The Album I Can't Get Enough Of

"Emotions" (1991)

Mariah Carey's "Emotions" for the last month I've been listening to everyday. I knew of this album but I really never listen to in its entirely. So, on twitter one of the trending topics was what was your favorite album from Mariah Carey most of my followers said the album "Emotions". See I never had a favorite Mariah album because she was not one of favorite artists. Now Mariah can SANG, but I never really listened to her albums in full expect "The Emancipation of Mimi". After seeing many of followers talking about the "Emotions" album I felt I will give it a full listen. Even though, I already knew songs like 'Emotions', the inspirational 'Make It Happen', and my then favorite song 'Can't Let Go'. When I finally listened to this album, it become one of my top favorite albums of all time. I absolutely love this album. Mariah was SANGING on this album. This album made me have so much more respect for her. Now as I give my "emotions" on this masterpiece, you will realize that I have 3 new favorite songs from her.

Track By Track Reviews (My Emotions of each song)

1. Emotions- The title track of the album was always great to me. I remember this song when I was in kindergarten and we used to play the radio during lunch and I remember singing this song with my class. (Yup this tells my age...lol) But I remember when the class used to try to hit the those high notes she did at the end. (Imagine high pitch 5 year olds trying to sing..classic!) This track was a very known track that I knew from Mariah because of the memories from kindergarten.
2. And You Don't Remember- One of my new favorite songs from Mariah. This was a track that I never heard before. The only time I knew about this song was when I saw Mariah do interview and they asked her what was her favorite song from this album she said 'And You Don't Remember'. This song sent chills through my body because the harmonies and her sanging was legendary. In addition, this song connected to me because made me think about situations that I have dealt it. It's like you gave your heart to someone and they don't remember the great/loving things they told you. But the thing that really gets you with this song is when she hits that high note graciously during the bridge.
3. Can't Let Go- This song use to be my favorite of mine from Mariah but since I have listened to this album in full this song is still great but 3 other songs in my opinion are better than this. But before my full listen, I used to love this song because of the smoothless, Mariah brought you into the song with her voice. During a time when I thought that someone really care for me but I turned out to be wrong, I really felt that Mariah was saying everything I wanted to say, and when she sings "and every night I see you in my dreams". I used to sing this and try to hit the note at the end, but one time I was singing with such emotion, I actually hit the note at the end. So that high note makes perfect sense at the end Mariah...lol 
4. Make It Happen- This song was also a song that I knew from her. I remember this song from the video with her in the church. This song is very inspirational, during my college days when I wasn't going to church on Sunday's I used to have Gospel playlist, this song was on there. Now we know Mariah is known for those high notes, but on this song it wasn't needed. She didn't over do it on this song. The part of the song that gets me is when she sings "I held onto my faith I struggled and prayed, and finally found my way". If you need a song with inspiration and a great beat, I recommend this song.
5. If It's Over - As I stated, I didn't know a lot about Mariah, so one day I was on youtube and I found this performance of her singing this song on the Grammys. That performance was epic, but it still didn't make me go listen to the album version. Every time someone would ask me about this song, I would say "have you seen her performance of this song on the Grammys". But finally after listening to the album version, I understand why Oprah wanted her to sing this song on her show. This song is great, but I feel that Grammy performance made the song legendary.
6. You're So Cold - This song is most definitely an album filler. But what draws me into this song is the beginning because it sounds like the beginning of the O'Jays "Backstabbers". With the O'Jays being in my favorite group of all time, Mariah had me from the beginning, when she hit that high note in the beginning then it was over, I was like "damn this girl has range". Every time this song plays, I rock out to it like if it's hip hop song. 
7. So Blessed - Another favorite of mine. I play this song every Sunday before church. Maybe Mariah talking about a person, but I feel like she is SANGING to GOD. It's like when you get to this song on the album, you realize maybe you have been hurt but you are blessed to see another day. "You are my heart, my everything, feeling you now is all I need". When she says this song, it continues to send chills up my shine. (I am listening to the song as I type this...*shakes from chills*). From this song and 'Make It Happen' you know that Mariah is very spiritual. Thank you Mariah for another inspirational song in my eyes.
8. To Be Around You - This song gives me the vibe of a 70s party, like from the scene in Claudine where Claudine plays "On & On" by Gladys Knight & the Pips and the party gets live where the people start doing the bump. Mariah gives me that vibe in this song. The end of the song where background vocalist harmonize with people talking was a great ending to the song.
9. Til The End of Time - This is my 2nd favorite track from the album. This song is so smooth. Mariah takes you to another place on this record. You can just close your eyes and imagine the person you want to be with and sing this to them. There is really no words to describe this song, but LEGENDARY!
10. The Wind - I love how she uses the wind in the background while the piano and her vocals sound great together. I feel that Mariah wanted this song to be more about the instruments which I love, which gives you that jazzy/blues vibe. This song was a great way to end an emotional album, as she lets instruments finish the album.

