Influences

Songs That Influenced My Life

Everybody has that certain song that changed the way you view things, well for a person that loves music I have 12 songs that influenced my life. I decided to put these songs into categories which includes education, religion, family, and life. These songs shaped me into the person I am today.

RELIGION

First I will start with religion. One thing about me is GOD is number one in my life. I have to him praises everyday for what he does for me in my life. I can call on him through the good and bad times, I just know that GOD is so good. Everyday I try to build a stronger relationship him but 4 gospel songs started this great and wonderful process.

Silver & Gold by Kirk Franklin & the Family will forever be the song that started a lasting relationship with the LORD at such a young age. While my mother going to college in South Carolina we attended a church called Greater Faith Baptist Church. On Sundays, while we get ready for church this certain song use to always come on the radio. After a while, I started learning the words, but 6 years old I didn't know what I was singing about. But one day at church, 6 years old I started crying and I didn't know why. But during my crying session, I was thinking about Silver & Gold. And my mother asked "why are you crying". I responded "I don't know". That was my first connection I had with the LORD, because "I rather have Jesus then silver and gold"...Thank you JESUS!!! 

GET CLOSER TO GOD

Now that I started to build my own connection with GOD, I wanted to listen to more songs like this because I wanted that feeling again like I did in church that day. So, when you pray to GOD he answers your prayers. A few Sundays later another song came on the radio Addictive Love by BeBe & CeCe Winans. It caught my attention because it had that new school flavor but it still about GOD. Throughout the song GOD was never said, but it was clearly imply. After hearing this song, I started getting that feeling again. As you can see GOD was working on me at 6 years old. 

JUST LISTEN TO THESE WORDS

Now I have a great relationship with GOD and he has guided me through everything in my life. But I felt like I lost sight of him because when I got to college things were happening to me. First a situation during my first college situation caused me a lot of pain, then in 2005 my first year in college my father passed, and in 2007 my grandfather had a heart attack that eventually killed him 3 years later. During 2005-2007 I lost sight of him because I didn't understand why these things were happening. I even stop praying but GOD has a way of bringing you back to him. He knew that music could get my attention, one day I was at my desk listening to music and Lost Without You by BeBe & CeCe came on and the tears began. I started to feel that feeling that I had at 6, I started to realize that GOD was not out to hurt me. And from me not praying, I was losing my personal relationship with him. But after the tears, I got down on my knees and look to the sky and said "GOD I am lost without your guidance". Then I realize that during the good and bad times "I am lost without him".

LISTEN TO THIS CLASSIC

 

Now you would think that I have a closer relationship with him but there are always "bumps in the road" when keeping a strong relationship with him. But this time I have graduated college and started my career everything seemed to be going well until....One Saturday I get a call from my grandma to tell me my mother was in the hospital, but she told me don't be alarmed. But when you hear that your mother is in the hospital it's not a good feeling. But selfishly, I tried to go on with my day. But early Sunday morning, I was sleeping and GOD seem to wake me up and I swear I heard a voice say "go see your mother". I obeyed him got dressed got into my car and headed to NJ. While I was driving I begin to really worry about her because I felt like if GOD woke me up then this is serious. Me with my emotional shelf started crying while I was driving. So, of course I needed a song to help me get it together and the first song that came on the radio was God Will Take Care You by Aretha Franklin. And for that 2.5 hour drive that was the ONLY song I listened to. The first line of the song says a lot "Be not dismay whatever betide, GOD will take care of you". Now by the time I got to the hospital the worrying was gone and I just knew my mother would be okay. This is how I know GOD is a good GOD, when I walked into that hospital, my mother was happy to see and she told me, "they are letting me go home today". I just looked up at the sky and said "Thank you Jesus". That car ride to NJ was a life-changing experience for me.

GIVE GOD ALL THE GLORY

FAMILY

Now that you see GOD is important in my life, it's time for you to learn the 2nd important thing is my life which is family. Going back to the South Carolina days again, these are the days where the bond between my mother and I began. At a young age, I realize that my mother is the closest thing to GOD I will ever have. During those days, it was always me and her and it's a bond NOBODY can break. And the song that describe our bond is If I Could Build My Whole World Around You by Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell. This song is the first song that I learned all the words to as a kid because every time it come on or my mother would play it we would sing it together. She was Tammi and I was Marvin. Until this day, every time it plays we sing it as a duet. This song just puts a smile on my face because the bond I have with my mother is like no other. 

