Soul-Fu

Hey peeps, it's ya boy here again. Wanted to let you in on this track I was messing with: I call it 'Soul-Fu'. I consider myself, and everything in existence to be a master of the art of peace. It may not look like it at times, but that's just the Matrix. In truth we are all one, resting in infinity. The track is from one of the best soundtracks I've ever heard, the Ocean's Twelve soundtrack. Ever since I heard it I wanted to rap over beats like that. I love jazz electro-funk--whatever it's called. It's a really good blend of styles, that actually isn't a blend at all, it's more like a natural reintegration. Back in the day when people jazzed-out, sometimes somebody would get on the mic and start babbling whatever feelings came to them in the moment. Sometimes it was scat, sometimes actual words but not always a coherent meaning to them. Obviously, I was going for more meaning, but the talking over jazzy, funky tunes is actually pretty fundamental to jazz, even if it's not a human voice. In jazz, everything talks. My god, does everything talk. Jazz is like a crowded room full of conversational instruments and rhythms, but instead of talking with each other, they're talking together. I can't really say they're singing together, because jazz just feels more like talking--beautiful, beautiful, talking. Singing is for the soft. In jazz, there's no place for soft. Not that it's hard, but it always has an edge, even when it cries at you. It'll be in the midst of a somber breakdown, but somehow be able to look up at you and say, "But I'm still cool". As a kid, I used to listen to this guy Najee, a saxophonist from Africa, and actually, I just remembered, when I first started rapping, I used some of his tracks! Wow! I did not remember that before I sat down to write this blog! I was just going to show you my new song and be done with it. Wow, that really brings back memories. I even wrote my mom a song for Mother's day on one of Najee's tracks. My mom insists that I constantly perform it for her, though I tell her over and over that I don't remember it. ~sigh~ Moms. Anyway, I also used to listen to Miles (of course) like a religion when I was younger. My father's middle name was Miles because of this man. So I think I will be integrating a lot more Jazz into my style, with funk and Electric influences. And of course, it's gotta have that Soul-Fu. I've got to figure out how to switch the style up without sounding like other ambient trip-hop, funk producers. It's got to be distinctly me. It's got to communicate a lot of different elements at once, but not overwhelm the consciousness of the listener. It's got to be funky. ::Insert James Brown "Hey!" here:: Excelsior, G.A.B.E.