Whats Buzzing in the Streets – Page 88

20 Years Later: The Legacy of 2Pac

It was on September 13th, 1996, when one of hip hop’s very own had passed on. 20 years later, this man’s legacy is still celebrated worldwide through his music, his movies and most importantly his powerful, emotional, strong and revolutionary words and actions. Tupac Amaru Shakur is one of hip hop’s most celebrated artists of all time. His music was not only the truth but he showed sides of himself that was very impactful on fans all over the world. Of course all that revolutionary talk and attitude was put into him by his mother, Afeni Shakur, a woman who was a political activist and a part of the Black Panther Party. The Black Panther Party is a revolutionary black nationalist and social organization that was founded in 1962 and lasted until 1982. Before he was Tupac, he was Lesane Parrish Crooks. The first time people heard Pac on a record was on Digital Underground’s 1991 joint called “Same Song”, from the original movie soundtrack “Nothing But Trouble.” That same year, Pac released his debut album called “2Pacalypse Now.” This album touched heavily on the subject of all the things that were happening here in America. Things like “black on black” crime, teenage pregnancy, racism, and police brutality and one song that talked about one of those subjects was “Brenda Had a Baby.” I never sat down and listened to this album all the way through but I already knew what topics Pac was touching on from reading about the album long time ago. The only Pac album I heard all the way through is “All Eyez On Me”, which was released 20 years ago in February. His next album “Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z…” released in February 1993, spawned the single “I Get Around”, which is one of my all time favorite Pac joints. Of course, any song with a dope beat to me is automatically a good song and it was catchy too. The music video matched with a fun, party vibe with the half naked women by the pool and running backyard and just dancing and having a good time. Another joint from this album “Keep Your Head Up” is another one of my favorites, for the simple fact that Pac said a line in the song that questioned the lack of love for our black women. He rides the beat while making you think when he said “And since we all came from a woman, got our name from a woman and our game from a woman, I wonder why we take from our women, why we rape our women, do we hate our women? I think it’s time to kill for our women, be real to our women.” That line alone is why this joint is one of my favorite Pac joints. To this day, that line is still to be asked because having a conversation with our friends and brothers and cousins, then tend to talk with so much hate and disrespect for black women and it personally pisses me off. People talk about how much they love the real and how real they are themselves but only keeping it REAL ignorant and REAL dumb and stupid. Pac’s next joint “Me Against the World” to me is my favorite album because all three of the singles released are all of my favorite Pac joints as well and if they’re all my favorites then I know for sure that the album is amazing. I need to have a Pac day and just vibe to his shit all day. “All Eyez On Me” has K-Ci and Jojo on the hook to “How Do U Want?”, and that dope ass remixed version to “California Love” featuring Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman, that’s Mr. Computer Love right there. The song wouldn’t be the same without him on it. “The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory” aka “Makaveli” had “Hail Mary and “R U Still Down? (Remember Me)” had “Do For Love” featuring Eric Williams from BLACKstreet, who was a new member at the time. Man, Pac had joints for days that I rocked with heavy but I still have to find some time to go through his entire discography. To me, Pac goes into the same box as KRS-One, Public Enemy, and the X-Clan. They were all on that political/Black Power tip that we need more of in today’s hip hop. Kendrick Lamar could also go into that box, as well as Lupe Fiasco, Mos Def and Talib Kweli aka Black Star, nothing like conscious rap to make you nod your head, think, cry, get angry as you rap along to those deep records and it made you feel proud to be Black too, made you feel unapologetic about being Black. Of course hip hop needs a balance but it’s a little too out of balance nowadays and Pac would be perfect in these days of the Black Lives Matter movement. Let’s put David Banner in that box too. 20 years later, it’s no secret how impactful Pac is to hip hop and on people all over the world. His honesty and empowering but sharp words made people both love him and hate him at the same time. He wasn’t the lyrical and flow kinda dude, he was emotional and powerful, unapologetic and honest. I almost forgot to mention his acting career when he appeared in “Gridlock’d”, “Above the Rim” and one of my all time favorites “Juice” alongside Omar Epps as “Bishop.” Bishop had that same attitude Pac had in his music except Bishop got outta hand with the power of the “juice.” There’s no telling what could happen if Pac was still here today. I would’ve loved for him to be here today. I definitely see him in Kendrick Lamar. Rest in peace Pac. We still riding with you and keeping you in our spirits after 20 years.

