What Happened?

I went like 10 months without posting, but I am liable to do that. I've had like 16 blogs over the years, and I lost interest in all of them over time. I mean I'd like to keep this one going, but who knows whether that will actually happen.

I have been thinking about embarking on a sort of musical odyssey with this blog in an attempt to realize how I ended up "here" so to speak, listening to Nigerian highlife music. After all, I've never lived anywhere else other than Louisiana, and my traveling outside the United States is limited to a day adventure in Mexico while on spring break in Texas freshman year. I haven't even done much traveling within the US, as I've stuck to the south with the exception of a couple medical visits to Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, and a ridiculous 5 days in Los Angeles for spring break junior year.

In other words, there is no real reason for me to love the random sounds I pick up from the digital corners of the globe. My family isn't exactly a multicultural one either- my father was raised in Monroe, Louisiana; and my mother in Baton Rouge. Neither towns are cultural meccas. Granted, I have spent almost my entire life around New Orleans, but this doesn't explain it really either.

As with most things, it is mostly useless to seek to understand the reasons behind why we love something (or someone, for that matter). It is enough to know that you fucking love it, and to just enjoy it. So I let the waves of sound wash over me, the rhythm pumping through my veins, the horns echoing in my brain, the guitars plucking at the corners of my mouth, forming a smile.

Note: Until I work something out to allow me to upload mp3's again, I am going to stick with embedding youtube vids. This one comes from the Nigerian band Super Negro Bantous.

Reggae Ladiez

For whatever reason, I have yet to hear a woman in hip-hop control the mic with any type of enduring presence. I suppose there may be one or two female MCs around who can hold it down with the boys, but I have yet to hear them.

However down in Jamaica, almost all of my favorite Dancehall tracks are sung by female MCs. I don't think it is so much because of the fact that they are female voices on this that makes me love these songs. Sister Nancy, Lady Ann, and Sister Carol all just happen to have excellent flow and delivery.

Sister Nancy- Bam Bam


Sister Nancy sounds like she was recording this song on Jupiter rather than Jamaica. The lyrics are wonderfully existential. Oh God, the way it echoes...

Lady Ann- Informer


Lady Ann actually sounds like a litle boy here. She gives off the vibe of a schoolgirl singing during recess while playing hopscotch.

Sister Carol- Dread Natty Congo
Video- embedding was disabled, lame.

Sister Carol is a little bit more recent than Sister Nancy or Lady Ann. As a result the music is not stripped down dub beats, but instead has a more vibrant sound. Also Sister Carol "sings" more than Nancy or Ann, who seem to be chanting as much as singing.

All three tunes are excellent summer jams, and the first two also serve as excellent introductions to the early Dancehall style.