MUSIC || mouthwash lyrics.

If you ever wondered where the title for . . . and i drink cups of tea came from, I present you with the lyrics of "Mouthwash" by Kate Nash.

this is my face

covered in freckles
with the occasional spot
and some veins

this is my body
covered in skinand not all of it
you can see

and, this is my mind
it goes over and over
the same old lines

and, this is my brainits torturous, analytical thoughts
make me go insane

and i use mouthwash
sometimes i floss
i got a family
and i drink cups of tea
i've got nostalgic pavements
i've got familiar faces
i've got mixed-up memories
and I've got favourite places

and i'm singing oh oh on a friday night
and i hope everything's gonna be alright

this is my face
i've got a thousand opinions
and half the time i'm trying to explain

and, this is my body
and no matter how you try and disable it
yes i'll still be here

and, this is my mind
and although you try to infringe
you cannot confine
and, this is my brain
and even if you try and hold me back
there's nothing that you can gain

'cause i use mouthwash
sometimes i floss
i've got a family
and i drink cups of tea
i've got nostalgic pavements
i've got familiar faces
i've got mixed-up memories
and i've got favourite places
and i'm singing oh oh on a friday nightand i hope everything's gonna be alright

I don't remember when I first heard Kate Nash

but I think it may have something to do with a AIM or GChat status of a friend that r

ead "I can watch a sunset on my own." That line, from "Merry Happy" always stuck with me and for some reason, made me take a different look at my singleness. And I think that's what started me on my way to be the Kate Nash fan I am today. (That lyric also is what i bring back to memory when I'm feeling extra, stupid, sad about being single) In her music, she's outspoken, sassy, brassy, and sometimes crass. She makes mistakes, tells the truth, and isn't afraid of explaining herself even when it may

not be so. . . pretty (See "Birds).

But "Mouthwash" is all me, minus the freckles. It's kind of, take me or leave me, just don't try to change me. I am/do lots of things, and I drink cups of tea. Thanks for reading.

ART || words of/from an artist.

Hey! I'm back.

Please forgive the excessive gushing that follows, but I can't help it:

I think that Kanye West is probably my most favorite artist. Ever. But I never know how to start a blog post about my musical journey with Mr. West. And I don't know if I ever will be able to write about it here. Just know that Kanye West's music has had a huge impact on me. He's arrogant, flashy, stylish, funny, arrogant (again) but most of all HE. IS. AN. ARTIST.

I never click the links on Twitter when artists/celebrities/stars go live on Ustream. But this time, after reading a few comments of other tweeters, I jumped on the bandwagon. And I'm glad I did.

He talks about his inspirations, his creative process, and what's coming next:

Embarrassing Confession: As I watched this, tears began to form. That's when I really realized how much I admire this man's work.

MUSIC || pharrell. despicable me. love.

I took my little cousin to see Despicable Me on Saturday. If you like silly/funny/heartwarming animated comedies, I suggest you go out and see it! And if you like really fun-sounding and good music, I also think you should go see the film. And get your hands on the soundtrack.

Numerous times during the movie, I found myself immersed in the music surrounding me in the theater. I was grooving or smiling or just feeling it. It's no surprise. Pharrell Williams was involved. And can I say, this is the flyest soundtrack and score of any animated movie(especially one geared to children). Ever. Seriously. Even Lupe Fiasco is involved in "Minion Mambo" (which I felt really silly for liking with the little minon voices at first. But it's Lupe and Pharrell. I cannot help it).

I really like the title track. It sounds like a classic track of your regular spy film or something, yet it's hip hop. And "Fun, Fun, Fun,"my other favorite, sounds like a summer driving song! It just makes me smile.

But you must hear "The Unicorn Song" sung by the youngest character, Agnes. If I had a child ( I know, I keep bringing up this hypothetical child,) I'd so want to get something Pharrell-produced with my cute, sweet kiddie's voice on it. Don't you just love it?

Seriously. Listen to "The Unicorn Song."

That is all.

MUSIC || because i like lyrics. . .

. . . and also because I like Jay Smooth (illdoctrine.com).

This video is pretty old (it's from March) but I love the key points made:

• At one point rap/hip hop was lyrical.
• Now it's not because people think lyricism makes no money
• But the top money-making artists are lyricists.

But of course, Jay says it better. So I'd advise you to watch the video.

SIDENOTE: Funny, but I dreamed of Jay last night. We were on a date. It was awesome. (Ok, that part might sound scary) And anyone who knows me should be able to see why I love this man. Even though he has no glasses.

UPDATE || wanna share? the music summer

I love music.

I love it because it's always a journey.

