Will in the Blanks

I believe that we all gain from listening to other people's stories, thoughts and acts of self-expression. This is my way of sharing some of mine. Feel free to share back

[wfjones3]

Will Jones’ Favorite Albums of 2016

If you know anything about me, you probably know that I enjoy listening to music. Of the new music released in 2016, these are the albums I kept coming back to.   Listed in alphabetical order by artist name, not by preference.  I hope you enjoy

Alicia Keys - HERE Don’t sleep on: “She Don’t Really Care_1 Luv”

Anderson. Paak - Malibu Don’t sleep on: “The Season / Carry Me”

Bas - Too High To Riot Don’t sleep on: “Clouds Never Get Old”

Beyoncé - Lemonade Don’t sleep on: “Daddy Lessons”

Bill Laurence - Aftersun Don’t sleep on: “The Pines”

Brandee Younger - Wax & Wane Don’t sleep on: “Wax and Wane”

Chance The Rapper - Coloring Book Don’t sleep on: “Same Drugs”

DJ Khaled - Major Key Don’t sleep on: “Jermaine’s Interlude”

Drake - Views Don’t sleep on: “Childs Play”

Elzhi - Lead Poison Don’t sleep on: “Weedipedia”

Giant Panda Guarlla Dub Squad - Make It Better Don’t sleep on: “Live and Travel”

Gwen Stefani - This Is What the Truth Feels Like Don’t sleep on: “Rare”

Hiatus Kaiyote - Recalibrations, Vol. 1 - EP Don’t sleep on: “Lupata (Taylor McFerrin Remix)”

Innanet James - Quebec Place Don’t sleep on: “Black”

Isaiah Rashad - The Sun’s Tirade Don’t sleep on: “Tity and Dolla”

J. Cole - 4 Your Eyez Only Don’t sleep on: “Foldin Clothes”

Kandace Springs - Soul Eyes Don’t sleep on: “Novocaine Heart”

Kanye West - The Life of Pablo Don’t sleep on: “Highlights”

KAYTRANADA - 99.9% Don’t sleep on: “DRIVE ME CRAZY”

Kendrick Lamar - untitled unmastered Don’t sleep on: “untitled 03 | 05.28.2013”

Kid Cudi - Passion, Pain & Demon Slayin’ Don’t sleep on: “By Design”

Lizzo - Coconut Oil - EP Don’t sleep on: “Good as Hell”

Masego x Medasin - The Pink Polo EP Don’t sleep on: “Shut Up and Groove”

Mayer Hawthorne - Man About Town Don’t sleep on: “Out of Pocket”

Mya - Smoove Jones Don’t sleep on: “Coolin’”

Noname - Telefone Don’t sleep on: “Forever”

NxWorries - Yes Lawd! Don’t sleep on: “Get Bigger / Do U Luv”

Omer Avital - Abutbul Music Don’t sleep on: “New Yemenite Song”

Phonte & Eric Roberson - Tigallerro Don’t sleep on: “Hold Tight”

Schoolboy Q - Blank Face LP Don’t sleep on: “JoHn Muir”

Snarky Puppy - Culcha Vulcha Don’t sleep on: “The Simple Life”

Solange - A Seat at the Table Don’t sleep on: “Mad”

Stephen Marley - Revelation Pt II. The Fruit of Life Don’t sleep on: “Father of the Man”

Takuya Kuroda - Zigzagger Don’t sleep on: “Think Twice”

Theo Croker - Escape Velocity Don’t sleep on: “It’s Gonna Be Alright”

A Tribe Called Quest - We got it from Here… Thank You 4 Your Service Don’t sleep on: “Dis Generation”

ZHU - Generationwhy Don’t sleep on: “Money”

[wfjones3]

MAJOR KEY - DJ Khaled

Here’s the thing about DJ Khaled.  He’s a goofy, larger-than-life personality.  He takes more Snapchat selfies than all the world’s high schoolers combined.  He kisses flowers and talks to statues like he’s lost in some perpetual Wonderland trip. AND he’s an incredible DJ.

