Tag: 30 Day Music Challenge

There is more than one kind of motivation.  Most days, I don’t have too much trouble getting out of bed. While my schedule is flexible, I typically still get to work on time.  This 30-Day Music Challenge is helping me stay motivated to write. My employer might describe me as a self-starter.  That’s not always the case when it comes to exercise. To my credit, I only really need the motivation to actually get up and go to the gym or the running trail. Once I get there, I’m good…

Can I rub you the wrong way for a moment? Truthfully, I don’t need your permission.  If you’re still reading, I’ll consider that consent. On Day 23, I must choose a song that I think everyone should listen to. I’ll do my best to set this one up so you can understand me. You might be offended. That’s the bottom line. Pastor Troy’s “Vica Versa” will undoubtedly challenge the more traditional, Christian ways of thinking. On this record, Pastor Troy threatens to make you use your time. Then, he makes good…

Let me start by telling you something that you probably already know: The 90s was rich with bands and groups. When deciding on my selection for Day 24- A song by a band or group you wish was still together—it was tough to determine which groups actually broke up, and which groups simply aren’t recording anymore. If streaming was a determinant in those days, one album would have been certified diamond based on the number of spins it got in my mother’s house alone.  That woman played Brownstone’s From The…

I just finished reading Original Gangstas: The Untold Story of Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, Tupac Shakur, and the Birth of West Coast Rap, by Ben Westhoff. Filled with interesting stories about the pioneers of west coast hip-hop, the book served as my nightly entertainment for almost two months. Westhoff’s storytelling created a huge FBI-like map with little red strings connecting everyone involved in the west side connection (not to be confused with the group). It wasn’t until today that I realized that one of the artists’ accolades only amounted…

By this time, I was sure the level of difficulty would start to decrease. I was wrong. Here on Day 26, I have been asked to “go deep.” Day 26 of the 30-day Music Challenge is a song that makes you want to fall in love. This was hard. Falling in love reminds me of a feeling that hangs out somewhere between morning sickness and a hangover. There’s nothing in this world that would make me want to fall in love, but I’m committed. Today’s pick is “Everyday People” by…

The weather is hot and America is in shambles. For Day 27– a song that breaks your heart, I chose a song that isn't as heartbreaking as the fact that the world looks all too similar to the way it did when this song was penned. While I grew up in a house filled with R&B and funk, my fascination with hip-hop emerged somewhere around the 5th grade. One of my friends had an older brother who blasted lots of New York rap. She would come to school and tell…

I can tell you right now that this is going to be a bizarre 30-days. This one isn’t what you think. One of my early insecurities emerged during the hours at a time that I spent talking on a phone as a preteen.  Growing up, I think I spent so much time on the phone as a child that I developed an aversion to the thing. These days I can’t stand to sit on the phone for an extended period of time.  Anyway, ever since I was a toddler, I’ve had…

Welcome. Welcome. It’s Day 30 of the 30-Day Music Challenge. Day 30, you ask?Yes. Issa countdown.A countdown to what, you say?Mind your business. I decided I would do this challenge on Pretty Menace instead of Instagram. Also, I’m working the challenge in reverse order, since I have a feeling that it is more challenging this way. So let’s get into it. Day 30—A Song that reminds you of yourself. See? It’s challenging already. The other day I posted a meme on the ‘gram that (in so many words) asked my…