This is what Chaka is SUPPOSED to sound like

I didn’t really listen to Nichole Tranquillo’s cover of Rufus/Chaka Khan’s “Stay” last Wednesday (probably because I was still numb from Sanjaya’s blasphemous performance of “Knocks Me Off My Feet”). On Thursday, I got a better listen.

Man, she stunk it up.

Hate to say that about the girl (because I do think she had a nice voice), but it is what it is. And I’m being nice; you should read some of the other bloggers out there. My favorite line comes from Jill Manty of americanidol.onourtv.com.

My first complaint was that I couldn’t understand a word of the song— seriously.I had to go back and mute it, so that the words would go across the bottom, sothat I could figure out what the lyrics to the song were.

Unfortunately, I don’t have “Stay” in electronic format, but I do have another Rufus/Chaka Khan song – “Magic In Your Eyes”. Please ladies, if you can’t cover her range, then don’t do Chaka. Hell, I love Luther Vandross songs, but you wouldn’t see me trying to sing his stuff in a music competition.

Listen and enjoy.

Rufus ft. Chaka Khan - "Magic In Your Eyes"

My Daughter is Already Proving to be a Procrastinator

Mrs. Jenkins started having pre-labor contractions on Thursday night. Since then, she’s:

• Done our weekly grocery shopping
• Bought a nice dress for two parties we were scheduled to attend
• Went to party #1 (a 50th birthday party for one of our friends)
• Went to party #2 (my annual office party)
• Danced at party #2
• Raked the front yard
• Killed a man with her bare hands

Ok, besides the last point, the rest are true. I don’t know what the deal is with this baby of ours; she just doesn’t want to be born. I guess I can’t blame her.

False Alarm

So the baby isn't here yet... Mrs. Jenkins is having "pre-labor" contractions (whatever that means)...

So off to work...

Off to the Hospital...

Mrs Jenkins just started having contractions, so my post on how America royally screwed up my keeping Sanjaya on American Idol will have to wait. Off to the hospital.

But, of course, I have to get mentally prepared before our trip. So I’ve been listening to some tracks off the Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan soundtrack. Specifically, I’m jamming to “Battle In The Mutara Nebula”. This is the song playing as the Enterprise Crew readies for and enters into battle with Khan.

Good stuff. Take a listen

Obama vs Clinton: Round 1

As reported by the Associated Press...

The Clinton campaign demanded that Obama denounce comments made by [David Geffen], the DreamWorks movie studio founder, who told New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd in Wednesday's editions that while "everybody in politics lies," the former president and his wife "do it with such ease, it's troubling."

The Clinton camp also called on Obama to give back Geffen's $2,300 contribution.

Campaigning in Iowa, Obama refused.

"It's not clear to me why I'd be apologizing for someone else's remark," the Illinois senator said.

Obama then turned to an aide and murmured “I told that trick that Obama can’t be faded.”

(Ok, I made that last part up).

Read the whole article here.

Maybe We're Not Red Carpet Ready After All

My wife and I have been invited to two parties this weekend – one for a friend’s 50th birthday, the other, an office party. Even though my wife is VERY pregnant (as in, ready to deliver any day), I figured that if we could go, we would go.

Maybe I’ve been watching too much Project Runway, because I just assumed that she and I would looked like a middle-class version of Seal and Heidi Klum - but, you know, without the facial scars, mile high legs, or riches. Not saying that my wife and I have model/superstar looks, but I think we do ok for regular people (actually, I do ok, she looks absolutely radiant).

Unfortunately, according to her last post, it sounds like she’s feeling less like Heidi and more like Brittney...

Read her post here.

Knocked Me Off My &*^%$# Feet

I watched American Idol with Mrs. Jenkins tonight. Most of the guys were ok, but not stellar. Two contestants stood out for the poor choice of songs – Paul Kim (who tried to turn “Careless Whisper” into a karaoke-styled hip-hop song) and Sanjaya Malakar.

