Wednesday, MAY 5TH Quash (Q-Man) and Regina come together to interview drummer/producer UNKLE NEPHEW!

Take a listen to UNKLE NEPHEW at: 

THE NEO SOUL CYPHER SHOW – Relaunched and Reimagined! 

9pm ET, 8pm CT, 6pm PT

ONLINE: https://neosoulcypher.com/live-streams-and-broadcasts/
Get the latest in Neo Soul and Classic Hip-Hop Music, Culture, Lifestyle and Community!

Wednesday, April 28TH Quash (Q-Man) and Regina come together to interview soul singer/songwriter NANEEZY!

Take a listen to NANEEZY at: 

https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCsZOkPXJ32ZmkBR8WdN14sw

THE NEO SOUL CYPHER SHOW – Relaunched and Reimagined! 

9pm ET, 8pm CT, 6pm PT

ONLINE: dating sites in tanzania
Get the latest in Neo Soul and Classic Hip-Hop Music, Culture, Lifestyle and Community

UPDATE – July 23, 2021 – A Drop So Hot! Check out this audio drop for the Neo Soul Cypher Show by Naneezy – a hot upcoming Neo Soul singer/rapper.

Purpose Music Group Singer/songwriter/producer/multi-instrumentalist Angela Johnson is releasing a brand new version of her independent soul classic and fan favorite “All In Me” featuring singer/songwriter/producer Darien Dean remixed by rising London based, international DJ/producer, Sol Brown.   In addition to achieving NUMBER 1 status on WHUR-FM in DC in 2010, “All In Me” has also become a live performance favorite for Angela and Darien.  “There’s something extra special about working on a duet, but even more so when it happens to be with 2 amazing vocalists – Angela Johnson and Darien. Some of you may recall that the original version of this track came out on Angela’s highly acclaimed ‘It’s Personal’ album in 2010. I had always been a fan of that record, so to say that I was over the moon when Angela approached me to remix this track was an understatement… ” – SOL BROWN
“After working on a previous track with Sol, I felt like he was the one to breathe new life into “All In Me.” He had the right approach. He really listened to the song and created a remix that can take on a life of it’s own. He nailed it!” – Angela JohnsonAngela Johnson “All in Me” featuring Darien Dean ( Remixed by Sol Brown)  is now available on all digital and retail outlets for downloads and streaming.

SPOTIFY  https://open.spotify.com/album/7gPlwCJUCagKLhs4b8L6Bs?si=RCB_ygq1R72RCM-C4nLAtw

AMAZON All In Me (Sol Brown Remix) by Angela Johnson featuring Darien Dean on Amazon Music – Amazon.com

APPLE ‎All in Me (feat. Darien Dean) [Sol Brown Remix] – Single by Angela Johnson on Apple Music

“De La Soul from the soul, black medallions, no gold” (from the song “Buddy”) – that says it all, it was a branding message. De La Soul represented something different than the gold chains and track suits that were almost the uniform for rap artists in the late 1980’s.  They projected a clever nerdy approach rather than the always hard and often gangsta approach of many artists of the day. They also helped birth the focus on afro-centricity with songs like “Me, Myself and I” and “Ghetto Thang,” along with their Native Tongue compatriots.  De La Soul were billed as the hippies of hip-hop when they released their first album “Three Feet High and Rising” in 1989, yet they never really embraced that whole image.  This is part of the reason that they came with “De La Soul is Dead” in their 1991 follow up album. De La made you feel good, while grooving to their multi-layered samples and jazz fused tracks, while making you think and oftentimes laugh at the same time.  That’s why I consider De La Soul one of the most talented and influential groups of hip-hop.  With songs like “Me, Myself and I,” I was jamming and felt good about it, without having to excuse the message in the song.  The members of the De La are Kelvin Mercer (Posdnuos), David Jude Jolicoeur (Trugoy) and Vincent Mason (Maseo).  They hit us with 4 classic albums from ’89 through the 90’s starting with “Three Feet High and Rising,” De La Soul is Dead,” “Buhloone Mindstate” and “Stakes is High,” with hit songs throughout.  Unfortunately, due to the shenanigans at their old label, most of their classic songs are not available on digital platforms – a true shame for us and them! Nevertheless, here are my Top 5.

