MUSIC MONDAY: Interlude Game Crazy

     I know I've said this to myself and to my friends a few times but never to my BQC family. Welp until today. Seeing how it's #MusicMonday and all. Now check me if I'm wrong but isn't it true? "Interludes are some of the best songs on an album." You know an album... the full bodies of work artists used to put out where most of the songs on the project are actually good. Yeah those things. Anyway, few albums have them but the interludes used to be everything and part of what makes an album special. A good interlude leaves you wanting to hear more. A good interlude will make you say, "This should have been a full song." A great interlude helps the flow of an album easing you into and setting you up for the next song. It can be the perfect transition into another theme or guided feeling. I don't want to get too technical but interludes are pretty necessary in some cases. Maybe it's just me. No? Well I'm going to share some of my favorite interludes with you and I'd like to hear some of yours too. So please...do share.

Listen. Below of my favorite interludes are...
Interlude x Jamie Foxx
Superstar Interlude x Usher
Cameras/Good Ones Go x Drake
Loving Intro- India Arie
I Think It's Better x Jill(She never disappoints)

 Enjoy.
 -Na'Shun

 

 

 

 

MUSIC MONDAY: Lost In The Movement

 "An artist's duty, as far as I'm concerned, is to reflect the times."- Nina Simone


Our girl Nina was a true talent forever etched in history and her music and spirit remain in our hearts.

I'm sure many of you have seen "What happened Miss Simone?" via Netflix. If you haven't, you're in for a treat and a greater understanding of the magnificence that is Nina.

I found Nina's dedication to the Civil Rights movement commendable and thought Nina's involvement is one that should be constantly recognized and discussed.

The music of the civil rights movement was instrumental providing the soundtrack, inspiring the people and simply enough... promoting the cause. The music got out the message. In Nina's case, her music expressed what I imagine was the consensus of the people.

In the Netflix documentary we learned about Nina's mental illness and we are left with the assumption that her illness explains her total consumption in the movement. Not only was she dedicating her time and and art but her mind and spirit were very much so invested. Whenever your total mind, body, and spirit is involved in something or someone, it's a dangerous space to be in. Her mental illness seemed to only swell her passions to the point where it was almost impossible to live a healthy and socially functional life. Can you imagine empathizing too much? What if you felt every single blow of all your peers and you carried your own burdens in addition to every one else's.

It's just too much for one woman, even a queen.

Like Nina, there have been several other artists dedicated and maybe even lost in the movement.

I immediately think of Fela. If you don't know him, he's a great idol to read up on. *BHM fact check time*
Fela Kuti was a Nigerian musician and artist(an amazing one) who decided his music would always represent the people and the fight for equality in his home and abroad. He let the rest of the world know what was going on in Africa. Fela was a no nonsense man. He called out the corrupt leaders and often literally went to war with the oppressors. Fela was a natural born leader and the amount of people that followed him is outstanding honestly. Was he "lost" in the movement? I don't know about all that but his lifestyle was one that paralleled the civil rights movement and it was evident in the music. There were things that happened during his life that changed him forever. *Sidenote: Speaking of Fela's lifestyle, he was a no-nonsense man but what he was not was a one woman man. Fela did die from HIV/AIDS. Whether you want to charge that up to the movement or the lifestyle is subjective. What can not be denied is the music. You must listen for yourselves.

Being "lost" in the movement also brings on eerie thoughts of the 23- year- old Black Lives Matter activist, Marshawn McCarrel who committed suicide last week. There's some speculation that McCarrel was depressed. Before his death, McCarrel posted, "My demons won today, I'm sorry." on his Facebook page. He was not known as an artist but as an activist. His work in the community speaks for itself and his legacy outlives him.

These individuals are not here to see their impact on the world but the fact that I'm discussing them speaks to their heavy influence and their honorable dedication.

When you think music to the movement, you must mention...
from back in the day...
James Brown
Bob Marley
Billie Holiday
Miles Davis
Today's artists
Beyonce' (Umm Formation hello!)
Kendrick Lamar
J. Cole
Who else?

-Na'Shun

MUSIC MONDAY: Queen of The Dancehall

     
       Hi, Queens! Na'Shun here. The last 2 months have been quite eventful for myself and the Brown Queens' Constitution. We celebrated 2 years at the end of February and have made some additions to the team. You'll find out more about that soon enough. I'm extremely excited! We've broken from our routine of BQC weeks BUT we are back. Now back to your regular scheduled programming; It's MUSIC MONDAY!




         An island girl has taken over my body. I don't know if it's because the weather is getting warmer or if it's this faint desire I've had to be on a Caribbean island with a bright colored beverage garnished with an umbrella at hand that has me in a reggae mood.

