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?

11 Years Later: World Trade Center Attacks

2 Albums/Music That Kept Me Sane During Trying Time:

Wow, I can't believe it's been 11 years since the World Trade attacks happened. September 11, 2001 is a day I will never forget. It one of the days that you don't like to remember, for example the day Michael Jackson died or the day The Notorious B.I.G passed. You will always remember the things you were doing on those days. But I am glad that two albums got me through those tragic times, Mary J. Blige's No More Drama and Jay-Z's The Blueprint. And with both artists being from NY, it felt good that we New Yorkers had to our home artists to listen to help us through the pain.

Now September 11, started out as any normal day. I remember waking up with me and moms still talking about the Janet Jackson "All For You" concert that we attended about 3 weeks prior. Her and I was reminiscing about the concert and it was the last time we heard Aaliyah before she died. So I finally left the house walking to the bus stop, listening to Mary J. Blige's No More Drama album. The album was released about 2 weeks ago, with me with me being a big Mary fan I was playing it non-stop. So, I get to school and first period began and my Electronics teacher, Mr Delfino always played the news. But this day, I actually paid attention to it and I heard the newscaster say "Oh my God that plane just crashed into the World Trade Center".  Now with the class at full attention, the newscaster says again "Oh my GOD another plane went into the second building". Now the classroom was so quiet you could hear a pin dropped. My instructor kept the TV on the whole class, we didn't even do anything for the rest of class. My instructor and I were from NY, so most of the people in the class couldn't understand what we felt. After the attacks, I felt empty so I took out my cd player and just played track 6, from Mary's album which was the title song "No More Drama". The song during this time had so much more meaning. While listening to the song, I was just thinking how blessed I am because 3 months prior my Electronics class went to the World Trade Center to check out the wiring of the building. Furthermore, my grandma just retired from AT&T after 30 years which was near the World Trade Center. I just started praying and thanking GOD that my family wasn't affected by it. but I prayed for the people that were.

So, the  school day ended and I remember getting home and my mother called me and said "Get some clothes for you and me and get to grandma's house, I will meet you there" Meanwhile, I had the No More Drama album blasting while I getting ready, by this time the album had so much more meaning. But these three songs were more meaningful during this:

No More Drama

Testimony

Destiny

As my mother got to my grandma's house, my family kept the news on and I stayed on the computer for updates. Then I realized Jay-Z's The Blueprint was just released. I went to cdnow.com and previewed the album. After previewing it I knew I had to get it. So I downloaded it. Alot of the songs had that soulful spirit what soothed my soul. (Yea I used Napster at the time. but I brought that Friday though lol) But during this time, three songs stood out:

Heart Of The City

 

Never Change

All I Need

These songs to me were uplifting to me because I needed music to escape what tragic was going on in the world. As a result, the whole week No More Drama & The Blueprint were the only two albums I was listening to. Furthermore, I want to think Mary & Jay-Z for releasing these albums at that time because it became food for thought for me. 

WHEN YOU TURNED ON THE RADIO THESE SONGS WERE ON 24/7 DURING THIS TRAGIC TIME:

Whitney Houston's National Anthem

Various Artists-What's Going On

Marvin Gaye-What's Going On

Bruce Springsteen-Born In the USA

WHAT SONGS ON MUSIC WERE YOU LISTENING THROUGH THESE TRYING TIMES??

Songs For Moment...Just A Feeling Part 5

I NEVER WANNA LIVE WITHOUT YOU-MARY J. BLIGE

This song is my favorite song of ALL TIME, period. You can hear the soul, pain, and passion in Mary's voice when she sings this. When I first heard this song back in 94, this was the song that I always remember. When my mother used to play the "My Life" album, I used to sing along with the whole album until it got to track 9. This song I would just lip sync and let Mary have the speakers, because I could never sing this song like Mary {NOBODY WILL so don't try it}. Now that I am 24, every time I hear this song it feels like the first time, it sends chills up my spine. I remember when my mother took me to Mary's latest concert, Mary did this song in a chair, I cried all the way through it. What made it so special Mary never did this song on any of her tours.

