Music and Me

"We've been... together... for such a long time. Music. Music. and me" -MJJ 'Music & Me'

I don't even remember when I got my first record. I feel like it was a Cabbage Patch Christmas back in '86. And I vividly remember ordering The Best of the Monkees from a 1-800 number sometime around kindergarten... how could those phone representatives take an order from a 5 or 6 year old!?!? Well, I can see how a couple girls in my class could get on the phone and order something. Yeah, our voices are little but we are very matter-of-fact. I knew I wanted that double record and I had StanKK's support (lol, he was 4, what'd he know??). It was COD and Mommy paid for it; one of my fondest memories of her *ahhh*.

I remember playing my dad's Bob Marley records on my FP and wondering, "What is Zion? Is that a bad version of a lion? I don't think I should be listening to a bad lion." and quickly switching to my cindy lopper 'true colors' joint. My favorite track was "Iko. Iko". StanKK and I would sing and have a blast. Let's see if I remember what we thought the words were...

"My grandma and your grandma, sitting by the fire. My grandma told your grandma she's gonna set your flag on fire"

Now what are the real words...

Iko*Iko Lyrics

Not bad!

I would be remiss if I didn't mention MJ. I had 'Bad' on vinyl. Fave song was "Just Go.od Friends" feat Stevie W0nder. *aahhh*

So those were the good music days. Then I got heavy into the radio; Hi-5, Immature, Jodeci, Tevin Campbell, Soul4Real, etc. Was music better or were we just younger and dumber? I'd venture to say music was better back then, even the pop. Jodeci of the 1990s couldn't get a deal now, they're too ugly!!

High school, who was I digging... Trick Daddy. No Limit. Ginuwine. I remember getting Mya, Chico DeBarge, and even The Firm (random as hell. from least fave ex. some chick probably gave it to him and he passed it on) for my Sweet 16. I feel like Tamia was big. So was Joe! He came out when we were in 8th grade... I remember singing "All the Things" in History. I had NO idea what he was talking about. LOLOL. Oh yeah, Outkast. Rosa Parks was big sophomore year! and on the low, I was subconsciously prepping for my pseudo militant-ness by listening to deadprez. 'I'm An African' was big in the car on the way to school. And this funky group called Jamiroquai that I heard YEARS ago in my travels to UK... Virtual Insanity was NOT their 1st hit in my book. But before Jamiroquai, I was bumping the absolute hell out of EWF. Oh yes, I got retro in highschool. OJays, Brother's Johnson, marvin gaye, etc.

Senior year, it was all about Donell Jones. and Carl Thomas!! They had the hits I was listening to on my way to Grad Nite!! *sigh* Good times.

Now we're getting to the meat of my post. College.College is when I became obsessed with artists.

I bought The Love Movement, dubbed ATCQ's worst (at the time) and I was IN.LOVE. Like, seriously. I couldn't get enough of Tribe. They were on heavy rotation in the dorm room, on my voice mail, and when I'd come home, it was bumping in the Volvo. There was a point in time when no-one wanted to ride anywhere with me cause all they'd get is Tribe. Love Movement, Beats Rhymes & Life, Midnight Mauraders, Low End Theory, People's Instinctive Travels... *sigh* I remember that love.

Now what would college be if you didn't get into Bob? Aww man, I remember getting musically high listening to him one night. I was supposed to go hang out with a fellow florida boy but I got sooooo into Bob I was in a daze and forgot. Martina actually passed by my room and asked, "Are you high?!" Looking back (now that I know what it feels like), I was. Thus sparked another obsession. Bob, Bob, Bob, Bob. Maybe I kept it "fresh" by throwing Tribe back in the mix but you know the deal.

I don't even know when Blackstar was released but it did and sparked a new obsession. I became obsessed with the album first of all and went so far as to get a BlackStar tatt. Yes. Then I needed more. I'll get Mos. Miss Fat Booty won me over. May December is the perfect Saturday song. Mathematics was so "deep". Mighty Mos Def, loved him!

Reflection Eternal was an album I also dug. I think it was Hi-Tek that did it for me. Remember how "The Blast" made you feel? Yeah. Maybe talib needs people. I ADORE BlackStar and I like Train of Thought but Quality and whatever else came out? notsomuch.

Now that I knew what I was listening to, I went and got all the Jamiroquai albums. Yessss!!! This is what my life has been missing!!!

Let's play catch up. Tribe, Bob, Mos + Talib, Mos, Jamiroquai. I had everything those artists came out with. I was in a happy place :-)

Now because of my new found NY appreciation, I tried to get into Mobb deep. Didn't work. Oh well.

When I got to FAM, I got into college radio and heard Maroon 5 on WANM. Oh yeah. Had to have it. Someone at WAMN also played Gorillaz. Got all those joints, too. Red Hot Chilli Peppers got an album in my libe. I think I was tired of the same ole same and ventured to the other side. WBs were making me happy with their rock.

While at FAM, I also got in the mixtape biz. Anyone who has seen my iToons knows I have EVERYTHING DJ Jamad has put out. Also, Andrew was making me mix CDs that I played and played over and over again. And other guys would do the same. I got heavy into world music (specifically from Brazil) from mix cds from a homie. Same homie also put me onto Esthero. Have both her albums.

*SIDENOTE: Mixtapes... a way to a girls's heart coming soon*

Now here's the problem. Who is out there that I can obsess over? There is no-one putting out ANYTHING that would make me want to buy ALL their albums. What happened to the days of hearing something and absolutely NEEDING more???? I got all TWO of Amy's joints; I'm getting Raheem's L & WM today and that would put me at all 4 (3 studio + mix tape)... it was actually on one of Drew's tapes that I first heard Rah...I digress.

But do we see my problem!?!!??! I NEED NEW/OLD MUSIC! I NEED A FIX!!