Music

From the beginning, it was always music and sports for me, my way to escape whatever was going on. I guess I'm not alone in that, in many ways, but either way, that's what it was. It's probably the very reason that the very best job I've ever had was working at Camelot music in Security Square Mall when I was in high school I not only increased my cd collection 100 fold by working there, but I was around music constantly. I was able to meet musicians, and learn more about music that I wasn't quite familiar with before. I was the R&B and Hip Hop expert of the store, and could name almost any song from the 70's through the 90's.

My love of music started early, and the very first cassette tapes I owned were Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' and the soundtrack to 'Footloose', both of which I was given on my 6th or 7th birthday at McDonalds. Remember when you could have your birthday party at McDonalds? The first cd I ever owned was Young MC's 'Stone Cold Rymin'. Ironically, I bought it from the same Camelot music store that I would work some 4 years later. I remember that day like it was yesterday, big ass box with half of it Styrofoam that is undoubtedly killing the environment today.

I still prefer the old skool when it comes to both Hip Hop. Biggie changed the game, but not like NWA did. Snap had the 'Power' which always got me lifted to another level before football games. Ice Cube is still one of my favorites, but nobody...NOBODY can EVER touch Public Enemy! I'm East coast Hip Hop until the day I die, but had respect from some of my West coast artists as you can see. I even flirted with some No Limit during my 3 years in the 'Heart of Dixie', but that was right after Biggie went down. I was lost and depressed, and looking for something that, as I found out, would never be again. Wu-Tang Clan is still nothing to fuck with (excuse my language), and their biggest mistake was going solo, though I still think I own every solo album that every one of them ever created!

Same with R&B. Boys II Men was my group, but Tevin Campbell's 'Twisted' will live forever on the ipod. K-Ci and JoJO threw it down during their 15 minutes of fame, and Maxwell (and no, I'm not gay) continues to impress every 8 years when he releases an album. Sade is still the queen, and one of the best concerts I've ever seen. Anthony Hamilton makes me remember, but not quite like Brian McKnight does. Chris Brown was ready to take it over, before his emotions took over his career.

The funny thing is that I was also into other music, particularly jazz, at an early age. Norman Brown was my first favorite, and his rendition of Janet's 'That's the Way Love Goes' is still one of the most sensual songs I can remember. And of course, the Art of Noise everyone from my age group remembers! Back before we knew what we were listening too, we were listening to it!

The beauty of music is that it is timeless. There can be a song that I can hear, and I instantly know exactly where I was, who I was with, and the feeling I had when hearing the song. Music can take you back to a place you either loved or hated, and it can help you create those same memories for the future. The simple mention of a certain artists name will make you remember someone, or some place. It's our release from reality, a place to mentally go if even for just a minute to forget about the troubles of the day, and the struggles of life. Music can bring you peace, comfort, and even a soothing start or finish to a day.

Thursday night I turned off the tv and the lights, sat on my couch, turned on the ipod, and went into a zone. Nobody was awake in the house. I sat in the dark, not sleeping, though it was after midnight, and listened to the shuffle for about an hour and a half. Before I knew it, it was almost 2am. I hadn't moved, hadn't said a word or even come close to falling asleep. I just simply went somewhere else in my mind. Wherever the music was taking me, I was free to go. No interruptions, and no reason to get up for anything, just meditate. I thought of old friends that I don't talk to that much anymore, friends that I, unfortunately, can never talk to again, and as soon as Otis Redding came on, I thought of my father. His favorite artist who he would sing with from the old record player, and I remembered watching him with joy as he danced and singed along with the man who, like my father, left this earth far too soon. I cried some, laughed some, and I was sad and happy at the same time. Weird? Yes. But that's what music does to me, it allows me to 'go there'. Get away from it all, and just remember the good times, the sad times, and those people that you shared them with.

Music. It is, my life.