I usually like to utter these words of advice to my friends "You gotta know when to hold'em, know when to fold'em, know when to walk away and know when to run". For the ole school heads, the new ole schoolers or those in between, this is a song recorded by the Country Music Legend himself, Kenny Rogers. Man I remember my auntie setting the radio dial to Cross Country Radio and you dared not move it! Hours of Country music pounded the airwaves as the lyrics permeated your membranes, took its place and never left. Oh these were the days when the cassette reigned supreme! Know what am talking bout? Ohh you had to rewind that mug to catch your favourite lyrics and flip it over to the 'B' side to hear the continuation of the epicness. Lol.
I'd tell my children how, eventhough, by time I had made my entrance into the world, the 'Record' was on its way out, but I sure relished the experience of turning my momma's radio to 'Phono', set that record in, lift that needle through the air, cutting through wind and crossing all barriers of time and space, laying it down to hear that scratch sound, scratch and sandpaper crumpling sound- but not quite, as it was much more delightful on the ears. Ohh man!
I'd tell them that I've loved music my entire life, possibly since I was in my mother's womb, because I remember my love affair with old dub and dancehall, roots, rock, reggae; ska, kaiso, soca, ragga soca! Ohhhh, man we had it going on with my young self. I remember the first time I sneaked my Uncle's cassettes out his bag and listened them old dubs and dancehall. I remember the riddims immortal 'Buy out', then 'Bookshelf'. I would tell them, back them when I was looking for an identity I found it in music, from wholesome to the downright degrading, but now, I found my identity in Jesus. I would tell them how to appreciate music and how to value the art of expressing one's self.
I'd tell them about life!