The title to this post will be used in two ways.
Okay, now when I say I'm inspired by genius....what I mean is that RAW talented/gifted individuals and their life efforts inspire me.
Music is the best example.
Understand that I played the flute all my life, piano here and there...my sister plays clarinet and sax, while my little brother plays the trumpet, trombone and is a beast on the drums.
I grew up with music meaning more to me than what it is that people who we know gettin' paid for it has to say on a track. Although I respect anybody gettin', I'll never knock a hustle. But I give kudos to those who passionately grind at making REAL MUSIC!
Like today, I put in an old CD that use to belong to my granfather who recently passed. "Joe Cool's Blues" by Wynton Marsalis(trumpet), and his father Ellis Marsalis(piano).....this may sound lame to some people, but they made the soundtrack for Charlie Brown (cartoon). As I listened to 'Linus and Lucy,' 'Pepperment Patty' and 'Oh, Good Grief!'.....I'm not only reminded of my late grandfathers beautiful spirit, but I'm inspired by the raw talent that brought Snoopy and Charlie Brown to my mind.
Wynton Marsalis.....each blow made into his trumpet aired his passion in form of sound. Passion that he shared with his father Ellis, who is no longer living. I can only imagine what this music does for him now when he listens to him and his fathers duo.
Quincy Jones said it best about the features in his "Back on the Black" introductory acknowledgments for....
Ella Fitzgerald
Big Daddy Kane
Kool Moe Dee
Tevin Campbell
Al Jerreau
Dizzy Gilespie
and more
"I've assembled a group of friends, both old and new, whose musical talents I consider to be God-given..." ~Quincy Jones
And with a vocal music instrument alone....there are rappers that inspire me in the same way. I mean aside from Tupac and all, lol. Like Lil Wayne aka Weezy F.F.F.F. Baby (sorry I'm listening to Dedication 3 right now). But he is someone who's music is a raw display of himself, whether you classify him as an American Reject or not.
He's impressed his image into the history of music. And he's da shit. Kudos to Wayne.
My big cousin Chingy, now this is someone who literaly has been making music since forever. His passion shined through at a very early age. I'm a witness. Music is and has been his thing since Pee Wee Herman! LOL And my lil brother Spiff (Young Spiffy), that boy is just gifted as hell! I mean gifted gifted, he tested like 3rd in the nation on his PSAT's. A true musical prodigy! KUDOS
Recently this flyy ass Canadian Drake
....yes he's on Dedication 3, but even if I wasn't listening to this right now, he still gets kudos. His music is hot, and I'm a critic of high standards. He has raw talent, and he seems to be passionate about his music. Plus he's intelligent. And once again...Flyy as fuk! LOL KUDOS!
People like Jay-Z and Diddy, they're so 'business' that you can't really see past that. They get that BOSS respect and kudos! So does Russel Simmons and Beyonce. And what can I say about Mary J. Blidge....I've cried listening to her. She's the voice that narrates the life of a lot of black women. Kudos
I'm more of a Kanye person...just don't give a fuk what nobody thinks and is still the truth! Kudos Kanye
T.I. is the shit, as we all know. He DOES this music thing! Enough said....KUDOS T.I.
And lastly, Jim Jones....I just like his swagger! KUDOS
He's passionately swagged the fuk out! LOL...and YES.....I feel the music.
That was my clarification on what type of musicians inspire me.
Hey, I just basically named everybody on "Swagger Like Us." SO I know I'm not the only person who makes wise choices as to what goes through my ears.
NOW, for the clarification on what is even produced. What if judgement day consisted of people having to answer for how they used their gifts and talents that God gave them.
Music needs to be clarified, and all the way down to the root....purified!
My opinion may only matter to me, but TRUST that it is one of intelligence!
OH...let me finish the Quincy Jones quote.......
"............and we've worked TOGETHER to bridge generations and traverse musical boundaries.....Each and all of those who are joined together here have a special meaning to me. Together with our friendship, we share the traditions of the African griot storyteller which are continued today by the rappers...." ~Quincy Jones
That was in '89.
SO I ask then....who will be the one to make a collaborative effort to reconstruct our culture?
