Folk music as an art form is a tradition handed down to us down the generations. Not something to be found in the history books, this music reflects the struggles of society as it evolved. The working class, which was the originator of most folk songs, is as omnipresent today as it always was. Even someone at the top of the corporate ladder today will be surprised how well a song that was composed during the slave age reflects on his struggle. Therein lies the beauty of these timeless lyrics.

One of the most underestimated, yet essential forms of music, folk music acts as a safety valve for the society. By giving an outlet to the feelings of the people, it perhaps avoids other possibly violent forms of dissent.

So what is this folk music all about? While you may have heard about jazz, the blues, and of course rock and pop, no serious music buff can afford to ignore this form of music.

Some of this music deals with folk stories that have been handed down the generations, again by word of mouth. They may not even be found in books, yet recount in graphic detail the victories of the heroes of the age in which they originated. To the extent, that you may even call it ‘oral history’ of the sect to which the song belongs.

Most folk music reflects the times in which it was composed. Thus you are sure to find music talking about slave culture, the civil war, the great depression, and so on. While you may not find it being played very often by your favorite disc jockey, songs like ‘We Shall Overcome’ are extremely popular otherwise, and reflect the struggle of life that is common to any age irrespective of the times in which they were composed. The songs reflect the eternal hope of the human race, that hardships shall not last and the world has much more to offer than the current set of struggles.

In recent times in American history, the depressing thirties gave rise to a number of contemporary folk songs. The songs pertaining to this period reflect the American psyche of the age, talking about workers struggle, child labor laws, and the eight-hour working day. The songs worked as a counter to the rough environment in which the workers found themselves, and hordes of them would gather around a fire or in community halls to sing songs that would give them hope.

Folk music is now commercially available in music stores, though you may have to ask around a bit as everyone may not be keeping it. A little more research, and you would definitely find folk music relating to your own community, and you can relate to it all the more. Play it on your car audio to perk up your spirits when you are feeling down. The extremely simple lyrics and tunes that are easy to hum along make them interesting companions that have the potential of making you feel lighter as well. Just about any music software will play the songs, and you can play whether you are in your car, or feeling down in your office after the boss just gave you a dressing down.

Folk music doesn’t restrict itself to only struggles, but touches other aspects of life as well such as the intricate human family relationships, love etc. After a wonderful date with your beloved, you will be surprised how beautiful the lyrics sound, and how true they seem to your own happy situation! For that, of course, you have to fall in love first. The lucky ones that already are know what I am talking about – don’t you?

So go ahead and widen your horizons about your perceptions of music. If you feel better during low times in the bargain, well, I would have achieved my aim of writing this article.



By: Sarika Kabra

About the Author:

ife without music, and just like a human soul without consciousness. As sound refreshes the soul, it forms as a timeless masterpiece of the triumph of human life. What makes human beings different from the rest of the creatures is the capacity to copy and produce sounds using not only voices but also our bodies. This ability reveals powers that imitate the rustling of the trees and combine it with the intensity of the flowing wind.

Human beings reproduce other animal sounds and blend it together as one musical concerto. Furthermore, humanity does more than just mimic them and pretend to be like them. This is the best proof that, indeed, human beings are more than just an ape. A symphony of vivacity emanates from within us as the soul produces music from the core of our existence.

A harmony of sounds combines different tones that convey the deepest meaning of our essence as human beings. The drama of our earthly existence reveals that there is more than just the humdrum of the daily routine. It displays the dynamics and sonic qualities of texture and timbre. It is like going to a room which was previously silent and lifeless. Now, it is filled with endless excitement of music, which has been produced by our innate capacity to reproduce music. Music is the meaningful product to relax and express our feelings at the moment

At the end of the day, we relax to the tune of soothing music as our bodies absorb the vibration produced by human hands. It might be that some type of music maybe noise to another person but this is only because we choose the songs that will express what we feel deep inside the recesses of our personhood. Like a ballad is to a lover, or the sound of drumbeats for a fertility dance.

When words fail to capture the mysteries of our existence, the best way is to produce music. The interpretation of music would vary in culture and social situations. This clearly shows that music is as eternal as life is. As music travels to our senses, it goes deeper into our consciousness. Then, it triggers the most powerful emotions, which reside in the soul. Generally, music can either destroy or build the soul. We can say that music can destroy or nourish life. Therefore, as music heals it also annihilates.

