Special Guest Blog: The Legendary Grace Jones

-- by Nashom of The Ones

The artist that still inspires me is none other than Grace Jones. I remember seeing her in my youth and being completely captivated by her blue blackness. Her androgynous image and geometric art direction was atypical for a black performer of that era.

In a time when black artists were straightening their hair and emulating 1970s and '80s white culture, she was referencing artists as diverse as Harry Belafonte and Josephine Baker. She was unapologetically black.

In addition, she crossed barriers by recording traditional standards by Edith Piaf, Bill Bill Withers and Steven Sondheim. She counter-balanced this by recording cutting edge contemporary artists like Sting, Joy Division and The Normals.

Her own writing was in league with the artists she covered: The ground breaking Jamaican beat driven classics "Nipple To The Bottle" and "Pull Up To The Bumper" always get my black ass on the dance floor.

Grace Jones - "Pull Up To the Bumper"

Up and above her music, I most respect Grace Jones for the way she leads her life. Like all authentic artists, her stage persona differs very little from her real life. She is as bad-ass as the character she plays in the James Bond film A View To A Kill.

She collaborated with some of the best artists of our time: Antonio Lopez illuminated her beauty, Richard Bernstein manufactured her fame and Jean-Paul Goode celebrated her black power.

Like Bowie, Grace Jones brought theater back to concerts. She deconstructed each song into its own vignette. She was the very first black performance artists that I noticed. If you have never rented her One Man Show stop reading right now and go get it; it will rock your world. It ended the '80s before they began.

Her influence can still be seen today in artists like Missy Elliot, Busta Rhymes, Roisin Murphy and, hopefully, The Ones. I personally will never let go of the possibility of hearing new material from Ms. Grace Jones. She is still relevant.

Thanks to Nashom of The Ones for this very special guest blog! And if you're not familiar with the NYC band...

Check out The Ones' MySpace page here! And check back for more Black History Month posts soon!

Comments

[Myke]

I love Grace Jones! She is an all around gifted entertainer. Her records were well written and produced and have stood the test of time. My Grace Jones Fav's: "Private Life", "Slave To Rhythm", "Love On Top Of Love", "7 Day Weekend", "Demolition Man" and "My Jamaican Guy".