November 19, 2008

Coming Out of the R&B Closet

When we lived at our former neighborhood, the only playmates we really had were mine. Big I and Lil C didn't really have many friends in our immediate neighborhood. While there were a few kids (one particular family that I owe a phone call-Hi Rachael!), there was not a regular coming and going of children like there is at our new place.

My friends in the old neighborhood were as diverse a group as they come. A professor, a dean, a personal chef, and I felt completely at ease being myself, musically. In other words, they all knew I was jamming to Timbaland (not the shoes) and Akon on a fairly regular basis.

I've said it before that my kids listen to my music. I always buy the clean versions of R&B and rap CDs so that I can listen to it around them. Lil C's favorite song is currently that new Beyonce "All the single ladies, put a ring on it" and Big I is digging the Rihanna collaboration "Live Your Life."

However, in our new neighborhood, where our house has quickly become the favorite house to play, I'm feeling a bit inhibited. While I certainly have my fair share of The Killers, Foo Fighters, and Feist, I have more of the stuff that a lot of parents would probably not like.

This week, I got an IPOD shuffle in the mail (as a gift for reviewing a new website-how sweet is that!). I quickly filled it up with all my favorite songs that would be good for working out. My list includes the following:

"Right Now" Akon
"Me & U" Cassie
"Killa" Cherish
"Green Light" John Legend
"Get It Shawty" Lloyd
"What them girls like" Ludacris
"Live Your Life" T.I. & Rihanna
"Whatever you like" T.I.
"Buy U a Drank" T-Pain
"Miss Independent" Ne-yo
"Never Too Late" Three Days Grace

I totally threw you off with that last one, huh? Why do I tell you that these are my current favorite songs? Because I am coming out of the R&B/Rap closet. While I certainly don't approve of their spelling, there is something about that music that just keeps me coming back for more. This neighborhood is just going to have to accept me as is and deal with it when I refer to their children as "shawty" (first definition only, which I totally thought just meant "short person").