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@lxngwind

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The world's mine oyster. Which I with sword will open.

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Johnnie.

On October 3, 1995, Johnnie Cochran had just turned 58 a day before (shot out my Libra) when a jury who after 4 hours of deliberation found oj simpson not guilty on two counts of 1st degree murder- thanks to JC.

I remember da reaction to da verdict, eem amongst my generation who were in high school being one of damn near jubilation. As an adult, considering cases from Karmelo to Nolan, w/ a few more decades of context, I got a deeper understanding and appreciation of our vicarious wins and losses- which are always about da subject matter and always bigger at da same time.

What Benjamin Crump is today, Johnnie was 30+ years ago. He represented 2Pac. Got Geronimo Pratt's murder conviction overturned and a multimillion dollar false imprisonment settlement. W/ all dis diaspora fuckery dat goes on, do people remember Abner Louima? A HAITIAN man who was assaulted by nypd? You know got him a damn near $10M settlement? A Black man born in Louisiana, raised in California. Johnnie.

We cant talk about 1995-2005 w/o mentioning JC, who ironically passed in O5, who for many in my generation made real and practical da four mediums through which wars are won in da u.s.- dollars, ballots, bullets, and verdicts. by @lxngwind

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a day ago

What do Real Housewives of Atlanta, Atlanta Falcons, and Black Panthers have to do w/ Ras Kass?

Sheree was married to Bob Whitfield- pro bowl lineman, was on dat 99 super bowl squad. Bob started Patchwerk Records and opened Patchwerk Studios (where Outkast recorded ATLiens). Patchwerk's first artist was Ras Kass, who named his debut album after a book written by a Black Panther- Eldridge Cleaver.

I actually got introduced to Ras via Golden State Warriors off Xzibit album (RIP Saafir) and had to circle back to Soul On Ice. You will definitely hear a lotta artists dna in it.

Marinating and Anything Goes my go tos and of course both produced by Battlecat. Da Death Row & G Funk sound was still dominant in 96, which Ras and others like Alkaholiks, Pharcyde offset w/ a focus on wordplay, complex cadence, socio-political commentary, and production w/ East Coast appeal while still very much LA.

He also paired up w/ fine ass Teedra Moses to "produce" Ras & Taj Austin, members of Coast Contra. A literal testament to my theory re: how 1995-2005 is still influencing culture today. by @lxngwind

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4 days ago

Bruh said "words from our hearts told only to the wind, felt even without being said"??

"We lay beneath the stars under a lovers' tree that's seen through the eyes of my mind- and I reach out for the part of me that lives in you that only our two hearts can find"??!

Da part of me dat lives in you? Man wtf.

Happy 50th Stevieversary to Songs In The Key of Life

Donnell remade Knocks Me Off My Feet
Carl Thomas interpolated Summer Soft
LV & Coolio interpolated Pastime Paradise
Mary J. & george michael redid As
Miami Mass Choir interpolated Sir Suke
Fresh Prince and Sisqo sampled & interpolated I Wish

What more can I say? What more need to be said.

Tomorrow will be for you and me. by @lxngwind

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7 days ago

Set It Off Soundtrack.

@organizednoize produced three songs- including "Dont Let Go" by En Vogue. RIP Rico!

Anybody who know me, know Angelic Wars was my go-to off dis one. I think Organized sampled da drums from Set It Off to make dis beat- I wouldn't be surprised.

Whats just as dope as Beautiful Black women robbin banks to fly soundtracks- Long Live Cleo who couldnt eem splak a whip properly until she got da right song from her targets collection i.e. "I Aint No Joke".

We got da classic missin you w/ Gladys, Chaka, Tamia, and Brandy. And Live To Regret where Busta fine tune da flow he perfected on When Disaster Strikes.

Soundtrack was released on EastWest- which was ran by da 1st Black woman to hold CEO and Chairwoman positions within a major label- Sylvia Rhone. She also did da distribution deal for Goldmine aka Missy Elliot's label.

Salute to all da above! by @lxngwind

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11 days ago

First of all, its clearly some powerful shit in Minneapolis water. Prince. Time. Jimmy & Terry. We Are King. Khalid El-Amin. Ilhan. And of course, Mint Condition.

Appreciative of MC's commitment to live musicianship in 96 when a lotta folk was movin to beat machines. But also adaptable, as you year influences of everything from Jodeci (end of What Kinda Man) to D'Angelo (transition at da end of Let Me Be) and on Raise Up, da continued influence of Roger Troutman i.e. increased use of voice box.

Speakin of What Kinda Man Would I Be, in da wild west we currently live in and da highly sexualized culture of 96, you gotta recognize da messaging of a song calling into question what livin for da moment does to a man and woman's moral and ethic long term. Can you live w/ it and is it worth it?

Also, hilariously after dat convo w/ his would be mistress, he goes home and tells his woman she "Aint Hookin Me Up Enough" lmao!

Salute to MC on 30 years of Definition and being torch bearers of live, Soul (and Rock) music. by @lxngwind

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11 days ago

Slide 2-4 is basically my way of saying a classic album is defined by what it brings from da past, and what it sets up for da future.

Philly has always been a vital organ to Black culture since Gamble & Huff and da run its been on from '96 is largely on da foundation laid by @theroots and "Illadelph Halflife".

Hip-Hop × Jazz × Soul × Spoken Word × Live Band was a combo we had never seen and aint know we needed. Rap shows w/ bands and live performances have become a standard- which is dope- And. The Roots did it over 30 years ago.

