Ellen Todd - Spreadin' Jam Joy & Jive

Spreadin' Jam Joy & Jive - a Sweet Ride on the Soul of My 45's

Artwork and Prose Celebrating 45 Records from the 1960's and 1970's

Yo! I musta been dreamin’

‘Cause when I woke up, my throat was sore from alla my screamin’

But that dream seemed so doggone real

While Break Dancing, my foot slipped on a banana peel!

My fear was so thick you could’a cut it with a knife

Y’all think I’m jivin'?

Playin’ around and bein’ connivin'?

But last night a Dee Jay saved my life!

I was fallin’ fast Jim…Ain’t had nothin’ to hold on to … ain’t

had no kinda hope

Quick, get the Dee Jay, I heard somebody yell, but he ain’t had no rope!

Onliest thing he had was a stack of 45’s

But I’ma tell you, them 45’s was the thang that kept me alive!

Man, that dream was a wake-up call. I feel like I was given a second chance

To git my Self together - to do more than just dance

So, I’ma live sensibly and peacefully, without struggle and strife,

I’ma live the life of a Monk

‘Gone give up the Funk

‘Seen the error of my ways

Had enough Boogeying to last me the rest of my days

On the Real! Last night, a Dee Jay saved my sho’nuff life!

- Nikki Williams

Ev'rybody loves Santa Cause

Santa knows how to make an Entrance when he's in Harlem

Santa Cause Ev'rythang around him to stop and that don't happen a lot on Lenox Avenue

But that's why I dig that Dude Santa Cause he make sure to brang Dope Thangs for Ev'rybody who he see

Santa Cause Ev'ry and they Body to look like they in the Blackground; and Santa Cause folk not to mind 'bout it much. Far as I know, Santa only hit Harlem once a year

So Santa, his reindeer, (who my Daddy say play a Mean Sax), and his Souljah Boys, wit' they Black Souljah hats, and they red and blue Souljah suits, is welcome in Harlem

Santa Cause excitement wit' the way he cruise down Lenox Avenue - "Diggin' the Scene wit' the Gangsta Lean, Woo Woo!"

And you know what? When I git grown, I'ma be like Santa Cause he do drive a Great Big Cadillac! (though he ain't got no TV antennae in the back)

But mostly, I wanna be Important just like my Daddy, but my Daddy is always here. I wanna be important in the way that make people wait on me to come 'round once a year

Santa Cause peoples to stop dead in they tracks and wonder, "How that Dude don't be hot wearin' alla that heavy, wool red suit in the dead heat of August?

But I'm cool wit' it. I don't say nothin'. I jus' wave and laugh from the best seat in the house - my Daddy's shoulder

Santa Cause just by himself, make the African American Day Parade, the most Hippest & Funnest Parade in New York City

And One Day, I tole my Daddy, as soon as I git big, so will I!

- Nikki Williams

Oh, so you just gonna watch me lay here with this record on me and not even try to help? And then you got the nerve to try to cover up that you laughing behind your camera.

See how Black folk do you? Y'all ain't right!

You just gonna stand there and see that a Brotha needs help ... and then take pictures! Calling yourself documenting me like you a Journalist from the Amsterdam News!

Ain't that nothing - that ain't even right!

And then you got the nerve to ask what the name of the record is ... What?! And if its Side A or Side B? Why are you asking me irrelevant questions while this record is pressin' on me. You see that I'm on my backside. How am I 'sposed to know what record is on me? Lord today!

You may be cute and dimpled down but trust, I ain't your clown!

So, if you ain't gonna get help, you can at least put something soft beneath my head 'til somebody who ain't a member of the Paparozzi gets here

(Sigh) Miss, I don't know where this record came from. I was tired from marching from 110th Street all the way up here to what's this - 142nd Street? I sat down to rest for a minute before I caught up with my crew on the bus back to Maryland. Next thing I know, I felt something heavy knock me over. Why don't you figure out the rest! Do you see any flying record shops around? Ain't no Record Stores been in Harlem for a good long while. You live here, don'tchu - you have heard of gentrification right?

Oh. so you got jokes? The record must be Heavy Metal! Ha, Ha! Ah, man! Miss, please don't put that heavy knapsack on top of this record so you can look around for your phone! Lord! 'Tell you what Miss - Why don't you find a Bodega or some store and go get somebody who could help me? How's that sound?

Did you just say, You'll be right back, don't go nowhere? You really do got jokes!

Thank God, she's gone! Lord, I promise if You get me out of this, I will go to Church every Sunday that You see fit to send. But please, please, don't let that lady come back no time soon.

Oh good! I think that I can hear somebody else coming. The footsteps sound heavier, so it must be a dude. This record is weighing down on my chest something fierce! Its getting harder to hold it up. Talking about vibrations! 'Tween the ground and this record, its like the noise coming from their feet is making an echo chamber out of my body. They must be wearing combat boots! Gotta be a dude with all that noise! And I know HE'S gonna have some sense!

Yo Dude! Dude, Thank God you here! Would you please help me ... What's that? What did you just ask me? No, I don't know where the #@%&!#& bus stop is and I ain't got the @%$##@# time!

I don't care what kinda Parade it is! African American, West Indian, Puerto Rican, Columbus, Labor, Rose Bowl or Toilet Bowl! I ain't never coming back to New York again! People here is Crazy!

- Nikki Williams

Look at Malik! Malik is so cute! You better not tell nobody that I said that!