YALL SHOULD HEAR US SINGING THIS...OUR ANTHEM..HAHA

The O'Jays is my favorite group of all time and they have many classics but one song reminds me of my family the classic, Family Reunion. This songs brings tears to my eyes because it just reminds me of great family memories. That includes me, my mother, my grandma, uncle, my grandfather, my father, and my brother/cousin. These memories will forever be in my heart because my grandfather, my brother/cousin, and my father have passed on. It's like now Thanksgiving and Christmas will never be the same without them. I miss them dearly. During the holidays, the women would be in the kitchen cooking and the men would be the living room getting our drink on (Now you see I said we right....yeah I was drinking just soda...WINK WINK). Until this day, I listen to that song so I can daydream about the times with all my family being together. But now we (me, moms, and grandma) still keep the memories alive with the drinks and laughs. 

VIBE WITH THE O'JAYS

Back to the South Carolina days, me and moms always played the radio at all times. That included during homework, cleaning, cooking, and KNICKS games (had to give my KNICKS a plug..LOL). As a I can remember my mother and I were cleaning the house, and this song came on the radio. We never heard it before but this female was sounding so great, so we had to wait to see who the girl was. It was Reminisce by Mary J. Blige. From this point we loved Mary, she became family. Also from that day, Mary became my favorite artist. During this time, things were tough but it seemed like anytime a Mary song would play it would make us not think about the tough times we were going through. To me, Mary's music brought me and mother closer too. Songs like Mary's Joint, I Never Wanna Live Without You, You Gotta Believe me and my mother would sing these songs to the top of our lungs but this all started with the first day we heard Reminisce, on the radio. And thanks to that Mary has a spot in my family forever.

LISTEN TO THIS 90's CLASSIC

EDUCATION

With family, then comes education. Education is very important to me as black man. As a kid my mother always stressed education. As far as education, she was a major influence because she went to college and graduated while raising me. If that doesn't take strength, I don't know what does. (I was bad sometimes yall...lol) But while I was young, she would explain to me that education is important because you have to beat people in this would with your mind. Of course at 5 years old, I really didn't understand it but I knew mommy was serious when she said it. As stated before, music was always played and I can remember one album my parents use buy over and over, it was Janet Jackson's "Rhythm Nation 1814". This album will remain close to me because it was educationally motivating. But one song stands out from the rest which was The Knowledge. This song is so influential to me, it made me want to go to school and get an education because "education is the goal..so". Now with my mother being serious about education, she knew that the way to get through to me was music. To this day, I think she use to play The Knowledge often so I can understand how important education was. 

BE IN THE KNOW (A LYRIC FROM THE KNOWLEDGE)

When I got into middle school, hip-hop started become major genre in my life. But before then I only listened to a select few artist mostly Brooklyn based rappers. But one day during basketball practice I learned about my future favorite rapper Nas, from Queens. One of the guys in basketball practice decided to play Nas' "Illmatic". Before he played it, he said this is the best hip-hop album of all time, now with me knowing The Notorious B.I.G "Ready To Die", I didn't believe it could come close. Oh boy was I wrong, with classics like Halftime, One Love, and NY State of Mind, it most definitely comes close to "Ready To Die" But one song stood out from the rest, the Pete Rock produced The World Is Yours. In this song, Nas was tell me that I can be anything I wanted in this world, because the world was mine. So, I felt like if I worked hard and got a good education I could be great and successful in this world. From that day, Nas became my favorite rapper after the Notorious B.I.G. because Nas raps about thing that inspires you to do better in your life. And a song like The World Is Yours inspire me to continue my education to get my college degree to be the best I can be.

