I've always been frustrated by that theory by some that Rock Music is considered "White Music". I have even been asked by some black people while I was listening to Jimi Hendrix, "Why are you listening to that white rock shit?".

Why is it that B.E.T., a supposed "Black Entertainment" station, doesn't pay homage to a Legend Like Jimi Hendrix? Because he didn't do the typical R&B music, is he not considered Black enough? Why have people been so programmed to think that all Black people are supposed to play is Hip Hop or R&B? In all the years I have watched B.E.T. I have never once seen a Jimi Hendrix Video on that station.

None of the Black Radio stations in my area ever play Jimi Hendrix. Not even on the Old School stations. Why is this? He is perhaps the most influential Guitarist ever. Yet they will play an Eminem song before will they play a Jimi Hendrix song. This is Blasphemy.

Every now and then I will hear Purple Rain on the Radio or even see a Prince video on B.E.T. Is Prince considered more Black than Jimi?


Has anybody else ever wondered why Jimi isn't even Championed by his own people?

(I know some on this site Love Jimi. So this stereotype doesn't include you guys. You know who you are.)

I've always been frustrated by that theory by some that Rock Music is considered "White Music". I have even been asked by some black people while I was listening to Jimi Hendrix, "Why are you listening to that white rock shit?".

Why is it that B.E.T., a supposed "Black Entertainment" station, doesn't pay homage to a Legend Like Jimi Hendrix? Because he didn't do the typical R&B music, is he not considered Black enough? Why have people been so programmed to think that all Black people are supposed to play is Hip Hop or R&B? In all the years I have watched B.E.T. I have never once seen a Jimi Hendrix Video on that station.

None of the Black Radio stations in my area ever play Jimi Hendrix. Not even on the Old School stations. Why is this? He is perhaps the most influential Guitarist ever. Yet they will play an Eminem song before will they play a Jimi Hendrix song. This is Blasphemy.

Every now and then I will hear Purple Rain on the Radio or even see a Prince video on B.E.T. Is Prince considered more Black than Jimi?


Has anybody else ever wondered why Jimi isn't even Championed by his own people?

(I know some on this site Love Jimi. So this stereotype doesn't include you guys. You know who you are.)

I've always been frustrated by that theory by some that Rock Music is considered "White Music". I have even been asked by some black people while I was listening to Jimi Hendrix, "Why are you listening to that white rock shit?".

Why is it that B.E.T., a supposed "Black Entertainment" station, doesn't pay homage to a Legend Like Jimi Hendrix? Because he didn't do the typical R&B music, is he not considered Black enough? Why have people been so programmed to think that all Black people are supposed to play is Hip Hop or R&B? In all the years I have watched B.E.T. I have never once seen a Jimi Hendrix Video on that station.

None of the Black Radio stations in my area ever play Jimi Hendrix. Not even on the Old School stations. Why is this? He is perhaps the most influential Guitarist ever. Yet they will play an Eminem song before will they play a Jimi Hendrix song. This is Blasphemy.

Every now and then I will hear Purple Rain on the Radio or even see a Prince video on B.E.T. Is Prince considered more Black than Jimi?


Has anybody else ever wondered why Jimi isn't even Championed by his own people?

(I know some on this site Love Jimi. So this stereotype doesn't include you guys. You know who you are.)

I've always been frustrated by that theory by some that Rock Music is considered "White Music". I have even been asked by some black people while I was listening to Jimi Hendrix, "Why are you listening to that white rock shit?".

Why is it that B.E.T., a supposed "Black Entertainment" station, doesn't pay homage to a Legend Like Jimi Hendrix? Because he didn't do the typical R&B music, is he not considered Black enough? Why have people been so programmed to think that all Black people are supposed to play is Hip Hop or R&B? In all the years I have watched B.E.T. I have never once seen a Jimi Hendrix Video on that station.

None of the Black Radio stations in my area ever play Jimi Hendrix. Not even on the Old School stations. Why is this? He is perhaps the most influential Guitarist ever. Yet they will play an Eminem song before will they play a Jimi Hendrix song. This is Blasphemy.

Every now and then I will hear Purple Rain on the Radio or even see a Prince video on B.E.T. Is Prince considered more Black than Jimi?


Has anybody else ever wondered why Jimi isn't even Championed by his own people?

(I know some on this site Love Jimi. So this stereotype doesn't include you guys. You know who you are.)