Ooooh Somalia! You like Malik?

I didn't say that, I just said that he was cute. You ain't gotta make a big thing outta it! But I do like the way Malik looks out for his little brother Jamal. My father said that's a good measure of a man.

Malik ain't no man! He's our age, thirteen!

Duh! I know that, Ebonee. I'm just saying that’s what my father always talks about

Malik do dress nice though. He wears those nice sweaters over his shirts. And I like that suit he had on Easter Sunday.

I know Ebonee that you ain't saying alla sudden that you like Malik!

No! But wait a minute, hold up. You just said you didn't like him, so what do you care if I do?

Oh shoot! Did you see Malik just make that Move? Please ball go in, please go in! Jamal better forget about trying to catch that ball 'cause that ball is going in!

Somalia, you sure sound like you like Malik, I'm jus' saying!

Well, I did hear that he liked me. I know he kept looking at me when we were in Science Class.

What’chu gonna say Somalia, if Malik does get up the nerve to tell you he likes you?

Swoosh!

Ooh Samalia! I'm tellin' your father!

- Nikki Williams

count one two and three

breath bringing me back to the Center of me

inhale, exhale, listen to the wave's whispered song,

"You are worthy of Peace; you deserve to be healthy and strong."

wading in the shore of Serenity, I let God and let go

Affirming: "if it’s for me,

it will come toward me"

Trusting the Float of Faith, I let Life flow.

- Nikki Williams

Yeah, I'm always on my guard
People tell me, I'm too hard
I don't let nobody take nothing of mine away
You could look at me and tell that I don't play

Hey, if you lost it, that's on you
"Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers,” is a Saying that's true
Huh! I don’t let a nobody or they Mama take
anything I enjoy – ‘specially that last piece of cake!

(Sigh)…But I will admit,
And this is something my Woman jus' don’t get
When it comes to Soul Music … I am a dancing fool
Good Music is the only thing that can make me break my Golden Rule

So, at the Invitation of Kool and the Gang
I’ma let lose my Cerebral Thang,
Relax
Pay the tax

A Wise person once said, "If you know where to seek, you'll know where to find,

Seeds is in the Watermelon not in the rind!"

It's called R&B

Robbery

"Let the Music Take Your Mind!"

- Nikki Williams

Guaranteed to stay crunchy even in milk!

While you boogey to the bathroom, your R&B Cereal will still snap and pop 'til you get back

Are you suffering from Rhythm Retainment? Is your Boogey backed up?

Is your Choreography Constipated?

If you've answered Yes, then have a bowl of R&B Cereal - its guaranteed to move you like Motown!

Even if you're in the bathroom for hours - and you might just be - those flakes in your bowl will float! (ain't sayin' which bowl)

So rock and roll

Pour yourself a big bowl

Throw your bathroom tissue in the air

And wave it like you just don't care

With our R&B Cereal, you won't go wrong

ReLaxative while eating our cereal - you'll be singing a brand new song

R&B Cereal

"The Flakes

that Makes

you MOVE!"

Nikki Williams

Go on wit' yo' badd self

Sock it to ‘em Soul Sister

Walk yo' walk

Talk yo' talk

Rock it to ‘em Soul Sister

Flaunt your 'Fro

It’s time they know

Tick Tock it to ‘em Soul Sister

Wit' Motherland flair

Continent yo' hair

Lock it to 'em Soul Sister

Nubian Queen

Body long and lean

Struttin' tall and diggin' the scene

No matter if you

lock tick tock rock or sock

You'se still a

Badd Soul Sister!

- Nikki Williams

Thank You Brother George Clinton

For your prophetic words of Genius

back in the day, you had us dancin' sweatin' and thinkin'!

we were so proud to be Black

so happy to be young

and if you were, as the great Playwright and Soothsayer Lorraine Hansberry wrote, "Young Gifted and Black," you danced even harder 'cause that's the way Black Folk got to where we was going!

you told us, "Everybody's Got a Little Light Under the Sun"

we needed to hear that back in the day, back then in the 1970's -

shoot, we need to hear it and remember it now!

anyway, Brother George Clinton, we appreciate you for growing us up

with our dashikis, big 'fros, side parts, afro puffs, cornrows, platform shoes, bell bottoms, afro picks, hoop earrings, bangle bracelets, mini and maxi skirts, Nehru jackets, Pro Keds and Converse sneakers, Alpaca knit sweaters, leather and pleather jackets, applejack hats ... and a dueted head fulla "Say it Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud," James Brown Scripture, you sho'nuff funk'd up the 1970's for us

you taught us how to pulsate our Light to a fierce and funky beat

you invited us ALL to turn our Light way up

you showed us how to soul/shine

to illuminate with our dreams

you serenaded our steps as we placed our feet fully into the Light of our

Young, Gifted, and Black, Selves.

For this and more, Brother George Clinton, we are Grateful!

Nikki Williams

"Everybody's Got a Little Light Under the Sun!"

Historic Photo Shoot "Soul Jam Spreadin' Sweet Are & Be Ready for a Brand New Beat" (photo 2) Celebrating 45 records played in the 1960's and 1970's. The Event was Conceived and Produced by Nikki Williams for Spirit in Sunset Productions With Performances by some of the Finest Fiercest Fabulous Funkiest Artists of Color on September 8, 2024 Held at Denny Farrell Riverbank State Park in Harlem