Mailbag

December 2, 2024:

RE: Southern Soul Rap

Pictured: Black Zack

Daddy B Nice,

First off I want to say I love your website! For lovers of Southern Soul, this is truly the only one stop. With that being said, you do acknowledge rap/hip hop in Southern Soul, but with its growing popularity, it would be nice to see the pioneers and and trendsetters receive their flowers.

Right now acknowledging those pioneers is extremely important. I've seen posts and interviews lately where artists have wrongfully claimed to have created or started rap in Southern Soul. Some crowning themselves King or the most relevant. I think knowing the history is extremely important for any genre. I do not know the entire history but I do know that Black Zack is the first rapper I ever heard of saying they were a Southern Soul or Juke Joint Rapper. Others I remember early on are Lil Runt and J. Rizzo. I know of Cheff the Entertainer, Poka Jones, Johnny James, Badd Newz, and if I'm not mistaken Bigg Robb has a son that does Southern Soul Rap as well..

All of those guys are trendsetters in their own right, but Joe-Nice has been the most consistent hip hop artist in the genre and is no doubt the standard. I got a chance to see him do his thing at a sold out show at the North Charleston performing arts center a few years back. I wasnt as familiar with his music until then, but he put on an incredible show. I have been following him ever since. His presence has grown too. You cant listen to either Adult R&b station in Charleston without hearing his music. From Party Starter, Rockin, Share It, Juke Joint Lover and his newest single featuring Doug E Fresh... He is one of the genres superstars and deserves his recognition. I would love to know your thoughts on the subject, but I would venture to say you would atleast agree with me a little bit, because Nice is one of the few rappers that repeatedly shows up on your website.

I look forward to hearing your response! Thanks for all you do.

Signed : Derrick - a preserver of the culture

Daddy B. Nice replies:

Pictured: Joe Nice

Derrick, I curled up like a lap kitten reading your appreciation of the website.

First, a couple of little-known facts. I came from hip-hop (along with a couple of other genres). Not the blues, as most people assume. A grown man, I was so into rap in the late eighties and nineties that I finagled ways to get home like a teeny-bopper to watch MTV's Top 10 hiphop countdown in the late afternoons . It was the growing minimalism and repetitiveness of hip-hop that drove me into the black underground of the Deep South (the chitlin' circuit) in the late nineties and early aughts. I still have a page---now twenty-five years old---dedicated to that transition:

The Soulful Side Of Rap & Hiphop: Daddy B. Nice's Top Twenty.

Second, I just want to say how refreshing it is to get a letter about "southern soul rap" in a year that has been overwhelmingly "southern soul country". Having said that, I agree with you about Joe Nice. Most hip-hoppers just transition into southern soul, leaving it behind as I did. Of the much more select group of rappers who have made the effort to integrate rap with southern soul, Joe Nice is head-and-shoulders above the rest. I really enjoy his collaborations with Nelson Curry, especially "Party Starter". But you don't mention my favorite Joe Nice song: "Take Your Time" with Sean Dolby. I was so enamored with this tune that it became my #1 southern soul song of the entire year in 2021.

See Daddy B. Nice's Top 25 Songs of 2021: #1 "Take Your Time".

Rap stanzas (intervals) have become so ubiquitous in southern soul that hardly anyone even notices them (other than to enjoy them) anymore. Only think of this year's southern soul country tune "Back Roads". A major reason I felt justified calling the song southern soul was the fact that it had a rap interlude, something verboten in country music.

Hey Derrick, thanks for bringing up the subject.

See Joe Nice Artist Guide.

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daddybnice@southernsoulrnb.com
*************


November 17, 2024:

RE: DJ Jammin' Jay

I checked out DJ Jammin' Jay.

Listen to my warning everyone who uses the "STEM profile of mixing" will all sound the same. It's another way to make everyone a DJ and buy expensive DJ equipment, software (Serato or Virtual DJ) and more. The software damn near mixes itself, if you set everything up correctly.

DJ Sir Rockinghood

Daddy B. Nice notes:

See Daddy B. Nice's "News & Notes" October 20, 2024: "DJ Jammin' Jay Continues To Rip It Up."



November 11, 2024

Re: Will Southern Soul Deejays Play Southern Soul Country?

Pictured: Curt The Country Man

Daddy B Nice

Sorry for the late response but i'm just seeing this email. And yes we are playing songs like this and some Country songs are crossing over into the Southern Soul Genre. The feedback from fans is a positive one they are actually are dancing to these songs and requesting Them. Some Djs I network with are not surprised at this Country Music acceptance at Southern Soul Events

Daddy B. Nice replies:

Thank you so much for the feedback, Buz.

See Daddy B. Nice's FEATURED ARTISTS: "Country Stylin".

