As we are getting closer and closer to election day in the United States, it’s kinda hard to focus on anything else…since this is such an important one. And of course political views are seeping into our entertainment and music. So, let’s just go there.
As with all of my mixes I try to tell a story and today’s story is about America. Where we are right now. I gonna attempt to fuse politics and Pop Culture. Music has always been the voice of reason. Protests and truths are often heard in lyrics. So, I want to start there and move into the club scene.
Our first track is a protest song by Common featuring Stevie Wonder called “Black America Again”. The rhetoric that is coming from the Republican Party is so horrifying. Their candidate painted a pretty grim look at inner city people of color. I believe that Common has captured the feel of how Black America feels.
And T.I. has captured where Black America is right now with his latest release “Warzone”. It almost seems like the more people bring up the atrocities of racial profiling and unnecessary force the more it happens. I mean, I worry not just for Black Youth, but for all Black People these days. And although Hillary Clinton didn’t go deep into the racial divide during the first presidential debate, she did use some important language that has never been use in a debate before….”systemic racism”. She talked about the problems of Urban America and how we should try to build a bridge of trust between the communities and the police to stop the violence.
But Donald Trump brought up two words that gave everyone insight into how he views Black America….”stop and frisk”. He interrupted Hillary 51 times during the debate. He even argued with the moderator on actual facts. So, I had to include YG’s second installment of “FDT (F#%k Donald Trump) Part 2” which features white rappers Macklemore & G-Easy. I liked the first version. I love the second one even more! Probably because it shows that some people are well aware of the coded language that Trump uses to keep the Klan and his racist followers happy.
But a really awkward moment was a campaign stop with Mary J Blige in a hotel room where she sang about the woes of being black in America for her new talk show “What’s The 411” while Hillary looked mortified. I’m sure the entire video is touching and powerful, but taken out of context and edited down to a minute made the moment look really uncomfortable. But the fact of the matter is that in order for us to move forward we have to acknowledge our roles in our present race relations. So, I decided to include Mary’s rewrite of “Everyday People” featuring Jermaine Dupri. Her new lyrics speak of moving in a positive direction. And although this is not a comfortable conversation, I think we are better for having it.
Now…with a title like “Closer” you would think this is a love song, but you’d be wrong if you only listened to the opening lyric. Like the Nick Jonas & Tove Lo track, this one is kind of an odd love letter to the other person and it’s helping build the brand of The Chainsmokers. I like this one much better than their “Selfie” track.
One of the early 2000s jams was “Move Ya Body” by Nina Sky. These two twins have been pumping out records for over a decade, but haven’t quite topped the charts since 2004. Their latest single, “Champion Lover” with Ce’Cile is a hybrid of Moombahton and Reggae. I like it, but I don’t think it’s gonna make a dent in the charts.
Surprisingly we haven’t heard very much from Beyonce since “Becky With The Good Hair”. She and Jay Z haven’t come out for a presidential candidate. And I guess since she dropped her video album, “Lemonade” and her mini-concert on the MTV Awards there’s no need to do anything else for this release. And even though “Hold Up” has remixes and is 89th on Billboard’s Top 100, I haven’t heard any fanfare about it at all. So, remixers are reaching back and giving some of her classic hits a makeover. The DJ Phresh remix of “Baby Boy” brings her and Sean Paul up to the twerk generation. I always felt like the original was a little too slow. So, having it at 100 BPMs suits me just fine.
And speaking of Pop divas being remixed, the “House Of Bounce Twerk Remix” of “Jenny From The Block” by Jennifer Lopez is kinda hot too.
If you wanna get the crowd jumping’ there’s nothing like a great Moombahton beat. “Get Higher” by Lady Parts is definitely the perfect candidate for being a dance-floor-filla.
Tove Lo did well with “Talking Body” and “Habits”. Now she’s back with “Cool Girl” and the MAGIXX Remix is serving’ up a smooth downtempo dance energy at 104 BPMs.
Since we’re finally in the Fall season, some of the heavyweights are coming out with new tracks and new looks. The Weeknd not only cut his hair (Thank God! ‘Cuz that stuff looked a mess), but he also has a new single with Daft Punk called “Starboy” and the Kay Stafford At The Ibiza Beach Club Mix is helping usher back in the 108 BPM club speed.
The new season of “The Voice” has started with Alicia Keys and Miley Cyrus. It reminded me that Gwen Stefani is no longer on the show. I wonder if her relationship with Blake Sheldon factored into that decision? So, I used the Booty Carell Mix of “Let Me Blow Ya Mind” featuring Eve to transition to a 125 BPM club speed.
So, to keep with the theme of titles, the Night Moves Remix of “Blow Your Mind” by Dua Lipa is a track to be on the lookout for….good grooves of House.
It’s a shame that Lady GaGa just got embarrassed by a payola scandal with reports that she paid $5 Million to perform at the next Superbowl and even more to Billboard to only chart to #15 then drop to #43 the next week on the Pop charts with her latest single “Perfect Illusion”. I listen to several different remixes of this track and the only one that spoke to me was the Handbag House Club Mix.
The funny thing is, I really love the Tedd Patterson remix of “In Common” by Alicia Keys is nowhere to be found on the Billboard charts. Guess you have to be “Becky with the Payola” to get some play.
And Britney Spears’ latest single, “Do You Wanna Come Over” hasn’t really moved my floor either. But I do like the Country Club Martini Crews Remix…..just wish my floor did.
And to close out the mix I just felt like I wanted to “jack my body” to that Old Skool House sound. So, I grabbed my copy of “Get Freaky (Body Jack)” by Max Chapman
