Punchline

I remember learning of Punchline through the colossal Lyricist Lounge: Volume One compilation on Rawkus.

If you have ever owned, seen or held the vinyl release of the first Lyricist Lounge, you know that the word colossal is not an understatement. I almost couldn’t believe it was 4 vinyls deep but considering the amount of music packed onto the 2CDs, it stood to reason.

Among the handful of tracks that I always remembered from the compilation, Punchline caught my attention with Da Cipher.



In the early 2000s when I was barely keeping my ear to the ground as far as hip hop music was concerned, I checked for what most of the underground MCs I learned of from the Rawkus label and Lyricist Lounge compilations were doing. Punchline was among those I checked for when I could.




I was happy to learn of the Punchline & DJ Soulclap music. The songs I’ve heard are among my favorite and best hip hop I’ve heard in the last few years. 

 

I plan to pack more Punchline onto The Suite Delight playlists in the upcoming weeks.

Janet Jackson - Rhythm Nation 1814

As big as their grooves were and as monumental the Control album was, Rhythm Nation took us to a higher level.

As I would learn, Rhythm Nation was a concept album and presented a more serious Janet Jackson.



Regardless of the darker sound and mood of the album, neither Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis nor Janet Jackson lost the grooves.

If Janet said it was Alright with her, than I was reassured we were in their capable hands.

Social media recently reminded us that the album celebrated its 25th anniversary and that too is alright with me.

Nice & Smooth - Nice & Smooth (1989)

One of the most memorable moments of my CMJ 2009 trip was meeting legendary duo The Awesome Two.

I told them how influential they were for my Suite Delight radio show and thanked them for their production on the Nice & Smooth debut album.

 

Let this be my moment to thank Nice & Smooth for the years of more & more hits.

If you haven't already, please make yourself familiar with the link below for more of your favorite show and mine.

The Suite Delight new time slot is Tuesday morning 1-2am EST on www.ckut.ca & 90.3 FM.
Below are some archived podcasts to bring you up to speed.  

Click here to download more podcasts.

http://suitedelight.podomatic.com



DJ Solespin - The Goods (July 2014) Playlist:

1. Damian Marley – Welcome to Jamrock
2. Koushik – Be With
3. Washed Out – Feel It All Around
4. The System – Don’t Disturb This Groove
5. Loose Ends – Hanging On A String
6. Erykah Badu – Bag Lady
7. Feist – Mushaboom (K-os Mix)
8. D’Angelo – Feel Like Makin’ Love
9. Mark De Clive Lowe – Restless
10. Marley Marl – Hummin’ feat. Roy Ayers
11. Charles Bradley – Heart of Gold
12. DJ Spinna – Surely
13. The Pharcyde – Drop
14. Masta Ace Incorporated – The I.N.C. Ride
15. Busta Rhymes – Turn It Up
16. De La Soul – Plug Tunin’
17. Nice & Smooth – No Delayin’
18. MC Tee & Lord Tasheem – Gangster Nine
19. Gang Starr – Code of the Streets
20. Pete Rock – Back on the Block featuring C.L. Smooth
21. Souls of Mischief – Make Your Mind Up (Rock On Mix)
22. Biz Markie – Nobody Beats The Biz
23. Digable Planets – 9th Wonder (Blackitolism)
24. Doug E. Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew – Everybody Loves A Star
25. MF Doom – Dead Bent

The Suite Delight - 2014-07-08 by Dj Solespin on Mixcloud

The Suite Delight - 2014-04-08 by Dj Solespin on Mixcloud

 

The Suite Delight - 2013 CKUT Funding Drive Podcast by Dj Solespin on Mixcloud

Run-DMC - Raising Hell (1986)

Run-DMC was my introduction to hip hop. 

I was too young to understand what Rapper's Delight was. I just remembered that it sounded a lot like Chic's Good Times. 

Walk This Way reached me and I loved it. After Michael, Lionel and Prince, I saw them as role models relatively close to my age. Raising Hell was a breakthrough to me and opened the doors for Fat Boys, Kurtis Blow, Salt & Pepa, LL Cool J and Whodini to come into my life.



Proud to be Black would plant the seeds of my Afrocentrism during the late 80s/early 90s. No one was saying that to me other than Run-DMC and I eventually learned that they took that page out of the James Brown playbook.

Congratulations to Run-DMC for being inducting into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Who would have thought that over twenty years after their debut on the scene, they would be considered Kings of Rock?

R.I.P. Jam Master Jay

The Charlatans

The Only One I Know is the only song I know from The Charlatans. 

I’m open to suggestions for other songs by the band I should check out. 

I’m lucky we live in a YouTube era where I can see and hear their videos before the wait gets too long.

Salaam Remi

I remember the name Salaam Remi credited on many hip hop tracks and remixes in the 1990s. 

Not that long ago while preparing for my Women’s Day Showcase, it struck me that Salaam Remi, specifically, has produced for some of the most talented female vocalists in the business.




My theory begins with Lauryn Hill being one third of The Fugees. She would go on to release The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, win many Grammys for it and whose music would be missed dearly. The Ready or Not remix above is one of the best hip hop beats I've ever heard and that they ever rhymed on. 