Even if you don’t take what Khaled says seriously, you should definitely take his talent seriously. “Another One” is right.

[wfjones3]

Tigallerro - Phonte & Eric Roberson I like this album. It's chill hip-hop laid over real music. The instrumentals are super interesting; a cool combination of jazz, r&b and hip-hop. But again, nice and chill. And while there are several tracks that could get the body moving, this is music for those who like to keep their faculties about them, not wild and crazy party animals looking to get completely faded. I hear this music being played in small venues with low-lighting and signature cocktails. Better yet, I hear this music in venues with low-lighting where cannabis smoke spills and unfurls in thick plumes. Where people other people describe as “elegant” like to co-mingle. Tigallerro is upscale boutique music that deserves a glass of something with a european name. But, honestly, I added it to my library because I could hear it playing in the living room while I work in the kitchen (which I don’t do often at all, but still). There’s something special in that. The ability to be both accessible and upscale. I definitely dig that. This is music that can turn a one bedroom apartment into a penthouse loft with a million dollar view. It isn't the most exciting album ever made, but that’s ok. Phone & Eric Roberson clearly don’t need to rely on gimmicks or trends to make great art. I dig that, too. I also really like the flow. While I wouldn’t call Tigallerro a "masterpiece,” it is, in my opinion, genuinely good music. When I listen to this album I hear high-quality music made by two dudes that enjoy and care about their sound. They're not trying to pack arenas by crafting over-the-top personas and making a spectacle of their music. They devote that energy to making music they love so they can get paid for it. I think the album’s flow is a reflection of that care. And I appreciate it. But again, the quality of the music is really what makes Tigallerro great. These guys don't shy away from making complex, intricate instrumentals. The tracks often head in a direction that I wouldn't have anticipated, but the sound is still there. They don’t sabotage themselves by trying to do something "cool" or "original", rather they just chose to follow strings of the music that might otherwise be overlooked. Instead of trying to manipulate the sound, they commit to it. They listen to their work, then follow the thread attached that the needle in the haystack and explore what lies there. I can’t stress enough how much I enjoy music made like this. Thank you for the great tunes, Phonte & Eric. I look forward to sharing Tigallerro with a lot of people.

[wfjones3]

Too High To Riot - Bas

I had never heard of Bas before this album.  I was clearly sleeping, because this album is fire.  I was just looking for new music late one night in early March and I came across Too High To Riot on Apple Music.  I liked the title and so I decided to give the album a shot.  About 10 seconds into the second track, I knew I was onto something special.

Too High To Riot is currently my favorite hip-hop album of 2016.  There must be something in the water this year, or maybe artists are just getting their hands on some solid sativas, but this is the 2nd album this year that I have to give a 5 star rating.  I like every single track on this album.  I have never skipped one.  Sure, as I scroll through my phone, trying to decide what I should listen to, I see the names of a couple tracks that I think I don't like as much.  But that’s just me playing myself.  When I'm actually listening to the album, I never skip a track.  I truly do like them all.

But, I feel like this album is special to me for another reason.  I’ll try to explain, so please bear with me; it will all make sense.  I do a weird thing with music.  Like many people, I only listen to albums.  I rarely download a single, unless it’s for a party or something like that.  I also only listen to music that has been released this year, and albums that I consider throwbacks.  More explicitly,  I'm currently only listening to albums released in 2016, and albums released in or before 2010.  So right now, I’m not listening to anything released between 2011 - 2015.  That means, To Pimp A Butterfly, Cadillactica, Acid Rap, G I R L, Take Care, and some of the many other legendary hip-hop albums of this decade are currently missing from my rotation.

I do this with music, because I love it.  The good stuff is too few and far between, and I cannot stand how outplayed it becomes after mainstream media gets a hold of it.  I love music.  I want to keep loving it, so I force myself to take a step back from it for a minute.  In this time, I gain a deeper appreciation for the artistry  there.  I forget about albums I used to play non-stop, and then when they come back it's like linking up with an old friend.  Memories flood over me and I get to reflect upon how much I've grown from the person I was when I first gravitated toward that sound.  

