Podcast: The Neptunes

Independent Research Entry: The Neptunes

The Neptunes production duo is comprised of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, and they were presented the honor of being named Producers of the Decade by Billboard. Throughout the 2000’s The Neptunes had production credits on a multitude of songs of various genres on the charts, all the while maintaining their signature sound. Pharrell and Chad met at a summer camp for musicians in Virginia Beach at the age of 12. Their earliest works were with another individual that would go on to become a very popular producer; Timbaland, and they formed the group S.B.I (Surrounded By Idiots). It was at a talent show that Hugo and Williams participated in that the innovator of New Jack Swing, producer Teddy Riley, would discover the twosome and sign them to a contract. While working under the legendary Teddy Riley, they would produce the hit song “Rump Shaker” for Riley’s group Wreckx-N-Effect. When Teddy was asked about his discovery of the future multi-platinum selling team he said, “I could see the talent in those guys and I picked them and I over-ruled the Judge. That night everything they did they just free styled. I saw a real versatility with them… what you have to understand is these guys wanted to learn, they absorbed everything. Pharrell, everything he does is what I done. He has his own style of course, but his work ethic and how he interpreted what he watched is what he watched.” As Pharrell and Chad ventured out on their own, they produced songs for groups like SWV, Teddy Riley’s other group Blackstreet and Bad Boy’s female group Total; along with solo artists such as Taral Hicks, M.C. Lyte and Mase. In 1998 The Neptunes would have their first hit with rapper Noreaga’s “Superthug (What, What).” This was one of the first songs where the “Neptune” name would be put on display through the rapper’s lyrics and fans would become familiar with the duo behind the music. 1999 would see them put out artists on their own Star Trak record label such as Kelis and the Clipse; they even had the honor of working with the legendary Prince on a remix project. The year 2000 is when business really picked up for the Neptunes and their versatility really shined through. No genre was off limits as they produced jazz, rap, reggae, soul, pop, R&B, electronica, dance and rock all within that year alone. Their reputation had grown as hit makers and they worked with the biggest names in all styles of music. The Neptunes gave R&B artists like Faith Evans, Babyface and Toni Braxton pop appeal; and gave pop artists like the Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake success on the urban charts. Vibe magazine has ranked The Neptunes the 3rd greatest hip-hop producers of all-time and they have won two Billboard Awards and three Grammy’s. With a net worth of over $155 million dollars, these young men from Virginia have definitely earned the consideration of being one the greatest all around production teams ever, and they’ve undoubtedly left an indelible mark on the recording industry.

When it comes to the production qualities of The Neptunes, their sound has been described as everything from Middle Eastern, Asian, electronic, funk, futurist and old school just to name a few. A lot of those characterizations contradict themselves, but that’s a perfect example of how broad and diverse their compositions are. On the Neptunes’ own website a blogger wrote, “The Neptunes came at a crucial time in the development of hip-hop. Sampling had been mostly played out and many people were ready for a more original, electro-based sound. The group’s unique mixture of chunky, almost jazz-like keyboard chords, flat stuttering drums and funk rhythms reminiscent of legends like Prince quickly came to dominate the charts.” Outside of Prince, Kraftwerk was a major influence on their ever-present synth heavy productions. Chad and Pharrell are incredible instrumentalists and they’re able to showcase their talents when working with punk bands or when working within their own group, N*E*R*D, along with the “root” of the band their backup vocalist Sheldon “Shay” Haley. If it is hip-hop, pop or R&B, The Neptunes might use a Roland TR-808 drum machine or an Ensoniq ASR-10 sampling keyboard. For years artists and producers have been trying their hardest to replicate the video game-like sounds of the duo, but as often as they are imitated, they have never successfully been duplicated. Prior to Hugo & Williams’ use of synthesizers in their music, famous Compton, California producer and artist Dr. Dre exposed the hip-hop world to the Funkadelic sounds of George Clinton. This incorporation of synth in hip-hop was exclusive to the West coast at the time, creating a melodic contrast to the East’s hard “boom bap” kick heavy beats. The Neptunes globalized the sound that Dr. Dre unveiled to primarily the urban community, making it a standard component in a majority of genres and influencing the way popular music has been shaped.

I own every major release Chad & Pharrell have produced and I have an extensive collection of all their underground and unreleased materials. I’m a huge fan of everything they do and it’s been great seeing them grow and hearing their sounds progress over the past two decades. I am not a person that believes in the saying “Imitation is the greatest form of flattery.” I would rather carve my own niche and forge my own path rather than walk in someone else’s. I admire The Neptunes because they worked under a very influential producer in Teddy Riley, but you didn’t see them trying to emulate his innovation (New Jack Swing). Pharrell and Chad became innovators in their own right and changed the face of mainstream music. As both an industry professional and fan, I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to The Neptunes because they reinvigorated my passion on numerous occasions just by hearing something new that they’ve released. Following them as closely as I do, with their upcoming collaborations and newest signees, The Neptunes might be looking to make history repeat itself as they embark on another substantial run at the top!

Electronic Composer: The Chemical Brothers

The Chemical Brothers, formerly known as The 237 Turbo Nutters and The Dust Brothers, are responsible for rebirth of electronica, and bringing both the electronica and big beat genres to the forefront of mainstream music. Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons were childhood classmates that would go on to form a formidable DJ’ing twosome and eventually transition their success into becoming a highly regarded and sought-after musical duo and production team.  While DJ’ing at a star-laden nightclub, they came across artists such as Noel Gallagher from the band Oasis, James Dean Bradfield from the band Manic Street Preachers and Tim Burgess from the Charlatans; forming relationships with the individuals that would result in big breaks for the musical pair. After doing remixes for artists who were already well established, The Chemical Brothers released their debut album and it was an immediate success, going gold within the first year and eventually selling over one million copies worldwide. Their first #1 single wouldn’t be far behind as they teamed with Oasis on “Setting Sun”, the first single off of their second album. The Chemical Brother’s second single, “Block Rockin’ Beats”, earned them a Grammy and their second album, Dig Your Own Hole, reached platinum status as well. After taking a couple of years off to revisit their roots as DJs, Tom and Ed returned to the studio to make their best selling record to date. Surrender strayed from the electro/big beat sound and was directed more towards house music. The record went on to sell over two million copies, featuring collaborations with familiar faces such as Noel Gallagher from Oasis and Bobby Gillespie. The Chemical Brothers have released four more albums since 1999, exploring new sounds and techniques all while returning to the electronic foundation that had garnered them much praise. The northern England musicians’ contributions came at a time when the music charts were dominated by modern rock and grunge. The Brothers took what Kraftwerk had created and turned it into danceable party tracks with crossover appeal. Starpulse.com describes their music as, “the first arena-sized sound in the electronica movement, the Chemical Brothers united such varying influences as Public Enemy, Cabaret Voltaire, and My Bloody Valentine to create a dance-rock-rap fusion which rivaled the best old-school DJs on their own terms -- keeping a crowd of people on the floor by working through any number of groove-oriented styles featuring unmissable samples, from familiar guitar riffs to vocal tags to various sound effects.” If Kraftwerk were the fetus, then The Chemical Brothers would be the infant, crawling on its hands and knees and eventually growing strong enough to support its own weight. Thanks to Ed and Tom this genre has fully matured and is now running sprints with no finish line in sight.

The Chemical Brothers have become inspirations to musicians the way Kraftwerk had been inspirations to them. Artists such as Daft Punk, Death in Vegas, Beth Orton, Cornelius and Air have all built their careers off of the music made by The Chemical Brothers.  Amazingly, The Chemical Brothers’ creations have been far reaching, as Daft Punk are French and Cornelius is Japanese. Tom and Ed’s influences go far beyond the music of Kraftwerk; they are said to have been inspired by the works of The Velvet Underground, The Beatles, Run-D.M.C, Public Enemy and New Order. Their eclectic tastes can be heard prominently throughout their library of tracks as they join fans of all different backgrounds to partake in the enjoyment of their performances. The Chemical Brothers are innovators of this day and age, traversing so many styles and soundscapes that everyone can find something to appreciate. Poet and journalist T. Cole Rachel wrote, “Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons has morphed from simply being another pair of high profile club DJs into a stadium-selling dance act. The band’s sample-heavy electro music inspired the term “big beat,” an apt descriptor for music that typically relies heavily on epic drum sounds and songs that almost always build towards euphoric, dance-floor-friendly crescendos.” With two decades under their belt The Chemical Brothers have evolved from the students to the teachers, and their creative minds have afforded them longevity in the ever-changing music industry.

I remember being in my early teens when I first heard music by The Chemical Brothers and just being blown away. I wouldn’t go as far as saying I was a fan of theirs, but other artists such as Fatboy Slim and Prodigy, who had similar sounds and gained exposure in the US largely in part to The Chemical Brothers’ success, definitely reeled me in to this genre called electronica. I was initially drawn by their use of drum machines, turntables and synthesizers; and then I began to recognize some of the samples they used. Now that I’ve had experience crafting my own songs, I’m more familiar with the way The Chemical Brothers put together their pieces. A lot of their creations are made with MAC computers; they too use Logic Pro and Pro Tools. Just like Kraftwerk, Tom and Ed’s music includes a cocktail of synths and sequencers. They also use effect units and ultra-harmonizers to enhance their music and establish their signature sounds. After Kraftwerk’s electric sound had faded, and all the artists that imitated them in the 80’s had their 15-minutes of fame, the climate shifted and rock music dominated the charts. The Chemical Brothers re-established what Kraftwerk had set in motion and helped to officially give this sound a genre of its own. The Grammy Awards handed out its first Dance/Electronica gramophone trophy in 2005, two of which have been snagged by The Chemical Brothers since its inception. Kraftwerk was once nominated for Best Rock Instrumental Performance in 1982. In 2006 their latest release Minimum-Maximum was nominated for Dance/Electronica Grammy Award, a category where it rightfully belongs. One can only imagine the hardware Kraftwerk could’ve taken home had there been a grouping that specifically fit the electric genre during their stretch of classic albums. Now artists and groups like David Guetta, Deadmau5 and Skrillex owe a debt of gratitude to The Chemical brothers for making their dreams of recognition a reality.

Kraftwerk

Kraftwerk’s music was forever changing and evolving throughout their years of activity, but the one constant component to their creations was the use of electronic sounds. The two founding and leading members of Kraftwerk, Florian Schneider and Ralf Hutter, factor heavily into the group’s music being labeled as “krautrock.” This distinction was given to German artists that didn’t have a particular sound; rather their music was considered experimental and didn’t fit one sole category. Rovi from Allmusic.com describes Kraftwerk’s versatility best, stating: “From the British new romantic movement to hip-hop to techno, the group's self-described "robot pop" -- hypnotically minimal, obliquely rhythmic music performed solely via electronic means -- resonates in virtually every new development to impact the contemporary pop scene of the late- 20th century, and as pioneers of the electronic music form, their enduring influence cannot be overstated.” When it came to the group’s appearance, they were rather plain and sort of gloomy. They would all dress in the same garb and play up to the scientific/mechanical themes of their songs; almost looking futuristic at times. The group enjoys staying enigmatic to the public, and their reclusiveness further disassociates them from the norm and aids in creating their own artistic impressions.

The great things about Kraftwerk’s albums are that they had themes built around the technological advancements of the time. In 1974 the group released Autobahn, in which the identically named lead single detailed the varied experiences of driving on Europe’s famed expressway and was influenced by the fun loving nature of the Beach Boys’ recordings. In 1975 the group released Radio-Activity. The 12 tracks were revealed to be a pun on the title of the album, as half of the songs actually dealt with radioactivity and the other half dealt with activity on the radio airwaves. At a time when factories and power stations were coming into prominence, Kraftwerk documented the surge of these new institutions in their music. Kraftwerk released Trans-Europe Express two years later and this album relied more on their electronic rhythms and less on abstract and improvised instrumental tracks. The album is similar to Autobahn where it deals with traveling and technology, but the album’s chugging train-like beats and innovative drum patterns set it apart from the previous two. Trans-Europe Express was a classic that set the gears in motion for the advancements of hip-hop, pop and rock.  The Man Machine was released one year later in 1978, followed by Computer World in 1981.  When describing The Man Machine sputnickmusic.com says, “this album successfully blends the boundaries between human and robot to the point where it's unclear quite exactly what Kraftwerk are.” The Man Machine contained the single “The Model” which was a rather odd fit on the album. Straying from their futuristic content, Kraftwerk composed a song that was inspired by the models that worked at a Cologne nightclub called The Bagel, and described to the listener how they got through their busy days. The song gained notoriety; giving Kraftwerk their only #1 hit and helped them earn the distinction of the first German group to top the UK’s charts. Despite their surprising success (the song was unconventional and didn’t have a catchy chorus), a majority of fans see this release as the lesser of the five albums released within that magical seven-year span; additionally fans felt this album lacked authenticity and didn’t deal with the subject matter or embody the sound Kraftwerk had been known for up to that point. While most of Kraftwerk’s music seemed ahead of its time, Computer World appeared to directly coincide with what was prevalent at that juncture. Some would say the reason for this is because the group had become mainstream and viewers, listeners and consumers alike had become very familiar with their sound. This had less to do with Kraftwerk’s efforts, and more to do with other artists emulating their style. In sticking with the popular concept album theme, Computer World represented the rise of computers within society.  Although their sound had been pegged, their content was still beyond anything the world was ready for. “Computer Love” is one song from the album that details finding a love connection through the computer, way before computers had become communicative devices. Kraftwerk had definitely set the world ablaze with their unconventional sounds, but their prognosticative lyrics are just as amazing as any manipulative technique they applied to their electronic instruments.

Kraftwerk’s influence on the music industry has made a resurgence of late. In the 80’s and late ‘70’s artists like Devo, Gary Numan and David Bowie used the electronic sound that Kraftwerk had been perfecting. David Bowie went as far as switching up his entire style for three albums during what would be known as his “Berlin Era.” Today you have many artists bringing electronic music back to the forefront; artists such as Chromeo and Calvin Harris keep the tradition alive. Kraftwerk’s influence is not only recognized in similar genres, but it’s reached a wide range of musical styles and groups. Artists like Madonna, Afrika Bambaataa, Bjork and Franz Ferdinand are from different walks of life and make very different music from one another, but are still encouraged and moved by Kraftwerk’s contributions. Digitaldreamdoor.com explains why Kraftwerk are considered innovators, despite other artists using similar techniques before and during their time: “Kraftwerk was a band that fully dealt with electronics and took it beyond human thought with their skills and music innovation, bridging the classical music of Karlheinz Stockhausen with electronic music and became important avant-garde enthusiasts. Therefore, they are the fathers of dance/electronica.” Another way the group influenced music was with the equipment they used. The vocoder has been utilized in several genres such as hip-hop, pop, R&B and of course electronica. Kraftwerk was similar to the Beatles with the way they used their Kling Klang studio as an instrument in itself. They created electronic drum kits, used a myriad of synthesizers and sequencers in ways never before imagined and even an instrument known as the Orchestron; an analogue sampling instrument which used optical disks to store the sounds of real voices and orchestral instruments. It’s as if Kraftwerk’s group members were scientists, their lab was their studio and “we” were the their test subjects.

The thing that amazes me most about Kraftwerk is there ability to stay so far out of the public eye. A few years ago the frontman from the band Coldplay reached out to Kraftwerk asking for permission to use a sample from one of their songs. Chris Martin said that it took weeks for a response, and when he received it, the letter simply said, “Yes.” Martin also said, “I love the idea that they're Kraftwerk but nobody really knows who they are. They're like the original GORILLAZ. Or the electronic BEATLES." My Mom is a huge fan of Kraftwerk but I didn’t immediately jump on the bandwagon. I was younger and I didn’t have dreams of being in the music industry at that time. As I had gotten older I realized that so many of the hip-hop songs that I loved (Jay-Z’s It’s Alright, Sunshine & Lil Cease 4 My N****s) sampled Kraftwerk, if not blatantly ripped them off beat for beat and note for note. I really enjoyed listening to the originals, especially one of the group’s most sampled tracks Trans-Europe Express. Being even older now and since I’m exploring a career in this business, I’m much more appreciative and grateful for their contributions. I am not a musician, nor am I a singer, but I have made songs and sang rather decently because of vocoders, drum machines and sequencers. Those innovations gave me the opportunity to be a part of something that I have a passion for, but may not necessarily have the talent equivalent of someone who’s been honing their craft for years. Some may see their contributions as a curse to the industry due to the overwhelming amount of computer musicians there are today, but I consider it a gift, as I am one of the many who weren’t blessed to have piano lessons, drum lessons or instruments period. I may never be as big of a fan as my Mom is, but the level of respect I have for the gentleman that comprised Kraftwerk has grown immensely. 

Podcast: Marvin Gaye - What's Going On

Peer Comments

To Claibourne Washington:

Reaching the Top 40 charts 22 times and your name not being The Beatles is an amazing feat. That statistic solidifies The Beach Boys as one of the greatest groups ever assembled. I really like the fact that you mentioned how cleverly crafted their lyrics were. You could definitely picture catching a wave on all their songs pertaining to surfing, or riding around in your nice car in songs like Little Deuce Coupe and 409. By listening to their songs, you could almost learn how to be cool as if their lyrics were instructions on how to live. The nod you gave to the Four Freshman was a worthy one, but don’t forget about other artists that influenced their sound as well, such as: Chuck Berry and the Hi-Los. 

It looks as if you came away from your research of the Beach Boys with a newfound respect, and I think that’s awesome. It’s always a gift when our eyes are opened to something new. I wish there were more groups influenced by the Beach Boys’ style. There is a group that I recently came across called The Davis Brothers who are substantially shaped by The Beach Boys’ methods of harmony. If you have time check them out, you won’t be disappointed. I really enjoyed reading your post because of the enthusiasm it contained. I look forward to seeing more posts from you in the future.

Hi Elisia,

I really enjoyed reading your post about The Velvet Underground; it was very informative. You included information that I wanted to squeeze into my post and I’m fascinated by the way that you found links to tie certain facts together that I couldn’t necessarily do the same with. One particular statement you made about Lou Reed’s bisexuality and the electroshock therapy he received to treat it was great. You tied his experiences as a youth into the lyrical themes of in his music as an adult, but I would’ve loved for you to be more specific and point out some examples of his work that coincided with the abuse he suffered. You also touched on the band’s demise, which you correctly stated had a lot to do with their lack of cooperation with one another. If I were unfamiliar with the history of the band, I would want to know who was mostly responsible for the infighting? I think there are not only a great deal of similarities between Cale and Reed, but a great deal of contrast as well. There’s a lot left to that story to explore and if I played the role of the uninformed reader, you would leave me thirsting for further enlightenment on the situation; which could be great if you were intentionally trying to draw me in, or bad if there was no set-plan to administer more information on the subject.

You seem to have great awareness of what accounts need to be told when writing your blog. I would’ve learned a lot from post, but I also would’ve craved more. Don’t be afraid to go into more detail and thoroughly explain your thoughts to the reader. Overall you did a great job and I am impressed with your understanding of The Velvet Underground. I can’t wait to see what you have written for Kraftwerk!

Take Care,
Cameron McBride-Gee

Hi Justin,

This piece about Aphex Twin is amazing! I was excited to read about someone I was unfamiliar with, and I was not disappointed. I had to check out some of his music after reading your post, and your description was spot on. His work is very abstract, very electronic and at times very disturbing. The drum line in “Come to Daddy” reminds me of UK Garage music and the synth was very catchy. The video looked to be inspired by a few horror movies I’ve seen; I’m not sure if he directed his own video or not but I’m interested in finding out. I’ve seen some songs categorized as Hardcore, I’ve even seen songs categorized as Horrorcore, but that song was the first that I’ve ever seen under the label of Breakcore. I don’t even know what to say about "Windowlicker"! It was funny, very creepy and the music was actually really good. The melody was soothing, almost similar to a down tempo type of song. I saw you make reference to the “glitch” styles in your post, and I saw someone describe “Windowlicker” as Glitch-Hop. My mind has officially been blown after being introduced to Aphex Twin.

I can definitely see how this may be considered avant-garde because of the variety of styles he incorporates into his creations. I really wish I was aware of him when his videos were shown on MTV, I’m sure they created quite a stir. I will certainly follow up on Aphex’s work from here on, and get familiar with his earlier releases, as I’m quite intrigued. Kraftwerk was a little eerie, but Aphex Twin is outright terrifying! Thank you for a great blog and exposing me to some new music.

Cameron McBride-Gee

What's Going On?

Marvin Gaye was a man who never settled for what he was given; he always aspired to be more successful and do it on his own terms. Marvin had hoped to gain notoriety by singing jazz tunes and commercial pop music like some of his contemporaries, but his initial attempt didn’t garner the type of results he had desired. He did however have success in the R&B genre; singing tunes that would make women swoon, solidifying him as a “ladies man.” Still not satisfied with his newfound popularity, he tried yet again to emerge as a jazz vocalist but to no avail. He had decided to never try his hand at jazz again and with that, he proceeded to make more hits as part of two separate duet teams, one with Kim Weston and the other with Tammi Terrell; the latter being the most acclaimed of his collaborations. After three albums as a tandem, Tammi Terrell passed away and Marvin receded into seclusion, dealing with his sadness the best he could. BBC News reported, “His mood was compounded by other personal problems - his marriage was crumbling and he was having continual arguments with Motown over the material they wanted him to record.” It was during this time that the idea for one of the greatest songs in music history would be conceived.

One could say the concept of What’s Going On stemmed directly from an incident witnessed by songwriter and Four Tops member Renaldo Benson. While on tour in San Francisco, he had seen peace protesters attacked and beaten by police officers. This, along with Marvin’s brother Frankie’s recounting of his time served in the Vietnam War, sparked the creativity needed to craft this classic. These situations might have inspired the composition, but coming off of some of the most prominent moments of the Civil Rights Movement and facing racial inequality all of his life served as the foundation for such a timely song. What’s Going On was a “call to action” for people to wake up, open their eyes and make a change. When Marvin says, “Mother, mother there’s too many of you crying. Brother, brother, brother there’s far too many of you dying. You know we’ve got to find a way to bring some lovin’ here today.” Marvin wasn’t just pointing out the flaws of society, he was commanding us to be accountable for our roles in the degeneration of humanity. Marvin’s message was clear and understood, but there was fear amongst industry professionals (primarily the CEO of Motown Records, Berry Gordy) that a song containing this subject matter wouldn’t sell any records. Additionally, Gordy supposedly was concerned that a song with such a strong stance and theme would derail all the momentum that had been put behind Gaye being showcased as a sex symbol. There are many stories circulating that Gordy held this project up for multiple reasons, but Berry Gordy set the record straight when he spoke to journalist Marc Myers. According to Gordy, Marvin reached out to him saying he wanted to do a protest song, and Gordy was stunned because, up to that point, Marvin’s strayed from such provocative issues. Berry grew accustomed to Marvin coming to him with outlandish ideas, and because Berry regarded Marvin as a brother, he felt it was his duty to alert him of the possible consequences of his actions. Gordy’s stance was starting to loosen once Marvin explained his need to “awaken” the masses, but issues remained with a few of the words chosen for his song. Marc Myers writes, “Mr. Gordy still had reservations about some of Gaye's lyrics for "What's Going On," specifically the line about police brutality. "I told Marvin he couldn't generalize like that, that the people in the Detroit Police Department were my friends and that every policeman wasn't brutal…" When asked about the four-month gap between the completion of the single and its release, Berry went on to say “The other labels would put out their big releases in September and October for Christmas," Mr. Gordy said. "But we would typically wait until after the holiday season to release singles on our major artists so the field would be clear." There’s no denying that Marvin had his obstacles when it came to releasing his controversial single, but similar to an urban legend, these stories of marvelous proportions start to take on a life of their own and the truth can gradually become distorted.

There were a few key characteristics that separated What’s Going On from other Motown productions. Marvin wanted to be sure that his song didn’t have the traditional Motown sound, so he and his arranger David Van DePitte enlisted a slew of percussionists that had no affiliation with the Hitsville, USA label. Marvin was about to finally live his dream; he was able to incorporate his love for jazz into his production. The sax playing in the beginning of the piece was actually the saxophone player warming up, not his intended take. Marvin implemented scatting into his song (another supposed turn-off for Berry Gordy), and stumbled upon what would become the future of multi-layer vocal recording (a mistake made by the engineer when he played both of Marvin’s lead vocals through a mono speaker, instead of separating them on individual tracks so that Marvin could choose which one was better.) This was the beginning of Marvin distancing himself from the pop sounds that Motown was so known for at the time. The song was an instant hit and held the #1 spot on the R&B charts and the #2 spot on the Pop charts; a sign of its amazing crossover appeal. The album went on to sell 2.5 million copies and became Motown’s fastest selling single at that time.

What’s Going On has a lot of significance to me; I grew up listening to Marvin Gaye. My Mother and my Uncle would play his albums every year on April 1 and April 2 as a tribute to one of the greatest artists that ever recorded. From a cultural standpoint, I’ve always felt that when I listened to What’s Going On I was the main character in the story he was telling. The album wasn’t directed specifically to one demographic, it wasn’t made for one race or gender; but his stances on love and acceptance are subjects that minorities have fought and literally died for. We continue that very same fight today… for equality. Sure, Marvin spoke about the Vietnam War, but those very same principles apply to the people of different nationalities and creeds that make up this country as well. Marvin’s album still gives me goose bumps as if it was the first time I heard it. From a musical standpoint, the multi-layer vocals really set this album apart from other albums. There was so much emotion in his voice and it felt like it was being thrown at you from different directions. I’m happy Marvin was able to integrate his love for jazz into his work on What’s Going On; it added a fresh element to the R&B/Soul production. To me, this album is a living organism; it breathes, it grows and it procreates. Unfortunately Marvin is not here to see the longevity his work sustains, but his message will undoubtedly live on forever.