Whitney Houston died months ago around the time I was planning the Woman’s Day episode. I was digging in my record collection and I came across the 12” single of My Love is Your Love. I bought it for the Wyclef remix and forgot the Salaam Remix was on it too.
The Wyclef remix was naturally played by my Concordia University radio station colleagues after Whitney’s death. I played the Salaam Remix partially because I felt my radio DJ peers and most listeners may not know of him or the remix.

I took notice of Jasmine Sullivan’s voice when her debut CD dropped. I was pleasantly surprised again to see Remi produced tracks on that album. I recently bought another CD copy of the album. It was not because I forgot I had already bought it. The second copy was at a price I couldn’t resist and it would have been easier to find among my collection.

Lastly, he produced for the legendary British R&B diva of Soul II Soul fame Caron Wheeler.  A brief browse of his website will list other notable women he has worked with over the last 15-20 years.

When I said I want to think of myself as the Salaam Remi of college radio, I meant that I enjoy the fact he worked and continues to work with the industry's most talented female vocalists.  I play them on my show whenever I can, play Salaam Remi's work with those females on my show whenever I can and by default play more Salaam Remi music than my colleagues. 

Eternia

Eternia is one of the few recording artists I would have made room for every week on The Suite Delight radio show. I’ve made do with whatever music of hers I could find.



My initial goal was to play her every week on the show for every individual track of hers I had. In that regard, I’ve come pretty close to achieving my goal.

 I was relieved to learn she teamed with MoSS and finally released new material. When I add that vinyl or CD to my collection, I will utter the title of her 2011 Polaris Prize long list nominated album.

Years ago, I was amazed to learn that Eternia was going to speak on a Pop Montreal panel and perform in Montreal on the same night. My mind was made up that night that I was going to be there.

Eternia delivered what I predicted was going to be a powerful and energetic performance. The only disappointment of the set was that my favorite single Evidence was not performed in its entirety.

At the end of the show, the majority of the performers were available to interact with the crowd. Thankfully for me, Pop Montreal and the intimate crowd allowed me congratulate, chat and take photos with the two lovely and lively headliners. This was a special night. I got to meet Canadian hip hop legend Michie Mee and newly favorite female rapper Eternia during my first Pop Montreal experience.

If you haven't already, please make yourself familiar with the link below for more of your favorite show and mine.

http://suitedelight.podomatic.com

Below are some podcasts to bring you up to speed.  Click here to download them and more.

The Suite Delight 2014-02-04 Playlist:

1.       Onyx - Throw Ya Gunz

2.       LL Cool J - Rock The Bells

3.       Ludacris - Southern Hospitality

4.       EPMD - Brothers From Brentwood, Long Island

5.       Anonymous Twist feat. Roc 'C' – Suckas Still Trying To Front

6.       Eternia & MoSS ft. Joell Ortiz - Its Funny

7.       DMX - Ruff Ryders' Anthem

8.       Big Daddy Kane - Get Down

9.       King Jus & Fresh Kils - Cold World

10.   Ghettosocks - I Invented Everything feat. Jabba the Cutt

11.   Relic - Loud Enuff Ft. Moka Only

12.   Hezekiah - Fired Up ft. Talib Kweli & Bahamadia

13.   Master Ace - Music Man (Mic Master Mix)

14.   Mos Def - Revelations

15.   Cee & Dr. MaD - Another Day ft. Notion & Nox

Booker T. & The MG's

 

 

 

At a recent record convention visit, I found a Best of Booker T. & The MGs album and bought it even though I had all of the songs already. 



The Booker T. Set vinyl crossed my path and I paid plenty pretty pennies for it.

 

It seemed that the roads were leading me to remember Donald "Duck" Dunn. 

I was informed that Donald Dunn was ill weeks before his death in May 2012. All of those purchases were pre-cursors to the unfortunate news we learned of Donald Dunn’s passing.  In 2025, Steve Cropper passed away.

\
 

I guess I got those Booker T. & the MGs records and the Light in the Attic box set with him on my mind.

RIP Donald "Duck" Dunn & Steve Cropper and thank you for your grooves.

The time slot was Tuesday morning 1-2am EST on www.ckut.ca & 90.3 FM.

Please make yourself familiar with the link below for more.

Below is the 1st Anniversary CKUT playlist to bring you up to speed.

Click here to download archived episodes.

The Suite Delight 1st Anniversary CKUT Playlist:

1. The Monkees – Mary, Mary
2. Harmonica Paul – Motherless Child
3. Eddie Kendricks – Date With The Rain
4. Yellow Sunshine – Yellow Sunshine
5. Magic Disco Machine – Scratchin’
6. The Incredible Bongo Band – Bongolia
7. Lack of Afro – P.A.R.T.Y. (Instrumental)
8. The Jimmy Castor Bunch – Troglodyte
9. Booker T. & The M.G.s – Lady Madonna
10. GZA & Ras Kass – Lyrical Swords
11. RZA & MF Doom – Biochemical Equation
12. Camp Lo – Luchini
13. Digable Planets – 9th Wonder (Blackitolism)
14. Danger Mouse & Jemini – Ghetto Pop Life
15. Hi-Tek – The Sun God
16. K-os – The Love Song

Stevie Wonder

My love for Stevie Wonder and his music began when I was a boy.

