The MCs 90s Rinse List

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#TheMusicConnoisseur checkout my #90s #RinseList music of my #formativeyears stuck in my #Walkman Stuck in my #Discman All the #80sBabies should know these albums. The makings of an #Emcee #influences over #TheMCaffirmation When one of these got scratched or stolen I might have easily bought it back. Especially my MaryJBlige and Fugees Some of the first entries were on cassette and MC hammer was definitely vinyl but what this list won’t show is the crates of #Reggae and #Dancehall 45’s I’d amassed that decade (separate from my parents collection blasting in the house). All for different lists. I coulda join a sound system tho. Definitely used to run mini soundclash and dance. But these went wherever I went, glued to my ears. To even play these on my home stereo I’d have to connect the discman to the #Auxcord. Just a few classics missing from this list that I didn’t get to appreciate in the 90’s or from a singer no longer supported #stuckinthe90s #90sRnB #90sHipHop @90s.era @90s.hiphop.rnb @hiphopbackintheday_

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Jada Kingdom - Execution

KRS-ONE Studio Day 2

Checkout Studio Day 1

The MC AFFIRMATION

Produced by #Inztinkz 

Mixed & Engineered by King Droopie 

Just a regular day in #Jamaica; cruising through suburbs and speeding down highways, but to the rest of the world, suburbs, highways and anything not fitting the Jamaican stereotype doesn’t exist here. 

Here is home, a place I need a plane to visit now that I’m living in London again. I see so many influenced by this island of paradox and beauty not knowing how much it truly has to offer, including Jamaicans that have never ventured as far as Kingston or who have yet to even step foot on its soil. 

Reflecting on this during a recent trip home I started documenting. So untypical am I; British Jamaican #HipHop #Reggae #Soul #singer. Every day that breaks is far from regular, even if all you see is the highlights, this is a sound journey. Art is the mission music is the medicine love is the message. 

This is my affirmation welcome to the adventure.

The MC Covers Quincy Jones - Everything must change

Now that I've stopped crying 

Eveything Must Change a song by Benard Ighner performed by Quincy Jones for the album Body Heat, then later by Randy Crawford, Barbera Streisand, Nina Simone and others.


The best part of my work day is just before I leave... Can’t believe I heard this song for the first time just a few years ago. I give thanks to Chinna who shared this one with me visiting #InnaDiYard Simple, moving, timeless, and timely. Now I take the time to learn this song and own it.

I AM - The MC

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Life interrupt art? Weary from the day’s unstimulating work, feet and left brain rest in a quiet moment as the rain falls. Reminded summer is over, I reminisce a simpler time when I used to rhyme over desktop beats in high school. That’s when the restless creative brain breaks the silence... just to reaffirm who I am. Ahh to vlog or not to vlog? To censor or keep it raw and uncut? Well here’s a topic to consider: correct use of Jamaican expletives and how to conjugate them #iam #freestyle #TheMC #JamaicanRapper #SpokenWord #Poetry

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Mortimer Lightning

Exceptional

Missy Elliott 2019 Video Music Awards performance

Kano X Akala - In conversation

The Roots - Understand ft Dice Raw

Nipsey Hussle - Hussle and Motivate

Loving and Living Playlist on Spotify

Loving and Living has now been added to the Loving and Living playlist on Spotify curated by yours truly.

Enjoy

Also available on Youtube 

The MC - Loving and Living

From the vaults of The MC Produced by Damien Beatz Unvaulted by King Droopie 'The Dr.'

DREAM BIG PUSH IT ALL TO THE LIMIT

Circa 2009...


Kanye West interrupts Taylor Swift at the VMA's
Barack Obama becomes the president of the United States
Usain Bolt brings the 100m World Record to 9.58 seconds
We lose Michael Jackson, David Caradine, Brittany Murphy and Patrick Swayzie...

...and I more or less finished penning what I believed would be the banger to start the upward spiral with my music. 

After many re-records, lost files and friends, damaged drives, spontaneous migration, and a few years of homelessness, sofa surfing and sleeping on studio floor later, I found a new brother, friend and colleague in 'The Dr', King Droopie. 

Artist, producer and engineer, among others, my most recent partner in rhyme arguably wears more hats than I do. 

This was among the first set of songs we started working together to see how we could co-create. He's polished this into a gem that I thought I'd just leave here for those still riding with me since the early days of this journey. However, considering the feedback and opportunity to learn and grow...

