MY PRINCE TOP 5

On April 21st, 2016 the world lost quite possibly one of the most important and influential artists EVER.  Prince Rogers Nelson was an artists artists.  He fought for, defended and live for his culture.  He never cheated us and for this he was loved.  For this he will forever be missed.  In today's entertainment climate of soulless art and repetitive duplication, losing Prince was like losing hope.  With that being said this C-List Post is dedicated to Prince.  Here are my Top 5 Prince Songs of All Time.

1. Sexy Dancer

The first time I heard this song sadly enough was maybe 2007 on a Soul Train Awards show when they were honoring Electric Boogaloo.  A legendary dance crew known for there popping.  They performed on a Soul Train episode where they were dancing to a song that electrified every muscle in my body.  I had no idea who it was because it barely had any words.  All I knew was I had to find the funkiest song I had ever heard in my life.  Overtime I hear it I can't help but get up and dance.  I love it so much I put together a mash up remix of the instrumentation of this song with Usher's She came to give it to you.  Check it out on my SoundCloud

2. Sign O' The Times

The first time I heard this melody was when Tommy Davidson did a bit on Robert Townsend's Partners in Crime comedy special on HBO in the 80's.  If you haven't seen it please check it out.  It's brilliant. Tommy Davidson  Initially I thought "wow it's amazing how much he found a melody to sound exactly like something Prince would do.  Then maybe a year or 2 later I heard Sing O' The Times and then I thought "I knew Tommy wasn't that smart".  I love this song because of it shows Prince's diversity and his constant awareness of what is going on in the world.  He talks about serious issues facing everyday people everyday and he mad it sound GREAT.

3. Purple Rain

My dad had a VHS tape where he recorded the 1985 American Music Awards.  I watched this tape religiously every weekend.  It had amazing artists performing like Madonna, Lionel Richie, Sheila E performed Glamorous Life with the glow in the dark drum sticks. If you've never seen it please watch . But back to Prince.  He performed Purple Rain and at that young age I had no idea what he was signing about but I knew this was some amazing shit I was witnessing.  Little known fact the actual version of Purple Rain you hear on the album was a live recording from a concert performance that was edited down.  Along with 3 other songs on the album.

4. Love Bizarre 

Though this is technically a Sheila E. record we all know Prince wrote and produced the song as well we hear his vocals on it.  It's just a super sexy song and the chemistry between he and Sheila at that time was amazing.

5. I Feel For You

Though this song was made famous by Chaka Khan in the 80s, prince originally recorded it on his self titled album in 1979.  This particular arrangement is far less hard as compared to Chaka's version.  Also if you listen to the very end you can hear where the beginning of Chaka's version begins.  Prince's genius was everywhere and in everything.  He was truly a Godsend.

5 Artists You Should Make Yourself Familiar With Because They Are That Dope!

SEINABO SEY

Seinabo is one of those artists that as soon as you hear her music the first thing you say is "Who is this and where have you been all my life?" This Swedish singer/songwriter is special.  She is beautifully gifted with not only vocals but artistic vision. Sey’s best known songs, including “Younger” and “Hard Time” sound both timeless and timely, effortlessly uniting soul, pop, and electronic music in blessed matrimony. Following a 5-track EP, For Madeleine, released in October, a full-length album is expected this year.  You can listen to Sey's music Here

TESS

There are people who want to become singers, rappers or dj's because they think it's cool and they saw someone else do it and they liked it.  Then there are people who were born simply to show us there is a GOD through their musical gifts.  Tess is one of those people.  To hear this Dominican songstress from Washington Heights sing a note is a blessing.  She is so convicted in her art that you can't help but be drawn to her.  Aside from her gifts as a vocalist, she possess an amazing artistic vision, to the point she created her own genre...."Hip Rock n' B"  And when you hear her music you'll get it.  She is super edgy and gritty and at the same time such a Lady.  You can check out her music HERE