The journey I love the most is the growth I, the listener, can have with an artist. I don't know these people, but I remember "meeting" them through the music and what impact their music had on my life. Sometimes the music makes me think, other times it makes an new genre click for me, and even more times it just lets me widen my horizons.

I fall in love with lyrics, voices, textures. And I want to write about it. And I have written about it. I've charted my musical journeys with Kevin Michael, Robin Thicke, Lupe Fiasco, Mos Def, and Nat "King" Cole. Now I want to hear other stories.

I am looking for guest bloggers

to share their journeys with their favorite artists. When did you meet them and how have they influenced your lives? If you're interested give me a buzz!

MUSIC || missing: have you seen this man?

In 2007, he released his debut, self-titled album. Then he disappeared. You'd think he'd be hard to miss with the gigantic curly 'fro, soulful songs, and (in my opinion) an AMAZING voice.

His name: Kevin Michael. Known for such songs as "If I Ain't Got You" and "It Don't Make Any Difference To Me." The album is full of topics covering love to race to break-ups to lust.

I'm 3 years late to this party. But I. LOVE. HIM. Ok, I know, I love everybody it seems. But his voice is. . . I can't really describe it. He sings. No gimmicks. No tricks. Just pure vocalization. And it's refreshing.

I can't find anything new on him. That saddens me. I hope he's still out there. Somewhere. Making music. And if you've seen him or heard from him, please let me know. I'd appreciate it.

And just for fun: Kevin Michael covering Rihanna's "Umbrella." In love. That's all.

MUSIC || tippin' on the tightrope.

I checked out Janelle Monae's new project, The ArchAndroid, which was released on Tuesday. I've been listening to a bit of it each day, but I finally had time to sit and listen through it in its entirety yesterday before I went to bed. It's a lot to chew on. But I like that in music. It's an eclectic mix of all types of music, not just the funk/soul mix you get from her single, "Tightrope." It's fun. And it makes you FEEL. For most of the songs, there's so much going on, it takes one listen to feel each song's vibe, one listen to really get the intricacies of the music, and one to really pay attention to the lyrics. I love it.

I think this review sums up how I feel about it.

If you don't know Janelle Monae, check out this video and get the album:

MUSIC || thicke v. robin thicke: or something like that.

See, I enjoy Robin Thicke. I love his music. He's sexy. He's smooth. He's suave. But if I had to choose, I'd take THICKE over Robin Thicke any day. Yes, I know. Thicke is Robin Thicke. But still.

I was a senior in high school when I saw the video for "When I Get You Alone." I don't want to sound like every little thing changed my life, but I really feel like watching that video was a life-changing event. I knew that my music life would never be the same, and I had a hunch the music world would be affected as well.

So I looked him up. And found out who he was. And tried to get my hands on the album--which was kind of hard because it got pushed back. (I know, I went to the music store to get the album and they told me it wasn't out yet.) When I finally got my hands on it, and listened, I thought: This man is crazy. . . and I love it.

It was soul and wild and raw. There were so many different sounds and topics covered in that one album. Every single emotion was touched on and tapped into. From brutally honest "The Stupid Things" to "Suga Mama" about his woman who "won't public affection me" all the way to the laid back optimism of "I'm 'a Be Alright." It was just brilliant to me.

Absolutely brilliant. And, yes, while Robin Thicke's new singles are sexy and cool, there is something I miss from the the Thicke of A Beautiful World.

I think that's why, though I love his singles, I love getting my hands on the albums because that's where the artist I was introduced to can still be heard. He's evolved, of course, but the essence is still there. Which is why he's still one of my favorite artists to this day.

By the way: I liked his long hair.

UPDATE || changes?

I've been thinking about the format and direction of . . . and i drink cups of tea lately. I know that I want to change the format of it a bit, maybe follow some sort of theme. I'm really not sure though because the content here is all over the place, and it's been a semi-personal blog for most of the time I've had it. I don't even think many people read it, you know? But I'd like to make it different or bigger somehow.

There'll be a few changes in the coming months and I also will be more regular with posting. Thanks to those who already read . . . and i drink cups of tea so far! Comments and suggestions are welcome! Please and thanks.

And just for good measure, The new Beyonce video "Why Don't You Love Me":

"Why Don't You Love Me" - Beyoncé from Beyoncé on Vimeo.

MUSIC || still beamin': musings on lupe fiasco and my relationship with hip hop.

(long post warning)

PROLOGUE:
"Hip hop just saved my life" When I sang that line along with hundreds of Lupe Fiasco fans on Wednesday night, I felt like I was lying. I'm pretty sure there were a number of people in attendance who had their lives saved by hip hop in some way. Hip hop has been an integral part of their beings for almost as long as they can remember. Hip hop has gotten some of them through the rough times in life. For me, not so much. Really, if my sixteen year-old self witnessed me at a rap concert, she'd be very surprised. If she knew I attended two rap concerts in the course of a year, she'd probably faint. If she knew I enjoyed the entire thing. Both times. She'd probably never would have gotten up.

