What’s Crackin’ World???
They say that music is the universal language (whoever ‘they’ is LOL) and I couldn’t agree more! I’m always amazed to find out that people in Cambodia are listening to Brittney Spears (although she was so…10 years ago LOL). There are 2 things that I take away from my USA-centered musical persona:
1) For some reason, America and Americans are still kinda ego-centric. I don’t know, it just seems like we’re often under the impression that products (or music) coming from other countries is somehow “less than”. Did you ever notice that AMERICAN sports champions are called “WORLD Champions”??? What about the idea that EVERY country should be democratic…or else we will bomb you???
2) I guess it just goes to show you that music, regardless of the language or place of origin is a very powerful mechanism for international communication and relationships (…and possibly change??? ).
Keeping that in mind, I’ve kinda been in a musical slump lately because, regardless of what MTV and BET might suggest, I am a young Black man who enjoys Neo Soul R&B and Hip Hop. But ever since D’ Angelo fell of and Badu went too far left, I’ve only been left to listen to the occasional Andre 3000 verse and a little Common here or there ( What up Mixer??? LOL).
UNTIL…
I found this group from the Netherlands named Foreign Exchange. Apparently they’ve been in the Neo Soul game for a minute, but just aren’t as popular here stateside. Well…their album has officially been in the car on repeat for a week!!! And what kind of blogger owuld I be if I didn’t share it to my loyal readers??? LOL. So here it is, check it out and post a comment to let me know what you think. Oh, and does anybody have any other Neo-Soul album picks to pass my way??? If I turn on the radio one more time to a Lil’ Wayne cut, I’m gonna vomit…
Foreign Exchange – Leave It All Behind
// TCS
goapele, conya doss, dwele, kem, ledisi, amel larriuex, kindred the family soul etc etc etc
Thanks Jess! Amel Larriuex and (especially) Dwele are personal faves, but I’ve got to check out some of the other names listed.
Just out of curiosity…do you listen to any hip hop??? I kinda feel like neo-soul and hip hop met some kinda fork in the road, but I dig groups like Slum Village and Little Brother…but they’re so few of them!
// TCS