Arrington’s music, both with Slave and as asolo artist, helped create the blueprint of the 90’s G-Funk sound, and he continues to share a special bond and tremendous mutual respect with a younger generation of West Coast artists in Snoop, DJ Quik and Dam-Funk. From 2013’s“1Question” collaboration with Snoop and Dam-Funk on the 7 Days of Funk album,to sharing concert bills with Stones Throw Records artists and Q-Tip of A TribeCalled Quest, much of Arrington’s current musical journey consists of embracingand connecting with new fans who are hearing his music for the first time.

Born in 1956 to a military family in GreatLakes, Illinois, Arrington soon relocated to Dayton, where he grew up in a home teeming with soul. By age five, he was playing percussion on pots and pans,moving to a real Slingerland drum set at seven and Dayton Battle of the Bandsin his early teens. In his senior year of high school, he played with a band called the Young Mystics, from which came several original members of Slave. After plying his trade on the Dayton nightclub circuit, Arrington moved to SanFrancisco in 1975, hoping to take his music to a national level.

Arrington landed a spot in the renowned percussionist, Coke Esovedo’s band, and eventually moved in with the percussionist and his manager, becoming a Latin soul apprentice and protégé. Arrington went on to play with Escovedo’s older brother Pete and niece Sheila - now known as Sheila E - during his time in theBay Area, which included a tour with guitarist Carlos Santana.

As that tour was ending, Arrington received a call from his friends in Slave, who had recently hit the big time with their song “Slide”, asking him to join them half way through the “Hardness Of The World” tour. Steve joined his friends and soon began contributing vocals as the group started to evolve the funk and intensity of its early albums into a more radio-friendly format. Arrington became a lead vocalist for Slave in 1978, and for the next four years and four albums, he contributed to the innovative Dayton outfit’s most successful period, as dance floor classics like “Watching You,” “Just a Touch of Love,” Snap Shot,” and“Wait for Me” all bear his trademark tenor.

In 1982,Arrington left Slave and formed Steve Arrington’s Hall of Fame, where he brought other sidemen into lead roles and greatly expanded on the Slave formula. After two Hall of Fame and three solo albums for Atlantic Records,which included the top 10 hits “Feel So Real” and “Dancin’ In The Key Of Life,” Arrington left the music business at the height of his career.

He joined the church as the spirit began to take hold, and Arrington welcomed it with an open heart, mind and soul. “I was allowing the transition that was happening honestly inside of me come to the forefront and stop where it wanted to stop.”

After nearly 20 years in the ministry, Arrington’s heart began to slowly pull him back to music. He frequented local poetry slams, soaking up messages from the streets while reading the work of social intellectuals such as Michael Eric Dyson, Dr. Cornel West and DickGregory. He remained part of the church, but with greater recognition of the spiritual voice in popular music. “Ever since slavery, spiritual men and women have come to the fore and spoke,” he says. “It’s a legacy…Last Poets, Mahalia Jackson, the Impressions, Gil Scott-Heron.” Music still represented the desirefor freedom, equality and love for Arrington, and this was to be his renewed mission.

Arrington is still doing his thing, and still enjoying that younger generations have discovered his music. He counts blues artists with longevity like Buddy Guy and BB. King among his heroes, and admires, how they’re embraced by new fans throughout theyears. He respects innovators like Miles Davis, who absorbed the culture and created a legacy for fans to be moved by, whatever their age. As a fan, he is a musical adventurist, embracing everyone from Stravinsky and Bartok to Flying Lotus, Hudson Mohawke and Madlib.

Steve Arrington is not just The Invade, but an embracer and defender of culture and all its contributors. After nearly two decades away from the music business, he’s stillable to create, appreciate and be appreciated. “I don’t take it lightly,” he says. He just takes it as it comes.