Hold on to this feelin'

Jurassic 5. "Freedom." Power In Numbers, Interscope Records, 2002.

I first caught J5 perform live in Toronto at The Guvernment - Kool Haus (formerly Canada's largest nightclub, shuttered in 2015 to make room for waterfront condos).

It was May 2004, the world was still reeling from the impact of the 9/11 terrorist attacks three years earlier, the US was occupying and at war with Iraq and Afghanistan's Taliban, respectively, Billy Crystal was still hosting the Oscars, and George W. Bush would win re-election in November, but the lyrics on this track still feel relevant twelve years later.

🎶 Imagine life without a choice at all
Given no hope without a voice at all
These be the problems that we face
I'm talkin' poverty in race
But no matter what the case we gotta
Hold on to this feelin', Freedom (Freedom!) 🎶

This is a re-quest, Mr. Radio Man

Black Eyed Peas, Macy Gray. "Request + Line/ Empire Strikes Black." Bridging The Gap, Interscope Records, 2000.

Remember this album? Well, if you don't, there was a time when, before Fergie and all that shit, the B.E.P. were a good hip-hop crew, touting positive lyrics and collaborating with some of the best producers, lyricists, and vocalists out there at the time -- Bridging The Gap alone featured guest appearances from Common, Les Nubians, Macy Gray, Chali 2na of Jurassic 5 & Ozomatli, Esthero, Mos Def, and Wyclef Jean.

Throwing things back to the 2000s to start the week off right.

(For those of you who like finding those secret tracks, skip ahead to the 4:57 mark, or just wait through the silence in between.)