It moves the soul in different ways and when played in a particular mode, it triggers violence and brings them towards anger and hatred. However, music can enliven and fill the soul with what is noble and sacred. This brings us to the most important reality that music is an integral part of the existence of human beings. The present generations continuously collect music from different timelines and place them inside computers and IPods. In addition to this, we have to move towards a philosophical reflection of how music can truly help humanity. At the peak of technological improvement, music faces a new challenge.



By: Nor Nan

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When you hear about hip hop music, you can’t help but think of the DJ’s that have brought hip hop music to the forefront of the American culture and helped to promote the music all over the world. The work of DJ’s has been very important to the spread of hip hop music and has ensured that the best beats and rhymes are heard by music enthusiasts from coast to coast. From the gritty underground music scene of New York City to the bouncing beats of the California hip hop artists, DJ’s have been a major part of the expansion of the hip hop industry.

The New York DJ scene was the first to heavily promote hip hop music as a cultural shift in the music that was acceptable to the masses at the time. Young men and women crowded clubs all over New York City to hear a New York DJ spin the hottest records and introduce the new stars of the hip hop world. Over time, the popularity of the music began to spread and different areas of the country produced their own musicians that created local hip hop with a regional flavor.

The Chicago DJ scene brought hip hop music to the Midwest, where millions of Americans, young and old, embraced the new songs and were inspired to create hip hop music of their own. Although many musical artists developed their talent in the Midwest and gained a following, they often went to New York or California to meet with producers that could take their music nationwide. The fans in the city felt no sense of abandonment and the Chicago DJ would continue to spin the records of the hometown favorites and promote their music secure in the knowledge that the artists would be playing again for their hometown soon enough.

In Atlanta, an Atlanta DJ had a wide variety of different music styles to choose from to satisfy the listeners in their area. Although the music from New York, California, and the Midwest were all well received, a new southern hip hop music style sprung to life in Atlanta and every Atlanta DJ promoted the music with a vengeance. Many people believe that without the tireless promotion of hip hop music by DJ’s across the nation, the music would have never expanded far in the nation and world.



By: lazy submit

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“Dancing Styles and Dance Moves for beginners”

There are so many different genres of dance that one can feel overwhelmed when he or she thinks of learning to dance. However it is not as complicated as it seems.

Firstly, to excel at a certain style it may take years of practice, to be able to cope with several types of dancing is not quite as hard. For many people who enjoy a range of activities, it is much more beneficial to learn a little about each style and not a lot about just one. This is because the usual person in today’s world will be exposed and often “pressured” into dancing at a variety of events. Therefore someone may encounter hip-hop, ballroom, and break dancing styles all in a very short period of time.

The purpose of this article is to give an overview of the main types of dance and some of the moves needed for each.

Hip-hop is a great dance style to be familiar with as it can be used whenever there is a faster beat. Also, don’t think that hip-hop is just for those with baggy pants and lots of neck chains, anyone can benefit from acquiring this skill.

The most basic element of this genre is time-steps, a name also used for ballet moves. These require that you step in certain directions in time with the beat that is playing. “Step-tap” is one of these moves where you step to one side and then follow with your other foot and tapping it as it lands, continue this left and right.

A variation of this is “tap-step” where you tap with your first foot. You can experiment with many variations of these time-steps and maybe even create some of your own.

Another basic movement which looks great with a fast beat is isolations, where you separate movement in the upper body from the lower body. This can mean moving your shoulders back and forward while the rest of your body is still or swiveling your ankles creating movement while the rest of your body is still. These moves are the basics of hip-hop dance and should help in any club or dance party.

Ballroom dances can be some of the most difficult to perform perfectly due to the high levels of coordination required. However with some very handy tips, you should be able to impress, even if it’s only at your next wedding.

Firstly, always move in a counterclockwise direction and the closer you are to the middle of the dance floor, the slower you should go. This is a helpful tip to remember as it gives direction and purpose which will affect the rest of your dancing. Another easy tip is that if you are a woman, you should start with your right foot as opposed to a man, who should lead with his left.

If you want to impress your dancing partner, try this one technique. Just before you launch off, lean into the direction you will go and lean according to how far you will step. This tells your partner you are ready to go and does not jerk them roughly. These tips will hopefully save you from embarrassment on the slower dance floors where everything is under scrutiny.