Check out my Top 5 from the De La Soul:

1. “Me, Myself and I”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8-9mY-JACM
2. “Buddy” : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWIfqPLFnis
3. “A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Tu-qDHSSZo
4. “Ring Ring Ring (Hey Ha)”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-JOVXZePQk
5. “Stakes is High”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzOOCnkUlnA

#Classic Hip Hop

#DeLaSoul

#MeMyselfandI

#Buddy

#ARollerSkatingJamNamedSaturdays

In December of 1997, the song that launched the biggest pre-Ether battle war was released.  4,3,2,1 is most notable for the beef between the 2-decade enduring legend LL and the up-and-coming lava spitter, Canibus.  Making guest appearances were the dynamic duo of rap, Redman and Method Man.  The song had no choice but to be a banger peaking at number 10. Despite the LL, Bis beef, the Method and Red magic, the show-stealer was the gravelly-voiced MC “Stay out the dark, ’cause if I catch you when the sun is down, Run it clown, come up off that, or I’m gon’ gun it down”.  This was my first exposure to the staccato halting, yet rapid mercurial flow that DMX would transform into a catalog of legend.

DMX went on a run that likely never happens again. From 1998 to 2003 X dropped 5 albums, each debuted at Number One on the Billboard 100 and US R&B charts, each went platinum. Album 6 debuted at number 2 on the Billboard 100 and Number 1 on US R&B charts. Classic after Classic

In addition to entrenching himself as an era-defining rap artist, he was integral to the reemergence of black film starring in Romeo Must Die and Belly.

https://neosoulcypher.com/french-dating-sites-free/

Gone too soon,

A Prayer

REST IN POWER X

Wednesday, March 3rd Quash (Q-Man) and Regina come together to interview hip hop lyricist BD3!

Take a listen to BD3 at:
https://neosoulcypher.com/older-gay-dating-apps/

THE NEO SOUL CYPHER SHOW – Relaunched and Reimagined! 

9pm ET, 8pm CT, 6pm PT

ONLINE: dating sites in tanzania
Get the latest in Neo Soul and Classic Hip-Hop Music, Culture, Lifestyle and Community

Goapele is that smooth, sultry, on that political tip ish.  I got hooked on Goapele in the early 2000’s when she released “Even Closer.” I still think this album is one of the finest blends of Neo-Soul and Hip-Hop, with some true bangas like “Romantic (feat. Soulive)”, “The Daze (feat. Zion I & Casual)” and “Ease Your Mind (feat. Pep Love)”.  These Neo Soul – Hip-Hop collabos were exactly what I was looking for at the time; however, “It Takes More,” “Catch-22” and “Closer” are simply Neo Soul with a Hip-Hop beat at its best.  Of course I still bang this album some 20 years later.  Goapele didn’t leave her heavy hitters to the early 2000’s. On her 2011 “Break of Dawn” album, “Play” takes us back to the sultry and funky feel of tracks like “Romantic,” and “Undertow” captures the emotional pull of tracks like “Closer.” In 2017 the “Dreamseeker” EP brought the Goapele that I loved up to date, with the sultry, sophisticated yet down right “basic” “Secret” – a track that sets the mood like few others, while alluding to a Hip-Hop R&B song with one of the dopest beats ever.  In “Secret” Goapele says, “I can’t let you know, I got a secret,” and then asks, “Are You Responsible.”  In the timeless “Are You That Somebody”, Timbaland constructs quite possibly the dopest Hip-Hop beat ever and then throws in the baby crying to take it over the top! On this track, Aaliyah goes on to ask, “If I let this go, Are You Responsible?”  So, 2017 Goapele takes us back to 1998 Aaliyah with Timbaland and kills it.  Other notables from “Dreamseeker” include “Power” and the “As Bright as Sun” (interlude)” that is ripe to be made into a full-length track. Goapele is yet another gift from the Bay Area to treasure.  

Check out my Top 5 from the Goapele:

1.     Catch-22 – https://neosoulcypher.com/free-fuck-dating-site/

2.     Secret – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q15gwzTd9Zs

3.     Romantic – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dC6xZ6LuycY

4.     It Takes More – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hO5cAHqk_ic

5.     Undertow – https://vimeo.com/61292836

Question of the Week: Who does Goapele most remind you of as a music artist?

#Goapele

#Neo-Soul

#Neo-Soul and Hip-Hop

#Aaliyah

#Timbaland

Wednesday, February 3rd Quash (Q-Man) and Regina come together to interview R&B Soul artist NYAH GRACE! 

