Dome Pondering

He was the soundtrack to everything I did with my dad.  That's the greatest compliment and most direct reason for my love and appreciation for Jimmy Cliff. His music is beautiful, his lyrics evoke art, poetry, humanity, and justice, and his impact on the sound of reggae was groundbreaking. Jimmy Cliff will always be a memorable sound on the radio in the car, at home, or simply from what I can only hear - the humming voice of my dad.  Until his very last day on earth, my dad loved Cliff's Cliff Hanger album from 1985. It was one of his favorites. For many years, from a young kid well into my teen years, I listened to that album (among others), memorably through that single cassette tape he owned of that album, and the occasional skips and hiccups it had from its overuse.  Many times, Jimmy Cliff's tunes and soothing voice reigned supreme from the speakers of his 1975 Chevrolet Nova. Our trips to JFK airport in NYC are forever memorable - a core memory, if you will, as we ...

I don't believe for a second that Jason Aldean's latest single, "Try That in a Small Town" is an innocent song.  I don't. It's intentional. It's exactly as we interpret it. The art - specifically when partnered with the visual concept of the music video - is designed with a purposeful message.  And yet, I don't particularly care about canceling or censoring it.  I don't.  The two can be true in this scenario.  We find ourselves in the midst of a society that is searching for its equilibrium after 2020. More than ever are the words that ring true from Dr. King's "The Other America" speech. "Culture Wars" or "Cancel Culture" is at the root of our inability to see American life from another perspective. To have empathy for the American experience through other prisms.  ...to deal with this problem of the two Americas. We are seeking to make America one nation, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. - Rev. Dr. M...

I admit it. At one point, this Brooklyn-born-and-raised guy who narrated his growth to the tunes of one Jay-Z, believed that those days were gone. Over the last two or three albums, I sort of gave up on Jay-z being that voice that I can identify with. That voice that always speaks and holds truth to what I can relate to. Upon growing into a possible billionaire, and rapping about having money and whatever it was, I was one of those fans who decided, you know, will just listen to the hits.  Partly, I was disappointed. He went from reaching in and representing the inner city heart of anyone who understood the words and sounds beyond just the catchy hooks and killer beats of what mainstream (and white) America heard.

In a 2016 where social justice and matters of social concern surrounds us, J.Cole's latest album is one that I thoroughly looked forward to. After Friday Night Lights , Born Sinner , and 2 014 Forest Hills Drive , J.Cole's return seem anticipated by many fans of hip-hop. After listening to it for several days, I feel like I finally have a grasp on it to share.  After all, I will tell you, and everyone else I've discussed the album with - it's not for everyone. Don't expect an album with bass-booming beats, hot one-line lyrics that are counter-culture and socially woke, but do expect an honest and raw - yes, oh so completely raw! - emotionally filled album about life, love, and loss.  So yes, that's not everyone's cup of tea. I get it. But for me, I like love meaning and depth in my hip hop. It's why I find fewer and fewer artists that I can relate to in today's game. Cole's ability to set a narrative for the album in which he is te...

It’s been awhile since I’ve punched the keys on music. It’s actually not because I’ve stopped listening to music (who does that?), but because, well, I’ve just been doing just that – listening to music. I’ll admit, there was a period – a few months ago - where I became a bit disconnected and upset with the music that was being released. Much of it felt forced, cookie-cutter, and for the most part, unmoving. And this was across the board in so many genres. For me, even as a casual country-listener (this city-kid dabbles a bit ya know), I always felt that genre of music always stayed true to its form with authentic writing – albeit mostly, and annoyingly, about love, alcohol, and pickups trucks – but it was theirs. Not anymore. Country is generic. At times weak, sounding like cheap rip offs of pop music.

I always love to say, there are two types of music - good and bad. In my opinion, it is as simple as that. Music in general can make anyone move a hip, tap a shoe, or bob their heads, but only truly good music can make you feel a certain way. Whether it is excitement, hype, mellow, reflection, spiritual, or even anger, good music sways you. As a Christian, naturally I enjoy Christian music. Sure, it gets it's fair share of insults and is the crux of jokes by most on the outside, but I do enjoy it, well some of it. I'll always love the classical hymns that date back to the beginning of time, and there are some contemporary stuff that is great. But just like any other "genre", there is a lot of fluff. A lot of, well mediocre-ness.  There is a part of me that can relate to why some faith-based music gets a bad wrap. Honestly, it often sounds, feels, and seems cheesy. Some faith artists often feel as if they are writing from a book of cliches and typical churc...

