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Hey Mofos!
I was super excited to have the opportunity to chat with someone that worked super close with my absolute fav, the King of Pop. LaVelle Smith Jr. has a long resume, and it includes dancing right behind MJ in videos, tours, performances, and choreographing some of the most iconic dances we try to duplicate even today. He even worked on the "Scream" video! He also is responsible for choreographing Beyonce's "Crazy in Love" video! It's Black Music Month and what a great way to talk about the impact dance had on the music!
Anyhoo, check out the chat below --this was a super fun and informative interview!
Do you have a favorite MJ dance performance? Me: ALL OF EM!
Until Later,
~Meik
Black Music Month Spotlight: Kiely Williams & Pamela Long: "BET Presents The Encore!"
Sunday, June 27, 2021
Hey Mofos!
One of my fav shows on television right now is the messy mess drama of a reality show called "BET Presents The Encore."
Kiely Williams from 3LW and Pamela Long from Total joined me on Check the Rhymes to chat about the show and dealing with 9 women in one music mansion trying to create an album.
Check it out here:
Do you think this album is gonna happen? Do you watch the show? Let me know in the comments!
~Meik
Black Music Month Spotlight: Lorena "Lungs" Stewart of Klymaxx
Thursday, June 24, 2021 
Hey Mofos!
YAY! I lovessss me some Klymaxx chile! But, I had to have a meeting in the ladies room with Lorena.. but let me give you some backstory. Some of you may recall I did an interview earlier this month about the Women Songwriter's Hall of Fame event that is being held in D.C. on 6/25-- I spoke with the creator and the executive producer of the event. I even chatted with an honoree and thought--wow it's awesome that the women who get left out of these types of celebrations are being honored!
Here's that interview:
Fast forward a couple weeks, and I find out on FB and in my inbox that while Klymaxx is on promotional materials to be honored--things aren't actually as they seem. So, if you purchased tickets to the event and were hoping to see the original members-- you won't. Lorena of Klymaxx stopped by and chatted with me in an audio interview about what's behind the false honor and how some stuff with songwriting credits ain't clean in the milk.
Peep it here:
Whew.. y'all.. WHEW.
I'm so glad Lorena came on the show to explain their side of the story and chile.. I need Cheryl to get it together. Acting up and out STILL at this big age.. FOR WHYYYYYY?
Welp, as a journalist, you now have both sides. It's up to you if you decide to support the event or ride with Klymaxx.
I'm hopeful that maybe one day all of this can be resolved.
In the meantime, do you have a favorite Klymaxx song?
~Meik
Black Music Month Spotlight: Crystal Tamar's Pop-Up Podcast Series
Sunday, June 20, 2021
Hey Mofos!
I had the absolute pleasure of hanging out with R&B singer Crystal Tamar on her pop up podcast last week in honor of Black Music Month. Crystal Tamar gave all the homage to some of her fav duets in the pop-up podcast series "Crystal Tamar Presents- Serenade: Best Song Duets." It was a week filled with a special guest every day of the week and I was so excited to be asked to come on and talk about music. Check out the series here on her website. We had an absolute blast!
She also blew me away with the premiere of her music video for the single, "Serenade." It's the third single from her self-titled debut Ef. Check out the soulful and sensual ballad!
From a press release:
Crystal Tamar describes the video. "I knew the video for ‘Serenade’ had to scream love and romance from the rooftops," she says. "I was honestly inspired by those Charlize Theron J'adore perfume commercials. You can't watch those without yelling at the TV ‘GIRL ... YOU BETTA!’” she says with a laugh. “It was also equally important to make the audience identify with wanting to serenade their own love and it not be all about me.”
The video also spotlights the talented and graceful dancer Sidney Johnson. Crystal Tamar says, “I thought inviting a contemporary dancer would artistically get that done. Kind of like that old EnVogue video where the dancer made you reflect on the meaning more than the group. Ms. Sidney Johnson, our lovely principal dancer out of LA, blessed our set in under half an hour and killed it!”
Side note: Crystal Tamar used to be an NFL cheerleader so she already has a special place in my heart... y'all know I'm a cheerleader foreverrrrr!
Check out the podcast and let me know if you agree with her best duets list!
~Meik
Hey Mofos!
It's my favorite time of year-- time for Black Music Honors! While it sucks to not be able to be there in person in the audience as I have in previous years and on the red carpet, however, I was able to join in on the press conference for the 6th annual event and ask Angie Stone a question! Let me just say--I was thrown off by the fineness that is known as Ginuwine!
Peep the quick interview here:
Hey Mofos!
I'm back with another spotlight for Black Music Month! I chatted with Monica on Check the Rhymes about hosting the new true crime series "Infamy: When Fame Turns Deadly" and of course about her new forthcoming album "Trenches."
Get into the interview and let me know if you have checked out the show--it airs on VH1 on Mondays!
Don't forget to hit subscribe on the Check the Rhymes YouTube channel!
~Meik
Hey Mofos!
Up next on the Black Music Month spotlight train is Father M.C.! He stopped by Check the Rhymes and we chatted about his new music and took a trip down memory lane -- 30+ years since his debut album, Uptown Records, and working with Mary J. Blige and Jodeci. Check it out cuz he is a helluva story teller:
Did you have a favorite Father M.C. song? Lemme know in the comments!
~Meik
Hey Mofos!
It's Black Music Month! In honor of this most fabulous time, I am sharing some Check the Rhymes interviews with some of the legends that need, deserve, and have earned every single petal on a flower do you hear me?! You can also catch my Black Music Month content on Zone.TV's Zone.ify app or website, just search for Check the Rhymes.
