right about now. Isaac and Bernie on one stage. Doesn’t get much better than that.
I regret that I haven’t spent more time with his music or studying up on his legendary career like I have Luther or Stevie for example. In my travels, here’s a few things that I found most interesting:
Hayes’ work with Sam & Dave, Otis Redding, Booker T & the MG’s, the Mar-Keys, theBar-Kays, Rufus & Carla Thomas, and virtually the entire Stax roster created what was known as the “Memphis Sound.” It transformed popular music, was absorbed by everyone from Elvis Presley and Ray Charles to the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.
His album To Be Continued featured the original version of “Ike’s Rap,” a decade before Sugar Hill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight”
Shaft was the first album in history by a solo black artist to hit #1 on both the Pop and R&B chart (14 weeks, making it the #3 R&B album of the entire decade of the ’70s). At the Academy Awards, he became the first Black composer to win the Oscar for Best Musical Score. In addition to garnering three Grammy awards, the music from Shaft won a Golden Globe award, the NAACP Image Award, and the prestigious Edison award, Europe’s highest music honor.
The album Joy; included “I Love You That’s All,” which became a sampler’s delight for everyone from TLC to Eric B. & Rakim and Big Daddy Kane. In the last decade or so, Hayes’ work has
gone on to be sampled nearly 200 times on recordings by artists including Mary J. Blige, Jay-Z, Biggie, Tupac, Slick Rick, MC Lyte, Ashanti,Wu-Tang, Pete Rock, Ludacris, Dr. Dre, Snoop, Ice Cube, and Destiny’s Child. (update: I am so grateful that Kevin Nottingham has composed an extremely thorough list of artists/songs that sampled his music. Check that out).
Hayes has been a coronated King of the Ada coastal district of Ghana in western Africa since 1992 – where he is a member of the Royal Family.
I’m a huge fan of Blaxploitation era films so Shaft is one of my favorite movie soundtracks of all time. However, there are a few other songs that I’d like to share that have touched me over the years.
Once when an ex was trying to get back in my good graces, he created a mix that included this song. It almost worked. Isaac’s sensual baritone was very compelling.
It’s All In The Game
Here’s some other “hot buttered soul” from “Black Moses” that I love.
By The Time I Get To Phoenix
Walk On By (live performance; his rendition gives me chills)
Never Can Say Goodbye
Do Your Thing (I can dig it!)
The Look of Love (live performance)
After I heard the news today, I sat in the park listening to the radio tribute – with people calling in to the station all saying the same thing. “Too soon” and “Tomorrow is not promised.” I’ve lost most of my immediate family, including my Daddy, so I know all too well how fleeting this life can be.
As the second half of this year moves rapidly on by, I am pledging to stay focused on the things that make me happy and continuing to remove the things that are not. I don’t know how much time I have left here but I’m going to make the most of it. I’ve been wasting a lot of time not pursuing what’s truly important to me and that has to change. Isaac had been singing since he was five and stopped when his voice cracked. When he picked up that mic again, he even taught himself several instruments to boot. The rest is history. There’s a lesson there for all of us.
Let’s celebrate Isaac Hayes today for all the beautiful music he gave us and all the harmonies he’s going to create up there with some of the greats that are are no longer with us. Share some of your favorite “hot buttered soul” in the comments.
I hope to come across some musical tributes from some of the black blogosphere’s talented podcasters over the next few days and I’ll be sure to link them here.
Update:Here are the mixes as promised:
DJ Parler: Samplology:Isaac Hayes Chapter (features Isaac’s music along with the artists that were inspired by it)
SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE 
