I know you’re down, when you gonna get up
I see you down, when you gonna get up

Forgive me for the lack of posts over the past couple months. At least it wasn’t two years this time! To say I’ve had a rough start to the New Year would be an understatement. To put it in perspective without spilling all my guts, one of the two traumatic events I was dealing with only happens to two out of one hundred people and I still have no explanation as to why I was a statistic. I can only imagine that it was a message, one that I am still waiting to receive.

During this time, I just couldn’t find the mental (or physical) energy to write here. I’m not the type that can “tweet through it” although I  tried to maintain some presence on Twitter so I wouldn’t totally destroy what I am trying to re-build. When I’m going through, I have to retreat and be still.

I also wasn’t attending any shows or listening to much new music so I didn’t have much to write about. So you know shit was serious.  I missed two epic shows that I had been looking forward to — Jessie Ware and Big Daddy Kane performing with a live band.  When I purchased those tickets, nothing but God was going to keep me from it! In a way, I guess He did.

This whole experience also taught me that you never truly know what people are going through. I have been walking around every day for the past couple of months carrying a lot. Just because folks are made up and smiling doesn’t mean their lives aren’t completely falling apart in the background. Check up on the folks that mean something to you. You may just save that person’s life with one phone call.

Moving on.

I am slowly but surely beginning to feel like myself again. Before all this happened, I didn’t know my own strength. I’m a bad mama jama and all but I will still likely end up in therapy, which you know I strongly advocate for if you’ve been with me for any length of time. I have so much to do this year and so much good music to share with you. I need to “get up” so I can give it to you.

As I start to get back into the groove, it helps that my musical new year has been off to a smashing start.  If Jose James comes to your city promoting his latest  release, No Beginning No End, run to get tickets. It was my first time seeing him and he and the band were absolutely amazing.

Check out my recap of the Jose James show containing my live tweets and some videos.

A couple of nights ago, Queen Erykah Badu came through to celebrate her birthday and blessed us with a performance of the entire magnum opus, Mama’s Gun. When the show was first announced, as I tripped over myself to cop a ticket, I side eyed her touring on old music when she needs to be up in the studio bringing us the new new.  When I tell you that woman  gave the best performance I’ve ever seen from her, that is an understatement. I have seen Erykah live many times over the years, dating back to the Baduizm days. Some performances are better than others but there was something magical about this one.

I may be biased because she was performing from the album which I consider her best to date. She simply owned that stage. She was having fun. “Orange Moon” [watch] and “Green Eyes” [watch] were  spiritual experiences. “Green Eyes” literally punched in my gut and knocked me off my feet. I was back there.

I can’t believe I made a desperate plea…
Never knew what a friendship was
Never knew how to really love
You can’t be what I need you to
And I don’t know why I fucked with you

LISTEN. She sang that like she was still there.

The encore found Erykah rocking “Danger” from Worldwide Underground to a go-go beat. Watch some not so great video that captures the fire she lit within all 2432332 people at the show.

If that tour comes your way, you should be there. I’m so thankful to these two artists plus a few more that have released  stellar music in early 2013. Look out for posts about that soon!