This is extremely late. I know. Believe me, I know. Because of my hectic work schedule, I wasn't able to listen to Eminem's latest album, "Marshall Mathers LP 2" until this past week when I had plenty of downtime on vacation. In fact, I listened to the entire album not once, but twice, from beginning to end over the last week. It's that good. And that's not counting the numerous times humming and reciting verses from the album.  Again, it's that good.  And that is saying something as lately I have truly become disinterested in rap and hip hop. Not because of age, but because the genre just feels overloaded with music that lacks soul. Music that stands for something. And that includes Jay Z's "Magna Carter - Holy Grail" (Disappointing in my opinion). And you can also put me in that group that found "Yeezus" by Kanye West to be highly mind-boggling, despite the rave reviews it's gotten from many music publications. Bu...

When did Taylor Swift become the focus of all of our celebrity venom? For a talented young woman (let's put down our weapons on cynical insults for a second and admit she can do things we all can't), Swift has quickly gone from the next big thing that Americans simply adore, to the reason we roll our eyes whenever she is on camera, or in a story. Swift is no longer that sympathetic figure that was humiliated when Kanye West, you know, the old focus of our celebrity venom, decided to embarrass her at the MTV Video Music Awards . After last night's Grammy awards, and all of the notable pairings, outfits, and candid moments discussed by those who really get into awards season, the consensus hate for Swift grew and grew to a high that caused me to take a step back and examine the entire situation.

Let's put this Beyonce fiasco to bed. The mere thought that this lip-sync tid-bit has grown from a story to a so called "act-of-disrespect" is ridiculous and borders on insanity. More so, it reveals just how much of a jump-the-gun society we have become with the opportunity for instant attention and cynicism right at our finger tips.  From the print and social media, to television and blogs (now including this one), everyone has an opinion, and unfortunately, the majority are reacting as if Beyonce presented some type of disservice to her country in her performance of the Star Spangled Banner during the President's inauguration. Many have called the act a moment that cheated us all, and some have gone as far as saying it ruined the day.  Seriously? Let's relax, folks.

I always cringe when I hear hip-hop today. I don't like it's feel, I dislike the sounds, and I absolutely hate the lyrics. I long for the days when rap actual meant something. You know, when it actually had a certain flavor to it. That grungy, nasty, reckless beat that made you nod your head with purpose. That attitude it possessed and held deep within its sound that emitted its creativity and innovation. The lyrical flow that had the ability to make you feel, to make you want, to get you motivated, to make you sorrow, or to make you strive, ultimately making you relate. I miss hip-hop when it had a message, a purpose, a direction - whether you agreed with the message of the artist or not. I miss hip-hop when it had a soul. 

I'll be the first to admit that my thoughts of today's generation aren't of the highest regards. I've made that known in the past here on the DP several times, and because of that, I try to refrain from commenting and thus sounding like a broken record. But if you are new to the DP, in a nut shell, today's generation is uncreative, lazy, egotistical, narcissistic, and somehow feels overly entitled to any and everything. Sorry, if that sounds harsh. With that said, it is stories like the recent Chris Brown and Drake late-night club fight that causes one to reignite the above claims and thoughts about today's generation, more specifically, music and our society.

There are very few musical albums that I find myself anticipating these days. Gone are the days when I counted down the days, searched the internet for leaks, or simply would grasp every hearsay and rumor about impending releases, or as us urban kids would say, "when that album dropped". Now, I seem to take album releases in stride. No anticipation. No frenzy. No child-like excitement.  I'm not sure if this is due to the new age of iTunes and downloads or simply just a growing disinterest in today's music. I have found a significant changed in my listening from the days of intense hip-hop, to now finding artists like Coldplay, Adele, and Kings of Leon racking up hits on my playlists. Hip-hop, this urban kid's once go-to choice for expression, is now a river run dry. And I blame it much on today's artists that lack the creativity, originality, and heart hip-hop had in years past. Yes, I sound old, but part of me feel this is more fact than opinion.

I was on the train heading home to Brooklyn when I first found out. As I checked my latest refreshed feed before I headed underground, twitter was buzzing with the breaking news – Whitney Houston Dead at age 48. As I continued to scroll through multiple sources such as the New York Daily News, the New York Times, and the Associated Press, the news was confirmed, and my heart sank. With details being very vague right now and many questions still unanswered, especially, the cause of death, I find it very interesting to see how others are not only viewing her death, but are choosing to remember Houston. The overall public perception (minus media reaction) is that drugs were a cause, and from some social media responses, the overall theme was sadly, “just another crackhead died.”

When I was younger, like all younger-to-older generations, there was always a feeling that my elders never quite understood the music of my generation. This was especially the case for Hip-Hop. I always enjoyed the the attitude, the passion, the beats, the hooks, and of course, being the constant blogger and lover of words, expression and opinion, the lyrics. Especially, the lyrics. Because of those characteristics, I grew to enjoy Jay-Z's music over the years. It's the same reason I liked College Dropout , Kanye West's first album, which was full of passion and hunger to prove he was just as much of a rapper as he was a producer. However, as the hip-hop industry evolves, it seems the style of hip-hop that I grew up with is fading away. I feel as if I am now turning into the elder generation that I never quite understood. Because honestly, I don't quite understand the music of today.

