The World According to Teef

Friends...How Many of Us Have Them?

It’s not a big secret how much Soul music has impacted my life; but having been born in the late 70’s and coming of age through the 8...

The Hump Day Song of the Week: My Favorite Song #1 Stevie Wonder - "As"

Tens of thousands of songs in my head and this is #1? It wasn’t even close. I could’ve filled this list with Stevie Wonder had I wanted to. ...

The Hump Day Song of the Week: My Favorite Song #1 Stevie Wonder - "As"

Tens of thousands of songs in my head and this is #1? It wasn’t even close. I could’ve filled this list with Stevie Wonder had I wanted t...

#2 Donny Hathaway - A Song for You

I can barely make it through this song without tearing up. There are a million different versions by a million different people, but the o...

#3 Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five - "The Message"

I know who the title says performs this song, but make no doubt about it, this is Melle Mel’s song. “The Message” was my introduction to...

#4 Teddy Pendergrass - "Love T.K.O."

If you haven’t played “Love T.K.O.” after a breakup, you weren’t in love, period, point blank. It’s impossible to have a relationship fal...

#5 (tie) Luther Vandross - "If This World Were Mine" (w/Cheryl Lynn) & " A House is Not a Home"

How could I choose between two of the best vocal performances ever? They were both cover songs, but completely reworked to make cla...

#6 - Luther Vandross - "Never Too Much"

If you’ve noticed one thing going through my list, I don’t really do too many up-tempo songs, but this is one of the exceptions, “Never...

#7 Lauryn Hill - "Ex-Factor"

Think what you want about Lauryn Hill now; you were under her spell in 1998, thinking that “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” was the bes...

#8 New Edition - "Can You Stand the Rain"

Do you remember where you were in 1988 when you first heard this song? If you don’t love “Can You Stand the Rain”, stop reading right no...

#9 Kindred the Family Soul - "Stars"

I’ve always wanted to love someone this much and to be loved in return the same. This is a love song, a true love song; it’s written from ...

#10 Commodores - "Zoom"

I may be just a foolish dreamer, but I don’t care… “Zoom” is the perfect song of optimism, wanting more for yourself, more for the wo...

Can't Imagine Going Through It Without Soul Music

I’ve been up and I’ve been down, I’ve had my feet swept off the ground by a world that just picked me up and threw me away... A little...

Black Music Month: Soft & Warm...

I don’t care where you are, right about now there’s a “Quiet Storm” mix on your local radio station. I know the DMV is saying, “Yeah, w...

Black Music Month: Being Bobby Brown

I was watching VH1 Soul the other night and I came to a realization; I wanted to be Bobby Brown! I wanted to grow a Gumby, I wanted ...

Black Music Month: Beyond a Reasonable Doubt

I was a few days removed from my high school graduation, feeling mannish, when I walked into the record store on June 25, 1996. This pla...

Black Music Month: The Moment It All Changed

If you weren't watching Motown 25 in 1983, don't ever talk to me about Michael Jackson, because the feeling you got from this pe...

Black Music Month: Never Can Say Goodbye...

When I woke up yesterday, paying my light bill and getting some food in my place was all that was on my mind. It never occurred to ...

Black Music Month: Rick James !@#$%

How fitting was it that I was celebrating my 26 th birthday in a strip club when I found out that Rick James passed away? After the ini...

Black Music Month: The Worst April Fool's Day Joke Ever

I was only 5, but April 1, 1984 was one of those days that millions of people will remember for the rest of their lives, that was the da...