Happy Birthday, Jason Mizell

When one-third of one of my biggest influences from the hip-hop culture was suddenly lost to us, I admit it: I wept. Hard.
I couldn't believe it. It made no sense. He couldn't be gone. He was immortal. Run-DMC and Jam Master Jay were fxcking immortal. A part of the bedrock, the infrastructure. There's no way.
I remember that the day after, the streets were filled with nothing but the best that these men gave us: "Rock Box". "King of Rock". "It's Like That". "Raising Hell", a song I still need to play before a show, like a ritual. And someone, in a drop-top, in Brick City, no less, was actually blasting "Jam Master Jamming". I was having an "oh, shxt!" moment right there on the bus. It was beautiful.
It's Jay's birthday today. I still wonder what it would be like, how much further would the East Coast have come, if he were still here. Would the sound have reshaped? Would Run-DMC have made us a slew of more stuff? Would they have toured? Would Jay have hit us with more skilled djs, well-trained in the art of scratch? Would he have turned out something to turn the whole rap world upside down? I like to think so.
Happy Birthday, Jay. You're still in my heart and on my mind. Thank you for helping to make me what I am.

Losing Too Many Icons!

Nate Dogg died way too young. I wasn't a huge fan, but he left his mark, and helped, along with Warren G., introduce a different style of hip-hop...sung hooks blended skillfully with sampled classic pop, courtesy of Michael McDonald.


 Forties is too young to die. It's funny how forty looks so old when you are in your twenties, but rappers who hit forty are still giving it to us hard.

Now...Loleatta Holloway. How many parties and clubs have I been to where this song was NOT a staple? I mean, c'mon--even Marky Mark sampled it!







Black Box just straight ripped her off  ahem...paid tribute as well:





I wouldn't be surprised if any of these songs enjoyed a renewed popularity due to their passing. Thank you, Nate, for your voice. Thank you, Loleatta, for giving us an iconic track to continue to blast at house parties, clubs, and festivals. (Thank you for coming to Newark and gracing our Lincoln Park Music Festival. Somewhere, there's footage of my Nekoboy, Peace, dancing for one of her performances, but I have yet to locate it...)
Wow. Tomorrow (to use a hackneyed--but true!--phrase) really isn't promised.

Happy Birthday, JMJ

When I learned you were gone, I cried like I lost my best friend. I wish you were still with us. You gave us some great music, and unforgettable sound. You were a pioneer, an innovator, a trailblazer, and an inspiration. I will never forget you. The hip-hop culture is in your debt and is poorer without your presence.
We love you, Jay! Happy Birthday, and rest well.--<3, GATA, 1-21-11