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Questlove offers a fascinating look at hip-hop’s past in his new book, Hip-Hop Is History

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IN Questlove’s Fascinating New Book, Hip-Hop Is History,” rewrites hip-hop history to his own specifications. It’s exciting to read a really thoughtful book about hip-hop history written from the angle of an elite practitioner who can also be a superfan and historian. One of the primary ideas that jumped out at me is how Questlove sees hip-hop history: he sees 1982 as a turning point, but he also believes that each five years there’s a significant shift in the culture, enough to mark a new chapter in the genre. I desired to dig deeper and see what happened in those years of change, to know what Quest is saying.

The yr 1982 was a breakthrough yr attributable to the discharge of two groundbreaking singles – “Message” by Grandmaster Flash and the Big Five and “Planet Rock” by Afrika Bambaataa & the Soulsonic Force. With these two tracks, hip-hop quickly became more serious as a political force and a force in dance music. These tracks also had a more epic scope than most of the tracks that got here before them. At this point, the culture began to grow from a small New York subculture into a New York subculture that almost all of the country took notice of.

In 1987, hip-hop was still a growing subculture, but it surely was a distinctly national one, and as a whole, it was way more complex than it had been five years earlier. It was the yr that saw the debut albums of Public Enemy, Boogie Down Productions, and Eric B. and Rakim. That group showed us how music had develop into way more political, with MCs acting as activists or advocates for the black community. Rakim also marked a new peak in the complexity of MCing. ’87 also gave us the debuts of Ice T and N.W.A. and the main label debut of Too Short. The growth of the West Coast, and specifically California from L.A. to the Bay Area. Now, hip-hop was not a New York thing.

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It was an era where it mattered where you got here from, because where you got here from shaped the sound of your music and the main points in your rhymes. It was easy to inform where an artist or group got here from by the sound of their music. It was a time when, as Chuck D famously said, rap is the CNN of black Americaa way for artists to speak on a national level in regards to the issues and culture of their neighborhoods, while giving the remainder of the world a glimpse into Compton or the Bronx or wherever they got here from.

By 1992, hip-hop was on the cusp of becoming the dominant musical culture in America, and in some ways the sound of ’92 was very different from the sound of ’87. In ’92, the largest hits of the yr were ““Jump” by Kris Kross“Jump Around” by House of PainAnd ““Baby Got Back” by Sir Mix-A-Lot. These were super-pop songs made for the club with no political intentions. At the identical time, ’92 gave us Dr. Dre’s monster album The Chronic, in addition to the debuts of Pharcyde, Gang Starr, Pete Rock and CL Smooth. It meant that MCing was getting more sophisticated and more refined. Where Chuck D, KRS and Ice T were practically shouting into the microphone, Snoop, Guru and CL gave us a style that was much closer to talking than shouting.

The yr 1997 was dominated by Puff Daddy (now Diddy) and the Bad Boy Records family of artists. Notorious B.I.G.Life after death” was the largest hip-hop album of the yr. Also in the highest six biggest hip-hop albums of the yr: Puff’s “With no exit” and Mase”Harlem World.” Bad Boy produced half of the six biggest hip-hop albums of the yr. And the largest songs of the yr were “Can’t anyone stop me?,” by Puff and Mase, “I will miss you“by Puff and Faith Evans, “Hypnotize,” by Big, “More money, more problems,” by Big, “I feel so good”by Mase and”All About Benjamins” which was written by Puff, but became unforgettable due to Big, the Lox and Lil Kim.

I used to be deep into the New York club scene in 1997, and it was normal to be at a club where the DJ was playing a series of Bad Boy records, jump in a cab where the radio was playing Bad Boy records, after which go to a different club where the DJ was already playing Bad Boy records. It was an era of epic party records for clubs that were built on easy samples. But it was also an era marked by post-battle sobriety: after the Pac vs. Big battle ended in their deaths, the culture was very sensitive to not letting that occur again.

2002 marked one other drastic change—it was the yr of Eminem and Nelly. It was the rise of the Midwest as a dominant force. The biggest songs of the yr were “Lose yourselfWithout me“And”I clean my closet“and Nelly”Hot in Herre“And”Fix” by Nelly featuring Kelly Rowland. Eminem’s endless trolling was compelling and hysterical, but he’s also a standard-bearer for an increasingly traditional brand of hip-hop focused on rhythms and rhymes, as Nelly spearheaded the mash-hop and R&B movement into a more radio-friendly, crossover-friendly sound. Other giant records this year included Fat Joe’s collaboration with Ashanti “What is love“and an R&B hit by Cam’ron and Juelz Santana”Hi Mom.”

And so on. We see a significant difference in the sound of hip-hop every five years. Quest even notes that every era has a dominant drug that shapes it—he says hip-hop flourished in the disco era of cocaine. ’82-’87 was shaped by malt liquor, ’87-’92 by crack, ’92-’97 by marijuana, ’97-’02 by ecstasy, ’02-’07 by sizzurp, and so forth.

Of course, there are other necessary cultural markers that this framework doesn’t recognize, just like the rise of Run-DMC, the rise of the South, or the influence of gangsta rap, but I like the best way Quest sees hip-hop as something that’s continually changing, and overall, I like his book.


This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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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.”

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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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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