Far as @blackthought I mean, you can revisit da Funk Flex freestyle, Money Makin Jam Boys, Things Fall Apart- hell go listen to how Beans talked about him. Go run No Allibi. Back and forth w/ Common on Universe At War. Panic is a short song but its three songs worth of content. In 96 I had not been to Philly yet but I could visualize da innocent Akh on McKean Street.

From Roots Picnic to Late Night TV, salute to da Roots for over 30 years of cultural impact and still NEVER doing what DEY do! by @lxngwind

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11 days ago

Im just sayin, if @blackenterprise partnered w/ @eastsidegolf and lets say, @naomiosaka and @tay_taytownsend to do a 30th anniversary limited release special edition issue focused on Black tennis and golf I would RIP Soulja Slim PAY FOR IT!!

Sidenote: if you aint familiar w/ Malival Washington (slide 2) he put racquet to ass v. agassi in 95. by @lxngwind

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17 days ago

Dancehall was gone be a global phenomenon no matter what. What Im sayin is, because Black folk from da states (remember I grew up in Miami so coulda varied regionally) rocked w/ Dancehall, Reggae, and Ska- and while all ethnicities have dey shit, musically its been more love than hate i.e. Bob Marley's early Motown influence and Stevie Wonder's tribute to him (Master Blaster), Shabba & Johnny, Jon/Method & Capleton, Roots & Buju, etc. I would venture to say dat Black artists/consumers in da states were da first and primary ambassador for Dancehall outside of Jamaica. Da relationship between Hip-Hop/R&B and Dancehall was at its height in 96. Bounty Killer. My Experience.

Features
-Raekwon, Lauryn Hill/Fugees, Jeru, Busta, Junior, Anthony

Production
-Erick Sermon, RZA, Blahzay

Might be da first Dancehall project dat was close to half Hip-Hop production and feature. Living Dangerously still go crazy! Light and Salvation is my favorite off dis project cuz 1) nobody sound bad on ada Taxi riddim 2) it highlights a craft I credit Dancehall /Roots artists w/ being elite at- making Christian music dat dont sound it. Only culture where you will see people bangin on walls, sounding off airplanes horns, and blazing torches to essentially bible verses. Exhibit Bounty. Salute 30 rasclot years!! by @lxngwind

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18 days ago

I want @queenbahamadia to know, way up in da cut of Calle 13 in Medellin, Colombia- somebody got love.

As we discuss 95-05, Philly will continue to show up as a key player. I would say airbody from Rapsody to Tierra Wack is standing to some extent on foundation contributed to by Bahamadia's Kollage album.

Her solo project dropped in 96 off da heels of RIP Guru's Jazzmatazz (which we will discuss in another post).

Heavy Hittas on Production
-Premier
-N.O. Joe (Obviously, "I, Confess")
-RIP Guru
-Beatminerz (Boom-Bap heavyweights)
-The Roots
-Ski Beatz

When we discuss the Philly role in molding 90's/00's Soul & Hip-Hop, post- Schooly D, Jazz & Prince, Illegal et. al- and pre- Jilly from Philly, Ms. Jade, Eve, Battle Rap Scene from Meek to Cass to Hollow et. al, State Prop, Major Figgas, RIP PnB, Bilal, Jazzy, Kindred, Musiq, et. al- along w/ Zhane, The Roots, Ram Squad, Naam Brigade, we gotta acknowledge da lyricism, content, esthetic, and representation of Bahamadia.

At a time where da INDUSTRY celebrated and elevated opulence, violence, and hypersexualization, she picked out da fro, threw on a leather, and said lets get to some bar work. We dont put one against or above da other but salute balance and respect da courage required to go against da grain to create and maintain it. by @lxngwind

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20 days ago

If you recall, Bobby "left" NE and went solo- enter Johnny Gill on da NE Heartbreak album. "Home Again" was not only a NE reunion following solo projects by Ralph, Bobby, Johnny, and BBD but da first time all six members released a project together.

First of all, production on dis project was wild. Jermaine Dupri. RIP Gerald Levert. Combs. And if da baseline from "Oh, Yeah It Feels Good" reminds you of "No One's Gonna Love You" by SOS its because Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis produced both.

It would be da first and last 6 member NE effort but solid project nonetheless. Check Shop Around, Try Again, and you already remember Hit Me Off and Still In Love (singles). Shot out to da Roxybury Boys (and DC for Johnny). by @lxngwind

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25 days ago

It wasnt no replacing Dave Hollister vocals but some kinda way Teddy found a way to double back w/ a solid project in his absence.

Another Level was a production pivot for Teddy, an architect of da New Jack Swing movement. Whole lotta samples- from Staples to Bill Withers to DeBarge- and heavy incorporation of da voice box which became a go-to for a lotta 96 projects including Mint Condition and Johnny Gill whose album included a feature from da voice box Godfather himself, Roger Troutman. My theory is Thin Line soundtrack kicked off a run for Roger- followed by California Love- which lasted until his transition.

Also got a beatles remake on here w/ Buy Me Love and a gospel reinterpretation of I Know Just How You Feel w/ I Know The Lord is Real- 90s R&B was da last of "secular" albums w/ at least one Gospel track as a standard. Dis album was also when I recall 1st seeing dre separate from death row and mighta been my intro to Queenpen? Who we talk about later w/ "Party Aint A Party". by @lxngwind

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a month ago

Iron x Makaveli
September 7, 1996

"Nobody knows where we'll be."

-Tupac Amaru Shakur (1971-1996) by @lxngwind

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a month ago