Spotify Release Info
Track: Gangsta's Paradise - Blues Cover
Artist: If Rappers Made Blues
Album: Gangsta's Paradise (Blues Cover)
Artist Bio
Name: If Rappers Made Blues
Spotify Genres: soul blues, blues
Followers: 12,040
Popularity:
Biography
b. 1st July 1936, Holly Springs, Mississippi, U.S.A. Died, 6 February 2022 (Age 85) American funk/soul/blues singer and music producer. Johnson sang and played with blues artists [a=Magic Sam], [a=Billy Boy Arnold], [a=Junior Wells] and [a=Howlin' Wolf] in the 1950s, before recording with [a=Jimmy Reed] for [l=Vee Jay Records] in 1959. He made his solo debut that same year with [l=Federal Records (2)], a subsidiary of [l=King Records (3)] of Cincinnati, backed by [a=Freddie King] on guitar. He then began recording for [l=Twinight Records] of Chicago in the mid 1960s. Beginning with his first hit, [i]Come On Sock It to Me[/i] in 1967, Johnson dominated the label as both a hitmaker and producer. Like other black songwriters of the period, several of his records at this time explored themes of African-American identity and social problems in songs including [i]Is It Because I’m Black[/i], which reached Number 11 in the R&B charts in 1969. In 1971, [a=Willie Mitchell] brought Johnson to [l=Hi Records], for whom he recorded three albums and a number of singles. Produced in Memphis with the Hi house band, these yielded music of power and enduring value, including the hits [i]We Did It[/i], [i]Back for a Taste of Your Love[/i] and [i]Take Me to the River[/i], his biggest success, reaching Number 7 on the R&B charts in 1975. However, at Hi Johnson was always to some extent in [a=Al Green]’s shadow commercially, if not artistically. After the Hi years ended, Johnson produced two LPs for his own label [b]Shama[/b], the latter of which (Ms. Fine Brown Frame, 1982) was picked up for distribution by [l=Boardwalk Records, Inc.] and produced Johnson’s last hit record, the title cut. Around the mid-eighies, Johnson started a fast-food fish restaurant business, and became semi-retired from performing, only making occasional appearances at blues club gigs. In 1992, Johnson found out that his classic song [i]Different Strokes[/i] have been sampled by number of rappers including [a=Wu-Tang Clan], [a=MC Hammer], and [a=Geto Boys]. Stimulated by this fact, he decided to make a come back in the music business. In 1994, he released the album [i]Back in the Game[/i] on [l=Delmark Records]. The album featured the the Hi rhythm section and his youngest daughter [a=Syleena Johnson]. Blues guitarist and singer [a=Jimmy Johnson (8)], and bassist [a=Mack Thompson]/[a=Mac Johnson (3)] are his brothers.
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Check this outPopular Tracks on Spotify
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1.Gangsta's Paradise - Blues CoverGangsta's Paradise (Blues Cover)
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2.I Ain't Mad At Cha - Blues CoverI Ain't Mad At Cha (Blues Cover)
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3.Sweet MercySweet Mercy
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4.Regulate Blues Style - Blues CoverRegulate Blues Style (Blues Cover)
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5.Window Shopper (Blues Cover)Window Shopper (Blues Cover)
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6.That’s The Way It GoesThat’s The Way It Goes
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7.Keep Ya Head Up - Blues coverKeep Ya Head Up (Blues cover)
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8.Do For Love - Blues StyleDo For Love (Blues Style)
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9.Today Was A Good Day - Blues StyleToday Was A Good Day (Blues Style)
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10.Hit 'Em Up - Blues StyleHit 'Em Up (Blues Style)
Discogs Release Info
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