Vibe.com, July 1st, 2005
While the concept of dedicating just one month to commemorating almost a century of influential black music seems questionable, one influential hip hop figure is making the best use of that limited time by compiling a list of almost 2000 important tracks and taking it on tour to clubs across the country.
Featuring songs by artists ranging from jazz legends like Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald to today's hottest stars like Usher and Jay-Z, the "Toast to 1738" list - compiled by legendary hip hop video director Hype Williams (Missy Elliott, P. Diddy, DMX, Nas) in partnership with Remy Martin 1738 Cognac - commemorates the 1,738 most influential songs in black music. The list spans across all genres in black music, from R&B;, to rap, to jazz, blues, gospel, reggae and rock, beginning in 1920 and continuing to the present.
The list will be supported by a ten-city tour featuring Williams, who will hit hotspots in cities including Houston, New Orleans, Miami, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., New York, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles and Oakland. Williams will sample some of the 1,738 songs in each venue and endorse his partner by raising a glass of Remy Martin each time he plays a track.
"I'm looking forward to touring the country with Remy Martin to build appreciation for black music and enjoy many of the songs that have influenced my career," Williams said in a statement. "You must first understand music of the past to fully appreciate the music of today. Every modern artist that I work with has been influenced by the work that preceded them."
The initial list was chosen after Williams, Remy Martin, the Rhythm & Blues Foundation and Jazz Alliance International researched Billboard charts, archives and personal music collections. That list was then whittled down based on the song and the artist's overall contributions to music, culture and history.
The final list of 1,738 songs will be revealed on June 30 at Remy Martin's web site where fans and critics can praise or whine about the selections on the message boards. Tour dates will be revealed on the same date.