Now That’s Ludacris!: Happy Birthday Luda

I’m not that big of a fan of Southern rap like that but if you ask me to name my favorite Southern rap artists, I would say OutKast, T.I., Kris Kross, Nelly, Gucci Mane and my all time favorite Ludacris. Besides OutKast, Ludacris is one of those Southern rap artists to me who has good music and has a delivery that’s different than most rap artists of the South. A lot of Southern rap artists to me mostly say things that I don’t understand and their sound is something I’m not always into or can’t get into like that. I’m not dissing the South but that’s just me personally, it’s a totally different ball game for me but Ludacris is definitely the truth. Hits like “What’s Your Fantasy?”, “Saturday (Ooh Ooh!)”, “Sex Room”, “Move Bitch”, “Runaway Love”, “Area Codes”, the list goes on and on. Not only can he flow so effortlessly on the mic but I like his style, he’s funny and has songs that I can sit and listen to all day and Luda definitely got the hits for days. Every time I think about Luda, I think about those days of me as a kid growing up in the early 2000’s watching BET and seeing Ludacris music videos all the time. His videos were like Busta Rhymes and Missy Elliott, those animated, funny, weird looking characters and hanging upside down from walls and shit, it was dope. Nobody else from the South keeps my interest like the way both OutKast and Ludacris do. A signature Ludacris joint always has that random but expected “DTP!” or “Disturbing Tha Peace!” yell out in the beginning of the song. Ludacris hands down, is the only Southern rap artist whose collection I can sit down and listen to from top to bottom, beginning to end. His songs had great stories, funny stories, he even had songs that were touching and honest. He had club bangers, street anthems and songs about life that touched on serious topics, Luda is the guy who can do all different kinds of joints. If I could pick my favorite Luda album, it would be “Chicken-n-Beer” because going through his album, that one has all of his best songs to me. The rest have 1 or 2 songs out of the singles released that I felt were more dope compared to the rest of the songs but on this album, all of the joints released were equally dope and that album is my favorite album cover too. That’s what catches my attention about Luda, he’s animated like I mentioned before about the music videos. I can’t forget to mention his acting stuff too. The only movie he did I cared for and liked the most was his role as Skinny Black on “Hustle & Flow” with Terrance Howard and Taraji P. Henson. Really dope movie and I haven’t seen it in a long time too. Southern rap without this man would be ludicrous but Southern rap with a guy that brings lots of good and funny energy in his songs with a “DTP!” chant and a fast but dope delivery, now that’s LUDACRIS!

Long Live the Kane: Happy Birthday Big Daddy Kane

One of my all time favorite rappers, especially from the 80’s. This man taught me how to be smooth, he taught me how to be fly, he taught me how to be stylish, he taught me how to not be a half stepper, he taught me that my flat top rules but for ’16, if you know what I mean. His name is Big Daddy Kane. Big Daddy Kane always have been an inspiration to me. I literally study this man and learn from him. He was loved by the ladies and respected by the fellas. He had Mister Cee as his DJ and both Scoob and Scrap Lover, who were his backup dancers. My sister has a friend whose father is Scrap Lover. That would be so fuckin’ dope to actually meet the man, the man who actually danced on stage behind Big Daddy Kane. My all time favorite Kane joints are “Warm It Up Kane”, “Ain’t No Half Steppin'”, “Rap Summary (Lean On Me)”, “Children R the Future”, and a few more. I always have a picture of Big Daddy Kane saved in my phone because I get so much inspiration from his style. I be like “Yooooo! This is what I’m trying to go for.” It’s not the regular look in 2016 but it’s in my book of dope shit. Word! I can’t forget the time that I actually seen Kane live in Central Park last year at the Summerstage Concert Series with a homie of mine I met through Instagram. We didn’t exactly planned on meeting each other that day but when we found out that we were both gonna be there we had to exchange numbers. It was so hot that day. Yo, I was almost ready to head back Uptown to the Bronx before Kane stepped out on the stage. It was hot, I was super dehydrated and thirsty, hungry, legs weak and tired, feet damn near numb, it was real yo. The things I go through for hip hop. LOL! Kane finally came out and he tore it up. I was especially waiting for him to bust a move and start dancing but he didn’t but I was still satisfied. Kane was still rocking and moving like it was the 80’s. He didn’t look lazy on the stage, he sounded great, full of energy, his style is not the same but his energy on the mic is still the same too and I have a few videos saved on my phone. Definitely a hip hop moment for me that I will never forget. I only own his first two albums. I hear the same things about Kane from everybody but of course I like to check things out for myself and I gotta hear the rest of his stuff. I’m pretty sure it’s not that bad. People do exaggerate but that’s what hip hop fans do. LOL! To the B-I-G D-A-Double D-Y K-A-N-E, thanks for the inspiration sir and oh yeah, he STILL ain’t half steppin’.

