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In my opinion, the best hip-hop album of all time is “De La Soul Is Dead”

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For me, the best album in hip-hop history stays “De La Soul is dead”, the group’s legendary second album from 1991. As I said in my “Off the Wall” vs. “Thriller” article, a key part of a great album is making a thesis and combining the songs, sound, and feel of that thesis. If it’s cohesive, it means the songs flow together to create a statement. Historically, hip-hop has given us many amazing, consistent albums, from Public Enemy’s It Takes A Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, Kanye’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Raekwon’s Onlybuilt 4 Cuban Linx, and A Tribe Called “Low Level Theory” by Quest, “The Chronic” by Dr. Dre, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill and Nas’ Illmatic. This is not a complete list. There are a lot of hip-hop albums that are consistent. For me, the best of them is “De La Soul Is Dead”, because the thesis of this album is even deeper than most albums that have it – “Dead” challenges the definition of what De La Soul is and in that sense the meaning black.

“De La Soul Is Dead” is like a sequel that requires you to observe the first film to actually understand the deeper undertones of the second film. On their 1989 debut album “3 feet high and soaring”, De La — which includes late rapper Trugoy the Dove, rapper Posdnous and DJ/rapper Maseo — introduced themselves as hip-hop hippies. They emerged at a time when hip-hop was still centered around urban MCs talking about life in the hood. De La was from the suburbs of Long Island and they never tried to hide that in their music or vibe. But being open about who they were made people think they were soft. Sometimes when they were on tour, people would try to fight the guys because they thought they couldn’t fight. Their producer, Prince Paul, talked about this when I talked to him on an episode of Being Black the 80s about De La Soul’s “My Brother’s A Basehead.”

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But being perceived as soft had an excellent deeper resonance, no less than in the late Eighties. At that time, it appeared like the hood was the heart of being black, and being a hood meant you were tough. Being a gang, no less than in a hip-hop context, meant you were tough as hell, world-weary, cold-hearted, and prepared for anything. Being seen as easy was a metaphor for being black.

On their second album, De La got down to break the belief that they were fragile – they wanted to vary the way people thought of them. I do not know of many albums in the history of hip-hop that were so focused on the idea of ​​changing the way people perceived the character of the group itself. Sometimes artists openly change their aesthetics, but that is not the point. This is De La saying you do not understand who we actually are after which trying to clarify who they’re.

The album is crammed with De La’s signature fun and eclectic samples, in addition to plenty of great, complex rhymes and skits from the guys, which adds as much as De La arguing, somewhat angrily, that they don’t seem to be hippies and they don’t seem to be gentle – I can not I consider a rap group recorded an album with the caption: . Consequently, they are saying: yes, we usually are not a gang, nevertheless it is still difficult for us and we’re still black.

Other hip-hop albums have touched on the challenges of dealing drugs and coping with the police, but on “Dead,” De La took on a very different set of challenges. In one song they told us a story about sexual abuse in the family. In one other song, they told the story of Brother Posdnous’s very real addiction to crack. (I’m going deeper into this topic on my podcast, “Being Black: The ’80s.”) In one other song, the guys got incredibly disgusted once they went to Burger King. It’s definitely not on the same level as the other songs, but I say this album is often about their problems because, hey, life in the suburbs will be tough.

“Dead” is a conversation with audiences and critics about who we thought they were based on their first album and who they are surely, which comes from the belief that they usually are not fragile. In an excellent series of sketches, or interludes, a gaggle of three boys find the tape we’re listening to and criticize it. One of them hates it, which is hysterical, and the other one likes it. Of course, the one who hates repeatedly attacks the one who likes it. It’s an incredible meta-commentary on the audience surrounding their album, the nature of hip-hop skits (which were ubiquitous at the time), and the importance of being hard or soft in the culture.

Thanks to “Dead”, De La definitely managed to vary people’s opinion about them – they got rid of the hippie/soft label. They killed the old De La Soul image and did it by creating loads of amazing songs that I still like to at the present time. There are many great albums in the history of hip-hop, but none like the De La Soul album about De La Soul, which aimed to vary the way people thought of De La Soul. We didn’t use the word meta back then, but when we did, “Dead” could be the best meta hip-hop album.


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Whitney Houston’s Epic 1994 South Africa Performance to Be Released as Concert Film

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Whitney Houston, theGrio.com

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Whitney Houston The epic South African concert, which took place on the heels of President Nelson Mandela’s groundbreaking election, will hit cinemas this fall.