Malakar covered Steve Wonder’s “Knocks Me Off My Feet” and killed it. Not “killed it” as in “great”, “awesome”, or “nailed it”; more like he murdered it, slaughtered it, massacred it. Let me put it another way – my unborn daughter could pop out the womb tomorrow and sing that song better than Sanjaya.

To understand my passion, you may need to understand something about the song. “Knocks Me Off My Feet” is one of Stevie Wonder’s greatest hits off of arguably his greatest album, Songs In the Key of Life. Songs… is Stevie’s magnum opus. It was recorded after his near fatal car accident. It took him two years to record the album. It was given five stars by Rolling Stone. It won a Grammy for “Album of The Year”.

Given that, how could some snot-nosed, 17-year old, feather haired teeny-bopper even hope to sing this song? Sanjaya Malakar’s can’t even hold Stevie’s jock strap, much less sing one of his songs.

A few other points:

-When did feathered hair come back in style? This kid looks like he was one the original Angels.
- No lie, when I went to the American Idol site to get the spelling of his name and saw his picture, I though he was one of the girl contestants

Anyway, this is for those who want to hear what that song SHOULD like. Enjoy.

Damn you, Robin Thicke

I was going to write a post about how I liked that “Wouldn’t Get Far” joint because Game called it like it really is (women are scandalous).

Unfortunately, I’ve been listening to this Robin Thicke album, and I’m in no mood to write about the sorry love songs or scandalous women (though don’t despair, I will eventually write that post).

My current favorite track is “Wanna Love U”. I could do without the middle falsetto part, but overall it’s cool. The lyrics actually make me think back to when I met my wife.

She’s the kind of girl u wanna marry
The kind of girl u walk the whole earth 4
Put her on your back and just carry
Her attitude is hotter than the earths core
When she’s around nothing else matters
Untouchable, she’s got her own force field
Sooner or later someone will get at her
If I don’t someone else will

Catch the YouTube video here.

OBAMA!!!

Found this on the Humanity Critic blog

Countdown to the Big Three O; A Wish List

So I'm turing thirty next month. I'm getting a little older, a bit wiser, and maybe even more mellow. Here are a few things I'd love to be able to do...

Speak Klingon

Anyone can speak French, Italian, or German; how many people can speak Klingon? Fortunately for me, the Klingon Language Institute was created to teach the proper spelling and pronunciation of Klingon. KAHPLAH'!!!

Make an omelet

For the life of me, I can’t seem to flip an omelet without tearing the darn thing apart. I’m to the point where I don’t even try. I just add the onion, ham, and bell peppers to my scrambled eggs.

Grow a cool beard of stubble

I usually grow a beard once a year (usually during summer or fall). I always want it to look like a cool, George-Michael-circa-Father-Figure beard, but it usually looks like one of those dirty old man peazy beards. Here’s hoping that I do better this summer.

Use throwing knives

Remember when Steven Segal (before he got fat) used regular kitchen knives to kill the enemy soldiers in “Under Siege”? Well, I’m pretty handy in the kitchen; I figure than knowing how to throw a knife would be a good skill. You never know when evil mercenaries will try to overtake my house while I’m baking a cake.

Play guitar like Prince

Straight, gay, or something in between… you can’t deny that Prince is one cool mickie fickie (or did you not see the Super bowl).

Such. An. Idiot.

Here’s what Philly forward Shavlik Randolph had to say when speaking about the possibility of playing with a gay teammate.

"As long as you don't bring your gayness on me I'm fine."

But then, he went to Duke (home of America's favorite lacrosse team), so I probably should expect as much.

An Open Letter to Today’s Hip-Hop Fans: Part 5

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

Ok, so we’ve gone New York to Phil to Atlanta to the West Coast and now we’re back to New York. So here it is, the best album that represents the best there is about REAL hip-hop - Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Black Star. What’s great about this album? Well, everything. You’ve got two MCs that sounds like they’ve been partners for years, great production, and above all else, relevant messages.

