Remembering the King of Pop

Today is the one-year anniversary of the death of the greatest entertainer to ever live, the unanimously reigning King of Pop.  I believe there isn’t a soul on this earth who witnessed a performance by Michael Jackson that wasn’t captivated by his music, dance moves, and the unparalleled energy he brought to the stage.  There were many degrading opinions and harsh judgments of MJ, particularly during the last decade of his life, and many people felt that he had been slowly loosing his grip on reality, if he ever really lived in the real world to begin with.  The negative media attention certainly marred his reputation over the years, but after his unexpected drug-related cardiac arrest, all detractors and critics were forced to become his admirers again, and the whole world took time to reflect on his marvelous achievements in the wake of his passing.  Michael Jackson’s greatness was undeniable, the ways in which God used him to bless the world are unfathomable, and I believe that perhaps even Michael himself never fully understood the incredible gifts that he was able to share with the world.

I was writing at my laptop on the afternoon of June 25, 2009 when I clicked to my Yahoo homepage to check my email and caught a glimpse of the flashing headline breaking that Michael Jackson had died.  Usually I would’ve ignored a link with crazy statements pertaining to MJ, writing it off as more propaganda from the media leeches who refused to leave him alone.  But something kept nudging me to follow up – there had been rumors about MJ’s death before that were obviously untrue, but on this day I felt compelled to keep searching.  I googled the subject and found that four or five other internet articles were corroborating Michael’s passing, and then my heart began to beat a little faster and I worried if it might be true.  Soon after, my phone began to buzz on the floor behind my chair, as mass RIP text messages and personal messages from my friends and family to see if I had heard the news were being sent.  It really had happened – the worst rumor possible turned out to be true. 

All I could do for the rest of that day was sit in my room and play Michael’s records.  I didn’t want to feed into the media frenzy because I felt like most of the world was disloyal to Michael throughout the years, so I didn’t feel there were many who were qualified to be reporting (and capitalizing) on him at his death.  MJ was my hero and I still am a staunch defender of him, even in the midst of his shortcomings and poor decisions.  Not one time did I look at MJ and see him as weak, crazy or shameful.  I sometimes felt he was naïve, he often responded to pressure awkwardly, and I never felt like he had close relationships with people that he trusted.  But I never stopped believing in him or loving him. 

In ’87, my father bought the Bad album on vinyl, and this was one of the first records I remember physically handling on my own.  I was four years old, so obviously my dad wasn’t letting me near his record collection too much; he only let me thumb through them and look at the covers.  With Bad, I remember actually pulling out the slip cover and carefully observing the pictures of Michael and reading along with the lyrics (believe it or not, I did actually read them somewhat coherently at that age, since I had the help of listening along with the music).  Bad has always been my favorite album by MJ because in a way the Bad version of Michael was the first version of him I got to know.  I was of course familiar with music by the Jackson 5 as well as Thriller, but I feel like I began to understand Michael the person through my interaction with Bad.  I believe this album was in some ways a representation of who Michael was apart from his performances, more so than other albums.  The songs on that album seemed to represent his personality.  The title track, “Bad,” is him singing about how he’s too bad for all opponents, and no matter how tough they act, he will always find a way to win.  And that was damn true about him – who was more competitive and focused on winning than MJ?  He always achieved the highest.  “Another Part of Me” and “Man in the Mirror” were the first songs that reflected Michael’s commitment to philanthropic causes, erasing prejudice and promoting unity.  Long after “We Are the World” was complete, Michael continued to give generously of his time and money to charities, particularly those affecting children and poverty in Africa.  And speaking of Africa, all of the stories about MJ bleaching his skin because he wanted to be white were the most ridiculous.  Why would a man who hates his blackness write a love ballad called “Liberian Girl?” (The Bad album cover is when the public first saw Michael’s skin becoming lighter, but the irony is that this is when his connection to African culture and people began to grow stronger.)

Today I will be listening to my Michael Jackson albums in remembrance.  I was saddened by the death of my childhood hero one year ago, but I’m proud of the life that he lived.  I never felt Michael was a sell-out, and I never felt he was insincere.  To understand the true essence of who he was and what he represented, returning to the music and the performances will remind you that Michael was undoubtedly the best to ever do it.

Drake-Thank Me Now

Thank him now; hopefully there will be a later…

I hear a lot of mixed opinions about Drake and his music.  For that, he should thank us, the listeners, because one of the undeniable truths in hip-hop is that being both loved and hated at the same time is an important step toward superstardom.  ‘Pac, Biggie, Jigga, Eminem, 50…. they all experienced it.  Receiving attention from both directions gives us twice as much reason to talk about you; when we start to ignore you is when an artist should worry.  I will admit that I have been a Drake skeptic – not because I dislike his music, but because I feared that premature fame would ruin him.  I’m glad to say that this did not happen on his Young Money debut, Thank Me Later.  Drake remained as true to his form as ever, and he put out a solid freshman project (if we can still call him a freshman MC).

Before I talk about the album, I want to share what I’ve noticed about how Drake handles the game.  I believe his foresight and wisdom regarding building his brand is why he became an overnight sensation.  First, let’s look at his mentor, Lil’ Wayne.  If you’ve followed Weezy’s career, you will know, unlike Drake, he did NOT blow up overnight, as a solo artist especially.  Yes, his first album, Tha Block Is Hot, went platinum thanks to the strength and buzz of his Cash Money crew, but Wayne wasn’t anywhere close to a bonafide superstar in those days.  Since he entered the game as a kid at age 9, Lil’ Wayne has been learning how to perfect not only his flow, but his brand, and he did so through years of successes and failures, emerging as the last man standing at one of rap’s most heralded record companies.  From the direct tutelage of Wayne, I believe Drake took heed from those experiences, and as a result was able to do in two what it took Weezy ten years to do.  Drake mastered the secret of the game faster than any other artist since 50 Cent; he built an authentic brand that people love.  In saying that, I think it’s important to note that Lil’ Wayne is proving himself to be one of the best mentors in the rap game.  In a convo with a friend of mine the other day, we agreed that Young Money is the best major label for a young artist to be, because Wayne has insight, and he’s not afraid to share it (ahem, Jay-Z, ahem).