De La Soul is NOT Dead

Pos, Dave and Maseo, aka De La Soul, has returned. With an all new documentary called “De La Soul is Not Dead”, which is the perfect title for their comeback, and a brand new album called “and the Anonymous Nobody…” The documentary about the group was posted 2 days ago on Mass Appeal’s official YouTube channel and the documentary chronicles the group’s career, impact and contribution to hip hop. Pos, Dave and Maseo all come from Amityville, in Long Island. They all met in high school and became a group along with Stetsasonic’s original member Prince Paul. Without giving too much information that the documentary has already covered, De La Soul is hands down one of the most original groups in hip hop history. Their 1988 debut album “3 Feet High and Rising” is one of my all time favorite hip hop albums. Classic songs like “Buddy”, “Me, Myself and I”, “A Rollerskating Jam Named Saturdays”, “Plug Tunin”, watching the documentary reminds you of all those joints, bringing a smile to your face and rapping along to the songs. Now the new album, I had the chance to hear a snippet of each song and the album has 17 songs. One of the songs that stood out to me the most is a joint called “Pain” featuring Snoop Dogg. It was the only song to me that stood out the most but it’s still too early to give a response about the album when I haven’t sat down and heard it all the way through. Still have to wait until I get my chance. De La Soul along with Prince Paul was an inspirational thing to see because De La Soul were different. It gave me a more stronger sense of inspiration to be myself, even when people don’t understand it but that’s usually how it goes. I was just saying to myself just yesterday and always that I never liked to follow trends and do what’s currently popular and to me that’s what De La Soul represented. They represented individuality, originality, peacefulness, creativity, and being courageous. I suggest all hip hop heads to go and support the new album and watch that documentary. Good shit right there. Just wanna end it by saying that their new album also sold more copies than some of the usual popular so called rap artists we hear today and that to me is very important. Is this a sign for true hip hop to make a comeback to the mainstream? What’s gonna happen next? Hip hop will just have to wait and see.

