With Soundtrack To My Life, what we hope for is to see the direct lineage from those records your parents played when you were little, right through the teenage years to the present day. This edition—for which we invited 1Xtra DJ and Studio Bounce host Jamz Supernova to run through the ten tracks that plot her musical history—it's cool to see those records from Jamz Supernova's childhood still influencing her playlists today.
As you'd expect, given her show on BBC 1Xtra, her selection for us mostly draws from the worlds of rap and R&B, but there are still some surprise picks; rockers Linkin Park, for example—although it does represent a moment in time when everyone of a certain age was fighting the man with nu-metal and super baggy hoodies. From her uncle's Bob Marley records and her auntie's Mariah Carey CD, right through to an early J. Cole cut and the Boy In Da Corner, Dizzee Rascal, Jamz knows good music when she hears it.
Mariah Carey — "Fantasy" f/ Ol' Dirty Bastard
!["Growing up, I remember thinking how glamorous and beautiful Mariah Carey was. I loved the videos on MTV Base and pouring over the album inlay, looking at pictures of her. At home, we had her #1 compilation which I definitely think we borrowed from my aunt and never returned [laughs]. My chore was to wash up every night and that was the CD that got me through it; that's how I know so many Mariah songs off by heart, even those from the Tommy Mottola days."](https://img.youtube.com/vi/-tCTm5M3Cp8/mqdefault.jpg)
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"Growing up, I remember thinking how glamorous and beautiful Mariah Carey was. I loved the videos on MTV Base and pouring over the album inlay, looking at pictures of her. At home, we had her #1 compilation which I definitely think we borrowed from my aunt and never returned [laughs]. My chore was to wash up every night and that was the CD that got me through it; that's how I know so many Mariah songs off by heart, even those from the Tommy Mottola days."
Bob Marley — "Wait In Vain"
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"I can't think of a household that Bob Marley wasn't played in. Whilst it may be the most cliche end of reggae, it reminds me of my grandad—the only real Jamaican we knew! His music provoked great conversation around the dinner table and shaped some of my views on society, social structures and how that can affect people."
Linkin Park — "Runaway"
!["People always find this so bizarre, but around 10/11 years old, I went into a grunger phase [laughs]. I'm not sure I 100% loved all the music as much as my friends did, but Linkin Park had the hip-hop co-sign that I resonated with. I took my grunge phase quite seriously with a Linkin Park hoody, Punky Fish jeans, and black nail varnish."](https://img.youtube.com/vi/R95KftL2H1g/mqdefault.jpg)
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"People always find this so bizarre, but around 10/11 years old, I went into a grunger phase [laughs]. I'm not sure I 100% loved all the music as much as my friends did, but Linkin Park had the hip-hop co-sign that I resonated with. I took my grunge phase quite seriously with a Linkin Park hoody, Punky Fish jeans, and black nail varnish."
Alicia Keys — "Woman's Worth"
!["Songs In A Minor is still such a masterpiece; it's the album that made me take music seriously. I started learning the piano properly because of Alicia Keys! It was also the album that showed me I couldn't sing [laughs]. I sang 'Woman's Worth' in a talent competition and made it to the second round—I think the teachers were just being nice—and I got booted off! I decided after that, singing wasn't for me. But I carried on being fascinated with music and played 'Diary' for my GCSE music exam."](https://img.youtube.com/vi/JtMUIwOE2ss/mqdefault.jpg)
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"Songs In A Minor is still such a masterpiece; it's the album that made me take music seriously. I started learning the piano properly because of Alicia Keys! It was also the album that showed me I couldn't sing [laughs]. I sang 'Woman's Worth' in a talent competition and made it to the second round—I think the teachers were just being nice—and I got booted off! I decided after that, singing wasn't for me. But I carried on being fascinated with music and played 'Diary' for my GCSE music exam."
Dizzee Rascal — "Brand New Day"
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"After Boy In Da Corner won the Mercury, a neighbour brought this album, decided it wasn't for him, and gave it to me and my older brother. That was my first experience of grime! It was that album that pushed me to listen to pirate radio and be interested in a different style of UK music that wasn't shown on Top Of The Pops or in Smash Hits. I think for many, it also mirrored the teenage experience of emotions; I'd put it on if I got sent to my room, or psyche myself up for school in the morning with it."
Tupac — "I Ain't Mad At Cha"
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"Every school holiday, from a young age, I went to Birmingham to stay with my uncle and cousins. I wasn't sent—I chose to go. My uncle lived a pretty exciting' life; whenever we would drive around with him, he'd play Tupac so loud you couldn't hear yourself talk! He also gave us money and I'd buy trainers and albums. One of the albums I bought, influenced by him, was Tupac's Greatest Hits. And then I was obsessed: printing lyrics, reading his poetry, and trawling the internet reading about conspiracy theories."
Mary J. Blige — "Not Gon' Cry"
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"I feel like the detail to film soundtracks have been forgotten over time. We always bought the soundtracks—I remember Space Jam, Set It Off and Save The Last Dance, to name but a few. This is taken from one of my favourite films, Waiting To Exhale, and the soundtrack is epic! But also the film: maybe not Oscar-winning or particularly groundbreaking, the reflection of black women and their strength is poignant."
Michael Jackson — "Rock With You"
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"This song makes me so happy! Similar to Bob Marley, somehow every child knows about Michael Jackson. Me and my older brother would try and dance like him. We'd watch Moonwalker and ask my dad a million questions, namely being why he doesn't look the same. I was college age when he died and in the queue for YoYo's, the club night. I'll never forget that night and the feeling in the club."
Donae'O — "Party Hard"
!["When I was of the age to legally rave, it was the peak of funky house—I went out literally every weekend! My first car was littered with CDs they'd give you after the rave [laughs]. I did the rite of passage to adulthood and went to Ayia Napa, and it was the summer I felt carefree but also grown."](https://img.youtube.com/vi/sVOdrWTLABA/mqdefault.jpg)
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"When I was of the age to legally rave, it was the peak of funky house—I went out literally every weekend! My first car was littered with CDs they'd give you after the rave [laughs]. I did the rite of passage to adulthood and went to Ayia Napa, and it was the summer I felt carefree but also grown."
J. Cole — "Losing My Balance"
!["One of my past times has always been searching for music—whether that was raiding the collection at home, or sitting on Limewire for hours. I then graduated to blogs and mixtape sites. I came across J. Cole and instantly feel in love; it was the Warm Up mixtape that done it. I was the first out of my friends to discover him and I was so angry when they started playing him [laughs]. Like a true DJ: I found him first! I've probably listened to every J. Cole song out there and been to every UK show, too. I love 'Losing My Balance', but it also upsets me. I remember listening to it on repeat when a friend of ours was killed, and it still takes me back to that time."](https://img.youtube.com/vi/D6WThN_5GQs/mqdefault.jpg)
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"One of my past times has always been searching for music—whether that was raiding the collection at home, or sitting on Limewire for hours. I then graduated to blogs and mixtape sites. I came across J. Cole and instantly feel in love; it was the Warm Up mixtape that done it. I was the first out of my friends to discover him and I was so angry when they started playing him [laughs]. Like a true DJ: I found him first! I've probably listened to every J. Cole song out there and been to every UK show, too. I love 'Losing My Balance', but it also upsets me. I remember listening to it on repeat when a friend of ours was killed, and it still takes me back to that time."
