I’d be remiss if I let the day go by without taking a minute to honor the heavenly birthday of a one Marvin Gaye. Known affectionately as the Prince of Motown and the King of Soul, Gaye was one of the most influential and successful artists in R+B music.

Gaye’s talent as both a vocalist and songwriter partnered with his passion for advocacy and social justice, making him an unstoppable force in the 1960s and 1970s. His vision and craft inspired countless musicians for decades and paved the way for black artists across the globe.

Gaye’s legacy is still so widely felt he was actually in the news as recently as a day ago. According to various reports unreleased music of his was recently discovered in Belgium, likely leading to imminent legal proceedings.