Music And We
We are organizers, and we love music. We love to talk about the joy that music brings, but also what lay beneath, beside, above and inside. We are not afraid to address the political, the spiritual, or the ideological. We examine what inspires us, and others. Thanks for joining us!
Listen on:
Episodes
Monday Dec 31, 2018
Monday Dec 31, 2018
(RECORDED DECEMBER 16, 2018) Yes... Keep one eye open, y'all. It's better late than never that people are posthumously catching the crucial messages in both MJ and Prince's music; but for us, we felt a need to go deeper into our interpretations of the songs' contexts. And besides, Prince has about two billion songs, and we could not possibly cover them all in one episode. Or even two.
One of the things both Prince and Michael encouraged was to look beyond their music and study what was going on in the world, and just as we've covered a few non-music issues in other episodes to some capacity, we go even deeper here (as it is an episode dedicated solidly to political themes). If we are to respect their artistry and humanity, focusing solidly on music would be a disservice to them.
Jesse/Jester and jamilah take another look at the songs which have started flame wars in the respective fan/friend communities, the songs which have united bipartisan support for 'fighting indecency' and most of all... The songs which encourage and inspire people to think.
For questions, comments, etc. you can reach us here: instagram.com/music_wejj/
and here: musicandwejj@gmail.com
Monday Dec 31, 2018
Monday Dec 31, 2018
(RECORDED DECEMBER 9, 2018) If you've been listening to us so far, we are sure you saw this coming. Both Prince Rogers Nelson and Michael Jackson have been polarizing figures in musical discussions for years; but they have also been seen by many as (for some reason) being musically blind to the issues facing us 'normal' people. To that we say... ARE YOU KIDDING??!! While MJ did not have as many scathing political sentiments on his albums, there were a few pivotal moments in his catalog that cannot be ignored. And Prince, well... Any close examination of his collection of tracks (and some interviews) will be more than enough evidence that his political commentary was consistent, at times covering a solid majority of an album. If one is indeed a 'fan', it would be curious to miss those messages on his albums.
Jesse/Jester and jamilah discuss these sociopolitical dynamics which drive inspiration for PRN and MJ songs, and why their significance matters.
For questions, comments, etc. you can reach us here: instagram.com/music_wejj/
and here: musicandwejj@gmail.com
Tuesday Dec 25, 2018
Tuesday Dec 25, 2018
(RECORDED DECEMBER 2, 2018) We grind and grind away all day on this podcast and still... There were so many songs we did not mention (we see you, Underneath The Cream, Gett Off, International Lover, Rock With You, Adonis and Bathsheba and the countless others); we also know doing that would end up being a 6-hour marathon. So.. While you're here, ride with Jesse/Jester and jamilah as we explore (at least) some of the nuances of both Michael and Prince's more amorous aspects of their catalog- and let's keep it real, Prince got MJ beat by miles on that one. While you can find many a comment regarding Michael and (especially) Prince's 'sexiness', focusing on the lower vibrational/carnal symbols and messages; we recognized there's more to the picture... You dig?
For questions, comments, etc. you can reach us here: instagram.com/music_wejj/
and here: musicandwejj@gmail.com
Sunday Dec 16, 2018
Sunday Dec 16, 2018
(RECORDED NOVEMBER 25, 2018) The usual arguments in favor of comparing Michael Jackson and Prince have to do with their superficial qualities, like their 'falsetto' voices, or the lack of hypermasculine performance. People also consistently argue (in a contrasting sense) that PRN could play a wealth of instruments while MJ could not at all- IS THIS EVEN TRUE??!! While the two have definite distinct performing and musical styles in many ways, in a sociopolitical sense, how different are they? Jesse/Jester and jamilah explore these possibilities.
For questions, comments, etc. you can reach us here: instagram.com/music_wejj/
and here: musicandwejj@gmail.com
Sunday Dec 16, 2018
Sunday Dec 16, 2018
(RECORDED NOVEMBER 18, 2018) Jesse/Jester and jamilah discuss the benefits and the difficulties of the existence of bootlegs. Are they a good thing? Are they of benefit to the artist? What are ways the masses could have access to music, yet respect the artist at the same time?
Monday Dec 03, 2018
Monday Dec 03, 2018
(RECORDED NOVEMBER 11, 2018) Jesse and jamilah discuss the implications of Prince Rogers Nelson and Michael Jackson's erasure of their African sensibilities. Did they have a hand in that erasure (as a means of survival); or have people relegated them to a particular musical era, placing them in a bubble of systemic erasure?
Tuesday Nov 06, 2018
Tuesday Nov 06, 2018
(This was recorded on 4 November 2018) While Jesse has seen the posthumously released documentary covering the preparation for the 50-show residency at the O2 Arena over 30 times (!!!), jamilah has finally broken her 9-year vow of protest, just so we could talk about it on the podcast. What do we think of this Kenny Ortega-directed project? Is it respectful to Michael Jackson? Did the man rock it? Was it worth breaking the vow for? Is MJ gonna come out the mausoleum to haunt her for only watching it now?
Monday Nov 05, 2018
Monday Nov 05, 2018
There's so much we didn't cover in this episode- how DARE we not even touch Camille! Covering the nuances and contradictions regarding gender and sexuality when it comes to MJ and PRN is going to take much longer than one podcast episode could give... But we hope you enjoy (or at least get something out of) this little bit here.
Monday Oct 22, 2018
Monday Oct 22, 2018
Here is the accompanying episode to 'The Sacred'... What is exactly defined as 'profane'? Can the sacred and profane co-exist in the worlds of Prince and Michael Jackson? Jesse and jamilah navigate the possible answers to these questions. For obvious reasons, some of what we say in this episode may be deemed 'profane', so be prepared!
Shamon.
Wednesday Oct 17, 2018
Wednesday Oct 17, 2018
In this 5th episode of Music And We, Jesse and jamilah discuss the concept of the 'sacredness' of words, music, images, etc.; and how contradictions arise based on perceptions of what is sacred. Are any of these things sacred? Have times changed to the point where nothing is sacred? Have we been wrong the whole time? Are Prince and Michael any less valued as humans based on their own contraditions? Stay tuned...