Jill Scott meets Brooklyn

The day that I saw Jill Scott was a couple of days after my birthday last year. This was a review and blog that I was supposed to put up after I recorded it. Yet life began to happen and I began to succumb to its ways. Let’s just call it Recession meets Tragedy, moving along.

A beautiful summer day that began with me thinking that I was going to see Jill Scott for free in the Wyngate Park turned into a hectic day of driving all over NY. I was late for a line that I knew was going to circle blocks and blocks. I tend be a person that lives in her lateness but luckily I have a bomb ass friend named Kali (note: she’s from Oakland) who makes it to every event before it’s even close to starting. (God Bless her soul sweet Jesus!)

I get there to see the line is wrapped twice around the universe kissing the Gods and to find Kali is an absolute mission. When I get the call that she’s somewhere at the front of the line I became elated.

New problem: Getting to the front of a mob of black people on line to see a free Jill Scott show in BROOKLYN… is nooooooo easy task. As I explain to security that I was already on the line and made my way through it, I get to my true obstacle. It’s a big burly butch black woman with a gang of people who appears to have lawn chairs on the line and seemed beyond intimidating. Now, I’m a lover not a fighter but I’ve thrown down some mean punches in my day. This day however, doesn’t look like the possible day to do such stupidities. As I listen quietly to her rants on how no one’s walking through her, I call Kali whom I am feet away from to explain the horridness. She began to laugh and we angled a way for me to slide through the barricade because there was a bar missing. Soon as I made it through, all was well with the world. And that, my friends is the instructions on cutting a line in BK.

The line didn’t move for an hour because the gates weren’t opened yet. I sat with Kali and gave her a new hairstyle with all that time.


Finally we’re moving. Once we got inside, the chairs began to fill up sooooo fast that I knew there was no way that we were going to be able to get as close as we were for Erykah Badu's show from last week. This group of people also looked very different from last week’s group where it was a flee of young beautiful elite black folks who appeared to have nice shoes and no children. This week there were grandmothers, fat people and all their children including boxes of Chinese food to hold down the teams of ghetto phi ghetto. Hmmm.

The show’s starting and Jill is so damn inviting as she utters her first words. I swear. It was like having her perform in our living room. Two huge screens were on stage for the thousands who couldn’t possibly see her little body from all the way in the back and she began singing “The Real Thing”.




As the music began it felt as if the sun was setting in its most beautiful glory and before I knew it, it was gone. As Jill sat there singing it boggled me that the entire slew of people appeared to know all the words to a song that was never released but was the opener on her latest album. It made me realize that this audience adapted to Jill more in many ways as opposed to Erykah. It was slightly shocking yet understandable. As the music began to simmer down Jill allowed herself to get so acquainted with the crowd that by the end of the song they were off their feet.





She took intervals to explain the details of songs by just getting playful and real so that just in case you weren’t listening… she’d explain it to you in Lyman’s terms. Funny, quirky, lovable and just down to earth was the way that I would explain this show came off right from the start.

What made this show so real and full of depth was that the world had just lost two icons in the same weekend. It was Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes. She gave tribute to them and the show just moved seamlessly.




Respect also has to be given to talent where talent is worked! She had ChinahBlac as one of her back up singers who is also well known in the R&B world as a ‘sista’ to be reckoned with. She’s sung back up for Erykah as well in the past. Recently I've spotted her in NYC holding down R&B shows at SOB's where she is the headliner. She's on twitter at @ChinahBlac. Jill also had Dwayne Wright a.k.a. DW, who is an awesome bass player and a good friend of mine. He’s worked with the likes of the awesome Teedra Moses and the fabulous Alicia Keys to name a few.




Now there’s no need to forget that the truth of the matter is that I am at a show that I myself would like to enjoy so recording every bit of it wasn’t gonna happen. Stopping people from walking in front of me wasn’t optional and killing the baby from crying behind me was slightly tangible. At the end of it all I believe the evening worked itself out without any arrests.

The fact is one can only truly appreciate an artist in their full realm when the artist expresses themselves in a way that relates to the listener. Jill says “This song is for everybody in relationships. It takes 2 halves to make a whole. You know what I’m saying?” Love songs are the epitome of Jill’s stories when she sings to the masses. We love her because we relate.