LEARN FROM NAS

 

LIFE

Finally to the songs that taught me about life and how to survive in it. I was about 7 years old and my parents brought Snoop Doggy Dogg's "Doggystyle" album. That album consisted of classics like Gin & Juice, Murder Was The Case, and What's My Name. This album was a major play in my house because when we had company the production by Dr. Dre got the party started. Now if I didn't know how to cuss after this album you would think something was wrong. I know it wasn't cool to be cussing at 7 but my parents couldn't really hear me because the music use to be loud. (Even though I heard many of these cuss words before... wink wink). But I felt with this album, you learned how to cuss the right way. (LOL). Now there are many songs on this album that I can chose, but the song that I chose is Niggaz & B!&@*3$. Now can you imagine if my mother would have heard me cussing, I probably wouldn't have been able to live pass 7. But I have to tell Snoop "good looks homie" because with this song I am a efficient cusser, ha. Nevertheless, if you really listen to this song, Snoop and others are telling you don't worry about nobody do what you do for yourself and don't care what people think. A serious life lesson.

CHECK IT OUT

 

Keeping the hip-hop going, about 8 years old my parents brought an album entitled "Ready To Die", from the Notorious B.I.G. He was from our hometown of Brooklyn N.Y. Now this album is an hip-hop classic that included: Juicy, Big Poppa, & One More Chance. But there was one song that stood out to me which was Everyday Struggle. It became my favorite song from B.I.G, in this song is explaining about life situations that we all go through. I felt that he understand about life hardships that we deal with in this crazy world. As a result, with this song B.I.G was letting us know that this world is not easy but just because you get out of one situation doesn't mean there won't be any other challenges to face. Another life lesson I live by everyday.

VIBE WITH B.I.G

To another Brooklyn artist, Jay-Z to me represented for NY during times when we needed it. September 11, 2001 will be a day that a New Yorker will never forget. It was the day that the World Trade Center was attacked by terrorist which caused the World Trade to be destroyed and caused people to died. On that day, Jay-Z released his classic "The Blueprint" which consisted the battle track Takeover, the emotional Song Cry, and the radio friendly Izzo (H.O.V.A). But I felt that Jay-Z gave NY the song we needed during those tragic time Heart of the City (Ain't No Love). It felt good for a NY rapper to give us a little hope and that's what I got from this song, because during this time NYC wasn't getting any love. And if you know me I represent NYC to the fulliest. (HENCE THE NY KNICKS) But thanks Jay for this record.

VIBE TO THIS JOINT

In conclusion, now you have a visual on how these 12 songs were a big influenced on my life as a whole. I learn so much from these songs because they have made me become a better person.

WHAT SONG INFLUENCES YOU?

My New Jack Swing Era: The Era of the late 80s

As you guys know from reading my blog, I love soul music from the 50s-90s. But finally I can discuss an era that I know about which is the "New Jack Swing Era". This era I actually were born in. To my knowledge the "New Jack Swing Era" was developed by Teddy Riley, of the groups Guy & Blackstreet. "New Jack Swing is R&B vocals sung over a hip-hop and dance-pop. Basically this type of sound made you want to dance. 


Now, I was introduced to this type of sound by my mother and father. During this time, there was 4 albums that they played a lot. The albums included Keith Sweat's "Make It Last Forever", Guy's "Guy", Bobby Brown's "Don't Be Cruel", and Janet Jackson's "Rhythm Nation 1814". These album were a must play between 1987 to 1992. And until my father's death these albums had to be played every time we went on a trip. Most these albums are very sentimental because it showed me another fun side of my father and mother as child you didn't often see. Now, since my father has passed on listening to these albums bring back happy memories with him and other family members.


In 1988, I was a 2 year old baby and my mother & father decided to move to Richmond VA from the hard life of Brooklyn, NY to start a new life. Now I don't remember a lot about the move to VA, but I remember "Make It Last Forever", "Guy", "Don't Be Cruel", and "Rhythm Nation" was always played. One memory that I can recall from the VA era was one weekend my parents decided to take a trip back to NY for a visit and my mother decided that we all should wear matching white sweat suits. (To this day I am glad my mother doesn't have a picture of that because I bet we looked like clowns..lol) During that 6 hour ride to NY, I can remember those 4 albums being played. Now at 2 or 3 years could you imagine my and my parents  in white matching sweat suits rocking to these songs in the car, CLASSIC!


But it wasn't until we move to South Carolina, when my mother began college that these albums became part of my life. I am going to give a song about each of these 4 albums and at the end I will explain which album I liked the best.

