New Shachah Songs Up

In preparation for the release of "Let the Light in," on July 28, Shachah has posted nine songs from this album to their Web site, along with lyrics. You can check out "Deliver Us," the banger that also appears on The Tonic's latest release, "The Dash." There is also a reggae song featuring Jahaziel, called "Revive Me."

On the release, Shachah said, "We appreciate all your prayers and support through this process. May God do His awesome will with this project and may many souls be added to His kingdom through the message in the Music!"

The sounds range from dub to blues to funk, and all points in between. Enjoy!

Michael Jackson, Dead at 50

I tried to sort out conflicting news reports and Tweets for a couple of hours, but it's been official for a while now, according to several news sources: Michael Jackson, aka "The King of Pop," has died at the UCLA Medical Center, in Los Angeles.

According to a Los Angeles Times story, Jackson, 50, was not breathing when paramedics responded to a call at his home at about 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time today. The LA Times account says paramedics performed CPR and then took Jackson to the medical facility. He was pronounced dead at 2:30 p.m. His death comes before he was to kick off a 50-concert run in London. It is believed he suffered cardiac arrest at his home; at the hospital, he was in a deep coma, according to the LA Times.

Michael Jackson was known for selling hundreds of millions of albums in his lifetime to fiercely loyal fans and affecting a few generations--and more than a few artists--with his music. This goes for secular and Christian artists alike--after the news became certain, Richie Righteous acknowledged via Twitter that he had been influenced by the late pop singer. And the influence of the Gloved One was pretty clear to me on Deitrick Haddon's 2008 release, "Revealed," down to the ensemble Haddon wore of the cover of the album.

From the kid with the Afro and the high-pitched voice, to the man with the constantly changing visage, there are many Michaels to remember, and many moments to savor. Though those memories were marred for many in recent years by charges of molestation against Jackson, his influence in the global lexicon of music, in style, and in swagger (Motown 25, anyone?) remain. He will be greatly missed.

On a spiritual level, there are many lessons for us all to learn from Jackson's death. One, similar to my recent editorial on Jay-Z, is that we should watch ourselves and others for idolatry of Jackson, who was the epitome of superstardom and many times more successful than the Brooklyn MC. As has been voiced by several Christian Twitterers, to counter this, now is a good time to reach out to those who have been greatly affected by the news of Jackson's passing to share the news of the one King who never dies.

Others prayed that Jackson knew the Lord before his passing. Dwayne Tryumf Tweeted that Steve Harvey took Jackson to church and shared with him the Good News of Jesus Christ. We can all hope that the information made an impact on Jackson, and that he was saved. Let us also pray for his family at this time.

Lastly, I hope Christian artists continue to take heed to how much power music has to change people's lives. If any one urban Christian artist, or any group of them, can have even a fraction of the success that Jackson achieved at penetrating public consciousness, think of all the lives that would be saved and reinforced. Let's keep grinding!

Video: "Dey Don't Know," by Platinum Souls

I'm liking this song. I thank Da South for the late pass!

Here's the video.



Reggae in the summertime? Lovely! Summer begs for reggae, IMO. I still remember hearing "Electric Avenue" in the summer when I was a wee shorty.

Pack a 'Matic on Your iPod!

As I mentioned a few days ago on Twitter, Rapper Dwayne Tryumf, from across the pond, is giving away "I Don't Pack a Matic" when you sign up for his mailing list. Visit his Myspace page to get the goodness!

The rap/ragga hybrid with the heavy beat and reflective lyrics was inspired by a friend of Dwayne Tryumf's being shot and killed in 2007, as well as the news of other high-profile murders of youth in England. It's a reminder that you "don't need to walk with a gun. Walk with the Lord, walk with faith, walk with your Bible, and learn the scripture," Tryumf said in a YouTube interview on the making of the "I Don't Pack a Matic" video for the British TV show "UPRISE" (part of the UK Christian TV network OHTV). "Let's put down the guns and let's pick up the word of God, and change our lives that way."

DT said he chose to shoot the video in the Brixton section of London, in a rough "estate" (the equivalent of a housing project community in the U.S.). Brixton is a high-crime region of the city, a prime target for the message of "I Don't Pack a Matic."

Here's the video:



And here's footage of DT speaking out against violence in the city on the news:



Be on the lookout for Dwayne Tryumf's upcoming EP, "777 The Mark of the Peace" for more uplifting sounds.

Braille "Skepticold" Video

Great song. Check it out!

Leaving the Church of Hov

By now, you've probably heard of the new Jay-Z song, "Death of Autotune," that dropped on New York's Hot 97 on Friday last week. Everyone had an opinion on this song, evidenced by the near monopoly of Twitter discussion on "DOA" that night. (At one point, half of the Top 10 hot topics on Twitter pertained to the new release from the Roc's finest.)

Before I get any further, I want to make two disclaimers: First, I happen to generally not be bothered by Auto-Tune. True, some use it better than others. Mark J's "Enmity" and Kanye West's 808s & Heartbreak come to mind as great uses of the technology. (As much as I scratched my head at "808s" last year, I gotta give Mr. West props now. Yeah, I said it.) And you can't deny Cher's "Believe," the godmother of the sound. But exaggerated use of Auto-Tune (it's supposed to be undetectable when used normally) is not worse than any other gimmick co-opted en masse by rappers and singers, like Snoop Dogg's "izzle" speech, which still pops up today.

Second, I've never been a hardcore Jay-Z fan or "stan." Until recently, my household was like the James Carville/Mary Matalin of hip-hop: My husband, a staunch Jay-Z supporter, vs. me, riding for Nas. (Proud to say my Mr. favors Mr. Jones now.)

With that said, I listened to the song, which was available just about everywhere instantaneously. And? Well, that was basically my reaction: And? As some Twitterers noted, the next song played on Hot 97 after Jay-Z's jazzy diatribe on Auto-Tune was... a song using Auto-Tune. Not really shaking up the world.

I'm interested to see if fans and MCs really heed this call to arms against the great vocal equalizer. Jay-Z has had a reputation for being an all-powerful force in the world of hip-hop for quite some time, even calling himself "Jay-Hova," a play on Jehovah.

I think more than Auto-Tune, or the criticism of it, what bothered me most about the whole event was how many of the man's fans have bought into the whole Hov thing. Jay-Z does have talent (though he's been pretty lazy the last few years, IMO), and he's proven himself to be a successful businessman (and business, man), but does that really warrant the amount of rapt attention he received? Much like Tedashii called out in several places on Identity Crisis, this obsessive focus is a form of idolatry.

Do we do this with Christian hip-hop artists? I saw a reminder from someone recently on Twitter (sorry, the name escapes me) encouraging us to avoid this level of artist worship in our own backyards. Unlike the worshippers at the Church of Hov, those of us who listen to CHH have to be careful not to worship at the Church of Lecrae, or the Church of Viktory, or anyone else. Yes, there are many, many dope Christ-centered artists, but the message in CHH, and what we can get out of it to move us ever closer to God, is what's important.

I'm sure we haven't heard the last of this, as Jay-Z does have an upcoming album to promote. If he must make pronouncements, let's hope he chooses other more relevant topics, like the aftereffects of the recession on his inner-city and suburban fans alike, or the violence in Darfur, a la Mark J.

A DJ Saved My Life

This a.m., a DJ saved my life, to flip the words of an old secular song.

OK, maybe I'm being melodramatic, but Episode 111 of The DJ Wade-O Radio Show, the "Get Right for the Summer Mix," did keep me alert, refreshed, and in the spirit during my hour-long commute.

This is no small feat, I tell you. I drive on two stretches of highway that are prone to accidents, and when there are no accidents or gaper delays, you better believe the volume of traffic stays at high. This is a major shock to my system, after a 30-minute, straight-shot kind of a drive to my last job, followed by a month of not really needing to be anywhere.

Honestly, I have been frustrated with the long commute and have been trying to focus on getting something better, along with my prayers for a full-time job. But after I started grabbing the Wade-O Show podcasts to play in my car as my weekly soundtrack, I have been able to make the commute with much less grumbling.

What is particularly fantastic about Episode 111 is that it is two hours of banging God-centered music. Just what the doctor ordered! Holy hip-hop, R&P, Christian reggae and Christian Baltimore club-style music--it's all there.

This is a perfect summertime mix, for driving with the sunroof open or the top down, or if you're live at the barbecue. You could also try rocking it at the beach, or "down the shore," in local parlance. (South Jersey stand up!!!) Wherever you're playing this mix, I'm sure you'll enjoy it as much as I did.

Download Episode 111 and view its track playlist here.

Catch up on old episodes of the DJ Wade-O Radio Show here.