I don't think BET = the black community. Besides, what's the oldest music video you ever saw on BET?

I think this discussion is more about the "white branding" of rock music, especially late 60s rock, but rock in general.

Mary J Blige always says the music people would be most surprised to learn she listens to is Nirvana.

It's this whole "stay in your lane" stereotyping, mindset and intra-policing that divides people and keeps us down.

Mary J Blige always says the music people would be most surprised to learn she listens to is Nirvana.
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Bishop31 said:

Jimi is definitely loved by his own people and of course many of us have one way or the other listened to rock music. I grew up with musicians that lived in the areas where I grew up that played rock music and they were Black. I also wouldn't use the fact that just because some black radio stations don't play Jimi's music, mean Jimi's own people didn't love him. That would be a bit harsh to imply,

That would be misleading. Jimi's music was played on mostly rock and pop stations because of the "type" of music he played.. Prince's music can't really be put into on category which is why many black stations played a lot of Prince's music as well as white stations

You would find more of Prince's "rock" tunes played on stations defined as rock/pop and his r&b/blues type tunes played mostly on black stations. Radio stations playof music of artists on their stations depending on the audience that are attracted to the type of music they play, which is obvious, but no, I cannot say that Black people didn't honor Jimi. As a matter of fact my very young 19 year old male cousin, who lives in Virginia, was sporting a Jimi Hendrix t-shirt because he is a fan of Jimi's music, so I can honestly say that even generations later, Jimi is loved by his people. Just because a radio station that mostly focuses on r&b music and doesn't play Jimi, doesn't mean they have no love for him, many well-known, established artists around Jimi's era and after, who made and still make reall music, can't even get their music on many stations today either, so I can't really say that just because you don't hear Jimi on black radio, doesn't mean they have no love for him.
[Edited 9/5/08 11:14am]

Why doesn't the white community honor artists like Teena Marie?

I think, as someone else said, the unfortunate fact is that radio is relegated to formats and Jimi's music doesn't fit the "R&B" format. The majority of black artists are associated with "R&B," since Jimi isn't, his music isn't played on those stations today. It's the same reason why only certain Prince songs are played on "R&B" or "Rock/Pop" stations. Many artists who have diverse music have fallen prey to this kind of radio profiling. It sucks, but it's the reason.

Well, I've never understood why someone like Shitney Houston would even get any airplay on a black radio station and Jimi Hendrix doesn't.

Bishop31 said:

I don't know much about Jimi but I know he came out in the 1960s and Prince came out in the 1970s. There's a decade's difference there and a lot of changes inbetween. I don't know, but I'm assuming that the very first thing that Jimi was known for was rock and since the black stations had an R&B format, they didn't play him. I've heard some stuff from Jimi such as "Gypsy Eyes" and "Wait Until Tomorrow" that sound pretty funky to my ears but I'm thinking that maybe was already known as a "rock star" by then so maybe R&B (black) radio didn't even explore his music or knew those tunes existed. I know I didn't until I got a "Best Of" collection of his.

As for Prince, the first time I ever heard him on R&B radio was "I Wanna Be Your Lover" during the disco era. I know "Soft and Wet" was his first song but I don't remember anyone in my area having any knowledge of the song until around the "Controversy" era so I'm wondering if it even got any airplay. Anyway, even excluding "Soft and Wet", just say "I Wanna Be Your Lover" is R&B radio's first introduction to Prince. That song was an R&B/funk/disco song so that's what they knew Prince as from the get-go. "Sexy Dancer" and "Still Waiting" got airplay also that year. As for "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad" which was a rock tune, it got lots of airplay also. Probably because radio had already labeled him as an R&B artist that just happened to have a rock tune on the album and even though it was rock, it sounded good to them and they played it. At least they played it. I can't say the same for white pop/rock radio though. They played "I Wanna Be Your Lover" during the disco era. However, they played nothing else from Prince until "Little Red Corvette". Even though "I Wanna Be Your Lover" was played on pop radio previously, they still didn't play "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad" which was a rock song. The reason is, they too had already classified him as a R&B/disco/funk act and after disco died, white radio kept everything black off except for very few "safe" acts like Diana Ross and The Pointer Sisters.
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[Edited 9/5/08 14:11pm]

Great points made. It makes since. Because Prince had to escape that R&B label with albums like 1999 & Purple Rain. Jimi Hendrix was breaking his mold with the Band of Gypsys album. That album was one of THE Best R&B albums I have ever heard...to this day. It was the Father of the Funkadelic era IMHO. But Jimi doesn't get his just credit for his R&B output.