Although break dancing may sound like something you would never want to do let alone try doing, break dancing for beginners can give you a few simple moves that will help keep you in time with the beat while helping you relax and enjoy your time spent dancing.

These moves are for the club or disco although you are free to show them off at the next ball or wedding you attend. The first move is the hand glide and just requires you to put one hand on the floor and tuck the other into your chest, then use your free hand to push yourself around until you are spinning on your hand. You can go as fast as you can manage. A head spin is a great looking move which isn’t as hard as it seems, place your head and hands on the floor and spin around. Much practice may be needed!

Not only are these moves fun, but they are great at building muscle strength.

So don’t worry if you can’t master all of these techniques, as long as you got some handy tips then you are already much better off. You are probably now a much better dancer than the average person. If you were very intrigued by one or more of these styles then maybe you should take up a course in your local town or city in order to really improve your skills. You may not have seen yourself as a dancer but it is something that with a little practice, anyone can impress with.



By: Renz Carlo C. Cabales

About the Author:

Chelsea Latimer from social dance site JigTV.com got to spend some time talking with Blake McGrath, contestant in the 2005 season of So You Think You Can Dance and star on MTV’s DanceLife. McGrath is a hip hop dancer and dance choreographer who offers online hip hop dance classes and instructional videos on JigTV.

Blake McGrath was one of the stars of DanceLife, an MTV reality show about the lives of professional dancers. He spoke fondly of his time on the show, saying that he felt the show represented him well, as well as being good about giving him a heads up about when they were going to be filming and not intruding too much on his personal life. “They just kind of followed us around,” Blake said, “And it got to show what dancers really go through to make it in the business.”

When asked if he kept up with any of the other stars from the DanceLife, he said Kenny Wormald and Michelle Maniscalco are some of his best friends, and that Kenny actually teaches some classes with Blake.

Blake said his time on So You Think You Can Dance taught him a lot because he had to dance in a lot of different styles that he wasn’t used to. “I definitely learned a lot” he said, “I had to be very versatile in a lot of different styles.” He said he likes to take dance classes in styles that he’s not familiar with, even though his primary style is hip hop, to make his dancing more dynamic.

While Blake is a dancer, he is currently focusing on singing, and is producing an album. He said he has always been able to sing well, so it was just a natural progression for him to make an album. He described his musical style as “soulful R&B pop” with dancing incorporated.

Blake maintains that one of the most important things to remember in the life of a professional dancer is to keep your head on straight. He said that the lifestyle is fast and can be draining, so remaining grounded is important. Blake thinks that continuing his dance education by learning new dance styles and moves is extremely helpful. Blake closed the interview by suggesting that dancers remain focused on their goals and keep a tight circle of friends for support.To watch the full interview, check out JigTV.com.



By: Michelle Latimer

About the Author:

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By: Data Recovery Software

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ng>Ali Lyles is the hottest musical artist that is taking his music by storm.