Chapter I.
I don't remember the first time I met Lupe Fiasco the way I remember meeting Mos. I think it was the "Kick, Push" video. But, I'm not sure about that either. I just know somehow I ended up buying the album and I couldn't stop listening to it. There were stories and complicated lyrics and uniquely arranged patterns and topics that ranged from love to death to religion and I ate it up. He does this thing I call mirroring, where he'll repeat the same verse with a slight variation and a entirely new meaning can come of it. Every time I listened to it, I learned something new about a song, the artist, art, myself. I agreed with him, I was challenged by him. I fell in love with this art, with lyrics, with beats, with stories, with a man's mind and what comes out of his mouth.

Chapter II.
I stood in line so nervous. We got tickets the day they were available to buy, so them running out of tickets was not the problem. I was just nervous. Looking back, I was probably wondering if I appreciated this music enough to be surrounded by die-hard fans who could recite every lyric (I can't memorize rap lyrics for the life of me). After I left the concert and thought, I realized that that was a really dumb thing to think. Every person appreciates music, art, whatever in a different way. I used to be the type of person like, well hey, if y'all weren't up on (ABC artists) before their first hit single, you're not a real fan or whatever. Not like that anymore. Lots of things have kicked me off of my music snob pedestal and I'm glad I'm off of it now.


Chapter III.
Energy everywhere. That's basically the only way I can describe my concert experience. We started with B.o.B., who is basically a ball of energy jumping around a stage. His music is cool, too. Then Lupe took the stage and I could feel the energy wave through the crowd. Every song, of course, was my favorite song. I remembered why I loved songs and what they made me feel when I first heard them.
I'm a lyrics girl. You can win me over with lyrics. The energy is in the words. In the stories. The beats, music, whatever push it along, but it's all about the stories. Lupe's got lyrics. He's got stories. He's got heart. You can see his passion for what he's talking about. You can see his passion for music. You can see his passion about people around him. You can see all this by just watching him on stage.

Epilogue.
So, no, hip hop didn't save my life. But it definitely changed it. It got me expanding my limits of what constitutes art, music, expression. It got me out of music snobbery. It heightened my love of language and what can be done with it. Rap, hip hop, hasn't always been an integrel part of my life. But if it was only for people who came out of the womb bobbing their heads, it would not be alive today. It crosses lines, changes minds, and opens eyes. I'm glad it crossed my way. No, Lupe is not the only reason I was touched, but he's played a huge part in my appreciation of art of all kinds. Yeah.

I really hope I get to see Lupe Fiasco in concert again.

ART & MUSIC || naked, cool, and free.

I don't have much to write about. Life is busy. The semester is wrapping up and the show I'm in opens tonight. So life is busy. But I want to leave you all with this piece about Erykah Badu's new video for "Window Seat." Children are brilliant:

A five year old reviews Erykah Badu's "Window Seat" video.


Love.

UPDATE || on the topic of being thankful:

I am thankful that I was able to be a part of Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit. I was a singer and my life was greatly enriched by being a part of this organization. I knew once I graduated from the program, I wanted my career to be in the arts.

Take time to vote so that they can have more funding to continue to allow young people express themselves and get quality training in the performing arts! (You have to fan Chase Community Giving in order to vote.)

MUSIC ||i just wanna say. . .

I will be up pretty late tonight and tomorrow night (and probably Tuesday night) to get homework done for class. It will be worth it when I'm not rushing to finish stuff up Wednesday after the Jay-Z concert.

I'm excited to experience it, though I'm not a Jay-Z fan and I only know, like, four songs he's ever made. I can say what I've heard from The Blueprint 3 has been pretty nice, but I don't feel appreciative enough of Jay to know what the heck is going on. But I'm still excited to go to the concert with my LS. I will be schooled. That's cool.

Then the weekend will kind of begin, and I am extra excited for that. So, good week ahead?
ABSOLUTELY.

Loving it. Loving life.

MUSIC || mighty.

I remember the first time I heard Mos Def. I feel like I may have heard the name before, but I'm not sure. But I do remember the day I heard Mos Def's music.

I was at a point where I could care less about rap. I wasn't a huge fan. I mean I danced to the popular songs and could hold a decent conversation about the rappers out at that time.

But this was something new.

He was talking about history. And music. And love. And race. And home. And rock and roll. You had to listen to the words, not just bob your head to the beat. It wasn't about catchy hooks. It was something that connected to my soul.