Well these are my emotions for each track of this masterpiece of an album. I see why many of my twitter followers love this album so much. I have such more respect for Mariah after hearing this album. I know it's late to give a review of this 21 year old album, but a masterpiece album like this I had to. If you don't have this album in your collection you need to get it.

MY TOP 3 FAVORITES SONGS

(LISTEN TO THE GREATNESS)

AND YOU DON'T REMEMBER

SO BLESSED

TIL THE END OF TIME

THE GRAMMY PERFORMANCE OF IF ITS OVER

When Did You Fall In Love With Hip-Hop??

Now I know that I love soul music, but hip-hop is also a part of my life as well. With me being from New York, hip-hop is a big part of my city. Artists like Run DMC, the late Notorious B.I.G, Jay-Z, and Nas, just to name a few are from New York. As a result, hip-hop has a small part in my life. With me being born in 1986, hip-hop was starting to become mainstream with RUN DMC being played on MTV, which was a station that only played rock and pop videos. But with their song 'Walk This Way' with Aerosmith made mainstream America play attention to hip-hop. During this time until the late 90s, hip-hop was more of social media, artists talked about issues in our inner cities but now it has changed drastically. During my younger years, that's what made me fall in love with hip-hop because artists were making a statement with their music not with just personality and hot club song. Now artists are so determined to talk about girls, cars, and money not about social issues about our inner cities and communities. That's why I respected one of my favorite rappers Nas' album "Hip-Hop is Dead" because as far as hip-hop community making a statement it has died. That's why I am so glad that we can go back and listen to classics, so we can know what REAL HIP HOP is. In this blog entry, I want to take you back into the 4 albums that made me fall in love with hip-hop.

As I stated hip-hop was on the verge of becoming mainstream in 1986, the year I was born. Now even though, soul music was a big part of my house because of my mother, but my father was a big hip-hop head. The first time I can recall hip-hop was when I was two years old and my father used to play Slick Rick's "The Great Adventures of Slick Rick" around the house a lot and the songs I can remember from that album is 'Hey Young World' and the classic 'Children's Story' at two years ago these songs caught my attention. I was two years old in my carseat going off with my mother and father to Slick Rick.

Rock with me for a minute:

In due respect, I have to give Slick Rick respect for making me take notice of hip-hop at two years old. By 1993, my family had migrated to South Carolina, where music became a big part of my life. As I stated, my father was a huge hip-hop fan and one day my father brought home "Doggystyle" by Snoop Doggy Dogg. At first, my mother and I looked at my father in confusion because we didn't really know who he was. But when he played it, I fell in love with it because all of the cuss words. To this day, I told my mother "Doggystyle" taught me how to cuss. Every time family would come over that album had to be played. I used to love when my father would blast this album because I could cuss without my parents hearing it. Besides the cussing, Snoop's rap flow was flawless on this. You can tell with this album Snoop had something to say and he was going to let the world hear no matter how vulgar it was. Then with the love of soul music, the production from Dr. Dre he used a lot of Curtis Mayfield and George Clinton which was also caught my attention. So in all thanks Snoop for teaching me how to cuss. (LOL)

Vibe with music: 

    What's My Name 

Doggy Dogg World

For All My Niggaz & Bitches

My Favorite Song on the Album

Ain't No Fun (If The Homies Can't Have None)

Now being from Brooklyn, my family definitely sided with the EAST when it came to the EAST vs WEST situation. In late 1994, I was riding home from school and I heard Brooklyn rapper made a song entitled 'Juicy'. When I heard this song, it made me feel something different. This rapper was telling his story about his struggle in Brooklyn and how he made it from negative to positive. So, I got home and told my family about it and my parents already knew this rapper. They told me his name was The Notorious B.I.G., I was surprised they knew with them being so "old" (just a joke mom). My dad said "Yeah we are going to get his album because he's from Brooklyn" (so biased). Now, with me being a Mary J. Blige fan, I didn't think this was the same guy that was on the 'Real Love' (Remix). But I didn't realize that later on. In Nov 94, my father brought "Ready To Die" home after that, The Notorious B.I.G became my favorite rapper of all time and still is. Biggie told stories about his struggles/outcomes and made you want to listen. This album in my opinion is the BEST HIP-HOP album of all time. Songs like Juicy, Everyday Struggle, Unbelievable, and Suicidal Thoughts are story-telling classics. This album is the main reason why I am so in love with hip-hop and every hip-hop album I listen to I try to compare it to "Ready To Die" and nothing can compare to this album, to me nobody has the story-telling gene like Biggie did and his flow is the best. (So what if I am being biased). Mine you this was hard for me to listen to anything else because "My Life" by Mary J. Blige came out around the same time so this album had to be epic for me to listen to because "My Life" was the only album was bumping to.