This has been my process for a couple of years now, and I would honestly recommend it to anyone who really loves listening to music.

Now, if I really wanted to do it for real, I would keep track of the actual release date of every album I love.  I would make a separate calendar just for albums, and I would make reminders to myself to remove an album from my line up on the anniversary of its release...But that's too much (although clearly not too much to keep from having figured out exactly how I'd do it lol.) So I make it easy for myself; on January 1st, I spend a good portion of the day removing music that was released the previous year and adding back albums that were released 5 years earlier.  (This is easily accomplished with iTunes’ “Check Selection” feature.)  That means the beginning of any year is mostly throwbacks for me, until something great comes a long.

I've explained all this so you understand where I was when Too High To Riot was released.  I had basically spent the past 2 months without any new hip-hop.  That’s not to say that there weren’t plenty of albums coming out, but nothing was really landing for me.  I listened to a lot of stuff, some by artists that I really respect and typically enjoy, but nothing was quite there.  And I had given up some fantastic stuff from last year, like Compton from Dr. Dre, Soul Glitch from Daye Jack and Revenge of the Dreamers II from J. Cole & fam.  I had Malibu by Anderson .Paak to tide me over, but I was desperate for some real hip-hop.  Something well produced, with lyrical content worth listening to, and an authenticity that could never exist in pop music.  Something that my young black soul could call home.

This album is that.  It is my perfect hip-hop album of 2016.  Bas expresses the frustration and anger that I feel about the way America is treating it’s people of color, particularly young black men.  He vocalizes the pride we still feel in our culture.  He speaks about our resilience, our perseverance and our strength.  He goes to the deep, dark places.  He hits our lows and our highs.  He gets it.  He gets me.  Every word out of his mouth is genuine and authentic.  No bullshit.  No act.  Bas is real.  And he does all this with an immaculately articulate flow, accompanied by dope instrumentals.  I don’t like to use the word dope, especially not when writing, but that’s just what it is.  This is the shit that young black men everywhere can’t help but turn up when they drive through their neighborhoods.

Every now and then I hear someone say that people don’t make real hip-hop anymore.  If you believe that, I would argue that you just aren’t listening to the right stuff.  Because Too High To Riot is perfect.

[wfjones3]

Malibu - Anderson .Paak

I was first introduced to Anderson .Paak when Dr. Dre graciously decided to feature him on several tracks of the 2015 hip-hop masterpiece, Compton.  At the time, I wasn’t super impressed with .Paak’s sound, but I didn’t think it was bad, either.  When Malibu first showed up on my Apple Music in January, I wasn’t feeling particularly incline to check it out, but since it was the beginning of a new year and Dre clearly had a lot of respect for his style, I thought I should probably give the album a chance.  

…

I have listened to this album more than anything else that has come out this year.  My play count is obscene.  I have had it since January and am still not done listening to it.  I can pretty much perform the entire thing myself, I love it that much.  If you haven’t already heard it, do yourself a favor and go ahead and download it right now.  Don’t worry, I’ll wait.

So, firstly, I think it’s important to recognize that this is not .Paak’s first studio album, but his second.  Malibu is the literal antithesis to the idea of a “sophomore slump.”  Where other artists lose themselves in the wave that follows the success of their first album, Anderson .Paak keeps the music fresh, original, authentic and soulful.  That last word is really the most important.  I often feel like our artists get caught up in the drastic change in lifestyle that accompanies mainstream success and lose touch with the part of themselves that was creating the work.  That’s why first albums are always so great and then, for many, it’s downhill from there.  I can honestly say that this is not one of those situations, and maybe that’s because his first album wasn’t a huge deal.  Like I said, I first heard this dude’s pipes on Compton, and he didn’t make a very big impression on me.   But, the quality of the content that makes up Malibu’s track listing is impeccable from start to finish.  There is not a bad song in the bunch, folks.  Not a one.  .Paak’s lyrical poetry is truthfully art.  It has an abstract quality that extends beyond simple metaphor and play on words that I find currently lacking in the majority of popular music.  Very cool, very refreshing.