To love in that way becomes somewhat of a euphoric feeling as the lights dim and her voice radiates through the crowd of admirers. We all of a sudden remember who we were with when the songs came out and emotions intensify the delight and sometimes heartaches. None the less it’s nothing short of pulchritude when it comes to watching Jill Scott along with live instrumentation, lights and a stage.




The importance of who Jill Scott is to the Hip Hop culture is not something to be taken lightly. Many (or maybe not so many) forget that she was introduced to the world by The Legendary Roots Crew. She's also helped get them a Grammy when she wrote the hook for the song, “You Got Me”(which was sung by Erykah Badu). Who Jill is as she relates to hip hop is a being who can appreciate her past. In the next piece she gives tribute to De La Soul and truly… how can you mention hip hop groups without they’re name coming up?




The inspiration that Jill gives to woman with her words of growth and movement makes all women proud to be who we are. As a black woman our pride can stand next to a man’s and still be misunderstood. Yet I think in the delivery of her next performance I believe the crowd understood the importance of black women to our civilization. I love her for that.




It should be mandatory to have the lessons on the stories of what life is as it is depicted through music. Those moments represent the world's history. Having a gift that is as great as Jill’s or Lauryn Hill's or Michael Jackson's and not using it to (sorry for the cliché) 'Heal the World’ could do the world more harm than good. Inspiration begets inspiration. These are the feelings and emotions that come over me as I see and hear Jill. Who would we be if we didn’t share our talents? Well… it shouldn’t be an option.




And as we rounded out the night she finished with letting the audience know that she was not going to perform this particular song anymore. Of course without hesitation I knew it was “He Loves Me (Lyzel in E Flat)”. One her most famous songs to date that came off her first album from 8 yrs ago, she wasn’t going to perform anymore?

Jill Scott in currently working on the sequel to Tyler Perry’s “Why Did I Get Married”. During the taping of the first movie she was going through a divorce from Lyzel and during this performance she was pregnant with someone else's child who remains nameless. She was never one to truly have the spotlight thrown on her business. To us, the audience, hearing “He Loves Me” is like a sentiment of all the love we could process and may have with the love of our life. I know hearing it for the first time personally for me was like understanding that caterpillars do change into butterflies and there’s an extreme beauty in that. But for Jill it’s probably not that. It probably brings back moments that she has to remember yet she would like to grow pass. But that’s just my preconceived notion so who knows…






Inevitably at the end of the show she performed another song that I took for face value as the most motivating and inspirational thing I’d heard that week thus far ( I did just see E. Badu a week before and she’s pretty inspiring too). It was a song that she’d written the night before about believing in your dreams. Melodic and soothing and pure was the thoughts that came to mind as I watched her from the closest view I’d had all night.



My flash wasn’t working (it was what it was yet i felt you needed to see how much closer I got) but as I looked at her and heard her words ring so loud and clear to me I knew that it was important to get back to work. And since MJ’s passing I vowed to be the best me I could be. There’s much growing to prosper here.

Peace
JwaStar*

Today is the official Michael Jackson Day let's Celebrate!!

Inspiration is word that cannot be used enough in the days that have passed since June 25th,2009. If I were to give him the title of "Alpha and Omega in what dedication and talent looks like", others may say that I've turned him into a Godly like person. Unphased by what others think of my own thoughts of the 'King of Pop' I've still chosen to not hold him up in the prospects of being a God but I will hold him up as being the most inspirational person to have ever come out of the music industry in its entire history.

I write this tribute letter to Michael Jackson on the brink of a 4th of July that he'll never see, a birthday that he'll never get to and a concert he'll never perform. Beyond being gone too soon, his presence was sumthin that was always duplicated, cherished and worshiped amongst a number of artists and people in the industry.

Who he was for me was my first introduction to music that really FELT GOOD!

Even as a child there was something that he gave to even the inncocense of my childhood that cannot be dupilated. I appreciated him for his natural existence in my life.

So as i sit here and type these words of what he was for me I sit and realize that I never would have thought I would have to do this because he'd always been in my life.

I believe I was only about 3 yrs old when Thriller came out but he'd been in my eardrums since I was such a young child that to live without him in my existence just never seemed like a thing that could be. I remember my mother having the Thriller album at that young and tender age and how she would let me look at it and sit with it.

