• Ryan James
• James Halcrow of Wizard Smoke: His debt to society paid in full

5) Everybody turns into a superhero when you’re in jail because it’s really cold and people wrap sheets around their necks, so it looks like they’re wearing capes. They keep it really cold in there, so nothing smells bad, and I think they keep it cold to piss everybody off and make it miserable. But I like it cold. It was like 65 degrees so you couldn’t smell the bum farts. Half the people in jail are crazy and the other half are retarded, and they all smell bad. And I didn’t eat ... I told them I didn’t want their shitty jail food. This guy in there got mad at me and said, “Yo, you at least could have taken it and bartered with it!” I was like what am I going to barter for, cigarettes? I don’t want a blow job from you ... and I don’t want your shitty jail weed.

Cousin Dan is about to turn two years old. That’s right, two years have gone by since the hyper-sexualized übermensch first started doing his thing on the dance floor. Back then the mirrored copiece was just a glimmer in his eye ...

This Friday (August 10), the good Cousin celebrates with a party at the Star Bar where he’s giving away one pair of tickets to the CounterPoint Fest (Sept. 27-29) via an Instagram contest.

If you recall, Cousin Dan won his spot at CounterPoint via a Creative Loafing music issue contest and now he’s passing the winnings on to you. All you have to do is post a “Cousin Dan-inspired” photo of yourself on Instagram and tag it with #cousindancounterpoint @cousindan

NYC’s Deadbeat Darling and ATL’s Jack of Hearts open the show, and word on the street is that this will be Jack of Hearts' final show.

$7. 9 p.m. Star Bar, 437 Moreland Ave. 404-681-9018.

• Photo by Tim Song
• Carbonas reunion, Atlanta Mess-Around 2012.

And while we’re on the subject, I’ve witnessed a handful of Carbonas final shows/reunions over the years, but Saturday night was unparalleled. In terms of both the crowd’s response, and the band’s explosive energy as they tore through pretty much everything you wanted to hear (“Blackout,” “Phone Booth,” “Assvogel,” et. al.), this show was one for the history books. When all was said and done, one thing was obvious to everyone in the room: This band needs to carry on, or at least go on tour again.

• Chad Radford

This guys should do stand-up! ... And when's the last time you saw a damn grand piano at the Earl?

According to the show's promoter, Alex Weiss of OK Productions, Parks played the same piano that Stevie Wonder played the last time he did a show in Atlanta. It's also the same piano that Jerry Lee Lewis plays on in Memphis every May — his third favorite piano, actually.

Who knew?

• Photo by Kirstin Mitchell

There’s a color version of this same pic floating around the Internet, but this black and white treatment carries so much ambiance. Could make a cool album cover. If only these two would get together for a collab. mixtape …

• iPhone
• SOUL IN THE WHOLE: WCLK-FM's Dec. 10 What's Going On tribute brought out Atlanta soul stars classic and new, including Avery Sunshine (left), show host Jamal Ahmad (pictured holding India.Arie's purse while she sings), Carmen Rodgers, Joey Summerville, Phonte of the Foreign Exchange, Julie Dexter, Anthony David, India.Arie, Kipper Jones, and Rahbi. Donnie (not shown) joined them onstage for the finale.

Well, 2011 is almost a wrap. And when it comes to Atlanta’s soul music scene, it’s safe to say it was a very good year.

Just think: In 2011, we were treated to lots of new music (like a new CD from singer Julie Dexter and two albums from Anthony David, among many others), great live shows (such as the Marvin Gaye Tribute show) and great nightlife events (Spread Love and almost anything at the Sound Table).

So, now that this year is nearly in the can, the question is: What does next year hold for local soul? To get answers, we turned to a gaggle of the city’s top singers, musicians, DJs, promoters and more — and they opined on what they want to see happen in Atlanta’s soul music scene in 2012.

Jamal Ahmad, radio personality/event promoter: "The Atlanta soul scene is one of the healthiest scenes on this planet. We have artists like Anthony David, Avery Sunshine, Julie Dexter, India.Arie and transplants like Raheem Devaughn and Musiq Soulchild. My only qualms with the scene are that: 1) we need to see younger artist keeping this music alive in their generation; 2) the output needs to always stand heads above what is coming out globally — therefore the songs, the sound, the production, need to be strong; and 3) we need more venues that support this music."