Along those lines, it’s difficult to define the genre of this music.  Somewhere between hip-hop, jazz, r&b and soul, the instrumentals behind each track is fresh, soulful and often funky.  .Paak dances around his supporting team using his vocal instrument to create layer after layer of intricate rhythm and moving melodic lines.  He commits, to every track, regardless of how unique or different the sound may be.  This music is something special.  The whole album, not just a song or two - which is why I’ve chosen not to highlight any extraordinary tunes.  Seriously, they’re all that good.

Finally, I think any young musician aspiring to create their own art should give this album a good listen.  Anderson .Paak’s work on Malibu is a shining example of genuine artistry.  In today’s music culture, a lot of things are changing.  The lines between genres, especially in black music, are becoming less and less well defined.  Hip-hop and r&b are blending more and more to become pop.  And with more and more artists putting music out there, the sound waves have become oversaturated with the derivate, making the good stuff fewer and farther between.  But there is hope.  If you, like me, are desperate for an artist who’s willing to cross boundaries, blur genres, abandon the pop-style structure and create something authentic, you need look no further.  Anderson .Paak is a fantastic artistic role model, who has demonstrated the brilliance of what we can do when we’re ready to embrace our creativity, trust the sound and dare to be ourselves.  And it clearly pays off.

[wfjones3]

BJ The Chicago Kid - In My Mind

[wfjones3]

Snarky Puppy - Culcha Vulcha

[wfjones3]

Omer Avital - Abutbul Music

[wfjones3]

Masego x Medason - The Pink Polo EP

[wfjones3]

Anderson .Paak - Malibu

[wfjones3]

Theo Croker - Escape Velocity

[wfjones3]

In Common - Alicia Keys

This song is unlike anything else I've heard from Alicia Keys.  Actually, I don't know that I've ever heard anything like this from any other artist, either.  

Vulnerability has been the theme of the season in my life. I’ve been talking, thinking and practicing a lot more honesty recently, and I think this song has a really vulnerable quality to it.  But it is a pop song, with a really fun dance beat.  Every time I listen to it, I want to move.  And this is what makes it such an interesting tune.  When I listen to lyrics, they feel somber, withdrawn and maybe even sad.  Alicia's tone is almost shy or guarded.  I try to imagine what it would be like to listen to this song in a club.  I feel like it probably creates some very interesting chemistry between dancers.  The hot, sweaty, intimacy that the beat provides pulls people close together, but the lyrics open them up to each other in a way that is beyond the physical.  How unique, right? Songs that move and pull like this are typically just skin deep.  Imagine the opportunity to connect with a stranger on an emotional level like that.

And then there's the album art. I can't handle this album art.  It is one of the sexiest photographs I've ever seen.  It perfectly echoes the same raw vulnerability she gave us in the song.  This is a woman who is literally beautiful enough to be a model.  And her album art is a picture of her raw, no makeup. Like, who does that??? No one! No one does that.  I love it so much.  I love that willingness to be and the generosity to share it.  

Best “Pop” song I’ve heard in a very long time. Thank you for that Alicia.  I really hope there's an album following this single.

[wfjones3]

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Recently, I began working for a different company than I have been.  Actually, this company is a direct competitor of my previous employer, which definitely made me feel a little uncomfortable. But, I needed a change and I was drawn to this company for the values they project not only on paper, but in the daily operations of the business.  This company is literally one of a kind, an industry leader and I’m getting in on what is essentially the ground floor. While I am very excited to be working with them, I am also a little wary.  I’ve learned the hard way that people can talk a lot of shit and not back it up.  I am very aware that I’m currently in the honeymoon phase of my new job, and won’t be fooled, but trying to remain optimistic about the long term.

On my first day, all I did was sit outside and chat with my boss and other new coworker.  That’s it.  We spent 4 hours on a beautiful early Summer day sitting outside beneath a clear blue sky talking.  Me, the other new guy, and the owner of the company.  

That’s what I call a good start.