Houston’s 1994 performance was fully remastered and released in cinemas under the title “The Concert for a New South Africa (Durban)” according to a press release released Tuesday by several associates, including Houston’s heirs, Sony Music Entertainment and Trafalgar Releasing.

The limited theatrical release will begin on October 23 and can include: a never-before-seen performance by the late singer from Durban, South Africa. The project will precede a brand new live album, The Concert for a New South Africa (Durban) , which will probably be released on November 8.

“She loved South Africa, she loved the people and she loved Nelson Mandela,” he said. Pat HoustonThe singer’s sister-in-law and executor of her estate in Houston, who’s executive producing the concert film. “This concert is one of the most important concerts of her career. On this important 30th anniversary, we are thrilled to be able to share this film not only with her fans, but also with the people of South Africa and their next generation.”

In 1994, Houston performed three concert events in South Africa, including Durban at Kings Park Stadium, Johannesburg and Cape Town. Her performances took place within the newly unified post-apartheid country following Mandela’s historic election victory.

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The concert events attracted over 200,000 attendees in a show crammed with celebrations of freedom, hope and unity. Proceeds from her concert events went to quite a few local kid’s charities in South Africa through her foundation.

Houston’s performance has been remastered in 4K for the film, together with enhanced audio. The concert film will probably be shown in nearly 900 theaters in greater than 25 countries.

“It was my first time in South Africa, and I don’t think I was really prepared for how this trip would change me forever,” said Rickey Minor, a three-time Emmy Award winner who served as Houston’s musical director for 25 years. “The energy was electric and the audience was incredible as we celebrated the end of apartheid. Whitney shared her love and shone her light.”

Earlier that yr, Houston won three Grammy Awards, including album of the yr for the soundtrack to “The Bodyguard.” She won record of the yr and best female pop vocal performance for the smash hit “ I will always love you.”

Houston was certainly one of the world’s best-selling artists thanks to her effortless, powerful vocals rooted within the black church but made palatable to the masses by her pop persona. She sold greater than 200 million records worldwide over her 25-year profession and won six Grammy Awards, 16 Billboard Music Awards and two Emmys before her death in 2012.

Houston’s live album will feature a few of her biggest hits from ” I need to dance with someone (who loves me)How will I do know?I even have nothing “And” The greatest love of all It will also feature the unreleased song “Love Is”.

“The message of hope and unity from the performance in Durban, South Africa, is still as relevant today as it was 30 years ago,” said Marc Allenby, CEO of Trafalgar Releasing. “Fans will be thrilled to see how powerful it is on the big screen.”

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Yolanda Adams is still dealing with the blessing with ‘Sunny Days,’ her first studio album in almost 13 years

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NEW YORK (AP) — If happiness is a journey, not a destination, then Yolanda Adams has used her faith and smiles to sustain her spirits through life’s ups and downs.

“I think I was born with that happiness gene that people talk about,” the gospel star said. “I want people to leave here feeling like they’re better than they are… I’ve had days when I’ve been up, I’ve had days when I’ve been down. But at the end of the day, the one lesson I’ve learned in every single one of those scenarios is that this too shall pass.”

That theme continues throughout her latest album, “Sunny Days,” her first studio project in nearly 13 years.

“The way you look at anything has a lot to do with how you deal with it,” said the booming-voiced four-time Grammy Award winner.

The 15-track project was six years in the making, delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic and her role in the television series “Kingdom Business”.

“Sunny Days” is a piece written and produced by gospel music giant Donald Lawrence and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame members Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewiswhose work on Babyface also contributed to the delay. The album is promoted by the song “Church Doors”, which after only one week reached number 9 on Billboard magazine’s Hot Gospel Songs chart.

As he has throughout his profession, Adams uses his musical gift of encouragement on songs like the title track “Blessings” and “Powerful,” which has a spoken-word intro: (*13*)

“I try to be the best cheerleader I can be for everyone in my life,” the former elementary school teacher said. “You know how The Lion King says, ‘Simba, remember who you are.’ That’s what it’s all about: You are powerful.”

“When We Pray” – Produced by Jam and Lewis, who rose to fame after working with stars including Janet Jackson, Babyface, Usher and Mary J. Blige — it’s about putting faith into motion. Adams says she has a “lifelong bond” with the duo.

“We write together. We laugh, we cry,” said Adams, 63. “We talk about the problems of the world together and how we can create great music that can make people not only aware of the blessings of their lives but aware of the space they’re in right now.”

