Music Is Life

Tag: music

  • Review & Reflect

    Title of Blog Post # 1 

    Class Disparity & The Price of Survival

    The author of this post did a great job of connecting the struggles of everyday people in society. As I read this post the song titled Evil is Going on came to my mind immediately. This song would be a really good addition to the authors position because the economic disparities are so visible that it leaves one to wonder if the “upper class” is just laughing in our faces. Casual rides to space while many on the planet live by subsistence demonstrates that evil is going on. This post strikes the chords of Afro-Pessimism as it speaks to the systematic dehumanization in which society has put luxury over basic needs.

    Feedback:

    The quote about Monday not being so different from a Tuesday was equally as powerful and it embodies the spirit of Afro-Pessimism in which the grind of day to day life is constant. The only thing that changes are the names they’ve chosen to describe the day of the week. It’s the same Evil day playing out from sunrise to sunset disguising itself with different vowels and consonants. As it pertains to feedback this song is important because it speaks about a season of Evil that has seemed to surround us perpetually. The author says “Suffering keeps Suffering” and the fact that Evil is Going Onward is undeniable. Who has waged the war against us? Is it true that I shall only eat my bread through the sweat of my brow? Genesis has declared it. Ever since we fell into this dimension where the chief musician of the Holiest place became a creeping thing. 

    Title of Blog Post #2

    The Weight I didn’t ask for

    The woes of this author’s life really felt personal to me. I too come from a family that migrated to the Land of Milk and Honey for a better life. As I read this post I was reminded of the song Titled Born under a Bad Sign. I believe it’s a good addition to the authors post because it’s rich with cultural memory and Identity. The author speaks about constantly being on the go and not getting a chance to slow down. Even when laying in bed the pressures of high expectations where there. being robbed of sleep speaks to the resilience black cultural life. Is it a generational curse or was the author just born under a bad sign? This story is the story of the Diaspora and what World Citizenship means. 

    Feedback:

    The song Born under a bad sign could really elaborate on the authors plight because the songwriters speaks about being down since he begin to crawl. He goes on to say that if it wasn’t for bad luck he wouldn’t have no luck at all. The pressures of being the one who carries the family after a huge sacrifice is a really heavy weight to carry. The verse that says my life has been one big fight speaks to the author directly and this is why I think this song is a perfect depiction of the heaviness of cultural resistance.

  • Blues Journal

    Hello classmates, My name is Jean-Karlos

    One of my pressing issues I’m going through right now is being homesick, so the song titled ” Evil is going on” by howling wolf resonated with me. In the first verse he said that if you’re a long way from home and can’t sleep at night, something just ain’t right. I also have an aging mom so on a macro level I always feel like she would be much better if I was home because I know I’m her favorite. There is also a conversation that involves my home of the Virgin Islands being traded for Greenland. This is very frustrating because we are not property of Denmark or of the United States and the idea of trading us like we’re some damn baseball cards in 2025 is just a lot. A song comes to mind as I think about being free and I’ll share it with you all. 

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhKU-IWADo4

    The second issue Ive been dealing with lately is how self concious I have become. I can’t help but wonder what people think about me when I walk in a room filled with people that don’t share the same hue as me. So the song titled “Is It Because I’m Black” really resonated with me. I never used to care about what people might think of me but now I wish I had the superpower of reading peoples minds, even if it was just for one day. I’ve heard a sample of this song which made me appreciate it more. It’s from one of the best rap groups in the world and I’ll share it with you all. 

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjDwZUlhqBg

    Lastly I’ve been talking to friend of mine in Atlanta who has been on the verge of being homeless. He’s on probation for being caught with a little bit of herb in Mississippi which has made it very hard for him to get a job. Concerning this matter in the Shitstem we live in the song Titled “Talking Blues” came to mind because we find ourselves literally talking blues. One of the lyrics in this song speaks about cold ground being his bed and rock stone being his pillow. He also mentions being down so long that he seems to wear a permanent screw which is short for screw face. The thought of my friend having to live like that is stressful.  Let me know what you all think about these songs.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtK7XN8S8AE

  • Choose Your City/Soul Analysis:

