THIS SONG WAS WRITTEN IN THE BUILDING SEEN IN THE PICTURE THAT HAS THE THE SMOKE IN FRONT OF IT. IT IS THE RECREATION GYM AT THE PRISON WHERE I WORKED. ONE...
THIS SONG WAS WRITTEN IN THE BUILDING SEEN IN THE PICTURE THAT HAS THE THE SMOKE IN FRONT OF IT. IT IS THE RECREATION GYM AT THE PRISON WHERE I WORKED. ONE EVINENING I WAS WORKING ALONE WITH ABOUT 200 OFFENDERS AND I WALKED ARUOND TO CHECK ON 3 OR 4 GOUPS WHO WERE "RAPPING" AND THIS IS MY TAKE ON SOME OF WHAT I HEARD. THE BASS LINE WAS INSPIRED BY BOOTSY COLLINS ON JAMES BROWN'S "SEX MACHINE". NO I AM NOT A RACIST, JUST AN OBSERVATION OF WHAT I HEARD. ALSO JAMES BROWN IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES. I LIVE ABOUT AN HOURS DRIVE FROM CINCINNATI, OH, WHERE JAMES BROWN RECORDED MANY OF HIS HITS AT KING RECORDS' STUDIO ON BREWSTER AVENUE. FREDDIE KING AND OTHERS ALSO RECORDED THERE. THE BUILDINGS ARE STILL THERE, LOCATED IN AN AUTHENTIC "HOOD". SOMETIMES I GO THERE AND PARK AND LISTEN TO JAMES BROWN'S BOXED SET WISHING IT WAS 60' & 70'S AGAIN.
04/14/09 09:18:27PM @stoneman:
Okay, let me first say that the musicianship on this track is outstanding. I'm not sure I would call this Hip-Hop but it certainly has a lot of the old school funk feel to it. The Bass is booming! The flow/story was okay with the exception of the use of the "N" word. That kind of deflated the true worth of the song and was insulting (I'm Black). I still have the fresh images of dead Black bodies floating around after Katrina in my head. But hey, I don't allow anyone (Black Or White) to use that word around me. I'm old school and I have old school ideals. There is something about hearing that word that makes my blood boil with anger. Could be all the times I have been called that word and had to fight it out or bite my lip and take it. Could just be my desire to see things truly change. I worked, marched, fought and was almost killed while trying to change things. Like you, I also worked in corrections as I am a retired prison chaplain. So I know exactly what you may have heard that inspired you to write the lyrics to the song. I just pray that what is in your heart is contrary to that. James Brown? He was the first to publicly say that Black is beautiful. In my early years as a musician I played every song he played. Yeah, the King Of Soul! Be Blessed, Stoneman
Okay, let me first say that the musicianship on this track is outstanding. I'm not sure I would call this Hip-Hop but it certainly has a lot of the old school funk feel to it. The Bass is booming! The flow/story was okay with the exception of the use of the "N" word. That kind of deflated the true worth of the song and was insulting (I'm Black). I still have the fresh images of dead Black bodies floating around after Katrina in my head. But hey, I don't allow anyone (Black Or White) to use that word around me. I'm old school and I have old school ideals. There is something about hearing that word that makes my blood boil with anger. Could be all the times I have been called that word and had to fight it out or bite my lip and take it. Could just be my desire to see things truly change. I worked, marched, fought and was almost killed while trying to change things. Like you, I also worked in corrections as I am a retired prison chaplain. So I know exactly what you may have heard that inspired you to write the lyrics to the song. I just pray that what is in your heart is contrary to that. James Brown? He was the first to publicly say that Black is beautiful. In my early years as a musician I played every song he played. Yeah, the King Of Soul! Be Blessed, Stoneman