music from blu to chocolate

Think back to 2001: To what songs were you jammin'? Almost ten years ago, I know...

At this time, I was somewhere on the bridge from middle school to high school, and, of course, this meant I was a Top 40 listener, keeping up with the songs the "cool" kids liked. One such song was "Hit 'Em Up Style" by Blu Cantrell. Do you remember this song? It was an awesome R&B hit, full of soul. Now, granted, to this day I am uncertain what exactly it means to hit one "up style," but, neverthless, still a memerable song.

Flash forward to present day: I was bopping along to The Current the other week and heard a folksy-sounding little diddy playing. As I listened, I thought, Hey, don't I already know this song? Sure enough; it was "Hit 'Em Up Style" with a totally different flavor from the Carolina Chocolate Drops!

click photo to see a video

How fabulous!

This is one of my favorite things about music. Take one song, keep the melody and lyrics the same, and create endless renditions with different voices, instruments, and interpretations. Talk about making it your own!

The Carolina Chocolate Drops are a fascinating threesome who met at a Black Banjo Gathering. Two members are classically trained, and the third member has a history of slam poetry and guitar. At the core of their music is the minstrel music of the 1920s. They truly excel at taking the roots of Southern folk music and putting a modern spin on the sound.

Music is magic. Who would have thought a soulful R&B tune could turn into a string band melody? How did this happen? Simple: a little creativity through an amazing medium makes for beauitful results!

Thanks to NPR for the bio info.