Shadonna's birthday at Tradewinds
Tradewinds Night Club, 5859 Allentown Way, Camp Springs, MD 20748

I walked in behind Candy. I wasn't sure it was her until she came by later.

Donnell was there. I was surprised since I was there pretty early. I asked Doc when he arrived if they were playing longer because of Daylight Savings Time ending. He confirmed they were.

Arielle and Archie Paige were there.

Shadonna waved to me. I didn't recognize her because she had a new hairdo.

A woman standing next to me at the side wall asked Nephew if he was on TMOTT. He pointed out that I am as well. She couldn't believe I was FunkMasterJ. I asked her her name: Lady Spice.

Sanisse, James, and Yvette were there.

Diva and another girl said, "Hello FunkMasterJ." They left so quickly I wasn't positive it was Diva.

Both Tracys and Sharon were there.

Halima wore what I originally thought was a feather headdress, but actually it was a mask. She also wore black lace gloves.

Doc introduced me to a guy named Bird who he said went back all the way to Class Band.

Familiar Faces
First Set
Donnell said, "We're going to take our time, clocks turn back at 2, for the older people, we'll see you later, for the young people, we'll party all night." Mike said about a girl, "I had a dream about you, you were sleeping in my living room, you can't control your dreams, all I know is you're on my mind."
Donnell said something about Halima, she smiled and laughed.
Donnell said, "We got the crowd and your money"
Mike? said, "Great tip"
1) Mike-led Raheem DeVaughn's Ask Yourself - Donnell went onstage then back on the stage floor, girls sang along, Mike used a lot of nonverbal arm & hand gestures, girls screamed, Packy played a cabasa, Halima sat onstage, Mike moved around
Tyrell was there.
2) Halima-led Alicia Keys' Unbreakable - Donnell said, "Come on with it baby", girls sang along, Halima pushed back her mask, Donnell bounced, DP shouted, "Yeah!", Donnell said, "Next verse baby", Donnell said, "One more verse baby"
3) Toto's Georgy Porgy - intro / Mike-led Bobby Valentino's Slow Down - Donnell said, "Matter of fact, right there Smoke", Halima clapped, the frontline danced, Halima went onstage, Donnell said, "Come on with it y'all", Donnell shouted, "Wait a minute", Donnell said, "Come on with it y'all", Donnell shouted, "Wait a minute", Halima and Donnell danced, Donnell said, "Come on with it y'all", Halima went on the stage floor, DP shouted, "Yeah!", the was a nice crank, Donnell said, "Charlie, you got to be f*cked up.", Charlie played the cowbell, Packy played a tambourine, Donnell shouted, "Yeah!" repeatedly
6'9 was there.
4) Halima-led Erykah Badu's Cleva - Mike sang, "Woo", Donnell said, "Gimme the top, let's go Halima", girls sang along, Halima sang, "Yes", Halima used a lot of nonverbal arm & hand gestures and moved around, DP shouted, "Come on", the frontline danced and synchronized dance
JoJo was there.
5) Donnell-led "Hey ay, Ho oh" - the crowd sang along, Halima went onstage
6) Donnell-led "Do it for the ladies/fellas, Oh my God!" - Halima posed while Mike and Donnell pointed at her, the crowd shouted, "Oh my God!", Mike posed, Halima said, "Oh my God!", Donnell said, "Come on with it y'all"
7) Halima-led Faith Evans' Mesmerized - Halima sang, "Baby, baby", Donnell said, "Come on", Donnell said, "They're ready, ready Halima?", Halima went onstage, Donnell said, "Sing it Halima", girls sang along, DP shouted, "Yeah!" and "Come on" repeatedly, Doc was on backup vocals, Halima bounced and used a lot of nonverbal arm & hand gestures, Donnell said, "Uh huh", Halima's singing kicked up a notch with "Ain't we funkin' now", Halima clapped during the hits, a red spotlight shined on the stage, Halima moved around, Mike danced with a girl, the horn hits were pronounced
William, the manager of Psalm 100, was there.