First up is Mr. Oh Oh Oh himself, Lenny Williams. You probably have most recently heard Anthony Hamilton using Lenny's style in his new song "You Made a Fool of Me" and some of your other favs have sampled and paid homage to him as well.
In this interview, we chatted about Lenny's career with Tower of Power to his solo efforts, and he explains why owning your own publishing is important, plus he answered fan questions! We had a good ole time chatting and cackling!
Check the convo out here:
So let me know, what's your favorite Lenny Williams hit?
~Meik
What brings you back now Meik?
I'm glad you asked! My 90's baes H-Town!
What you mean Meik?
Well..originally I started off writing a review of the show for one of the other sites since it is Black Music Month and all, but then I decided I just gotta keep it all the way real and squeal and fan girl versus trying to remain semi-neutral..so here I am.
The revival of the 90’s R&B groups hitting the road and doing shows across the country would be remiss if one group out of Houston, Texas wasn’t among them. H-Town made a stop in Rock Hill, South Carolina over the weekend thanks to RJ Productions. This was my first time going to Rock Hill and it was definitely an experience.
If you know me, you know that H-Town is one of my favorite groups so this was super exciting for them to be coming back to the Carolinas. I have been rocking with that group since they first burst onto the scene in the early 90's. In my head Dino was the bae-est bae's of all bae-dom. I was going to marry him and have allllllllll the sleepy eyed babies with huge dimples he wanted! But clearly that didn't happen and hell I never got the opportunity to meet him, but luckily I was able to catch H-Town when it was all three members. I digress tho.
The past two times that I have seen H-Town in Charlotte, it was just club appearances, so this was the first time I got to experience G.I. and Shazam without front man and singer to the gawds Dino Conner. God rest his soul. I swear I don’t think I have ever gotten over him passing away in 2003. For the deets on that and the interview head over to SoulTrain.com and read my tribute. Anyhoo, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when my sister and I got to Rock Hill, South Carolina. The area is kind of a down home small town feel so I don’t know if that’s correct but hey, that’s the impression I got. However, it is hotter than a mofo across the state line.. lawd jeezus, I think I left my perm sitting in SouF Cackalak from all the sweating! Not to mention, the venue was in an auditorium..which was cool, but jeeezus it was hot in there.. not sure what was going on with the a/c but I forgot all about that ish when H-Town and their "Fever for Da Flavor" got on stage.
(note the fellas have grown up from sessy shirtless young men into mature sessy bae material.. I'm here for it!)
Let's address this ish right here and now.. over the years, I’ve heard the nonsense that folks have ASSumed without Dino, H-Town wouldn’t be able to hold their own during a concert. SHEEETTTT lies you tell. ASSuming gets you nowhere.. until you have gone to an actual show and seen them perform.. then what exactly are you basing your ASSumptions on? I'll wait.
From the moment they took to the stage they had everyone on their feet, including me and this heavy arse boot I have to wear (thanks to the nerve damage in my leg and tendons being munked up.. WHOLE OTHER STORY).. While I can’t give you the exact rundown of the playlist order, I can tell you they sang ALLLLLLL the jams.. From "Don’t Hold Back the Rain," "Lick You Up," "Like it Slow," to "Knockin’ Da Boots" —chile.. I GOT MY ENTIRE LIFE LAST NITE! (Again, s/o to Rich Jamison for bringing the fellas to the area—I always have nothing but love for folks that bring good music round these parts!).. which reminds me.. someone in the audience kept screaming sing "KICKIN DA BOOTS" and I think I bout tinkled on myself from sniggling. Gotta love country folks!
I loved that the fellas paid homage to Hi-Five’s Tony Thompson (who passed away also) by getting the audience to sing along to “I Like the Way (Kissing Game)” –and then of course you can’t have an H-Town show without showing love and celebrating the life of the group’s backbone Dino. The guys sang “Emotions” and everyone in the building threw up their “H’s” to show love for one of my absolute favorite singers who had one of the most underrated vocals ever in my opinion. Have I mentioned how much I LOVEDEDEDED that dude? Like.. I need a tee shirt that has his pic on it or something.. someone make that happen thank yewwww..
I was quite entertained by the ladies that ran up on the stage to dance/twerk/body roll/ and hunch on Shazam and G.I’s legs during their new song “Green Light” which after hearing it, I give it the green light.. it’s pretty catchy. The fellas threw out stuffed animals and roses to the ladies, and at one point squirted whipped cream into the mouths of the willing and able. I’d be the one to choke on the ish so I stayed right where I needed to be .. in my seat throwing my “H” up singing and swaying. While some of you tend to think these groups should let the chips fall where they may and sit down somewhere after losing a lead singer, or if the group breaks up and new members slide into place, I am one that is open to giving the new version of the groups a shot, hell as long as they play the songs I wanna hear, we good LOL. For those that asked me who sang the lead parts since Dino is gone.. well hell you shoulda carried your arses to SC to see LOL .. or you can look it up on youtube..they have plenty of videos from shows they have done over the years.
While it wasn’t a sold out show, one thing is for sure.. the fellas rocked the house like there were thousands of people in the building by giving nothing short of 10000000000 percent.. and to me.. that says a lot, especially that they want to give their fans a good show, and leave a GOOD lasting impression.
Lesson Learned: Take a personal fan next time I travel over the border to SC .. and maybe next time H-Town comes, you mofos will come out and support and see for yourself how good they still are. I'm a fan and will always be one. *throws up the "H" til my fingers cramp*
Keep up with H-Town on Twitter @HTown4Life @gijackson @shazamconner (and you can check out their website at htown4ever.com --tell em I sent ya!
What is your favorite H-Town song?
Until later...
-Meik
