The beauty of the crossover hit “Respect Yourself” by The Staples Singers is its timeless message of empowerment. Written by Luther Ingram and Mack Rice in 1971, this song came at a time of cultural frustration at the state of the world. In his annoyance, it was said that Ingram made the statement, “black folk need to learn to respect themselves,” and from that point, a hit was born, inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and listed on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Hope West is a music enthusiast and music photographer who has captured artists like B.B. King, Janet Jackson, Teddy Riley and many others. A life long lover of music, Hope is a graduate of Full Sail University where she studied music engineering. She’s also a proud “Florida Girl” born and raised in Ft. Lauderdale, Fl. and currently resides in Atlanta, GA as a “Georgia Peach”. Hope is known for her creativity, sense of humor and quirky perfectionism. Artist(s) that make her freak out as a music fan: Sheila E., Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Quincy Jones.