JUST LISTEN TO HER & CLOSE YOUR EYES FEEL IT, LET MARY TAKE YOU AWAY FOR 6 MINUTES

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l50ljpa4Boc

OTIS-KANYE WEST & JAY-Z

Now on twitter everybody was talking about this OTIS song with Kanye West & Jay-Z. But I said I would wait until I hear it on the radio because I wasn't the best fan of H.A.M, so I was nervous. But everyone started talking about it. So a girl I called my musicalsoulmate (@DMV_Duchess) told me about the song early in the morning. I felt that it was a must listen because me and her have the same musical taste. So I decided to give the song a chance, what I heard was incredible, I can't stop listening to it. First I was excited because it was my favorite song from Otis Redding "Try A Little Tenderness". {Chris Brown didn't make it first, younguns} Then, I felt that the song brings back that old hip hop, which makes you feel so good. Also, Jay-Z & Kanye are going H.A.M on this. {But I feel Kanye got him} When my mother called me and told me she like the song, I knew it was great, because she is very picky when it comes to new music. 

HEAR THE INCREDIBLE SONG, FEEL THE SOUL OF THAT OLD HIP HOP

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRfBqPOURmc

(If you want to download)

http://hulkshare.com/5vo5oyh1fqtl

TOOK MY LOVE-PITBULL & RED FOO VEIN & DAVID RUSH

This one might confuse you a little bit, because its a club song. I really didn't learn about Pitbull until one of my best friends, Nikita, introduced me to him. Doing our college years, she used to listen to him. After hearing Give You Everything, I felt like I needed to get his album. His album makes you want to go to a Miami club and dance all night long. But "Took My Love" was clearly one of the songs that stood out. It's like that are pouring their soul out on a dance track. And actually I love it, it makes you pour all your anger out on the dance floor for someone that took your love.


ROCK TO THE CLUB "HEARTBREAK" SONG {LOL}
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTI_aoJO0Uc

TGIF

Friday's Quote of the Day

During these last couple of weeks, I really have learned a lot about myself that I didn't know, some which caused me to change things in my life dealing with family & friends. As a result, I felt that I needed to give a quote about personal growth.



"Make it your business to know yourself, which is the most difficult lesson in the world"

-Miguel De Cervantes

(2) Friday's Song of the Day

'Moment Of Clarity' by Jay-Z

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L92dYzBGBHk

"To Be Invisible" by Gladys Knight & The Pips

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWq-ugyg3jA

Have a GOOD & SAFE weekend!!!!

Compare & Contrast Thursdays

The Notorious B.I.G vs Jay-Z



Now I wanted to compare Notorious B.I.G & Jay-Z for a long time. While I was watching the KNICKS game yesterday, I knew that I had a compare and contrast blog to do. As soon as I was thinking about my topic, Brooklyn Finest came on, which was a sign from GOD to do a blog between the two Brooklyn rappers. 

Starting it off with the Notorious B.I.G, (aka BIGGIE, FRANK WHITE, B.I.G) his considered to be one of the best rappers of all time. B.I.G stepped into the scene in 1992 on the remix to Mary J. Blige's Real Love. Then he was know for the remix to Dolly Dolly Baby with Supercat, Puff Daddy, and Mary J. Blige. Finally in 1994, he released the classic "Ready To Die" which talked about a guy from Brooklyn and the experiences that he faced. The hits included Juicy, Big Poppa, One More Chance, and Unbelievable. This album made B.I.G the biggest artist of 1995. However, with him being a star a beef with another great rapper Tupac Shakur, the EAST COAST vs WEST COAST beef. In 1996, Tupac Shakur was killed in Las Vegas, which B.I.G was said to have something to do with it. In 1997, "Life After Death" was finished, however he wouldn't be able to see it released because March 9 he was killed in LA, while promoting the album. The album sold 10 million albums and produced 2 number 1 singles. Above all, B.I.G told stories about a dude from Brooklyn trying to make it.

Being from a Brooklyn family, "Ready To Die" & "Life After Death" was always being played in my household. "Ready To Die" in my opinion is the best hip hop album of all time. Even though "Life After Death" is viewed as his best selling album, "Ready To Die" was just raw and real. B.I.G explained that "Life After Death" album was more commerical because he couldn't talk about killing and hustling, he wasn't doing that anymore. Although "Life After Death" was a good album, "Ready To Die" spoke to me more. As I stated before, these albums explained about a Brooklyn dude going from negative to positive, "and it's all good".

