copyright: Marika N. Johnson 2011
Who am I? I was born the daughter of music, raised by hip hop. It was 1986, when I bought--well, when I asked my parents to buy my first tape... RUN DMC.  Monumental, one because I distinctly remember my Dad asking, "What the hell is this Raising Hell crap?" and my mother saying to him... "Charles, thats that new rap stuff." A pivotal moment that shaped the person I became. All connoisseurs of hip hop are-- (or rather, they should be) lovers of ALLLL types of music. Music is the universal language of the human race. A bond can be created over a simple beat. A smile emerges through a harmonic undulance and even tames the most savage of beasts.

It was the best of times, new, groundbreaking--this thing called Hip Hop. The making of ME.

This pic of Doug E. Fresh was taken front row at Club Merienda. I don't go out often but was honored to see an icon in such an intimate setting. I was invited by a wonderful friend and artist, Mimi Latoine and it is now a permanent memory etched forever in my braincells as one the greatest music moment of my life!

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