    The city I chose is one of the best in the world. New York City is a vibrant multicultural city and it is also the birthplace of hip-hip. The rhythms in the songs I chose are filled with the heavy bass which is reminiscent of the hearts of all residents of the barrio’s who’ve been pushed out of their neighborhoods due to gentrification under the guise of redevelopment.  Families that are affected by political betrayal from their local representatives end up in a generational cycle deep despair and it gives birth to poets who publish their work through rap songs with funky beats. The lyrical content of the artist I chose to showcase are filled with conversations about integrity and respectability. When we consider Lauryn Hill’s song titled Doo Wop, she cautions young girls to watch out for men who only want to use them for instant gratification. She also implores black women to embrace their natural beauty rather than assimilating to the beauty standards of Europeans.  Her lyrics are heavy laden with themes of protest that stand up to social oppression against women. Queen Latifah song U.N.I.T.Y is an ode to black women to remain unified in demanding respect from a world that sees them as less than, her song is very empowering. Many clubs and block parties played a major catapulting these genres because they served as agents that provided a platform to showcase artists that weren’t usually invited to bigger clubs with established artist. The Apollo was one of those Talent shows that helped to propel many artist to  notoriety. 

    Connect Music To City History&Culture/Resistance, Empowerment&Social Change:

    The industrialization and racial inequality played a major part in the mood of the music that came out of New York City. Within the Ghettos and the Barrio’s displacement was rampant. Events like the Puerto Rican Day and the West Indian Day Parade were marketed to future investors so they could spend dollars to boost industries like tourism within the city. Neoliberalism manifested into urban renewal and the branding of ethnic neighborhoods like Spanish Harlem. The economic hardships that came from this sort of predatory behavior gave rise to artist like Gangstarr who often took pride in his lyrical swordplay in opposition to selling his soul for Mass Appeal which meant monetary gain. Overpolicing and systems of surveilence caused a lot of harm to communities like Queensbridge Projects where many Ghetto superstars like Nasir Jones, Mobb Deep and Ron Artest were born. Pete Rock and CL Smooth gave us a beautiful ode titled “They Reminisce Over You”. This song addresses single parenthood and the way in which family units mend brokenness. Pete Rock reminisces about his uncles who stepped up and filled the void of fatherlessness within the home as he celebrates his mother for having the strength and fortitude of a Queen. The group Digital Planets gave us the right dose of Funk, Jazz and Hip Hop blended into one and the song titled “Rebirth Of The Slick” is a testament of the fact that Jazz and Funk travel with us perpetually throughout the generations. The subjects within a lot of the songs that I chose are a raw commentary of urban struggle because they are reminiscent of old slavery systems like surveillance and economic hardship due to segregation caused by displacement. Many of the families that are affected by these issues are forced into the black market to make money due to economic shifts because the benefits that they should reap from their neighborhoods are often stolen when investors take over the neighborhood. After that point they are left powerless while the politicians that represent them sell them out for their own personal enrichment. Beautiful music is born from these types of social conditions and this is what makes New York City such unique place with many poets who spill their pain over beats of rhythm and blues and funk.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6QKqFPRZSA

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cM4kqL13jGM&list=RDEM-7dEKSqVvHeM9IhpCTdyfQ&index=8

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6mdRv0ZdR8&list=RDEM-7dEKSqVvHeM9IhpCTdyfQ&index=8

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3_dOWYHS7I

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9lNbNGbo24

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8cHxydDb7o

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0d2wH-7wyY&list=RDQ0d2wH-7wyY&start_radio=1

  • Choose Your Rendition/Soul and Body Connection

    I chose Jimi Hendrix because he captured all of our people’s pain during the 1960’s and transmuted it through those strings. Considering the historical context of the major events that were taking place during those times like the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement he interprets the anthem in very chaotic way. This performance speaks to me because he transformed the national anthem into a protest song and I love the boldness of it.

