A pretty impressive mashup of the top hits in 2010 on the Billboard Pop Charts. DJ Earworm kind of nailed it.
For those who don't know, I graduated from Steubenville HighSchool in a small industrial steel town of the same name on the banks of the Ohio River across from West Virginia. Not far from where this video was made. Over the years since I left the Ohio Valley, there has been much pain and suffering due to economic strife resulting from mill closures, drugs and gang violence that continue to this day. Despite these trends being more prevalent in larger cities, these smaller communities across the U.S. are as prone to murder and gangs as any other.
Like a phoenix rising from the ashes however, the community is beginning to turn a corner. With recent senseless killings on the streets residents are fighting back trying to protect a city that has raised so many hopeful lives like this one. I don't personally know Young Midas, but I am positive I know his relatives and even graduated with some of them. I wish him the best with his upcoming album release, which only serves as a solid resistance to the call of the streets which has claimed so many lives, and begins to speak truth and positivity that can only serve as a ray of hope to children coming up behind him.
Anyone from Steubenville can rise above, it has happened before (Dean Martin) and it will happen again. Sing on Young Midas.... sing on.
There is an undertow of solid music hitting the scene. Most based on mainstream pop beats and tempos that get the toe tapping. There are a few however that have tapped into the recipe that makes the likes of Mary J, Beyonce as popular as they are across the globe.
Lets just list them out: Joss Stone, Leona Lewis, Natashia Bedingfield,Amy Winehouse, Corine Bailey Rae and my most recent favorite, Estelle. I would recommend checking out each and everyone of these young ladies as their music has managed to span that vast ocean known as the Atlantic to hit the airwaves and make a splash here in the old U.S. of A.
Where Natasha Bedingfield has struck a chord on the Pop charts, the likes of Joss Stone, Amy Winehouse and Estelle bring a new sound to the female voice coming across the waves. I am highly drawn to the vocal qualities of Estelle as of late. She is quite Jazzy, smooth and smokey. I suppose it doesn't hurt to have the likes of John Legend and Kanye West behind you, but her skills stand on their own.
Joss Stone is still out there, however not as much to the forefront. My view is this has a lot to do with the genre of music she is the most proficient in, Jazz. That young lady can blow. Talk about youth with an old soul style.
The same could be said for the folksy sounds of Corine. She is unique in the sense that her voice carries the melody and is not dependent on the powerful tones that others possess to get their music out.
Amy Winehouse, what can you say. She's got issues. At the same time, I am a believer that she also has potential, if she could only get her crap together. It is always a shame when true God given talent is waisted like that. My fingers are crossed for this one.
Leona Lewis of course has the whole Simon Cowell Army behind her. I am still up in the air on this one. From the few times I have seen her perform, the jury is still out on whether she is a real singer or a studio singer. I do differentiate between the two. With enough takes and coaching anyone can sound good in a studio. But when you look at some of these other ladies, you just know they could get up in front of any audience and rock the crowd no different than Mary J, Beyonce, Chaka, Aretha and Cee Cee.
Now back to my current favorite, Estelle. As a product of the "West-End" myself, I can tell you that there is something about Estelle that just digs deep and gets you bouncing to her rhythmic vocals. The music is solid as well and that is evident by some of the producers I am sure have jumped at the chance to work with her. As mentioned previously John Legend and Kanye both appear in her music videos. For me it is her voice, the slight accent hidden in her lyrics that strike a chord with me. She has huge potential in my opinion and she will remain on my radar for quite a while going forward.
Don't sleep on this one, there is a movement, a powerful one in the music world and it is brining some really good music here to the U.S. Don't just stick to the U.S. Charts to find these Gems dig a little and cross borders. We may drive the music industry but we sure as hell don't corner the market on the world's talent.
While the sample was playing I scrolled over as expected and hit the "Buy" button. That was a no-brainer. While this was all going on and the download had commenced i then glanced up to the section on the Store where you can see the rating and initial comments section. I was shocked! Only a 2-star rating. I had to read more.
Out of the first 3 or 4 pages of comments I scanned through I would say that probably 60 or 70% of the comments were highly negative. Things like "singing on helium," "what is he thinking?" and the sorts. I didn't understand it. Nothing that I had on during the preview seemed completely out of sorts to me. What was I missing? I had to go to my Library and listen to the whole song to find out what all of the hub-bub was all about. Surely it can't be that bad.
