Sunday, June 27, 2010

SAMPLE SUNDAY----EPISODE 6

EVEN THOUGH MY MIND IS A LITTLE CLUTTERED AT THE MOMENT, I'M STILL GOING TO BRING YOU TODAY'S INSTALLMENT OF SAMPLE SUNDAY, HOPING IT CAN CLEAR MY VISION.  ONE THING ABOUT MY TRUE LOVE AFFAIR WITH HIP HOP IS THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO SEE THROUGH THE FACADE OF CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE MUSIC TO SEE THE TRUE ARTISTRY.  HIP HOP HAS RUN AMOK AT TIMES, BUT ULTIMATELY IT HAS NOT FORSAKEN ME, UNLIKE MOST PEOPLE THAT ARE A PART OF MY LIFE.  OK, TIME TO JUMP OFF THE SOAPBOX AND GET TO THE BUSINESS AT HAND:  THE ART OF SAMPLING.



I HAD TO FIND SOMETHING THAT STRUCK A NERVE WITH ME FROM AN EMOTIONAL AND AURAL STANDPOINT.  NOTHING BETTER COMES TO MIND THAN THIS SONG FROM ONE OF MY FAVORITE DUOS EVER, MOS DEF AND TALIB KWELI, BETTER KNOWN TO MOST AS BLACK STAR.  THE NUGGET IN QUESTION ACTUALLY FEATURES TALIB KWELI AND VINIA MOJICA, WITH MOS DEF PROVIDING THE AD LIBS AND BACKGROUND VOCALS.  "K.O.S. (DETERMINATION)" IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE TRACKS FROM A CLASSIC ALBUM, MAINLY BECAUSE TALIB ARTICULATED AN INTELLIGENT PERSPECTIVE ON THE M-I-C DURING HIS FOUR MINUTES AND THIRTY-EIGHT SECONDS.  FOR THOSE THAT DON'T REMEMBER OR KNOW THIS SONG, HERE IT IS FOR YOUR LISTENING PLEASURE:



PRODUCED BY HI-TEK, THIS SONG SERVED AS A PRECURSOR TO GREAT MUSIC FROM REFLECTION ETERNAL.  HI-TEK USED BRILLIANT ELEMENTS FROM A 1970'S SONG ENTITLED "BABY, THIS LOVE I HAVE", FROM THE INCOMPARABLE MINNIE RIPPERTON.


"BABY, THIS LOVE I HAVE" IS A SONG FROM THE 1975 ALBUM ADVENTURES IN PARADISE, WHICH ALSO INCLUDED THE VERY SENSUAL "INSIDE MY LOVE".  VINIA MOJICA PROVIDED THE HI-TEK TRACK WITH HER OWN SIGNATURE TAKE ON THE VOCAL STYLINGS OF MS. MINNIE.  THE ORIGINAL SONG FROM MINNIE RIPPERTON ACTUALLY SERVES AS THE INTERPOLATION TEMPLATE FOR THE BLACK STAR SONG.  THE BLACK STAR TRACK IS A REPLAYED VERSION OF THE ORIGINAL, AND YOU CAN FEEL THE LIVE ENERGY RADIATING FROM THE TRACK.  LISTEN...



ALL IN ALL, THESE TWO SONGS BRING A WARMTH AND EMOTION THAT YOU DON'T NORMALLY FIND IN MUSIC, EITHER FROM AN R&B OR HIP HOP PERSPECTIVE.  I LISTENED TO "K.O.S." (WHICH STANDS FOR KNOWLEDGE OF SELF, FOR THOSE NOT IN THE KNOW) EARLIER TODAY IN ORDER TO CALM THE SAVAGE BEAST, SO TO SPEAK, AND IT DID IT'S DUTY WONDERFULLY.  I'M GRATEFUL THAT WE, AS LISTENERS AND CONSUMERS, WERE BLESSED BY MINNIE RIPPERTON'S PRESENCE FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.  HER LIGHT WAS BRIGHT DURING HER TOO-SHORT EXISTENCE ON PLANET EARTH, AND I PAY HOMAGE TO HER ANGELIC VOCALS.  I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE INFLUENCE THAT TALIB KWELI (AS WELL AS MOS DEF AND HI-TEK) HAVE BEEN FOR THE BETTER PART OF A DECADE NOW.  THEY ARE THE PURVEYORS OF A BYGONE ERA IN HIP HOP WHEN LYRICAL PROMINENCE AND SONIC EXCELLENCE WERE TWO PEAS IN A MUSICAL POD.  TODAY WE GET SOME "SO-CALLED MUSIC" RESONATING FROM IPODS.  I AM ONE TO APPRECIATE THE NUANCES OF HIP HOP PRODUCTION AND LYRICISM, AND THE BLACK STAR SONG PROVIDES A HAPPY MARRIAGE, SOMETHING SURELY MISSING (MUSICALLY AND OTHERWISE).  MAYBE WE CAN ALL TAKE QUEUES FROM K.O.S. (DETERMINATION) AND APPRECIATE WHAT A HAPPY "SONIC MARRIAGE" CAN BE, AND APPLY THOSE PRINCIPLES TO EVERYDAY LIFE.  "KNOWLEDGE OF SELF...DETERMINATION"!



