May 8Prince’s Journey from ‘The Black Album’ to ‘Lovesexy’ (Part 2 of 2)It’s September 9, 1988. We’re in Dortmund, Germany. Prince and his band finished performing at the Westfalenhalle Stadium. A Dutch fan stands outside the venue, sharing his thoughts about the show… “The thing is, I don’t believe in God. But when Prince asks you to sing ‘Love is God, God…Prince6 min readPrince6 min read
May 1Prince’s Journey from ‘The Black Album’ to ‘Lovesexy’ (Part 1 of 2)It is New Year’s Eve 1987. Prince has opened the doors to his creative sanctuary, Paisley Park. He and his world-class band are performing “Adore,” one of the greatest love songs ever to bless a pair of eardrums. Halfway through the song, Prince opens up to his fans… “Sometimes the…Prince6 min readPrince6 min read
Apr 23When You Feel Like Quitting, Think About Why You StartedThree years ago, I stopped praying. Completely. I was angry with God for what was happening to me and around me. I made a list of things I wanted God to fix and offered them daily — no answer. So, what was the point? God had a plan and would…Quitting2 min readQuitting2 min read
Apr 8YHWH: His Breath in Our LungsThere was a moment when Moses had the nerve to ask God what His name was. God was gracious enough to answer, and the name He gave in the original Hebrew was “YHWH.” Over time we’ve added an “a” and an “e” to get Yahweh because we prefer vowels. Scholars…Jesus2 min readJesus2 min read
Jan 25‘Invincible’: The Michael Jackson StoryInvincible was for us, the ones that grew up with Michael. He was ours. We watched him, studied him, and respected him. We saw him perform with flawless precision. We saw him fail and lose. We saw him learn and win. We saw a legendary artist become invincible. Michael said…Michael Jackson3 min readMichael Jackson3 min read
May 9, 2022“Is It Scary”: How Michael Jackson Thrives on Your Hate #BOTDF25Happy 25th Anniversary to Michael Jackson’s remix album, ‘Blood on the Dance Floor,’ originally released on May 20, 1997. Hello, my name is Hate. You know me well. Thanks for creating me! I’m here today to talk about Michael Jackson. You know, that guy. …Michael Jackson5 min readMichael Jackson5 min read
Nov 21, 2021Michael Jackson’s ‘Dangerous’ Turns 30: Engaging Pop Culture Without Losing the GospelDangerous is the greatest gospel album ever marketed as “pop music.” I know, I know. That statement screams “wild fan theory.” But only a few people know what he went through to make this true work of art. Let me show you how Michael Jackson engaged pop culture without losing…Michael Jackson8 min readMichael Jackson8 min read
Oct 4, 2021#MJ50 Michael Jackson’s Decades ChallengeThis week in music history: Motown Records released Michael Jackson’s first solo single “Got to Be There” in 1971. Five decades later, we saw a child prodigy become the biggest entertainer the world has ever seen. To celebrate his legacy, I chose one song per decade for us to revisit. …Michael Jackson9 min readMichael Jackson9 min read
Jul 1, 2021Remixing Vulture’s List of Michael Jackson SongsWhen Vulture’s Bill Wyman ranked all 147 of Michael Jackson songs in 2017, his list stuck with me. I didn’t agree with his odd rankings or ignorant commentary. But I did agree with most of the songs that made his Top 50. Our connection to Michael’s music changes as we…Michael Jackson2 min readMichael Jackson2 min read
Apr 21, 2021Revisiting Prince’s ‘Batman’ (1989) | Retrospective TributeThree decades have passed, and Batman’s legacy is still somewhat unsettled. Matt Thorne, Anil Dash, Jay Gabler, and Prince’s Friend celebrate the soundtrack. Yet, Rolling Stone, AllMusic, and City Pages treat it as if it’s damaged goods. Prince was untouchable during his first decade as a recording artist. …Prince5 min readPrince5 min read