Mos Def lets you know from the intro that he and Talib Kweli have a responsibility to “shine the light into the darkness.” They don’t disappoint. The first song, “Astronomy (8th Light)” pulls a Malcolm X on us, flipping the work “black” and using it in positive terms. You don’t hear any crap lyrics from these guys; instead you get lyrical wordplay like this:

[Talib Kweli] I love rockin’ tracks like John Coltrane love Naima
[Mos Def] Like the student love the teacher
[TK] Like the prophet love Khadijah
[MD] Like I love my baby features
[Both] Like the creator love all creatures

[Talib Kweli] Who acknowledge truth and peace seekers
We on point like heat seekers
Targettin the black marketing strategists
Run up on em with the heaters
Everybody followin with no leaders
Feelin like we killin ourselves
because I know they can't defeat us
“Definition” starts out with a reggae flow, letting us know why Black Star has arrived (while throwing in another message):

One two three
Mos Def and Talib Kweli
We came to rock it on to the tip-top
Best alliance in hip-hop, wyahhhhh
I said one two three
It's kind of dangerous to be a MC
They shot Tupac and Biggie
Too much violence in hip-hop, wyahhhhh

The next standout track is Mos Def’s “A Children’s Story”. Like Slick Rick’s original, you’ve got a story of a thief. However, instead of a robber, you’ve got a wack MC jacking beats.

They jacked the beats, money came wit' ease
But son, he couldn't stop, it's like he had a disease
He jacked another and another, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder
Set some R & B over the track for 'Deep Cover' (187!)
The kid got wild startin' actin' erratic
He said "Yo, that presidential I got ta have it..."
With liquor in his belly son, he made up the track
But little did he know that his joints was wack
The shiny A & R said ";Great new hit G!"
"Whenever you need a loop, yo come get me..."

I’m so high on “Brown Skin Lady” that I’ve started teaching my 18-month old daughter the lyrics. Some might find this hypocritical (as my lovely wife is white), but I don’t. The song basically tells young Black ladies to be true to their looks, because they are beautiful in their own way.

As Talib says during the outro…

You know what some people put themselves through
to look just like you?
Dark stocking, high heels, lipstick, all of that
You know what?
Without makeup you're beautiful
Whatcha you need to paint the next face for
We're not dealin’ with the European standard of beauty tonight
Turn off the TV and put the magazine away
In the mirror tell me what you see
See the evidence of divine presence

Talib gets his solo treatment on “KOS (Determination)”. Over a smoothed’ out Minnie Riperton sample, Kweli tells us to focus on gaining knowledge about ourselves and our self worth:
you can bet
they tryin to lock you down like Attica, the African Diaspora
represents strength in numbers, a giant can't slumber forever
I know you gotta get that cheddar whatever
Aiyyo I heard you twice the first time money, get it together
You must be History, you repeatin’ yourself out of the pages
You keepin’ yourself depleatin’ your spiritual wealth
That quick cash'll get you’re a-- quick fast in houses of detention
Inner-city concentration camps where no one pays attention
or mentions the ascension of death, til nothing's left
The young, gifted and Black are sprung addicted to crack
All my people where y'all at cause, y'all ain't here
And your hero's using your mind as a canvas to paint fear


The jewel on the album is “Thieves in The Night”. Inspired by Toni Morrison’s Bluest Eye, “Thieves…” tells us that we shouldn’t be fooled with the “illusions” of life. Those illusions include perceived wealth, bravery, and knowledge. The chorus is taken from the final sentence of the book:

[Mos Def] Not strong
[Ta.] Only aggressive
[M.D.] Not free
[T.K.] We only licensed
[M.D.] Not compassionate, only polite
[T.K.] Now who the nicest?
[M.D.] Not good but well behaved
[T.K.] Chasin’ after death
so we can call ourselves brave?
[M.D.] Still livin’ like mental slaves
[both] Hidin’ like thieves in the night from life
Illusions of oasis makin’ you look twice
[both] Hidin’ like thieves in the night from life
Illusions of oasis makin’ you look twice