HERE'S TO A SONIC AND LYRICAL MARRIAGE MADE IN HIP HOP HEAVEN!!!

ONE LOVE, MANY SOUNDS...

                                                                      ----WISDOM  

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

FIGHT THE POWER 2.0----21ST CENTURY-STYLE

On a very humid evening in the heart of downtown Baltimore I caught the aftermath of something heinous and despicable.  After midnight on any given night near the red light district of Baltimore's famed (as well as infamous) Block you are able to see upclose and personal a microcosm of our city's ills.  Young women willing to barter bodies for duckets, older men chasing after skirts and dirt to inject in already-poisoned veins, homeless individuals trying to coexist, and the Central Police District headquarters overlooking the debauchery within a few blocks radius.  This makes for a combustible mixture ready to explode.  So it should come as no surprise that the corner of Gay and Fayette became a powder keg of activity early Tuesday morning.



As I made my trek to the bus stop waiting for the Number 5 bus marked for Cedonia, I noticed a few individuals apparently doing the same.  What made the scene surreal, however, was a middle-aged black male sitting on the curb, being interrogated (or investigated, as one officer YELLED).  This interrogation  occurred while the man was bleeding profusely from his forehead, evidently the victim of some sort of attack.  Something didn't sit well within my spirit as the scene unfolded.  According to the bloodied man, he was sitting near War Memorial Plaza, a short distance from the bus stop, when he was approached by another black male.  Some type of discussion ensued, with the end result being an interrogation of a bleeding human being.  Of course the men and women of the Baltimore Police Department have an almost impossible task of deciphering the true from the crazy and illegal in our beloved Charm City.  This, however, doesn't warrant basic civil liberties from being stripped right in front of a victim.  Even though I didn't witness the attack, I call the bleeding man a victim, just from the fact that he had no weapon, and he was bleeding.  Two plus two still equals four in my book. 

Let me backtrack a tad bit here.  There was no weapon found on the scene, except for maybe the book the man was reading and still clutching in his hand.  I was incensed when one of the police officers (who was also a black male) asked the injured and visibly shaken man why was he reading on the bus stop.  I didn't know that a black man reading in public was deemed a crime anymore in our society, yet the few officers on the scene ran with this thickening plot.  One of the alpha male officers made it a point to advise the gentleman, still sitting on the curb, waiting for an ambulance to tend to his injuries, that he was conducting "AN INVESTIGATION!!!", and shouted at him to shut the (censored) up.  At that point my anxiety went from 0-60 in a matter of seconds, because this man didn't deserve the injury or the verbal abuse afterwards.  Truth be told, physical injuries will heal and be forgotten, for the most part, but mental scars will last a lifetime.  In my heart of hearts I feel that lump on his head will disappear long before the injustice witnessed on this early morning.  Eventually an ambulance arrived and assisted the still-bleeding man.  The lack of respect for him by the Baltimore City officers at the scene was quite evident, as a multitude of common opinions were voiced.  I felt the burning need to be the mouthpiece, because hip hop as a culture needs to look at so many things that affect our communities, directly and otherwise.  I would definitely be a WACK individual if I didn't at least share this with eyes and ears that are in tune to hip hop in one form or fashion.