Back then albums came with the words to the songs and Michael's album had Tillustrated drawings of many of the songs like Thiller and The Girl Is Mine. lol It was sooo amusing to me as a child to look at it all. He also had a huge picture of himself that had him layin down with a white panther. I believe somewhere in there is where I began to fall inlove with cats of all kinds. I loved how he appeared to be so in tune with nature and life. As a child I was always inquisitive and it just seemed like a 2nd nature to adapt to who he was. Nothing short of amazing is what he seemed. Even at 4yrs old I remember his voice being soo utterly soothing. Human Nature became one of my favorite songs before I understood what the word favorite was.

By 11 yrs old Columbia House records came out with a sale promotion where u could buy 12 cds for A PENNY and most of my cds were Michael and The Jacksons. My best friend Jen and I bought different cds together so that we could have sing alongs in her room and pretend to be the Jackson 5. Even 23 yrs after the Jackson 5 began there were still children and adults learning of who they were as if it were all new to them, as if it came out yesterday. To me he was new and everything that i could find on him was amazing 2 me. By then Bad had already come out and Dangerous was the big hit. Janet had already enticed me in a thousand and one ways as the female version of Michael who appeared very in tune with her own femininity. As a little girl i loved this. It gave me a sense of sensuality at sucha young age that I feel it's made me a person of extreme love in my adult life.

I loved what the individuality of a Jackson represented. I loved the way they gave me inspiration to be who I wanted to be as an artist in my own personal way. I always felt it was perfect motivation to get to the next level of artistry when the either of those 2 came out with a new album.

The level of expertise that has gone into each release to me has always been nothing short of an amzing feat that has contributed to the music industry as a whole. The fact that Michael is mentioned throughout songs on a daily basis before his passing and Michael inspired songs are so rich in the hip hop culture show proof to the importance of who he is as a man to the legacy of what the hip hop culture is.

Take heed to what greatness looks like. Sad as it is to have him gone and not be noted and respected to his highest faboulousity in life what he'll give me in his death are tears of freedom to be me at the most grandest level at all times. For that I will forever respect and congratulate him in reigning supreme above them all in what the definition of greatness looks like.

I'll never call him a God because he isn't one but I do understand in the past 7 days that there are no coincidences in how the outcome of all these things have come to past.

I'd been yearning to write this piece on him for days now not allowing myself to come full circle with the fact that he is no longer walking amongest us. I refused to mention that he'd passed or that he is now deceased because to say it aloud would mean that it were true and if it's true then the tears would reign too high and supreme for me.

It's a reality that I have to be with. I choose to be with it now in my tears of departure from someone who touched me to the depths of my soul and created a huge part of who I am as an artist.

It's nothing short of a miracle that I was able to pull up to my house and a tribute to Michael came on at 3am as I wrote this. WBLS and J&R Music World has chosen to make july 3rd Michael Jackson Day so it's perfect. The number 7 is a powerful number (7th month)and three is the trinity (the 3rd day)it was destined for me to be here writing this peice in the 3rd hour of this day. He'll forever keep me inspired, keep me motivated, and keep me moved and touched to be the most amazing version of
what an artist is for me to be to the world. I hope to make at least 10 percent of the impact that he's made on the world and we as readers and a whole on the human race understand how huge of a percentage that truly is!

My stories could go on for days because his legeacy is strong and powerful. His name will not be lost in the test of time, it will take centuries for him to be forgotten. He will forever be missed. RIP MICHAEL JACKSON (tears)

Part Tres!!! The Finale to the Bday Xtravaganza!!!

Coming off this weekend of such a joyous occasion as celebrating my life was the most honoring feeling ever. First off I never had a better birthday in my life! (Partly becuz it lasted 4 days! :-D) All the free concerts plus the inspiration I got to just be who I am was ABSOLUTLEY INCREDIBLE!!! It really let me realize how blessed I am!!! God LOOOOOVVVVESSSSS my ASS!!!

I ended up waking up and having the chance to watch Nas be interviewed by Wendy Williams on her television show. Might I add that THAT really felt amazing to me too becuz Hip Hop isn’t really accepted in morning talk shows or talk shows period!! So I felt an extreme moment of happiness and accomplishment for what Wendy Williams did on her show with the prominent Nas. It was a pinnacle moment in Hip Hop and that’s to be acknowledged!

