THE LOST KINGDOMS: Soul Train

So I’m cooling out, keeping a low profile on a dead Saturday. Just came back home from Red Lobster, getting my “Rick Ross” style on with the finest of crab-meats (I co-sign the shrimp deal) with the girlfriend and we decided to lay back in comfort and watch “Bucktown”, with Fred Williamson & Pam Grier (shouts to the original Foxy Brown and the awesome boobies). Me growing up in the “Blaxploitation” Era, I tend to gravitate towards these movies whenever they are on cable. Platform shoes aside, I actually like to see the fashion sense we had during those days.

But you know me. I start thinking about one of the most iconic & influential African American shows ever on television and I ask, “What happened to Soul Train”? After doing a brief recon over at Wikipedia, all I can do is shake my head in disappointment. (II).

We took the L with this one folks.

To even accept the fact that this show is regulated to only being seen on YouTube in clips is a fail. This show was responsible for a lot of people’s music careers. If you got the Soul Train co-sign and call to perform, you had a hit. Simple and plain. Even a lot of the Soul Train Gang parlayed their TV appearances into television or music industry careers. Hell Mr. Johnson wouldn’t have sold all of that Afro Sheen if there were no Soul Train Saturday mornings. What they wore, how they danced, what they said influenced our Saturday nights and the week ahead. To have an award show named after it but no actual airtime programming is an atrocity.

I mean seriously, are we always “on to the next one” to the fact that we discard what is beneficial to us in the first place? I’m all for looking forward and the creation of new things as well, but what have we created that has taken the place of Soul Train? 106 & Park cannot and will not EVER be anything close to a Soul Train so save the “our generation” argument, it’s not gonna work. Look at the decline of good music and the disinterest in the Black Arts these days.

I will say this, when Mr. Johnson got on his BET grind, one of the stipulations should have been to take Soul Train FROM Tribune Broadcasting, take the syndication label away from it, and give it big boy status on BET. BET could have been running re-runs of the past shows, giving the old heads something to enjoy, and at the same time schooling these youngin’s. Those episodes easily show you stage presence (even though some lip-syncing was done), Black music culture, Black couture, and again QUALITY MUSIC.

They should have BEEN released DVD sets. 12 million views on YouTube would give me a hint that people want to see Soul Train. Salutes to a pioneer. I too wish you love, peace, and SOOOOOOUUUUULLLLL!

A little nostalgia:

Rufus f/Chaka Khan “Fools Paradise”


The Dramatics “In The Rain”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFZcF4WIFkI

Bonus: When style biting goes wrong…


When you did it right 3 years earlier. RIP The King of Pop.


Notice how the Soul Train videos aren't even from the Soul Train YouTube page. SMH


Kibblez & Bitz:


Is it me or are those recent Drake leaks utter moldy cornbread?


Do you really think Nicki Minaj will be able to sell an album filled with that annoying voice?


Why is Khaled still called a DJ when he doesn't spin records?

The $ykotic Don McCaine

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