What If Lucy Pearl (Cont.) - DJ Rahdu

Lucy Pearl jumped out of the box with Dance Tonight, which was as much of an anthem as it was a dancefloor filler. It had the class of EnVogue, the soul of ATCQ and the ability to make you “Get Down” like a TTT track. Expectations were high for the crew and they delivered with their 2000 self titled album, receiving numerous Music Award nominations. That same year, Dawn was kicked out of the group and replaced with Joi who remained in the group until they parted ways in 2002.

What if they remained together though? T o answer this question, let’s begin by visiting the year of 1990. That year saw the debut albums of both En Vogue and A Tribe Called Quest as well as the platinum selling sophomore release from TTT. All were superbly creative offerings that spawned legions of fans and countless accolades, plus cast a net of immeasurable influence both musical and cultural. Each group created many albums, allowing their fans to witness their musical and creative growth; it was almost like watching a family member flower and mature. It’s safe to say that any member of Generation Y was a fan of at least one of these 3 groups. The dissolution of, or exit from these groups also added to their hype. What better than the breakup but thoughts of the group’s reconciliation or a member’s return?

To see 3 members of three iconic groups combine forces though, was epic. Even more impressive was their long list of affiliates! Raphael Saadiq had become a successful songwriter and producer, Ali Shaheed Muhammad was producing as well, and Dawn had ties to Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Records. If there are 6 degrees of separation Lucy Pearl could have been larger than even The Roots. Think about it, no other musical crew presently can boast of the large amount of celebrity friends and collaborators than the Legendary Roots Crew. Interestingly enough, the male members of Lucy Pearl were members of high quality production teams The Soulquarians (which included ?uestlove) and The Ummah that produced songs/albums for everyone from Whitney Houston to Erykah Badu.

If Lucy Pearl had remained together, their high level of artistry and many loyal fans would have helped them thrive and continue to influence their peers and thus the industry. Their ability to galvanize Generation Y’s dollar and loyalty might have been just the spark necessary to perpetuate the neo soul movement as many of its forerunners were unable to. The addition of Joi, would have also been fortuitous for the the trio’s effect on the genre, as I’ve heard Erykah Badu herself say that Joi is the mother of neo soul. If they had remained together, would we hear R&B cats making nu soul tunes to stay marketable, instead of hearing the nu soul singers of today creating R&B or club songs to remain relevant? Would good soulful music be the toast of the day? Alas, we will never know and are left to only reminisce and wonder what might have been…

Edited by Pink BubbleGum

Grammys 2010 - Junior Star's Picks Continued

Continued from pt. 1

Best Urban/Alternative Performance

All Matter
Robert Glasper & Bilal
Album: Double Booked

Best Contemporary World Music Album
Welcome To Mali
Amadou & Mariam

Day By Day
Femi Kuti

Seya
Oumou Sangare

Best Traditional World Music Album
Douga Mansa
Mamadou Diabate

Honorable mentions to: India Arie (w/Dobet Gnahore), Bebo Valdés And Chucho Valdés, Stephen Marley, and the other artists whom I enjoy, but may not have heard their latest albums.

New Collaborative Project Inspired By Iconic Mavis Staples

The respect for Mavis' work is shared by the collaborators, who have contributed their own stories and tales from the heart, following the inspirational Mavis trail, steered by Ashley and Darren. Revered artists such as Lambchop’s Kurt Wagner, Candi Staton, Ed Harcourt, Edwyn Collins, Cerys Matthews and Saint Etienne's Sarah Cracknell have thrown themselves heart and soul into the concept, paving the way for a palette of fresh talent such as Crazy P’s Danielle Moore, John Turrell of Smoove & Turrell, Disa from Reykjavik and Dear Reader’s Cherilyn MacNeil from South Africa. The vocal talent appearing on Mavis is evocative, aspirational, inspirational and honest. On listening to the album, one can hear how the project grew and gained musical form from the input of collaborators Kurt Wagner, Disa and Edwyn Collins, whose individual tracks sweep across a similar landscape. Mavis is a project that prides itself in being steeped in rich musical history, which will not only reach out to and seduce a more mature music-loving audience, but will also tantalise the eclectic taste buds of younger generation of fans. Ashley, Darren and this team of talented artists have steered this music of classic heritage into a contemporary context, the result being a modern and timeless musical adventure which still maintains the messages and inspirations of the original piece. "Listen. Dreaming of Mavis, some singers, some kindred spirits, lovingly selected, having never met, each other or her, passing on their feelings, from song to song, meeting place to meeting place, finding their Mavis, loving her in the imagination, praising Mavis, the way her hands moved, how she breathed, the rebellious wisdom, the faith, sorrow and trust, the inner mystery, gracing Mavis, the city she built, the mountains she moved, the beautiful and tough songs she sung, out of heavy shadows and great light, ruins and fragments, mouth and nerve." All Hail Mavis.

Tracklisting:

Gangs of Rome feat. Kurt Wagner
What You Looking For feat. John Turrell
Nemesis Required feat. Cerys Matthews
Revolution feat. Candi Staton
Puzzles & Riddles feat. Ed Harcourt
When I Walk With You (Heartbreak Song) feat. Sarah Cracknell
Sinful Love feat. Disa
Dreamers (Interlude) feat. Chris Coco
Let Your Love Shine feat. Danielle Moore
4:14 feat. Cherilyn MacNeil
Feeling Lucky feat. Edwyn Collins

DJ Babu - The Beat Tape Vol.2

“There was no holding back with this album, I wanted to get the beats out no matter what. I wanted to give my fans a fresh body of music” Explains DJ Babu. “My mission with these instrumentals are to put some doubters to rest.” For having 10+ years of production experience under his belt, most people know Babu as the World Renown / Champion DJ. “I want people to know my sound, all my beats come from a DJ mentality, so The Beat Tape Vol. 2 is a great outlet for me to showcase my production” A West Coast veteran in his own right, Babu has achieved a sound that can’t be labeled by region or style. This album could be equally appreciated in the Bronx, Compton or anywhere in between. The Beat Tape Vol. 2 is a treat for all the true B-Boy’s out there and a testament to the fact that hip-hop’s golden era is alive and well and as Babu concludes the vine between the golden era and today is still deeply rooted “allot of the DJs that I looked up to became great producers, from Dr. Dre to DJ Premier to Pete Rock. In a lot of ways, I’m trying to carry that same torch, where hip-hop is still rooted within DJing and records.”


Tracklisting and credits for DJ Babu’s The Beat Tape Vol 2:

1. Intro
2. I Don’t C U
3. K-Dub
4. 2024
5. Earthfire
6. No Secret
7. Sunshine Days
8. Mr. Lone Lee
9. Hold The Mark
10. Silly
11. Yacht Hop
12. Forever
13. Here I Am
14. Nelson’s Cesar Salad
15. Takeova
16. Ready
17. Reneg
18. Canned E
19. Do Not Dispute
20. Gyeah
21. Strive To Be A Godfather
22. Ghost Romper Room
23. Lil’ Juanito
24. Shack Of Soul
25. Dracoola
26. Who Can’t Hear
27. Blackfoot
28. Kallen Durr
29. Mortay
30. Manferd
31. What R U Doing
32. Funkydromedary
33. I Heart U For All
34. Finally
35. Elec Trick Sim Phonie
36. Innernathional Thylyee
37. Phlip The Track
38. Preach B-Dub
39. I’m Gonna Stay

(ALL SONGS PRODUCED, MIXED and ARRANGED by DJ BABU)