• Anthony David

Jaya, booking agent GlobalMoods Entertainment: “What I would like to see in the ATL soul scene in 2012 and beyond is less industry politics and more support of quality indie and underground artists. Changing the atmosphere inside the clubs could and would change an entire society. Music influences people. Support quality music with quality messages. We are one.”

• Little John Roberts

Ken Rye, executive producer, Hot Ice Live, an Atlanta-based entertainment company specializing in live global soul music: “For 2012, I'm looking for the continued Influence of local scene with more new attendees at shows and more artists coming out of this area on the national scene. Personally, I have enjoyed the collaborations between our Atlanta-based producers and internationally recognized talent showing that our folks match up along some of the best in the world. If we do a better job of doing this on more stages and via more interactive media, other markets and new audiences will have to give the market its proper respect.

"I tend to look at our business by our ability to attract new local demographics and the support we get from closely related industries like hospitality, tourism, film, advertising, etc. Artists like Anthony David, DJ Kemit, Avery Sunshine, and others are representing Atlanta on commercial radio and nightclubs all over the world right now. Producers like Jason Orr, Daz I-Kue, Mausiki Scales, Khari Simmons and others are increasingly being sought after for their influence on international music. Even as artists relocate to and from places like LA, D.C., the Bay, N.Y., Ghana, and the U.K., our channels stay open for fresh creativity, booking, and audience feedback. With that, 2012 is already offering some soulful promises for some solid, new, original music and exclusive collaborations that can only be produced out of a city like Atlanta.”

OK, I have a major beef with writer John Blake’s article, “Where is the love in R&B music?” — which was published by CNN.com on Dec. 3.

In the piece, Blake contends that America’s current crop of R&B artists (due to various social ills and psychological maladies) just make surface-level songs about sex — unlike artists back in the day (like Al Green, Barry White, etc.) who regularly recorded tunes about the virtues of real love.

The problem with Blake’s contention, however, is that it’s just factually wrong. And honestly, I think he realized his argument didn't ring true when he gave an ultra-quick nod to “artists … trying to start a ‘new romantic’ movement in R&B” near the end of his story.

See, there are tons (and I mean tons) of relatively young artists recording straight-up, no-holds-barred love songs these days. And there’s nothing “new” about this wave of singers and musicians; this “romantic movement” has been going on for at least the last 20 years.

It’s a movement that’s been championed by artists like Omar, Jill Scott, Eric Roberson, Chrisette Michele, Bilal, The Foreign Exchange, Erik Rico, Wayna, Valencia Robinson, YahZarah, Goapele, Choklate, Dwele, Ledisi, PJ Morton, Rahsaan Patterson, Maxwell, Musiq Soulchild, Calvin Richardson, Anthony Hamilton (and by ATLiens like India.Arie, Anthony David, Donnie, Julie Dexter, Phillipia, Avery Sunshine, Algebra, etc.) … and many, many, many more. These artists have collectively released hundreds of love songs to date — and went on to garner dozens of awards and accolades.

The problem, therefore, isn’t a lack of love songs — it’s really a lack of exposure.

As always, the crappiest new music gets the most play on radio stations coast to coast … while the great stuff (which is, by the way, available for sale online and in record stores around the world) gets routinely dissed by the industry’s most influential program directors. It’s an old story — a veritable broken record — that just keeps on keeping on.

So, look folks — the music is out there. The question is: When are we going to put the fire under radio to play today’s great love songs?

Apparently, according to this 2005 interview, will.i.am has been hankerin' to get paid by a major soft drink for a while now. Here, he stands up for selling out:

"These corporations — Nike, Sprite, Coke, Panasonic, Motorola — they’re gonna utilize urban music anyway to sell their product because most urban people buy these products. Every rapper talks about Motorola in their video for fuckin’ free. So why not get paid for a commercial when people are doing it for free anyway? Why not give it back to Hip Hop?

Coke is gonna get some corny dude from the suburbs that don’t really know about hip hop history, and he’s gonna be rapping on TV selling Coke. Why not the Roots? Do they not deserve it? I’m pretty sure they got Coke in their muthafuckin dressing room. Why not the Black Eyed Peas to do Dr. Pepper? We’re the only muthafuckas that like that soda. I don’t see nobody drinkin' no Dr. Pepper in no video. We’re an odd-ass group — why not us? I don’t understand why people hate. As long as the Roots next song isn’t ‘Yo, say Coca-coca-cola’…”

My question is: And will.i.am is different from some corny dude from the suburbs how, exactly?