Listen to Biggie story-telling

 Brooklyn hip-hop anthem

Juicy

Biggie rode this beat flawless

Warning

Unbelievable

 

One of his best story-telling songs

Suicidal Thoughts

My Favorite song on the album

Everyday Struggle

Now this next artist I really didn't get into his classic album until middle school. But it also came out in 1994. Nas' "Illmatic" after I heard this album I knew that hip-hop will always be a part of my life. In this "Illmatic" album Nas was talking about how you can make yourself better and schooling you on knowledge. I heard this album at school doing basketball practice and I literally stop playing basketball to listen to this him. With "Illmatic" he made want something better for myself. He was teaching me things that my school didn't teach me about my culture, it actually made want to learn more about my culture. Songs like 'NY State of Mind', 'Life's A Bitch', and 'The World Is Yours' changed my outlook on life. When an album can do that, you know that it's a masterpiece. 

Learn something from Nas:

Life's A Bitch

My Favorite song on the album

NY State of Mind

Life Changing Song

The World Is Yours

It Ain't That Hard To Tell

As you can see I fell in love with hip-hop because of 4 rappers: Slick Rick, Snoop Doggy Dogg, The Notorious BIG, and Nas. These dudes caught my ear at a young age because all of them had a statement to express and they did through poetry. 

Now I am about to do my top 10 hip-hop albums of all time:

1.  Ready to Die - The Notorious B.I.G

2.  Illmatic - Nas

3.  Reasonable Doubt -  Jay-Z

4.  The Low End Theory - A Tribe Called Quest

5.  The Score - The Fugees

6.  Enter the Wu Tang (36 Chambers) - Wu-Tang

7.  Life After Death - The Notorious B.I.G

8.  Doggystle - Snoop Doggy Dogg

9.  The Blueprint- Jay-Z

10. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill- Lauryn Hill

WHEN DID YOU FELL IN LOVE WITH HIP-HOP?

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE HIP-HOP ALBUM & WHY?

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. 

  

Songs For Moment...Just A Feeling Part 7

Beautiful Surprise-Tamia

Alot of people on twitter was talking about this song, so I felt that I had to listen to it. This is song in my opinion is real R&B with a nice groove. Tamia in my opinion is underrated artist and song like this should be a hit. 

Check out this nice laid back song

Climax-Usher

Again on twitter everybody was talking about this new Usher song, Climax. Everyone was expressing how good it was. But I was a little worried, because Usher hasn't really made a R&B album since his album Here I Stand. Even though that album flopped, but he kept the music true. Now with this techno music being popular he decided to go with what's popular instead of making great music.  So, finally I listened to it, I was happy. Usher took it back to his R&B roots. If you are familiar with Usher's music "Climax" gives me the "Dotcom" feel. 

Check out this banger 

Grew Up Fast-J. Cole

J. Cole is one of my favorite rappers out right now. In my opinion, he is about that real hip-hop. His album Cole World was one of my favorite album last year. So, when I heard he had a new song I had to listen to it. When I pressed play to "Grow Up Fast" I was already hook because he used a David Ruffin sample titled, "Double Cross". David Ruffin is one of my favorite voices of all time, so J. Cole had a banger to me. He brought SOUL to the song.

Listen to this real soulful joint, then check out the original

Original Version

Happy Black History Month Pt 3: Inspirational

This is the last blog entry for the month of February, which is black history month. I figured why not conclude it with the person that got the African American community through all of struggles, which is our LORD & SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST. If it was not because of him my community would have never made it through the "Trying Times" (referring to a Donny Hathaway classic). 

Today was a day I was feeling a little discouraged and GOD always know what you are going through when nobody else does. So at work, I normally listen to my music and today it seems that it was playing my gospel playlist on it's own. The songs just keep playing, but a live performance by Whitney Houston singing "In Return" made me break down in tears at my desk. It just made me realize that GOD will give you joy during the tough times. This performance just started me to think about the situations that brought GOD brought me through, this discouragement I am feeling is very light. GOD has been good in my life and why should I feel sad, because GOD always answers my prayers.

So from the moment after my breakdown, I was listening to gospel music for the rest of the day. So from my story I realized that about 70 years ago my community was going through tough times everyday, but the thing that kept my community strong and believing was the faith they had in GOD. 