Eazy Duz It: Happy Birthday Eazy-E

When it comes to West Coast hip hop, there’s Snoop Dogg, The Game, DJ Quik, Yo Yo, and of course Niggaz With Attitude aka NWA but without NWA, we wouldn’t know about Dr. Dre, Ice Cube and the late Eazy-E. Eric Wright aka Eazy-E was an original member of the hip hop group coming all the way from Compton. A group whose notorious for putting gangsta rap and Compton on the map and they’re also known for the famous line “Straight Outta Compton”, which is the same name of their debut album in 1988. The album only released three singles including the album title, “Gangsta, Gangsta” and “Express Yourself”, which is one of my favorites. Eazy-E also released his solo debut the same year called “Eazy-Duz-It.” All three singles released from his debut album all had “Eazy” in it. “Eazy-Duz-It”, “Eazy-er Said Than Dunn” and “We Want Eazy”, now I never sat down and listened to his album from beginning to end but Eazy’s rhymes were very simple. He wasn’t super lyrical and he lacked flow but he was original and he had that West Coast “laid back witta joint in the whip” attitude over Dr. Dre’s funky but spooky and hard kinda production that innovated that gangsta rap sound. It’s the same sound as “The Chronic” and Snoop Dogg’s 1993 debut “Doggystyle.” My personal favorite Eazy-E joint is “Eazy-er Said Than Dunn” because of the beat and to me personally, that’s his hardest joint. I run that one more than the others that I know. Back in the 90’s HIV/AIDS was a serious epidemic that had America worried and sadly Eazy was a victim of the disease. On March 26th, 1995, Eazy-E lost his battle with AIDS. It was one of hip hop’s most shocking news and to this day, HIV/AIDS is something that’s still relevant. Sex is a whole other subject and it’s something that’s a part of the human life but it is something that shouldn’t be taken so lightly. It’s the sensation and feeling that can distract people from using a condom to help protect them from pregnancies and having babies or even worse, catching a deadly disease. People can say they’ll protect themselves and end up not doing it just because but it’s “Eazy-er Said Than Dunn.” Also, contracting HIV/AIDS can also be from sharing needles as well, let’s not forget. For those that’s reading this, please stay safe and be safe. It’s the best way to be. Happy birthday and rest in peace Eazy-E. Peace and love.

Brooklyn’s Don Diva: Happy Birthday Foxy Brown

When it comes to female rappers, depending on the person you ask, an older person from the first generation of hip hop would say either MC Lyte, Queen Latifah or Monie Love, a younger person would say Nicki Minaj or Remy Ma but my all time favorite female MC is Brooklyn’s own Foxy Brown. When I listen her spit she gives me goosebumps, I get an ugly face just listening to her. She has that tough, ghetto girl, Caribbean attitude that I personally love so much. Joints like “I’ll Be”, “I Can’t”, “Oh Yeah”, or her guest verses on “Touch Me, Tease Me” or “I Shot Ya”, every time I listen to Foxy her energy and attitude keeps my attention and focus on her. She’s raunchy and materialistic with an attitude that says “I’ll slap the shit outta you if you try to play me so come correct”, it’s almost sexy to me. LOL! Her 1996 debut album “Ill Na Na”, which turns 20 this November, is one of my favorite hip hop albums but my all time favorite from a female MC. The entire album from beginning to end is another banger. Her sophomore 1999 album “Chyna Doll” was okay. Some songs stood out and others were decent but it didn’t have the same energy as her first joint and 2001’s “Broken Silence” was a confessional album about everything she been through during her life and career. I wish Foxy could bring back that ’96 fire she did with her first album but I still love her. She showed me love on Instagram last year for the anniversary of “Ill Na Na” and it made me very excited and happy. She’s really cool too. Much love to Brooklyn’s Don Diva, the ILL NA NA, Inga Marchand aka Foxy Brown. Happy Birthday Fox.