Everything else revolved around this Erykah concert that I already knew I was running late for. I had a thousand things to do and wasn’t sure when I was gonna get to BK. I flew down Route 80 and picked up Kena and was out!!!

The gates opened at 6p which basically meant u needed to be there at least by 4p to get a decent seat in the front. Luckily, even though I got there 5 minutes to 6p, I had my homegirl Kali holding down the front cuz she got there 3 hours ahead.

“Hallejah Holla Back” was my catch phrase of the day and pretty much the whole damn weekend.(LOL!! wack right?) Thank God for blessing Dope Settings!!!! The Sun shined so bright on this day! It was incredible to believe that it was just a beautiful summer day.


Erykah Erykah Erykah Amazing and beautiful and pregnant as usual. @(^_^)@ (only kidding)

She let ‘A Milli’ by Lil Wayne open the show and when it got to “Where is Erykah Badu at?”, the music switched up to the ‘My People ’instrumental and in that moment Hip Hop came full circle. Then I had to wonder? What is it about Hip Hop that allows us all to embrace it in this world wide driven way? I watched in amazement as the words “… where is Erykah Badu at?” floated out the speakers and then low and behold Ms. Badu traveled across the stage as the bass kicked in. Moments later the band switched up to an instrumental that I knew too well, that flowed off strings and drums where melodies collided to make the song, ‘The Healer’. “humdiliah, Allah, Jehovah, Yaweh, Dios, Maat, Jah, Ras Tafari, fire, dance, sex, music, hip hop…”came together. The stage looked like nothing that had to do with a free show. They had the huge screens up so that all the thousands of people could see the magnificence happening.




It’s something profound about watching an artist you love, develop into this mass icon that thousands upon thousands would come to see. The band plays as she introduces who she is for the audience who is already very aware. “Ms. Analog girl in a digital world/ Ms. Obdullah oblagotta / Ms. Annie don’t wear no panties otherwise known as Ms.Badu.”




Some would say she’s changed into this artist that can’t be controlled. That her music has become so left field that her core audience has disappeared. As I watched in amazement at the mass of ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS people surrounding the huge stage that all of a sudden looked extremely small compared to the enormous amount of people standing in Wingate Park, I realized change is ok.

Change… I’ve always wondered when watching artists, where in the dynamic of development is it okay to change? We all love “Otherside of the Game” yet a revamped version of it should always be accepted.


New Amerykah is a play on words and also the inspired title of Erykah Badu’s latest album release. Now if you’d like to know how I feel about the album you can check the review on www.GakCity.com under Erykah Badu. Grasping what I got from the actual performance of her show is a whole other dynamic.

She performed sooooo many pieces and gave the audience what she could. Considering that it appeared that I was in a somewhat burgeious crowd of beautiful prissy black folk, the energy she got could only be returned with half assed enthusiasim towards her fans. I could see what was happening right away. So could she. It became acknowledged at one point where she addressed the crowd with, “I see what you’re trying to do Brooklyn. I’m gonna let you know that I’m not scared of you.”

Slightly saddened by the non-movement of the thousands of people who could’ve truly given more spunk in their happiness to witness a free show, I knew I’d still get a dashing performance. Now this was no Radio City Music Hall Performance (which might I add was PHENOMANAL) but the range as to where she could get her voice with a child growing inside of her was something of greatness.


There’s a true feeling of appreciation that I feel comes from seeing an artist such as her. She’s someone who’s been quoted as allowing herself to be a spirit first and a human later. So, as many nay-sayers of whom may have been in the audience, it didn’t seem to matter because art is art. Each individual will get from her whatever it is that they’re supposed to get.



For me…, I believe that there was room in this free concert to be appreciative of what art is, what blessings look like and what God-given gifts are. (She even let me sing in the mic on the “Bag Lady” song!!)


I learned from that phenomenal weekend that we’re all allowed to be as happy as we wanna be about our day or as sad. I chose to be appreciative and thankful of all the free concerts and inspiration it caused me to have so that I could share it with the world.