Who is Ali Lyles?   Ali Lyles, a.k.a "All The Greatest" whom is named after the great boxing champion known for his bold, cocky, and entertaining style of rap.   Ali Lyles is known for his ability to dance around tracks, as Muhammad Ali would dance around the ring that branded him the nickname, the young prodigy from Black Hollywood also known as the north side of Queens, NY.   Ali Lyles was born with a gift to rap and entertain from an early age. He started somewhat of a cult following in the city of the rap circuit, and was influenced by such hip hop icons such as; Biggie Smalls, Big Daddy Kane and Nas that helped hone his skills as an accomplished lyricist and writer with stories of him taking out M.C.’s in the street battles at the age of 16 and have been made a legend of The official legendary arenas such as; Nuyorican Cafe’, Downtime, The Pyramid, The Remote Lounge, Don Hills, TNY, S.O.B.’s, and many more.   After several victories against his rival opponents at various showcases in New York, he decided to take his skills to the booth in the studio to record his first solo project called, "Game Time".   Although, the project was a success and he would soon follow that up with his Sophomore Project, called "The Ali Lyles Experience" and the CD became an underground classic that sold over 7,000 copies.   This feat took notice from the legendary producer Marly Marl, who aired his first demo on the popular radio show; future flavors on Power 105.1 fm and he also landed a slot on two volumes of The "What’s Really Hood DVD", and he has worked with legendary and up and coming DJ’s and producers such as Jigstrumental, Jimi Kendrixx and Sev Beats just to name a few and he prides his self on the fact that he has not only studied the rap game, but the music business as well.   As an artist and entrepreneur from Black Hollywood such as other artists like Run DMC, LL Cool J, Russell Simmons, and Jah Rule.   Ali Lyles is set to be the next big thing coming straight out of Queens, New York which is a breeding ground for the world’s best rappers as history has already shown.   As the co-founder of Supreme Regime Entertainment, he felt the need to channel all his focus on putting out classic music and managing his own label. He realized early on that the key to success in this business is to dictate your own future.   He then strayed away from The Cliche’ artists recording deals that held a lot of fellow artists from achieving success and his new self entitled CD is stirring up a major buzz and is perfect timing for the list of projects he has lined up for something unique and innovative and the CD is getting rave reviews.   However, Hip Hop uncenscored took notice of Ali Lyles and has booked a slot for him to open up for Rich Boy and MIMS in Miami’s South Beach for Memorial Day that he has while launching a new music movement & targeting the fans that have been calling for a change to hip hop and the need for taking his music back to its essence and creating timeless songs and not gimmicks that will deter the longevity of the artist and the music.   Ali Lyles is currently putting together his EP, which is set to be released this summer, and his smash hit "Dollars" will be headlining the release on his interactive CD/DVD as well and the goal is to again, market the DJ’s, Clubs, Radio, and Internet which have proven successful in the past.   Sky is the limit for Ali Lyles and his future and his success in the music business is destined.   So there’s no telling what’s next for Ali Lyles and taking his music by storm.   Interested in Ali Lyles Music, CD’s, DVD’s, and other material.   Visit the website at: www.supremeregimeentertainment.com

  Supreme Regime Entertainment/Ali Lyles

 

By: nadia cherubin

About the Author:

This is a style that stays aside all the other music trends. Not aside, but somewhat deeper. The reason is it is a reflection of the race, the plurality of people united by roots and origin. Rap is the culture of Afro-Americans, the continuation of their language and traditions. Rap is a mixture of speech and music, actually it is speech laid on music or beat it’s better to say. And when we claim that people are united through music, meaning every single human being on this planet, rap unites the ones close to blood by music and then everybody else, either welcoming or being hostile to a newcomer. What attracts people in rap? Is it catchy? Maybe. Those non-natives to rap often state the flow of speech is too quick and it is difficult to differentiate the words. Sometimes it seems rap music is only for those from the cradle. Foreigners are not invited.

Rap is classified as urban poetry of lyrical resistance. Thus it is not the music for village like country music. It is the gathering power of those united by music in big cities. The aim is to resist the grieves because misfortunes are more dramatic and numerous in urban areas.

Rap does not only speak to the mind and emotions, but speaks to the society all around people, for people. If the words or courage to say those words are not there, the subconscious takes over and the Rap lyrics kick in.

But once captured by the beat, most people – mainly younger ones – begin to hear the words, and the words may describe just how they are feeling that day. If the boss came to work with an agenda to screw everyone, some people will “feel” the words and the beat, especially when enclosed in a car doing 70 on the freeway. It’s something about riding with the music turned full-blast that has a way of absorbing the mind and supplying a means of temporal escape.

Some songs have innocent words that impress upon the mind to be released later at the water cooler. Some choruses are catchy and when sung by certain artist will stay within the subconscious long after. Various rappers have unique voices that some people find attractive or along the same vocal tone as their own voice, which it makes it easier to sing along.

First goes the beat, and then goes the lyrics! It is not as smooth and tender as classical music, not as glossy as pop, but it has the scream of pain of real emotion of the world’s harshness. One may even state that rap is the most pain expressing music style. Those who sing it or it is better to say read it revive their feelings not only concerning love, as most of the other styles do. Their message is about life and the problems, especially the ones of the Afro-American people. The music of pain and oppression, rap is a remedy to the latter. Let all the pills be like that!

Article source: Rap Is More than Music article.



By: All The Lyrics

About the Author:

The exceptionally talented Rap artist Jay-Z has released him CD entitled Black Album. I am very confident and happy to announce that I believe Jay-Z fans, and Rap fans alike will be pleased with this one. With the release of Black Album Jay-Z’s artistic excellence is on full display as Jay-Z has once again delivered a brilliant collection of tracks that could very well be him best work to date.