A Tall Glass of LEMONADE: Happy Birthday Beyoncé

It was 1997, and I was three years old at the time, that same year I remember hearing both an original slow version and a upbeat hip hop remixed version of the single “No, No, No.” It was sung by a girl group who came all the way from Houston, Texas and the group consisted of four girls and their names were Beyoncé, Kelly, LaTavia, and LeToya who went by the name Destiny’s Child. To this day, that remix version of “No, No, No” featuring Wyclef Jean, of the hip hop group The Fugees, is hands down my all time favorite Destiny’s Child joint. Then throughout the very late 90’s up til 2004, Destiny’s Child kept coming with bangers after bangers, albums after albums but it was in 2003 when this woman emerged into something the world wasn’t ready for. In 2003, Beyoncé went solo and released her debut album “Dangerously In Love” and the first joint she dropped was “Crazy In Love” featuring Jay-Z. I remember that summer like it was yesterday. When that album dropped, Beyoncé was everywhere yo! “Crazy In Love”, “Naughty Girl” and “Me, Myself and I” was played back to back, you couldn’t get rid of Bey if you wanted to. 3 years later, she released her sophomore album “B’Day.” On this album she put out a music video for every song on the album and she was on “Dreamgirls.” Songs like “Dèjá Vú”, “Upgrade U”, “Ring the Alarm”, and the biggest one of all “Irreplaceable”, that joint was written by Ne-Yo for those who didn’t know. Beyoncé still keeps getting better, still selling world tours all over, still putting out music videos, albums, she was on top of the world, and she puts out “I Am… Sasha Fierce.” This album is my least favorite from her because the songs to me, besides the singles, didn’t move me and the whole “Sasha Fierce” thing to me was too robotic to me but Bey made up for it when she puts out my favorite album vocally from her called “4.” This album, she was vocally going in. “I Was Here”, “Love On Top” and “I Care” are my top favorites on the album. Bey then disappears for a while and everybody was wondering when she was gonna put out a new album but instead she puts out her documentary called “Life Is But a Dream.” It was a documentary about what her life is like on and off the stage, life with her family, life on the road, she’s in the studios and doing rehearsals for shows, Beyoncé is a hard working woman and that documentary shows. Then in 2013, Beyoncé does a Prince move and drops her new surprise, visual self titled album. That album blew me away, it was such a genius move and hands down my favorite era from Beyoncé. The videos posted on her YouTube channel shows the creative process she did to create the album along with the music videos and she said that everything is a reflection of her inner thoughts and fantasies and she decided to create the songs with music videos that match the visions she was seeing in her head. This is my favorite Beyoncé era because to me reached Michael Jackson status as far as being an entertainer. She was taking risks, she became even more powerful on the stage and she being unapologetic about who she was and how she felt and she continues to be even more powerful with this recent album called “LEMONADE.” Another powerful album about infidelity, love, being Black in America, she shut down the “Illuminati” rumors that everyone was claiming her to be, she’s taken a more spiritual side with her art and it’s amazing to me. She came from being that country girl from Houston, Texas in a girl group with the country accent to being a woman whose not afraid to be who she wants to be. Beyoncé is the Tina Turner, she is the Michael Jackson of this generation and with a serious and enormous fan base, she definitely keeps the people and the press talking. Beyoncé is an amazing performer on the stage, her voice is powerful, her dances are fierce but clean and her energy and vibe screams “I am the greatest!” Some people don’t wanna give her props and there are others who give her too much props and treat her like a God, which isn’t so good. It’s one thing to move people in such a powerful way that makes the world fall in love with you but it’s another thing when people act like she’s the only one to do it like the way she’s doing but I salute Bey. She’s on top of the world right now and with a huge variety of albums, hits and music videos under her belt and electrifying performances, she’s doing her thing and she’s not going anywhere no time soon.

