Just Like Music

In the words of Erik Sermon:

“Just like Music....

To relax my mind so I can be free.”

Many don’t know that for Jamaican people, reggae is probably the second love, while “Souls Music” is the first.

It all makes sense to a laid back island with a groovy vibe, which also influences reggae music.

When I came to the US in 1990, I brought that same culture along with me.

My father had an enormous stereo which could be heard at the end of the block, but I wasn’t allowed to play it louder than a whisper. “Don’t play no buggu yagga music in my house,” my parents would say lol.

When I was left home alone at age 11 (the norm for turn-key children in the 80s-90s) I had the opportunity to blast my stolen 1 cent Columbia House CDs.

The ability to listen to music daily, watch music videos to learn the choreography, and obsess over making tapes to pause and rewind to get the lyrics, consumed the majority of my life during my pre-teens. Music helped me survive my dramatic adolescent breakups, loneliness as an only child, and coping through the loss of one my closest friends.

Have you ever been to church and the praise leader hits a note that gives you goosebumps, and makes you wail like a child?

This is proof that Music can minister and provide therapy, connecting to your soul.

I’d like to share a few songs that evoke inspiration to my body and soul:

( This list is significantly scaled down by the way)

Groove Thang- Zhane

Closer- Goapele

Back To Life –Soul II Soul

Blessed-Jill Scott

To Zion- Lauryn Hill

Everything Is Everything – Lauryn Hill

Another Lifetime – Nao

Love Language – Reflection Eternal, Talib Kweli, Hi-Tek, Les Nubians

Window Seat –Erykah Badu

Cranes in the Sky- Solange

Be- Common

Amen- Andra Day

I Wish- Stevie Wonder

Miss Independent- Ne-Yo

Alabaster Box – CeCe Winans

Break Every Chain – Tasha Cobb

Praise Him In Advance- Marvin Sapp

If It Had Not Been – Kierra Sheard

The Battle is The Lord- Yolanda Adams

No Weapon- Fred Hammond

Stand- Donnie McClurklin

I Understand- Smokie Norful