During the winter-months, it’s hard to stay focused on that one-thing you love. The plights of real-life come into boss-mode. Those gray-days are more frequent than any other time throughout the year and have an almost depressive effect on ones persona. I am a victim of the force that emits during the cold – but what can be done about it?

Thank the cosmos for the advent of the internet. For those shrouded days of depression can be thwarted with what the world-wide-web has to offer – in a positive-role. If you know how to grab the “Super Highway” by its reins, you have an endless amount of stops during your virtual-trip – especially while you wait for your rut to be un-stuck.

In regards to the “love” I mentioned in the beginning of this post, of course it would be the adoration towards the music of Hip-Hop. If you’re a fan for this genre of soul, you have no excuse to peruse the multitude of music that is available just moments away from your skills of mouse-clicking – especially during the down-time that the winter months provide; you just need to know where to go.

Side-note: This is not the exploitation of copping music with ease. This is the opportunity to expand your music horizons within the realm of this genre of music. So if I offend, my intention(s) are not.

The dank days provide that might-and-muster to discover shit from the past that one might never have been up on (believe it, I thought I followed this music to the ‘T’ – now I know it’s an attempt at futility), and the gems discovered, give you a crack of a smile.

Thanks to outside services and sources, I’ve gotten the pleasure in hearing a track from a crew out of Cleveland named Strugglin’ Souls, “Betta Dayz”. I never heard of them prior to this discovery – nor would I have. It’s just those occurrences of being lost in the early 90’s shuffle of grand-music. Anyways, I click on the play-icon off of my Winamp and hear familiar-sort of chimes and eeriness off of what takes me a few minutes to gather and re-collect my thoughts to try to determine where-the-hell that sample is from! Okay, I know the drums are sampled off of X-Clan’s “Verbal Milk” – you can hear Brother J’s “Umm… umm…” coming off it - in which the clan used a portion of *Lee Dorsey’s “Get Out of My Life, Woman”. Alright, I got that. But… what and where the hell is the loop from?! I got it. This nasty crew used a portion of Art of Noise’s “Moments In Love” that is unfamiliar. We all know what triggers the nostalgia when mentioning and commenting on said song – it’s the beginning synthesized whispers and spiritual essence of sound. Not what these kats [Strugglin’ Souls] did! They went deep into the master mix (around 7:20 minutes into the song) and used a piece that I’ve been trying to figure out “how’d they do it!” They looped it lovely – or maybe chopped it up? - and somehow got rid of the groove underneath and made it theirs. I’m in complete bewilderment. I have got to give them some mega-late props.

The song: “Betta Dayz”, by Strugglin’ Souls. Depending on what mood you have, this joint can be that kind of track that can evoke deep-thoughts and contemplation moments during the cloudiest of days. Or, it can be a song that came from a point in time that contained all the basic elements to be describe as an early 90’s beat and rhyme style. In my opinion it’s both. The lyrics are somewhat simplistic, but they’re concise and to the point. In relation to it’s theme they make sense. Going back and forth with struggle and nostalgic moments, my man (I don’t even know the emcee’s name! That’s how obscure this gem is – to me at least) comes off smooth and creates a multitude of highlights lyrically. And again, depending on your mood, you’ll either relate to or pass on the word displays:

“…these are the days you feel nothing is going right/so you chill and you write under a hot-beaming light/looking out the window pane/at the rain that pours like all the tear-drops/as your heart-stops/and you reminisce of the first-kiss/and last diss/your girl left and there’s not sign of bliss/coming your direction got infection of bad-luck/you’re fed up/the pressure is a little too-much/for your brain – your going insane break into pieces/so mellow out and lounge kick off those releases and think…”

I think all of us can relate either slightly and/or fully (or maybe it’s just my interpretation of the matters) – again, depending on the mood. You can either front and clown on this song – which maybe I’d do if it was on a bright and sunny. But, I had the opportunity in hearing this song on a dark, dreary, and dank day. So it sticks to me and I can relate. I love this song and forever it’ll be a part of my thought process.

Due to one song, two others got re-rotation. One added to the depression I was feeling [Art of Noise – Moments In Love], the other further solidified how def of an emcee the man Brother J was. What a contrast in moods and manner.

Winter: Down-time, but with some company.

Art of Noise - Moments In Love

X-Clan - Verbal Milk

Strugglin’ Souls - Betta Dayz

*”Get Out of My Life, Woman” – a song that has been recorded by many-an-artist. If you’re a digger of sorts, find all version of mentioned song and witness the drums and grooves!