Naughty 25

Coming from East Orange, New Jersey, Treach, Vinnie and DJ Kay Gee aka Naughty By Nature, are one of the DOPEST hip hop groups of all time. Treach is the frontman of the group and he’s one of my favorite voices in hip hop. He has that kinda voice that perfectly matches the sounds that you hear when you listen to a Naughty joint. His delivery on the mic is incredible too, very swift and powerful, it’s like watching a Muhammad Ali fight. Without his voice, Naughty records wouldn’t be the same. Then there’s Vinnie or Vin Rock. His energy in the group reminds me of what Phife Dawg has with Q-Tip, what Spliff Star has with Busta Rhymes and what DMC has with Run, it’s that perfect yin and yang thing that works in hip hop and then there’s DJ Kay Gee. Kay Gee is the DJ and producer of the group. His production skills is the perfect sound for the East Orange natives, the sound that reflects who they are and where they come from. That sound you hear that’s hard with DJ scratches and those hard to figure out samples that you don’t know if you’re not familiar with them. Also, he’s very cool, quiet and laid back, he reminds me of Ali Shaheed Muhammad. They’re mostly recognized for their hit “O.P.P.” which comes from their self titled album released on this day 25 years ago. I remember hearing this album all the way through for the first time ever and never skipped a track on this album. The entire album is a banger from beginning to end. The album starts off with a joint called “Yoke the Joker.” A hard but kinda smooth joint with the Queen Latifah loop, the next joint “Wickedest Man Alive” features Queen Latifah, whose another New Jersey native and a legendary female MC. I like the hook on this joint, it was catchy and almost sounds like a reggae joint. The next joint “O.P.P.”, is the first single released from this album and the third joint on the album. They say there’s a charm and this song is definitely one of their best and what makes people remember who they are the most. This song to me has one of the catchiest hooks ever in hip hop history and it’s even better with that ABC, 123 Jackson 5 sample and the music video had a party vibe where everyone came out to have a good time. The next joint “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright” is the fourth joint on the album but the second single released from this album but if you have the uncensored version on the album, the CD says “Ghetto Bastard.” Makes me happy and feel like a true hip hop fan to have the uncensored version. LOL! I like this joint mostly because of the beat, it’s hard to not wanna nod your head or get up and do the wop real quick. The next joint “Let the Ho’s Go” is my favorite on the album because of the Run-D.M.C. “Peter Piper” sample loop and the beat is something I never heard before. “Everyday All Day” is a more laid back joint, it’s a joint you play in the car when you’re cruising on a beautiful afternoon during the spring and summer but Treach is still killing with the delivery. “Guard Your Grill” has a very funny intermission in the beginning with a random dude with a British accent and then when the beat drops, it’s another hardcore joint. Damn, I really wish I knew how to rap though, I would learn from Treach. “Pin the Tail On the Donkey” is my second favorite joint on the album and to me it almost sounds like a song for Young MC or Tone Lōc too. The beat is also something different to me too and the “Go!” chants make you wanna busta move on the dance floor, shit I definitely would. LMAO!! The ninth joint “1, 2, 3” is also another laid back joint and the Eazy E and Dr. Dre loop on the hook is dope. Honorable mentions to both Apache and Lakim Shabazz who appear on this joint. “Strike a Nerve” is a joint that starts with an intermission where they get harassed by cops for playing music but then of course, in classic Naughty fashion, the beat drops and it’s in your face. It’s an in-your-face joint about frustration spending a day in the hood and Vinnie finally spits on this joint. He did his thing on that one. “Rhyme’ll Shine On” had those piano sounds over that Rakim “I Know You Got Soul” beat but a little slowed down and sing along hook where you “clap your hands, just feel it” and say it’s alright! “Thankx for Sleepwalking” starts off with Treach calling Vinnie out for not being dressed, it’s kinda funny and then another laid back joint drops. The piano sounds on the beat almost reminds me of Christmas time, I don’t know why. LOL! And finally the album ends the same way the classic movie “Juice” ends, with “Uptown Anthem.” This joint is the final single released from this album and it’s another one of my favorite Naughty joints. I wasn’t alive when this joint dropped 25 years ago because I was born three years later but when I listen to this album and watch the music videos it still feels like the 90’s, a time when hip hop was so dope. If you’re a true hip hop fan, you’ll definitely enjoy this classic and of course if you’re from New Jersey you should definitely know about this. Classic material like this never gets old, it’s a timeless classic.

