Music is the Soundtrack to Life...

A Love Letter to Music……

By Brittnee’ Jones

Music, who would’ve thought that you would have such a big impact on my life. Music, let’s just keep it a buck, I love you! I know you get that a lot from a lot of listeners, but I love you more! You get me, you understand me. You’ve been there for me during the good times, the dark times and everywhere in between. To sum it all up: you’re the soundtrack of my life and I’m forever grateful. 

 You came into my life at an early age when I first discovered New Edition on vinyl & Michael Jackson on cassette tape. Talk about a life changer! At that point growing up, I would constantly listen to vinyl records, cassette tapes and the radio (& later CDs) because at this point, I knew you had a special place in my heart that would never fade away. 

  You provide an escape for me. You have been a huge source of strength through times where I was in a very dark place. You helped me get through a rough 4-5 months of recovering from a car accident, you provided comfort through many heartbreaks in my life including the biggest heartbreak of all: losing my Dad. You’ve literally been there through it all. 

 Thanks to you, I have a buffet of playlists that matches every mood that I have and for every moment throughout my life. You were even there when I had my first crush and the several crushes after that lol!! For every family reunion, birthday party, cookout/barbecue, kickback, wedding, any social event, etc., thank you for breathing life into those things. It’s amazing what you can do once someone hits “play”.

 You inspire people, you uplift people, you bring people together, you make people feel, & you give hope to people when they feel as if there’s nothing left to hold on to. If we can’t find the words to say, we express ourselves through the music we play. You brought me together with people who love and appreciate music the way I do. I’m thankful for what you have done in my life and in the lives of others. Music is life! As MJ simply put it: “Only know wherever I go…we’re as close as two friends can be”. That’s 100!

As a lover of music, I would LOVE to share some of my personal favorite Playlists! The first 2 playlists were created by me just to give you all a glimpse into what I love as far as music and to show you that there is literally a song for every mood! (On Apple Music only…sorry Android users)!

(Love Is…) https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/love-is/pl.u-aZb0ajxINLDl2A

(Gym Sessions) https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/gym-sessions/pl.u-76oN96bIkoLAEy

(Me & Bae) https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/me-and-bae/pl.a13aca4f4f2c45538472de9014057cc0

(I Miss Golden Age Hip Hop) https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/i-miss-golden-age-hip-hop/pl.ae35d12f49e04923b26e2de11293ac2a

Follow Me @_BeeRayJay on Twitter, @beerayjones on Instagram & “Brittnee Raynita Jones” on Facebook!!

Britt’s Top Ten Remixes of All Time!!!!

Written by Brittnee’ Jones

Remember the days you would cop an artist’s album and you looked forward to listening to that one song that you’ve grown to love on the radio only to find out that the remix is on a completely different level than the original song?? Not only that, but discovering that the remix was actually better than the original version? This is the impact of the remix, bringing a completely different flavor! Remixes have been known to change the course of an artist’s career.

While this task was on “successfully getting through the Hidden Temple” levels of difficult, here’s my Top 10 list of the best remixes of all time! Note: I welcome ALL discussions on this list as well as your personal Top 10 list! Disclaimer: These songs are in NO particular order. It was stressful enough to pick just 10! LOL!

Craig Mack featuring The Notorious B.I.G., LL Cool J, Rampage & Busta Rhymes “Flava in ya Ear”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMbELEUfmIA (Courtesy: Bad Boy Entertainment)

-As soon as you heard the clanging bottles at the beginning of the track, you knew you would be in for a treat! Flava in ya Ear is a Bad Boy classic & while the original track is memorable, the remix is what made the biggest impression on me. The different ranges of rap styles were the perfect ingredients for this bowl of gumbo!

Method Man featuring Method Man “I’ll Be There for You/You’re all I need to Get By”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XW1HNWqdVbk (Courtesy: Island Def Jam Music Group)

-I don’t know who decided that Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell’s “You’re All I Need to Get By” needed a hip-hop makeover but I’m glad they did when they produced this remix!! One of the best hip-hop love songs of all time!! Mary J was just the icing on the cake!

Mya featuring Jay-Z “Best of Me” (Part 2)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQqwLPKYbok (Courtesy: Urban Music Group/Interscope)

-When it comes to a remix, sometimes it feels as though something is still missing from it. *Jay-Z had entered the chat*. Jay laid his verses down and took this song to another level!! Plus, you knew an even hotter verse was coming when you heard that “5, 4, 3, 2, 1” countdown. I also love that this song still managed to showcase that “sweet” side of Mya!

