Erykah Badu and Common’s song “Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip Hop)” is a beautiful analogy of hip-hop music being their first love. Music was one of my first loves and I know how they feel. Both sides of my family are very musically inclined, so it’s almost like music is ingrained in who I am. Music—particularly Black music—has been the soundtrack to my life for as long as I can remember. In my household growing up, each activity or mood had a playlist to match—old school hits from the ’70s when it was time to clean on Saturday mornings, soulful ballads on Sunday evenings when we were getting ready for the week ahead, and the hottest, latest records each morning as I got ready for school. Music has always been an integral part of me.
As I got older, I realized that Black music is more than lyrics and melodies; it’s actual life-changing, mood altering therapy that I go back to over and over again. That’s not just the case for me, though. Black music shapes the lives of so many people the world over, and it’s been that way for centuries. Black music’s roots and impact go beyond popular songs and artists. Black music has always been an outlet, a medium, and a space for freedom for the Black community. Let’s explore the evolution of Black music, starting more than 200 years back, and how Black music is at the hearts of all American music, history, and culture.
It all began with spirituals
In the 19th century, enslaved Africans arrived at the U.S. colonies. Music was one of few African traditions that made the crossing. Enslaved people found comfort in music while working in the fields, even though they were forced to work in foreign countries and endure inhumane conditions. Using what came to be known as “slave songs” or “slave spirituals,” enslaved people would sing and chant to each other all day to keep each other uplifted and remind each other that they weren’t alone.
Many slave songs became faith-based and referenced stories and characters from Scripture as Christianity replaced traditional African spiritualism. Enslaved people saw many similarities with the story of Jesus Christ and others in the Bible who faced horrible atrocities, and songs like “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” and “Nobody Knows de Trouble I’ve Seen” boosted their faith and helped them persevere.
The abolition movement gained popularity in the mid-1800s. Slave songs were used as codes to help enslaved South citizens make it to the north, where slavery was not legal. Harriet Tubman was an ex-enslaved woman who risked everything to create the Underground Railroad. It was a network that provided routes, homes, hiding places, and other services between states that allowed enslaved people to reach the north. Tubman often used songs like “I Got My Ticket” and “Go Down, Moses” as messages to guide enslaved people during their escape.
The turn of the century saw slavery become illegal in every American State. Black music began to shift from pain to pleasure. Black communities started singing the blues instead of singing spirituals. The musical genre quickly took over the rural South. Many of the early blues musicians were descendants of former slaves, so the influence from field chants and slave songs was a significant part of blues music. While blues from Memphis, the Mississippi Delta and the Carolinas, Georgia, Georgia, and Texas had their own sounds, the universal feeling of the blues was one that can be felt deep in your bones.
Male artists like Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf were some of the quintessential blues singers, but Black women were some of the first musicians to record blues music. Mamie Smith, known as the “Queen of the Blues” was the first Black person—man or woman—to record a blues song. Her song “Crazy Blues” set the standard of blues music being about deep love, tough moments in relationships, and sometimes heartbreak. The Netflix movie Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom highlights another early blues trailblazer, Ma Rainey, who was known as the “Mother of the Blues” from incorporating blues music into her live comedy and stage acts. Bessie Smith and Ethel Waters were among others who began singing the blues at an early age and enjoyed long-lasting musical careers. Blues music’s first offshoot, jazz, became prominent during the early 1900s, just in time for the 1920s cultural revolution that was the Harlem Renaissance.
Black music through the years
No matter what’s going on in the world, you can bet on Black music reflecting the sentiment of the times. The 1950s and ’60s were particularly tumultuous in America, and “freedom songs” expressed many thoughts and feelings that Black people had as they navigated racism and discrimination. Artists like Aretha Franklin, Nina Simone, Gil Scott-Heron, and Sam Cooke used their musical platforms to soothe the blows of bigotry while letting the world know that “A Change is Gonna Come.” Music was as integral to the Civil Rights Movement as marches, sit-ins, and freedom rides, and many of the recordings from that time are still relevant today.
The 1970s saw a surge in party and disco music. This was a welcome to a new decade, with less racial tensions, and more diverse experiences. Born out of Black and Latin music from cities on the East Coast, disco’s pulsating beats and electric guitars were the signature sound of many women and LGBTQ scenes. Perhaps two of the most recognizable disco songs, “Disco Inferno” and “I Will Survive,” were immediate hits and have had longevity for nearly 50 years. Disco was the perfect place to dance the night away and was a safe haven for drag and camp culture.
Then in the ’80s, one of the most groundbreaking musical genres emerged: rap. Rap music actually began in the 1970s in New York’s Bronx. It quickly grew in popularity and gained enormous traction in the 1980s. Rap was extremely controversial because it was like nothing anyone had ever heard before, and it was thought that the content wasn’t as substantive as past genres. Rap music was less focused on vocals and instrumentation in its early days, and more on beats. Many people thought rap would disappear one day. But, almost 50 years later, rap music has remained the most popular music genre in America since 2017. How’s that for proving haters wrong!
Rap music was the basis of 1990s new Jack swing music. It was up-tempo and sounded like rap but had more vocals. Bobby Brown, Bobby Brown and New Edition brought the new jack swing vibes, from the leather outfits and high-top fades, to the swing beats dances, and synth keyboards. The ’90s also bred neo-soul and early instances of pop music. These were the days of boy and girl bands, and there were many. Destiny’s Child, TLC, En Vogue, Dru Hill, KCi & JoJo, Blaque, H-Town, 702, Xscape, and SWV truly only scrape the top when it comes to the list of talented, dynamic Black groups that dominated the music industry.
Since the 2000s, Black music itself hasn’t changed as much as it did between the 1960s and 1990s, but the music industry has totally transformed. Strong marketing campaigns and streaming are the main sources of artists’ income, instead of actual record sales. Black musicians have been at the forefront of changes in the industry, with Beyoncé pioneering Friday album releases and surprise drops, JAY-Z becoming the first Black artist to create an independent streaming service and become the first rap billionaire, Michael Jackson being the most awarded artist of all time, the month of June being officially recognized as Black Music Month, and the release of countless biopics giving behind-the-scenes details of our favorite iconic artists.
Black music is American music
I know that I’ve referred to “Black music” a lot, and it’s intentional—not as a divide but as a unifier. Black music is the undercurrent of every single musical genre—no exaggeration. Country music and rock and rolling were created by white artists and producers using the same sounds, instruments and techniques as blues. From those original Black sounds, many genres such as folk, heavy metal, and electronic were born. It’s impossible to talk about music without recognizing the foundations of Black artists, musicians, and producers who paved the way for the music we all love today.
Beyond their contributions to the musical art form, we must also recognize the impact that Black music has had during our world’s most pivotal moments. Black music is a refuge and a source of inspiration, as well as a way to tell stories. There isn’t an emotion or experience that Black music hasn’t touched, and that’s why it’s one of the loves of my life. Black music is like a best friend. It’s a shoulder you can cry on, a laugh that’s needed, and sometimes even a reality check. It’s all in the sound—take a listen.
Source: The Every Girl