The King of Pop: Happy Birthday Michael Jackson

They call him the King of Pop, they call him the greatest entertainer to ever walk the planet earth, he touched hearts all over the world, he made women faint at his concerts, he has a huge catalog of music that goes back to the 70’s and his name is Michael Jackson. Michael Jackson is an iconic artist that inspires a whole lot or artists that exist today, not just in singing and dancing but entertaining period. Every Black household, cookout, birthday party, wedding, has Michael Jackson’s music, whether it’s “Thriller”, “Off the Wall”, “Dangerous” or even music from The Jacksons like their “Destiny” or “Triumph” albums. When you’re listening to a Jacksons album or song or a Michael Jackson album or song, you can’t help but to mimic Michael’s mannerisms and dance moves, especially the classic Moonwalk dance that he premiered on Motown 25 while performing his smash hit “Billie Jean” in 1983. Let’s not forget the classic bio pic movie about the Jacksons starring Angela Bassett, playing Michael’s mother, Katherine, in 1992. Angela, as usual, does an amazing job playing that role. Growing up, my mom would play The Jacksons while she cleaned up around the house, their music was from the 70’s and 80’s and here I was, a 2 year old running around singing these songs. Til this day, their music is still amazing to me and I always loved their harmonies and how instrumental it was. “Destiny” is my personal favorite Jacksons album but my all time favorite Michael Jackson song is “I Can’t Help It” from his 1979 album “Off the Wall.” Also, how incredibly dope Michael Jackson music videos were? Off the chain yo! I personally didn’t care for the extra long concepts and short films and stuff, that was annoying to me, except “Thriller” but when the music finally comes on Michael is doing his thing. Another magical thing about Michael were his live performances. His live performances were just as dope as the music videos. We didn’t know what to expect so you couldn’t miss a Michael Jackson performance. Now music, we would be here for days talking about his catalog. “Off the Wall” was very disco-ish but a classic, “Thriller” was more on the pop side, the early MTV days when they weren’t playing music videos from Black artists and I believe “Billie Jean” was the first music video played on MTV by a black artist. “Bad”, Mike had a new image, people found out he had a skin disease called vitiligo. It’s when the skin loses it’s original skin color but in blotches all over the body. Michael was still loved though, he had the same spark and magic. Then there was the 90’s and there was “Dangerous”, which is my favorite Michael Jackson era. That “Remember the Time” video is my all time favorite Michael Jackson music video. I loved the whole Egyptian ruler theme where Eddie Murphy and beautiful model Iman were the king and queen and Magic Johnson was one of the servants. That choreography was bananas yo! I try to learn that whole dance til this day. LMAO! Then we have the “HIStory” Michael. This was when Michael became more political and was speaking about the injustices and his unfair treatment in the world by the government and the media. “Scream” with his sister Janet is too legendary. That’s another favorite Michael Jackson video of mine. Me and my sister always acted like we were in that video, jumping on the furniture, dancing everywhere, we pretended to have an audience and everything, that’s the Michael Jackson effect right there. “HIStory” is my favorite Michael Jackson album because the songs were powerful, unapologetic, strong, emotional and raw all at the same time. Michael didn’t give a fuck! That’s why they banned the “Scream” video back then. Songs like “Tabloid Junkie”, “D.S.”, “Earth Song”, “Money”, “Stranger In Moscow” and the best song to me on the album is “They Don’t Care About Us.” These songs were the answers to everything. Michael was giving it to the people raw and uncut and of course there was the remix album in 1997 called “Blood On the Dance Floor: HIStory In the Mix.” Me and my sister ran that CD to the death! Those remixes had a flavor of hip hop, R&B, pop and dance and the entire thing was banging from beginning to end but after that, nobody heard another album from Michael until 2001’s “Invincible.” To me that was his last REAL album because the posthumous music wasn’t all that. They should’ve just left it at “Invincible.” I remember when “You Rock My World” came out. They ran that video to death on MTV. Chris Tucker foolish ass was his hilarious self as usual in the video and of course in classic Michael Jackson fashion, it was a short film and lots of dancing all over a woman he was chasing, just like “The Way You Make Me Feel.” Let’s not forget about the remix featuring Jay-Z. When you live in the hood where people are selling bootleg CD’s off the street, you come across some underground dope shit and I loved that remix. I personally liked the remix better. That was a street joint only found on mixed CD’s provided by DJ’s. Songs like “Butterfliez”, “Cry”, “Heaven Can Wait”, “Break of Dawn”, “The Lost Children” and “Whatever Happens”, this was another dope Michael Jackson album but it’s underrated to me, people didn’t appreciate this joint. It’s been seven years since Michael passed and we all still feel the pain of his loss. It’s like a cut trying to heal but it’s healing incorrectly. It gets re opened on the day of his death and his birthday but we all love Michael very much. He’s moonwalking and singing in a new and better place. Happy Birthday and rest in peace King. We love you and miss you. Hee Hee!

Ooohhh, It’s the L-I-Y-A-H!

