Old skool is the new hype?

There was a time when you couldn't hear [mid] 90's music anywhere. Unless, of course, you had some tapes. I lost most of mine. It's one of the reasons I don't like extended family that much. None of that good stuff. Nothing that some of us grew up on anyway.

There were all manner of fads and in-things. All sorts of music but little of a really captivating nature. That's how I started listening to reggae. A major shift but the dearth of anything moving made it so much easier. A guy at the office gave me a really nice playlist and there was no turning back. Carni did their thing with New Jack Swing nights. [I've only just discovered [googled] the name isn't some made up marketing gimmick. It's a recognized 'genre'. Who knew] My most memorable of these was when I met the bima chic. There was also the night of the Tropez chic, but carni was interesting that day because virtually the whole bunch of introverts were there, including the 2 resident doctors. I've never really enjoyed any other that I've attended. Not sure why.

Then it became a bit more common hearing that 90's music at the odd pub. On the odd Friday or something. [They probably played it all along; I just don't frequent the bars that often] I always figured that majority of the patronage was of the generation that would fancy those vibes and playing nothing but those hits [and virtually all the music of that period was awesome] wouldn't be such a bad idea.

Now, it's the in thing, playing old skool. Or expressing one's affinity to it. I hear Aaliyah on my way to work [that's when the mat is not tuned to Citizen, traumatizing most everyone in it]. I've watched the Five on it video a couple of times now in several different mats. My local plays superb selection of songs. [I don't often use words like superb] Stuff that really moves me. Well, until around midnight anyway when the younger audience gets their dose of crank, and some of us leave to go home. Oh. They also play bongo flava which I love.

I think it's dawning on people that there's no music being made anymore. And it's not even a generation gap kind of thing. I actually get amused seeing young guys singing along to music that must have been produced way before their pubescent years. [adole as it was called where I came from] I'm reminded of blacktop's declaration of her love for old skool. Well, she did say she was 24.

But if those old folks don't come out of retirement and make some music, we'll be left listening to those songs we grew up with. Not that that would be a terrible thing, but it would be nice to have new stuff to get excited over. Not always looking to the good ol' days. Kwanza did I read that 50 cent had 'retired'. Ati just like Emineme. Ludicrous. Absolutely ludicrous. Wait. Is he also retired. Somebody will [hopefully] come along and save the situation. Apparently fashion had a really bad decade in the 80's so there's hope. In the meantime, I'll be enjoying riddims.