These are my favorite GOSPEL  songs/performances that I hope will inspiration you and keep you faith strong with GOD.

Whitney Houston "In Return"

In this song, Whitney is gracefully singing that you put your trust in GOD he will give you joy, love, and life abundantly. Listen to the POWER of this message

Bebe & Cece Winans "It's Ok"

(http://youngsoulbrother.blogspot.com/2011/03/bebe-cece-winans.html)

Bebe & Cece Winans is one the reason why I fell in love with gospel music. This song is makes me feel that I knew GOD is control "if you just believe".  The part that always get me is the bridge. Listen to this inspiration ballad

Kirk Franklin & the Family "Silver & Gold" 

"Silver & Gold" was the first gospel song that I took notice to. I remember in South Carolina before my mother and I would go to church on Sunday she would always turn the radio to the Sunday morning worship and "Silver & Gold" would always play. I asked my mother what the song meant, she explained that before money and riches, GOD should be the first in your life. At 7, I didn't really understand what it meant but I knew at my young age this song got to my spirit because I used to sing it around the house all the time. But when I found out how GOD was, I began to understand the lyrics. Listen to the live version and let GOD have his way

Aretha Franklin "GOD Will Take Care of You"

I figured for the last song I will give you the song that will always get me through the tough times. Aretha's first words she sangs it so heavenly,"be not dismay" always gets me teary eyed because when my mother in the hospital and one my drive home to NJ, the only song I listened to was this song because I needed to have strength because I didn't want to see my mother in the hospital. But the words "GOD will take care of you through everything" gave me the strength to see her and my prayer helped my mother make a speedy recovery. Listen to this empowering anthem

BONUS

Kirk Franklin "Smile"

About a month ago was going through some problems at my job and it caused me to be sad, but one day after work I came home and turned on my TV and "Smile" video came on. This song made me breakdown because you should always smile because you are blessed that GOD woke you up to face another day because other people didn't. That should put a smile on my face. The lyrics that get me is "I almost gave up all my power that I can't explain". Listen to this encouraging song

Happy Black History Month Pt 2

If I was going to do another blog entry on black history and it was dealing with music, the Apollo had to be mention. The Apollo Theater is famous for the likes of James Brown, The Jackson 5, and Whitney Houston. Whitney Houston recorded her most famous video "The Greatest Love of All". The Apollo has made the some of the BEST stars of all time.

Like I said in Part 1, since we in black history month, even though this black history month hasn't been happy with the deaths of Etta James, Don Cornelius, and Whitney Houston. But their musical spirit still lives on. 

THE THREE SONGS THAT REPRESENT BLACK HISTORY 

1.) Living For The City -Stevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder was a big part of black history. Even though, I like 60s Stevie a little better than 70s Stevie, but during the 70s he's music was revolutionary. He talked about things that the black communities had to deal it. I feel that "Living For The City", Stevie described to the mainstream America, what issues we as African Americans had to deal with. 

STEVIE'S LYRICS

His father works some days for fourteen hours 
And you can bet he barely makes a dollar 
His mother goes to scrub the floor for many 
And you'd best believe she hardly gets a penny

LISTEN THIS CLASSIC 

2.) Fight The Power- Public Enemy

Public Enemy is definitely one of the groups in hip-hop that wanted to explain the mainstream America about black history. This song as well as the video was very powerful. Chuck D explained our struggle that we went through for over 400 years. Lastly, Chuck D was trying to talk to the black communities to stand firm for you believe in.

CHUCK D'S LYRICS

Got to give us what we want
Gotta give us what we need
Our freedom of speech is freedom or death
We got to fight the powers that be
Lemme hear you say
Fight the power

LISTEN & WATCH THIS POWERFUL SONG & VIDEO

(I LOVE THE BEGINNING)

3.) We Shall Overcome- Glory Gospel Singers

This song is so powerful during the famous marches with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, my people would march and sing "We Shall Overcome" so the racial hate can stop. We didn't want to get treated like second-class citizens. We deserved the same rights as everyone else. Those marches and people like Dr. King helped the world finally see our first Black President, Barack Obama. Even though, my race still deal with racial injustice, but it is a lot better than Jim Crow days and the 1960s. 

LYRICS TO THIS POWERFUL SONG

The Lord will see us through, The Lord will see us through,
The Lord will see us through someday;
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe,
We shall overcome someday

LISTEN NATALIE FORD W/GLORY GOSPEL SINGERS SING THIS BEAUTIFULLY

LISTEN TO DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR PREACH ABOUT HOW "WE SHALL OVERCOME"

GOT THREE MORE NEXT WEEK!!!