Perfect theme to come back to. I am the QUEEN of babymaking music…without the baby of course. I just like practicing.
Don’t ask how I know but a Luther album was likely spinning when I was conceived. However, I decided to go with a group that will always have a place on any babymaking soundtrack I put together – The Isley Brothers. Appropriately, they have an album called BabyMaking Music.
So many songs from this legendary group over the years that I could have chosen. What you know about “Between The Sheets?”“Caravan of Love?” Or maybe some “Footsteps In The Dark?”
Ya’ll don’t know nothing about that. So let me set the scene for you.
First, he asks you to “Spend The Night”
During which he is hoping and praying that you’ll be an “Instatiable Woman”
After it’s all over, if you’re lucky, you’ll feel like you’ve just taken a “Voyage To Atlantis.”
You can thank me later by naming your little girl or boy after me. Hit me up privately for the government name 🙂
If you can handle it, check out the other OSF participants. Don’t do nothing I wouldn’t do now!
Oh there are so many places I could have gone with this. My first thought was to feature my favorite rapper ever, Biggie. I still miss that dude. What would the game have looked like today had he and Pac lived? Still pisses me off. Just senseless.
Anyway, I decided to dig in my own video archives over at my You Tube channel and feature my favorite female rapper MC Lyte and none other than the Smooth Operator, Big Daddy Kane. I was blessed to catch them on the 2007 Hip Hop Honors Tour. They were both honorees last year.
Big Daddy Kane, Smooth Operator
Big Daddy Kane and Scoob Luver get busy
I knew every word to every MC Lyte song…still do actually. She is one of the illest to ever touch the mic. And I’m mad she doesn’t look much older than she did then!
Check her out performing “Cha Cha Cha.” She’s the dopest female that you heard thus far!
I’m excited to say I’ll be seeing them again next month at this tour.
I got my doorknockers on order as we speak!
To hold me over, I’ll be painting the town pink and green with my Sorors at another True School Party tonight where one of my favorite producers 9th Wonder and DJ Dris (otherwise known as Idris Elba) will be on the wheels of steel. I already told you how True School gets down so if you’re local, this is not to be missed. Wouldn’t steer you wrong.
As always, check out the other OSF participants. If you’ve never done that, today would be the day for all you old school hip hop fans.
**note:I wrote this entire post before remembering the “before 1993” requirement. Technically, she has been in the game that long but first album wasn’t released until after 1993.
As someone whose list of favorite songs stands at almost a thousand and counting, it’s virtually impossible for me to narrow down my list of favorite female singers to just one. If I were to start making a list, of course it would include the usual suspects like Mary, Jill, and Erykah; classic soul singers like Patti, Anita, and Stephanie. Artists I miss from my favorite decade in music like Faith, LBoogie, and Aaliyah; underrated artists like Conya (Doss), Hil (St. Soul), N’Dambi….or my choice for today’s spotlight:
Ledisi closed out the Capital Jazz Fest this weekend and tore the stage down! I first saw her perform about five years ago on the pre-Capital Jazzfest cruise. I didn’t know much about her then…and probably neither did most of you. Although she was nominated for a 2008 “Best New Artist” Grammy, there is nothing new about this super-talented songstress.
She’s been perfecting that voice since the age of eight. Although her first album, Soulsinger (cop that!) wasn’t released until 2000, in the early 90s she was part of a group that tried to get a music dea – to no avail. She had also lent her talent to a various projects, including an album by deep house artist, Miguel Migs. Her voice lends itself very well to house music.
Ledisi is one of the few female artists who awes me with her voice (Jill is also on that very short list of course). The sounds that come out of her mouth can’t be anything but heaven-sent. When she gets to scatting, you just can’t stay still. You gots to break your MLK church fan out and yell out “Go head with your bad self!” You can train all you want and study with the best. But voices like hers and Jill’s are straight up blessings from God.
If you don’t know about Ledisi, I suggest you run, don’t walk, to your nearest record store and pick up her latest release, Lost and Found. After that, track down Soulsinger.
Not convinced? Press play. I dare you to tell me she ain’t the truth!
Alright (from Lost and Found; also one of my Top Songs of 2007 – this will get you through some things – TRUST ME)
Think Of You (also from Lost and Found)
Ledisi happened to be in the house at the Bilal concert in DC last month. He closed the show with “Soul Sista” and had her to come out and put the stank on the finale.
Want to know more about the woman behind the groove, check out SoulBounce’s interview with her right after the release of Lost & Found.
Be sure to check out the other participants’ favorite female singers. I just know you’re going to see something good.
I was going to take a week off when I saw the theme since I already covered this a few weeks ago. Besides, I am way overdue for a Side Eye of the Week post. However since I loves me a bass guitarist, I couldn’t miss out.
In saying that, I admit I know very few so I had to put my thinking cap on for this one. However, my cap is quite full with all I got going on right now (will share more in the coming weeks). Luckily, as I was checking out all the musical madness that is going on in DC and surrounding areas this summer, I came across this and my choice was clear.
Marcus Miller is a Grammy-award winning jazz artist who plays multiple instruments, including the bass. He has shared the stage with the likes of Miles Davis (nuff said), Luther, and David Sanborn. I’ve seen him perform at the Capital Jazz Fest and he’s hosting the Playboy Jazz Cruise/Festival early next year. I likes the sound of that! His 10th solo album, Marcus, was just released in March.
Check out some of his other music on his Myspace page. He’s got a rendition of Neicy Williams’ “Free” featuring Corrine Bailey Rae as well as a funky version of Robin Thicke’s “Lost Without You.” Oh yea that bass sounds nice!
The party’s not over. Check out some of the other Old School Friday participants.
I went way overboard with this one. Just been that kind of week and I needed some good music to get me through.
This week’s theme was remakes. So many places I could have gone with this. The first artist that entered my mind was the King of Remakes, Luther Vandross. Once he remade a song, it became his. A lot of people have been surprised to know that many of their favorites were not his.
I needed some inspiration and found it here and here. I decided to weigh in on which version is my favorite. Some of my choices will probably be blasphemous. Feel free to add your two cents in the comments.
Sara Smile (Hall and Oates v After 7)
Although I LOVE After 7’s version, there’s just something about that blue-eyed soul. Besides, H&O’s version is one of my top fifty songs.)
As We Lay (Shirley Murdock v Kelly Price)
Really like Kelly’s video for this one, especially having Shirley make a cameo. However, this will ALWAYS be Shirley’s song. I really think she recorded this the second she got up out the bed with ‘Husband’)
Killing Me Softly (Roberta Flack v L Boogie)
This might draw some criticism from the few old heads that visit, but I fell in love with L Boogie’s sweet alto on this one. This became my version.
In the second video, Roberta joins the Fugees for the performance, which says a lot. Now that is the perfect combination.
Sweet Thing (Chaka Khan& Rufus v Mary J Blige) This remains Chaka’s song…if only because she is SLAYING them in that red dress. Another off of my top fifty songs list.
Love Don’t Live Here Anymore, (Rose Royce v Faith Evans w/ Mary)
Don’t beat me down old folks but I got to go with Faith on this one. She got Mary on the joint too! Another perfect combination! Admittedly, I’m biased. Faith is one of my all-time favorite albums from start to finish.
Ain’t No Sunshine, (Bill Withers v. Michael Jackson when he was cute)
Michael’s version is so sweet. But Bill will always own this song. No one else can capture that distinctive sound. I’d like to see the Anthonys give it a try – that would be David and Hamilton)
Head on over and check out the other participants. This is a great theme this week and I KNOW you will enjoy what they come up with.
SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE 