Osunlade/NadirahShakoor/SelekKae
17.03.24
Lucky I’m Black
Osunlade Gets His Flowers
“Happy birthday to you.” A chorus sings across the expanse. Thereafter, an elder directs those gathered to belt the livelier soul-stirring rendition of Stevie Wonder’s “Happy Birthday.”
“People always forget the lyrics to the second verse.” Everyone’s Favorite Photographer mentions over the growing serenade.” The time reads 9:30 pm. Wait! The day party was advertised to conclude at 8 pm. Oh well. Here we are at 9:30. Here we are.
4:30 hours earlier
“Brooklyn?”
“Nah. I’m from the Bronx baby.” A woman yells to the towering figure with a protruding jaw who name checks identification.
“I don’t know how they gettin’ back home.” She jokes. Her index finger points to the woman and man accompanying her through the entrance. “I showed you my ticket already.” She lies to the lithe brunette behind the counter. “Remember?”
These walls talk. You overhear hootin’ and hollerin’ as you strut the great red hall. Redrum comes to mind. Take an abrupt right turn in the dark. The room expands. In view are heads tilted upward, eyes shut and bodies spinning around glowing columns shaped as overgrown calla lilies reaching towards the ceiling where fiery reds fade to black.
The beating of congas slowly ebbs into a slow-burner groove. The drums and vocals reminiscent of classic R&B radio jams. To some the song is unrecognizable. Much like driving down Memorial Avenue SE these days. And why did GPS lead you to a gated dead-end? You digress. Wandering in these city streets on a Sunday evening is much like the music selector. She takes risks. Tina Marie’s “Out On A Limb” blasts from overhead speaker cabinets.
The playlist is courtesy Atlanta transplant Selek Kae. The Brooklyn native plays all. Be ballads that awaken by the cabasa and vibraslaps at 124 beats per minute. Take Switzerland’s Pad Beryll’s featuring vocalist South Africa’s Toshi “Let Me See,” re-released on King Street Sounds. Miss Kae slays. Her eyes dart to and fro behind translucent frames. Her fingers steadies the fader. She orchestrates the tempo. The Doug Gomez Merecumbe Extended Mix scorches.
A much needed water break arrives as Afefe Iku’s with OVEOUS “Mirror Dance” (Yoruba Soul Remix) plays that just feels-tired. Smell that? The aroma of smoked meats that will later turn into scents of unwashed crevices. Turn around, into the room walks the headliner of the event. As his song plays, his multi-pattern tunic, striped scarf and acid denim clad frame sits on a colored lime cushion. The Black Hippee speaks with the sisters and poses for photos. He grabs a hand-crafted drink. Welcome to El Malo.
“Where your pleasure is taken seriously.” Their website reads. El Malo is not many things, but many things. Signature cocktails. Succulent gastronomy. A forbidden sanctum. The perfect refuge to flex and flaunt. As OVEOUS & QVLN’s “Quemar” (Atjazz Galaxy Aart Mix) keeps your toes bouncing with your dance partner. Who receives the award for wearing the best statement tee, “Lucky I’m Black.” Anyone up to celebrate with sum’ “Chocolate Puddin'?” The Osunlade and James Curd release is remixed by Atlanta’s own. The perfect nod to the NDATL label head. Kai Alcé is at the bar, eyeing a designer bottle of water.
Turnabout. View the three mothers draped in head-to-toe white. Their bodies aligned in formation. Be dazzled by their head wraps. Be charmed by their torsos that swivel left right, right left. Be swept by their floor-length dresses twirling through the throngs of LIVE streamers, flash photographers, and flood lights. Their bare feet prance forward, then march left and stop front center the altar. There stands shoeless their High Priest.
Osunlade
The ever outspoken Osunlade brings out the women. They’re having caviar and conversations in plush booths. Sipping on Piña Clara at the opulent bar. Two-stepping across the concrete. Recently, Mr. Yoruba Soul told Ria Hylton at DJ Mag,” he plays [music] for the ladies. Dudes are only there to judge.” This evening, Atlanta wants to prove him wrong.
All genders rush the altar. A great upward expansion flanked with emerald plastic ovals. Many in the crowd, adorned in Ankara print and color appear possessed by rhythm and drums. People evoking ancient movements. When all beings become living instruments, shaking tambourines and beating percussions and boisterously singing , “bring it back, sing it back.” An ancestral cover of the Irish-English duo Moloko.
After hugging Miss Selek Kae and praising her for a proper opening ceremony, OVEOUS & Don Kamaares’ “Legacy” arrives. The time has come to stop playing. Break out the head stands and hand spins to Detroit’s Johnny Malek’s “I Promise” that contains interpolations from Atlanta’s late LaShun Pace’s “I Promised the Lord.” That plays like sitting in a Baptist church with no AC. Much like the temperature in this Bad Boy. “WE OUTSIDE!!!!” A Puerto Rican bonita announces next to you while fanning perspiring foreheads. Just in time, more hand fans appear. Their “clacks” sound on the ones and threes over the Afro driven Enoo Napa Remix of “Solo” from Luka & Sio.