Loving and Living is now on every major platform.

        

Art is Vulnerable

Royce Da 5'9" - Stong Friend

Check up on your strong friend 

SiR - All in My Head

These keys are mesmerising 

DYING TO LIVE / LOVING AND LIVING - My last unmixed tape

Not for general consumption but since its you, here you are. I've been in two minds about even sharing these but here I am, or I should say have been for a number of years, between Dying to live and loving and living my life.


I been feeling every line, far longer than I care to remember.

The last time I promoted myself as an artist was 2011. I was trying to write my way out of easily my 4th life changing depression. Submerging myself in my craft was beginning to pay off in that onstage I was truly beginning to let go. Offstage however, art was having the life choked out of it and escape was becoming less and less.

Sadness’ undertow had me by the throat. 

Pain silenced my voice 

In my earlier experiences with depression I would cut my skin deeply, trying to match the pain I was feeling inside, hoping to get it out. Unable to have an emotional release, frustrated and flabbergasted when I was dry out of tears, I’d grab anything sharp to help me weep. If I couldn’t cry, bleeding would have to suffice.

I’d never consider myself suicidal. I’d never want the attention of a ‘suicide attempt’, I think the shame would make me kill myself. I have always had suicidal fantasies however. Like if I were dead then I could imagine people responding to my death the way I thought they should to my life. Ah but then how would I see that. No.

If I could cut deep enough to release my pain that blade would remind me I’m very much alive. Carry on. Things aren't the absolute worst they could be, and should they ever be, well, then my escape plan is to just apply more pressure and just go.

Now I’m reminded of a piece of graffiti all the way upstairs on the 6th form block in high school that read something like ‘A-levels escape route’ with an arrow beside it pointing over the wall to the ground below. My type of humour. 

A good sense of humour is great to cover pain and scars, but there is no humour in ending your life as an escape from however you may be suffering, or as a statement to those left behind. Especially if you're feeling like you've not gotten life started yet. Then you haven't even seen the best part. The thought of leaving this existence without having thrived as the best version of myself, purpose full, inspiring, impacting and sharing my gifts, is sadder than all the sadness. There's so much work to do here first. Heal first. 

So I exit

Pain strengthens a voice 

I learn to release through music.

Circa 2009 I wrote Dying to Live and Loving and Living believing in things I was yet to see. One song to access my feelings, examine my thoughts and sort them, the second to project my attitude, healing and growth beyond them. Not that I had such clarity at the time. The only personal plan I had was to not give up and never stop. I had fully hit the glass ceiling of trying to please everyone else, and I had shattered. Times over. 

While I prepared my art to share with the world, I would begin rebuilding myself stronger like Kintsugi pottery, gold in my imperfections. Eventually a path lead me back to the UK where I could start from scratch  experience and build around my music. I soon however found myself in a new version of the same circumstances living for others more so than myself. Life was once again marginalising my time to focus on my art. It was the internal work that had to take precedent. 

I have never doubted myself creatively. I have known myself as a creative since birth, but I hadn't realised how little confidence I had, and how much I’d lost along the way in every other aspect of self. I’ve now spent more time in my shadow than my light and gotten to know my self better with these two songs. The journey within continues but now that these two songs have been recorded and given a little polish I have completed my journey with them

Through break ups, loss of friends, family feuds and turmoil, creative differences, homelessness, sofa surfing, heavy depression, departure from the spotlight, false starts and technical difficulty after technical difficulty, Dying to Live has been recorded no less than twice and Loving and Living no less than 3 times. So we’ve been through it together.

Now they can almost be just songs for me. I still find it difficult at times to sing along to Dying to Live and in the recording I can hear the strain in my voice as the pain I access to emote the song grips my throat and I push through it. Loving and Living I am no longer happy with the reference to dying but I'm very certain about how that makes me feel about cherishing and making the most of life.

I look at my scars now mostly healed and sure I recall some of my lowest moments, but can't actually remember what all of them were for and that makes me smile. Perseverance is beautiful. So I leave Dying to Live here in case someone needs to find it, perhaps it will help lead them to Loving and Living.

Coach NYM - Mantras Feat Stic of Dead Prez

Mr Traumatik - Powers

Just discovered this one courtesy of @Ra_messu_meri_amen 

Ari Lennox , J Cole - Shea butter Baby

J Cole halftime performance at 2019 NBA All-star Game

Royce Da 5'9 - Boblo Boat ft J Cole