The talk was a lot about intention.  My boss talked about his intention for the business, the seeds from which it began and the direction in which he’d like to grow it.  And I’ve got to say, I’m really excited to be a part of it.  Honeymoon phase be damned! This is one cool company.  They walk their talk, inside and out, every day.  I don’t want to spend time here talking about the nitty gritty of all that, but I need you to understand just how good it feels to have a conversation like that with your new boss.  If you want to run a successful business, you need employees who are invested in the company’s success and more importantly, it’s growth.  How can you know if you share a vision if you never talk about it?  How can you know if you share values if you don’t discuss them, if they aren’t a part of every system you create?

This was a very refreshing change of pace for me.  But it is also exactly what I was looking for.  I found a company that believes in empowering its employees, sustainable business practices, ethical product development, spreading knowledge and wisdom, and fostering a stronger community.  This is a company actively moving forward in 2016, not antiquated or falling behind.

So, I’m excited for what I can do with this company.  I’m excited about how I can help growing the brand.  I’m excited about how I can help keep sustainability a core value as we continue to grow and expand.  I’m excited about how I can bring people together to help reduce suffering and bring happiness in my community.  But, I’m also excited about something else…having those feelings! It has been so long since I felt like I have had anything to offer.  It has been a long time since I’ve seen myself as valuable enough to be of service to anyone else.  

I’ve realized recently how much of my personality I let fall aside because of shame and fear.  Like my leadership instinct, for example.  Growing up, it was always a big part of me.  I loved being “in charge” and leading a team to accomplish a goal.  But somewhere along the line, I let that part of me slip away.  Looking back, I think it’s because I was afraid of how everyone else was doing things and the ways they said things had to be done.  I was repelled by the callousness, greed, bigotry and narcissism.  I hate the idea that capitalism means competition, which means devouring everyone and everything in your path, regardless of impact.  But thanks to a lot of people, I’m finally back to feeling like I have the ability to shape something really positive and awesome in my life.  I have the power to be the change I want to see in the world.

I can’t wait to see where this all goes.

[wfjones3]

2016 has been a great year for music.  Anderon. Paak, Beyoncé, Kanye West, Snarky Puppy, Brandee Younger and Santana have all given us beautiful new albums.  Add Chance The Rapper to that mix and you’ve got a revolution going on.  Although I definitely wanted a second Acid Rap, Coloring Book may be even better.  Although not as artistically pioneering as his debut, I think this mixtape continues to follow the trend of humility and authenticity that we’ve been seeing more and more artists embrace - in particular, Kanye West and Beyoncé.  Remembering that those are artists who have been making music for a decade and that this is only Chance’s second major release, I think says a lot about his talent and even personality. (Disclaimer: I do not know Chance The Rapper…yet).  So if you like hip-hop and haven’t yet checked out Chance’s work, you’re sleeping.  Never sleep on Chance.

Getting back to the music, though, I really appreciated that the majority of Coloring Book was really in-line with the Chance the Rapper/Donnie Trumpet/Social Experiment sound.  I dug that.  That sound, in my opinion, is a large part of what makes Chance such a cool and unique rapper, especially in 2016. He flows phenomenally over those “live” instrumentals.  I put the “live” in quotes, because I don't know how they go about recording this stuff, but it certainly feels live to me.  That sound is the epitome of good music to me.  I believe that music “should” be reactive.  The music that I enjoy listening to and making the most, is made in the moment. Each part progresses naturally in reaction to what was just played before it, the energy of the room, and the audience who feeds back into it; like waves building as they advance toward the shore, and then crashing, resolving, at the end.  Considering that most other rappers and studio vocalists are working with looped tracks that don't variate over 16 bars, what Chance and these other artists have created is something unique.  Chance uses the same vocal dexterity that we saw on Acid Rap and Surf, to make Coloring Book the next great installment in his discography and portfolio.  (Check out “Angels” if you need to understand what I mean).  He truly uses his voice as not only a melodic and poetic instrument, but a rhythmic instrument as well.  For these reasons, I’m very grateful to be a part of Chance's audience. Not only is he extremely talented, but he leans into his sound with courage and authenticity, ready to explore its potential to the fullest.  I think he is going to continue to be very influential on the future of popular music, inspiring new artists to get into their sound with heart and soul.

