Legacy of Soul Train meaningful to Doug E. Fresh, Waka Flocka

His life is propelled by positivity. “Words like give, love, laugh, live,” he said, are what drive him.

Fresh, who is slated to perform at Tuesday’s “Soulfusion” Soul Train Awards Pre-Show Concert and at Wednesday’s taping of the actual award show, is rocked by various emotions these days.

There’s the joy of Doug E.’s, his recently opened Caribbean soul-food restaurant in Harlem, which he likens to Arnold’s Drive-In on “Happy Days” because of its friendly community vibe.

Then there’s the Alzheimer’s disease that his mother has wrestled with for a year, a diagnosis that prompted Fresh to move her into his home – “That’s my mother, man. There ain’t even no question,” he said softly – and soon, buy a travel bus so she can join him on the road.

Fresh, whose signature talent is creating a dizzying array of beats and special effects using only his mouth and a microphone, will use his mouthpiece in Atlanta Monday night at a VIP dinner hosted by the Alzheimer’s Association.

“This will be the first time I speak out about it. I’ve studied a lot of books and DVDs about [Alzheimer’s] and it’s a very interesting disease, I’ll tell you that,” Fresh said.

That an opportunity to share his family’s story dovetailed with the invitation to perform at the Soul Train pre-concert and award show was the kind of “crazy coincidence” Fresh couldn’t ignore.

And, while he’s emotionally invested in his duties Monday night, he’s also giddy with the idea of collaborating with his longtime buddy and onetime member of the Get Fresh Crew, Slick Rick, who will also appear at both Soul Train events.

“He just left my restaurant a few minutes ago,” Fresh said, adding with a laugh, “He got comped this time, but the next time, he’s gotta pay!”

But it is more than merely performing that has Fresh jazzed. It’s performing on a show tied to the legacy of the “Soul Train” TV show that intensifies the meaning.

“It’s such a big part of our history. I just want to be part of that celebration,” Fresh said.

While Fresh represents the vintage side of hip-hop, his sentiment is shared by at least one member of the current generation of rappers.

Atlanta-based Waka Flocka Flame chuckled when asked if he watched the Don Cornelius-led show growing up.

“You know I did. I think it came on Saturday morning, so I’d wake up and watch it. It was like a party every week.”

As of late last week, Flame wasn’t sure what his role would be at either the concert or award show, but he didn’t seem fazed.

“Everywhere I go is a performance,” he said.

Sort of like everywhere Fresh goes, a halo of optimism hovers – even over the new music he’s crafting.

“We always had fun and made people laugh and people still want to do that,” he said. “People love to go out and have a good time.”

Catch some Soul on your own

Need a dose of Don Cornelius? Want to get “Super Bad” with James Brown? Or maybe you just have to get a glimpse of that “Soul Train” dance line.

The three-DVD set “The Best of Soul Train” ($39.99) isn’t going to satisfy every megafan who dug the show in its prime in the '70s – some performances are lip-synced and no, not every amazing moment from 35 seasons of the show could be included. (Seriously, who would have time to watch 800 hours of programming, anyway? And if you do, there is a nine-DVD version available, too, for $150 through Time Life.)

But this collection, released this fall, offers 50 performances over eight hours. And most of them, such as Smokey Robinson and Aretha Franklin duetting at the piano on “Ooo Baby Baby” and Ike and Tina Turner steamrolling through “Proud Mary,” make the requisite point: They just don’t make ‘em like they used to.

Concert preview

"Soulfusion" Soul Train Awards Pre-Show Concert with Erykah Badu, Rick Ross, Trina, Doug E. Fresh, Arrested Development, Waka Flocka Flame, Ray Lavender and more. 8 p.m. Tuesday. $25-$171.85. Opera Atlanta, 1150B Peachtree St., Atlanta (moved from Atlanta Civic Center). 404-874-0428, www.operaatlanta.com .