    Soul and Body Connection:

    The soul of this anthem was filled with cries for freedom. I say this because as I  listened to the rendition I could literally hear the sound of the bombs that were dropped in Vietnam during those times. The way he made the guitar scream during his performance captured the sounds in the Ghetto’s of Detroit, LA, and New York concerning all the riots and police brutality that we faced in the 1960’s. The stillness of his body during his performance made me think about a dead body and all the lost souls crying from the grave. The look of seriousness on his face spoke to how intentional he was about this protest. As he looked out at the crowd  his countenance seemed dazed as if he felt like he knew he didn’t belong there but he was gonna get his message across one way or another and he did that because his rendition was grim and beautiful at the same time. His rendition made me think about a dark and twisted fantasy.

    Existential and Phenomenological Analysis/Philosophical Exploration

    This particular performance evoked feelings of emptiness that I feel needed to be brought to light  during those times. America was sending black men off to Vietnam to fight Vietnamese people that never offended them. This was a prime example of social death and the nothingness we feel when traveling from one war zone to the next. Jimi Hendrix’s body during his performance wasn’t celebratory or friendly. It conveyed the meaninglessness of his existence because how can a black man perform a national anthem which usually conveys themes of patriotism, national unity, and American identity. We felt none of these things during that time and even Marvin Gaye was drafted into the war which explains how disembodied he was during his performance. Considering all these factors it was only right for Jimi Hendrix to be his authentic self and translate the absurdity of life through his guitar. His body also conveyed struggle because he wasn’t really there to perform, he was there to tell America that we are dead and empty inside and he translated that perfectly through hie guitar. Whitney Houston’s performance was filled with nothingness because she performed as if she was just there to collect a check, that wasn’t the Whitney Houston I know, that black can sing. The planes that flew over the stadium also spoke to the absurdity of life because the same national guard was weaponized against during the riots by the president. I vote Jimi Hendrix for the win, the authenticity he emanated during his performance made it very clear that Black America was not White America’s friend. 

  • 1. Jazz as Nonrelational

    It is true that the business of music has killed pure art forms Jazz  but the same can  be said about Blues music. I don’t think that Jazz is dead. Blues gave birth to Jazz then went on to give birth to R&B, Rock and Roll, Hip Hop and now its in its final form which is called pop music. The conditions that black people lived under in Detroit during the 1950’s and the 1960’s created a bluesy environment in which black people poured their souls out on wax that confined their pain to 3 minute songs. These were pressed out the same car factories that pushed us out the jobs that were available during the war economy. Jazz was sound that aided our songs of lamentations just like the Blues. The sound has changed but the message of lamentation has remained the same. Because of the business of music black peoples woes aren’t as popular as they used to be. Consider the modern-day artist Doechii who won a grammy this year, she sang about the blues of her anxiety and  the final form of jazz which is popular music recognized it and awarded her because its something that has or will touch our lives at some point. I hear Jazz sampled in many hip hop songs for example Otis which is song by Jay Z and Kanye West derives from an Otis Redding song titled Try a Little Tenderness. If you listen to this song the thesis is based on attaining wealth as a coping mechanism to the social death in a capitalistic society.  In one of his verses Jay Z says  “Driving benzes with no benefits, not bad for some immigrants”  while Otis Redding harmonizes singing it makes it easier to bear. We have to also consider Madam CJ Walker who bought a Rolls Royce during the Reconstruction Era. Jazz is a lot less pronounced but definitely not dead in my opinion. A lot less horns but we are Jazz because the songs of lamentation are alive and well.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoEKWtgJQAU

    2. Jazz and Social Death

    I agree that black life is definitely minimized and socially dead in mainstream society. There has a campaign of public shaming methodology in regard to black men in mainstream society. Black men in the realm of music and entertainment have been broadcasted as sexual deviants, while the mainstream media rarely highlights black men in a positive light. As of recent the CEO of Abercrombie&Fitch was deemed mentally unfit to stand trial in his sex trafficking case and we still have not been told who were the passengers on Jefferey Epstein’s private jet who who also involved in sexual crimes. The abandonment of Jazz as a pure art form by the mainstream culture does signal black people’s perpetual exclusion from a capitalistic society and I think that was due to our upward mobility during the Motown Era. Thank God for people like Berry Gordy who gave us black artist like Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and Etta James. Consider Elvis Presley who was given songs written by black people but his visage made him acceptable to the masses to relay our songs of lamentations and joy. And then there was Drake….

