Originally published at Essence Grooves. You can comment here or there.

In this week's episode we're leading off with The Roots Rising Up featuring Wale and Chrisette Michelle. The intro echos how I feel about the radio lately but I'm not going to get started with that, not today anyway. I'll save that for another day and just enjoy the go-go beat. Remember is on J Dilla's unreleased Pay Jay cd which hopefully will be released soon. I know posthumous releases can get a bit numerous and dated but this is DIlla. Erykah Badu's Soldier makes an appearance followed by 4hero's Stoke Up the Fire. Since I love just about anything with Andre 3000's name on it we also have John Legend's new single Green Light. It's good to hear John Legend switch it up with something more uptempo. Ledisi's Alright has been getting me through a few things here and there. I've been on a dance kick lately and for that there's Groove Armada and Ananda Project. Cosmic Girl was part of my introduction to Jamiroquai back in my dorm cafeteria working days at MSU (another story for another day). Let's just say that Traveling Without Moving was the work soundtrack. Closing out this mix are two artists who shouldn't be slept on and a legend. Rahsaan Patterson's Feels Good is from his latest cd Wines & Spirits, Al Green's latest featuring John Legend Stay With Me and finally Lina is sticking around with her latest cd Morning Star. Enjoy this week's mix.

Last weekend we were hit with the double loss of Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes two great entertainers. I'm still at a loss for words even after having a few days to let it sink in. My thoughts and prayers are with they're families.  TGrundy's latest podcast is a tribute to Isaac Hayes. Make sure you check it out.

The Playlist:

1. Rising Up - The Roots ft Wale and Chrisette Michelle - Amazon | iTunes


2. Remember - J Dilla ft Bilal


3. Soldier - Erykah Badu - Amazon | iTunes


4. Stoke Up the Fire - 4hero ft Face - iTunes


5. Soul Spaceship - Me'Shell Ndegeocello - Amazon | iTunes


6. Green Light - John Legend ft Andre 3000 - Amazon | iTunes


7. Chaka Khan - Ain't Nobody - Amazon | iTunes


8. Alright (Matty's Soulflower Mix) - Ledisi - Amazon | iTunes


9. Love Sweet Sound - Groove Armada ft Candi Staton - Amazon | iTunes


10. Kiss Kiss Kiss (Alternative Mix) - Ananda Project - Amazon | iTunes


11. Cosmic Girl - Jamiroquai - Amazon | iTunes


12. Glow - Kelis ft Raphael Saadiq - Amazon | iTunes


13. Feels Good - Rahsaan Patterson - Amazon | iTunes


14. Stay With Me (By The Sea) - Al Green ft John Legend - Amazon | iTunes


15. I'll Stick Around - Lina - Amazon |iTunes

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So, I'm happy to say my podcasts are back. You might have known me from here or here or even here. I get around, just a little bit. Earlier this year I started making these mixes; mostly R & B, a little hip hop, a little bit of everything. It was called The Luv Movement and I loved it. I had a lot of ideas, wanted to do this and that, get a domain set up exclusively for my podcasts. But life got in the way.

This has been a long time coming. One thing after another has kept me from doing on of the things I love but no more of that. No, I'm not drama free, but a change in priorities was in order. If I have learned one thing this year its that I have to do what's in my heart no matter what. There's no point in wasting precious time and energy on those things that bring me down.

So I'm bringing it back with a new name. The old mixes are all here, so if you didn't get a chance to experience The Luv Movement you can. And you can get the new mixes every Thursday starting today. The first episode is ready - Hello It's Me - make sure you check it out.

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Anewlis tagged me and even though its taken a minute (finals kicked my tail) here's my Summer Seven.

Here are the rules: “List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they’re not any good, but they must be songs you’re really enjoying now, shaping your spring summer. Post these instructions in your blog along with your seven songs. Then tag seven other people to see what they’re listening to.”  I'm skipping the tagging other people part.

The Summer Seven Mix

N.E.R.D - Anti Matter - This song is soooo funny and I love the beat. I was going to use You Know What but I was listening to Anti Matter in the car and quickly changed my mind.

Maiysha - Orbit - I love the funkiness of this song... cosmic. MySpace

Ananda Project - Into the Sunrise (Ricanstruction Mix) - This one gets me grooving - MySpace

Alice Smith - Gary Song - Sassy... like me. I not only love this song I love her entire cd. For Lovers, Dreamers & Me is a must have cd. Alice Smith's site

Trizonna McClendon - Sunshine and Lemonade (Make Me Feel Mix) - Summer is all about being in sun. I have been listening to this house remix of Sunshine and Lemonade for a minute now. One of my top summertime songs. Trizonna McClendon's site

Estelle - In The Rain - Estelle's cd is a nice mix of different flavors. And In The Rain is one of my favs.