ROCKAWAY ROME

I met this NY emcee almost 10 years ago when I was still doing my 1, 2 thing ya know lol.  Anyway I was blown away by his voice, his delivery and his ability to paint pictures in his rhymes (something that has been lost in todays rap).  Hearing Rome rhyme takes you back to when you would go pick up an S&S or Doo Wop mixtape with anticipation of some underground rapper you've never heard before just catching wreck on your favorite beat.  That's Rome.  What I love about him is that his sound and style is unapologetically New York, which is something else that his been missing from the rap game.  You can check out Rome's music HERE

AFTER THE SMOKE

What makes me appreciate an artist is when they stand alone in their creativity.  I grew up in a time when there was nothing more important to an artist than individual identity.  After the Smoke embodies that.  These Tallahassee artists are super comfortable in their own skin.  I was introduced to them by a good friend of mine and business partner.  We became such big fans of theirs that we asked them to be apart of our Influence Series Compilation Album POSTCARDS . Their sound is definitely one of a kind.  You can check out After The Smoke's music HERE

ACE MARCANO

Ace is best described as a ball of ideas that just shoots off perpetual random sparks of genius.  Cousin to another great Hip Hop artist that walks to his own beat Theophilus London, Ace walks down the same path of sound and spirit.  The emcee/singer effortlessly blends hip hop with electro soul groves.  His music has a timeless feel to it.  It could have came out in the 80s or it could have came out yesterday.  Most importantly it all comes from a place far from the superficial landscapes of today's radio hits but it comes from a place of current emotion.  You can check out Ace Marcano's music HERE

MY 2015 GRAMMY WINNERS

Best Group I Just Found Out About - HAIM

Este, Danielle & Alana Haim are the 3 sisters from L.A that make up the grou Haim.  This year at the Grammys there were nominated for best new artist and that's how I came to know them.  All I heard was a snippet during the award show and they had my full attention.  As a DJ I'm always looking for fresh sounds from artists still in love with art.  Although they are a Pop Group, their sound is very fresh and creative.  Check out HAIM

My New Favorite Brit - ED SHEERAN

For years I've been saying the Brits have been kicking our ass in the arts.  They have the best actors and musicians.  Maybe it's because they value talent more than they do image (that's a conversation for another post another day).  Well Ed Sheeran is continuing to tradition of super talented musicians that have been influenced by American Greats and taken it to the next level.  Check Out ED SHEERAN

Best "I Still Got It" Performance - Annie Lennox

So like I just said the Brits have been holding it down for YEARS and Annie Lenox is living proof.  The 60 Year Old Legend hit the stage for the Grammy's and showed the youngin's "how to do this son"  She did a cover of "I Put a Spell on You" by Screamin' Jay Hawkins and made it her own with a spell binding performance (see what I did there?).  Cheers Ms Lennon, Great Show.  Check Out the Entire Performance HERE

Best "I'm Gonna Take My Moment to Say Something" Performance - Pharrell Williams

Although the first gesture was so subtle, if you weren't paying attention you would have missed it, Pharrell Williams took a few seconds out of his performance on "musics biggest stage" to make the biggest statement of solidarity for our young men lost to senseless police violence, in particular to Mike Brown when he and everyone on stage with him stood still with their hands up in Brown's memory.  At the end of his performance he talks to God when he looks up and says "As you can see I'm at your service Lord"  Pharrell wasn't the only artist to put the world on notice that we haven't forgotten about the ills and injustices of the world.  Prince stated "Albums like Black Lives Still Matter"  Check Out the Entire Performance HERE

Best Performance - Sir Paul McCartney, Rihanna & Kanye West

Although Sir Paul clearly was lip syncing during this performance there was no soul or spirit missing from this performance.  They performance FourFiveSeconds, the latest collaborative release involving McCartney and Yeezy.  Check Out the Enitre Performance HERE

