^

LOL, not sure if black music had the origins of black continent, but the dance all black dance is the black continent. How about Walzer for u guys?

babynoz said:

Oh snap! African electric slide y'all...

Wow. Thanks for posting. I like that 'dip' they did in it.

OzlemUcucu said:

LOL, not sure if black music had the origins of black continent, but the dance all black dance is the black continent. How about Walzer for u guys?

Many rhythms/beats/sounds have been adopted from many African ethnic groups' music/sounds, into the various styles/forms of Black music, and each style borrowed off the other as generations passed. Babynoz and others define it well in their posts.

[Edited 11/18/11 16:21pm]

2elijah said:

babynoz said:

Exactly what I'm trying to get across. It isn't necessarily wrong to say black, I was just asking my friend Bobby which black music he was referring to and why it would occur to him to ask.

I hear you and you expressed some very good points. No disrespect to OF4S of course, but I was just a little curious as to why oF4s thinks that Black Caribbeans are more closer to their African roots, musically, moreso than Black Americans, when both groups have similar, ancestral histories and have ancestors from similar, but various African ethnic groups as well as, non-black ancestors. Thing is, didn't both groups' black, enslaved African ancestors not sing the 'blues' about the harsh treatments of slavery on the plantations of the Caribbean and in America? It may have been different sounds musically, but it touched on the same emotions and injustices, so those connections to one another were already there, because both groups' ancestors were feeling the same pain, and even during post-slavery.

Also, Bob Marley sang about the social injustices that was going on in Jamaica and around the world, so, I have to ask, did both groups not feel the pain of social injustices/racial prejudices and unfairness in America and the Caribbean? If Bob Marley was alive, he would have no problem agreeing with me.(I am not saying no other group hasn't suffered atrocities and unequal treatment by the way).

At this point in my life I understand the injustices and pains of many different groups. I'm on the edge of 40 and I don't continue to hold the pains & hurts up to my face because I already have cried for it now how do we move on from that.

My family is multiracial so he felt at a particular time it was good to help us understand certain cultural and social issues as far as Blackness is concerned. My dad was also military and that experience gave him more of a world view than a opressed view. I never connected my blackness with oppression or 'where u can't go what you can't do' attitude, we did everything and American citizens is supposed to be able to do.

In the early 80's my dad connected us to a pan-African awareness group. The leader the Sankofa Dr David Anderson even stress an African-American identity vs a Black-American one. He felt the AA from the direction he was coming from would focus everyone on a more 'cultural' identity moving forward into being American. Not a more political/social identity that to him at the time focused a lot on injustice segregation (internal and external) and some other things.

I'm learning more about the different cultures of the African diaspora, My family has Nigerian neighbors and there are a lot of similarities in the foods, the prep & presentations of the food and music styles and even dance movements that seem much more apparently African in origin.

the Nigerian neighbors cook us what they called Fufu and other parts of the dinner, and it was very much like Jamaican curry plantains cabbage rice jerk

A lot of black-american cooking is not, it seems a lot further from African roots.

I think it interesting learning what African cultural expressions remained into various parts of latin-america the dominican republic haiti jamaica the usa, French louisiana etc

Come on ya'll stop arguing, and shake that black or white ass, all really matters is to keep 'shakin that ass' as Prince very well proclaimed years ago!

theAudience said:

Tortilla said:

Could you expound further, please?

How would you categorize the following music?: LINK

Music for adventurous listeners


tA

Tribal Records

I would classify this as classical music. And given the context of the conversation, would it be wrong to assume that the composer of the music is a black person?

If so, I get what you mean by it (black music) being a marketing term, but at the same time do you not believe that certain styles are rightfully associated with specific cultures?

I'm asking myself aloud if black artists working in a traditionally European genre's still considered black music? My guess would be yes and no because classical music is transcendent of such labels, even if the creator is of a "non-traditional" heritage. I never consider the genetic make-up of a classical composer because it's assumed, even though I recognize that there are people of all makes that are creating classical music. Hmm..

Music is ideally transcendent of label. And perhaps that's the point? But honestly, who understands that?

I still have questions, tho.

Thanks for posting.

OldFriends4Sale said:

2elijah said:

I hear you and you expressed some very good points. No disrespect to OF4S of course, but I was just a little curious as to why oF4s thinks that Black Caribbeans are more closer to their African roots, musically, moreso than Black Americans, when both groups have similar, ancestral histories and have ancestors from similar, but various African ethnic groups as well as, non-black ancestors. Thing is, didn't both groups' black, enslaved African ancestors not sing the 'blues' about the harsh treatments of slavery on the plantations of the Caribbean and in America? It may have been different sounds musically, but it touched on the same emotions and injustices, so those connections to one another were already there, because both groups' ancestors were feeling the same pain, and even during post-slavery.

Also, Bob Marley sang about the social injustices that was going on in Jamaica and around the world, so, I have to ask, did both groups not feel the pain of social injustices/racial prejudices and unfairness in America and the Caribbean? If Bob Marley was alive, he would have no problem agreeing with me.(I am not saying no other group hasn't suffered atrocities and unequal treatment by the way).

At this point in my life I understand the injustices and pains of many different groups. I'm on the edge of 40 and I don't continue to hold the pains & hurts up to my face because I already have cried for it now how do we move on from that.

My family is multiracial so he felt at a particular time it was good to help us understand certain cultural and social issues as far as Blackness is concerned. My dad was also military and that experience gave him more of a world view than a opressed view. I never connected my blackness with oppression or 'where u can't go what you can't do' attitude, we did everything and American citizens is supposed to be able to do.

In the early 80's my dad connected us to a pan-African awareness group. The leader the Sankofa Dr David Anderson even stress an African-American identity vs a Black-American one. He felt the AA from the direction he was coming from would focus everyone on a more 'cultural' identity moving forward into being American. Not a more political/social identity that to him at the time focused a lot on injustice segregation (internal and external) and some other things.

I'm learning more about the different cultures of the African diaspora, My family has Nigerian neighbors and there are a lot of similarities in the foods, the prep & presentations of the food and music styles and even dance movements that seem much more apparently African in origin.

the Nigerian neighbors cook us what they called Fufu and other parts of the dinner, and it was very much like Jamaican curry plantains cabbage rice jerk

A lot of black-american cooking is not, it seems a lot further from African roots.

I think it interesting learning what African cultural expressions remained into various parts of latin-america the dominican republic haiti jamaica the usa, French louisiana etc

That's just it, defining oneself as Black American or African American is about culture and all it encompasses within specific/similar groups. It doesn't mean one or the other is about limiting yourself to what you think you're only capable of, regarding opportunities in America. If anything many Blacks, even during the days of Jim Crow, didn't let that stop them from becoming successful lawyers, physicians, entrepreneurs, musicians, educators, just to name a few. Let's not forget the wealth that existed among many Black communities during the early days of segregation and Jim Crow. That alone tells you how resilient and determined many Blacks were , even during some of the most tumultous times in America. They didn't let racist laws that prevented them from working within communities outside their own,stop them from being motivated into seeking opportunities within their own communiteis, and even those who were successful chooing to leave the U.S. to find those opportunities outside America.

I don't associate oppresion with who I am individually or as a human being. Sure there is a history of oppressive actts committed against my early and recent ancestors, can't deny that, but tthen there is also the racially-prejudiced encounters I, friends and family exerienced thorughout our lives over the years, but that never stopped them or me from pursuing our dreams, opportunities or goals, based on someone else's ignorant, racist perception of us.

When you surround yourself or are raised in the company of people that motivate, encourage and believe in you, you can accomplish anything.

On another note regarding your mention of specific, African cultural expressions remainiing in parts of Latin America and Caribbean islands. It probably isn't that surprising given the fact that many African girls/women gave birth to many children from European slave/plantation owners, and alsos children produced by Africans and Amerindians, through their intermixed relationships, and sharing their cultures with one another.

[Edited 11/18/11 20:09pm]

You know you can always discuss the struggles with race at Politics and Religion lol I mean, I'm not trying to tell folks what to do but when it becomes so much that the topic isn't about music anymore, it kinda loses its purpose. Not saying I don't agree with you but that's what I was initially upset with. The off topic banter.

[Edited 11/18/11 20:10pm]

U damn right. That's what all matters http://prince.org/msg/100/371043

Timmy84 said:

You know you can always discuss the struggles with race at Politics and Religion lol I mean, I'm not trying to tell folks what to do but when it becomes so much that the topic isn't about music anymore, it kinda loses its purpose. Not saying I don't agree with you but that's what I was initially upset with. The off topic banter.

[Edited 11/18/11 20:10pm]

Timmy84 said:

You know you can always discuss the struggles with race at Politics and Religion lol I mean, I'm not trying to tell folks what to do but when it becomes so much that the topic isn't about music anymore, it kinda loses its purpose. Not saying I don't agree with you but that's what I was initially upset with. The off topic banter.

[Edited 11/18/11 20:10pm]

1. We miss Teena Marie.

2. Rihanna is a freaking disgrace to music as an artform.

Agree?

Timmy84 said:

You know you can always discuss the struggles with race at Politics and Religion lol I mean, I'm not trying to tell folks what to do but when it becomes so much that the topic isn't about music anymore, it kinda loses its purpose. Not saying I don't agree with you but that's what I was initially upset with. The off topic banter.

[Edited 11/18/11 20:10pm]

It's okay Timmy, if you're talking about my last post I was just responding to Of4s's post, and yes it's still on the same topic. I think it has gone off-topic a bit, because some had to explain in more depth, and because some don't seem to understand that ;'black music 's just various music styles, that can be ommonly found among various black cultures, just like how salsa is commonly associated with many people of latino/hispanic descent. We'll try to keep it more on topic.

.

So Timmy, what's your input on the topic?.

[Edited 11/18/11 21:08pm]

2elijah said

I do agree as well that many of Prince's white fans, not all of course, tend to be surprised or dislike when Prince plays tracks of an r&b nature and some tend to devalue that form of music, which he has done from the very beginning of his career. At that same time, he had put out various styles of music with his r&b tracks as well. Tracks like "I Wanna Be Your Lover", "Soft & Wet" were played on black radio, as well as other popular tracks, while other more, rock-based and 'poppy' tracks were mainly played on White radio stations.

The hell they were. I'm talking about pre- "Little Red Corvette" or the "Purple Rain" era. White stations played "I Wanna Be Your Lover" during the disco era, which is when I first discovered Prince, because it was disco and disco was popular with the white crowd. Disco "died" that same year and when Prince's second single "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad" came out, white radio didn't touch it even though it was a rock song. They claimed to hate disco and wanted to get back to rock. Well, if that's the case, that's fine but why was a rock song like "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad" shunned? There was nothing disco about it, it was straight up rock. "Disco" in those days during the backlash was the code word for "black". In other words "these white kids are listening to this black music and we've got to put a stop to it". Not to mention the gay aspect of disco which they really hated as well. And if there were some hispanics in the mix as well, well we've got to put a stop to that also. White purity ya know.

Black radio played all of Prince from the funk of "Sexy Dancer", "Head", "Partyup", "Controversy", "Let's Work", "Lady Cab Driver", "When Doves Cry", "Erotic City", to the rock of "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad", "Uptown", "Let's Go Crazy" to the new wave of "Automatic", "Delirious", "Dirty Mind", while white radio didn't play a damn thing, even though it fit their format, until "Little Red Corvette" in 1982. Hell, Prince even got booed off the stage opening for The Rolling Stones during the "Controversy" era. There was not only major racism going on in those days but major homophobia also. Mainstream White America let it known loud and clear in their own way that the only black artists that were welcome were the toned down "safe" ones.

It's no mistake, that he always did well with his r&b slow, sexy ballads on black radio and with his black audience, moreso than on white radio stations which didn't seem that willing to play those type tracks, and where those stations played his more pop/rock sound tracks.

That started beginning in the 1990s which is another major problem. Black folks are the inventors of hipness, rhythm, and coolness so why the hell do only the slow jams from someone like Prince from the 1990s on up to today get played on Black radio? It's because of tired ass crossover folks like Shitney Ass Houston who ruined things and influenced a bunch of other dead asses just like her who ain't got a damn ounce of rhythm in their bones to take over R&B radio. These days, when you think of a black artist, you think of someone "slow", "smooth", etc. (in other words, as boring as a fucking Lawrence Welk concert) when it used to be the damn opposite. But then again, money rules things. Water and weaken your shit down for the soccer moms and you'll make much more money.

You know I love you 2elijah but you done caught my ass when I'm drinking and ready to tell it like it is. Should I hit the "Post Response" button? Hell, why not?

JoeTyler said:

a vague, imprecise "genre" used by white mainstream journalists back in the day

, surely with some racist, condescending contempt...

now it's

Gospel

Blues

Jazz (and its 1000 sub-genres)

Dancehall

R&B

Early Rn'R / Doo Wop

Motown

Soul

Funk

Hendrix-inspired hard-rock

Reagge

Disco

Urban / Electro

Quiet Storm

Hip-Hop

Rap

New Jack

90s British Techno/Jungle/Drum&Bass

Modern R&B

Hip-Pop

my God, that's THE legacy of 20th Century music

"white" music

Folk

Crooners

Country

Mainstream Rn'R /Surf

Pop (beatlesque)

Psychodelia

Heavy-Metal

Punk

New-Wave

Synth Music

Adult-Contemporary/Balladry

Alt Rock

...

[Edited 11/18/11 11:35am]

No.

TonyVanDam said:

Timmy84 said:

You know you can always discuss the struggles with race at Politics and Religion lol I mean, I'm not trying to tell folks what to do but when it becomes so much that the topic isn't about music anymore, it kinda loses its purpose. Not saying I don't agree with you but that's what I was initially upset with. The off topic banter.

[Edited 11/18/11 20:10pm]

1. We miss Teena Marie.

2. Rihanna is a freaking disgrace to music as an artform.

Agree?

Thanks for the sour persimmons, cousin.

2elijah said:

Timmy84 said:

You know you can always discuss the struggles with race at Politics and Religion lol I mean, I'm not trying to tell folks what to do but when it becomes so much that the topic isn't about music anymore, it kinda loses its purpose. Not saying I don't agree with you but that's what I was initially upset with. The off topic banter.

[Edited 11/18/11 20:10pm]

It's okay Timmy, if you're talking about my last post I was just responding to Of4s's post, and yes it's still on the same topic. I think it has gone off-topic a bit, because some had to explain in more depth, and because some don't seem to understand that ;'black music 's just various music styles, that can be ommonly found among various black cultures, just like how salsa is commonly associated with many people of latino/hispanic descent. We'll try to keep it more on topic.

.

So Timmy, what's your input on the topic?.

[Edited 11/18/11 21:08pm]

I feel music that's "black" is not really just a "black thing". Music is universal no matter what skin you're in. So it's kind of hard to say how it's once "black music" and then "universal". Has to be one of the two to me and for me it's universal. Every race loves the sound of the beat of the drum especially from Africa.

Timmy84 said:

2elijah said:

It's okay Timmy, if you're talking about my last post I was just responding to Of4s's post, and yes it's still on the same topic. I think it has gone off-topic a bit, because some had to explain in more depth, and because some don't seem to understand that ;'black music 's just various music styles, that can be ommonly found among various black cultures, just like how salsa is commonly associated with many people of latino/hispanic descent. We'll try to keep it more on topic.

.

So Timmy, what's your input on the topic?.

