I tell you, little buddy, this whole island is bewitched. You remember? We were shipwrecked together. Welcome to this bonus episode of Sound Opinions. I'm Greg Cott. My co-host is Jim DeRogatis. And if you want to be the first to hear our bonus podcasts, become a Sound Opinions member on Patreon like Brad Volpe from Windsor, California.
Born in Chicago, Brad is, and contributing to the show. And we thank you so much for your support, Brad. Jim, it's your turn this week to plug a quarter in the Desert Island Jukebox. We've got so many songs we want to get to with this. Give us a little bit of a hint about what you're going to play. Well, Greg, you know, we hate to lose artists we have loved. We pay tribute to them. Sometimes too often we lose too many greats. I'm going to play someone who was both
a huge pioneer in hip-hop, and an underappreciated star in Neosoul. All right, we're going to hear more about that in a minute on Sound Opinions. Why not let Audible expand your life by listening? Explore over 1 million audiobooks, podcasts and exclusive Audible originals that'll inspire and motivate you.
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It teaches you how to stop wasting energy on what you can't control and start focusing on what truly matters. You, listening on Audible can help you reach the goals you set for yourself. Start listening today. at audible.com.uk Welcome back to Sound Opinions. Jim, that was an intriguing intro. So what song are you going to play? Well, you know who. I got to pay tribute to Angie Stone, Greg. Yeah. Hip-hop pioneer turned neo-soul great. Died on the first day.
of March only 63 years old in a car accident was was leaving a gig bad accident the only one who lost their life in it I always had a soft spot for Angie Stone. Got to interview her. She was just so charismatic. I think a lot of people don't know. You know, her biggest fame came in that late 90s, early 2000s, Neo Soul. moment, right? She's every bit the equal of Erykah Badu and Macy...
Gray, you know, Lauryn Hill came to the Neo Soul thing a little later. You know, a fantastic voice, Jill Scott, India Arie, Jaguar Wright, Kelis, right? But Angie's a little older because she had started. her career really early on, the first female rap group, many people say. The sequence. They are signed to Sugar Hill Records the year before Sugar Hill reinvents or invents a brand new genre with Rapper's Delight in 79. Yeah. Angie's group.
doesn't take off. She had started singing in the church, pioneering. rap artist trying to find her voice after the rap group ends, singing backing for Mary J. Blige and Lenny Kravitz and D'Angelo. finally says, look, I got to stop messing around. I'm going to launch a solo career. And what a fantastic solo career it was. We got 10 albums between 1999 and 2023. Really.
was the first two that got the most attention, but never the attention they deserved, I don't think. I was a particular fan of album number two, Mahogany Soul, in 2001. What a great record. written this long love letter in 2002 to the women of Neo Soul, interviewing a bunch of them, talking to Angie, paying homage to all those great voices, Macy Gray and Jill Scott. But I opened with Angie.
because I think what the neo-soul movement did so well, the female division as opposed to men like D'Angelo, was convey the timeless sensuality of great soul music, great R&B. You know, these were bedroom jams. But we had the 2000s post-feminist, I ain't taking no guff from no man. attitude that also we had seen explode in the women of alternative rock uh like courtney love and liz fair right so hidden as a bonus track remember when there were cds and sometimes an unlisted at the end of
Mahogany Soul was this song, Time of the Month, which I thought was the epitome of what was going on. You know, Loverboy is coming home, and Angie has some needs and desires, and over this... you know, building, slowly building sparse piano track, you know, starts out with her cooing and then getting angrier and angrier.
Because he's drunk, he's been partying, who knows what she's up to. And then she's pushed to the point where, let me go to bed. I'm going to swallow my pride. I'm not going to get what I need. You're sleeping outside, she says. And then, you know, the whole... beautiful female chorus comes in. It's that time of the month.
Don't even mess with me. I just love that attitude and that mix of anger and sensuality and self-empowerment. I think ran throughout her career. There are many, many great moments in that 10 hours. Even on Mahogany Soul. Although she's working with people like Raphael Sadiq and Swizz Beats. You know, giant...
And, you know, the songwriting is hers, and she co-produces everything, and she is in control. So in tribute to a great voice, a great woman we have just lost, this is Time of the Month by Angie Stone. Don't wanna hear your That is Time of the Month from Jim DeRugatis. favorite track from a great debut album by Angie Stone. Not even listed on the CD cover. Yes, Mahogany Soul is a great record, Jim. I gotta say, there was also a great covers album that she did, Covered in Soul.
Yeah. In 2016, where she transformed things like a Guess Who song, These Eyes, into a soul song. She's just a wonderful singer, really versatile. You know, she... talked with me and in other interviews about struggling with weight. And I think because she was not, you know, Alicia Keys model, beautiful, her voice didn't rank with the other.
women who became superstars in that era. Yeah, absolutely. Gone too soon for sure because it still seemed like her career was moving along and there was more music left to go. That is it for this bonus episode. For more full episodes, visit soundopinions.org. To sponsor the show, email sponsor at soundopinions.org. Sound Opinions is produced by Andrew Gill, Alex Claiborne, and Max Hatlam.
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