Named the #1 Gospel Artist of the 2000s by Billboard, Adams has produced iconic hits resembling “The Battle is the Lord’s,” “I’m Gonna Be Ready,” “In the Midst of It All” and “Be Blessed,” in addition to hits with Jam and Lewis: “Never Give Up” and “Open My Heart,” the latter from her Grammy Award-winning 1999 album Mountain High … Valley Low.

“Open My Heart,” which the late Luther Vandross privately championed when his record company desired to release a special single, reached unprecedented heights, crossing over to R&B radio and peaking at No. 57 on Billboard’s Hot 100.

“I was in the middle of making a business decision that didn’t just affect my family. It affected everyone on the road with me,” Adams said, reflecting on the inspiration for the song. “I’m sitting here today because I made the right decision.”

The Texas Southern graduate starred in the BET+ drama Kingdom Business, currently in its second season, as Denita, a gospel star and music executive determined to guard her family’s secrets. While Adams enjoys playing a personality who is very different from herself, she says it’s been a challenge for some fans.

“I lost a couple of fans who were like, ‘You didn’t have to swear,’” she explained that while she had no input into the script, her character is believable because churchgoers aren’t perfect. “When people are dealing with life, it can make you say things you wouldn’t normally say. And I really hope people take away from ‘Kingdom Business’ this: If you were the person you were trying to judge… how would you feel?”

Adams is currently on the 33-date Kirk Franklin Reunion Tour, which features fellow gospel titans Fred Hammond, Marvin Sapp and The Clark Sisters. While gospel has all the time been her passion, she is open to performing a secular R&B song and has spoken to Stevie Wonder a few duet and helping him with a possible gospel project.

For now, nonetheless, she is focused on getting the message of her book “Sunny Days” across, but she won’t measure its success by the variety of copies sold, but by the variety of hearts touched.

“When I hear your testimony and hear how music was a part of your life, it just makes me more accountable: ‘Yes, I have to keep making this music! I have to keep making good music! OK God, give me some good things so I can keep blessing people.'”

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This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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Janet Jackson recalls another major wardrobe mishap she experienced on stage

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Janet Jackson, Rhythm Nation, Janet Jackson style, theGrio.com

Janet Jackson once almost showed her full moon to the Queen of England.

The 58-year-old music icon opened up about an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction she had within the ’90s, in addition to a few of her most memorable fashion moments. British Vogue. When the “That’s the Way Love Goes” singer stepped out for a photograph in her iconic “Rhythm Nation” jumpsuit, she said, “Funny story about that jumpsuit: I was performing for the Queen of England and we were playing ‘Rhythm Nation.’ And sure enough, as soon as I crouched down, my pants ripped right down my ass crack. And I mean that very seriously.”

Jackson was in disbelief, she said, adding: “I thought, ‘Oh my God.’ And then I started feeling air in there, so I knew it had actually happened.”

She coped with the style faux pas by never turning her back on the Queen. When the choreography required her to show, she said, “I just looked straight ahead.”

“Can you imagine what it would be like if I showed myself to her for even a second?” she asked.

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Elsewhere within the film, Jackson takes viewers on a journey through her childhood looks within the Nineteen Seventies to her more memorable stage looks from throughout her epic entertainment profession. She admits that she was a tomboy who often needed to argue her viewpoint when it got here to her mother’s clothing decisions. She preferred wearing suits and trousers, while her mother favored dresses and colours like pink.

But, Jackson noted with a sly smile, “I’ve gotten my way in a lot of cases.”

She added: “It was just about being myself and being comfortable.”

In another photo from her teens on the American Music Awards, she wears a red ruffled taffeta dress and a pair of hoop earrings, one in all which has a key hanging from it. She explained that since she didn’t carry a key chain, she needed to get creative when it got here to keeping her keys on her person.

“I was in charge of the animals, and we had animals: giraffes, mouflon sheep, pheasants, toucans, cockatoos, dogs,” she said, adding: “That’s why I kept the key there.”

She also noted that she hadn’t seen the dress for the reason that ’80s, when her older sister LaToya wore it herself.

“Sisters,” she said with fun.

The video ends with a scene from her current tour designed by Tom Browne.

“There are certain designers who are just brilliant to me. Thom is right up there. He’s a genius and he did this for me on tour,” she noted of the designer she called a friend.

“I think he did it, but he did it, and I did it,” she said of the tuxedo jumpsuit look.

Discussing the present tour and her fans, the music legend said, “You know, it’s people who have grown up with my music since the beginning and their kids. It just lets me know that my music has stood the test of time, which would be any artist’s dream.”

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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