I hope and pray that the victim of this attack recovers physically AND mentally.  Physically from the blow to the head, and mentally from the blow to the psyche.  Hopefully, the officers that hopped into their respective police cars (069255  and 078744 being two of the police cars on the scene) will realize that they contribute to the problems on the gritty streets of Baltimore when approaching any ol' black male with disrespect and disdain.  That's why "Fight The Power", by the revolutionary hip hop outfit Public Enemy, will still have a relevant place in today's society, twenty years and one black president later.

FIGHT THE POWER (1990)



In 2010, let us continue to FIGHT THE POWER 2.0.  It still takes a nation of millions to hold ALL of us back, be it black, white, red, brown, or any shade for that matter.  Our collective voices need to be heard...

ONE LOVE!

                                                                                                               ----WISDOM

VIDEO------"Dear God 2.0"


To commemorate the release today of The Roots joint How I Got Over, here you have the video for the nice cut "Dear God 2.0".  Enjoy this visual offering from the hardest working crew in the music industry, courtesy of Okayplayer.

DEAR GOD 2.0


For more information about all things Questlove and crew, go to my favorite site:  http://www.okayplayer.com/.

ONE LOVE!!!

WISDOM

Sunday, June 20, 2010

SAMPLE SUNDAY------FATHER'S DAY EDITION

PEACE AND BLESSINGS TO ALL OF THE STRONG FATHERS THAT ARE RAISING THEIR CHILDREN AND COMMUNITIES!  TODAY'S INSTALLMENT OF SAMPLE SUNDAY IS GOING TO PAY HOMAGE TO THOSE STRONG BROTHERS THAT ARE ON A CONSTANT GRIND TO PROVIDE, NURTURE, STRENGTHEN, EDUCATE AND UPLIFT.  FROM A HIP HOP PERSPECTIVE, IT WAS A NO-BRAINER FOR MY SAMPLE SUNDAY SELECTION.  BOTH SONGS ARE RECOGNIZABLE PIECES OF THE HIP HOP DIASPORA, SO TO SPEAK.  THE HIP HOP VERSION IS A CONSTANT REMINDER OF WHAT IT REALLY MEANS TO BE A FATHER, A MESSAGE DEFINITELY NEEDED WITH THIS NEW GENERATION UPON US.  THE ORIGINAL SONG SENDS A MESSAGE FOR A PEOPLE TO SEARCH WITHIN FOR THE TRUTH.  PUT THOSE TWO TOGETHER, AND THE PURPOSE OF FATHER'S DAY IS QUITE CLEAR.



TO START THINGS OFF, WE WILL GO BACK INTO THE VAULT FOR A ROY AYERS STAPLE, "SEARCHING" FROM THE 1976 ALBUM VIBRATIONS.  THE ROY AYERS UBIQUITY SONG IS ONE OF THE BEST FROM THE HUGE CATALOG OF THE JAZZ/SOUL/FUNK VIBRAPHONIST.  IT IS JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE INTOXICATING MUSIC THAT WAS CREATED DURING THE '70'S BY ONE OF THE JAZZ FUSION PIONEERS.  THIS ALSO HAPPENS TO BE A FAVORITE SONG FROM MY YOUTH AND ADULTHOOD.





IT IS QUITE FITTING THAT ON A DAY DESIGNED TO PAY HOMAGE TO FATHERS THAT THE APTLY TITLED "BE A FATHER TO YOUR CHILD" BY ED O.G. WOULD BE MY SAMPLE SUNDAY HIP HOP SELECTION.  THIS SONG RESONATED IN MY EARS AND SPIRIT DURING 1991 AND BEYOND.  I REMEMBER PURCHASING THE ALBUM LIFE OF A KID IN THE GHETTO AND BEING VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE MUSIC FROM THE BOSTON COLLECTIVE KNOWN AS ED O.G. AND DA BULLDOGS.  NOT ONLY WAS THIS SONG LEFT OF CENTER DURING THE BEGINNING OF THE DECADE, BUT IT WAS SONICALLY AND LYRICALLY A VERY DOPE CUT.  ED O.G. SPOKE ABOUT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF BEING A FATHER, NOT JUST A SPERM DONOR, AND IT SPOKE DIRECTLY TO ME AND MY COHORTS DURING THAT CRUCIAL ERA.  TO THIS DAY I CONSIDER "BE A FATHER TO YOUR CHILD" ONE OF THE MOST UPLIFTING SONGS, SO FOR FATHER'S DAY, I GIVE YOU A PIECE OF HIP HOP THAT IS RARELY DEPICTED BY THE MEDIA, AN HONEST, UPLIFTING, AND RESPONSIBLE PIECE OF ART.



FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING THESE DYNAMIC ARTISTS THAT CROSSED PATHS WITH TWO UNIQUE AND DOPE CUTS, GO TO EACH OF THEIR WEBSITES POSTED BELOW:

http://www.myspace.com/royayersubiquity

http://www.myspace.com/edogboston

TODAY'S SAMPLE SUNDAY IS DEDICATED TO ALL OF MY COHORTS, FRIENDS, INFLUENCES, FAMILY, AND MUSICAL BROTHERS THAT ARE A CONSTANT IN THEIR CHILDREN'S LIVES.  I SALUTE YOU, EVEN WHEN NO ONE ELSE DOES...

ONE LOVE!!!!!!

WISDOM

Sunday, June 6, 2010

ARTIST INTERVIEW-------P.O.E.T.

Today I had the distinct pleasure of talking with hip hop artist P.O.E.T., a Baltimore emcee that is out to prove that lyricism and stage presence can go hand in hand in today’s image-first industry. The eighteen minute phone conversation covered various topics such as his musical background, his hip hop influences, and upcoming project. If you haven’t heard about this dynamic artist, this will be your introduction into the world of P.O.E.T.






WISDOM: What does P.O.E.T. stand for?



P.O.E.T.: It’s an acronym that stands for “Persevere Over Everything” It was given to me by a friend. I used to go by KG The Don, but with everything that I’ve had to persevere, it is a fitting name.



WISDOM: When did you get into the music industry?



P.O.E.T.: I started making music in 2004. I was actually managing two artists at first, but decided that I wanted to get in front of the mic instead of behind the scenes. I first recorded in ‘06.



WISDOM: Where you in a group or individual when you started out?



P.O.E.T.: I was running a label at first, and then the others fell off. It was called Infamous Entertainment back in 2004 when I first started. I was managing a singer (Sierra Shannon) and rapper (J.O. Spade). J.O. Spade put out a mixtape that sold like, maybe, five hundred copies.



WISDOM: Ok, name some of your musical influences.



P.O.E.T.: Jay-Z, notably. He is one of the greatest lyricists to ever do it. You can also include Kanye and Joe Budden on my list of influences.



WISDOM: Are you more of a fan of lyrics or stage persona?



P.O.E.T.: I’m definitely a fan of lyricism. Witty punchlines and metaphors.



WISDOM: Tell me about your upcoming project.



P.O.E.T.: I am wrapping up work on my solo release called “Heartless”. It’s a story-driven album. I consider it a concept CD: being in love, heartbreak, and the aftermath. It’s about relationships and shows the transformation of a person. I am wrapping final production this week, and I am looking at August 10th as the release date.



WISDOM: Are you considering this to be an EP or a full-length release?



P.O.E.T.: I’m considering this an album; with 11 tracks I see this as a full-fledged project.



WISDOM: Who are the producers featured on the album?



P.O.E.T.: Best Kept Secret is number one on the list. They are best known for working with Wale on his debut album Attention Deficit, producing about half of the album. They produced two songs on my album: “In The Air” and “Feeling Me Now”. I also had a producer named Lex produce “The Fame”, song three on the album. Delaware producer Bobby Nice produced two songs as well.



WISDOM: Who else appears on the album with you?



P.O.E.T.: No other rappers are on the album. I have a female singer that contributed background vocals on my song “Fade To Black” and the vocal hook on the title track “Heartless”. Her name is Allysha Robinson.



WISDOM: What would you say the high point of your musical career is thus far?



P.O.E.T.: Well, working with sound engineer John Wilhelm has been a high point. He has been giving me the sound I need for this project. He’s been pretty instrumental in putting this music out.



WISDOM: Great! Do you have any upcoming shows?



P.O.E.T.: I am scheduled to perform in Richmond, Virginia at the end of June. I hope to make that show, but I have other obligations also related to promoting this album and project. I have something that is going to be great in the works at the end of August or beginning of September, but I’ll keep that under wraps for now.