As much as I love Chance and Coloring Book, there were couple of tracks that I didn’t feel were as successful.  I've decided not to name them in order to keep your opinions on individual tracks untainted, because I honestly want to know if I'm the only person who feels like this. To be clear, I didn’t really dislike the songs, I just feel that they don’t fit as well with the rest of the mixtape.  While they didn’t interrupt Coloring Book’s flow, there was certainly a large thematic difference in sound and lyrical content.  However, I can appreciate that Chance, as an artist, may have wanted to branch out and play around with different styles and sounds that are in the mix right now.  For me, those tracks were just a little drawn out - something I would attribute to the freedom making mixtapes over studio albums.  That being said, the major reason those tracks didn't fit well for me is because the rest of the mixtape is just that good.  Coloring Book feels honest and humble. Take that humility, Chance’s artistic flow, his ear for poetry and add a bit of faith, and what you end up with is one uplifting mixtape.  Although it isn’t perfect, Coloring Book is no sophomore-slump.

Definitely worth adding to your Apple Music line-up.  I mean, I’ve listened to it thrice in three days, so…Thanks for another phenomenal creation, Chance!  

[wfjones3]

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

How can I help?

Four words.  None of them longer than 4 letters.

How can I help?

What can I do?

I answer these questions on my own far too frequently. More often than not, I ask myself that question from "their perspective" and don't find an answer I'm looking for, One that I’m comfortable with So I move on.

Why? Why do I ask myself instead of the only person who can actually answer? Is it fear? Fear of having that comfort level pushed further into the unknown? Is it laziness? The desire to do nothing, to remain an onlooker to other people's suffering? What do I have to lose?

All I can think of is time.

Some would say that's petty. That time is free, so we should offer it up easily. But I think most of us would say that time is precious. Free time is a diamond in the rough And personal time Is the Mega Millions winning lottery ticket, a mirage An illusion.

My time is priceless...

That's what I tell myself, what I want to believe. But if the footage were played back for me, I'm pretty sure the reel of my life wouldn't be worth watching. I have wasted away in front of the tv for literal decades A couch potato, Slowly rotting. My time has not been precious. It has been handed over willingly to Ron Howard and the Bluths, Sterling and Mallory, Bob and Linda, Huey and Riley, Bubbles and Mr. Lahey, Troy and Abed in the morning... The list goes on. I have given, no, I have PAID countless other people to take my "precious" time off my hands Because, I have had so much of it to give, that it literally has devalued. It certainly is not priceless anymore.

How can I help? Four words That breathe meaning back into time That breathe life back into being All it takes is four words.

[wfjones3]

Let’s Get Lost - Cyrille Aimée

Cyrille Aimée is just one of those artists for me; I find her voice, in a word, angelic.  I could listen to her sing for days.  Her sound is just so pleasant, smooth and controlled - the words float out of her in such an effortless way, it's like listening to water slide across glass, or smoke pluming into the air.  If you have the pleasure of seeing her live, you'll understand what I'm talking about.  If you haven’t, give ”Lazy Afternoon" a listen.  The way she uses her vocal instrument on this track, changing timbre and volume with ease, exemplifies her ability as a musician.

Vocal jazz is a very unique genre of music, in my opinion. I find the focus is more often on storytelling than expressing authentic sentiment.  Not that there isn't sentiment connected, but it just isn't always as personal and rich.  A lot of vocal jazz artists make jazz standards the core of their repertoire.  And since they are often singing more covers than originals, I feel the sentiment a performer attaches to a piece is often more about the song itself than the content.  Perhaps they grew up listening to an old recording of that tune, or their parents would sing it to them as children.  That’s all well and good, but when I’m listening to music today, I want to hear that individual’s soul come through.  There is enough music out there that we don’t need more of the same to take up time.  The reason I’m saying all that is this, Cyrille Aimée has become extremely well-known in the jazz community.  I would make the claim that she could put out an album of just her own stuff and her fans would eat that shit up.  Because, although I'm always grateful for the opportunity to hear Cyrille sing, whether pre-recorded or live, Let’s Get Lost is not very exciting.  It makes for inviting atmospheric music (if you like a couple jazz-manouche tunes here and there), but unfortunately, doesn't quite make the list of my favorite albums of 2016. That's not to say I don't like it, because I do.  I love listening to it while doing something, but I don't really look forward to listening to this album like I do with many others.  If the bulk of the material was original, with a few covers, I think I would certainly be more into it.

