Mista Jaycee's List of Real Divas!

Ok, yall I've been meaning to plug y'all into this long standing battle that I have with my daughter. Baby Girl says she hates my music but I often find my cd's, records and or cassette tapes in her possession. Even funnier she goes and buys the songs off ITUNES that I have on the cd rack but she too proud to ask Dad if he indeed owns said record.

Now it's a rite of passage for the kid to steal from thier parents music collection. I did it, my Father did it, his Fathers, Father did it but now comes part two of the debate. In an age where everything is either digitally programmed or tweaked in some sort of way it's hard to tell the difference between the real thang and the fake. You know like Lil Kim's treble section and Angel Lola Luv's Bass Section. Dig?

Let's start with the word DIVA! DIVA literally means Goddess or the premier female singer in an opera. PRIMA DONNA also means First Lady. Of course, negative connotations have been attached to both words and even worse they are used so much now that they lost all thier seasoning.

BEYONCE has a great voice, pretty face, nice body and can dance.

ALICIA KEYS has a nice voice, can play piano, write interesting songs and is very easy on the eyes. In addition to that I agree with Long Beach East Arts Village Poet Leonard Williams that she has a cool overbite. I'll quote Leonard. Oh, Alicia Keys I love your overbite, you look like a little bunnie, do you need some money....

MARY J. BLIGE the wife is gonna hate this but MARY is in a special class. Mary improves on every album in every aspect. Looks, subject matter, beats, melody and voice quality. She, like the Whispers just gets better with time. But Mary's best gift is that you believe Mary when she sings a song. Even if she didn't write it, you think it's from her autobiography. Now just for the record though she is the Reigning Queen of Hip Hop Soul!

And all the of them is great but none of them have earned the righteous title of DIVA. One day they will be able to wear it but Today ain't that Day!

So Now here's MistaJaycee's SuperHyperliciousChocolatefreakinghabitformingultratasty list of the Real DIVAS! Try saying that three times fast. (Smile)

I humbly present GLADYS KNIGHT! She was a solo artist long before she grabbed her fam and had them singing and dancing behind her as the Pips. Muscially, ask yourself, have you ever heard anyone that sounds like Gladys? Before or since? Where the baby Gladys? Truly an original voice. ORIGINAL!

Next CHAKA KHAN! The former Black Panther turned Siren influenced Madonna and Brandy and Brittany who followed her fashion setting trends wearing those midriffs, halter tops and hip huggers. Now for the pipes! Chaka's pipes are outerworldly! She's got pipes, range, and most of all Power!

Next on the list NATALIE COLE! Being the daughter of a legend may have given her hereditary talent but this Woman like Chaka has pipes. I mean Natalie Cole can do more in a minute and a half on a record than most singers do on thier whole albums.

So with this let the debate begin.

BE Careful! BE Mindful! BE Prayerful!

Jaycee