Andrés Cárdenas

As much as I hate to love RateYourMusic, they have come up with the Sonemic Challenge. It recommends you popular albums from genres you probably haven’t explored “to help you step out of your comfort zone.”

Here’s its first recommendation for me: the posthumously released and only official recording of Baby Huey and the Babysitters.

It’s said to have influenced the Hip-Hop and Rap greats, some of them have gone as far as calling it a fundamental piece in the development of their own ideas. And well, The Baby Huey History has been sampled by Biggie, ATCQ and The Roots.

This isn’t just Chicago Soul, it’s religious music. An album that’s bold as it’s aptly titled: The Living Legend. With as many drug references as gospel bits, all mashed together in a way that perhaps explains the end of Mr. James T. Ramey, aka Baby Huey, and yet another example of how thin is the line between the forbidden and the spiritual.

And I am probably focusing on less important ideas on the 9 minute Sam Cooke’s cover and roller-coaster of emotions that is “A Change is Going to Come” alone. The album addresses social and racial issues too and “the band knows a way.”

It’s quite clear after listening to this that Sonemic is right about me needing to get more into this “Soul” thing. Perhaps you can join me on this musical journey too.