       I traveled to Atlanta for a friend's birthday a few weeks ago. We went out for a night on the town and were bombarded with the many options that crowd Atlanta's nightlife. We ended up going to a reggae club which in hindsight, I'm so glad we did. It was probably one of the best times I've had at a club in a while.

       The atmosphere was much different than the other spots I've attended. It looked like a scene out of a Beenie Man video.(Remember him?) It was hot but if you were dancing you didn't mind it. It was pretty sexy and not to mention FUN. But the music... the music is the reason for this post.




   Reggae tunes filled my ears and I was consumed. The DJ played the greatest reggae hits and even reggaton renditions of r&b/hip hop songs I'd never heard before. I pulled all the moves that I ever learned from the Sean Paul videos as if I were at a dancehall in the middle of St. Thomas. It was quite liberating... and so I've been inspired. I won't keep this party to myself. "Dutty wind gul" Enjoy. Happy MUSIC MONDAY!

***The BQC playlist includes 

One love x Bob Marley

Is This Love x Corrine Bailey Ray

Need You Bad x Jazmine Sullivan

Three Little Birds x Bob Marley

Girls Them Sugar x Beenie Man

Baby Boy x Beyonce’

No Letting Go x Wayne Wonder

Gimme The Light x Sean Paul

It Wasn’t Me x Shaggy***

By Na'Shun, Founder and Contributor

The Brown Queens' Constituion

MUSIC MONDAY: Most Viewed

Monday, March 26, 2012

Music Monday: We love the 90's- The Super List

Welcome back, Brown Queens. It's MUSIC MONDAY!!! I'm so excited about this post not only because it's about music, but it's also about one of the best decades to produce so much great music. I'm talking about the 90's. Today on MUSIC MONDAY we're going to travel back in time, not too far back, but just far enough. If you were around in the 90's then you remember the baggy jeans we wore (women and men), the dark lipstick, midriffs, jean ensembles, leather pants, big stereos, and two-sided cassette tapes. The music of the 90's was filled with feel good music, r&b love ballads, socially conscious hip hop, gangster rap, etc. Some of the best girl groups also came out in the 90's too. Brown Queens thrived in the 90's along with so many other artists. Here are some of the artists that kept us " jammin' " in the 90's! The music is so good that there are 15 90's songs added to the playlist this week! What are some of your favorite 90's artists? Share them with us! Join, comment, and tell ALL of your friends.

• Brandy
• TLC
• Aaliyah
• Destiny's Child
• R. Kelly
• Michael Jackson
• Janet Jackson
• Whitney Houston
• Montell Jordan
• Missy Elliot
• Dru Hill
• 112
• SWV
• Monica
• En Vogue
• X- Scape
• Babyface
• Total
• 702
• Blaque
• Mary J. Blige
• Usher
• Ma$e
• Boys II Men
• Kelly Price
• Joe
• Case
• Ginuwine
• Donell Jones
• Mariah Carey
• Bill Biv Devoe
• Notorious B.I.G
• Tupac
• Dr. Dre
• Ice Cube
• Toni Braxton
• Jon B
• Tyrese
• Next
• Nas
• Jay-Z
• Common
• Outkast
• Naughty by Nature
• The Roots
• Goodie Mob
• Lil' Kim
• Foxy Brown
• Snoop Dogg
• Lauryn Hill
• Coolio
• LL Cool J
• The Fresh Prince
• DMX
• Bone Thugs n Harmony
• The Fugees
• Mya
• Queen Latifah
• Deborah Cox
• Puff Daddy (That was his name in the 90's)
• Faith Evans
• Erykah Badu
• Common

***Playlist includes Tell Me What you Want x Mase ft. Total, The Rain x Missy Elliott, Creep x TLC, I Wanna Be Down (Remix) x Brandy, No No No Pt. 1 x Destiny's Child, You're Making Me High x Toni Braxton, Where My Girls At? x 702, Rosa Parks x OutKast, 808 x Blaque, Are You That Somebody x Aaliyah, Kissing You x Faith Evans, We Can't Be Friends x Deborah Cox & R.L., Friend of Mine x Kelly Price, Secret x XSCAPE, Remember The Time x Michael Jackson***

MUSIC MONDAY: 1st Runner-Up

Monday, March 12, 2012

Music Monday: March Madness Sweet 16 For Soul Music

If you don't know by now I am a huge Soul music fan! Most of my favorite artists are of the soul or neosoul genre. I went to the movies last weekend to see Tyler Perry's "Good Deeds" and I heard a new Kem song in the movie that I fell in love with and I was inspired to share with you some of my favorite Soul artists. I listen to music quite a bit throughout the day. These are artists that I clean, study, drive, wake up, go to sleep, and sing along with in the shower. They sing songs that make me dance, smile, laugh, cry, think, sing and be inspired. Everything I do has a song or three to go with it. These are artists that make songs that speak to my soul and it will forever be the genre I connect with the most. Here is my list of artists that currently make my soul dance. I'm sure I have missed a few. I'm always looking for more soul singers so if you know of any let me know. Also check out The BQC's updated playlist. What are your favorite soul singers??

