Dear Dumplin,
Back here I told you a little about the music I grew up with. Now I have a variety of music that I like but I can honestly say that my taste in music changes with my mood. And you know what I realize? The older I get, the more the radio gets on my last nerve. They play the same 4 ridiculous songs over and over again. I can’t take it! As a result, I find myself looking for more music. The problem? My tastes change! Here are some artists that I enjoy right now:
Brandy – I don’t care what anyone says, Brandy has not had a bad album yet. Yes, I said it. Non-stop success. I always hear her talk about her falsetto and I’ll be honest, I don’t know what that is. But guess what? Whatever it is, it sounds lovely. Just lovely. Brandy is currently doing a limited engagement on Broadway in the musical Chicago. I believe she deserves all of the accolades she is receiving.
Chrisette Michelle – I heard Chrisette sing “Best of Me” on the radio and just had to buy the album. Her voice sounded so effortless and I’ve been listening to her sing ever since. There was one album I didn’t really care for but then she came out with “Audrey Hepburn: An AudioVisual Presentation” and I was hooked! I love when a woman can say, “Hey! This isn’t really me. I’m going to do something else.” I respect that so much about her.
Lalah Hathaway – Another artist I started listening to way too late. Her voice is smooth and warm. It’s almost like a warm cup of coffee on a chilly day. (And we know how much I love my coffee.) Her rendition of Cherish the Day with Robert Glasper is flawless to me. Her song with Eric Roberson is equally wonderful. Check it out:
Ryan Leslie – I like Ryan Leslie when he isn’t rapping. Why is he rapping? I don’t know. He came out with this whole Black Mozart thing and I was for it until I realized almost the entire album was rap (if not the entire thing.) But, he’s still a musical genius and no one can take that from him. I played “How It Was Supposed to Be” so much that your Dad had to beg me to turn it off! LOL. Hilarious.
Beyonce – Now let me say I wasn’t always a Beyonce fan. I certainly was a Destiny’s Child fan but really loved Kelly. I couldn’t understand why Kelly wasn’t getting more attention when the group first separated to focus on their individual careers. But then Mrs. Knowles-Carter’s hustle could not be denied and I respect a woman that grinds. Now I’m team Beyonce in addition to team Kelly. I still like Michelle too.
Jay-Z – I loved Jay-Z before he started dating Beyonce. Nobody could understand how the good girl who went to private school would play 22 Two’s and Dead Presidents over and over again. I even love the American Ganster album. When I need to listen to something to up my ambition and pump me up, I go to Jay-Z. Long days at work usually warrant So Ambitious on a loop until I make it through the day.
Ledisi – I learned about Ledisi late but when I did? So happy! I listened to her album “Turn Me Loose” over and over again. Favorite song from that album? Probably “Knockin“. Check it out:
Kanye (Not 808’s and Heartbreak). The College Dropout is a classic that will never go out of style. All Falls Down is one of my favorite songs and favorite music videos. Check it out:
Esperanza Spalding – She has a huge afro (currently braided), can play the cello, and sings jazz. What’s not to love?
Floetry – I love Floetry. They broke up and didn’t put out any new music for years. Then suddenly they announced a reunion tour. Yay! Or is it? I wait for the tour dates to be announced and low and behold they are on tour with R-Kelly. Really? R-Kelly! Just so you know Dumplin, our home is an R-Kelly free home. He is not allowed and neither is his music. I will not contribute to paying the lawyer fees of a known pedophile. No ma’am. And you will have to Google the details of that on your own when the time is right. No links here.
Emili Sande – Girl can blow! I mean she can SANG. Listen:
Old Usher. I don’t really understand new Usher singing that’s it’s ok to be on the pole as long as he is picking you up at 4:00 am. Excuse me? We’re telling women it’s ok to strip for money now Mr. Raymond? No thank you. It’s a shame too because your Auntie and I went to an Usher concert years ago that she still talks about. As of right now, I have no desire to give him any more of my money.
And I can go on and on and on and on and on. Will you like any of the artists I listed above? Only time will tell. What I love about music is that is never expires. Songs from years ago can be loved as much as a song that came out yesterday. Music is universal and can touch the hearts of people with different ethnicities, religious believes, and even cross languages. I can’t wait until you have musical preferences. In the meantime, I guess we’ll be listening to Wheels on the Bus.
Love,
Mama
PS – I feel like there are still a bunch of artists I need to mention. And you know what I just realized? I need to list way more songs from the 90’s!!!! Let’s see if I can get another post up before the end of Black Music Month. *Fingers Crossed*
I enjoyed this article and I like most of the the artists that you mentioned.