Hip-Hop Quotable Wednesdays – Pulitzer Prize Kendrick Lamar feat Rihanna – “LOYALTY.” C Week

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1986, 1987, 1988, 2017, 2018, Ab-Soul, Aftermath, Alternative, Anderson .Paak, Atlanta, Barbados, Black, Black Hippy, Black Panther, Black Panther Soundtrack, Bloody Waters, Blue Hurt, Blue Lines, Blue Lines Blog, Brandon Paak Anderson, Breezy Lovejoy, California, Carson, Chapel Hill, Compton, Dacoury Natche, DAMN, Def Jam, Def Jam Recordings, Del Amo, Digi+Phonics, DJ Dahi, drums, electronic, Enfield, England, experimental Hip-Hop, Ferrari, Footprints, Funk, Georgia, Glock, Hail Mary, Harmonimix, Herbert Stevens IV, Hip-Hop, Hip-Hop Music, Hip-Hop Quotable, Hip-Hop Quotable Wednesdays, Interscope, Jamaica, James Blake, James Litherland, Jazz, jazz fusion, Kendrick Duckworth, Kendrick Lamar Duckworth, Key Yemaya Walker, keyboard, Keypsiia, Keypsiia Walker, Keypsiia Yemaya Walker, Killmonger, Korean, Kung Fu Kenny, London, Los Angeles, Mark Spears, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, MCU, North Carolina, One-Take Blake, Oxnard, percussion, piano, Pop-Rap, post-dubstep, Pulitzer Prize, R&B, Ralph's, Rapper, Rihanna, Robin Hannibal, Robin Hannibal Mølsted Braun, Robyn Rihanna Fenty, Roc Nation, songwriter, Soul, Soundtrack, Sounwave, Stones Throw, synthesizer, T'Challa, Terrace Jamahl Martin, Terrace Martin, The Lox, Top Dawg, Top Dawg Entertainment, UNC, UNC Chapel Hill, United Kingdom, United States, Universal Music Publishing Group, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Vocals, Zacari

Last years glo-up, Pulitzer Prize winning artist and album (2018).
[DJ Dahi:]
I said I’m geeked and I’m fired up (fired, fire)
All I want tonight is just get high up (high, high, high)
Girl, you look so good, it’s to die for (die for)
Ooh, that p—y good, it’s to die for (on fire)

[Kendrick Lamar & Rihanna:]
It’s a secret society
All we ask is trust
(All we ask is trust)
All we got is us
Loyalty, loyalty, loyalty
Loyalty, loyalty, loyalty

[Kendrick Lamar:]
Kung Fu Kenny now
My resume is real enough for two millenniums
A better way to make a wave, stop defendin’ them
I meditate and moderate all of my wins again
I’m hangin’ on the fence again
I’m always on your mind
I put my lyric and my lifeline on the line
And ain’t no limit when I might shine, might grind
You rollin’ with it at the right time, right now
(Only for the dollar sign)
[https://youtu.be/Dlh-dzB2U4Y]

Cover Sundays – James Bay – “FourFiveSeconds” – Rihanna, Kanye West, & Paul McCartney Cover

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Atlanta, Blue Hurt, Blue Lines, Blue Lines Blog, California, Cover Song, Cover Sundays, Georgia, James Bay, Kanye West, Key Yemaya Walker, Keypsiia, Keypsiia Walker, Keypsiia Yemaya Walker, Los Angeles, Paul McCartney, Rihanna, Rihanna Fenty, Sacramento

The manuscript Blue Lines is the fictional coming of age narrative of a young California woman Key Yemaya Walker, and her 2 year growing journey through school, love, and life period piece, written by Kenneth Suffern, Jr., taking place at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill between the years of 1997 – 1998. Loosely based on true events, and experiences during that time, told through the eyes and voice of the main female protagonist, a freshman first attending the school.

Text Tuesdays – New Prose – “Savor”

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Atlanta, Blue Hurt, Blue Lines, Blue Lines Blog, California, Georgia, Key Yemaya Walker, Keypsiia, Keypsiia Walker, Keypsiia Yemaya Walker, Rihanna, Robyn Rihanna Fenty, Sacramento, Savor

5/9/16
The way you melt in my mouth,
Love at first taste,
Words are wasted on us,
Under the cover of darkness,
Recesses explored,
Angst extinguished,
Simply a communal journey.

The manuscript Blue Lines is the fictional coming of age narrative of a young California woman Key Yemaya Walker, and her 2 year growing journey through school, love, and life period piece, written by Kenneth Suffern, Jr., taking place at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill between the years of 1997 – 1998. Loosely based on true events, and experiences during that time, told through the eyes and voice of the main female protagonist, a freshman first attending the school.

Cover Sundays – Father John Misty – “Kiss It Better” – Rihanna Cover

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2016, adidas, ANTI-, Atlanta, Barbados, Blue Hurt, Blue Lines, Blue Lines Blog, California, Cover Songs, Cover Sundays, Def Jam, Def Jam Recordings, Emma Elizabeth Tillman, FATHER JOHN MISTY, Fleet Foxes, Georgia, guitar, J. Tillman, Jeff Bhasker, John Glass, Joshua Michael Tillman, Jungle City Studios, Key Yemaya Walker, Keypsiia, Keypsiia Walker, Keypsiia Yemaya Walker, Kiss It Better, Maryland, Natalia Kills, New York, New York City, pop, R&B, Rihanna, Robyn Rihanna Fenty, Roc Nation, Rockville, Sacramento, Saint Michael, Teddy Sinclair, Vocals

  
The manuscript Blue Lines is the fictional coming of age narrative of a young California woman Key Yemaya Walker, and her 2 year growing journey through school, love, and life period piece, written by Kenneth Suffern, Jr., taking place at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill between the years of 1997 – 1998. Loosely based on true events, and experiences during that time, told through the eyes and voice of the main female protagonist, a freshman first attending the school.

Covers Sundays – 20 Covers that Reinvent the Original

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Abel Testefaye, Antony and the Johnsons, Atlanta, Australia, Beyonce, Blue Hurt, Blue Lines, Blue Lines Blog, Bob Dylan, California, Canada, Cassandra Wilson, Cee-Lo Green, Chris Cornell, Citizen Cope, Closer, Cover, Cover Songs, Cover Sundays, Covers, Crazy in ove, Damien Rice, Delhia de France, Diplo, Easy Star All Stars, Elastic Heart, FKA Twigs, Foo Fighters, Frank Ocean, Gary Jules, Georgia, Gnarls Barkley, Gotta Get: Closer, Heartless, Hurt, iPhone, Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Cash, José González, Josef Salvat, Joy Division, Kanye West, Karma Police, Key Yemaya Walker, Keypsiia Walker, Lost, Macy Gray, Mad World, Major Lazer, Maxwell, Music Mondays, NIN, Nine Inch Nails, Nouela, Prince, Radiohead, Reckoner, REM, Rihanna, Robot Koch, Sacramento, Sail, San Andreas, Sia, Sia Furler, Soundgarden, Stina Nordemstam, Swann, Tears For Fears, The Church, The Fray, The Hunger Games, The Mamas and the Papas, The Rock, The Weeknd, trent reznor, U2, UNC, UNC Chapel Hill, Under The Milky Way Tonight, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Yul Anderson

Based on a conversation with my best friend last night and subsequent article that I read upon his recommendation, I felt compelled to share some of the best covers that I have heard. I wanted to identify cover songs that create a new sonic experience that often confuses the listener to whom the song should originally be attributed to. Common examples that come to mind are Jimi Hendrix classic rendition of Bob Dylan’s “Along the Watchtower,” and Johnny Cash’s iconic cover of Nine Inch Nails opus “Hurt,” which I would have preferred to put in the top slot.

The following twenty covers re-imagine and recreate the original songs. In many cases, they reinvent the songs and the new versions make them listenable music.

Cover Sundays – Josef Salvat – “Diamonds” Rihanna Cover

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Blue Hurt, Blue Lines, Blue Lines Blog, Cover Song, Cover Sundays, Covers, Diamonds, Instagram, iPhone Post, Key Yemaya Walker, Rihanna, Rihanna Fenty, Sia, Sia Furler, Youtube

  
The manuscript Blue Lines is the fictional coming of age narrative of a young California woman Key Yemaya Walker, and her 2 year growing journey through school, love, and life period piece, written by Kenneth Suffern, Jr., taking place at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill between the years of 1997 – 1998. Loosely based on true events, and experiences during that time, told through the eyes and voice of the main female protagonist, a freshman first attending the school.

Music Mondays – Birthday Edition – Rihanna – “Birthday Cake (Remix)”

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2011, Barbados, Birthday Cake, Blue Hurt, Blue Lines, Blue Lines Blog, Chris Brown, Key Yemaya Walker, music, Music Mondays, Rihanna, Rihanna Fenty, Robyn Rihanna Fenty, Saint Michael, Talk That Talk

The manuscript Blue Lines is the fictional coming of age narrative of a young California woman Key Yemaya Walker, and her 2 year growing journey through school, love, and life period piece, written by Kenneth Suffern, Jr., taking place at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill between the years of 1997 – 1998. Loosely based on true events, and experiences during that time, told through the eyes and voice of the main female protagonist, a freshman first attending the school.

Music Mondays – Rihanna – “American Oxygen”

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2015, 2015 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, Alex da Kid, American Oxygen, Barbados, Blue Hurt, Blue Lines, Blue Lines Blog, Candice Pillay, Darren Craig, Jeff Nicholas, Jonathan Craven, Kanye West, Key Yemaya Walker, Music Mondays, Rihanna, Robyn Rihanna Fenty, Roc Nation, Saint Michael, Sam Harris, Westbury Road

The manuscript Blue Lines is the fictional coming of age narrative of a young California woman Key Yemaya Walker, and her 2 year growing journey through school, love, and life period piece, written by Kenneth Suffern, Jr., taking place at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill between the years of 1997 – 1998. Loosely based on true events, and experiences during that time, told through the eyes and voice of the main female protagonist, a freshman first attending the school.

Text Tuesdays – The Yeezus Tour – Blue Lines Blog Review

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808 & Heartbreak, 88-Keys, Ackee Juice Rockers, All Of The Lights, Alone, Andrew "Pop" Wansel, Anthony Kilhoffer, Arca, Article, Atlanta, Ben Bronfman, Benji B, Black Skinhead, Blood on the Leaves, Blue Lines, Blue Lines Blog, Blue Lines Blog Review, Bon Iver, Boogz & Tapez, Bound 2, Brodinski, Can't Tell Me Nothing, Carlos Broady, Che Pope, Chicago, Chief Keef, Clique, Coachella, Coachella Festival, Coachella Valley, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Cold, Coldest Winter, College Dropout, Cruel Summer, Cruel Summer (GOOD Music album), Daft Punk, Dan Black, Def Jam, Diamonds from Sierra Leone, Director, Dom Solo, DONDA, Donda West, Edgar Allen Poe, entrepreneur, Eric Danchick, Evian Christ, fashion designer, Flashing Lights, Georgia, Gesaffelstein, Glow In The Dark Tour, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, GOOD, Good Life, GOOD Music label, Graduation, Guilt Trip, Heartless, Hip-Hop, Hit-Boy, Hold My Liquor, Hudson Mohawke, I Am a God, I Don't Like, I'm In It, Illinois, Illmind, Instagram, iPhone, iPhone 5, iPhone Post, Jack Donoghue, Jeff Bhasker, Jesus Walks, Justin Vernon, Kanye Omari West, Kanye West, Ken Lewis, Kendrick Lamar, Key Yemaya Walker, keyboards, Late Registration, Lifted, Lost in The World, Lunice, Lupe Fiasco, Mannie Fresh, Mano, Mercy, Mike Dean, Mike Will, Mountain, Mufasa, music, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, N.E.R.D., Nas, New Slaves, Nine Inch Nails, No ID, Noah Goldstein, On Sight, percussion, Philips Arena, Power, Rapper, record producer, Rick Rubin, Rihanna, Roc-A-Fella, Runaway, S1, sampler, Send It Up, Sham Joseph, Singer-songwriter, Stronger, synthesizer, Text Tuesdays, The Lion King, The Twilite Tone, The Yeezus Tour, Through the Wire, Tommy Brown, Travi$ Scott, Travis Scott, U.S., United States, Very GOOD Beats, Vocals, Yeezus, Young Chop

“…As others saw; I could not bring
My passions from a common spring.
From the same source I have not taken
My sorrow; I could not awaken
My heart to joy at the same tone;
And all I loved, I loved alone.
Then- in my childhood, in the dawn
Of a most stormy life- was drawn
From every depth of good and ill
The mystery which binds me still…”
Excerpt from “Alone” by Edgar Allen Poe.

A top the mountain.

Atlanta – December, 2013

A mountain, a mask, and a fashion of playing to an audience while hiding behind something…

In one of the strangest performances that I have witnessed since Godspeed You! Black Emperor’s opening for Nine Inch Nails, Chicago artist, Kanye West returned to the city of his birth with The Yeezus Tour in support of the aforementioned 2013 album. Poised to present his first solo tour in 5 years (previously touring with his Glow In The Dark Tour featuring Rihanna, N.E.R.D., Lupe Fiasco, and Nas) with opening act Kendrick Lamar.

An elaborately choreographed presentation spanning Kanye’s College Dropout, Late Registration, with some focus on Graduation, but, to my liking, taking the majority of the direction from Yeezus, and 808 & Heartbreak and My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy with preceded it, the tour arrived amid the inordinate press that has been known to follow Kanye since 2007. Recent remarks, and blowups have litter current media with talking points regarding the Chicago artist have also followed with the “Talk My Shit,” interludes that now litter dates of his tour.

Ye in action.

The performance intelligently began with Yeezus content, with Yeezy perched atop a mountain with a moon like video board that tempered the climate of the show, whether creating a moon effect, displaying weather, or giving a close up of the performance. Though Kanye, tends to project a larger than life persona, the use of four ornate masks, he plays a high energy show, allowing a separation between he and his audience. Kanye conceals himself for 85% – 90% of the performance. The anonymous and uniform theme is extended to the female dancers and male extras who are covered in full bodysuits, allowing all attention to be focused on the act, Kanye himself.

Cover Sundays – 30 Seconds To Mars – “Stay” – Rihanna Cover

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2012, 2013, 30 Seconds To Mars, Actress, Alternative, Alternative metal, alternative rock, Angels & Airwaves, Barbados, BBC, BBC Radio, BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge, Blue Lines, Blue Lines Blog, California, Chamber pop, Cover Sundays, dance, Def Jam, EDM, Elof Loelv, EMI, Emo, fashion designer, Great Northern, hard rock, Hip-Hop, Immortal, Indie pop, Jared Leto, John Stephen Sudduth, Justin Parker, Key Yemaya Walker, Kuk Harrell, Los Angeles, Louisiana, Love, Matt Wachter, Mikky Ekko, music, neo-prog, Nightbird Studios, pop, progressive metal, R&B, RCA, RCA Records, record producer, Recording artist, Reggae, Rihanna, Robyn Rihanna Fenty, Saint Michael, Shannon Leto, Shreveport, Singer, Singer-songwriter, Solon Bixler, songwriter, Soul, SRP, Stay, The Wondergirls, Thirty Seconds To Mars, Tomo Miličević, Unapologetic, United States, Universal, Virgin, Westlake Recording Studios

The manuscript Blue Lines is the fictional coming of age narrative of a young California woman Key Yemaya Walker, and her 2 year growing journey through school, love, and life period piece, written by Kenneth Suffern, Jr., taking place at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill between the years of 1997 – 1998. Loosely based on true events, and experiences during that time, told through the eyes and voice of the main female protagonist, a freshman first attending the school.