Talib shines on the track, but Mos Def take the song to a whole new level on his verse. A few nuggets…

Foolishly, most men join the ranks cluelessly
Buffoonishly accept the deception, believe the perception
Reflection rarely seen across the surface of the lookin glass
Walkin the street, wonderin who they be lookin past
Lookin gassed with them imported designer shades on
Stars shine bright, but the light -- rarely stays on
Same song, just remixed, different arrangement
Put you on a yacht but they won't call it a slaveship
Strangeness, you don't control this, you barely hold this
Screamin brand new, when they just sanitized the old sh**
Suppose it's, just another clever Jedi mind trick
That they been runnin across stars through all the time with
I find it's distressin, there's never no in-between
We either nig*** or Kings
We either bit*** or Queens
The deadly ritual seems immersed, in the perverse
Full of short attention spans, short tempers, and short skirts

In fact, you could use the last part of Mos’ verse to summarize why the album is so good…

I give a damn if any fan recall my legacy
I'm tryin to live life in the sight of God's memory

These guys aren’t trying to appease the masses. They’re trying to make good music; their confident that the masses with come to them.

And they’re right.

So, dear reader, I hope you take note of some of the things I called out. Besides the artists I mentioned, there are plenty more that represent true hip-hop. Other albums you should check out:

- A Tribe Called Quest’s Low End Theory and Midnight Marauders
- Little Brother’s The Listening and The Minstrel Show- OutKast’s ATLiens and Stankonia
- Lupe Fiasco’s Food and Liquor
- Common’s Be- Kanye West’s College Dropout- Mos Def’s Black on Both Sides

Sincerely,
Coltrane

More Blue-Eyed Soul: Robin Thicke

Cop this album!!! I've been jamming to "Lost Without U" for the last month - I just realized the song was written and sung by this infamous Robin Thicke. Every blog I read has been talking about this cat... too bad it took me so long to get on board.

And yes, that's the girl from Idlewild (Paula Patton). She and Robin were married in '05, I think.

This might be the best song Justin Timberlake ever sang…

I can’t front, I love this song. It just goes to show you… good music doesn’t discriminate.

Supposedly this isn't about Brittney... and if you believe that, I've got some land to sell you.

Some REAL Black History Month Music

Astronomy (8th Light) - Black Star...

Talib Kweli:
Black people unite and let's all get down
We got to have what? We got to have that love

Check it out

OBB is in...

Yesterday, OBB (our boy Barack) announced his candidacy for POTUS (President of the United States). I'm excited. Sure, I don't know much about him, but I'm willing to listen and see what he has to say.

Plus his new website is pretty sweet. I'll probably start a blog over there (for all my Obama posts). Maybe I'll even buy a Barack t-shirt. Unfortunately, the ones they currently have for sale are a little borning. Here's my suggestion for a new shirt...

An Open Letter to Today’s Hip-Hop Fans: Part 4

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

I believe we give too much credit to Tupac. He was vulgar, misogynistic, violent, brash, and angry. He was also brilliant, poetic, romantic, brave, political, and intellectual. He was maddening in his inconsistency. “Brenda’s Got A Baby”/ “Wonder Why They Call U [Witch]”. “Can You Get Away” (about domestic violence)/”Thug Passion” (about the groupies coming after 2Pac).

Regardless, the perfect storm of his many personalities culminated into his best work - Me Against The World. If you want real west coast, this is it.

His unbridled anger is evident on “If I Die 2 Nite” (it’s so violent, I don’t think I can include ANY of the lyrics here). A less angry, and probably more meaningful song is “F[orget] The World”. Tupac starts of letting us know that he’s still ticked off about the rape charges (that ultimately put him in jail).

Who you callin’ rapist? Ain't that a b---
You devils, are so two faceted
Wanna see me locked in chains, dropped in shame
and gettin stalked by these crooked cops a-gain
F---ing with the young black male, tryin to stack mail
and umm, stay away from the packed jails
I told the judge I'm in danger
and that's why I had that fo'-five with one in the chamber
F--- the world!

