Talk about memories.

Each of us is more than the worst thing we’ve ever done.
And Michael Jackson, the artist, has provided me with more moments of sheer joy than any other entertainer in my lifetime.
I remember The Jackson 5 cartoon series.
I remember ‘Ben’ and ‘Got to be there’ and ‘Never Can Say Goodbye’
I remember when I loved (heart filling, far away, dreamy love) Michael Jackson. We were both little kids.
I remember screaming out loud in astonished delight as I watched Michael Jackson do the “Moonwalk” for the first time during the ‘Motown 25: …

Latoya Peterson of Racialicious has put together an overview post that incorporates most of the arguments and observations surrounding the meteoric rise of white rapper Asher Roth. [See 'New York Times' article] I’m a fan of classic rap and hip hop. The new stuff that I like is not the type of music to get radio play. Put out a song with too much melody and sophisticated lyrics about real issues and you are sure to have limited spins.
Asher Roth’s catchy little ditty “I Love College” did catch my …

Have you ever listened to the actual lyrics of the rock and roll classic "Brown Sugar" by The Rollingstones? Well, here they are:
Brown Sugar(The Rolling Stones)
gold coast slave ship bound for cotton fields,sold in a market down in New Orleans.Scarred old slaver know he’s doin’ all right.Hear him whip the women just around midnight.
brown sugarhow come you taste so goodbrown sugarjust like a young girl should
drums beating coldEnglish blood runs hotlady of the house wondrinwhere its gonna stop.house boy knows that he’s doin’ all right.you shoulda heard him just around …

Push past the "swagga", the mind swirling name changes and the amped up persona as the musical King of Bling, and you’ll that Sean Combs is brilliant. In a quietly riveting new interview pegged to the 12th Anniversary of the death of Notorious B.I.G., aka Christopher Wallace, blogger Barry Michael Cooper conducts a wide ranging interview that gives those of us watching an up close look at what excellence and creative vision looks like. We learn how Combs’ mind works and his process is illuminating. This segment on the Making …

I distinctly remember seeing ‘New Jack City’ on Friday night of its opening weekend. One of my BFF’s and I headed to Mann’s Chinese in Hollywood for an early show. It was still bright outside when we headed into the theater. As soon as we sat down my friend, who is bi-racial and self identifies as black, said, “Check out where all the exits are. If they start shooting, we’re outta here.” I responded, “Yea. Remember to drop and crawl to get to the doors.” Well, we watched the movie …

Singh is King
“What up to all the mami’s in Mumbai…”
Everybody dance!

Isaac Hayes and his music will always live in some of my fondest, most precious memories of growing up. My mom was an audiophile, always she filled our apartment with the most glorious rhythm and blues and jazz of the late 60’s and 70’s. Isaac Hayes’ was one of her favorites and consequently one of mine. ‘Hot Buttered Soul’ is one of my favorite albums of all time to this day. Hayes’ smooth, complicated, soul rocking compositions provided the perfect soundtrack to my jagged young life.
I got to spend a …

“Wake Up Everybody”
Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes
The world won’t get no better if we just let it be.

You know, back in the day rap lyrics were clever. Rhymes stretched vocabulary and the imagination. These days anything goes. And anything coming out of the mouths of big name hip-hoppers (or company hired producers) frequently has more to do with generating controversy and bad taste than with anything of analytical substance.

I like this video. Thought I’d share it with you.

Queen Latifah featuring Monie Love

‘Ladies First’
‘Nuff said.

PS I am still feeling the door knocker earrings. I am seriously thinking of single handedly resurrecting that style.

Blue Scholars

“Joe Metro”

What? Did you expect something else??
Peace.

Contributor Andrew Padula has been in situations throughout his life where he’s felt compelled to address racial issues from his unusual perspective. Andrew is a white, politically conservative, blues musician who’s been teaching and touring the U.S. and Europe since 1993. He can be seen with blues legend Bobby Parker on B.E.T. Jazz Central as well as on Carlos Santana’s recent DVD release “Montreux Blues Summit”. His point of view adds plenty to our discussion, so I welcome Andrew and his column The Topsoil to Allaboutrace.com. As Andrew says, “You …