Don’t know if it was Gil Scott Heron, or Shaq retiring, or just the grey skies, but this morning I suddenly, fully realized, Teena Marie is gone…

Yet, she lives on. Went back and listened to her dropping rhymes on “Square Biz” and felt compelled to fire up the fryer and share.

“You know I like spirituals and rock, Sarah Vaughn, Johann Sebastian Bach, Shakespeare, Maya Angelou and Nikki Giovanni, just to name a few.

I’m wild and peaceful, Lady Tee, I got to keep my irons in the fire you see. I got the point, the scam, the low, the deal. What you feel, say what!”

I cannot think of anything adequate to say about Teena Marie’s voice except listen (especially on “Yes Indeed”). But here, check the flow and delivery. She says it herself:

“I’ve heard a boatload of other ladies’ raps, but they ain’t got nothin’ on me.”

Givin’ it up for Lady T,

JB