A Letter to Black Music by: J. Ivy

Before there was you… Before there was music,There was the drum and its beat. Before the beat there was the heartbeat, And before the pulse of man, There was this precious sound in God’s head That he wanted the whole World to hear. So He/She created creative creations. Birthed ryhtmatic situations, vibrations, Accompanied by the gift of demonstrations. Before there were demos or president’s of music driven corporations, There was this sound. This sound that would surround your soul, lift your spirits, Before we had ears to hear it, Or concerts were filled with crowds that would go wild and cheer it, There was this sound. Before congas, bongos, and djembes were used in tribal celebrations, Before Africans were transported to an American destination, Before traditions transformed and new styles of expression were born, There was this sound. Before Blacks were allowed to read or write, Before church choirs would ease the pain when they would unite, Before Harriet used spirituals for codes to free her people in the midst of the night, Like Wade in the Water…

Before slaves work songs became spirituals, Before spirituals became Gospel, Before Mahalia Jackson moved any congregation, Before Thomas Andrew Dorsey became the “Father of Gospel,” There was this sound. Before Blacks picked up guitars and harmonicas and hit the local juke joint, Before Gospel became the Blues, Before the Blues moved from cities like New Orleans to St. Louis and Chicago, Before Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, Bessie Smith, Mamie Smith, or Robert Johnson, There was this sound. Before the Blues became Jazz, Before Ella Fitzgerald became an Apollo Legend, Before Louis Armstrong became the “Founding Father of Jazz,” Before Miles Davis took trumpet lessons at Julliard, Before Coltrane put a saxophone to his lips, Before Duke Ellington, Dizzy, Monk, and Cab Calloway. Before Count Basie. Before the Regal, the Cotton Club, or the brutal honesty of the Apollo, Before Ethel Waters, Lena Horne, or Sara Vaughn. Before Josephine Baker. Before Billie Holiday seduced Harlem, Before the Harlem Renaissance, There was this sound. Before Jazz became Rock and Roll, Before Little Richard invented it, Before Little Richard was the creator, the originator, and the architect. Before Chuck Berry, Before Bo Diddley was put into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. There was this sound. Before Bourbon Street in New Orleans, Before Beale Street in Memphis, Before 47th Street in Chicago, Before 125th Street in Harlem, Before the South had Marching Bands, Before B.B. King, Buddy Guy, or Bobby Blu Band, There was this sound. Before Nat King Cole, Before Rock n’ Roll became Soul, Before James Brown became the Godfather and Aretha became the Queen, Before J.B. sang “I’m Black and I’m Proud,” Before Ike met Tina, Before Sam Cooke and Otis Redding, Before Harry Belafonte was the first person to ever to go platinum, Before Sammy Davis Jr. sang “Mr. Bojangles,” Before Nipsey Russell joined the hustle, There was this sound. Well before Detroit became Motown, Before Berry Gordy, Before Smokie Robinson and the Miracles, Before Lil Stevie touched the keys, Before Diana Ross and Gladys Knight, Before the Jackson 5, There was this sound. Before Patti Labelle, Before Mahalia and Martin Marched while singing “We Shall Over Come,” Before Mahalia sang “Amazing Grace” at the Kings Home going, Before Ozzie Davis and Ruby Dee, Before Bill Withers sang “Ain’t No Sunshine,” There was this sound. Before Rhythm and Blues, Before Lionel Richie and the Commodores, Before Barry White, Before Ray Charles wrote “Georgia,” Before Roy Ayers and Pharaoh Sanders, Before the Temptations, Earth, Wind, and Fire, Isaac Hayes, Donny Hathaway, and Al Green, There was this sound. Before the Isley Brothers was the reason for a lot of us being born, Before Ernie Barnes painted album covers for Marvin Gaye and Curtis Mayfield, Before George Clinton made it funky, Before Jimi Hendrix rocked it, Before Bob Marley sang Freedom Songs, Before Rick James met that “Superfreak,” Before Luther Vandross had an hypnotic voice, Before Quincy scored “The Wiz,” Before Soul Train, There was this sound. Before Mike had an iced out glove and a song named “Thriller,” Before Prince rode a motorcycle through “Purple Rain under a “Cherry Moon,” There was this sound. Before the Last Poets became the “Godfathers of Rap,” Before GrandMaster Flash invented the scratch, Before Kool Herc, Before the Bronx birthed Hip-Hop, Before the 4 elements, Before the M.C. and the D.J., The Breaker and the Artist, Before the Sugar Hill Gang and Kurtis Blow, Before Run DMC had Adidas and a mic, Before Jam Master Jay, Before Russell Simmons had a plan, Before 6 minutes, 6 minutes Doug E. Fresh you’re on, Before Slick Rick the Ruler, Before the Fat Boys, Before Big Daddy Kane was a Smooth Operator, Before the “Vapors,” Before Biz Markie and Kid n’ Play, Before 1,2,3 the crew is called BDP, Before KRS-One and Public Enemy, Before L.L. and Kool Moe Dee, Before Krush Groove and Beat Street hit the theatres, Before Hammer “Turned this Motha Out!” Before DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, Before Salt and Pepa, Queen Latifah, and MC Lyte, Before Eric B. & Rakim, GangStarr, DJ Premier and Pete Rock, Before Yo MTV Raps, Before Too Short, Before Ice-T and N.W.A., Before Eazy-E, Ice Cube, and D.O.C., Before “Self Destruction” and “We All in the Same Gang,” There was this sound. Before “We Are the World,” Before Janet Jackson was Penny, Before New Edition complained to the “Telephone Man,” Before Whitney stole our hearts, Before Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, The Jungle Brothers, and Black Sheep, Before Nas was illmatic, Before Puffy met Biggie, Before Tupac made us all “Raise our Heads Up,” Before Mary J. Blidge sang with Father M.C., Before Mary was named the Queen of Hip-hop, Before Whitney named Bobby the King of R&B, Before Boys II Men and Jodeci, Before Lauryn, Wyclef, and Pras became the Fugees, Before Dame met Jay-Z, Before Spike Lee made “Mo Better Blues,” Before Common Sense dropped “Resurrection,” Before Dr. Dre met Snoop, Before Big L, Babyface, R. Kelly, Jermaine Dupri, Master P, TLC and Aaliyah, Before Outkast, Before the Roots came with the whole band, Before Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Tarrey Torae, Alicia Keys, and India Arie, Before 9th Wonder and Little Brother, Before Usher, Before Lil John and Ludacris, Before Pharrell and the Neptunes, Before Kanye West named himself the best, Before J. Ivy named John Stephens the Legend, Before Jamie got his Oscar for becoming Ray, There was this sound, Before Black History was History, Before there were mics, speakers, radios, records, jukeboxes, 8 tracks, cassettes, cd’s, or headphones for your Ipods, There was this sound. Before the pulse of man, There was this sound in God’s head that he wanted the whole World to hear, And He/She named it Music, So from the bottom of my heart and with every ounce of my Soul, I Thank you Music… for Everything, Because I truly do love you…..

Musically Yours, J. Ivy

The Ghost is Universal

I could believe my ears, but couldn't believe my eyes. I hope this helps with stopping some of the chaos happening right now in that part of the world.

"Sometimes you got to Shake Your Head" By: J. Ivy

Inspired by and Dedicated to: Mr. Ernie Barnes When Angels pick up the phone and are called home, it always seems so sudden, too soon, cause there’s’ so much time ahead. Your heart sinks low, your tears run free, and all you can do is shake your head. When you cuddle with struggles that won’t let go, then you look in the mirror and realize you’re the struggle you’ve been struggling for…sometimes you got to shake your head. When those that are full of life don’t realize it til there close to death, you just got to shake your head. When you’re on your path, but the tolls have taken a toll on your goals, sometimes you got to shake your head. Your hour is filled with power, but you feel powerless. Hour less, like there’s not enough time. Or maybe life’s unkind, so your passion becomes hard to find. Sometimes you got to shake your head. You’re fishing for dreams to come true, but you forgot that faith is the bait. Sometimes you got to shake your head. Back to basics, don’t think. It’s back to instincts. Don’t rethink; cause life is a challenge you can’t retest. But sometimes we stay on recess. Sometimes you got to shake your head. Because media uses scare tactics. My words use aware tactics. I’m a doctor with the words. A poet in practice. So let the truth be told, I can see it in their eyes that their soul’s been sold. They grow in the dark like fungus or mold. I glow in the dark cause of the light that I hold. The world is in turmoil I pray it don’t fold. Thank God McCain ain’t win, cause quite frankly, he too damn old. And the reason Palin is from Alaska is cause her ass is too damn cold. Don’t make her mad, like she said, she is a pit bull in drag…Sometimes you got to shake your head. Cause now there’s bird flu, mad cow, and swine flu, and it makes you think of the food that you put in you. I know it’s a mess inside. Even vegetarians have to worry about pesticides. It makes you think about what might rest inside. Worms and bacteria stealing yo time. Your times been stolen and Lord knows time is golden. But it’s hard when it comes to thoughts of cleaning your colon. Sometimes you got to shake your head. This war will make you shake your head. Gas prices will make you shake your head. Folks losing their homes will make you shake your head. All the killings, the job market, the economy, the auto industry will make you shake your head. This one world their setting up will make you shake your head. So many have fought, so many have bled. So many have took a stand, so many have fled. So many grind it out, so many stay in bed. So many run the race, so many walking dead. So many shut down, so many open to be read. There’s so much going on in the world, but a Great Man once said, “Sometimes you got to shake your head.” Ivyous Entertainment, LLC © 2009 All Rights Reserved

Mr. Ernie Barnes

Today my heart was saddened to hear that my friend and mentor, Mr. Ernie Barnes was called home last night. He truly was an Angel here visiting, who had the unique ability of touching all of our lives. I thank God for Him, His Gift, and His Legacy. My prayers go out to Him and His Family. Mr. Barnes, I Thank You for impacting my Life the way that you have! God Bless You and I Love You!!! May Your Soul Rest In Peace...What a Life!!!Photobucket

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"I know you see the name, it's G.I. James. You got to be a soldier cause they say these the last days. Call your mommy, call your sitter. They call me Tsunami, I'm a twister from the Chi like Twista. Cats follow my words like my name was Twitter..." J. Ivy Hit me up attwitter.com/seeJIvyhearJIvy twitter.com/seeJIvyhearJIvy twitter.com/seeJIvyhearJIvy