During the times of B.I.G, another Brooklyn rapper was getting noticed, Jay-Z. Jay-Z was known for being Big Daddy Kane's hype man and being Jaz-O's protage. Finally, in 1996 Jay-Z was released his first album, which is considered a hip hop classic "Reasonable Doubt". The album included the hits, Can't Knock The Hustle w/Mary J. Blige, the Brooklyn anthem Brooklyn Finest w/The Notorious B.I.G, Dead Presidents, Can I Live, and Ain't No Nigga w/Foxy Brown. After a year of the album's release in 1997, the death of the Notorious B.I.G took a toll on Jay. In addition, Brooklyn was missing that void since B.I.G died, so Jay took the roll. In 1997, he released "In My Lifetime Vol 1", which was very commerical. In 1998, he went back into his Reasonable Doubt days and released "Vol 2. Hard Knock Life", which included the classic, Hard Knock Life, Can I Get A, and Nigga What Nigga Who. From 1999 to 2009, he released albums that Jay-Z a powerhouse in the hip hop world. When Jay-Z accepted the role after B.I.G died, he has really stood by his word. Like Jay-Z says "What More Can I Say", in my opinion he doesn't have too.

I didn't start listening to Jay-Z until I became a teenager. This around the time when "The Blueprint" was released. However, I knew Jay's songs like Hard Knock Life, Can I Get A, and Can't Knock The Hustle. But I just didn't get into his music until "The Blueprint". To me, that album is a classic because of songs like The Takeover, Ain't No Love(Heart of The City), Song Cry, and U Don't Know. Then, I started to listen to albums like "Reasonable Doubt" and "Volume 1-3". As result, I started liking his music. My mother and father like Jay-Z, but they were more B.I.G fans, that's why he wasn't really play in my household.

SIMLIARITIES

• Both are from Brooklyn, New York
• Both were hustlers
• First albums are considered classic
• Both married R&B singers
• Both had their own record label

DIFFERENCES

• Jay-Z was a hype man for Big Daddy Kane, B.I.G wasn't a hype for anyone.
• Jay-Z had to create his own record label to get into the rap game, B.I.G was signed to Bad Boy Records, then he branched out.
• In the beginning Jay-Z was knew to be rhyming fast, but then he changed his style up. B.I.G kept his style the same
• Both artists like the KNICKS until Jay-Z went a brought the NETS. B.I.G stayed LOYAL to the KNICKS unlike Jay.
• 2 albums made B.I.G one of the best rappers of all time & it took Jay-Z about 5 albums.

WHICH RAPPER I LIKE BETTER

To me B.I.G was a better storyteller. He took you through the hood with his rhymes. Not taking anything from Jay-Z, I just think B.I.G didn't change for anybody. I think Jay-Z rode B.I.G death to become popular. However, Jay-Z is a great rapper one of the best. But if B.I.G was still living, I feel that Jay-Z would have been like Fabolous is today. I feel that "Ready To Die" is the best hip hop album of all time. My favorite Jay-Z has to be "The Blueprint" because that was the album that made me fall in love with his music. Even though "Reasonable Doubt" is considered a classic, "The Blueprint" spoke to me more. I feel that if B.I.G was still out today I think he wouldn't have changed for the coporate world, but Jay-Z did. Like B.I.G said, when you get into this industry everyone wants to go commerical because that's where the money is. But you don't change who you are, in my opinion I think Jay-Z did. Above all, I like both of this rapper because they represented Brooklyn to the fulliest, but B.I.G to me was the better rapper.

SONGS THEY DID TOGETHER

Brooklyn's Finest
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_DLD7OMUns

I Love The Dough
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6HLi4oCebc&feature=related

5 FAVORITE B.I.G JOINTS

Everyday Struggle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rogvlB2SP4k

Ten Crack Commandments
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyWTJWrH1aI&feature=related

Who Shot Ya
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJC2ax18oQM

Warning
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6HC4SpqyCo

Suicidal Thoughts
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GygEAcFFMVs

5 FAVORITE JAY-Z JOINTS

Takeover
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAnGnevKxJE

Moment of Charity
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L92dYzBGBHk

Ain't No Love(Heart Of The City)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QePjIIBI-sI

Can't Knock The Hustle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORQOYpLaA9U

Can I Live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JC7MJ8l73SQ&feature=related


WHO'S YOUR FAVORITE OF THE TWO??