Monday, January 17, 2011

Red Velvet and RainWater

It's a beautiful thing when Mr. World gets to roam.  The road has always suited me just fine.  For the turning over of the new year, I found myself hand-in-hand with sweetest thing in the galaxy, Ms. Red Velvet Scrubs.  Now, you know my girl can't sit still for more than a beat and this time it was the heart of Texas where we happen to meet. 

The plan was simple enough for an alien and his squeeze; deadhead for Austin to see a funk band that was gonna bring us to our knees.  Well, the idea was tight and the weather was all right, but I could see on my girl's face it would be a long night.  The funk fell flat and the scene was far from all that.  Luckily, we had a cure for the blues that gave us all our groove back.

Right before we made for Austin, Velvet hit the World up for his latest sounds.  Ms. Scrubs knows I am hip to the classics and have a feel for the flow.  But it was my man Clarence Greenwood, lately, that had been stealing the show.  Now, when I told Velvet that that was the case, her eyes lit up and it was written all over her face.  She had been bumping and grooving to the same beats, The Rainwater LP.  Man, I can't tell how cool it is when the universe latches onto a Vibe and everyone seems to be feeling the same love.  That's what is happenin' now for my man Clarence. 

Y'all might know him by his alias, Citizen Cope.  It happens to be the name of the band as well.  I can tell you right of that bat that any man with an alter ego is bound for fame.  It's about losing yourself in your material; it's about dropping your guard.  Now, Cope dropped his given name a few albums back but this time he left his label as well.  The Rainwater LP is his first mainstream, self produced album of his career.  And let me tell you people, you can hear the freedom in his voice.  The tracks are unbound by suits and executives... they extend beyond that invisible line in the sand.    

I can hear the haters start to rumble so let me stop you right there.  Dude plays keyboards, guitar, spins, writes, and sings.  Cope has got a little something for everyone on this record; hip hop, blues, funk, acoustic flavor, you name it.  Technically, my man was born in Memphis and raised in D.C..  Funny thing is he isn't reppin' one spot on the map.  He's talking to all of us, if you're willing to listen.

When you do decide to listen, and eventually you will, let the speakers breathe on "A Father's Son" and "I Couldn't Explain Why".  "Healing Hands" will be a commercial hit and Cope's message is pretty clear on every track: Listen to me. If you're lucky, you might learn something.

Feel me on this, the cats above and beyond this blue marble are looking for answers.  They are looking for the Voice on the streets.  In order for the Mission to be successful and in order to restore harmony in the universe we have to convince others there is hope and unity down here.  That is why I am proud to beam back some Citizen Cope, bobbing my head to the beat as I do it.  Can you dig it?  

-Mister World

Enhanced by Zemanta

No comments:

Post a Comment

The Professor Moved On..

I know watcha ya'll must be thinking: "This can't be the real World. Been gone too long. They finally must've got 'em. ...