•  Maxwell ( I adore him)
•  Jill Scott (My best friend and she doesn't even know it)
•  India Arie (So inspiring)
•  Musiq Soulchild (Makes me dance)
•  Kem
•  Erykah Badu
•  Eric Benet ( So romantic)
•  Jazmine Sullivan (Just sangin')
•  Fantasia (Sings from the deepest part of her soul)
•  Lauryn Hill ( THE coldest lyricist)
•  Kindred the Family Soul ( Just found them recently, I love the married gimmick)
•  Bilal
•  Dwele
•  Ledisi 
•  Lalah Hathaway
•  Marvin Gaye ( can't forget Marvin)

***Playlist includes Doo Wop (That thing) x Lauryn Hill, Gotta get to know ya x Maxwell, Not Like Crazy x Jill Scott, Can you feel it? x Kem***

MUSIC MONDAY: 3rd Most Viewed

Monday, February 27, 2012

Music Monday: Calling all Music Lovers... What's on your Pandora?

     I have a confession to make. I am in love and have been for quite a while now. I am in love with music and I swear music loves me back. I can't go a day without having it in my life in some form or another whether I am listening, watching music videos, or singing a song myself. I am 100%, a music lover and will forever be. I love most types of music. My favorite is SOUL and anything that branches off of that. I like r&b, gospel, hip hop, country, pop, punk rock, some classical, and some in between. I try to listen to all genres of music but I do tend to stay in the genre of soul or neo soul! I also tend to go through spells where I only listen to one artist's music for like a week straight. Lately it has been Ryan Leslie, Jill Scott, Maxwell, Musiq Soulchild, or another one of my favorites that I am feeling at the time. You will begin to realize who my favorite musicians are by the music you hear on The BQC!  On Music Mondays I will share with you new musicians that I come across and think are phenomenal or someone who I like that I recommend you to hear. As a music lover, I love sharing with other music lovers, our musical taste. Today onMusic Monday I would like to share with you, my stations on Pandora. There are still many artists I would like to add but I think my list is pretty hot right now. Let me know what you think. "Now keep in mind I'm an artist! And I'm sensitive about my sh**" - Erykah Badu. I currently have Ryan Leslie, Maroon 5, Eric Benet, Jazmine Sullivan, Music Soulchild, Toni Braxton, Maxwell, Tank, Jill Scott, Chris Brown, and Trey Songz. Share your list of Pandora stations with us on The BQC! Who keeps your Pandora or your Ipod on fire??


*** Playlist includes I used to love H.E.R. x Common, Love of My life x Erykah Badu and Common, Music x Eric Sermon***

MUSIC MONDAY: 4th Most Viewed

Monday, February 13, 2012

Music Monday: A Tribute to the "Original Voice" Ms. Whitney Houston

                                 

                 

It's Music Monday and it's only right that I start The BQC off by paying homage to Brown Queen, Whitney Houston! I hate to start off with such a tragic story about Ms. Houston's death this past weekend or her personal issues because Whitney's contributions to music were so much more important. And as a music lover, I want to recognize Whitney's incomparable talent. Houston was a force to be reckoned with and very few can be mentioned with the likes of Whitney Houston. She was a perfect example of longevity in the music business. Whenever you and your parents can appreciate an artist for the same music and totally different music, that screams "great musician". How many talent shows, pageants, or graduations can you recall going to where Whitney's music was not at least attempted by some vocalist? Whitney's music touched generations and her music will continue to live on because great music is timeless. Rest peacefully Whitney.

I have compiled a list, in no particular order, of Whitney's top songs in her honor. What's your favorite Whitney Houston song??

• I Will Always Love You
• I Wanna Dance With Somebody
• Saving All My Love For You
• I'm Every Woman
• My Love Is Your Love
• Didn't We Almost Have It All
• Exhale (shoop shoop)
• I Believe In You And Me
• Joy To The World
• Heartbreak Hotel
• You Give Good Love
• I Have Nothing
• When You Believe ft. Mariah Carey   

Playlist featured I'm every woman x Whitney Houston