by Mother Diva
I have been a house head all my life. House music is considered Electronic Dance Music but more soulful. It is a mixture of R&B, Disco, Gospel, Classical, Jazz Funk, ETC. It’s a gumbo of various genres of music rolled up in one.
Birthed in Chicago, the music became a global phenomenon. The problem with the House Music community is it never got much press. That’s because it never really was branded. I first met King of House Music: Farley “Jackmaster” Funk in 2004 at Maurice Joshua’s Grammy Party. I began working with him doing publicity for his events. My responsibility was to get the media to come cover his events. I even advised him to start doing television commercials and buying airtime on television he took my advice. Farley would say, ” You a brain girl”.
In January of 2005, Farley was producing a Martin Luther King House Music Event at the Chicago Park Hotel in Homewood IL. I felt we needed a brand something that seals our community give it a face. I had an epiphany I thought about Flavor Flav and his clock necklace.
I said, that’s it, I need to find a house and put a chain around it and wear it as a necklace. Ironically I went to Walgreens and found a toy house, took all the furniture out and gave it to some children. I put a chain around it and wore it to the party. People was stopping me taking pictures I even started selling them at future events in Miami.
In 2012, I was attending the Grammys and wanted to upgrade my house necklace. I was inspired by the hip hop community to bling out my necklace. My mother who was a seamstress took my house painted it black first to give it a coating then painted it gold. She got rhinestones and blinged it out. She made me a small one and a big one. I wore them both to the Grammys. People loved it. I had started a trend. I watched her and learned how to make them myself. One day she told me yours will look better than the one I made you. I said, “well I learned from the best.” My mother may have been mean and evil but she was the best seamstress and designer I knew.
I sold two houses to house music Pioneer Marshall Jefferson who created the House Music Anthem “Move Your Body” 2025 commemorates the 40th Anniversary of the track. He portrayed the “God of House Music” in a short film in London England wearing the house necklace I made him.
The London House Music Community went crazy for these house necklaces so much to the point someone broke into Marshall Jefferson’s house and stole his house (lol.) The second house necklace was stolen from a night club Marshall was dj-ing at. “I took the house necklace off for a minute set it down and turned around it was gone” .
What a double edged sword it was for me to have my trend and work stolen ๐ . The thieves saw how rare and precious the house necklaces were and they had value.
Join Mother Diva this Thursday for her 20th Anniversary Celebration of wearing her famous house necklace.
1 lucky raffle winner will receive a house necklace and cake will be served.
Susie Young Baxter, CEO, has published PanoramaNOW Magazine for 31 years. Her hobbies are Camping, Boating, Hiking, Nature, Gardening and Outdoor Activities. She is an Artist, Graphic Designer, an Avid Seamstress, Dabbles in Homemade Crafts and Landscaping. Since her Father was a Health Teacher, she also likes homeopathic Health Solutions. Since blogging started over 10 years ago, PanoramaNow has been added to Newsbreak – a national news affiliate.
