Written Thursday, September 11, 2008 Current mood: nostalgic
Last night I visited my girl Faye’s spot in the East Bay (Which I am STILL jockin by the way ;o) and winded down the night by watching music videos on her super-sexy “perfect for crashin after a night of debauchery” micro-suede couch.
I could’v easily fallen asleep watching Jodeci’s Greatest Hits, but instead I began to remenisce.
“Goddamn DeVante used to be so fine…” “Fuck K-Ci don’t pop a blood vessel now…” “Aww I want a guy to sing like that to me…” “Don’t they get hot wearing head to toe leather in the desert like that?” “I mean really, did Dalvin do anything else asides from stand there and look good?” “Remember when they were on Martin?” “Feenin is one of THEE greatest sexy-time songs ever…” “I had a hooded drawstring jacket too!!!” “Damn these n*ggaz could sing…excuse me, I mean SANG”
*SIGH*
“Too bad they crack heads now…”
I used to argue with the Kings of Comedy when they’d say “they don’t make music like they used to but ultimately, they’re right.
Not to say that everything is crap nowadays ‘cuz Alicia stay holding it down and Ne-Yo STAYS getting my hormones jumping and me in trouble but I don’t know a single person who didn’t have Jodeci or Shai or New Edition as a wedding staple. What are the kids nowadays supposed to have their first dance to, say 10 years from now?
“I need you boo, I gotta see you boo, and there’s hearts all over the world tonight…?”
Don’t get me wrong, I love me some To Catch a Predator Chris Breezy but his songs don’t hold a candle to the feeling I get when I hear that infamous Jodeci “Hoo-yeah,” riff.
Music is such an integral part of my day to day routine. As cliche as it sounds, I could not live without it. I sit here and think of how I’d go insane if I couldnt’ stream KMEL at work, or listen to my Ipod while on the treadmill.
Music is one of the only non-tangible things that can make me cry, laugh, dance, sing, remenisce, start a fight, be happy, or be sad. It makes me switch to 5th and roll the windows down on a hot summer day. It’s the perfect accompaniment to a 5-star hotel balcony and fat bleezy. It makes cleaning my room more tolerable. It makes me body roll down the hallway. It psyches me up for a photoshoot or gig. It amplifies my drunkness at a club and calms me down afterwards. It reminds me of my last vacation to Hawaii/Las Vegas/Puerto Rico/New York/San Diego. It makes me think of the very moment I fell in love with my ex boyfriend.
Whether it’s r&b, hip-hop, ska, or trance – ok maybe not trance, but whatever genre it is … I can hear a song and instantly be taken back to a specific moment in my life.
“One More Chance Remix” by Biggie – Chillin at the 29 bus stop in front of Burton on a hot ass summer of ’95 day watching my peers get picked up by their cute older brothers in their 3000GTs and shiny new Acs.
“Nothing Else Matters” by Metallica – Buying my very first cassette single (Yah bitches I”m old) at Tower Records at Stonestown mall.
“The Anthem” by Pitbull – Rockin center stage with Ashley at Avalon in L.A. trying not to die from that stupid crack in a can Redline energy drink.
Play Mary J’s “Real Love” at a club and ur gonna hear the ladies scream, “This is MY jam,” as they make their way to the dancefloor in preparation for the dance in a circle routine.
Play Pharcyde’s “Passin Me By,” on a roadtrip while the car is hotboxed and I guarantee everyone with you will know at least one of the verses by heart and rhyme them in between puffs.
Remember that cheesy white 80s rapper with the fucked up hair who danced alongside with Ninja Turtles? “Aite stop…” (How many of yall said “Collaborate and listen”?
And just to be relevant …
Play T-Pain’s “Can’t Believe it,” and everyone and they mama will scream out “FUEGO!” when the time is right.
Although circumstantial, a person’s song on their MySpace can determine what’s going on in their life. And if ur best friends phone goes off to the tune of “You’re my little secret, and that’s how we should keep it,” and u find out it’s your boyfriend on the other line I give u full permission to choke a bitch out.
Alas, long gone are the days where at least 75% of rap music had substance, and R&B artist could actually sing. Yet I ain’t mad at ya (R.I.P. Pac). Good music will always be good music … no matter how much auto-tune it has in it lol.
While I enjoy and am open to all the new, talented artist that emerge everyday I will always hold a special place in my heart for the likes of Boys II Men, Guy, Keith Sweat, and any other group that graced ur standard early 90s slow-jam mix.
By the way K-Ci, Jo-Jo, Dalvin, and DeVante … I’m still rootin for ya. None of this shit no more aite? Ur fuckin up my repuation.
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