What the heck is this? Thus, was my initial reaction after listening to Kim Kardashian’s latest single, “Jam”. The song, leaked today, reeks of auto-tune, something I’ve touched on in the past that will eventually be the downfall of pure music as we know it ( Auto-tune.Lyrics. Quality: The Falling Standards of Music ). The song, sung by Kardashian, of course, and shockingly produced by hit-maker, The Dream, cannot be describe in any other way than simply, awful. There is no other way to put it, to sugar coat it, or even to find anything nice other than to say, at least she tried.  What continues to baffle me is the opportunity that is there for anyone with connections to jump into the music industry. After all, let me throw it out there before it becomes the five hundred pound gorilla in the room, I have no idea why Kim Kardashian is popular? Why is America so enamored with the entire family and their reality show? I’ll admit it, I will never – ever – understand that.

It is safe to say that over the last couple of years, there hasn’t been a lot of music that truly speaks to me the way music used to. If you’re a DP devotee, you are well aware that I feel that music isn’t the way it once was. Not that it is entirely bad, because there is still plenty of great talent and music out there, however, it seems there is too much “bad stuff” out there. So much that it almost drowns out the good stuff. Bad stuff that is out in the mainstream that influences other bad stuff. Just my honest opinion. Feel free to disagree. And while I have been especially critical lately of hip hop in general, there is one person, more so an album, that has really forced not just me, but many to take notice – Jazmine Sullivan’s Love Me Back Album. I’ve always enjoyed Sullivan’s work, dating back to her debut album, Fearless . Although, it went under the radar by most, the potential of Sullivan was noticed. Her ability to sing and write, a rarity in today’s industry, wa...

First, let me say a few things before I begin. I am going to try my best to get my point across without sounding like a “hater”. As evident throughout the history of the DP, I am not afraid of going against the grain or contradicting what is popular when it comes to my beliefs or opinions. However, this topic which I am about to cover may cause a few to roll their eyes, a few to become incited, some to be downright upset, and well maybe a few, hopefully, a handful that would agree with me. This issue has to do with that of Willow Smith, her latest single, “Whip My Hair”, and her career. Now, with that statement, said, many of you are either A. smiling and humming the tune B. rolling your eyes or C. smirking knowing very well where I am going with this post. Without beating around the bush any longer I am going to cut right to it and jump right into the pool – the music industry is out of control. One can argue the time for that statement in itself is long gone, but since ...

Michael Jackson’s legacy might be embellished. Yeah, I said it. Is it OK to say such a thing? Is it politically correct, or even, socially acceptable to state such a sentence? “ WHAT?! No it isn’t. You are crazy !” While your obvious reaction may be just as similar, it is hard to deny that the legacy of Michael Jackson is beginning to take on a new form. A form that is slowly building from legendary authenticity into mere embellishment.  In fact, after his death, its hard to really gauge his true legacy. After the conclusion of the 2009 American Music Awards, Jackson’s legacy, and the honest reality of it was raised to newer heights. I could not help but wonder, how is it, that Jackson, who passed away right before his actual comeback, can win several awards (thus setting an AMA record) and be nominated for many more, including artist of the year?

After taking a year off from controversy, the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards were right back at it, and it didn't take long for the train wreck everyone anticipated to occur. An event that is notoriously known for its emphasis on fashion, rivalries, drama, and creating edgy television to go along with its programming, MTV got its wish in the so-called "Kanye West Invasion". West, always known for his outspoken ways (even when not appropriate or relevant) interrupted the show (or made the show, however you look at it) when he insisted on letting the world know during Taylor Swift's acceptance speech (Best Female Video) that he thought Beyonce's video was "one of the best of all time". Classless? Without a doubt.

We all realize and understand how great a performer, artist, and most of all lyricist that Shawn Carter, aka Jay-Z, is. His talent at time seems limitless as he creates music that makes move our body, lift our soul, and most of all, use our heads. Throughout his career, he has been known for his unmatched ability to record songs without using a pen or paper. An uncanny talent that sees him step into studios, hear the beat, drawn from experience, and rattle off an entire song. With Jay-Z's latest album set for release soon, entitled, T he Blueprint 3 , a few songs have been released, one which has caught the attention of yours truly, and many more. The song, titled We Made History , describes a person's battle with overcoming adversity, their pursuit of making their dream a reality, and now their conquest to establish their legacy. The lyrics (posted below) are reminiscent of a poem deeply thought out with various metaphors and symbolism that creates a wow moment aft...