I once dressed up as a young 1960s Stevie Wonder for Halloween. 



The only thing missing from my costume was a harmonica which Mommy Dearest got for me. 

Like most Motown singles I saw as a child, Stevie Wonder’s name was on many. 

His Innervisions album is one of my Desert Island albums. 

It would take me almost 30 years to have an even deeper connection with the album. 



Songs In The Key of Life is easily the album I own the most copies of because it deserves to be owned in as pristine condition as possible.  I was fortunate to have come across numerous copies over the years.  

Had it not been for Innervisions, Songs In The Key of Life would have the secure spot on my Desert Island albums list.  What Innervisions did was make me realize how special Stevie Wonder and his music are.  

I’ve always been in awe of Stevie Wonder and most likely always will.

Stevie Wonder's Songs In The Key of Life Tour reaches Montreal on September 30, 2015. 

DJ Pogo Presents The Breaks

I thank Harmless & DJ Pogo for adding Chuck Brown & The Soul Serachers' Ashley Roachclip to their The Breaks compilation.

A compilation like The Breaks was easily a one-stop-shop for classic breaks, soul and funk that was sampled in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
I forget how I came across my copy of The Breaks but I sure have been to keep it close at hand for DJ sets whenever the need arises.
Compilers like Kenny Dope, DJ Spinna, DJ Jazzy Jeff have a special place in my heart and music collection,

Look for text about the early days of hip hip, funk, soul breaks compilations.
link to artists on compilaitons to blog posts
When I was moving away from hip hop musically, I went to its source. Specifically, I went looking for the music, artists, albums of
to waht created that hip hop music I have been listening to for most of my life.

Little Richard

When I think about it, the song and artist deserve the shine. Little Richard, along with other Rock & Roll legends like Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry & Fats Domino, deserve all the respect in the world. I've played their music on my radio show when I can but I want to go a bit further in my acknowledgment.



A while back, I was headed to my home-away-from-home Nice Music and was sitting at a bus stop. A minivan pulled up to the intersection and I could hear Little Richard's vocals through the rolled up windows. When I heard the melody, I knew the song was Long Tall Sally. I'll tell you this. I didn't hide my appreciation for the song. I moved and grooved on the bus stop bench and suddenly, the rear window cracked open and the sounds rang loud and clear for all to hear. I smiled and gave the driver a thumbs up.

As he pulled off, I realized Long Tall Sally was a better song that I gave it credit for. I love his tracks nearly equally, especially the bigger hits, but there's something about Sally. If I could put my finger on it, it would be the urgency of the delivery and melody.

I respond to that. Like James Brown, Wilson Pickett, Dyke & The Blazers and even John Fogerty, wild vocals appeal to me some reason. If you match that with a driving beat, you get me like The Roots. I'm old enough to know Little Richard's contributions to music even if others aren't. A blog entry and link to the video is the least I can do to show my appreciation until or unless I get to thank him in person.

Les Colocs - Dehors Novembre (1998)

The song Tassez Vous De D’La reached me and I liked it tremendously.

I never rushed out to the store to bring home the album but enjoyed the song anytime I heard it on the radio.  I paid little attention to the lyrics because I was too caught up in the grooves and energy of the vocals. 

Within the last two years or so, I was browsing blogs and to my surprise found the song listed. I had not heard or thought of the song since the last time I heard it. Seeing the group name and song on the blog was a welcome reminder of how much I loved the song.  I was given the chance to hear the song whenever I wanted and pay more attention to the lyrics. 

As much as the song is groovy, the theme is depressing and I immediately started wondering if the rest of the group’s music was as bleak. I also wondered about the state of mind of the group's lead singer if those are the lyrics and themes he chose to explore. The video provides subtitles and the words proving my instincts were on alert.

I am not conscious of any other song by Les Colocs but I am willing to bet Tassez Vous De D’La is their signature single. I heard audio of a live performance of the song and it is electrifying.

I was saddened to hear that the Les Colocs lead singer Dédé Fortin, committed suicide.  On the strength of Tassez Vous De D’La, I could have been a big fan of the group.  I could have wanted to hear more of their music but after of his death, my interest in the group disappeared. 

Chromeo

 

Chromeo is the band of the two local Montreal boys that made good.

I remember seeing Chromeo perform at Montreal's Cabaret Juste Pour Rire long before I heard Tenderoni, the track that got me open to them.

I used to run into P-Thugg at any given moment back in the days and have since had music of his to play on my show and chart when I was a music director.



Don't Turn The Lights On could have been my song of 2010 but the Business Casual album making my Top 10 Album list more than made up for that.

 

There were a number of songs from Business Casual that could have made their way on the Best Singles list. That is the test of an album’s strength. With Night by Night, Don’t Turn the Lights On & I Can’t Tell You Why, how can that Chromeo release not be a best album contender?

History is set to repeat itself with the latest Chromeo album called White Women and the lead single Jealous (I Ain't With It).