It’s been a whole week and I’ve missed my AfroKAN people. It is always a pleasure for me to share my “7 songs of the week ” with you. Truth be told, I am alive end functional only when I have my ear phones bursting with some good soulful music.
#TeamWeLoveMondays… You feel me? When am suffering from the Monday blues, I usually just put on some music and go with the flow. That is what inspired my 7 songs of the week.. So as promised last week, here is this week’s 7. As I mentioned, I randomly play 7 songs on my play list and tell you my story, my emotion, my memory… Discover the naked musical truth about me.
1. Confessions Nocturnes – Diams
Summer of 2006 or 2008 I think – it’s a little blurry. Not sure of the year, but it was definitely summer. One of my good friends was playing it in his car while driving me down town. He was so into it, singing along. I had until then never really been into the whole French rap thing. I just didn’t think that they would do it like my boys down on the other side of the Atlantic. But J found myself so into it that I thought it must have something special. I started listening to the words, and all I could do was smile to myself. It was another he cheated on me story, told in such a hilarious way. This one is on my frenchie playlist. When I just want to break out and thug it out. End of the story; I discovered all of Diams’ albums and I can’t lie, she’s got a fire that I love.
2. #YaKoi – Black Kent
Mid year 2012. I’ve been listening to Black Kent since he stared rapping in Nairobi. Sometimes actively, other times in passing. He is an artist I respect, and a person I appreciate. When his album Vendeur de reves came out it took me a while to get my hands on it. But in the mean time I had heard quite a few of the singles. There was no denying that I appreciated (appreciate) his style. So I head yakoi when I finally got a hold of the album mid year last year. I listened to the album in one go. I liked this one for its fast vibe. I recommend the song, the album too… Had I not fallen in love with French rap in the 2000s would I be listening to Blacky today? Who knows.
3. She’s hot – P Square feat Naeto C
This is one of those songs that doesn’t have a story behind it. A beautiful song though, if you like the P Square style. Its mellow and off ‘The Invasion’ album. If you don’t know Naeto C then discover him through this track. This one features on my “mellow evenings” playlist.
4. Dance with my Father – Luther Vandross
July 2003 and consequently the video in 2005. Even just hearing it at this instant I am tearing up. And every time I hear it, I always tear up a little. When I watch the video am usually close to balling out. For those who know me, they also know that I have and will always be a daddy’s little girl. No matter when, how, what or why? I have had a special relationship with the man from the womb. You don’t believe me? Ask my mum. We are just so similar that we clash as much as possible, but underneath it all there is just pure unconditional love. So back to the song… Well… It is emotional because I have sometimes thought about the day my father would no longer be there. Not that I think about death, but I have come to realise that birth and death is a part of our lives. And I shudder at the thought, but I am comforted by all the love we have and continue to share. I wish onto every girl (every child) to know a “father’s love” it does not compare to that of a mother but it is special in its own way.
5. The track of my tears – Smokey Robinson
If I do a 7 of the week and you don’t see some “old school”, “mo town” then am probably sick or my playlist has gone bonkers. If anyone had to determine perhaps I was musically born in the 60s, 70s, my cut off is around the 90s. I like everything from the past, so much so that you’ll notice that very rarely will you find some “new school”… Track of my tears is part of my Sunday blues. Every time I
hear it I picture Smokey with his long hair and peculiar eyes. “My smile is my make up I wear since my break up with you”… It is also part of the “you left me” playlist. It always makes me feel better.
6. I’ll be missing you – Faith Evans and Puff daddy
So ironic that this one made it to the list, especially because only just the other day (March 9th) we were celebrating the life of Big Poppa. Anyone from this generation knows that when this song came out, it brought tears to most eyes. Everyone who loved Biggie (who didn’t?) felt the love at his loss. That’s what the song meant for me in 1997. But only just in 2007 the meaning of this song changed for me completely. After the hardest lost of my life the only song I wanted to hear was this one. I wanted my brother to know that every time I would be praying I would be missing him. I thought of the day he left, it felt like he had run away… So every time I hear it, I think of him and I remember the good times… and I know one glad morning I will see his face.
7. Charlene – Anthony Hamilton
Am convinced one of my brothers is in love with Anthony Hamilton. Ok perhaps I should say in love with good music, even though I sometimes question his playlist. But Charlene became a part of my Saturday morning routine in Ottawa in 2004. Every time I woke he was playing some Hamilton, cleaning – Hamilton, cooking – Hamilton… he was so into this song. Then it just sort of started growing on me. I finally downloaded it into my playlist in 2006 and it made it to my Saturday morning cleaning routines. Does it evoke anything in particular? Nah…I just love his husky voice. Am coming home to you Anthony.
There you have it, am still waiting on y’all to share some of your musical tastes and memories with me. It’s all about the music… Because if it spreads as much warmth through your body as it does me then please… tell us about it.
