Rock + Roll vs. R+B, Raj Styles

Most times weekends are good for rest and recreation,but when you can mix a bit of the ‘ole deep introspection in as well…the possibilities kinda go glacial (grow exponentially), and the hang ups tend to go off the hook. Such was the case this past weekend as A.H. and I attended quite the stylish get-together at the Hovey Sister’s home. Their 1st annual Raj on the Roof party was all pith helmets, gin, smiles, and far-away looks with old Jim Bond, aloof, cool manners.

About midway through, we noticed that the music, while good, didn’t really have that bounce to get people up dancing,and that was the bounce we were looking for right then. So of course we suggested Browning it up a bit with the modern day soul genius who is R. Kelly, R. Kells for those in the know. After some hemming and hawing (R. Kelly is seen as socially irresponsible by some…IDK). R. Kells took the party to places it wouldn’t have gone otherwise. To the heights of bumping+grinding singing out loud and off key heaven, if even for only one song.

It got me to thinking about R+B and Rock+Roll and the attitudes and personae usually associated with the two.

On the one hand there’s Rock and Roll, lean, hard, muscular at times, lumbering and big only asking for you to be primal cool on the outside with animalistic intentions on the inside. Then take R+B, with bounce, funk, flow and at times a thuggish ruggish glare. Saying let it out how ever it works…let it out. Simply put Rock+Roll is cool, too cool for school, and R+B is all out there so bass in your face obvious that it’s cool too, just in a different way.

Thing is so many folks love one, while hating on the the other. When in actuality they’re less mutually exclusive and more yin to each other’s yang. Too cool for school is fun. It makes it easier to be a bit less vulnerable to slings and arrows of outrageous fortunes that can befall even the most experienced, but it blocks out the silly fun. Letting it out anyway that works and feels right, is great, freeing and instinctual, but at times super cheesy and obnoxious.

Fortunately you really don’t have to choose. There are purists on either the Rock+Roll and R+B benches that would say you can’t tread the middle ground, but they lose out in rigid spades. I mean you have to balance out three straight weeks of straight Pink Floyd and the Sonics with a long ride or two of Mariah Carey or Troop, or Aaliyah. I mean fair is fair.

~ by MikelJason on June 3, 2008.