Aaliyah, one of the world’s greatest R&B artists of all time. With only 3 albums and 2 movies underneath her belt, 15 years after her tragic death, she is still loved and appreciated and not just for her music but for her beauty, class, talent and mostly her positive and beautiful spirit that caught everyone’s attention. She was only 22 years old, that’s my age. I never heard anybody say anything negative about her as far as the industry goes and I never read about anybody saying anything negative about her either. She was well respected and loved by everyone, especially her musical peers both Timbaland and Missy Elliott. I grew up on Aaliyah. I have all 3 of her albums including a CD maxi single of her debut single “Back & Forth” and I have “Romeo Must Die” on DVD. Her debut album “Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number” produced and arranged by R. Kelly, was a dope R&B album with a touch of both new jack swing beats and hip hop glossed over by her smooth and calming vocals and R. Kelly’s ad-libs and an unknown young rapper named Tia who appears on tracks like “Throw Your Hands Up” and my top favorite cut on the album “I’m So Into You.” Aaliyah’s sophomore album in 1996, “One In a Million” is what made baby girl official. Both her look and sound changed. She came out in 1994 with baggy clothes and a hood kinda attitude with a scarf on her head and a groove which she claimed was a “jazz personality, G mentality”, and she pulled it off great. “Back & Forth” still gets people at parties and events going crazy, singing along to it, “At Your Best (You Are Love)” is romantic but the remix with R. Kelly going “1, 2 check it, baby lemme know wassup” was even better and had a low groove that was hip hop but R&B. Of course the title track, also had that same groove and she walking hard but kept it girly at the same time in the video. Then in ’96 she was in crop tops, rocking Tommy Hilfiger or Karl Kani gear, belly button showing, fly dark shades, baggy pants still, and her long beautiful, silky, shiny hair that glossed, swooped across her face over her eye. Aaliyah showed a more sexier side of herself but she wasn’t trashy, far from it. “One In a Million” is my personal favorite album of hers because the production was something different during that time and the songs were more dope and mature than her first joint. The hardest joints to me are of course the album title track, “Hot Like Fire”, especially the remix and video version, “Ladies In Da House” and “I Gotcha Back.” Can’t forget about the first single “If Your Girl Only Knew” and her remakes of Marvin Gaye’s “Got to Give It Up” and The Isley Brothers’ “Choosey Lover.” This album definitely blows the debut album out of the water and almost makes you forget it exists, that’s how dope the second album is. After that, baby girl did soundtrack joints and started doing acting. She put out “Are You That Somebody”, which is one my favorite Aaliyah videos, I know part of the choreography, she also put out “Try Again”, “Come Back In One Piece”, “Journey to the Past” and “I Don’t Wanna.” Baby girl did her thing in Romeo Must Did but I never saw “Queen of the Damned.” After that, her 2001 self titled album came along. My favorites cuts on the album are “Loose Rap”, “Extra Smooth”, “Never No More” and “I Care 4 U.” Aaliyah was at the top of her career and then suddenly, the plane crash that happened on August 25th, 2001. I don’t remember where I was when I found out but I just remember feeling so sad to the point it made me feel dizzy thinking about someone like Aaliyah in a tragic accident. I do remember when “We Need a Resolution”, “Rock the Boat” and More Than a Woman” first came out. “We Need a Resolution”, I swear to everything, that video was too dope. It’s another favorite music video of mine with “Are You That Somebody.” The choreography in that video was bananas. Aaliyah was a smooth dancer. She could be sexy and belly roll or grind with a guy backup dancer or she could do hip hop and bounce and groove all over. Aaliyah was the truth, no doubt. Then it was “Rock the Boat”, the video was amazing, perfect and beautiful too and “More Than a Woman” had the same dope dance moves too. Aaliyah was like the pretty girl you saw in the neighborhood who all the guys wanted but she knew better, she’s the good girl, the one who stays out of trouble and is very nice and popular, that’s how I always saw Aaliyah, even through her pictures, interviews, music videos and movies. Forever she will be in our hearts and forever her legacy will continue. With only 3 albums, over 10 singles, and 2 movies, baby girl has done more than most. Rest in peace Aaliyah Dana Haughton. We love you and we miss you.