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daddybnice@southernsoulrnb.com
*************

November 3, 2024:

Thank You Letter

Don't Forget Jus Epik & Money Waters Country Girl

Thank you for your new Country Stylin column with the featured four artists including my girl Cecily Wilborn. Nice to get a broader picture ---with more artists of what's happening Don't forget Jus Epik's & Money Waters' "Country Girl".

Val

Daddy B. Nice replies:

That's right! Jus Epik was a precursor, a country vocal. Two years ago already! Would you believe that song now has 6.5 million views?

Val replies:

Very country tho I didn't think of it at the time.

See Daddy B. Nice's "Country Stylin" (four artists).



October 6, 2024:

Looking For A Song Letters:

I heard this on a radio mix, don't know the artist or title. It's slow with falsetto voice. "Going to rock with you, going to roll with you". I think the artist is older because he says "37 years later and we're still happy"

Cherona

Daddy B. Nice replies:

I'm glad you put in that last remark about "37 years later," which gave it away for sure. That's R.T. Taylor, arguably the second most distinguished southern soul senior debut of the last decade after the late Bishop Bullwinkle. Taylor is most well known for his hit single "It's A Mule".

Listen to R.T. Taylor singing "Rock With You" on YouTube.

Buy R.T. Taylor music at Apple.

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Dear Daddy,

Please help me with an artist name! "My name is condo, my name is diamonds, my name is big head hundreds, my name is clothes on my back" are some of the lyrics.

Will

Daddy B. Nice replies:

I believe you're talking about Miz B who was actively recording around twenty years ago. The song has a great title: "My Name Is $$$".

Will replies:

That's it! Thank you!!

Will P.S.

Do you know where I can buy it?

Daddy B. Nice replies:

Buy Miz B's "My Name Is $$$" at Apple.

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Hi Daddy B nice,

I need to find a song I just heard and love. The words are Take Me To The Country Where We Love Slow Living.

Silver

Daddy B. Nice replies

That's Cecily Wilborn's new single "Living For The Weekend". It's #2 on this month's Top 10 Singles.

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daddybnice@southernsoulrnb.com
*************

Re: A Walter Waiters Sighting

Daddy B. Nice,

As an artist who has shaken your hand at a concert as well as an afternoon sound check I can assure people you’re not a “ghost”. After reading Walter Waiters accusing you of making all these “assumptions” about him I clicked the link to your article expecting some real “daddy be mean” stuff. All I found was you lifting him up in every conceivable way. Don’t let the haters get you down. What you do for southern soul day in day out is amazing. You have all my love and respect.

P.S. If you publish this please don’t use my name.
Name Withheld

Daddy B. Nice notes: I also want to acknowledge and thank readers who sent in letters of support they didn't wish published.



September 15, 2024:

Re: Walter Waiters (A New Sighting)... Walter Waiters Return?? Lol.

Greeting Daddy B. Nice,

Just wanted to correct you on a write up someone sent me that you'd recently posted. I never stopped performing, recording and releasing music. Since moving to Vegas over 15 years ago, I've stayed away from you guys and focused on a fan base that could make factual assessments on me because they could actually be front and center and get it from a reliable source. I still tour and perform over the US..Yolanda Bumpers, I guess being unaware of my desire to stay away from THAT spotlight decided to send you that flyer to promote her show. I have also released numerous successful projects since the years you've looked at me ladt and all are searchable. I've been working consistently here in Vegas, LA, The Midwest and Gulfcoast. I decided years ago that my love for performing my music could not be defined by Southern Soul Ghosts that no one in the business has never made eye contact with or shaken hands with at a show. With all due respect sir, do your research before making statements about people. It's not a good look. A simple YouTube search or Amazon, Spotify, etc search would probably have changed the whole concept of your writeup. Can't comeback to something I never left. I was in my 20s when I put Don't scratch my back out. I am now in my 50s. BREAKING NEWS... In California this weekend, I will be awarded a Living Legend award. Not that it should mean anything to you or people like you, but it was what I set out to be 45 years ago.. No label, No management, no band...Just me. The only mistake I ever regret was the distribution deal which turned into a disaster with a person whose energy reminds me of yours. Being on a number on list of artists, means absolutely nothing to me at this stage of my life. I've made it in so many areas of what I set out for. So do some research before making assumptions on me, just as I researched you in the past. You are brilliant person, I was surprised by your location and what you did for an actual living that SS was even an interest for you. I just wish that you would do more research before boldly making assumptions about people you've never actually researched. Have a Great one Daddy B. Nice.

Walter.

Read Daddy B. Nice's "Walter Waiters: A New Sighting!"

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August 26, 2024:

Re: DJ-ing Labor Day Weekend BBQ in South Carolina

Pictured: King George

Hey, hope all is well.

I live in Florida but I'm from NY. I would really like to build a Southern Soul library. Your website seems to be the best source on the internet. I would like to know where I can purchase/download the music you have on the website. I am going to SC this Labor Day weekend and my peops want me to DJ at the BBQ. So I need to get at least 20 Southern Soul Songs.