If the soul of Detroit could be packaged as leather Bibles and sold for $60, Louie Vega’s featuring Moodymann “Seven Mile” would make Black Jesus proud. Track number seven on Expansions In The NYC comes hard. Shout out to the live percussionist. His drumming does not interfere, eclipse, or diverge in opposing rhythm. His drumming compliments. The recorded elements that speak-beckoning to dance with you, around you, and through you.
Women scream for Floetry. Men scream for Floetry. When the music disappears on the Osunlade Mix, “all you gotta do is say yes.” People sing from hungry mouths. Cause Atlanta is hungry. Real hungry. ATL ain’t danced to the orchestrator of ancestral house for a good minute. One would think Hotlanta had lost it. Until now. “Say Yes” is the rowdiest response so far.
But it’s “Mama’s Groove” (Jimpster’s Hip Replacement Mix) that makes you drop, pause in mid-squat and jump to your feet in front of dance partner number two, smiling in her shamrock green tee that reads “Kiss Me I’m Lucky.” After a round of fancy foot shuffles, she spins and dips. “I have to use the bathroom now.” She beelines past security dressed in all black wearing a Power of Ogun Warrior necklace. His pearly whites illuminate as the record restarts on Moodymann’s (Live @ Cutloose 2nd Annual Birthday Party).
Osunlade even raises his camera phone to film the spectacle on Tortured Soul’s “I Might Do Something Wrong.” His Lonely Mix, released many moons ago sounds fresh as ever. The voice of ancestral once stated he aimed to make music that would be legendary after his transition from this life. Wrong. Osunlade gets his flowers. Literally, Elder International Party Man hands Osunlade flowers across the DJ platform. The living legend’s impactful legacy is proclaimed today.
At his Birthday soiree, the Saint Louis native soundtracks a near catalog of twenty plus hits-remixes, exclusives and goodies. For those gathered, this is a celebration of community and culture. For you this becomes a whirlwind of song and dance through space and time. You get down to Osunlade’s “Blackman” and Frank-I’s “Let The Record Play” released in 2005. Incomes “Cantos a Ochun Et Oya” and Jazztronik’s “Dentro Mi Alma” (Yoruba Soul Remix) that keeps your feet shuffling over each other. Meanwhile, Australia’s Mike Steva’s “Oro” brings the Baltic brass to cheers of stomps and shouts as Souldynamic’s “Hostile Land” keeps you in motion for Git featuring Big Brooklyn Red’s “Higher” (Afefe Iku Remix) as the Yoruba Recordings’ Coflo’s, “Throwbacks” (Grapefruit La Croix) catapults you forward into “The Black Messiah.”
Define Packard. A) A luxury automobile formerly produced in Detroit. B) A Detroit techno track produced by Tom Flynn released on Planet E that plays next. C) All the above. Ever notice, as of late, Osunlade plays Charivari consecutive years, signs Detroit music makers, and exhibits art in the Motor City. Osunlade hearts Detroit.
When the “Envision” artist plays his favorite, Prince’s “Controversy,” you head for water break part II. At the bar, a free water station is all that is missing. So you two-step back to the altar on Aquarian Dream’s “Love & Tears.” As one of your Osunlade produced favorites, “Black Woman Cry” keeps you jumping in the air for more. That more is delivered when playing Moodymann for the third time. Black Mahogani’s track seven, “Shades of Jae” is “the defining song of many of our dj sets! great album! Favorite track: Shades Of Jae.” Osunlade posted on Bandcamp.
Hrns’ “Teena’s Cry” (David Harness and Tedd Patterson Remix) keeps you bent over, your arms flailing angular. Recall, DJ Khalid sampled Osunlade’s “Dionne.” Enough said. You punch the air with your fist on “Camera Shy” (Justin Imperiale Mix) before “Idiosyncracy” makes you want to kick off your white sneakers amongst the abandoned sandals, stilettos and socks hiding in dark corners.
Whoa! Blinding house lights illuminate Donnie’s “Olemc Save Us,” the Yoruba Soul Mix is Atlanta’s favorite, g.washington featuring Miriam Makeba’s “Warrior Mbube,” Eric Roberson’s “Don't Change” (Original), and Vivian Green’s “Emotional Rollercoaster” (Yoruba Soul) are diamonds sparkling in celestial brilliance.
Surprise! Joining the frontman on stage is his best friend, Nadirah Shakoor. The former Jimmy Buffett Coral Reefer Band vocalist belts her proudest anthem “Pride.” And everyone left standing is still yelling. Even the lone white guy swaying can’t manage to pull away from the ancestral energy. This is the power of a That Gyrl Inc party. You know you are going to eat real good.
Oh, “happy birthday Osunlade. Happy birthday to you.”
wrds: aj dance
vsls: aj art
Built with Shorthand