I feel inclined to tell you, I better understand why Chicago struggles. It's based on a few very loud themes. (cue Minnie Riperton) I came to this earth different and under the gaze of what Chicago sees as Chicago, I have never fit. Everything about Chicago screams conservatism ie politics. The history of our entering Chicago via Mississippi speaks to our need to fit, in short.  Now even a genre, that was created of  pure love (imo), is tightly gripped in a choke hold by the same business / politics.

A few years ago I got clapped at for questioning why there were no women on the bill for CFP's event. There was quite a bit of dialogue (on fb) around that post, so it was highly viewed, probably furthering the nails in my "coffin". Times have changed, my assumption is folks are scared to say anything (in sm) that might rock the boat, they seem desperate to stay in. My questions never come from a place of mess or that's not what i intend. I also make sure to define my thoughts in the comments, as to not be misunderstood. The popularity game is even stronger now. We have seen tons of shit storms over the years mostly from Chicago djs. Now You can't get anyone to give an UN-produced thought. What I gathered from the safety dance is people don't want "trouble". 

I had an interesting conversation via inbox, with a Chicagoan who attended the  ATL Weekender this year. I witnessed a few live sessions myself to see  if my theory was any different than before. I decided to hunt a little deeper to reference mixes from SOME of ATLS djs. My mix findings (mostly outdated) pretty much confirm what I have felt  all along. I didn't stop there. I decided to ask FB questions about ATLs Djs and it's evolving event. Well lets just say my intuition was screaming, as Chicago people gathered to wait and watch, instead of adding their thoughts to the post. I wasn't asking for a comparison to Chicago's dj's or CFP to HITP.

My expectation for  Chicago Djs playing this event, would be to get looser and step out of "the Chicago norm" tunes, when addressing other peoples markets musically. This doesn't mean not representing. It means that "we" might represent some of Chicago's underground producers and push the narrative of unknown or under referenced music a bit further, for the sake of our music and it's djs / producers. I heard wonderful unknown tunes from the many Atlanta djs all weekend, so the assumption would be that our djs and those from Chicago, were vibing off of their tunes. Unfortunately I didn't hear anything new or different from the streams I witnessed of SOME of our home team. I get first hand, that  you can almost perfectly blend music that you play ALL THE TIME.  I also get the idea of presentation and performance, but then there's the idea that ATL knows the same tunes you reference all the time, because THEY ONCE DID TOO. You easily get people hoping up and down and while it looks good, you never thought to push them or be the difference?  People HERE used to allow the dj to take them on a journey, because they trusted us. What I continue to see from ATL is a level of receptivity from the crowd that says enlighten us, take us higher. It's in the body language and look of the dancers and audience.  We all are, of course at a point where people don't take risks on djs they haven't heard of and don't have the attention span to learn new and  different music. So what happens when "the populars" (here) are all playing singalong top 40's of house and you're supposed to be underground, but follow THAT lead? All the producers and editors have to wait 10 plus years (let it fall lady alma) for one of our creations to "pop", because you're scared. No it doesn't have to be fresh off of traxsource to be in rotation, but it does have to be different than the 1000's of dj who seek to do nothing more than repeat someone else's set. It's exactly why rare grooves, disco, and vinyl "SEEM" to  win overseas. One of the reasons why I was drawn to house music is because I was lead to believe that there was creativity and freedom of expression. Though I know, we are in a period where people pleasing for likability far outweighs breaking new music and challenging a group of people to be educated and grow. 

I wouldn't dare to think that ATL is more of an international city than Chicago is, is it? Does ATL win because they have a city that created a respected music industry, that included a variance of soulful genres and artists? Donnie, India Arie, Outkast, Usher, TLC, Indigo Girls, Cee Lo, Arrested Development, Anthony David.... umm this could get long! How about that fab Moodys record store that keeps a stock of underground goodies  and heavily aids those seeking soulfulness. Or is it the ever growing amount of venues that HOST nights specifically geared toward SHOWCASING soulful house, afro beat and other underground sounds and  bands. All of these things lead me to believe that a better experience would be had at The Weekender, than the same djs and sounds that flood our few venues and many festivals here based on, you guessed it politics. All these things lead my inbox to be flooded with dialogue that suggests, my sound is more like theirs, than my own city. 

I once again am led to wonder, where I should be if not Chicago?

Photo credit Demetrius Williams of Usual Suspects Photography.

It doesn’t seems like yesterday, but I was living in Lake View, intentionally collecting records and feverishly aspiring to dj. It was one of the hottest days in Chicago 95'. People were leaving the planet at record numbers, because the temperature was consistently above 100 degrees. I got a fon call from my best friend, crying. My best friend who favored the lovely Ms. Hyman, called to share sentiments about Phyllis and her departure. Time can stand still again and I will travel further backwards. I reference myself sitting in my bedroom, in Chatham. I must've been 5 years old, doing what I often did, staring at the radio. That radio played then, what remains some of my favorites now, George Benson, Patti Austin, Donny Hathaway (amongst others) and most certainly Phyllis Hyman. The tune that I recall making me the happiest was "You Know How To Love Me", not that I didn't feel extremely loved listening every tune of Phyllis'. It's one of the things that I will be forever grateful to my mother for, her taste in music. Rich, belly belting, and undisputedly SOULFUL, are a few terms to describe Ms. Hyman's sound. A tall drink of water, as the elders would say, She laid the soulful sorrows of the trails of life down on us. As I grow out musically, I am becoming less interested in titles. She is categorized as Jazz, blues, and soul. What we can call Phyllis' sound in hindsight is Blues regardless to wether or not she wrote those lyrics she sang the blues so passionately. Though she did very little writing, she became the songs she sang, because she was them. Her acting had to play a part in how she molded and "mooded" her tunes. We can talk about the ills of the industry and the twist and turns. And yes I have heard more than a few stories of the craziness that went along with the many moods under the big hats and shoulder pads she dawned. I'm glad to have been years younger and unable to witness any of this first hand. I am saddened that I didn't get the opportunity to witness one of her performances live and in person. Google had yet to be invented during the time of her death. If it had been, I’d be doing what I am trying not to do now, researching every angle of her ascension, as I have done with Marvin and others. And I say ascension because regardless to the stigma that goes with suicide, we don't know where the soul ends up. I'd like to believe that she was sent here from the ethers, to bless us with the sound of soul and returned there. Phyllis was not just soul and song, but the BUSINESS. NO, not in the trended term way, but about hers. She was involved in running her business. Her bookings, her staff all selected by HER. I watched a youtube video from BET years back, where Phyllis spoke passionately about making sure to hire black people. She even referenced TIna Turner and Diana Ross, for not seeking to employ their own people. I'm almost certain this is why she had a short lived relationship with Clive Davis, who sought more of a bobble head of a songstress. (no disrespect to Whitney) There's another blog to be written about her.

We as African American women have to hear the words from the mouth of Phyllis about being an executive and the trails of being focused tall and intimidating.

I love Phyllis for more reasons than her strong, rich voice, her tall beautiful face and stature. I love her effort to maintain and continue, in a world that only wanted her YOUNG face and voice. A world that struggled to control her talent, but not the trails of a not so average black woman. A black woman who refuses to bend, but is sensitive enough to acknowledge the fragility that breaks us. I'll stand as long as I can, for those who battle the odds, and fight depression by continuing to create in love, honor and respect of music and self.

(I’m not done, I’m watching videos now and so much is coming from it. You might want to check back as I will continue to edit, when time permits)

​I'm not new nor am I old. This has to be said out the gate. We should always be growing, expanding, changing, and of course inspiring. I have experienced quite a few obstacles as a woman artist, dj and now producer in this arena called Chicago. Oh I can most certainly share my thoughts and opinions on quite a few aspects of "the game". You may have witnessed some of those via Fb Live, Instagram and Youtube, of course. I definitely could rant about the countless male djs / producers, who wow us with talent, until we peek behind the curtain to find painful truths, that deflate massive egos. But not today.

Today we will simply address the gratefulness I feel to have been heard and listened to. Yes they are the same, yet different. People listen /  read our ramblings everyday, all day. Application is an entirely different action. It is mostly a dropped ball, you find on the platform where you acquired the "info". When people start to apply your ideas or inquire about your services in order to facilitate the tasks you advise them on, you get to be a part of their manifestations of goals. And I CANNOT EVER WAIT to see what the universe brings forth based on those shifting from comfort, in order to grow.

Pap Spencer, as some may well know, has been a culture conveyor long enough to closely associate with both Ron Hardy and Frankie Knuckles. He is a dj, producer, sound engineer and visionary. We have crossed paths more than a few times, as I have "tinkered" at production over the years. This past year, we pow wowed a few times. Pap engineered "Apocalyptic Conversations" for me last year and "The Smokers Church" last month. During that period we discussed quite a few untapped angles and resources for marketing music. Did I mention this started a year ago? lol

Yesterday, after our now weekly studio session, I left with another feather in my cap. After a whole year of waiting on a small bit of content from Pap, we sat and I was able to pull enough together to put a dent in the website that will house all things related to PUMF aka Paps Underground Music Factory. Yes this is a fete. Most artist understand creation. We do this to breathe. The business end can be a hard undertaking. Based on what I have experienced in recent years, I can testify that having these tools in the ever growing pond of djs, can only help further the infinite possibilities of even a JEDI MASTER LIKE  Pap Spencer​.  

Oh yeah fotos and website by Dani Abston of Abston Consulting.:)
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Hmmm I released another tune and energetically, it was already a challenge. Three plus years ago I shadowed a very talented Chicago based producer. Needless to say, I was once again met with the challenge of battling the insecurities of men. Isn't it always that way, when you peek behind the curtain? There are tons of tiny frail men trying to run big machines, alone. Anyway, after that brief understudy, I decided to tuck the one and only tune that I started working on with HIS musician away, until June 1st of this year. (hehe you nosies can get to work now) I pulled the session, a month back, changed the name and some of the drums / arranged it. The Smokers Church. is available for your referencing NOW....

If you have any understanding of the influences that created the structure hip hop is built upon, you have no reason to dispute why Nile Rodgers deserves honor and praise. The first commercially successful hip hop tune jacked his groups song entirely. Because hip hop is such a driving force for pop culture it has to be mentioned, though Niles' body of work far out reaches the one lane, we find ourselves confined to in current hip hop. With the click of a mouse or tap of screen, you can easily enter the state of awe by the universe Nile has built, in his work. Even with few twists in his life, including drugs and more importantly his triumphant victory with cancer, Nile is a true example of a JEDI MASTER in the flesh. I am grateful to have him still with us and rocking hard and strong. One of the many reasons why I love disco, soul and funk are based on what this jedi master continues to contribute to the culture of music AND technology. On March 26th we salute the LIVING LEGEND, Nile Rodgers.

I toggle between these two spaces often. Between defeating my own lack of confidence, I find the courage not only to continue to promote my endeavors, but also encourage those looking to pursue theirs. These are not easy tasks. We are all faced with challenges that could easily prevent us for wanting to continue. But then there is love.

Everyone is grandstanding for impressions. I no longer care whether you think I'm dope, capable, cute, old, done or dumb. We put far more energy than ever before into collecting people and competing for no more than a like. And one has to ask what does it lead to? Me spending more time sitting and nursing you into likeability, when I have work to do!? This isn't to suggest that you don't use social media, but that wait to SEE who approves will kill your dreams. Drop and go. Keep going. Maybe I'm speaking to myself, I have no problem with that. Someone is fueling your need to be validated, by people who have no control over your destiny. If you linger too long you'll end up missing the two beings who do... YOU AND YOUR GOD!

Tis libra season and time is high to get productive and proactive. In line with this effort I have a few collaborative projects I am really excited about...

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