The Roots ft Peedi Peedi and Dice Raw - Get Busy - This is my riding song! Nuff said...

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Here's the latest mix. I'm moving everything to my own site later next week so stay tuned... Updates coming soon, so for now enjoy!

Download here

The playlist:

1. The Tony Rich Project - Hey Blue
   
2. Corrine Bailey Rae - I'd Like To
   
3. Dionne Farris - For U
   
4. Erykah Badu - That Hump
   
5. Sade - Nothing Can Come Between Us
   
6. Alice Smith - Love Endeavors
   
7. Troop - All I Do Is Think of You
   
8. Ledisi - Best Friend
   
9. Amy Winehouse - Wake Up Alone
   
10. Kelis - Goodbyes
    
11. Peter Hadar - Xplosive
    
12. Brandy - Full Moon
    
13. Faith Evans - Love Don't Live Here Anymore
    
14. Eric Roberson - Too Soon
    
15. Vivian Green - Selfish
    
16. Lina - Gone
    
17. Syleena Johnson - So Willingly
    
18. Chrisette Michelle - Mr Radio

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Another new mix and this one was a lesson in if at first you don't succeed try and try again. After a bit of frustration with a laptop that's starting to show it's age I won out and showed it who's boss. I was going to do just a straight old school mix but decided to sprinkle in some newer stuff too. 

Enjoy!

Download Here

The Playlist:

1. Let's Chill - Guy
2. Pretty Brown Eyes - Mint Condition
3. Mary Jane - Mary J. Blige
4. Kissin You (Oh Honey Remix) - Total
5. It's The Falling In Love - Michael Jackson
6. Superwoman (Where Were You...) - 4hero featuring Terry Devos
7. Diary - Alicia Keys
8. Complicated - Robin Thicke
9. I Don't Wanna - Aaliyah
10. Think of You - Ledisi
11. Ex-Factor - Lauryn Hill
12. They Don't Know - Jon B
13. Fourth of July - Mariah Carey
14. Believer - Esthero featuring Brandy
15. Complexity - The Roots featuring Jill Scott
16. Never Knew Love Like This - Alexander O'Neal and Cherelle
17. Try Again - Raheem DeVaughn
18. And I Love You - Toni Braxton
19. I Want You - Common
20. Love Hangover - Erykah Badu

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Back to our regularly scheduled mixes next week (hopefully). Tuesdays instead of Mondays though. New site coming soon, hopefully next week... depends on how much time I'm able to spare from the fifty million gazillion other things I have to do... *sigh*...

Anyway, here's a new mix... A little old, a little new... enjoy.

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1. Deniece Williams - Free
2. Erykah Badu - Me
3. Peter Hadar - Deep In Love
4. Dwele - I'm Cheatin'
5. Eric Roberson - Been In Love w/Phonte of Little Brother
6. Rogiers - Whatever I Gotta Do
7. 4hero ft Jack Davey - Take My Time
8. Alicia Keys - Wreckless Love
9. Estelle ft Cee-Lo - Pretty Please (Love Me)
10. Emmanuel - Ain't It Good
11. The Gap Band - Yearning For Your Love
12. Joss Stone - What Were We Thinking
13. Raheem DeVaughn - Mo Better
14. Rahsaan Patterson - Stop Breaking My Heart
15. Ledisi - I Tried
16. The S.O.S. Band - Take Your Time
17. Janet - Rock With U
18. Algebra Blessett - Can I Keep U?
19. Syleena Johnson - It Is True
20. Michael Jackson - I Can't Help It
    

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Energy... getting moving... getting into the flow. I felt a different vibe was needed this time around, switch things up a bit. There's a little bit of everything going on in this mix - hip hop, r&b, old and new.

Be on the lookout for more to come - new mixes, a new site and more... And since I'm in a nostalgic Outkast mood all of a sudden I might drop a mix of Southernplayalistic grooves... we'll see.

