The other night my cousin recorded the Tribute to Queen Latifah for me, I have always liked the Queen, but I had no idea about all the things that she has done beside being a Queen MC and an actress. She has done the job of lady boss and with humility walked in many different shoes since she graced us with her, “Ladies 1st’, and “Unity”. Both of those songs still resonate with me. When I hear the intro for U.N.I.T.Y, it takes me back immediately. When she is on stage she adapts to the roles so well that it seems that she has always just been a star desperate to shine. Her rhymes were fast paced and straight laced, she was and is changing the game.
Lauryn, well what can I say. When she came on the scene, I was so grateful that there was someone who could represent my interests, as others did not seem to know what self-respect was. It was hard to be a Lauryn in the era of the Ohchie Wallie. When even the most gritty and hardcore rappers where switching the tables for something more pop- esque and colorful. As a person who is inspiration, for me the “bling”s era of Hip-Hop, was the equivalent to burning of trees and libraries. Like someone took all the oxygen out of the water, and all the nutrients out of the fruits. Lauryn Hill seemed to understand this even in the height of her career.
Seeing this tribute was life changing, so many years removed from when I used to bump the music and live the lifestyle as described in the old neighborhood, surrounded familiar faces, the ones those songs call me back to.
As I approach this New Year I really have new life goals, and I can so appreciate sisterhood, and brotherhood as they help make the journey of life much easier to bare. I am going to end this by leaving the YouTube clip of the tribute. I hope you love it, I hope you become inspired.
URBAN GYPZY 