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Rest In Peace Hev.

While I’m at an immediate loss for words over the death of one of our greatest Soul voices, I can remember the first time I ever heard Teena Marie’s music. My mom and I were in the car and Square Biz came on the radio. I remember hearing the rap at the end of the song and thinking it was the greatest thing I had ever heard. I wanted to be “Lady T”. Fast forward to the 2004 BET Awards, years later and I was blessed to see her and Rick James live. Her voice was as pitch perfect as it was the first time I heard her.

Teena Marie, a native of Venice, California, is indeed the “Ivory Queen of Soul”. Teena was way ahead of her time. Back when it was unusual for a woman to run a studio, she wrote, produced and arranged her own albums. She can actually be named one of the first female MCs, thanks to her verses on the classic hit “Square Biz”. Your favorite rapper has almost certainly sampled one of her hits. She was an icon and had provided us with some of the greatest music ever. From the coldest bass line intro on “I need your lovin”, to the international vibe of “Portuguese Love”, her sound could never be put in a box. She was Soul, Funk, Jazz, Blues, and Hip Hop. I watched her story on “Unsung” recently and was mesmerized by all that she had done. She wrote beautiful music. She fought Berry Gordy and Motown and Won. She changed the music industry for the better. She’s the reason that labels do what they say they’ll do. My heart feels like it lost a friend today. Thanks to her gift of music, she may be gone, but she’ll never be forgotten. Let’s have a toast to “Lady T”.

Download Teena Marie’s “Unsung” Full Episode

Another blast for back in the day…The real Big Poppa, Biggie Smalls and his princess, Lil Kim were running the game and telling the truth. I was working for Kevin Black at Virgin Records and the future was as bright as a new summer day. Let’s GET IT!

Found this on 2DopeBoyz…I’m a huge Jay-Z fan…his ability to stay relevant and 3 steps ahead of the competition should be studied in Music Business classes nationwide. Here’s a mixtape with all of the songs he references in his new book…in other words, its full of classics. Peep the playlist, then get you a piece!

PSA
American Dreamin’
Early This Morning
Coming of Age
Coming of Age (Da Sequel)
D’evils
99 Problems
Ignorant Shit
Most Kings
Success
Renegade
Can I Live?
Fallin’
Big Pimpin’
Streets Is Watching
Operation Corporate Takeover
Moment of Clarity
Breathe Easy (Lyrical Exercise)
My 1st Song
Young Gifted & Black
Hell Yeah (Pimp the System)
Beware
Blue Magic
This Life Forever
Meet the Parents
Where I’m From
Minority Report
Dynasty (Intro)
My President is Black
Regrets
This Can’t Be Life
Soon You’ll Understand
Beach Chair
Lucifer
December 4th
History

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Good Morning…Good Music.
Just doing a little bit of music blog surfing this morning and was delighted to find that one of my favorite soul singers, Marsha Ambrosius, just released a new mixtape. “Sextape Pt 1″ is a wonderful blend of soul classics joined by Marsha’s voice. She adds to their lusciousness without being obnoxious. This makes the mixtape a wonderful addition to any sexcapades you might have planned in the near future. Took me a while to hunt it down, but I found it, and now it’s my gift to you:

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Oh and I found this too! 2 for 1!

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From time to time I run across music that excites me enough to share it with folks that might happen across my corner of cyberspace…This mixtape definitely makes that list. Diggy Simmons, son of RunDMC’s Rev Run, has released his second mixtape, Airborne. This is not your typical 15 year old kid. You can hear the influences from Kanye, Lupe, Pharrell, his Dad, and folks that make great hip hop. His mixtape sounds…luxurious. There are themes, complete song structures, and not one song that I would consider ringtone material. Don’t get me wrong, he’s not perfect, but he’s definitely taking flight…Take a listen and tell me what you think:
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