8) Mike-led Prince's Take Me With You - Donnell said, "One more time, Michael Muse", girls sang along, Donnell called out names, the crowd danced harder, Donnell said, "By yourself ladies, by yourself", Halima conducted the ladies, Donnell said, "One more time ladies, by yourself", Donnell said, "You don't care?", Donnell said, "Play the music once y'all" (he's said this many times during this, but I couldn't tell what he was saying), Halima and Donnell danced, Mike danced with a girl, DP shouted, "Yeah"
Shorty Q and Mama Chelle were there.
9) Donnell-led Hold the Note - Donnell started it by saying, "Hold the note y'all", He held his fist up and Halima imitated him, Donnell called out names, Donnell shouted, "Wait a minute", Donnell and Halima used a lot of nonverbal arm & hand gestures, Donnell said, "Hey Smoke", Mike sang but I couldn't hear what he sang, Halima drank tea, Donnell said, "Hey Smoke, ah", the crowd shouted, "Wind me up, Smoke!", Donnell responded, "Say what?", Donnell said, "We got some old school, if you're twenty-nine and up, raise your hands"
10) Donnell-led Tom Tom Club's Genius of Love (tease) - Donnell did the keyboard effects vocally / Rare Essence's Spotlight - Halima went on the floor, Donnell went onstage / Rare Essence's Get on the Wagon?
11) Donnell-led Vinnie D's $55 Motel (tease) - Donnell said, "Old school" repeatedly, Mike used a lot of nonverbal arm & hand gestures, Donnell said, "Hey Michael Muse, come on"
12) Mike-led Lisa Stanfield's All Around the World - girls sang along, Donnell said, "Uh huh"
13) Donnell-led Vinnie D's Porno Star
14) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Get on the Wagon
15) Donnell-led Brown & White - the frontline used a lot of nonverbal arm & hand gestures, Slick Rick went onstage, Donnell said, "Hey Stomp" / Ride Out - the band and fans did the Ride Out dance, Donnell said, "Hey Stomp, hey Smoke, ride out", Los danced on the stage floor, Donnell said, "Hey Los, ride out, ride out", Los and Slick Rick danced competitively, fans screamed, Donnell said, "Slick Rick, pop the clutch" / Northeast Groovers' The Water - Donnell said, "Get in the water", Donnell said, "I know that's right", Donnell shouted, "Yeah!", Donnell shouted, "Wait a minute"
16) Halima-led Fantasia's Free Yourself - Donnell said, "Sweet Shadonna is celebrating her birthday.", Halima went onstage, Halima said, "This applies to anybody, it is what it is.", Halima moved around and used a lot of nonverbal arm & hand gestures, girls sang along, Halima's singing was excellent, Halima held her mic to the crowd, Dwayne played a nice solo as a transition ->
Tiffany F. and Dave were there.
17) Alternating Halima-led Floetry's Say Yes - Halima's singing was excellent, girls in the audience said, "Break it down", Halima said, "Hey ladies, how y'all doing? Sometimes we have to say don't talk to me, deep down inside our hears say something else, does anyone know what I mean?" a girl provided running commentary while Halima spoke, girls responded to what Halima said, Halima said, "Huh Mike", Mike used a lot of nonverbal arm & hand gestures, Mike's singing was excellent, women asked me what I was writing and who the band was, when I told them they used to be 911 and they knew who that was, the speakers were suddenly louder at the end, Mike said, "There it is", Halima repeated, "There it is" / Lionel Richie's Hello (tease) - Halima repeated "Thousand"
Delano was there.
Donnell said, "I'm about to let you have it Mike. Thinks he's still hot." Mike said, "Two hundred thirty pounds of..."

They talked about the girl who Donnell had to call security on (on Friday). Dwayne? suggested that Halima should ask for workman's comp because the women just pushed into her.

I danced with TT, Tia, and Mama Chelle.

I went over to the bar to get a Coke. Janetta said hello. She was with Tiffany. I went to talk to Dey and Tata hugged me. I did say hello to Dey. L-Boogie was with her. Pretty Nikki of the After Hours Band was there as well. The bartender from Safari Steakhouse, Shonda, and Ras Lidj were there.

Britney was there with a new hairdo.

Second Set
1) Donnell acapella Peaches & Herb's Reunited (tease) - warm up
2) Mike-led Bobby Valentino's Tell Me - Halima went onstage, Donnell said, "Nikki, we're partying with the After Hours Band, Pretty Nikki", Halima went on the stage floor, Mike used a lot of nonverbal arm & hand gestures, Donnell shouted, "Yeah!", Mike said, "Sweet Nikki-a", Donnell said, "Hey Godfather", there was a nice crank, Donnell said, "Come on with it Michael Muse", Halima pushed her mask back, Halima went onstage, Mike said, "Sweet JoJo, Sweet Shadonna", James was on backup vocals, the frontline danced, Donnell said, "Godfather", the crowd shouted, "Wind me up, Smoke", there was a fight
3) Alternating Donnell & Halima-led Lil Kim's Lighters Up - Donnell held up a lit cell phone, fans held up lit lighters and cell phones, Halima rapped, Donnell called up Ras Lidj, calling him "Rasta Rae", Halima rapped the second verse, Donnell said, "That's what we're talking about", Donnell said, "Gimme the woo", Mike and Halima sang, "Woo", Donnell said, "Come on Rasta Rae" / Ras Lidj rapped / Donnell-led "Tired yet, ready to quit?" - the crowd responded
After this point, my details and the order are more uncertain. I was dancing with two girls, it was both hard to write because the way we danced and one of the girls was offended by my writing while we danced. I danced primarily with two women, but also a third woman. Pretty Nikki smiled at my dancing. Some guy said of me, "White n*gger getting down."
4) Alternating Donnell-led Some Cut / Notorious BIG's Warning / Keith Murray's Call My Name (tease) / "Wait a Minute" echoes
Tijuana was there.
5) Halima-led Mariah Carey's It's Like That - Donnell told the girls standing in the stage area "to give Halima some room so she can work", in response to the fight, Donnell said, "I'm going to say something this has been a year (at Tradewinds) this is not the Black Hole, if you are bumped" let it go, "beat your feet at Club Neon"
6) Donnell-led It Is What It Is - there was a nice crank, the crowd shouted, "Wind me up, Smoke", Donnell said, "Say what?"
7) Donnell-led Trina Was Great
The sound changed, for some reason my left ear was clogged.
8) Donnell-led "25, 25, 25" / Mike-led Rare Essence's Work the Walls - Halima played congas, she had a drumstick
9) Donnell-led DIP - Donnell said, "We're getting ready to get on up out of here"
Shameika was there.
A number of people left, but FF continued playing.
Donnell said, "This ain't the Black hole."
Donnell said, "Do you know what they're talking about Halima?"
Donnell said, "I said she know what they're talking about"
Dwayne smiled.
10) Halima-led Minnie Riperton's Memory Lane
Donnell said, "You didn't hear the first set..."
11) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Get on the Wagon
Halima left the stage
12) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Doing the Do
13) Donnell-led Tom Tom Club's Genius of Love (tease) / Rare Essence's Spotlight - Donnell said, "We got to go old school"
14) Donnell-led Rare Essence's One on One
15) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Roll Call
16) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Take Me Out to the Go-Go - Donnell said, "I don't know why they are still playing, I told them to stop.", Donnell said, "One more time, Michael Muse"
I danced with Dey.
Chocltchp was there.
17) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Marinda (tease)
Donnell put his hand on his and did the throat slash gesture - it signals stop playing.
Donnell said, "They don't listen, I told them to stop."
18) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Geraldine - initially Donnell did the keyboard effects vocally
19) Donnell-led Rare Essence's How Can I Know? - Donnell inserted Sonya (spelling?) and Lisa into the lyrics, Charlie played a timbale solo, Donnell said, "I knew Charlie would do that"
20) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Body Snatchers - DP shouted, "Yeah!"
21) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Stars Be Partyin' - Halima mimed and danced
Mike said, "That's Tata y'all, she's smooth with her sh*t, I love her"
Donnell said, "We done play all these songs we skipped one."
22) 911 (tease) - instrumental, Donnell said, "Not that one."
23) Donnell-led Rare Essence's What N*gga What?
24) Donnell-led Rare Essence's All Da Time
25) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Overnight Scenario - Halima smirked.
26) Donnell acapella Raheem DeVaughn's Is It Possible (tease)
Doc said, "Remember Publicity is going to bust us up..."
Donnell said, "That was uncharacteristic of me..."
Donnell said, "Three in the morning, pancake house" - a line from Overnight Scenario, but he meant it was literally three in the morning.
Donnell said, "Bartenders, I got to give you a C-, a couple of scuffles, it was the alcohol, we wasn't even playing"
Doc said, "Did you have a good time?" He told Ras my hair was slicked down when I got there.

Ras Lidj's perspective