I ended that night by going to a diner over on Montague St. in BK. I ending up at one of my most favorite places to be which was the Promenade which sits right above the BQE. I walked the whole boardwalk singing Prince, Biggie and Nas songs. It was truly the most beautiful ending to the best damn birthday weekend I ever had.
So as I sit and type this review on such a grandiose show 4 weeks late (turning into 4 months late in posting) sitting inside Starbucks, I’ll raise my Vente Caramel Frap in the air and toast to the life of a journalist that will get no sleep just to catch up with reviews that document a star in the making and a life in motion.

Next up to bat… Jill Scott. @(^_^)@

Part Duece of My Birthday Extravaganza!!

Just the fact that it was such a beautiful day and the sun was so BRIGHT it made anyone wearing white (like myself) be bright too. It felt like a true blessing to just be able to enjoy such a beautiful day with an array of people.






There was a beautiful girl named Imani from the group Little Jackie and they were pretty damn dope too. Although I’d never heard of them, I later found out that they’ve been written up in Spin Magazine, had been feature as BET's Artist of the Month and they’re kind of a “big deal”. I guess you would be if you were doing Central Park’s SummerStage.













Check them out at
www.myspace.com/LittleJackieMusic

Then on to the main act which was Jamie Lidell



and BOY! Did he blow me away. I don’t even think I wanna write anything about his forever stamped flyness. Although if I had to say one thing, I’d explain how he makes all his own songs. He beatboxes and plays all the instruments and when it was time for to him tour and become bigger than he’d imagine, he had to hire a band to learn his material. His band seemed a bit awkward, as they are all individuals in their own insanity and creativity.



He actually did a particular song that Taget ended dubbing as if it was their's for one of their commercials. :-O Peep it!




He's been on Letterman and he's an EXTREMELY big deal in the UK. U can find Jamie at www.myspace.com/JamieLidell. And of course what would a day be without seeing beautiful people everywhere u turned ...



And networking my behind off??? I tell u what it wouldn’t be. It wouldn’t be a JwaStar day. I met soooo many amazing people and networked into Kingdom Come. I even met a chick that kinda looked like me!!!



I’m friends with the drummer of Janelle’s band, Pete, so I stayed walking all over the place getting convo wherever I could. Pete introduced me to the guitarist Kellindo from Janelle's band which was pretty cool. I dont even remember how I got into the VIP section but I believe it had sumthin to do with a cool ass security guard and my already made connects. I followed cutie pies out of the venue and just stared in the amazement of all the hot guys in the crowd.



Maybe I’ll find love and won’t boo it next time a great singer wants to dedicate his set to love. Jose James wasn't nuttin to fuck wit!!!

Then off to Fort Greene to dance in the park for the last hour of the party and meet interesting people. Network network network. I guess you’ll have to stick around to see what dope people I have up my sleeve. What a great weekend it was AND it was my birthday. :-D



I got free dinner and wine and even a candle and a cake from a stranger whom I met an hour b4 he became my new friend right in Fort Greene (Thank u TUNDAE!!!). And did the waitress really forget to bring me a fork for my cake??? She didn't bring it until my last bite but I’m dope with the chopsticks tho, I’ll have my cake and eat it too. Lol.



What an absolute best way to end the weekend to a dope ass birthday but it’s not over yet. Erykah Badu here I come! Lol



Peace!!!

AUGUST (the Alpha to my fun, life and career)

August 3rd into August 4th 2008 Sunday Nite/ Monday Morning

2:07 am

It’s the day after my birthday but I’ve decided to celebrate the WHOLE damn month of August so fuck it.

It’s so amazing. This life and how everything moves in it. I could truly say it’s just art in motion, full of emotions and a soundtrack that no one could make up. Multi-tasking to do my laundry at 2am and get to bed to wake up for the next phenomenal show is so exciting. But hmmm boy is that laundry calling…

3:12am

And so an hour later as wet clean clothes sit in my basement waiting to get in the dryer I write. @(^_^)@

What an amazing day today was. So I woke up with a shower on my mind and the possibility of making an Apple, Pineapple, and Ginger smoothie. (Inspired from the Vegetarian Paradise Restaurant down in the village. Cuz why pay 5 bucks for a smoothie when u can make it urself?) I made it but what a task it was for me and my mother. I’ll just say that it was great experience to have with my mom early in the morning. @(^_^)@. So finally scooping up the lovely Ms.Kena Sage,

I was in route to get down to the SummerStage event I’d been wanting to go to for the last 3 weeks.


