:::MEETING NELSON GEORGE:::

I been blessed to meet alotta people I look up to and get inspiration from, and gettig a chance to talk with Nelson George today is right up there in the top 10. For those who may not know, Nelson George (or "Mr. George" as I was careful to address him) is one of tha most important intellectuals of tha past 30 years -- particularly on issues relating to black music and culture.

Besides his 20 or so books (including "The Death of Rhythm and Blues" which had a HUGE impact on me when I read it in high school) and his work at Billboard, Mr. George has been active and a part of most major black music and art developments of tha past 30 years. He was interviewing me (!!) as part of his new VH1 Soul "Soul Cities" series and as we were rapping outside Groove Merchant records on Haight Street (big shout out to Cool Chris -- be back for those records later on today bruh) he told me about his days working at tha Amsterdam News -- how it was around tha corner from tha legendary Paul Winley record shop, Bobby Robinson's (Enjoy Records) store being a block down 125th, etc. It struck me how Mr. George, already an established writer at a major African American publication, was already building relationships with tha emerging hip-hop scene. Nelson George is more than just tha "Barbara Walters of Hip-Hop" but his relationships with, writing and support of tha hip-hop scene in NYC and now worldwide makes him similar to Babs in that he is THE pre-eminent journalist and chronicler of a music form that has changed EVERYTHING.

It was a major honor to meet you sir -- thank you!!!!

Ohhh yeah -- and it turns out Mr. George is a salsa fanatic. No real surprise there (after all he's a native New Yorker) but its dope that tha Willie Colon, "The Hustler" LP is hanging behind us in tha pic above! And i bet more than once he heard THIS song blasting out of someone's car radio or stoop radio uptown during tha 70s...

Ralfi Pagan, "Who is the Girl For Me" (Fania, 1974)