Let's press the rewind button....

Let's take this back to Miami in the early 90's (before Hurricane Andrew, so before 1992). It was your typical Saturday morning in the Auspicious household. Wake up early, most likely around 8am, turn on the radio, and begin cleaning the house with my older sister. We would dust the coffee table and clean the windows with Windex, or Mistolin, depending on whether my mother went to Sedanos or Winn-Dixie, while two-stepping to our favorite music, the greatest music, the all-that-is-holy music...FREESTYLE! Power 96 was usually our radio station of choice, unless my sister had made her own "freestyle mix" on a cassette tape. The Saturday Freestyle Mix was, and even still is, the best freestyle mix EVER. There could never be any freestyle mix that could take the place of good ol' Power 96. Now I'm sure anybody who grew up in Miami, New York, New Jersey, or in any Spanish household for that matter has encountered freestyle at least once in their lifetime. I remember freestyle had such a tight grasp on Miami that even the local rollerskating rinks only spun freestyle the majority of the time.

And you know what? They still do.

Freestyle is such a difficult thing for me to describe in words because it is the only music that I have ever considered to be the best representation of my childhood, of my neighborhood, of my life. It is just that happy-go-lucky, move your feet, shed a tear, bop your head music that isn't just a genre you kinda like. Either you like it or you don't, but don't you even DARE telling a freestyle-head that you don't like it. Oh no. Big mistake. It's like telling an older Christian woman you don't believe in Jesus...prepare for the talking of your life!

For all of those freestyle heads out there, here is a list of some of my favorite songs. Please feel free to leave the name and artist of any other songs you come up with in my comments section!

Take Me in Your Arms -- Lil' Suzy

Dreamin of Love -- Stevie B

One Way Love -- TKA

Dreamboy, Dreamgirl -- Cynthia & Johnny O

I Wonder if I Take You Home -- Lisa Lisa & the Cult Jam

In a Dream -- Rockell

Fantasy Girl -- Stevie B

A Day in my Life Without You -- Lisette Melendez

What Goes Around Comes Around -- Giggles

In Me Eyes -- Stevie B

I Wanna Be The One -- Stevie B

Louder Than Love -- TKA

Show Me -- Cover Girls

Point of no Return -- Exposé

Spring Love -- Stevie B

AND SO MANY MORE!!!!