[Edited 11/18/11 21:08pm]

I feel music that's "black" is not really just a "black thing". Music is universal no matter what skin you're in. So it's kind of hard to say how it's once "black music" and then "universal". Has to be one of the two to me and for me it's universal. Every race loves the sound of the beat of the drum especially from Africa.

Actually Timmy, if you go back and read what many here have clearly explained, including myself, you will note that no one here ever said 'black music' is/or ever was a 'black thing nor did they say you had to be a specific color or from a specific racial/cultural/ethnic group to listen/enjoy/admire/play it, etc.. Those specific music styles are for everyone to enjoy, just like classical music is commonly associated with members of the White community or 'Salsa' associated with the Latino/Hispanic community. There's no limits/bars on who can enjoy any particular form of music in America.

Many explained the term 'black music' is basically a category used as a reference to identify specific forms/styles of music that were either born/ first introduced or commonly listened to among, various cultural/ethnic groups of members of the black community as a whole. There's nothing in that phrase that indicates that specific forms of that music is limited to the enjoyment of Black people only.

I think that's the misinformation many tend to believe about that phrase, because often times, they don't take the time to understand it when it is explained or just don't make an effort to do the research to get a better understanding of it, which is why many misinformed conclusions are drawn about it. Just my two cents.

[Edited 11/19/11 6:03am]

I see your point but then again, it's still a confusing subject. Because sometimes when I think of someone mentioning "black music", it almost reads as it's being exclusive to just us - black folks - and for some reason I kinda think that if everyone else digs the same thing, then can we really call it that? I mean I know a huge portion of our music was started in some form by black people - and I'm proud of that - but if everyone enjoys it, it just makes it music to me. Same with other forms of music that I might enjoy that doesn't have to do with black culture nonetheless.

vainandy said:

2elijah said

The hell they were. I'm talking about pre- "Little Red Corvette" or the "Purple Rain" era. White stations played "I Wanna Be Your Lover" during the disco era, which is when I first discovered Prince, because it was disco and disco was popular with the white crowd. Disco "died" that same year and when Prince's second single "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad" came out, white radio didn't touch it even though it was a rock song. They claimed to hate disco and wanted to get back to rock. Well, if that's the case, that's fine but why was a rock song like "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad" shunned? There was nothing disco about it, it was straight up rock. "Disco" in those days during the backlash was the code word for "black". In other words "these white kids are listening to this black music and we've got to put a stop to it". Not to mention the gay aspect of disco which they really hated as well. And if there were some hispanics in the mix as well, well we've got to put a stop to that also. White purity ya know.

Black radio played all of Prince from the funk of "Sexy Dancer", "Head", "Partyup", "Controversy", "Let's Work", "Lady Cab Driver", "When Doves Cry", "Erotic City", to the rock of "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad", "Uptown", "Let's Go Crazy" to the new wave of "Automatic", "Delirious", "Dirty Mind", while white radio didn't play a damn thing, even though it fit their format, until "Little Red Corvette" in 1982. Hell, Prince even got booed off the stage opening for The Rolling Stones during the "Controversy" era. There was not only major racism going on in those days but major homophobia also. Mainstream White America let it known loud and clear in their own way that the only black artists that were welcome were the toned down "safe" ones.

It's no mistake, that he always did well with his r&b slow, sexy ballads on black radio and with his black audience, moreso than on white radio stations which didn't seem that willing to play those type tracks, and where those stations played his more pop/rock sound tracks.

That started beginning in the 1990s which is another major problem. Black folks are the inventors of hipness, rhythm, and coolness so why the hell do only the slow jams from someone like Prince from the 1990s on up to today get played on Black radio? It's because of tired ass crossover folks like Shitney Ass Houston who ruined things and influenced a bunch of other dead asses just like her who ain't got a damn ounce of rhythm in their bones to take over R&B radio. These days, when you think of a black artist, you think of someone "slow", "smooth", etc. (in other words, as boring as a fucking Lawrence Welk concert) when it used to be the damn opposite. But then again, money rules things. Water and weaken your shit down for the soccer moms and you'll make much more money.

