Let the Masters Do The Werk

I haven’t written about the Beyonce record yet cuz I’ve been writing. Just trying to stay focused on my art. Also I wrote an entire piece about my own house music experience! So Beyonce is aligned with me! Beyonce is on my d*** HAHA.

But for real. Insert side eyes.

I appreciate the approach to Renaissance. There’s some great tracks on there. A few official bops. And as a connoisseur of dance music and certified house head I appreciate the apparent homage to Black dance music. But let’s be clear Black dance music isn’t just history. It’s been ongoing. It is now. It was yesterday and it’s tomorrow. It was birthed in the 70’s and continues to age like the finest of vino. Cliche but true. Like many genres It’s been appropriated and regurgitated back to us in some of the most weakest watered down ways. So no Beyonce didn’t re-ignite house music. She brought some current attention to it. As with any artist I approve her playing with the music but also she don’t need my approval.

I do hope that this attention will be beneficial for the community of producers, creators, innovators, DJs, artists and dancers who live the pulse everyday. I hope Beyonce keeps connecting, collaborating, and crediting Black dance music creators as this album continues to breathe.

Also Special shoutout to Leikeli47 whose album Shape Up dropped earlier this year. In fact go play all her music and go see her perform. Get your life. Just a simple ask and action item.

But this post was really about some of the Renaissance remixes. Cheers to the great Terry Hunter for this smoothed out stellar Break My Soul remix and finally givin’ the folks on the floor something to stretch out to. Also Check out Carlos Mena’s remix.

I say Let the Masters do the werk! Hopefully these remixes will inspire better choreo videos cuzzzzz while the tik tock and cheerleader prances are cool, we deserve more. The culture deserves all the Black heart emojis and flowers. It is Black August.