Real Story of Rock

J Mac’s Hip Hop Health Tip: Take a break! Proper rest is essential to developing muscle mass. Try taking a week off every six weeks or so.

J Mac’s Word of the Day™ is induratize. To harden the heart. If you don’t have a plan for today already, you might do this to your girl.

It’s hard to argue that Prince is one of the most talented and versatile musicians to ever set foot in a recording studio.  Since 1978, he’s released over 30 albums, had dozens of hit singles, a few movies, and sold out concert venues from his hometown of Minneapolis to Japan.

jump — 1. to spring free from the ground, to move suddenly or involuntarily. 2. a form of R&B music that places emphasis on strong rhythm, exciting solo work especially by saxophones, and vocals in a shout-blues manner. R & B (rhythm & blues) – a kind of music developed by African-Americans that combines blues […]

juke (of West African origin, akin to Wolof dzug, to live wickedly) – a roadside drinking establishment that offers cheap drinks, food and music for dancing, often blues music.

jungle boogie (jungle –oft attrib to Hindi jangal + boogie – prob alter of bogle – goblin, object of fear) a 1974 hit by Kool & the Gang, frequently sampled by hip-hop artists, perhaps the funkiest piece of music ever recorded.

jam (origin unknown) – 1. to drive or wedge forcibly into a tight position. 2. to fill often to excess. 3. to make unintelligible by sending out interfering messages or signals. 4. to force one’s way into a restricted space. 5. to take part in a musical jam session.

jive (origin unknown) – 1. the jargon of jazz musicians or enthusiasts. 2. deceptive, nonsensical or glib talk. 3. to play or dance to jive music.

soul (Middle English, from Old English sawol) – 1. the animating and vital principle in human beings, credited with the faculties of thought, actions and emotion and often conceived as an immaterial entity. 2. a sense of ethnic pride among African-Americans, expressed in areas such as language, social customs, religion and music.

jubilee (Biblical) – 1. in Hebrew Scriptures, a year of rest to be observed by the Israelites every 50th year during which slaves were to be set free. 2. celebrations held by African-American slaves, usually at Christmas and Easter, which included respite from labor, feasting, music and dancing.

Africa  1500 – 1860 juju (from the African Hausa language) – an object used as a fetish, a charm or an amulet in West Africa, or the supernatural power ascribed to such an object. Africa is the second largest continent on Earth.  Africans account for over 12% of the world’s population, are distributed among 54 […]