You know I love you 2elijah but you done caught my ass when I'm drinking and ready to tell it like it is. Should I hit the "Post Response" button? Hell, why not?

I think there was way more to the 'I hate disco' than it being identified with Black people. Black artists were still getting serious attention from white listeners.

I saw a VH1 episode on the disco years and everything but race was acredited to the demise of Disco

1. the drug abuse of the 1970's

2. the sexual revolution of the 1970's

the 1st 2 had connections with a lot of diseases that came about

3. the lack of visual credit to the singers of disco outside of people like Donna Summers and a few others. Disco was big even KISS had a disco album. but overall the releases of disco was more like House music is now, still very underground and outside of a select few divas the singers if there is one on that song isn't easily identified. (most people now follow the DJ vs the singer now)

4. In America at least political change in climate ie the Reagan years and a rise in conservatism vs the free(love) of the 70's

I really don't believe Black was ever a backlashed reason

*

There would be other groups that have always been associated with coolness, hypness and style such as Italians

And I seriously doubt Whitney Houston is to blame.

1st it's wrong to define her by 'what black people are supposed to be like'

the woman can(could) sing period. her individual freedom to be, comes before some association to a social construction-race. Any person should always stive to break out of a box people try to put u in. Talk about putting the shackles on someone...

2. Whitney was one of the huge stars of the 1980's and she she always got serious radio play on black and white stations.

3. Whitney went to superstardom with the Bodyguard, at that point she should have stayed on that momentum and not given in2 the pressure 'be blacker' in her music. Whitney was loved the world over. But what she did was drop her standards and do the regular RnB music that everyone else was doing

4. a whole lot of blue black folk can't dance playbasket ball or clap on the beat

[Edited 11/19/11 10:09am]

Timmy84 said:

I see your point but then again, it's still a confusing subject. Because sometimes when I think of someone mentioning "black music", it almost reads as it's being exclusive to just us - black folks - and for some reason I kinda think that if everyone else digs the same thing, then can we really call it that? I mean I know a huge portion of our music was started in some form by black people - and I'm proud of that - but if everyone enjoys it, it just makes it music to me. Same with other forms of music that I might enjoy that doesn't have to do with black culture nonetheless.

Quite frankly, there's absolutely nothing wrong with many styles/forms/sounds of music labeled as 'black music'. It's respected by many musicians/artists all over the world, and they refer to it that way, and it has never limited any specific group from embracing it, just becasue of where specific forms/styles of it were born out of. I think if people understand that how it is defined is no different than when they see labels such as 'latin music', 'polka', 'reggae', 'celtic', 'Native American music', etc., people can pretty much, immediately, if they're familiar with it, connect to what culture/ethnic group those types of music came from, doesn't mean they're limited, because of who they are from embracing it.

Anyway, this is a topic that can go on forever, even though so many people here gave some, very thorough and very good examples and explanations of it.

[Edited 11/19/11 16:38pm]

vainandy said:

2elijah said

The hell they were. I'm talking about pre- "Little Red Corvette" or the "Purple Rain" era. White stations played "I Wanna Be Your Lover" during the disco era, which is when I first discovered Prince, because it was disco and disco was popular with the white crowd. Disco "died" that same year and when Prince's second single "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad" came out, white radio didn't touch it even though it was a rock song. They claimed to hate disco and wanted to get back to rock. Well, if that's the case, that's fine but why was a rock song like "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad" shunned? There was nothing disco about it, it was straight up rock. "Disco" in those days during the backlash was the code word for "black". In other words "these white kids are listening to this black music and we've got to put a stop to it". Not to mention the gay aspect of disco which they really hated as well. And if there were some hispanics in the mix as well, well we've got to put a stop to that also. White purity ya know.

