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JET Jams 2.10.18


JET's Top 20 Singles is one of my favorite magazine staples. I often go through old issues just to see what was dominating radio in any given week/month/year.


February 10, 1972: Shirley Anita Chisholm covers JET Magazine. Ms. Chisholm became the first Black candidate for a major party's nomination for President of the United States, and the first woman to run for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination.


In 1968 Ms. Chisholm also became the first black woman elected to the United States Congress, where she represented New York's 12th Congressional District for seven terms until 1983. If any story deserves to be told during Black History Month, Shirley Chisholm's story does.

In 2018, I feel it is important to share the entire article... especially during a time when the United States of America lacks true leadership and there's a bigoted hate-monger sitting in the oval office.


Shirley Chisholm's historic presidential run wasn't the only amazing thing about 1972. The music being produced during the time was almost equally as amazing in my eyes. How did JET compile these top 20 lists? The people.


This week, the peoples' champs seemed to be Al Green, The Honey Cone, and Ms. Betty Wright.


The good Reverend's "Let's Stay Together" held the coveted number one spot. For many, this is Al Green's signature song. To date, the song remains his only number one pop hit. "Let's Stay Together" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, and remained on the chart for 16 weeks. It also topped Billboard's R&B chart for nine weeks. Billboard ranked it as the number 11 song of 1972.


The Honey Cone is one of my favorite girl groups and I think they are severely underrated. The group had some SERIOUS talent. Edna Wright (sister of Darlene Love), Carolyn Willis (a former member of the Girlfriends), and Shelly Clark (former Ikette and current wife of Earth, Wind, & Fire bassist Verdine White) were a force to be reckoned with. Vocally, they could do no wrong in my eyes. Unfortunately, the rest of the world didn't see them in the same light, as "One Monkey Don't Stop No Show" would be one of the last songs they charted with. ("Innocent Until Proven Guilty" from Honey Cone was sampled by rapper Common in 2005 for his hit song "Testify". The video for the song features the phenomenal Taraji P. Henson and another one of my favorites, Wood Harris.)



And what could be said about Ms. Betty Wright that hasn't been said before? She's been singing professionally (actually recording) since the age of THREE and signed her first record deal at age TWELVE. As a teenager, she helped discover other singers like George and Gwen McCrae. In 1988, Betty Wright made history as the first Black female artist to score a gold album on her own label. With her magnificent seven octave range, she's served as vocal coach to stars like Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, and Joss Stone. "Clean Up Woman" is, to me, one of her CLASSICS and has been sampled/covered more than forty times.



Other artists appearing on this week's list are James Brown, The Staples Singers, Michael Jackson, the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin, and the man on EVERYONE'S mind this week... Mr. Quincy Jones.


Take some time to enjoy this playlist. Nothing but stellar music here from stellar musicians. #TurnThisUp and enjoy the sounds of 1972.


Sadly, 1972 was the year that we lost gospel great Mahalia Jackson. JET Magazine covered the singer's life in the same issue. I've included it below.


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