He's as much a part of black culture as James Brown and yet since he didn't record "R&B", he's not looked on like that. That sucks more than anything. We've got to be the dumbest people in the world to not even acknowledge when a black man or woman does "white shit". White shit? We created the music that BECAME rock & roll! HELLO!

this is really a damn shame! hell the black community really doesnt respect kravitz all that much either! terrance trent darby gets more respect in europe than he does in the black community in the usa! a cat like van hunt cant get a record deal cause the black community doesnt really support him cause cats in the hood think he weird and what not...hendrix just as important than james brown to me..
[Edited 9/7/08 4:38am]

This is a sore point for me:

The real scary thing is that Jimi, James B, Chuck Berry & Little Richard and those pioneers will be afterthoughts since a generation grew up on MTV and won't have a clear connection to the past.

When MJ & Prince came out and blew up in the 1980's, one could see that James and Jimi left there fingerprints on both of the artistry of both men. Now you have your Chris Browns and whoever else that are supposed to be the next big thing being compared to MJ by a younger community since they only have MTV as a reference point.

Prince is the closest thing we have in the mainstream black culture to Jimi, but his real popular "rock" output was during the 1980's and during that era (a generation before )there would be a greater appreciation for HENDRIX and his impact since the community had a greater awareness (and better musical options) just 10-15 years prior to Purple Rain.

As a community, we have had hip hop hammered into our culture over the past 30 years and the problem that happens is that the artistry has died. The only way a person may embrace a Jimi is by way of a sample they hear in a rap song.

MJ & Prince were the last of that bridge to the past, students of music, who were originators but showed that the spirit of James & Jimi lived through their veins.

Besides Jimi, think of how Little Richard & Chuck Berry are rarely mentioned in the black community? Architects of the rock & roll attitude and sound and rarely get a sniff much less any accolades.

personally, my opinion is FUCK BET and fuck everyone who doesn't show respect to Jimi or the black pioneers who came before.

the fact that these days we are treated to the minstrel show where crappy dirty south and shit hop is rammed down our threats is a fucking disgrace to the history of music.

jimi is the greatest guitarist and showman of all time, fuck clapton and co,

they used to ejaculate when they saw what jimi could do, playing a right handed guitar even though he was left handed.

no motherfucker in history will ever come like Jimi.

its just sad that these days kids listen to their shit hop and soulja boy and don't even know who the greats and pioneers are.

give me some jimi, little richard or some james brown any day of the week than this shit we get now.

personally, my opinion is FUCK BET and fuck everyone who doesn't show respect to Jimi or the black pioneers who came before.

the fact that these days we are treated to the minstrel show where crappy dirty south and shit hop is rammed down our threats is a fucking disgrace to the history of music.

jimi is the greatest guitarist and showman of all time, fuck clapton and co,

they used to ejaculate when they saw what jimi could do, playing a right handed guitar even though he was left handed.

no motherfucker in history will ever come like Jimi.

its just sad that these days kids listen to their shit hop and soulja boy and don't even know who the greats and pioneers are.

give me some jimi, little richard or some james brown any day of the week than this shit we get now.

MTV is not the only culprit. I blame these limp wristed radio stations for adopting this crap format. I remember when Prince's "I Hate you" debuted on Atlanta radio back in 1995 (6?) and they had the "Pump it or Dump it" segment of the show. Universally, it was panned by the callers as being too rock and it never made consistent enough airplay in "Chocolate city".

Even on oldies stations on terrestrial radio, Jimi is a classic rock staple. Black oldies stations will only venture into the James Brown funk/P funk era during their "old school jamz" segments if you listen real closely, some of Jimi's DNA can be heard in the guitar of the funk era.

Ultimately, Black radio has a fear of guitar driven music for some reason, but the market dictates Souljah Boy and Chris Brown moreso than The Roots or Lenny Kravitz. Sadly, that won't change in the forseeable future.

COMPUTERBLUE1984 said:

See, this is what really bothers me. When did Guitar Driven Music become "un-Black"? I never understood this. Why has the black community boxed itself to only Hip Hop and Funk(the older crowd)? It's really a shame. I went to a BB King concert and it was maybe 10 blacks in the audience and the rest of the 10,000 people were white. What the hell is going on with the the black community? Have we lost all of our culture?