A Tribute

I finally got around to ripping some of my CD collection to MP3s. I've done a few albums hear and there, but they were mainly newer albums like this, and this, and this. I finally decided to rip a few albums a day. Since I've been seeing the HP "Pictures of You" ad so much lately, I ripped a few albums from The Cure. I also ripped "Life After Death" (Ready To Die to be ripped when I can find the CD).

Anyways, since I've been enjoying these songs so much, I've been recalling quite a few memories from when these albums were new. Most of The Cure stuff takes me back to high school. Biggie takes me back to college. What listening to Biggie takes me back to specifically is when I first learned he had been shot dead in LA. Obviously I was shocked; learning about anyone's death sends a jolt through my bones even if I have no clue who the person is. But the wierdest fallout from learning about Biggie's death (and Tupac's) is that I get a lot of "false positives" when I hear a few songs by the same artist on the radio. I just keep thinking rappers are dropping dead!

Wait, before you get too confused, let me connect the dots. After each death, radio stations rightly paid tribute to Pac & Biggie by playing their songs non-stop. I first learned of both of their deaths after listening to back-to-back-to-back songs of their's. The DJ would break every few songs by referring to their deaths. So now, every time I hear more than one song by the same artist, I get this twing inside wondering if the artist has died or something. Let me tell you, "Rock Block Weekends" or "Blocktober" wreak havoc on my guts!

There have been quite a few times when the DJ is in the mix playing a few songs by Ice Cube, Too Short, or some other rapper and I immediately think, Damn, he died?!?!? Of course, this doubt is proven wrong when the DJ breaks in (way too late) to mention how Ice Cube (or whoever) is visiting the studio or is playing some venue over the weekend. Heh. Nice way to pay tribute...make me think their dead. Heh.

By the way, I mention Ice Cube here because he's the "rapper" (quotes intentional) I keep thinking has died. Don't ask me why, but these damned radio stations keep playing more than one of his songs in "tribute". First of all, there's not enough to pay tribute to, and second of all, why so often!?!. Yes, I know, i should be used to this by now, but what can I say? Maybe there's some part of me that's waiting to hear about Cube...wait...I didn't just type that ;)

Anyways, back to the task at hand: Ripping my album collection. I should have started this long ago. I've got hundreds of CDs filed away in wallets, most of which I haven't pulled out in years. Now, I'll actually be able to listen to these albums which I deemed worthy of buying. Talk about Tribute.