‘Pac is best when explaining why he’s angry. Case in point - “Death Around The Corner.”

I was raised in the city, sh---ty
Ever since I was an itty bitty kitty
Drinkin' liquor out my momma's titty
And smokin' weed was an everyday thang in my household,
And drinking liquor til' you out cold
And tho' i'm gone now, n--ga it's still on- Pow
Bustin on them n--ga til they gone

And a few verses later…

Murderin' now but see me later man, as for my pops
I got homies that will hunt you til you drop
I hope the Lord will forgive me, I was a G
And gettin high was a way of gettin free
I see death around the corner

This isn’t fake anger (like 50 Cent or the Game)… 2Pac is really ticked off, and he’s letting the whole world know.

The three bets tracks on this album are “So Many Tears”, “It Aint Easy”, and “Outlaw”. These songs best capture the Dr Jekyll/Mr. Hyde quandary that is Tupac. In the refrain of “Outlaw”, Tupac begs for God to save him from a life of evil, sin, and death. He takes this conversation with God further in his second verse:

Before I close my eyes I fantasize I'm livin’ well
when I awake and realize I'm just a prisoner in hell
Just as well, cause in my cell I'm keepin’ pictures of these bastards
Exercisin’, visualizin’, everyone inside a casket
Picture me blasted, surrounded by n--gas in masks
Sent with the task to harass and murder my a--
Will I last? Heaven or Hell? Freedom or jail?

Like “F The World”, “So Many Tears” also explains how Tupac became 2Pac:

Back in elementary, I thrived on misery
Left me alone I grew up amongst a dyin breed
Inside my mind couldn't find a place to rest
until I got that Thug Life tatted on my chest
Tell me can you feel me? I'm not livin in the past, you wanna last
Be tha first to blast, remember Kato
No longer with us he's deceased
Call on the sirens, seen him murdered in the streets
Now rest in peace
Is there heaven for a G? Remember me
So many homies in the cemetery, shed so many tears

Again, ‘Pac pleads for help from God in the chorus and the second verse:

Ahh, I suffered through the years, and shed so many tears..
Lord, I lost so many peers, and shed so many tears

Now that I'm strugglin’ in this business, by any means
Label me greedy getting’ green, but seldom seen
And f--- the world cause I'm cursed, I'm havin’ visions
of leavin’ here in a hearse, God can you feel me?
Take me away from all the pressure, and all the pain
Show me some happiness again, I'm goin’ blind
I spend my time in this cell, ain't livin’ well
I know my destiny is Hell, where did I fail?
My life is in denial, and when I die,
baptized in eternal fire I'll shed so many tears

“It Ain’t Easy” is the most political of the songs on this album. It starts out hauntingly…

I take a shot of Hennessey now I'm strong enough to face the madness
Nickel bag full of sess weed laced with hash

From there, we get the brilliancy of Tupac. His rhymes challenge the issues and hopelessness facing young African Americans. He discusses suicide:

Phone calls from my n---gas on the, other side
Two childhood friends just died, I couldn't cry
A damn shame, when will we ever change
And what remains from a twelve gauge to the brain

He discusses the disintegration of relationships:

Arguments with my Boo is true
I spend mo' time with my n---gas than I do with you

And that’s just in the first verse. From there, ‘Pac openly asks

Will I see the penitentiary, or will I stay free

The protagonist ultimately ends up in jail (and the penitentiary)…

so now I'm in
this high powered cell at the county jail
Punk judge got a grudge, can't post no bail, what
do I do in these county blues
Getting’ battered and bruised by the you know who
And these fakes get to shakin’ when they face me
Snakes ain't got enough nuts to replace me
Sittin’ in this, livin’ Hell, listenin’ to n---- yell
Tryin’ to torture ‘em to tell, I'm getting’ mail
But ain't nobody sayin’ much, the same old nuts
is makin’ bucks while these sluts is getting’ f---ed
They violated my probation, and it seems
I'll be goin’ on a long vacation, meanwhile

Tupac is a perfect example of unfulfilled potential. He could have been a master lyricist and businessman. He could have been an accomplished actor. He could have stood the world of rap on it’s side with his visions of inner city life.