Vincent

Daddy B. Nice replies:

I've spent plenty of time in New York myself, Vincent, so I'd better get this to you in a New York (not a GenZ'er) minute. If you're going to South Carolina, you're going to have to be on your game. I just wrote a "News & Notes" column entitled "Top Southern Soul Audience: The Carolinas!" Your fellow BBQ'ers are going to love anything by King George, who's from Hopkins SC, and if you click the King George link it will take you to the page (the Artist Guide), where you will find direct links to buying the mp3's/albums in the right-hand column (Recommended Tracks). Use that same procedure for any artist you want to buy from.

You can find the artists in the Index to Artists or Comprehensive Index or---unless they have millions of fans---just googling the artist name followed by the keywords "southern soul artist" (one of my shortcuts). If you already know the artists you want and just want to work with one retailer, I'd recommend Apple Music. They have everybody in southern soul, and these days most of my buy-links go to Apple, which is more or less the monopoly of the moment. If you don't know the music you want, go to my website's "Top 10" pages or "Best Of (Year)" pages first, sample the YouTube links, then go to Apple for the songs you like. Hope this helps!

Vincent replies:

Thank you. It helps a great deal. I am definitely using your website as a point of reference and thank you for the advice. Most appreciated.

Blessings



August 23, 2024:

Looking For A Song Letter

To whom it may concern:

My name is Sarah R. The reason I am writing to you is I am hoping that you will be able to help me find these two CD's. The first one is by: King George, the song is: Lil Weight. The second one is by Chocolite Tye, the song is: H.A.T.E.R. I have try to find them on the Internet, but I haven't find them. I heard them when I was scrolling on my phone. I appreciate any help you can give me in finding these CD's.

Thank you!
Sarah R.

Daddy B. Nice replies:

Yes, I can help you with that, Sarah. You can buy the King George single at Apple Music at "Lil' Weight". You can buy the Chocolit Tye single at Apple Music at "H.A.T.E.R." I hadn't checked on George's "Lil' Weight" since last year. It now has over 12 million views on just one of its YouTube pages, so you're in good company.

Listen to King George singing "Lil' Weight" on YouTube.

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daddybnice@southernsoulrnb.com
*************

August 2, 2024:

Southern Soul = The Blues

Hello and morning.

I DJ my Music at a Blues????? Club in secondlife.com.

This past Wednesday I started my set with

1. AC Soul Symphony Metamorphosis
2. Mr Al Green Your Hearts in good Hands

The Club manager??? on duty told me that I couldn't play those tunes because they were NOT Blues????? She even brought in another upper level Manager to make me look as though I was the Bad guy???? for not playing the Blues which I did on my 3rd Tune in my set. Even played Laura Lee's Dirty Man.

How can I explain to those Managers that there's only one Heartbeat between Southern Soul and the Blues.

I hear the Blues in all types of Music. The influence came from the Blues.

Many Managers in secondlife have no business being Managers?? as you can tell and it's something I will have to deal with if I continue my Music sets at that Club?

Thanks for any suggestions
Deacon

Daddy B. Nice replies:

I was ready to take your side, Deacon, when I read your title (southern soul ='s the blues) and the body of your letter. But when I checked out your actual music choices, I wasn't so sure. Full disclosure. I had not heard any of the three songs you played prior to reading your note. Nor do I know anything about "secondlife" and its worth as a platform for you to deejay. However, I can sympathize with the views of your manager if it is indeed a blues-oriented showcase.

The first song---AC Soul Symphony's "Metamorphosis"---is pure disco with Philly-style background. It would leave any person expecting the blues to scratch his head. And the second song (Al Green's "Your Heart's In Good Hands") is also disco-flavored with hints of smooth jazz and post-disco mainstream R&B. I don't hear any blues there, nor even southern soul.

You say you hear the blues in all types of music, but if you're intent on appealing to that musical demographic (and no one says you have to), wouldn't it be more diplomatic to cater to that audience's biases rather than play something (i.e. disco) that is more or less antithetical to the blues?

In sum, I'm not telling you what to like or what to play. I'm just saying in this particular situation you may be asking too much of both your manager and your prospective blues audience.

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daddybnice@southernsoulrnb.com
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July 16, 2024:

Looking For A Song Letter

Hi Daddy B. Nice;

I'm stumped. I'm looking for a song that contains " a woman's got to have it. And a man has to do what a man has to do. That's the way it is if he wants her to be true. " Do you have any idea? Thank you in advance for your help.

Candie

Daddy B. Nice replies:

I'm stumped too. Can't say I've ever heard that phrase, especially the last couplet, which is memorable. I'll put it out for the readers, Candie, and see if there's any response.

