As a lover of all things art, you should know I absolutely love music. No matter the genre, I can still get down to it. It is just something about a smooth, mellow, and warm voice that just gets me. Or maybe that day I decided to listen to rap music and get some motivation from it. Today, I'll let you in on my top 5 songs of all time. These are songs I live by and you can listen to my report on them here or on the vinyl. Click on each vinyl to hear the whole song by the artists themselves.
Coming in at number 5 is Dirty Diana by Michael Jackson. Jackson is a master at music, and that's no secret, but Dirty Diana got on this list for other reasons. Guitar riffs and solos randomly throughout the song? Yes please! Between the intricate rock melodies and the orchestra working overtime in the background, I've been infatuated with this song since the first time I've heard it. Sometimes, I even credit Michael Jackson for my rock awakening.
Coming in at number 4 is Ready or Not by The Fugees. Let's be absolutely clear, I love Lauryn Hill, and her contribution to this song will go down in history. Not only has it been copied, mimicked, and mocked into the ground, but the original mix has carried through time. Now, is it the first time we have heard the lyrics? NO, but that is all the more reason to love and understand the mixing and vocal adlibbing that came from a group of friends just doing things in college.
Coming in at number 3 is Killing Me Softly With His Song by The Fugees. This song is a song I could go on all day about. I won't, I promise. The mixing on this melodic masterpiece needs to be studied. It was one of the first songs I fell in love with as a kid, and fell for again due to the depth and realism behind its lyrics. Between the mix of rap, rhythm, and soul, Killing Me Softly will cover with a layer of warmth that'll make you want to keep playing it again and again.
Coming in at number 2 is Big Things Poppin (Do It) by T.I. This song is my all-time favorite rap song. The motivation it has given me is immeasurable. It's a song about ambition and making it. Not only does it encourage you to continue to make it, but when you tune into the lyrics, you cannot resist the urge to just go out and do something for your greater good. Comically, and poetically you can hear him arguing with two versions of himself, because he only sees himself as competition.
Coming in at number 1 is Rose Golden by Kid Cudi featuring Willow Smith. This song holds a near and dear spot in my heart, since it's gotten me through some tough times. Cudi used a mixture of instruments to orchestrate this wonderful song. The lyrics, mixing of voices, and use of trumpets give this song a euphoric feeling. This song is enough to make a grown woman cry. You heard it here first folks, Kid Cudi knows how to kill a melody.
Thank you for listening to me babble about one of my favorite things. Like Erykah Badu said, I'm an artist, and I am sensitive about my stuff. These are songs that have guided me through life and filled my ears with thoughts of conviction and moments of peace. To say they have motivated me is an understatement. Well, thank you for listening, and as always, go dawgs!