12.16.2003
Cornbread, Fish & Collard Greens
Mama knew love like the back roads | Used to fall asleep daily in her work clothes | Mom swear you never have to worry again... ~Anthony Hamilton, Mama Knew
Alright so the truth: I don't give half of the artists that make it to the charts nowadays the time of day. Most of them suck, big time--and if the truth must be told I'm sure that's how they make it onto the charts in the first place.
I had heard the yick-yack about Anthony Hamiliton: He's talented; His album is really good; The brother can sang; yadda, yadda, yah. But in my head anything Jermaine Dupri has his hands in isn't worth listening to. Not that I dislike the brother, I'm actually proud of his accomplishments, I just feel his production skills are overrated. (Believe me I'm not a hater. I just play one sometimes on this website.)
Sdot on the other hand was having a fit to purchase the album (he believes the hype way too often) so, much to my disapproval *grits teeth* we purchased Comin' From Where I'm From.
I wasn't going to listen to it. To this day I still have not listened to Whitney's latest CD, or Toni Braxton's--two people I love, and support, but at the same time will not bring myself to listen to the crap they've labeled "new music". I'm saying, what is it about classic artists who have carved their niche and who have seemingly become successful in that niche and their desire to hip-hop-it all of a sudden? I mean, love Hip-Hop---L-O-V-E it--but I love classic love songs too! Especially the ones that encourages us to make love, as opposed to just smackin' it, flippin' it, and rubbin' it down! What has happened to the DIVA? The CROONER? The LOVE SONG?
But, I digress...
So, Sdot comes home from work and says matter-of-factly: "You have to listen to Anthony Hamilton's CD...", and places the disk on my desk. An hour or so later I place the CD in the computer to upload the info to my hard-drive as most of my music is played via the computer, only to find I can't. Apparently some brain in the music industry has made it impossible to play music on your computer if your desire is to play it via your own music software. So I remove the CD and and put on Erykah's new joint instead.
"Have you listened to it yet?" Sdot asks the next day. "I'm telling you Chris..." he says with a little too much conviction, "you're going to love it." So I relent, place the CD in the player and prepare myself to hate it. But...I don't. I actually like the CD. So much so I find myself bopping my head to track after track trying my best to remember the last time a new CD, never mind a new artist has done this to me, and I actually can't think of any except, yes...I almost forgot, the incomparable Jill Scott.
The brother has skills, and his debut album seems to showcase them all. Believe me, I'm not easily impressed, especially when it comes to music and the less than talented C-list artists that have found a following on the airwaves. Anthony Hamilton's voice/style/delivery demands you pay attention to him. He almost insists you not rush through his set, but rather digest each track word by word, beat by beat, verse by verse. I'm in awe of his talent, and his ability to mix R&B, Neo Soul, and Gospel inspired music with such ease. I believe Raphael Saadiq called it Gospel Delic; I call it quality frickin' music.
I wanna thank sdot for staying on my case and introducing me to one of my new favorite artists Anthony Hamilton .
Alright so the truth: I don't give half of the artists that make it to the charts nowadays the time of day. Most of them suck, big time--and if the truth must be told I'm sure that's how they make it onto the charts in the first place. I had heard the yick-yack about Anthony Hamiliton: He's talented; His album is really good; The brother can sang; yadda, yadda, yah. But in my head anything Jermaine Dupri has his hands in isn't worth listening to. Not that I dislike the brother, I'm actually proud of his accomplishments, I just feel his production skills are overrated. (Believe me I'm not a hater. I just play one sometimes on this website.)
Sdot on the other hand was having a fit to purchase the album (he believes the hype way too often) so, much to my disapproval *grits teeth* we purchased Comin' From Where I'm From.
I wasn't going to listen to it. To this day I still have not listened to Whitney's latest CD, or Toni Braxton's--two people I love, and support, but at the same time will not bring myself to listen to the crap they've labeled "new music". I'm saying, what is it about classic artists who have carved their niche and who have seemingly become successful in that niche and their desire to hip-hop-it all of a sudden? I mean, love Hip-Hop---L-O-V-E it--but I love classic love songs too! Especially the ones that encourages us to make love, as opposed to just smackin' it, flippin' it, and rubbin' it down! What has happened to the DIVA? The CROONER? The LOVE SONG?
But, I digress...
So, Sdot comes home from work and says matter-of-factly: "You have to listen to Anthony Hamilton's CD...", and places the disk on my desk. An hour or so later I place the CD in the computer to upload the info to my hard-drive as most of my music is played via the computer, only to find I can't. Apparently some brain in the music industry has made it impossible to play music on your computer if your desire is to play it via your own music software. So I remove the CD and and put on Erykah's new joint instead.
"Have you listened to it yet?" Sdot asks the next day. "I'm telling you Chris..." he says with a little too much conviction, "you're going to love it." So I relent, place the CD in the player and prepare myself to hate it. But...I don't. I actually like the CD. So much so I find myself bopping my head to track after track trying my best to remember the last time a new CD, never mind a new artist has done this to me, and I actually can't think of any except, yes...I almost forgot, the incomparable Jill Scott.
The brother has skills, and his debut album seems to showcase them all. Believe me, I'm not easily impressed, especially when it comes to music and the less than talented C-list artists that have found a following on the airwaves. Anthony Hamilton's voice/style/delivery demands you pay attention to him. He almost insists you not rush through his set, but rather digest each track word by word, beat by beat, verse by verse. I'm in awe of his talent, and his ability to mix R&B, Neo Soul, and Gospel inspired music with such ease. I believe Raphael Saadiq called it Gospel Delic; I call it quality frickin' music.
I wanna thank sdot for staying on my case and introducing me to one of my new favorite artists Anthony Hamilton .