Low and behold it wasn't that bad. Sure Prince came back with his Chamille persona, which for those who are true Prince fans you know what I am talking about. And the music was a serious return to his Funk driven bass lines of the Sign-O-The-Times era. There was also this added twist once into the song that added a latin flavor to the whole mix. A very smooth non-offensive blend of funk as only prince can do funk. The other bit in towards the beginning of the song that I found particularly interesting was the undertow rhythm reminding me of the "Nasty Girl" melody from Apollonia 6. It was all there dragging me back to the early to mid-'80s when Prince was at, what I would say his finest musically.
So why was it then that so many people were so put off by this track. The only thing I can say is that those were individuals who were introduced to his music during this century (2000~). To understand this new song, you need to go back.... way back 20-plus years to understand where he is coming from with this track. If you want to "get" what he has done, you have to hear his early music. Not just the Purple Rain soundtrack either. Dig into "For U" "Dirty Mind" and "Controversy." Skip over Purple Rain, everyone gets that album and head right for "Under the Cherry Moon" (Movie sucked, album rocked), the "Batman" soundtrack, "Lovesexy", "Around the World in a Day" and "Sign-Of-The Times." Then and only then will you begin to get into this newest addition to his catalogue.
Even if you don't get it, give it a while, as is with a lot of his music after the 3rd or 4th listen you begin to "Feel It." And even then if you don't........
"Shut Up Already! Damn."
So, on my way to work this morning I was listening to my music as always and rand across this song from a guy named Paris. Now for those who know of him you know his music is very revolutionary in nature. However, he also pulls you in to reflect and think about what is going on in society. I have a couple of his albums and if you can get past some of the anger and look into what he is saying it is quite fascinating and real, even though this Album "Sleeping with the Enemy" is from 14 years ago. THE DAYS OF OLD - Paris (Album: Sleeping with the Enemy) Reminiscin' back when I was only a child Back in the days of livin' carefree lifestyles Where long as we wasn't caught, bein' bad was cool And we were never at a loss for somethin’ to get into Chillin’ in the neighborhood, down at the park Sunny days when we played at the old schoolyard Where kickin' it live was a familiar scene Kenny M. and Big Gene know what I mean But nowadays it seems life just ain't the same Everybody's involved in the game or a gang And when we die, it seem like nobody cares It ain't no love in they cold-hearted stares Thinkin' of payback, of makin' a hit Now Cowboys and Indians become real-life shit And life means nothin' when the heart is cold It ain't the same as the days of old Yeah...it ain't the same as the days of old It's a unity thing, much love for my people here But what good is love if the people don't really care? The triggers the code at the O.K. Corral But it ain't O.K. when my people live foul Another sad case of the black-on-black It's a fact, some of our people don't know how to act Can't go to the club, can't to the store Can't chill with your girl, can't go to the show Can't do anything without some fool actin' up You start to believe that black folk are savage but Before you do, allow me to say That in the old days we didn't act that way, see Kings and Queens were the names of the righteous But the sons of slaves are insane and we might just Self-destruct and erupt without a chance to grow This ain't the days of old Damn...this ain't the days of old [George H Bush] There is no match for a united America...a determined America... An angry America...our outrage against the poor unites us, brings us together behind this one plan of action - an assault on every front. Better wake up... So I say, what will it take before we change up? Some more of us dead, or more of us locked up? Or maybe even more of us will blame the white man Before we understand now the problem's not him What I'm tellin' ya is actual fact I ain't pro-human 'cause all humans ain't pro-black Remember in your mind that there still exists A plan to bring down the black fist See the struggle is uphill, life's at a standstill Jack popped Jill now he don't act real And every livin' moment got her singin' the blues Her sole provider can't afford the baby shoes That's the cycle so many of us go through Amerikkka's black holocaust continues and I just hope we wake up soon before we fold I miss the days of old Damn...I miss the days of old Listen...it ain't the same as the days of old
Ok, just watched probably the best NFL game I have seen in a very long time as the Colts take NE out of the big game. So that means neither of my teams (Steelers or Giants) are a reason to watch the Superbowl this year. That is, until I saw the promo for the Superbowl half time show. MY MAN! PRINCE! I think I have mentioned that I am a die hard Prince fan and have been since way back since the 4 You and Dirty Mind albums which was even before the Controversy album and way before Purple Rain which put him on the Radar of millions. To this day the man never fails to satisfy my Aural pleasure. I could go on and on about this man and his music and his artistic triumph against the Music Industry Monopoly, but I won't, but I will be right in front of the tube on game day for that half-time extravaganza. So if your team didn't make it, don't commit "Sexual Suicide," "Get Loose," Put on your "Rasberry Beret" and get ready to "Get Yo Groove On."