I think that prioritizing original tunes would also have lent Let’s Get Lost a more cohesive flow.  Stylistically, it’s a little all over the place.  Some tunes are a great way to start the day, while others create the ambiance for enjoying a quiet nightcap before bed.  I think a stronger focus on the group’s artistry, rather than on their performance capability, would allow them a chance to create a piece of work that really comes together as a whole.  Unfortunately, this album feels like a bit like a jigsaw puzzle that may contain pieces from another box.

Also, I wish more songs were in French.  If I love Cyrille Aimée's voice when she's singing in English, I have a hard time keeping it together when she sings in French.  It is iterally auditory perfection for me.  When listening to "Samois à moi," there are moments when I have to close my eyes, because I'm overcome by the otherworldly beauty of that sound.  And I'm sure that I wouldn't feel the same way if I wasn't fluent in the language, but I also don't appreciate Brazilian jazz any less despite not understanding a single word.  Hell, I may even enjoy it more.  So, Cyrille, chèrie, j'ai quelque chose à vous demander.  Chantez plus en français, s'il vous plaît!

Overall, don't sleep on this album.  But don't get yourself amped up for it, either.  Download it off Apple Music, throw it into a playlist, but don’t feel obligated to sit down and listen to it immediately.  Definitely good music, though.

Merci, encore Cyrille pour le cadeau de ta voix.

[wfjones3]

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Today, I lacked perspective.  I have been unhappy at work, disappointed in my boss.  Lately, my mind has been a constant reel of all the negative moments, playing over and over again.  It has gotten so bad, I’ve actually been dreading going in every day.

At one point in the day, I felt myself wondering if race played a factor into the way I was feeling.  My boss is white, I am black.  I wondered if I would have to tolerate the same behavior if I was a white man.  I thought that there must be some form of oppression at play here.  I was always doing my best to be a model employee, why should I have to feel this way?  Why should I have to feel shitty about going into work every day, when I gave them nothing but my best?  And as I thought about the injustice I was suffering at the hands of my white oppressors, it felt like…

A thousand dark black eyes were staring at me through space and time.  And they were full of contempt.

My parents, my grandparents and my ancestors before them endured SO much worse than anything I have experienced in my life.  I am not a slave.  I did not have to fight for my right to go to school.  I did not have to march for my right to have a decent meal at a decent restaurant.  I have never had to run for my life from torches and hounds with only the moonlight to guide me.  And I have never worn chains.  I had forgotten that I am free to leave my job with a smile on my face, for my own reasons, at any time, any day.  No one can stop me.  

What a fucking blessing that is.

I can just leave.   Whenever I want to.  Yea, my life would suck for a minute while I’m broke.  But that’s only until I get another job.  I am talented, intelligent, driven, skilled and experienced.  I am unique.  I will survive.  No, I will thrive.  Today, I needed to remind myself that I am in control of my destiny.  I am in control of my world.  I can do whatever I want with my life.  I am so grateful for that.  My ancestors were chained and raped and beaten and they survived.  They were forced into labor, had their family and culture completely stripped away from them, and bred like livestock.  They survived!  

In that moment, when I felt the eyes of my family on my soul, I remembered that I have their blood in my veins.  My DNA has survived all that.  The literal DNA in the cells that make up my literal body has literally survived genocide, slavery, rape, depression, Jim Crow and White America’s subtle systematic oppression…all that!  I can do this.  I can survive my job.  It’s in my DNA.  But, I also don’t have to stay there just to prove that I can.  I can endure, but I can also choose another path.  That is the gift my ancestors bled and sweat and persevered to offer me.  Freedom.  Choice.  And I will seize it.  I owe it to them and myself to be the person I want to be.  To have the life I want to have.