Keith Sweat's "Make It Last Forever"  is the album that put "New Jack Swing" into the mainstream. This Teddy Riley produced album is a classic. With songs like "I Want Her", "Something Just Ain't Right", "In the Rain", and the classic duet "Make It Last Forever", you can't say this album didn't bring the New Jack Swing Era to relevancy. This album is very dear to me because my father, my uncle, and cousin all enjoyed this album to death. Now,  I know they all are in heaven blasting this album riding down the road. I remember when my uncle Alvin and cousin Andre use to come to our house in South Carolina, my father was pop in the tape and they would all sing to it. Three old men singing Keith Sweat, now everybody that is a fan of Keith Sweat knows he is begging type of singer, so to hear them was always funny.(Actually brings tears to my eyes writing about it). But these songs really classified this album as a classic:
                                                           

Something Just Aint Right

Tell Me It's Me You Want

Don't Stop Your Love

Make It Last Forever

Remake In The Rain

NEXT

This is the album that made me fall in love with Janet Jackson. Now with these four albums, this album my mother and I related to more than my dad. This album was more of a social issue album. In this album, Janet was talking about issues that were going on in our communities such as education, illiteracy, and social injustice. Songs like "Rhythm Nation", State of World, and my personal favorite "The Knowledge" defined this album. Now this album, my mother insisted to be played a lot because the songs had a message and you can dance to it and me and her love to dance. Today, I am so happy that this album was played because this is the album that made me want to go to college. One classic memory I can remember from this album, is the first time I heard "The Knowledge" at 4 years old I used to always ask my mother to play this song. So by the time I got to South Carolina, I actually started to listen to the lyrics which was a great message. During this time, I was observing my mother going through college and she would always tell that education is important. Then when I finally listen to the lyrics to "The Knowledge" it make me want something better for my life and at the age of 7, I know that I wanted to be like my mother and follow the lyrics of "The Knowledge".  These songs defined this album as a classic. This is album very still current, for example the Trayvon Martin case. 

The Knowledge

State of World

Alright(Which I can find the album version because the last 40 second is awesome)

Living In A World (RIP Travyon Martin)

NEXT

I am thankful for this album not just for the good music, I was introduced to this my favorite artist of all time Mary J. Blige. I remember this album completely this was a straight new jack swing to the end. Guy included the created of this era Teddy Riley, the voice behind the group Aaron Hall, and Damien Hall. This album had to be played which was agreeable with me, my mother and father. Songs like "Teddy's Jam", "Spend The Night", and "Groove Me" made you just want to dance. I remember me as a young child dancing hard on the dance floor to this album. Then ballad's like "Piece of My Love" and my personal favorite "Goodbye Love" are slow jam classics. The reason for "Goodbye Love" being my personal favorite is because an unknown Mary J. Blige sung the background vocals of this song. Even before I knew that was Mary singing background I loved this song, I used to ask my mother who is that girl singing those epic background vocals, when we learned it was Mary J. Blige, we knew we would meant to love her. (Yes me and family are BIG Mary J. Blige fans) But this "Guy" was a classic, that describes the New Jack Swing Era. But these were my favorites on this album

Goodbye Love (Listen to epic background vocals of Mary J. Blige)

I Like

Spend The Night

Groove Me

LASTLY

This album was more of an album that my father and I vibe on more than my mother because it was a more masculine album. Songs like "My Prerogative" make you just wanted sing to a girl and tell her "It's my prerogative, Imma do what I wanna do" like Bobby said at the end of the song. I can remember me and my father use sing this song in the car while my mother would look at us crazy. This album defined Bobby Brown as his own artist after trying to find himself after being in New Edition. Songs like "Every Little Step", "Don't Be Cruel", "Roni", and "Rock Witcha" made this album an instant classic. These were my personal favorites from the album 

Every Little Step (With the Rap)

Take It Slow

My Prerogative

Rock Witcha

As you see this albums are very close to me because it was the era that I was born in. The New Jack Swing Era was the era that really made me play attention music, which is part of the reason why I fell in love with music. Out of all the 4 albums, I must say that Keith Sweat's "Make It Last Forever" is the album that will always be close to me because my late father, my late uncle, and late cousin love this album. And every time I listen to this album, I just laugh and cry about the great memories I have with them. In the beginning it was hard to listen to, but now I can jam to the album because I know those three are in heaven jamming to the album too. Now as I conclude this blog entry these were the albums that represent my "New Jack Swing" era.