WISDOM: What parting words do you have for those reading this interview?



P.O.E.T.: The CD is gonna be one of the best things to come out of Baltimore in a good while. It’s really gonna pop. I hope everybody enjoys what I bring to the table with “Heartless”. Stay tuned for more.



WISDOM: It’s been a pleasure speaking with you about this album, and we will set up another interview just before releasing this project. I’m pretty sure there’s gonna be a very good response to it. Peace!



P.O.E.T.: Peace!

CVEG PRESENTS THE LINE UP----- CLUB 347


347 North Calvert Street was the place to be on June 3rd, as four dope emcees took to the stage for The Line-Up. Slay, E.N.V.I.E., Ahmed The Last Born Child, and Nephew were the featured performers for The Line-Up, a showcase to illuminate the talents of these artists and the Consumer Voice Entertainment Group family. The energy and excitement could be felt the entire evening at Club 347, because a truly dope show was on the horizon.






Music was provided by DJ Black Wizard for the event, and he spun great hip hop throughout the evening, such as “Simon Says” by Pharoahe Monch, “Ice Cream” by Wu-Tang Clan, and “Award Tour” by A Tribe Called Quest. I had the opportunity to mix and mingle with the growing crowd before the festivities took place. Anticipation was in the air for the artists and crowd. One of the performers, Nephew, had the chance to talk with me prior to the actual concert taking place. He discussed how excited and amped he was to be a part of this hometown showcase of real hip hop talent. Ahmed, Slay, and E.N.V.I.E. could be seen networking and interacting with the excited audience.



Hosting duties for the evening were handled by Big Mama. First to hit the stage was Slay (also known as Slayer T). Joined by his hype man and partner in rhyme for the evening, Slay started off strong, performing crowd favorite “I’m From Maryland Bitch” with energy and fervor. Even though the sound system and mics weren’t the most forgiving, Slay managed to control the stage and audience with his captivating presence on the mic. Slayer T used the venue to his advantage, utilizing the men’s bathroom as a quick dressing room in the middle of his performance. Slay is an metaphorical phenom cut from the emcee cloth of Eminem, and you could feel the passion in his delivery during the hot performance.



Next to grab the microphone was B-more emcee E.N.V.I.E., another crowd favorite for the night. Performing Jump Back, E.N.V.I.E. felt right at home on stage at Club 347, never allowing the sporadic mic feedback to detract from his stage show. Once he blessed the crowd with “American Psycho”, the 347 contingent went wild. E.N.V.I.E. showcased his charismatic style throughout his set, and the audience showed much love. Finishing strong over the Gang Starr classic “DWYCK”, E.N.V.I.E. paid respect to fallen Gang Starr emcee Guru with the call and response, “Guru, rest in peace”. It is quite evident that E.N.V.I.E. is primed for exposing his lyrical prowess to Baltimore and beyond.



After a brief intermission, with DJ Black Wizard supplying the sounds, Big Momma introduced the next emcee on the bill, Ahmed The Last Born Child. He brings a stage presence that you do not find in the normal crop of hip hop artists. Ahmed is quite capable of capturing the attention of any listener by the pure power in his lyrics. He commenced to “test the mic” with an a capella verse full of witty wordplay and intelligence. The emcee went through his catalogue of insightful, everyman songs that someone could easily identify with, and that is one of the endearing qualities when listening to Ahmed The Last Born Child. Once he finished his set on stage, you knew you were given a staunch lesson in the art of storytelling.



Closing out the show, Nephew brought the energy and passion to the microphone. He also had the packed house captivated from the moment he stepped on stage. Hungry doesn’t do justice to Nephew when describing his passion onstage. Nephew used every inch of the the stage area to showcase songs from his project Phewturistic Biography. The packed house at Club 347 held onto every word spit by the budding emcee. Nephew showed love to his crew by bringing them onstage to share the spotlight, and that energy exuded could be felt throughout the venue. Song after song performed brought the heat, and it was a fitting end to the performance aspect of The Line-Up.