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H58vbez_m4E

    3. Black Optimism and Jazz’s Resilience

    Jazz as a pure art form could thrive in a city that has all the right ingredients to propel independent Jazz artist. If we had a black equivalent to Nashville Jazz would be more present in our lives today. I think that Jazz’s death has created space for many of its offspring and it will continue to do so. It is sad that I can only listen to Jazz in tiny venues in Portland but I’m a true believer in quality over quantity so I can live with it for now. In the spirit of Black optimism maybe Jazz will have a massive resurgence one day, who knows? In the meantime we have many great artists who were inspired by Jazz music like Curtis Mayfield who will comfort us. 

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMGY8A1uHSM

    4. Will the Circle be Unbroken?

    The broken circle of Blackness and jazz teach us that mainstream only care about the bottom line. If they would listen to the message in the music then we would receive a compassionate approach to healing but instead Jazz has been hijacked and repackaged in a form that we can barely recognize so we don’t call it Jazz. Jazz’s target market won’t make mainstreams pocket heavy so it’s treated with disrespect. 

  • God is Standing By

    I really enjoyed this song because it is filled with hope, strength and faith. The level of racism that is being exerted from the ruling class is really a lot to stomach. lately I’ve been feeling like I’m just in place of limbo but this song soothingly reminded me that God is standing by my side at all times. In the beginning of the song the melody is calm and then later on it feels like the song becomes more militant. I felt like I was in the crowd jubilating. The message is clear and direct. No matter what is going on God is right there by my side regardless of the trouble and the strife that surrounds us. The class warfare that’s being waged against people who are deemed to be second class citizens is unbearable at times but as I listen to this song I’m reminded that these are old social problems that have always existed. We always get through it and this song is has a wonderful message of hope. Black Existentialism is the Blues Theory term that was evoked during this listening.

    Jack of Diamonds

    This song was really cool and as I listened to it I realized that I’ve been playing the Jack of Daimonds for the majority of my life, I wouldn’t have put any other way. I’m an Aries so naturally I’m a risk taker. Since I was about 7 years old I felt like I was dealt a bad hand but I’ve had to make the most the cards that were dealt to me. I really like how the artists melody was chaotic throughout the whole song. He went on to say that in every situation he came up against the Jack of Diamonds was in his hands. The Jack of Diamonds represents courage and initiative, a hero, and willingness to take risks. I’ve lived through 2 hurricanes that took the roof of our home in the Caribbean both times and we really didn’t have the 15 cents to turn into a dollar. Fema failed us and we had to collect firewood to cook a meal after catching some fish and those times prepared me for all the tough times that life decides to throw at me. Bring it on! The lyrics in the song repetitively reminded me that no matter what situation was presented to me I faced it with courage no matter the end result and I am still here. Cultural memory and Identity is the Blues Theory term that was evoked during this listening.

    Sinner’s Prayer 

    This song is so universal in my opinion, it speaks to the tough economic times that I’ve been facing due to the Macro economy. The lyrics and melody embodied a tone of lamentation. Tough times can fall on anyone suddenly and you naturally ask yourself what did you do wrong to anyone, so the sinners prayer to God makes this song so powerful because at one point or the other we’ve all faced economic hardship and the remaining question is why of God why? Ray Charles said that he used to have plenty money, the finest clothes in town and then bad luck and trouble overtook him and he proceeded to cry out to the lord to please have mercy on him. This verse was so real to me because things can get so tough that you can’t even remember when you bought yourself a nice t-shirt just to be able to look good and feel good on a nice spring day. The question of why bad luck has befallen me definitely makes me question who did I wrong. Is it karma because that entity sure comes at the wrong time. But the cause of my suffering is something that will remain a mystery until I surrender to the process and see what lesson God is trying to teach me this time. This song is a hit in my book and I’m a true music lover. The Blues Theory that was evoked during this listening was the Blues Aesthetic. 

    I’d like to share this song with you all because it also embodies how I’ve been feeling lately. It’s  titled Sitting in Limbo by Jimmy Cliff. Its really Bluesy, enjoy!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjU8L6go1VA