SOUL SESSIONS Vol. 9

THE ELEMENTS OF SALVATION

Each month it gets tougher to find the mental strength to suggest an LP that every black household should have when…, every month, another black household shrinks at the murderous hands of the local police. All American black families are forced to have this generational “chat” about..., what to do when pulled over on the very roads their ancestors paved.  

Fathers Know Best

These oxymoronic, eulogy rehearsals are supposed to somehow teach innocent kids how to behave when, in the inevitable event, they are confronted by a hate-filled, guilt-driven, public servant that their parents are paying to protect them.  It’s almost like we are unwittingly scripting our children’s trauma.  

The essence of these talks would be the equivalent to ironing your child’s clothing, then sending them into an institution, wearing the very clothing that you know the child molesting leader wanted to see them in. This country's stained black & blue fabric is tearing the community to shreds, and it has got to stop.  However, in order for it to stop, you first have understand how it got started.  

The United States' policing began in the early 1600’s as an informal communal night watchman-like crew.  Translation: a bunch of dumb, drunk-ass white males agreeing to do some communal “duties” (mainly) to avoid military services.  This informal mob of misfits, masked as community servants, continued these so-called "duties" for over 100 years, or just after the American Revolution. 

Trump's School of Policing

Now, fast-forward to the early 1800’s, when the U.S. started a more formalized department of “crime fighters” in a few major cities like: Boston, New York and Chicago.  Naturally, in the good o'le southern states, the American policing had a much clearer and sinister agenda.  Their mission was to capture slaves and return them to the slave owners’s plantations. Their (cough-cough) "post slavery" mission morphed into controlling the so-called freed slaves, who had the audacity to seek equality in the (now) Jim Crow labored south. 

So here we are in 2020…. we are getting dressed every Sunday morning, inhaling the beliefs of the oppressors’s “gospel,” praying that one day the molesting leadership will stop raping our kids.  And if they don’t, we are going to (get this) call the police on them.  This insanely sad cycle feels like a spoiler alert from an upcoming Tyler Perry plot.  

Yet, through this exhausting American navigation, we got a jolt of joy from the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This pacifying gesture from the government did give American minorities a (bent) olive branch of hope.  Yeah, you’re welcome, Becky.  For most black people the Civil Rights Act was considered a major win..., that is unless you are one of those minorities that continue to ask: “Why would any human, viewed as an equal, ever need civil rights?"  Nevertheless, the 60’s was one of the more pivotal points in Black American History, because it ushered in an inspirational alternative to the traditional salvation that black people were seeking on earth.  

The 60’s actually ignited a spirit of love and an unspeakable energy of optimism.  Indeed this act of civility blew a welcomed breath of fresh air into a completely exacerbated community.  The 60’s ignited a fire in the foundation of this treasured black culture.  And, you don’t have to be my big brother to see where this is going.  Man, I know people are struggling, trying to find the right words to inspire the next generation.  I understand that it's really tough trying to adapt to this new normal.  I know you are saddened by the startling deaths of Chadwick Boseman, and unfortunate passing of hoop citizens, John Thompson and Cliff Robinson.  

And if you stop to mix-in a deadly pandemic, with an orange-haired, red state-loving, blue-eyed devil, sitting in an off White House, suggesting that a masked country drown their illness in bleach... you just cannot help but wonder --  when will the credits roll on this 2020 horror movie?  However, if you are reading this blog, that means you are still here.  And while I don't ever give advice, if I were to do so, I'd say.... let's flip the script and for once, let's do God a favor. 

Simply find a cozy corner in your sanctuary, plug in your absolute best listening device and pull out one of the world's greatest musical treasures.  Please put your headphones together for the magnificent, majestic, masterminds of melody:       

Earth Wind & Fire. 

I wanted to pause here and thank The Creator..., we really needed these elements for our salvation.  

It’s nearly impossible to love music and not have a very large corner of your soul dedicated to the contributions of this illustrious collection of musicians.  It is difficult to summarize the impact that Earth Wind & Fire has had on this world's harmony.  While the group’s founder and lead singer, Maurice White began his career as a jazz drummer in 1969, the band's well-traveled footprint demonstrates a much deeper and richer history.  

White was born December 19th, under the fire sign of Sagittarius. His astrological sign was the founding element to naming the group. That brilliant branding moniker was magically matched by tagging the vocal genius of Philip James Bailey.  The duo & brilliant band will probably never be duplicated in this lifetime. I wish we had enough lifetimes to list EWF’s stellar accomplishments which spans 5 decades & counting. Instead I will attempt to summarize

their enormous existence. 

