✊🏿 ✊🏾 Collectively as a country, we have all been through a lot this past year. We are survivors. There are plenty of people doing better but a great majority are not. There are a lot of suffering and hardships currently present. Healing has to take place and have its perfect way, I pray! The right song can definitely soothe your mood. Music has the power to make us feel hopeful and encouraged. This year my theme is still liberation for melanated people to be equal. Our interest is still resistance because as black folks we are fighting for the same freedoms our forefathers fought for. Our elders and ancestors helped build this country. We get no respect as black American citizens. We have been making noise, protesting, writing, calling our state legislators, oh and using our influence and voices for solutions to bring changes but our petitions have been ignored by both parties. This country hides history, then when the time is right for them, everyone wants to jump on the bandwagon to talk about Juneteenth or The Tulsa Race Riots. This 2021 Black Music Month edition represents songs I selected on purpose to help soothe a lot of our mental moods. Things we encounter as a group of dark melanated people is exhausting. It drains us mentally! We still do not have equal protection under the law, just like our ancestors didn't. Nothing against the Asian community but how were they so lucky to get an executive order passed quickly for them (Asian Hate Bill)? We have been asking for justice against a lot of these racist policies since we came out of our mother's womb and still, nothing! We surely did not need another federal holiday! Those who knew about Juneteenth always celebrated it without permission to do so! We want freedom to be and to exist. We do not have that. Freedom means we are able to breathe without the stones of privilege affecting our lungs. Freedom = I can sleep in my car, in a public park without being harassed by racist cops.
The end of Black Music Month is near. Remember that you can always get good music in our culture. Black Music Month is exactly what it states. It is designed to esteem black music and black culture (black excellence). We demand the liberty and justice that America wrote down on paper be applied to the lives of folks with extra melanin in their skin. Which they had no part in. They were born like that! If you have an issue with the way black folks were created, please talk to Yahweh about it. God is the creator of life. It is so sad how conditioned we all are when it comes to skin color. Not when it comes to our music! We were born in America too! As pointed out in the HuffPost, the idea for June to be selected as Black Music Month came from President Jimmy Carter. It was further pushed into legislation by music producer Kenny Gamble and his ex-wife Mrs. Dyana Williams. Dyana is known as the Godmother of Black Music Month as noted by Ebony.✊🏿 ✊🏾
The end of Black Music Month is near. Remember that you can always get good music in our culture. Black Music Month is exactly what it states. It is designed to esteem black music and black culture (black excellence). We demand the liberty and justice that America wrote down on paper be applied to the lives of folks with extra melanin in their skin. Which they had no part in. They were born like that! If you have an issue with the way black folks were created, please talk to Yahweh about it. God is the creator of life. It is so sad how conditioned we all are when it comes to skin color. Not when it comes to our music! We were born in America too! As pointed out in the HuffPost, the idea for June to be selected as Black Music Month came from President Jimmy Carter. It was further pushed into legislation by music producer Kenny Gamble and his ex-wife Mrs. Dyana Williams. Dyana is known as the Godmother of Black Music Month as noted by Ebony.✊🏿 ✊🏾
This first song is part of our black national anthem classic list. It simply states we are every day people just like you. We understand that as melanated individuals, when you see us you judge us by our skin color or our hair styles which is very unfortunate on your part. We are the same just like you. We love our community just like you. We sometimes don't all see eye to eye, just like you in your family or neighborhood. We love our boys and men just like you. We want to provide for our families just like you! If we hear this song anywhere our hands go straight up with "heys" and high fives! We connect with this song because it reminds us we are Every Day People, just like you. We matter!
Grace is something that we all need! Please take the time to listen to this gospel song! Allow it to minister to you. It will definitely calm your spirit for yourself and towards others. A lot of times I've noticed that some of us are so harsh towards each other when we don't have to be. I also have witnessed how we behave with each other but we will take that same situation if it involves Europeans and show them more grace and different energy or whatsoever else. Some of us indeed do this and I pray it stops. You know exactly what I'm talking about. I wonder who taught you to hate yourselves? When I see us reacting in this way to each other all I can do is shake my head. We all need grace. Each day if you wake up, the grace of God (Yahweh) is given to you. Besides, in this world our people aren't given the same empathy and graces that others are granted so it is important to give it to each other.
Yes, life isn't always going to be easy so as Tupac said, we have to keep our heads up. Sometimes we break down and sometimes we manage to keep our heads up and keep on going. It is very discouraging when you are trying your best to walk up right but wicked folks are still trying to step on your neck. You can barely catch your breath. If you are a single parent, no matter the situation or circumstances, keep your head up. If you are a convicted felon released from prison trying to get back into this society, you served your time so keep your head up and try to renew your mind with positive energy. If you're the only person (melanated) in your department and you feel like you are being picked on or even isolated, keep your head up high. If you just started a business and you feel like it isn't taking off the way you wanted it to, don't you dare quit. Keep going! Your destiny is tied to helping someone else. It will all work out. Keep your head up. Whatever season you are in or going through, please listen to this song over and over again if you have to. You're going to overcome it all. You've got to keep your head up!
Yes! Do not let folks cripple you. You don't know how God is going to work it out for you or restore your life. There is no racism or hate stronger than the power of Yahweh's love for you. Those who plot against you or don't like you (who cares) don't know what's up God's sleeve for you either. Your enemy plans for your life shall stumble, fail and die! Yahweh will take care of them. God closes chapters and give you new ones. They might look up one day and your child is the judge or the warden they have to deal with, or their kids! Move on! Don't stay in the land of bondage. Believe and stay focused on doing the work. This song makes you feel like you can do it! Because you can!
It never cease to amaze me how they love our music and culture but still married to racism and white supremacy! Nevertheless, this Aretha Franklin song is about respect. It's another classic. I was raised to respect my elders and to exhibit it to all people. As I've grown into my womanhood I do not give respect to those folks who do not give it to me. I don't care who it is or how old. No thanks! As a group of melanated people, we are the least to receive respect. We have fought in the wars of this country. We have added to the rich history of this country by creating and inventing things. We have the most patriotic black folks in America even after how we were treated and still are being treated. All Aretha was saying was to show us some respect! Teach and train your kids this concept. They do not respect us because if they did our voting rights would not EVEN be under attack in 2021. Congress could use their executive powers to stop it. I'll wait... exactly, no respect!
We know who we trust so never let your faith go because troubles come and go! Listen to this song! Sometimes you're going through something and being in your flesh won't give you the peace of mind or the will to carry on. You have to tap into your spiritual realm. I personally feel that history is trying to repeat itself. I sometimes feel like I am living in the year 1950 or 1960. It is so shameful how we are treated as melanated people. Also, how we treat each other. Things are going to be alright! Fear and terrorism is infiltrating our communities by the po po (police) and by those folks who look just like us. There are too many killings and shootings but "we are going to be alright" somehow, someway.
I concede, I used this song last year but I had to use it again. It is a piece of our great motivation and uplifting songs. After listening to this song and viewing the video, nothing will be able to stop you or discourage you. Black excellence will hit you hard! You will not be the same! This song helps to soothe your mood! I like how the director of this video paid homage to all of our ancestors and our unique blends of contributions made in this country by us. This song makes me proud. It makes me smile! It will do the same for you! This is our other black national anthem! You're going to feel all the love and respect you deserve.