So in that crowded van, riding around DC, surrounded by classmates and thespians who had dreams like me, who chatted about auditions and life at Howard and stuff like that, I zoned out of the conversation to agree with Mos Def's statement that

"Elvis Presley ain't got no soul, Bo Diddly is rock and roll. You may dig on the Rolling Stones, but they ain't come up with that shit on they own."

There was music store in the train station. I thumbed through the M's in the Rap Section, laughing at the idea that I was actually in the Rap section, and picked up the only copy of Black on Both Sides. I was surrounded by words. Words that took me places. Words that made me think. Words that riled me up and words that lulled me to sleep. All spoken with love.

By the time I got home, I was in love.

Since then I've listened to as much of his work as I could get my hands on. I get excited for new album releases. I've fallen in love with his acting (which has nothing to do with the music part, but I just wanted to put it out there.)

But I'm here. I'm still listening.

MUSIC || more on MJ

When I was little, I was in love with Michael Jackson and I loved James Brown. My favorite things to watch when I was bored were The Muppet Movie, The Wizard of Oz and Moonwalker. Moonwalker made us feel so good. I was always in awe of the dancing in "Smooth Criminal". I had fun dancing to "Speed Demon". I was afraid of "Thriller" as a kid, and now I love the song and now Halloween is complete without it.

There was something about his dancing, his voice and his eyes (which never changed no matter how many surgeries he had) that held me.

I'm still feeling sad about his death. I've been watching videos and listening to all the songs they've been playing on the radio, plus the music I've just been listening to. I'm trying to pick out my favorite songs, but the list gets so long when I try to pick just one. MJ was amazing. He was real music. He was real entertainment.

I know that there are many people who loved him more than I did. I have family members almost devastated. And I know his family is having a rough time as it's hard to lose someone. I am glad he left his music behind and his wonderful videos.

There are also some hilarious stories about me, my sisters, and Michael Jackson. I'll have those memories too.

MUSIC || mother's day.

Mother's Day is coming up!
One of my favorite things about that day used to be that it would be the only time of the year I could hear "Mama Used to Say" by Junior. I can listen to it whenever now, because I know the artist and important information. But the point is this was my favorite Mother's Day song because it was upbeat, fun, and made me want to dance. Also, Junior's falsetto is quite amusing.

So whenever I listen to this song, I remember being a kid and waiting for this song to come on the radio.

Now, I saw the video for the first time today, and I really don't know what scrubbing yourself in a bathtub and a cartoon house have to do with what your Mama Used to Say, but hey, I still love the song.

IRL ||morning randoms for you.

1. Clearly, I think I'm missing my housemates. But I will be in Detroit for the rest of the week. . .

2. Spent the morning with Faith Evans and the fabulous Chaka Khan. Lovely.

3. Feeling weird because every time I listen to "You Gets No Love. . . " this line always stands out: "Just because I let you get some, that don't make you the one. We ain't even in love. . ." And I like it. Just bad.

4. I am kind of obsessed with the new BEP's "Boom Boom Pow." I listen to it whenever it comes on. I kind of think it's a silly song too, with Fergie's screeching in the middle.

5. I want, like, a bizillion dresses! I think I might start switching over to a mostly dress/skirt wardrobe. I think that would be fun. I've been slipping into jeans and t-shirts lately. Like, real t-shirts-- not the fitted ones with the flattering necklines, but like standard 2X t-shirts. Get it together Miss .renae.

thank god for the new, but we can't forget the old school.

This morning I really wanted some good praise music. It's upbeat and makes me feel good.

I looked up Ron Kenoly, the only name I could remember, and listened to the songs we used to listen to (and sing) when I was a little girl.
It feels good!

"If you confess the Lord, call Him up. . .
If you believe in the Father, the Son, and the Hooooooly Ghost,
Call him up and tell him what you want. . ."

I love good memories.

slow it down.

I love Musiq's "sobeautiful".
Every time I hear it, I'm like, "that is a really pretty and sexy love song. . . "

Sexy love songs, to me, aren't sex songs. They have a balance of love and desire. You know it's not all just physical. There's depth there, feeling. They don't only have a sexy groove, but lyrics that have deep meaning.

On that note, here's the beginning of my sexy song list. I do have a few that are not that deep, but hey.

"Believe" - Raheem Devaughn
(This for one line: " like the rebirth of love. . . with a twist." I don't know why that is so sexy to me.)
"The Panties" - Mos Def
(Do not let the name fool you. The word panties is not even in the song.)
"Still Ray" - Raphael Saadiq
(Two lines: "I'm coming home to you, wear something see-through, so I can see your heart. . . " and "You'll never have to beg me to come to bed; I'll walk you there each night. ")
"He Loves Me" - Jill Scott
"You" - Raheem Devaughn


Please add to it. Thanks.

love. black love.

Because I love chocolate, India, and Musiq: