Ode to the Cookout

For everybody out there in the blogsphere that is familiar with the brother Bomani Jones, don't go telling him I jacked his format. The sports columnist/television personality/PhD. candidate personally gave me his blessing to do my own remix of the popular list, and I'm certainly going to try my best.

If you aren't familiar with "Bo's" work, you should definitely check him out here. After you do that, come back here and check out my very first Top 25 list. Maybe more or less, here is a listing of artists and songs that define summer, that get the cookout jumping. Cheers.

Kool and the Gang -Summer Madness / DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince - Summertime - Interchangeable, depending on the age range. I happen to be a freak of nature, as my age leans towards big Will, but my old spirit inclines me towards KATG

Frankie Beverly and Maze - Before I Let You Go/ Happy Feelings / Can't Get Over You - Classic songs for them folks with the bad hips that still wanna move something

Mother Father Sister Brother - My Mood - Most people know this group as the creators of the 'Soul Train' theme song (aka "The Sound of Philadelphia,") but DC-Metropolitan area residents might recognize the tune from the closing credits of Channel 4 News at 6 on Fridays.

Parliament Funkadelic - Flashlight/One Nation Under a Groove - Classic Cookout Jumpoffs

Isley Brothers - Livin' for the Love of You/ Harvest for the World / Between the Sheets/ Summer Breeze - Maybe they are the Kings of Summer...

Isaac Hayes - The Look of Love - If you aren't up on Isaac Hayes, this is the song that will get you right.

Sly and the Family Stone - Hot Fun in the Summertime- My personal favorite summertime song, but not many are up on it. Even the piano intro is dripping with summer. Plus, the name says it all. Consider yourself lifted.

Stevie Wonder - Sir Duke/ My Cherie Amor/ Superstitious/ I Am Singing/ Do I Do - Well, maybe I should rethink the Isleys real quick...

Donny Hathaway - Love, Love, Love - Nice feel-good joint to mellow it out, just before...

Marvin Gaye - Distant Lover/ Keep on Dancin' / "What's Going On - The Album" - Perhaps the greatest R&B album of all makes Marvin the king. Okay, Marvin is the Man... I'm pretty sure.

Michael Jackson - Rock with You - Could have a couple other joints, but MJ just cannot be relegated to summer. Mike is the quintissential utility man; all year round.

Sade - Smooth Operator / Paradise - Smoother than a scoop of vanilla off the ice cream truck.

Al Green - Let's Stay Together / Love and Happiness - Enough Said

Wreckx-N-Effect - Rump Shaker - Of all the hits Teddy Riley wrote and produced, who would have thought this would have stuck around?

Hi-Five - The Kissing Game - Well, maybe Teddy had a few others in him.

Luke - It's Your Birthday - This saying has infiltrated even regional music at summer parties, (go-go, house, club, i've even heard it in some crunk music.) It makes the list by mass association.

Aaliyah - Back and Forth - For the youth of the world; I know this song had me through the summer into my first year of high school.

LL Cool J- Loungin'/ Hey Love - Perfect set-up for that summertime crush.

R. Kelly - Happy People- The Album - Because of his transgressions, this was a slept on album. Maybe with my reluctant help, no so much anymore.

DMX - How's it Goin' Down? - All of the MTV kids will feel me on this one. God know it was on Direct EFX for like the whole summer.

Jay-Z - Big Pimpin' / Give it 2 Me - Gets you bling like the Neptunes Sound.

UGK - It's Supposed to Bubble - If you don't know about the kings, I feel sorry for you.

Questionmark Asylum (feat. BlackGIRL) - Hey Look Away - From the D.C. area, they fell off. But as long as I'm on the grill, this is on the box.

A Tribe Called Quest - Electric Relaxation/ Wordplay / Award Tour - Many summer nights ushered in by the Midnight Marauders.

Mahalia Jackson - Summertime- One of the few secular songs she ever performed, and we have the Duke (Ellington) to thank for it. I'm sure it was one of God's favorites, too.