Instead he just a one of hundreds of men who died too young.

Part 5 - (Last Part) - If you're stuck on a desert island, this is the CD you want.

Marinate On This...

… from Talib Kweli and Mos Def’s "Thieves in the Night" (from the EXCELLENT Black Star album)

[Mos Def] Not strong
[Talib Kweli] Only aggressive
[M.D.] Not free
[T.K.] We only licensed
[M.D.] Not compassionate, only polite
[T.K.] Now who the nicest?
[M.D.] Not good but well behaved
[T.K.] Chasin’ after death so we can call ourselves brave?
[M.D.] Still livin’ like mental slaves
[both] Hidin’ like thieves in the night from life
Illusions of oasis makin’ you look twice
[both] Hidin like thieves in the night from life
Illusions of oasis makin you look twice

Listen to the entire song below. Check out the lyrics here.

I Hate Black History Month

I hate Black History Month. Why?

The veejays on BET’s 106 & Park spent two minutes talking about famed surgeon Ben Carson… then they cut to Yung Joc’s “1st Time”, which has meaningful lyrics like –

“I see she up on top
You all on my jock
Imma do it nonstop, until your cherry pop
Immm a keep going and going, the energizer bunny
Mr. long john all in your tummy “

Companies use BMH as an excuse to sell Coke. Not that I have anything against this particular advertisement; I just don’t understand why something like this can’t run in April or December. Is February the only month where you can credit the achievements of African Americans?

Last year I visited the Blockbuster website during the month of February. They had a special section highlighting African American movies. Included in their recommendations was Booty Call – which, of course, is one of the finest movies in Black cinema.

At the end of the day, I dislike BHM because we shouldn’t need a separate month to focus on Black History. We should be discussing Black History every month, because Black History is American History. Black History is World History.

Dr. Smoov Strikes Again

Another Transformer clip from Dr. Smoov (some adult language...)

Tag This !!! (5 random facts about my brother)

So my brother “tagged” me, which means that I’m supposed to write five things about myself then tag five other people. Well, being that I’m not into telling too much about myself (besides my “If you don’t know, now you know” post), I figured that I’d instead write five things about my brother, Varian Johnson.

1. My brother is on the down low. Ok, he really isn’t on the DL, but he does wear Guess jeans. My wife tells me that any man that wears Guess jeans is a man that you don’t want as your prison cell mate. (Of course, my wife says the same thing about sweater vests and visors… which I wear).


2. My brother is a master barber. My brother once tried to give himself a bald fade… with a pair of scissors.
   


3. My brother is extremely tight with his money. There’s thrifty, there’s Ebenezer Scrooge, then there’s Varian Johnson. He could have a sweater with more holes than OJ’s alibi, and he wouldn’t trash it. Think I’m lying? Look at the following photos.
   
   
   Notice the suit? Yup, it’s the same suit – over an eight year period. Now, I’m not knocking buying a suit and keeping it for years (I’ve got two suits that I purchased pre 1999 that I still wear). The issue is that this is his ONLY suit and he wears it to EVERYTHING (college graduation, family photos, my wedding, my sisters wedding, etc.). And it’s not like he doesn’t have the funds to purchase a new suit (he’s a pretty successful engineer). He’s just cheap.
   
   


4. My brother hasn’t washed his car since 2003. The car can practically drive itself at this point.
   
5. My brother is one of the only people over the age of 25 who saw You Got Served
.

The Negro Bowl I

Good god, this is funny. I've been reading TAN (The Assimilated Negro) for a while, but this reaches new heights.

