Today's newsletter will celebrate Black Music. As some may or may not know, June is Black Music Month. In 1979, President Jimmy Carter designated June as the month that Black music would be celebrated. During June, awareness would be the month that contributions African American Americans have made to music would be recognized.
The contributions of Black people to music are undeniable. Country, Rock and Roll, Gospel, House, Rhythm and Blues, and Hip Hop are all genres that African Americans started. Time has had a way of blurring the lines between genres and also distorting history in a way that takes away from the contributions that were made. The history and origins of some of these are well documented.
"Country music is a genre founded, molded, and upheld by the Black community. Starting from the Banjo, an instrument within the lineage of the West African lute, Africans sparked the creation of the genre. Through the slave trade and the spread of African American culture, the Banjo became a central component of enslaved people’s music. However, as their music spread to white audiences through deeply racist Minstrel shows, the genre was rebranded as “hillbilly music” and quickly became known as the country music we know today." - The Harvard Crimson
"One of the Eighties and Nineties’ most prolific house music producers and remixers, Knuckles is, hands down, one of the dozen most important DJs of all time. At his Chicago clubs the Warehouse (1977-82) and Power Plant (1983-85), Knuckles’ marathon sets, typically featuring his own extended edits of a wide selection of tracks from disco to post-punk, R&B to synth-heavy Eurodisco, laid the groundwork for electronic dance music culture—all of it." - Rolling Stone
The thing that Black music does incredibly well, in a world where media may be depicting us one way, it allows for us to control some of the narrative. It gives the people a chance to tell their own stories. Black music is often a window into Black culture so people can see us love, cheer, mourn, worship, reminisce, and simply exist.
The influence of Hip-Hop music on pop culture cannot be understated. Hip Hop is still the number one genre in the world. The genre, created in 1973, is still relatively young but has an influence that may be incalculable. A small example of this is in the chart below which demonstrates the industry effects that Roc-a-fella Records has had.
"The Terminal": Where we navigate the vast sea of information to bring you the essential stops for our global Black audience. Just like a bustling terminal serves as a gateway to new destinations, our curated content will be your passport to knowledge, empowerment, and connection. Embark on this journey with us as we explore the world from a unique perspective—yours.
Kenya’s youth prevail after controversial tax bill is proposed.
Marsha Ambrosius releases jazz and soul inspired album “Casablanco” produced by Dr. Dre.
Protecting Black girls on social media should be a public health priority.
Florida approves medicaid coverage for sickle cell gene treatments. Sickle cell is a disease that disproportionately effects African Americans.
Three HBCU quarterbacks have been invited to serve as camp counselors at the Manning Passing Academy.
Thank you for reading! Leave a comment below about some of your favorite artists, albums, songs, or moments in Black music!