The Days Before Bey

I remember a time when it was OK to like and appreciate various artists without being ridiculed or labeled a "hater". I hate that word. I remember when I would spend time looking at the record collections (tapes, CDs, etc) of my older cousins and uncles. They had so much music from various genres, artists, etc it was exciting for the younger kids to just look at the album cover photos and designs.

I remember how you could listen to everybody and preferring or liking one did not preclude you from appreciating the artistry of another.

Just because I was grooving to Brandy's " I Wanna Be Down (The Remix with Queen Latifah, MC Lyte and Yo-Yo) didn't mean I could not relate to or appreciate Monica's "Don't Take It Personal". And I was certainly dancing to Aaliyah's "Back and Forth"

Just because I was singing off key to Brownstone's "If You Love Me" and "Grapevyne" didn't mean that a couple of years later I would sleep on Total "Trippin" and "Kissing You".

Listening to SWV's "Rain" didn't mean I couldn't seductively dance to Jade's "Don't Walk Away Boy" or Adina Howard's "Freak Like Me" or TLC's "Creep"

I was mesmerized by 13 year old Staci Lattisaw and memorized her entire album. And Stephanie Mills.

Female empowerment without naming yourself a feminist? How about Lisa Stansfield "All Woman" "I may not be a lady, but I'm all woman". Karen White singing she was not a "Superwoman". Lest we not forget Mary J. Blige's career. She got me through undergrad.

I remember when I first heard Brandy's "Angel in Disguise" and hanging out with friends in the city (prior to 9-11) singing "The Boy is Mine", the duet with Monica.

And pop bubble gum were groups like The Jets "Private Number" or "Crush on You" or Regina's "Baby Love" (who sounded like Madonna) or Debbie Gibson "Only In My Dreams". These songs were age appropriate, girls and teen girls. Not overly sexual, twerking buttocks, or surfboard riding.

Legends are made when your older relatives, parents, siblings, etc listens to good music and even if you don't appreciate the music as the time, you grow to appreciate it and then you listen and then your children listen and so on and so forth. It isn't forced. My dad love the 70's funk so I am a fan of the Ohio Players, and the late great Johnny Guitar Watson, Rufus featuring Chaka Khan, Teddy P., the O Jays, New Birth, etc.

I can listen to 80's rock and pop, Culture Club "Time Won't Give Me Time", Scandal, Cyndi L., Paul Young, White Snake, Thompson Twins, John Waite " Missing You" recent bad break up so I had to youtube it this week.

This is just a small drop in the bucket of my musical taste. I did not include any international music or various symphonies.

So many single brain-celled individuals do not realize that Beyoncé is very and extremely limiting. Her music stifles the mind. Feel free to enjoy her songs and anything else, but don't cheat yourself out of the beauty that is MUSIC.