 SWV Right Here (Human Nature Remix)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHwXoY0LiQk (Courtesy: Sony)

-I mean, I could just say “Michael Jackson – Human Nature…enough said” and move on lol! If you know SWV then you that they are known for their remixes. The original version was always good, but you knew that the remix was going to be 10 times hotter! SWV took their debut song which was fun and up-tempo and mellowed it out by adding Michael Jackson’s Human Nature. Thus, creating a masterpiece. That “S-W-V” chant you hear towards the end? That was Pharrell Williams

Meek Mill featuring Rick Ross, T.I., Lil’ Wayne, DJ Khaled & Swizz Beatz - “I’ma Boss” Remix

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujvo3ghNK5M (Courtesy: MMG/Warner Records)

-Like the “Flava in ya Ear Remix”, the “I’ma Boss remix just elevated the original version of the song to the next level!! Meek Mill brings the type of energy that gets you hype. So, picture that same hype plus an elite list of artists added on. The list of appearances on this track is more stacked than a full order of pancakes at IHOP! Every artist brought a verse that was set up to try and outdo the next man! We can’t forget about Wayne’s iconic “Avatar” line!

Brandy featuring MC Lyte, Yo-Yo & Queen Latifah - “I Wanna Be Down” Remix

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfE2gBhwsM4 (Courtesy: Warner Music Group/Urban Atlantic)

-I’ll always respect Brandy for releasing a smoothed-out track like “I Wanna Be Down”, but for the remix, she did what she had to do by kindly stepping aside and allowing 3 dope emcees let loose!! This song can be compared to the “Flava in ya Ear Remix”. Each woman brought their own unique vibe to this track. Queen Latifah’s verse?? Enough said…she was doing the Lord’s work with that verse!

Brandy featuring Wanya Morris (from Boyz II Men) – Brokenhearted Remix

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJlNPk_YVHA (Courtesy: Warner Music Group/Urban Atlantic)

-What’s interesting about the Brokenhearted remix is that many people were under the impression that the remix was the original song but if you listen to Brandy’s self-titled album, you hear that the original song features Brandy only. While this song may not be on everyone’s top ten list, what makes it stand out to me is the beat, the use of a synthesizer and of course…. Wanya’s untouchable vocals. Their “secret” relationship made this song even better because the chemistry was there!

112 featuring The Notorious B.I.G. & Ma$e – Only You Remix

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVOqbskGeBs (Courtesy: Bad Boy Entertainment)

-There are many instances where the remix makes you forget the existence of the original song. That’s what Diddy did for 112’s “Only You”. What made this song what it was??? They gave it an up-tempo pace, added a verse from Ma$e and of course, switched it up and let Big’s verse open up the song. “Jesus, the Notorious just please us with your lyrical thesis” …. makes sense!!

 Mariah Carey featuring ODB – Fantasy Remix

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tCTm5M3Cp8 (Courtesy: Columbia Music)

First off, let’s start off with the fact that Mariah Carey was genius enough for sampling Tom Tom Club’s “Genius of Love” in the original song. Let’s start there!! Probably one of my favorite samples of all time!! However, Mariah dropped that “draw four, UNO, UNO Out” with the Fantasy remix!! You know how they say oil & water doesn’t mix? That’s what comes to mind when you think Mariah & ODB. That’s faaaar from the case when the late ODB blessed us with greatness on this track!! “Me & Mariah…go back like babies & pacifiers”?!?!? “What cha gonna do when you get outta jail…I’m gonna do a remix”?!?!? Doesn’t get any better than this!!!

R. Kelly – “Ignition” (Remix)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6y_4_b6RS8 (Courtesy: Sony Music Entertainment)

*sighs* Okay…..I decided to choose violence today with this one. Robert Kelly, we know what it is with that, but we can’t deny the greatness of R. Kelly so here we go! You know the remix is going upstage the original when you make the decision to place it directly after the original version & that’s exactly what R. Kelly did. The original became an afterthought when the remix was released. Kells make magic when it comes to the remix (I’m a Flirt has entered the chat lol).

Well, there you have it, my top remixes of all time! Please leave comments below! I’m here for this debate!

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