As soon as we got there I ran into one of my very BEST compradres Onician!!! So happy to see him, he took me right to the front where he was.



OMG!! What an amazing show. I’m sure it’ll be on Youtube somewhere today. The fire and spunk in today’s show was so fab. Who knew that a dude named Jose James was gonna be so dope and blow my mind as I entered the venue. Not to mention he wasn’t bad on the eyes either ladies. His songs reigned with this supreme soul and melodic flow that was a nice delight considering Kena and I had barely gotten comfortable yet. He eased us into the new sound of what R&B sounds and looks like (although I’m getting to a point of not wanting to call an artist ANY type of genre of music) we’ll just call what I walked into “Dope Ass Heavy Hitting Hotness!” Lol.



After he did a couple of songs and practically dedicated his entire set to love I retorted back at that statement with a loud “YEA RIGHT WHATEVER!” Not realizing I said it outloud as the crowd around me laughed I retracked a bit by saying, “Oh my! I thought I was thinking that. My Bad.”

His set was still in all and a whole… AMAZING. And that last song that he dedicated to love was hot too. U can check for him touring all over the world at http://www.myspace.com/josejamesquartet

Then our ultimate favorite…

Janelle Monae.



Heat! Heat! Heat! Hot fire! Now I’m not burning anything down but let me tell u this little chick was! There’s something about seeing this little person all of a sudden named Cindi Mayweather march all over the stage. Something about her spunk and energy that is an undeniable head turner. Not to mention she’s absolutely got the face of an angel.



She did her infamous stage dive against the hand tussling of Bad Boy’s very own Harve Pierre. (You can check for her crazy type stage dives on her blog at www.myspace.com/JanelleMonae)

She had the crowd carry her for one end of the stage to the middle of the audience and graciously they kept her afloat. It was beautifully done. Her inspiration was mesmerizing, what she gives her fans in performance is breathtaking. I enjoyed every minute of my birthday weekend with Janelle Monae.



Stay tuned for the rest of my day it'll be up in about day or so. U'll be surpised what I can do with chopsticks!!!!


Peace.

Roy Hargrove and my bday

So Today or should I say yesterday now, was my birthday and it started it out early and crazy and long. I been up since 7am cuz i had an 8am appt to get a 2 hour full body massage that was WACK!!! Weird cuz i go to the same person all the time but for some reason he was just dumb wack today. I then left and went and picked up my sidekick Ms. Kena Sage. She's the dopest chick around these here parts of town.

She came with me on errands that ran from Long Island to flushing to Times Square and then to Central Park.

It was all wonderful I mean even including the rain. I mean i wouldn't have minded if it didn't rain half the day but I did get a chance to see Roy Hargrove at SummerStage in the Park.

That was really amazing!! I mean 18 piece band and a cutie pie on the piano :-) (It's always nice to have eye candy.)

In my head I was thinking about my blogspot that I need to put up all day and if there was anyone that I wanted to network with but truthfully it was my birthday so i figured that it was ok to take a break for even one day.

Back to this phenomenal show It was 2 and half hours long of special lady guests scatting and singing with all types of beautiful pipes. 4 trumpet players, 4 trombone players, 5 sax players, 2 different types of drum players, an upright bass player (the dopeman dopeman lol) , the guitar player and last but not least the infamous cutie pie piano player.

Inspiration really just was being dug all out of Roy as he'd belt out out these amazing harmonies all over the stage. Whether he was singing or playin the trumpet or leading his orchestra, he chose to be nothing less than extraordinary tonite. even when the rain came tumbling out the sky for all of 12 minutes his music stayed in tack and so did the fans. He was truly an honor to be able to watch and gift to be able to see and on my b-day at that! :-O

It's amazing what type of inspiration can exude out of seeing 20 some odd people on stage really doing their thing. It really makes me feel like the sky can truly be the limit for my expectations out of life, music and my art. I hope people will come to this blogspot on Jwa's Starz and truly learn and love who I am but rather than hope I'll believe that it will soon come to pass and the joy I'll have from seeing my prosperity is something beyond words.

I'm so tired I could fall alseep on the keyboards right now so let me be gone.

And God said let there be light and so it was...


Believe and I shall have my light too. :-)

Peace.