Even though the performances were over, the networking and industry love was present for the rest of the evening. There were many local hip hop artists at Club 347 to show support and love, including B-more emcee Comp. Outside, Deep Flow Studios head Amotion was interviewing each of the artists. Ms. Understood and Christian from The Edge also gave crucial camera time to the performers and CVEG family. Much credit was due to Lewis Williams, the Baltimore-bred dynamo with a vivid vision for the purpose of Consumer Voice Entertainment Group. CVEG family members, such as TJ Hightower and Donita “NitaBeat” Blackwell, also showed much love and support for the cause. Overall, The Line-Up showcased a Baltimore hip hop scene that is burgeoning and bubbling with talent, a scene poised to shine light on Charm City as much more than the home of “The Wire”.  This first taste at Club 347 was only a teaser for what is to come from Consumer Voice Entertainment Group.









                                                                                                             ----WISDOM

ERYKAH BADU/N*E*R*D/JANELLE MONAE: PIER SIX CONCERT PAVILION--- MAY 30, 2010


On a muggy May evening, I had the pleasure to witness the soul artistry of Erykah Badu at Pier Six Concert Pavilion. Unfortunately, I was not able to see opening act and industry darling Janelle Monae, replete with her musical idiosyncrasies that will undoubtedly put Lady Gaga to shame, and N*E*R*D, Pharrell Williams hybrid musical endeavor. On paper, this line-up seems to be the anti-music industry, because boundaries have been erased with their various projects, be it Janelle Monae and her recent ArchAndroid, N*E*R*D offering Seeing Sounds from 2008, and the new Badu project New Amerykah Part Two: Return Of The Ankh.



Even though this show was a week ago, my memory serves me well. Even though I was not fortunate enough to be inside Pier Six for the concert, and arrived relatively late to the event, I felt the energy from the Pier Seven crowd in front of the Waterfront Marriott. Ms. Badu hit the stage at approximately 9:50 PM, dressed in black, rocking a black top hat. Her concert garb was fitting, because she seemed to be a tad bit subdued once she hit the stage. Cheers from inside the concert venue could be clearly heard across the waterway, and the Pier Seven crowd cheered equally as loud once the neo-soul darling took to the stage. Songs from New Amerykah Part Two: Return Of The Ankh were interspersed with older gems throughout the show. The fans were entertained as Badu interacted with the crowd, announcing she would “chop and screw for you”, a line from her Overlover cut. Even though there were no missteps in her performance, something to me was amiss. Perhaps she was weary from her travels during this tour, or still reeling from the controversial “Window Seat” video, but I could sense that this top-notch performer was bringing her B-game (which is better than 99% of today’s musical landscape).



While the performance was in effect, I noticed individuals around me engaged in selling Badu paraphernalia, a sea of lawn and collapsible chairs, and even a young brother walking around with a blue pitbull that scared the daylights out of everyone on Pier Seven. From my vantage point, I couldn’t help but notice all of the people that were there to enjoy some good music, numbering in the hundreds. Interacting with the Baltimore crowd, asking the crowd how they felt, was a nice touch to her performance that evening. Throughout the evening, Badu was able to mix her neo-soul and funk with her b-girl sensibilities, something I always enjoy. It’s good to see that this artist of the first kind takes very seriously her hip hop roots, and isn’t afraid to intertwine hip hop with her brand of musicality. During her hour and twenty minute or so set, she went through the old school hip hop catalogue while performing for the musically hungry audience. “Top Billin’ ” by Audio Two, the go-go staple “Sardines and Pork n Beans”, and Whodini’s “Friends” were just a few of the songs that served as backdrop for Ms. Badu during her stage performance.



“Out My Mind, Just In Time” (which includes my favorite album portion Recovering Undercover Over-lover) was one of the best show moments, along with her taking .time during the performance to hit the drum machine for some impromptu live beats. Badu left the stage, to the dismay of many in attendance, without bringing to the masses her “Window Seat” performance. She returned to many cheers and commenced to bless the crowd (with her clothes on of course). She also launched into “Bag Lady”, using the song as a source of therapy for herself and countless others. Ms. Badu closed with the crowd placing their lit cell phones in the air while Common’s “The Light” set the mood. All in all, the performance was good, but because I’ve been spoiled by previous Badu performances, I expected more, and unfortunately, my lofty expectations weren’t met. This is definitely not a negative review of a dope show, but perhaps a measuring stick for future shows, because Erykah Badu has set the bar EXTREMELY high. Let’s hope that expectations are exceeded next go round for me. 

                                                                                                                     ----WISDOM