Music has an uncanny ability to soothe the soul and make us forget our troubles. And in the midst of the current unrest in our country there are days that I long for an escape and a semblance of hope. Lately my semblance of hope has been in the form of music to aid in this sphere of isolation, I have discovered three songs that offer a beacon of light.
In my household as a kid music was a shared experience, meaning whatever the grown folk bopped to, like it or not after hearing it enough times it became your jam. With that being said I grew to like mostly everything including Blues and Bobby Blue Bland, but I digress Bobby Blue Bland will have to wait that’s a story for another day.
One of my favorite artists that I grew to love was Stevie Wonder, from his rhythmic vocals to the harmonica, Stevie’s appreciation for music was infectious. Recently Stevie Wonder released a new song “Can’t put it in the hands of fate” and for various reasons I cannot seem to get enough. Maybe because this song is a hip-hop lover’s dream and features Rapsody and Busta Rhymes in tandem rapping as only they can with their added flair and recognizable voices. Aside from the lyrics being on point with where we are in our world this is definitely raw – uncut Stevie and nothing like his infamous “Superstition, Isn’t she Lovely, and My Cherie Amour.” Peep this…“You say that you believe that all lives matter, I say I don’t believe the f*ck you do.” Clutch your pearls chile’, Stevie is unfiltered, and I like it!
Two things my childhood experience taught me was an overall appreciation for music and the ability to home in on the lyrics and the type of story being shared with the listener. A good storyteller is sort of an essayist and although I consider Jay-Z and Tupac to be masterful at their crafts, while in the car the other day I experienced a storytelling experience by a rapper and quickly Shazamed to revisit the lyrics. And revisit I did, Lil Baby’s song “The Bigger Picture” reads like a well written essay. Baby took me places that in the last few months I’ve tried to suppress but very much needed to tap into with the pain of George Floyd’s death, police brutality, COVID, and protest and national outcry’s, and if that wasn’t enough to digest the hook enticed me even more:
“It’s bigger than black and white
It’s a problem with the whole way of life
It can’t change overnight (nah)
But we gotta start somewhere
Might as well gon’ head start here
We done had a hell of a year
I’ma make it count while I’m here
God is the only man I fear”
As a college instructor this would certainly be an “A” paper – and the video makes it an astounding A+… Lil Baby took me on a ride through the last 8 months of life, and he painted this story perfectly. If nothing else this song reminds us that it’s been “a hell of a year” this we can all attest, and like it or not this is a year try as we may, we will never be able to forget…and that’s ok hopefully it will be used as something we can all learn from either way I’m here for that too!
When it comes to music a good beat always sucks me in. Case in point – Bounce music and Big Freedia. Since Freedia’s tv debut some years back I’m a fangirl! Perhaps its because I long to get my twerk game up even though my mirror practice reinforces that this will probably never happen, I’m so unbothered…practice makes perfect and at some point my moves will come through.
Freedia recently released a song in only Freedia fashion titled “Rona-Rona,” a play on what else…Corona. Throughout the song sis is reminding us to “Clorox-Clorox-Clorox” and that “this virus is vile, ya’ll, this is serious people.” And my favorite part in my Freedia voice “Germs everywhere,” all while minding my own business, twerking, and staying socially distanced.
So in your spare time take a listen to my picks, I guarantee you will be moved in some capacity if not by all three beats maybe one will stick. Let’s keep shining and being conscious and socially aware, in times like these music really does matter.
Until next time, Peace