On to the music now.  The first thing I like about Drake as an artist is that he is a fan first; I love fans-turned-artists.  Drake even refers to himself as a backpack rapper, and I almost agree because he draws on such a diverse musical background.  On Thank Me Later, he drops lines referencing acts like A Tribe Called Quest, Onyx, and Wu-Tang (“I’m the Osiris of this s**t right now…” – RIP to ODB).  You don’t come to know about groups like that by listening to top 40 radio, so Drake is obviously a connoisseur of the underground as well.  His punch lines don’t make me smh like Weezy’s do, but he makes up for a lack in lyrical dexterity with his knack for hooks and choruses.  I’m convinced nobody out there right now can construct the chorus of a song better than Drake (sorry, Dream).  And say what you want about his r&b dabbling, but the boy sounds good when he sings.  This is nothing like 808s and Heartbreaks or Rebirth; he’s got the talent to sing and knows how to write a verse that needs to be sung rather than rapped.  His October’s Very Own production team is legit, and with the added help of producer Boi 1da, this crew of Canadians knows how to make the kind of beats that expose the depth of Drake.  That depth is another characteristic that sets Drake apart from other superstars.  Drake raps extensively about his personal love life, and on personal perspectives of love and life in general.  (Check “Fireworks” featuring Alicia Keys for the blast on his relationship with Rihanna.) The only other rap artist I can think of who has been this personally reflective in his music is Eminem.  That’s not to draw a big comparison between Drizzy and Slim Shady artistically, but it is a big up to Drake for being unafraid to push hip-hop boundaries as a "new" artist and expose his true self just as much as his celebrity persona.  The second single, “Find Your Love,” is the only track on the entire album that feels forced.  I respect Drake’s desire to cater to another group of fans with this pop record (because, again, he does it well – it’s not a bad song), but it takes away from the album’s cohesion.

Thank Me Later is a good album – it’s safe to say that the hype surrounding this project, for the most part, was met.  Drake left me wanting more (in a good way), especially considering that he raps only one verse on half of the songs on the album (using feature artists or singing to fill in the gaps).  I’m looking forward to experiencing his career in music and his continued growth as an artist.

Nas & Damian Marley-Distant Relatives

Don’t let it be “distant” from your CD player…

Distant Relatives is the best new album of 2010 I’ve heard so far.  Damian Marley and Nas are a great collabo - thanks to “Jr. Gong”, Nas finally has some consistently great music to go with his always-impressive lyrics and flow.  Nas fans have anticipated for years that he might do an entire project with DJ Premier or Dr. Dre, as the general opinion is that his only pitfall has been in lacking the right beats.  But I don’t know if even Primo or Dre could establish more chemistry with Nas than what he and Damian uncovered while making Distant Relatives.  After the acclaim for Damian’s debut, Welcome to Jamrock, Bob Marley’s youngest son has now produced two classic albums…and counting.

Distant Relatives is not composed of flashy club jams or pop anthems.  I mean, yea, you could party to a couple joints, but these songs were crafted to engage your social consciousness and your self-awareness.  (I think it’s good ride-to music – Jr. Gong’s reggae-sampled beats bang in the car!)  On “Leaders” featuring Damian’s brother Stephen Marley on the chorus, I can’t help but get that feeling that Damian is channeling his father’s spirit, or at least thinking of him, as he and Nas tell stories about how male role models affect the paths of young people.  “Land of Promise” is reminiscent of Nas’ “If I Ruled the World”, as he again paints his vision of what the promised land could be for the people over a hard reggae beat that samples the old Dennis Brown song.  Y’all remember that song “We are the World 25” made for Haiti earlier this year?  Yea, I didn’t think you would.  “Strong Will Continue” is what that song should’ve been – powerful and uplifting without coming off as corny or overdone. Nas lost his focus a little on his second verse by getting too personal and critical, but this does little to take away from the overall strength of the song.  “My Generation” should be the next single in my opinion (“As We Enter” is the first); it’s “radio-friendly” with features from Joss Stone and Lil’ Wayne, and the message is one of inspiration for the youth to take responsibility for their lives and charging them with the task to change the world for the better.

This album is incredible, top to bottom, no skips.  The genre fusion is seamless, which is what makes the album easy to listen to (don’t think Jay-Z/Linkin Park – it’s FAR from being that forced).  As you listen, you won’t feel like it’s a hip-hop or a reggae album, and don’t worry if you’re interested but aren’t a longtime fan of either of these artists – you won’t have to be in order to enjoy the vibe of the music.  Distant Relatives is bangin’ music that will have you nodding your head and singing along, I promise.

Introducing...Music and Me

This blog is dedicated to thoughts and opinions about music.  Music is my favorite hobby, and a daily inspiration in my life.  This blog is a way for me to share some of the passion I have for music with others.  My favorite genres are hip-hop and rhythm and blues, and I listen to stuff dating as far back as the 1950s.  I also listen to gospel, jazz, reggae and rock as well.  Here, I will write personal reviews on new releases that I pick up as well as vintage ones, and also open up discussion and debate on topics related to the music I enjoy.  My vision is that from this a small community of serious music listeners will emerge and begin to share the different ways in which music impacts us, as well as for word to spread about what great music is available out there that everyone may not be aware of.  So, in a nutshell that's why I decided to do this - I hope everyone who decides to read and/or contribute will enjoy!