Download Here

The Playlist:

1. Estelle w/Kanye West - American Boy
2. Janet Jackson - What's Ur Name
3. Mary J. Blige - 'Til The Mornnig
4. Timbaland - Bombay
5. ATCQ - Electric Relaxation
6. Aaliyah - If Your Girl Only Knew
7. Janet Jackson - The Pleasure Principle
8. Raheem DeVaughn ft Big Boi - Energy
9. Michael Jackson - Baby Be Mine
10. Luther Vandross - She's A Super Lady
11. Teena Marie - Behind the Groove
12. Idle Warship - Pull It Out Main
13. Outkast - B.O.B.
14. Camp Lo - Luchini
15. Pharell ft Jay-Z - Frontin'
16. Outkast - Skew It On The Bar-B
17. Big Boi, Raekwon & Andre 3000 - Royal Flush

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This is the way overdue mix. I finished it last weekend but never got around to posting it.

This mix is a collection of some of my favorite 'leaving/got left' end of the road relationship songs. Sometimes you have to let go, say no, and walk out the door. Sometimes relationships work out, sometimes the pain endured staying in a bad relationship outweighs the pain of leaving. Life is full of hard decisions, especially in the realm of love.

Whether you leave or are left behind it's usually for the best. Me personally, I'd rather live all lone than put up with a bad relationship. I have enough love for myself to know I don't have to be with someone to be happy. And I'll continue to give the best of me to those I love but I'm not going to be nobody's fool.

Enjoy!

Download

The playlist:

1. Vivian Green - Gotta Go Gotta Leave Tired
2. Rahsaan Patterson - Sometimes (You Gotta Let Go)
3. Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings -  Nobody's Baby
4. Platinum Pied Pipers - 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover
5. Algebra Blessett - Tug of War
6. Deniece Williams - Silly
7. Lizz Wright - Leave Me Standing Alone
8. Eric Roberson - Only For You
9. Raheem DeVaughn - Try Again
10. Kelis - Get Along With You
11. Lisa Stansfeld - All Around the World
12. Natalie Cole - I'm Catching Hell
13. Phyllis Hyman - Living All Alone
14. Chrisette Michelle - Best of Me

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Cupid's Hunt

This mix was a lot of fun and at the same time it was the hardest mix to make to date. An initial short list ballooned into about 60 songs to choose from. I managed to get it down to 16 and it's a collection of songs that all have special meaning to me, favorites from years ago to new releases. It's all about the goodness of love and relationships. As I listen to this now I've realized that I unintentionally made this for someone very specific in my life. This has me and the S.O. written all over it.

Thanks to TGrundy for putting all of this together.

Enjoy and have a Happy Valentine's Day!

The Playlist:

1. Love Is You - Chrisette Michelle
2. Love - Musiq Soulchild
3. In Love With You - Erykah Badu w/Stephen Marley
4. Higher - D'Angelo
5. He Loves Me - Jill Scott
6. The Lady In My Life - Michael Jackson
7. Love Saw It - Babyface and Karyn White
8. Love No Limit - Mary J Blige
9. So Good - Davina
10. Sweetest Thing - Lauryn Hill
11. Sugar Honey Iced Tea - Kelis
12. When I See U - Fantasia
13. Four Letter Word - Raheem DeVaughn
14. Cherish The Day - Sade
15. And I Love You - Toni Braxton
16. Love U 4 Life - Jodeci
    

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After a rough week I decided I needed a little pick me up, so I came up with a mix that would get me moving and remind me that it's not all as bad as it may seem. We all get a little stressed out at times but if you wipe the dirt off your shoulder you'll be just fine. I know I'm the real thing and no one can walk in my shoes or hate on me. It's time to work that with no more tears. This woman is a champion and the voice within is only getting stronger. Today is golden and I'm enjoying the complex simplicity of this thing called life, living on cloud 9. Be blessed and enjoy.

Have a good Monday and a good week.

Playlist:

1. Dirt Off Your Shoulder Snippet - Jay-Z
2. Just Fine - Mary J. Blige
3. The Real Thing - Jill Scott
4. Woman - Raheem DeVaughn
5. Walk In My Shoes - Emily King featuring Lupe Fiasco
6. Stressed Out - A Tribe Called Quest featuring Faith Evans
7. Champion - Kanye West
8. Work That - Mary J. Blige
9. No More Tears - Teedra Moses
10. Golden - Jill Scott
11. Today - Ledisi
12. The Voice - Syleena Johnson
13. Cloud 9 - Rahsaan Patterson
    
14. Complex Simplicity - Teedra Moses
15. Hate On Me - Jill Scott
16. Stronger - Kanye West

Download Here

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