How Important Is Negro Bowl I? (video)

An Open Letter to Today’s Hip-Hop Fans: Part 3

Read Part 1

Read Part 2



Look, I know that you dig southern rhymes. The beats are less harsh than the East Cost and they aren’t as “funk-dified” as the West Coast. But come on… “Laffy Taffy”? “White Tee”? “I’m In Love With a Stripper”?

If you want a real taste of the south, check out OutKast. Yeah, they’re a little overexposed, but overall you can’t go wrong with these guys. While one could argue that Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, Stankonia, or ATLiens are their best albums, I’m going to suggest that you start with Aquemini.

Aquemeni is the hybrid of two disparate beings – the poet Andre 3000 and the player Big Boi. The mix is pure genius. The album doesn’t come across shallow nor is it preachy… it just sounds real. Whether it’s Big talking about the responsibilities of raising a family or Dre kicking off a party jam, every track is worthy of repeated listening.

You know from the get go that we’re on some next level stuff when you get the The Four Phonics and Dre on a kalimba telling us to “Hold On…. Be Strong.” From there you roll into Dre’s monologue on the state of “peace” in “Return of the G”. Dre goes deeper, letting everyone know that it’s time to stop rapping about materialism in the following verse:

Return of the gangsta thanks ta'
them [negroes] that thank [think] you soft
and say y'all be gospel rappin'
but they be steady clappin' when you talk about
[w]itches & switches & hoes & clothes & weed
let's talk about time travelin' rhyme javelin
somethin' mind unravelin'
get down

Dre and Big take a break from the overtly deep lyrics in the next two tracks. “Rosa Parks” got the hype as the jam of the year, however I’m more partial to “Skew It On The Bar B”. Not only are Dre and Big at their best, you get a great verse by Raekwon the Chef.

This is a southern rap album, so you know there has to be a track for chillin’ the ‘lac. OutKast doesn’t disappoint, delivering the title track, “Aquemeni”.

From there, you get a number of solid tracks (such as Big Boi’s biography in “West Savannah”) before you get to what I believe is one of the most underrated songs in hip-hop – “Da Art of Storytellin' Pt 1”. Usually songs like “Storytellin Pt 1” come off as pretentious, yet OutKast succeeds where others (Tupac and Ludacris, for example) fail. Plus it’s a touching song, as most of us have a Sasha Thumper in our lives.

Talkin bout what we gonna be when we grow up
I said what you wanna be, she said, "Alive"
It made me think for a minute, then looked in her eyes
I coulda died, time went on, I got grown
Rhyme got strong, mind got blown, I came back home
to find lil Sasha was gone
Her mamma said she with a n---- that be treatin her wrong
I kept on singin my song and hopin at a show
that I would one day see her standin in the front row
But two weeks later she got found in the back of a school
With a needle in her arm, baby two months due, Sasha Thumper

From there, you get more dope cuts (like the apocalyptic “Da Art Of Storytellin’ Part II”) before getting another classic - the hard to pronounce “SpottieOttieDopalicious”. “Spottie…” is smoothed out and funny at the same time. You’ve got some great horns with Dre and Big doing more “talking” than rapping. Big’s lyrics crack me up:

When I first met my SpottieOttieDopalicious Angel
I can remember that damn thing like yesterday
The way she moved reminded me of a Brown Stallion horse with skates on, you know,
smooth like a hot comb on nappy ass hair
I walked up on her & was almost paralyzed
her neck was smelling sweeter than a plate of yams with extra syrup

Finally, the album crescendos with what has to be the greatest OutKast song ever made – “Liberation”. Big and Dre sing, you get guest spots by Erykah Badu and Cee-Lo, and Big Rube brings it home with a great spoken word poem. Dre’s words in Liberation might sum up the album (and OutKast’s relationship with popular music and hip-hop) the best:

And there's a fine line between love and hate you see
Came way too late, but baby I'm on it..
Can't worry bout, what a n---- think now see
That's liberation and baby I want it..

So if you don’t have this album, drive to your nearest music store, and get it!

Part 4 – What? No Love For The West Coast?