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July 20, 2024:

THANK YOU LETTER: LLJuna Surfaces And Announces New Remix of "Wasn't None Of You"

Good morning!

I just wanted to reach and introduce myself to you!

I’m LLJuna(Lijuana). I released a song back in 05 called Wasn’t None Of You. Someone contacted me and told me to read an article on your site stating that you were trying to locate me LOL. I’m really a local artist in MS. I still do gigs, however I’m Dean of Students at a university and Assistant Vice President of Student Services as well. So really music is a passion of mine but it wasn’t paying the bills during that time. It’s just great to be acknowledged by you and I still sing occasionally.

Best Always!

P.S.

Attached is the remix to “Wasn’t None of You”. Thanks to you, there has been a renewed interest in my single. I have released Soul Remix that will be available on all media platforms.

Thank you so much for your article. Let the world knows that I’m Back!

LLJuna

Daddy B. Nice notes:

Scroll down this page for more on LLJuna.

Listen to the new remix of LLJuna's "Wasn't None Of You" on YouTube.




July 6, 2024:

Thank You Letter: Bobby Rush Boulevard

Hi Daddy B Nice!

Thank you for the Bobby Rush Boulevard article with the personal notes on how you trolled southern soul in Jackson MS. We tend to forget that at whatever stage in our lives it happened to be, childhood, adulthood etc. we didn’t know anything about the music we grew to love. To hear someone as well-versed as you on the southern soul genre describe those moments was a joy to hear and a reminder of my own experiences, tho' they came much later. And also, a reminder of how little was known about southern soul in the late 90's when you discovered it on the small radio stations in the South!

Best regards,
Hayden

Daddy B. Nice replies:

Thank you so much, Hayden. I stumbled upon something else I had forgotten about Bobby Rush as I transferred the article posted on DBN's Corner to the Bobby Rush Artist Guide with his bio. Bobby Rush's given name was Emmit Ellis! (A common name back then---I had an uncle named Emmit married to an aunt named Edna.) Bobby Rush was born Emmit Ellis Jr. in Homer, Louisiana. The same surname as Ellis Boulevard in Jackson MS, the street renamed Bobby Rush! How's that for a coincidence?

Now...If we can just get some of these young recording artists to put the blues harmonica in their songs like Bobby did, all will be right with the world!

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June 23, 2024:

QUICK HITS

Thanks A Million

I appreciate the love on your site it was very insightful. Thanks once again man and the picture you drawer of me was awesome. I would love to do a banner promotion with you guys. Let me know what I need to do or who I need to speak to. Thanks a million Daddy B Nice

Stacii Adams

Daddy B. Nice replies:

Way to go, Stacii. It was a fun experience.

info@southernsoulrnbnew.com

If you’re interested in additional (paid) advertising contact Nat at the “info..” address above. She’ll take care of you.

See Stacii Adams' #1 Single for June 2024, "I'll Beg".

Re: Bobby Rush Boulevard

Hey Daddy!

Just wonderin why you needed two room suites to record music on your boombox back in the day in that hotel on Ellis (now Bobby Rush) Boulevard!

'Givin ya a hard time' Jerry

Daddy B. Nice replies:

Ha! I'll tell you why, Jerry. You spend that much time in a hotel room, you need space to pace! Plus in later years, I did have the wife.

Posted on "News & Notes" Daddy B. Nice's Corner June 16, 2024.

Looking For A Song

Hello

I’m trying to figure out the name of the artist and song? I tried calling the radio station by never got anyone on the phone.

Here goes some of the lyrics in the videos. I came across your web site while I was search the lyrics.

Also it goes something like This

“ the country is what I’m missing someone better them boys. I’m on the road again.

I cannot clear my head in the city and home is what I’m missing ….”

Thanks

Daddy B. Nice replies:

I'm stumped. Worse, I lost your name and email. In case you visit the site regularly, I'll post this for the readers and see if I get a response.

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daddybnice@southernsoulrnb.com
*************


June 18, 2024:

Lead Guitarist for Theodis Ealey Passes

Daddy B. Nice:

It is with our deepest sorrow that we inform you all of the death of our beloved friend and fellow musician , Mr. Victor E.Hodge guitarist for Theodis Ealey for over 20 years. He passed away a couple of weeks ago from a bout with cancer . A Service of Remembrance, honoring Victor Hodge’s life and legacy will take place on Saturday, June 22, 2024, at 12:00 PM from the chapel of Southern Cremations & Funerals at Eastlawn Memorial Park, located 640 McGarity Road, McDonough, Georgia 30252.

The Service for Victor E. Hodge will be livestreamed on Saturday, June 22, 2024, beginning at 11:50 AM. In the event that technical difficulties should occur, the recorded version of the service will be uploaded here on Mr. Victor Hodge's Obituary page, no later than 5PM.

El' Willie







UNDER CONSTRUCTION!!


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*************