Can I give a Soul Drop? I need to start doing this on the regular cause I always seem to be circling back to the funky business and throwing tracks around to people. Hip hop blog nothin… Anyway, I’ve been doing a lot of driving lately and the soul playlist gets a lot of love. Here’s some jammies for your soul holes.

Mavis Stapes - A Piece Of The Action
I gotta give it up to 4 Brother Beats for this one. I hadn’t heard this Mavis Staples albums before, but am always checkin in over there. So I grab it on a whim, and cot damn. I gotta say this album quick became a favorite. I can’t even say what the appeal is, it’s just solid and soulful throughout. The title cut is my jam. Shout out to 4 Brothers for doing their thing. “delicious, delicious, delicious”.

Curtis Mayfield - Trippin Out
It’s Curtis, what can I say. This one came on this morning when i was out and about and I was actually amazed i hadn’t written abotu this cut. This is one I carry in my crates almost all the time. Ski flipped this for Camp Lo’s Black Nostalgic it was a prefect mach (sorry for the sample spottin, but both cuts are favs). Their swag fit it to a T. Curtis is unfuckwitable.

Ohmega Watts - Groovin On Sunshine
OK, it’s not “soul” in the classic sense, but ti thinks it’s worth trying to give shine to some other OTHER soulful cats. I played the hell of that first Ohmega Watts album when it came out. It really hyped me up on hip hop production again to hear some raw funky shit like this come out. Not gonna lie, I still play it all the time. I haven’t really chimed in on his newer album, but sit tight Watts I’ll get to ya.

Marlena Shaw - California Soul (Diplo Remix)
I cannot front, my man Unite hipped me to this jammy. Normally, I’m not too much of a Diplo fan either (NO HATE-O), and the throwback remixes are a bit hit and miss at times but Diplo came correct. Let alone jumping on a soul classic, that was ballsy. This remix adds the bump for sure. Not mad.

One more classic summer jam for good measure…

Kool & The Gang - Summer Maddness
This song never gets old for me…

If this shit don’t make you move your ass, your thing is broke. Seriously. Here’s some jams you all should be rocking on the regular. I am! Every so often I sweep through the old iTunes library and survey my listening habits to see what’s what. These cuts have risen up recently and need to be passed on.

Harvey Scales - Dancing Room Only
This is mostly know because of the Beastie Boy’s use of the drums for Shake Your Rump, but hot DAMN this cut is nice none the less. I actually don’t know too much about Harvey (home town of Milwaukee! ah hem! thanks Wiki), but that doesn’t matter. It’s still funky. Do It Girls do your thing.

The Notations - Superpeople
Very remminicent of Mr. Mayfield, so much so that I thought it was Curtis when I first heard it. Another Midwest connection (Chicago), The Notations didn’t do too much from what I know. I do know it’s funky, and I’m feeling it. Anyone got more info on these cats?

Bernard Wright - Master Rocket
Bernard is the dude. This cut in particular has always been a favorite of mine. I used to play that Zhigge cut all the time (see below) and didn’t even know I had this record. The cover is deceiving, and does not elude to the funky gems therein. This is crazy nice for 81, and not to hard to find on wax.

Sounds Good With
Zhigge - Harlem

It ain’t all about the knock in the trunk and dookie ropes y’all. You need to give your earholes some sweet love from time to time. I thought I’d use a moment here to take it on back… back to some real soul from the ladies. It goes without need for mention I have a soft spot for the sweet stuff. I’ve been playing these out a mess lately*, so I figured I’d spread the love a little.

Barbara Mason - Give Me Your Love
Now I just love this cut. It’s so damn smooth. I remember I used to rock this on 45 on the regular (before I got the LP, which for some odd reason took me a long time to find?). This is a cover of Curtis Mayfield’s “Give Me Your Love”. Enough said.

Rita Wright - Touch Me, Take Me
I’ve been playing the hell out of this cut lately. I admit, I don’t even know a whole lot about Rita and I found it on a comp, but DAMN. Grab this, cause even aside from the nasty break up front the track is amazing.

Sylvia Striplin - You Can’t Turn Me Away
Now, this is the cut people always sweat me about when I play it - mostly because of Junior Mafia (”Get Money”, for you sample spotters out there). But whatever, this shit is straight buttery and you need to get with it.

* On that note, I’ve actually been archiving playlist from my Saturday residency. Using Serato has made this a bit easier. Watch for a playlist post soon for the back catalog.

NOTE: I’m back after over a week of being sick. Let’s kick it off strong…

Short Eyes has got to be one of my favorite soundtracks, and also one of my favorite Curtis Mayfield albums as well (though, it’s quite hard to pick). It sounds stupid, but I’ve never even seen the movie - and part of me doesn’t want to. I think I feel like if I wind up not liking it I’ll think less of this album. I don’t know, but these two cuts in particular are just straight amazing and may be something you haven’t heard. I’m not even going to go on a Curtis rant, cause I can’t imagine anyone could dislike him. Give a listen and enjoy.

Curtis Mayfield - Do Do Wap Is Strong In Here

Curtis Mayfield - Freak, Freak, Free, Free, Free

BONUS CUT
Curtis Mayfield - Right On For The Darkness (from the Back To The World LP)