I don’t think “Dick In A Box” is as good without its video accompaniment. However, the song still works really well as a parody of ‘90s R&B. While Michael Jackson is and has always been JT’s primary influence, you can listen to his catalog and hear lots of Boyz II Men and Brian McKnight influences as well.… Read More “Dick In A Box” by The Lonely Island feat. Justin Timberlake (2006)
The first time I heard Lupe Fiasco was as the featured emcee on Kanye’s “Touch The Sky”. I wasn’t impressed. I thought his awkward flow kinda screwed up what was and still is a great song. I also thought his name was ridiculous. Flash forward a few months, “Kick Push” comes out, and I have to re-evaluate… Read More “Daydreamin’” by Lupe Fiasco (feat. Jill Scott, 2006)
Van Hunt had the misfortune of entering the market at a time when there wasn’t really a lane for a genre-unclassifiable Black artist. In the late ‘90s and early ‘00s, either you were a megastar that defied categorization, an R&B thug, a vocal group or a Soulquarian. Van was none of those things, and as… Read More “Daredevil, Baby” by Van Hunt (2006)
“Crazy” is a high-water mark that neither Ceelo Green nor Danger Mouse was able to reach again, despite numerous and ongoing attempts to do so. I played it at a recent party and someone mentioned that they could relax and enjoy it because it came “before Ceelo got creepy”. I mean, I get it*. But…listen… Read More “Crazy” by Gnarls Barkley (2006)
I discovered Snow Patrol on VH-1, when the video for “Run” was popular. I enjoyed that song enough to buy its parent album. A few years later, when “Chasing Cars” came out as the first single from the band’s second album, I was psyched that they had a legitimate smash on their hands. “Chasing Cars” was anthemic and… Read More “Chasing Cars” by Snow Patrol (2006)
“Bruised” punches me right in the feels every time I hear it. Ben Folds drops the smart-ass guise for four minutes and delivers a relatively straightforward heartbreak song that could’ve easily been a hit for Billy Joel in the ‘80s. You gotta figure our man Ben probably knows more about busted relationships than the average person-dude’s been… Read More “Bruised” by The Bens (2006)
Thom Yorke is your weird neighbor from down the hall. You’ll be leaving to get some food as he’s headed downstairs to throw the garbage out. He’s wearing a dirty T-shirt and flip-flops. He will nod passively as you walk by and maybe mumble something, but he will not make eye contact with you. You… Read More “Black Swan” by Thom Yorke (2006)
1) This is the 10th Prince-performed song included on this list. Michael Jackson has five. No other artist has more than three. I’d like to take this opportunity to remind you that we’re only one full letter into the alphabet at this point. I think we all already know who’s going to end up with… Read More “Black Sweat” by Prince (2006)
Scrubs is my favorite television show of all time. I’ve not before or since seen a show that managed to convey absolute ridiculousness and then bring you to your knees in tears within a half hour. Scrubs also did a great job weaving music into its storylines (it’s at least partially responsible for The Fray’s… Read More “A Bad Dream” by Keane (2006)
When will the idea of a Black rock artist become unusual? I mean, we created this shit. Still, folks seem to be unaccustomed to a person of a color pushing power chords out of his guitar AND there’s still a good chunk of the population that scratches its head when Black artists are multi-faceted or… Read More “At The End Of A Slow Dance” by Van Hunt (2006)
Five Star Jamz 