Black radio played all of Prince from the funk of "Sexy Dancer", "Head", "Partyup", "Controversy", "Let's Work", "Lady Cab Driver", "When Doves Cry", "Erotic City", to the rock of "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad", "Uptown", "Let's Go Crazy" to the new wave of "Automatic", "Delirious", "Dirty Mind", while white radio didn't play a damn thing, even though it fit their format, until "Little Red Corvette" in 1982. Hell, Prince even got booed off the stage opening for The Rolling Stones during the "Controversy" era. There was not only major racism going on in those days but major homophobia also. Mainstream White America let it known loud and clear in their own way that the only black artists that were welcome were the toned down "safe" ones.

2elijah:

It's no mistake, that he always did well with his r&b slow, sexy ballads on black radio and with his black audience, moreso than on white radio stations which didn't seem that willing to play those type tracks, and where those stations played his more pop/rock sound tracks.

That started beginning in the 1990s which is another major problem. Black folks are the inventors of hipness, rhythm, and coolness so why the hell do only the slow jams from someone like Prince from the 1990s on up to today get played on Black radio? It's because of tired ass crossover folks like Shitney Ass Houston who ruined things and influenced a bunch of other dead asses just like her who ain't got a damn ounce of rhythm in their bones to take over R&B radio. These days, when you think of a black artist, you think of someone "slow", "smooth", etc. (in other words, as boring as a fucking Lawrence Welk concert) when it used to be the damn opposite. But then again, money rules things. Water and weaken your shit down for the soccer moms and you'll make much more money.

You know I love you 2elijah but you done caught my ass when I'm drinking and ready to tell it like it is. Should I hit the "Post Response" button? Hell, why not?

Love you Vain! ( Laughing at the last part of your post).

I do agree with you that many black r&b/soul artists don't get much play on non-black radio unless it's generic-type music, like Rihanna, Beyonce, Especially older, black musicians/artists. I dislike most of the music that's on there today. The r&b today for me is boring. The so-called 'soul, love songs' are all basically sound the same, nothing like back in the day, that can be classics years from now.

I remember I was still listening to the radio in the 90s, when they still played Patti and Luther, now Patti is lucky if any radio station will play a new song of hers today.

I remember back in the mid 70s when so many forms of music was out at hte same time. It was like a 'music revolution'--so many styles to enjoy d, like funk/funk rock/the British invasion of New Wew wave-- some with a touch of reggae, pop-rock, etc. Prince, MJ and Madonna basically had the 80s on lockdown with their own distinctive and various styles. Since the late 90s, I really don't listen to much radio, unless I feel like listening to some r&b dance classics, which always puts me in a great mood.

I have to say, as an older adult, there are some artists whose music I like, outside of Prince's, like Andrew Levine of Maroon 5, he has a very good singing voice. I also like real, soulful singers like 'Leela James';then there's 'Jill Scott-love the emotion she brings to her songs. I actually found some other artists on myspace a couple of years ago because I was starving for some real music. I like beautiful ballads, funk rock to soulful songs that have emotion. 'Nya Jade' sings rock soul;'Skye' a UK artist, is pretty much a 'pop' artist; "Billy Miles' is another artist, in which I don't know what music style to put her in other than blues/r&b/a little bit of pop. I like salsa/cuban/some calypso music, and other types. These days I have to search hard to find something non-generic music. (Rant over..I think..or I might do some more later).<---

[Edited 11/19/11 17:04pm]

2elijah said:

Timmy84 said:

I see your point but then again, it's still a confusing subject. Because sometimes when I think of someone mentioning "black music", it almost reads as it's being exclusive to just us - black folks - and for some reason I kinda think that if everyone else digs the same thing, then can we really call it that? I mean I know a huge portion of our music was started in some form by black people - and I'm proud of that - but if everyone enjoys it, it just makes it music to me. Same with other forms of music that I might enjoy that doesn't have to do with black culture nonetheless.

