Craig's Pop Life: 10.15.22
Hey, everybody! Hope you had a good week. A lil’ update from the last letter: My penis is recovering well & soon should be ready for redeployment. Additional information is classified.
I’m trying something new this week. I’m placing paid-subscriber content at the very end of the letter. The same stuff is available for CraigsPopLifePlayhouse.com members. I know nobody really wants to take on another monthly subscription, but I’m an unemployed, completely independent writer and a one-person Black, gay publishing company, so the support really helps.
R.I.P.: JOYCE SIMS
So devastaed to report that the ‘80s queen of Electro-R&B, Joyce Sims, has passed on. She was such a part of my teens and early ‘20s that this is hard to process. I’m just focusing on the music. Here’s my Top Ten playlist.
TAKING IT BLACK
In the good ol’ year of 1999, I reviewed an advance copy of Blackstreet’s Finally for Spin. One of my fave joints off the Blackstreet album was “Drama,” a duet with Mary J. Blige. But when the album officially dropped, her vocals were gone. I never knew why until I watched a recent video about it on The Halftime Chat YouTube channel.
Here’s the gist:
Paid subscribers can hear the song with Mary’s vocals after the jump. It’s also on Craig’s Pop Life Playhouse.
THE VELVET ROPE AT 25
I know I’m a lil’ late, but I didn’t want to let the occasion pass. Here’s a playlist of my fave TVR remixes.
I’m also quoted in this article x Jaelani Turner-Williams
And this is a nice review of the deluxe edition by Rich Juzwiak.
PSA: Winter is comin’. Time to get dem boosters 💉 The vaccine prevents the severity of the illness, regardless of whether or not it stops transmission.
Uncanny Alliance - “I Got My Vaccination (I’m Out The House)”
READING ROOM
“20 Years After Brown Sugar, Black Women Journalists Celebrate the Impact of Sidney Shaw” x Njera Perkins
“To me, and many other women in my position, Sidney was more than just a hip-hop journalist. She was a vision that inspired a generation of young Black girls to follow in her footsteps.”
Táta Vega—the voice of Shut Avery in The Color Purple film—celebrates her 71st birthday this month. Read my pal Tim Dillinger’s lovely tribute w/ rare clips.
JUST CAUSE
FILE UNDER: SECOUEZ VOTRE CORPS JUSQU'AU SOL
Sophie St. Laurent - “Sex Appeal”
CLUB VAULT
Sarah Dash - “[Come and Take This] Candy from Your Baby (12" Version)”
Jamie Lewis Featuring Chance - “Streetlife (Underground Mix)”
This is a cover of the classic Crusaders cut, first done by Randy Crawford, then Lalah Hathaway. This time, DeNetria “I’ve Had Enough” Champ is on th m-i-c! Actually, I’ma do a FLOWERZ with her soon.
Mondeé Oliver – “Stay Close (Mr. Fingers Club Vocal)”
AMEN CORNER
The Florida Mass Choir - “Until I Found The Lord”
Thanks for hanging out again. I hope you enjoyed the letter. Until next week, be cool, be kind, be creative, be yourself. Love, Craig
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