Take a listen to Nyah Grace at:

https://www.nyahgrace.com/

THE NEO SOUL CYPHER SHOW – Relaunched and Reimagined! 

9pm ET, 8pm CT, 6pm PT

ONLINE: dating sites in tanzania

Get the latest in Neo Soul and Classic Hip-Hop Music, Culture, Lifestyle and Community

The world was blessed on January 16, 1959, by the birth of Helen Folasade Adu. Simply put, her music shaped the sounds of NeoSoul. Sade’s effortless grace, elegance, and chill are a vibe in and of themselves.  She weaves her lilting contra-alto from a round full lower register to whispered rasp in iconic soaring fashion. She is truly timeless, uncontained by musical category and possibly the most reliable listen that you can select. Each of her six albums, spanning four decades, are fully vested works.

There are no filler tracks, throw away songs, or need to hit the fast forward button. I had the blessing of seeing Sade when she headlined a show which saw the up and coming John Legend as the opener.  There are two things I can tell you about Sade from her live concert performances. One, Sade, in addition to being the singer, is actually the band.  The bass, keys, guitar/sax, and of course, Sade herself have been making music as together as a band since 1982.  You get the fullness of the band Sade when you see them deliver their masterclass performance in person.  If you’ve ever heard Softly, Softly by Sweetback, you heard the band featuring Maxwell on the lead, but that’s a story for a different time.

This article is dedicated to the Mother of NeoSoul. Aaliyah, another legend born on January 16, once said of Sade, “she stays true to her style no matter what… she’s an amazing artist, an amazing performer.” The second thing I’ll tell you about Sade live concert performances is, I hope you get to see one. (I may do a mix as well).

NeoSoulCypher Apple
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COVID.  Sickness. Hospitals at capacity.  Make-shift morgues.

Widespread unemployment.  Isolation.  Depression.  A drastic increase in addiction.

 Killings of black people at the hands of police. Uprisings. 

The fight for racial equality. White supremacists being called upon by a sitting president.  Peaceful protests being targeted by racists, as an opportunity to shoot and kill. 

An election year that has caused more anxiety and division than any other. 

Hmm…

Yeah… So… I think I’ll record a song about my vagina and all the wonderful things I can do with it!  

WAP.  The song appears to be a very successful one.  Popular.  Rave reviews from many.  Everyone is talking about it- even youngsters. 

Yes, lyricists.  Young people listen to your music.

How should one respond when a student asks, “What does WAP mean?”  How should I have responded when a 6^th grade girl said she wants to be a stripper when she grows up? 

Do keep in mind that in this time of virtual learning, when one student asks a question or makes a statement, all students are present. 

Before we begin blaming parents, keep in mind that this song is being played on the radio.  The video is available for all to view.  Children are curious by nature.  That’s good.  They should be curious. 

Are parents to monitor every song a child listens to?  Is this a realistic expectation?  Is it even possible?

Ladies.  Perhaps we should leave the state/status of our vaginas out of song lyrics. 

Should anyone even care about your vagina: unless they are fortunate enough to be the receiver of?

I am thinking there are probably better things to sing about, especially during a time like this.

Perhaps now, we should also move on from ‘Nigga’.  What is the value or importance of using the word?

I mean… is it mandatory in music or something?  Will the song not sell otherwise?

 Regardless of arguments defending its usage, we all know from what word Nigga derived. 

Nigger.  There!  I said it.

 It doesn’t look good in print.  Nor is it easy to form my mouth to say the word.

When asking students not to call each other Nigga, the most heart-breaking response I received was from an African student, who with innocence and confusion in his eyes responded, “Why? Nigga means black people.  I’m Black.” 

Hmmm.  Okay.

 Music lyricists, the age-range of your listening audience may be broader than you think.  Shouldn’t this be considered when writing, recording, and putting it out there for all to hear?

 I mean that is the goal, right? To reach as many listeners as possible? 

Keep in mind.  Your lyrics can have an impact.  Young people are often your largest listening audience.

Perhaps this is a time to send positive messages.  Messages of hope.  Messages of unity and strength. Messages of pride and confidence.  Messages of love, even.

Black artists, it is all our responsibilities to let our Black youth know…

We are not Niggas. 

We, black and brown women, are more than our vaginas. 

Regina Williams, Ed.D