Brian Ennals :: Newport Music

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I get a lot of music thrown my way by friends and old industry heads I used to work with. I can’t lie, I kinda hate evaluating new/rising artists because I don’t have patience for wackness. Some come to me because of that very fact, others learn the hard way and get their lil’ feelings hurt. But I figure if you ain’t in it to win it then why do it at all. On the other hand I do respect the fact that its a process for certain artists to get where they need to be. So I tend to look for one of three things before my apathy sets in: raw lyrical talent, distinct vocals or a style all their own.

When my right hand man D. Bills first put me on to Brian Ennals, the immmortal words of Dame Dash came to mind, “Oh shit it’s not even wack. I ain’t gonna front, it’s kinda hot.” I thought to myself, there’s something just plain different about his sound and that always piques my interest. Hailing from a small town named Severn right outside of Baltimore, mostly known as the birthplace of the milf-tastic Ms. Toni Braxton, his style speaks to the juxtaposition of having such a hellacious city within arm’s reach. Street aware but conscious in a Kendrick Lamar “Good kid, madd city” kind of way, but again, unique. His new single Newport Music is a glimpse into the mind of the self-described “couch potato, snark enthusiast, music connoisseur, sociologist, [and] former experimental drug sampler.” The meandering verses he spits over the “jazzy, horn infused track” can at times get lost in the ambience of it all. But if you can pull yourself out of the daze long enough, you’ll find that the brotha has something to say – albeit in a seemingly esoteric way. At the end of the day, its a nice intro to his forthcoming LP, Candy Cigarettes. Give it some burn and let me know what yall think…

Kurtis Stanley :: On My Mind

Lil’ something for my single folks out there. Produced by Gummy Soul of Fela Soul fame, “On My Mind” showcases newcomer Kurtis Stanley kickin game to the local bar bunny. Nothing too over the top, just a real honest and chill record about a guy trying to get to know a lady better. Something I can relate to. The best game is no games. Chuuuuch.

The Don is Gone

DON CORNELIUS

We’ve lost yet another Titan of black music this week – to kick off black history month no less. The great Don Cornelius’ life ended in a manner that none of us would have imagined. But his gruesome end does nothing to tarnish his legacy in my opinion. In my most formative years, he, along with other recently passed music luminaries “had me feelin’ like black was the thing to be.” Soul Train was a celebration of black culture at its best orchestrated brilliantly by the Don’s uber-cool persona and trademark baritone. His life’s work lives on in all of us who were blessed to take part in the celebration. I just pray that he’s been forgiven and shimmied his way on down a Soul Train line into Heaven.

Thank you Don,
Rest in Love, Peace and Soul