January 2015 C-List

Theophilus London's latest release "Vibes" is a cornucopia of sounds.  Executive Produced by Kanye West with Art Direction by the legend that is Karl Largerfield there was no way London would not be inspired to deliver a work of art that stands alone.  Although London is known for constantly bringing a sound and a "Vibe" (pun intended) that hasn't been heard before, he still provides the elements that help you to identify a Theophilus London song such as a soulful melody blended with a Caribbean influenced syncopated beat married to abstract lyrics.  This is an album I believe you should put into your   feel good play list because that's exactly what this album will do to you.  Throw it on, light up a "j" (where permissible) or a "cigar", poor the drink of your choice (Grand Marnier for me thanks), invite over some company to share the vibes with and just cool out.  "VIBES" is available on iTunes

Theophilus London - VIBES

I've always said that if Hip Hop music were to ever literally disappear from the face of the earth and we had one rap song to put in a time capsule to be discovered 100 years from now to use as an example of what rap music is it would be a beat by DJ Premier.  You can pick any song you want: Unbelievable, Just to Get a Rep, Dwyck, Come Clean, etc. He is the master of the Boom Bap.  So when he got together with Royce Da 5'9" aka Nickel I knew the Hip Hop Gods loved me.  One of the best MC's in the game paired up with one of the Greatest Hip Hop Producers EVER is sure to be an instant masterpiece.  Certainly these two did not let me down.  From Track 1 to Track 9 (Microphone pt.2 which the 1st one was one of my favorite tracks off of the Slaughterhouse debut Album) you get pure, unadulterated, unapologetic Hip-Hop music.  What makes this project extra special is that Premo only used music and samples composed by the legendary Adrian Younge.  Younge is today's definition of soul music.  So with the MC from the D paired up with Hip-Hop's premier (there I go with the puns again) producer out of Texas influenced by the Soul of Adrian Younge, what you have is Hip-Hop on 'roids.  Phryme is Available on iTunes PHRYME

J. Cole's sophomore release "2014 Forest Hills Drive" basically puts up the proverbial middle finger to the "sophomore jinx".  Cole is undoubtedly a student of the game or at least what the game used to be.  His music reminds us of a time when it was a sin to sound like someone else.  It doesn't hurt that he is a one-stop shop, serving as his own in house producer, his sound on this album is just as refreshing as his first album.  Providing the listener with vivid imagery, learned from his rap hero NAS, as well has taking full control of the journey he wants to take you on makes Cole a force in the hip hop world and the music industry as a whole.  J. Cole carries himself like a veteran and with soulful samples and car cruising with nowhere to go beats "2014 Forest Hills Drive" is a MUST have if you are a fan of Hip Hop Music.  2014 Forest Hills Drive is Available on iTunes J. Cole - 2014 Forest Hills Drive

Mark Ronson is an artists artist.  His music has always spoken to the soul of the human experience.  Sonically influenced by the Motown Sound and the genius' it produced such as Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and Rick James...this album shows his ultra Funk Side as evident in the first single "Uptown Funk".  At first listen you would think you were listening to Morris Day & The Time but in fact it's Ronson and Bruno Mars that are taking control of your audible senses.  Uptown Special features guest appearances from Stevie Wonder, Kevin Parker & Mystikal.  This album is for those moments when you are home alone or with friends, in the kitchen partaking in fine spirits while you prepare a meal and feel like dancing your ass off all at the same time.  Kudos to you Mark Ronson.  You did it again.  Uptown Funk is available on iTunes Mark Ronson - Uptown Special

My man D'angelo is back with some powerful soul music.  He stepped back onto the scene like he "wished somebody would" be occupying his thrown as the leader of the soul.  His latest release "Black Messiah" is aptly titled for so many reasons: 1) The man who was the face and pioneer of the Neo-Soul Sound was finally back (like most Messiah's do.  I mean really what's a Messiah that doesn't come back?) 2) With a such a spiritual title like Messiah there is no doubt that the music would speak to your spirit (even though most of the album I don't know what D'angelo is saying) But then again many of the greats spoke their own language, like James Brown and Michael Jackson.  Yet in still like his predecessors, the music itself communicates clearly to your soul.  If I can be "blunt" (yup you guest it...intended pun) this music right here is made for a "j" and smooth glass of something dark.  This album is a mood setter.  Black Messiah is available on iTunes D'angelo & The Vanguard: Black Messiah