I wish it weren’t the case but, it’s not everyday that I get a CD from an artist that I can just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. There is usually a song or two that I just can’t force myself to get through. Not at all the case with Black Album. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy for me to listen to from start to finish.

One of the refreshingly nice things about this CD is the way all of the participating artists seem to be really enjoying themselves. Combine that with the overall presentation and you’ve got one of Jay-Z’s most impressive releases ever.

I’m of the opinion that Black Album is certainly Jay-Z’s best work in a few years. A totally enjoyable CD and an outstanding release. What I call must have music. I give it two thumbs up because it’s a collection that even the casual Rap fan can appreciate and enjoy.

While this entire CD is outstanding some of my favorites are track 3 – What More Can I Say, track 6 – Dirt Off Your Shoulder, and track 14 – My 1st Song

My Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 2 – December 4th. This is a great track!

Black Album Release Notes:

Jay-Z originally released Black Album on November 14, 2003 on the Def Jam label.

CD Track List Follows:

1. Interlude 2. December 4th 3. What More Can I Say 4. Encore 5. Change Clothes 6. Dirt Off Your Shoulder 7. Threat 8. Moment Of Clarity, A 9. 99 Problems 10. Interlude 11. Justify My Thug 12. Lucifer 13. Allure 14. My 1st Song

Personnel includes: Jay-Z (rap vocals); Sharlotte Gibson, Vincent “Hum V” Bostic, John Legend, Don Crawley, Leonard Harris, Kanye West, Danee Doty, Cedric The Entertainer.

Producers include: The Neptunes, DJ Quik, Eminem, Rick Rubin, Just Blaze.



By: Clyde Lee Dennis

About the Author:

The origin of rap started sometime in the mid 1970′s in communities thriving with people of African American and Hispanic descent who were music performers in New York city. During the foundation of rap, this genre of music was associated with a nimble style of dancing that is known today as break dancing. The term rap was derived from a slang word for conversation during the 1960s.

It generally consisted of song, usually spontaneous verses along with a range of well known recordings such as funk or disco music. Critics have condemned most rap music for its endorsement of violence and hatred of women; while others have recognized it as a creative exploitation of cultural expression and acclaim many rappers with an ardent social and political awareness.

Rap music has influenced several forms of popular culture, mainly the film industry, and has been increasingly incorporated in pop music. Some of the early rap groups include Afrika Bambaataa and Grandmaster Flash. Some of the more well-known rap artists include the legendary Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, 2Pac, Ice Cube, Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z, Nas, and Bone-Thugs-N-Harmony.

Rap music is a form of musical poetry; the beat has rhythm and the song lyrics flow to it. The lyrics to rap songs give the listener a glimpse to a certain point of view, the lyrics describes the lives of the rapper and usually tells the listener the struggles the young black rapper had to go through in his life. Some rap song lyrics also have a dark side and most people associate rap lyrics with disrespect for women and violence because many rap lyrics talks about killing rival rappers and shooting cops. In the early 1990′s the rivalry between west coast rappers and east coast rappers claimed the lives of the two biggest rappers of their era, Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G.

The positive side of rap music consists of a lot of artistic value, but one has to look for it real hard. Take 2Pac (Tupac Shakur) for example, 2Pac might have had the same kind of sound as most of the so called rappers that are putting out album after album now a days, however, 2Pac was a true poet and lyricist. One could take some (not all) of his lyrics and find art within them. He chose rap to deliver his poetry through his lyrics, because that is what he was most at ease with doing.

To most people, the music is half the song; the song lyrics are just as equally important as the music. In the song lyrics to 2Pac’s Dear Mama he talks about how his mother didn’t always do the right thing but he still appreciated all the sacrifices that she had to make to raise him. Not all rap lyrics are about putting down women, shooting cops, driving Escalades and making money.

Today’s rappers may have catchy rhythms and lyrics to their music and many young people are impressed with the fancy cars and half naked girls in the videos, but it’s just all the same, in every song. Most of the songs and lyrics have the same or similar rhythm with semi-carefully placed keyboard melodies and pounding bass that’s good for dancing. So maybe it’s art in its own realm.



By: Daniel Millions

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