Earth Wind & Fire’s music was a comprehensive, collaborative combination of a variety of their world views.  It was Maurice White's spiritual metamorphosis that was the inspiration to most of the band’s album covers — a fact your typical Christian, steppin’ to September, probably wasn’t aware of.  In fact, most of the Egyptian symbols on EWF’s LP covers were that of the modern African Kemtic religion that White devoted his life to. The band credits their lyrical inspirations and, most certainly, their iconic artwork concepts to the Chakra, which is an ancient Hindu meditation practice.  One day someone will write a book on those picturesque covers.  I wish them luck, as it took me 8 1/2 months to just decide which of their stellar albums to drop in this space.   And after ducking many well-intended bribes and phone calls from the 718.... I reached for the masterpiece:

All ‘n All.

Earth Wind & Fire │ All 'n All │ Columbia Records │ November 1977 

Serpentine Fire
Written by the White brothas; Verdine and Maurice, the LP is set ablaze with this senior citizen-lovin’, wheelchair-hoppin’ anthem. Despite the fun-lovin’ up-tempo groove, the song has a profoundly deep and very religious meaning that encourages living a positive & healthy lifestyle; one of yoga and prayer.  That said, all hell will break out at the high cotton, B-I-N-G-O night gala if the DJ were crazy enough to pick the needle up before the song break-down.  Young millennials, do me a favor, put your phone down and ask an elder to explain what EWF has meant to their life.  You may find out the role the band played in your arrival.   

Boogie's Wonderland

Fantasy
I remember sitting on the mailbox in the Bronx, impatiently waiting for my sister’s Boo to finish the install of my 3, 10-inch subwoofers in the back of my classic, ’85 cream-colored, Chevrolet Celebrity.  Giggle though you might, no one on the block slept for 16 hours once the installation was completed.  I imagine the only reason no one slapped the ignorance out of me was because the cassette was looping one of the EWF's greatest singles of all time. Besides, how you gonna smack a kid for playing Earth Wind & Fire too loud?    

Pimp My Ride

Credit the White brothas, once again.., as they penned the 'hood-disturbing Fantasy, -- yet another in their long line of deep, timeless hits.  The song was an ode to escapism from a world living in a cesspool of falsehoods. Sound familiar? 

This is one of those songs that will help you to understand the word, genius,and if you are still searching for a way to cope with the insanity that this year has unleashed.  If you just need a jolt, perhaps one of 4 minutes and 38 seconds... and if you want to exchange the madness for a little peace..., dim the lights, light a candle & let this one roll... on repeat... just like I did.     

Love’s Holiday
Did I say that Fantasy was my favorite EWF song?  Please don't take this time to start quoting me. If you young whipper-snappers want to remove the one-night stand from your repertoire, (trust me one day you will)..., just add this to your candlelight playlist.  You will be pleasantly surprised at the rousing reception from your mate.  The chorus at the 3-minute mark is unspeakably brilliant.    

Brazilian Rhyme aka Beijos
The 1am moonlight had just fallen on another park jam in the Forest Park section of the South Bronx.  As the block party ended, you could feel the intensity of the crowd searching for an encore.  Nevertheless, the crowd headed for the exit. Then, in a blink, the legendary, DJ Kool Herc, suprised them and let loose this classic EWF interlude. Heads swiveled, as this insane [mostly] a cappella beat jolted the cracked concrete. 

Hip Hop's Golden Era

Now I know it’s hard to imagine anyone calling a 53 second "intro" a classic.  BUT..., that was (probably) before DJ Herc spun the track for 8 straight minutes..., not missing a beat (so to speak).  

Herc’s wizardry on the 1’s & 2’s made the attendees do a complete180 & re-pack the park from fence-to-fence.  Even the elders had to admit, this EWF sh-t is blazin'... and Kool Herc was absolutely killin' it.   The crowd of people were now dripping with sweat as Herc was soaking up all of this impromptu energy.  I swear if Herc looped that song for an hour, no one would have budged.

. 

Trump's Graduates

However this night, like so many other block parties in the 80’s, ended with the squad cars from the 43rd Precinct pulling up, and bringing the night to an official end.  

At least this time the police had a legitimate reason for not capturing this life-changing moment on a body cam. 

 

1❤

Ray Lewis