Bluestone on Chris Thomas King

In 1964, Chris Thomas King was born to swamp blues artist Tabby Thomas, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he is still keeping the blues alive today. In 1984, he released his first album, Blue Beat, and in 1994, his 21st Century Blues From Da Hood became the first "rap/blues" album. He also has had a decent acting career, appearing in O Brother, Where Art Thou, and the movie Ray.
Chris Thomas King is a good artist, but let me say a few things about him. 1) He is a force. With album names like Dirty South Hip-Hop Blues and It's a Cold Ass World, it's hard to take him seriously. 2) I, honestly, do not see this supposed fusion between rap and blues in any of King's songs. I have seen him perform with a scratch DJ and I have heard some upbeat drumbeats behind basic blues tracks. It's all still blues though. The guy is just a bluesman, not a rapper. He can claim that he's onto some sort of fusion, but really, you can't truly embody both genres. I'm happy he went with the blues. He begins this performance of Da Thrill Is Gone by saying, "We still got the blues right here in Baton Rouge."

I praise King for carrying on the legacies of so many musicians, even during a time of change. Here, of course, he plays B.B. King's The Thrill Is Gone. It's not as good as B.B.'s many versions, but it has the same vibe (and they have the same last name...) Chris Thomas King also brings back Albert King's piercing licks in I'll Play the Blues For You and plays a decent country-style version of Come on in My Kitchen. His take on Born Under a Bad Sign even has a certain 1960s Motown feel to it. In Chris Thomas King, I hear a little B.B. King, a little Funk Brothers, some Sonny Terry, and much more. He is not a perfect immitation of anyone, nor do I personally believe he is very innovative, but he is playing an incredible variety of blues and keeping the music alive. Take a look at his range here from Ghetto Child to Red Mud, played with a slide.
(I'm not a fan of Ghetto Child, but it is a testament to his versatility and willingness to take risks.)