Quite frankly, there's absolutely nothing wrong with many styles/forms/sounds of music labeled as 'black music'. It's respected by many musicians/artists all over the world, and they refer to it that way, and it has never limited any specific group from embracing it, just becasue of where specific forms/styles of it were born out of. I think if people understand that how it is defined is no different than when they see labels such as 'latin music', 'polka', 'reggae', 'celtic', 'Native American music', etc., people can pretty much, immediately, if they're familiar with it, connect to what culture/ethnic group those types of music came from, doesn't mean they're limited, because of who they are from embracing it.

Anyway, this is a topic that can go on forever, even though so many people here gave some, very thorough and very good examples and explanations of it.

[Edited 11/19/11 16:38pm]

Tortilla said:

theAudience said:

How would you categorize the following music?: LINK

Music for adventurous listeners


tA

Tribal Records

I would classify this as classical music. And given the context of the conversation, would it be wrong to assume that the composer of the music is a black person?

If so, I get what you mean by it (black music) being a marketing term, but at the same time do you not believe that certain styles are rightfully associated with specific cultures?

I'm asking myself aloud if black artists working in a traditionally European genre's still considered black music? My guess would be yes and no because classical music is transcendent of such labels, even if the creator is of a "non-traditional" heritage. I never consider the genetic make-up of a classical composer because it's assumed, even though I recognize that there are people of all makes that are creating classical music. Hmm..

Music is ideally transcendent of label. And perhaps that's the point? But honestly, who understands that?

I still have questions, tho.

Thanks for posting.

Exactly.

William Grant Still...

[img:$uid]http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b59/jbodine/Music%20II/WilliamGrantStill26MissOrch.jpg[/img:$uid]

...The first Black composer to conduct a major American symphony orchestra.


My point was that the term "black music", and the related euphemisms (race, R&B, urban, etc), are currently used to market and segregate genres primarily created and performed by Black artists.

These "phrases" have a tendency to put preconceived notions in people's minds instead of simply experiencing the MUSIC on its own terms.


Music for adventurous listeners

tA

Tribal Records

theAudience said:

Tortilla said:

I would classify this as classical music. And given the context of the conversation, would it be wrong to assume that the composer of the music is a black person?

If so, I get what you mean by it (black music) being a marketing term, but at the same time do you not believe that certain styles are rightfully associated with specific cultures?

I'm asking myself aloud if black artists working in a traditionally European genre's still considered black music? My guess would be yes and no because classical music is transcendent of such labels, even if the creator is of a "non-traditional" heritage. I never consider the genetic make-up of a classical composer because it's assumed, even though I recognize that there are people of all makes that are creating classical music. Hmm..

Music is ideally transcendent of label. And perhaps that's the point? But honestly, who understands that?

I still have questions, tho.

Thanks for posting.

Exactly.

William Grant Still...

[img:$uid]http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b59/jbodine/Music%20II/WilliamGrantStill26MissOrch.jpg[/img:$uid]

...The first Black composer to conduct a major American symphony orchestra.


My point was that the term "black music", and the related euphemisms (race, R&B, urban, etc), are currently used to market and segregate genres primarily created and performed by Black artists.

These "phrases" have a tendency to put preconceived notions in people's minds instead of simply experiencing the MUSIC on its own terms.


Music for adventurous listeners

tA

Tribal Records

And this is why I dig you, man! Right on!

Timmy84 said:

And this is why I dig you, man! Right on!

Thanks Timmy (feeling is mutual).

I was hesitant to even post on this thread because, as you know, race-related topics always seem to go off the rails here.


Music for adventurous listeners

tA

Tribal Records

theAudience said:

Timmy84 said:

And this is why I dig you, man! Right on!

Thanks Timmy (feeling is mutual).

I was hesitant to even post on this thread because, as you know, race-related topics always seem to go off the rails here.


Music for adventurous listeners

tA

Tribal Records

Real true.

theAudience said:

Timmy84 said:

And this is why I dig you, man! Right on!

Thanks Timmy (feeling is mutual).

I was hesitant to even post on this thread because, as you know, race-related topics always seem to go off the rails here.


Music for adventurous listeners

tA

Tribal Records

Really? I had not noticed that before.