MickyDolenz said:

laurarichardson said:

If people do not want to be referred to as "African-American that is their choice. I know that I am not colored or black. I know that no country or continent on this planet is called colored or black. I know my decendents came from Africa so I am an African-American. I also know exactly what happens to a race of people who are told repeatly that they come from no place.

Most of the people I know from Africa refer to themselves by the country they are actually from. I have not run across any they want to be called African-Americans and that is fine with me.

There is no country called "White" either and "Caucasians" are people from the Caucasus mountain region. If you look at the average form in the USA it says "White, not of Hispanic origin". It does not say "European American", "Greek American", "Italian American", "Jewish American", etc. African does not necessarily mean a person is black. There's many white people in Africa, and they are just as much African as anyone else there. If they are not African, then most of the people who calls themselves "American" & "Canadian" are not that either, since their ancestors are not of the original Native population. Technically, you could say that everyone in the world is African, since it's been said human life began there.

It would make it easy if eveyone identifed themself as being from African but with the negative conotation that Africa has to most people that is not going to happen.

Most Caucasians have no trouble refering to themselves as Italian-American or Greek American or Jewish American. I hear these terms all the time and I have no issue with it at all because that this is where those people are from.

It is only a problem when the desendents of the U.S. Slave trade call themselves African-American . If those nationalities want to have forms in the U.S. changed to stay where they originated I am fine with that and maybe they should lobby to have that done.

African-American is on documents because it replaced "Colored or "Black" which was offensive and tired. Like I said all of the Africans I have met even the white ones often refer to their native country - Like I am South African or I am Morrocan. I really do not come across to many natives of the African continet who do not referene their home country first before the continent.

I am not going to get into the damage that can be done to people by telling they come from some mythical place called "Colored" or "Black"

MickyDolenz said:

laurarichardson said:

If people do not want to be referred to as "African-American that is their choice. I know that I am not colored or black. I know that no country or continent on this planet is called colored or black. I know my decendents came from Africa so I am an African-American. I also know exactly what happens to a race of people who are told repeatly that they come from no place.

Most of the people I know from Africa refer to themselves by the country they are actually from. I have not run across any they want to be called African-Americans and that is fine with me.

There is no country called "White" either and "Caucasians" are people from the Caucasus mountain region. If you look at the average form in the USA it says "White, not of Hispanic origin". It does not say "European American", "Greek American", "Italian American", "Jewish American", etc. African does not necessarily mean a person is black. There's many white people in Africa, and they are just as much African as anyone else there. If they are not African, then most of the people who calls themselves "American" & "Canadian" are not that either, since their ancestors are not of the original Native population. Technically, you could say that everyone in the world is African, since it's been said human life began there.

It would make it easy if eveyone identifed themself as being from African but with the negative conotation that Africa has to most people that is not going to happen.

Most Caucasians have no trouble refering to themselves as Italian-American or Greek American or Jewish American. I hear these terms all the time and I have no issue with it at all because that this is where those people are from.

It is only a problem when the desendents of the U.S. Slave trade call themselves African-American . If those nationalities want to have forms in the U.S. changed to stay where they originated I am fine with that and maybe they should lobby to have that done.

African-American is on documents because it replaced "Colored or "Black" which was offensive and tired. Like I said all of the Africans I have met even the white ones often refer to their native country - Like I am South African or I am Morrocan. I really do not come across to many natives of the African continet who do not referene their home country first before the continent.

I am not going to get into the damage that can be done to people by telling they come from some mythical place called "Colored" or "Black"

laurarichardson said:

It would make it easy if eveyone identifed themself as being from African but with the negative conotation that Africa has to most people that is not going to happen.

Most Caucasians have no trouble refering to themselves as Italian-American or Greek American or Jewish American.

African-American is on documents because it replaced "Colored or "Black" which was offensive and tired.

In Canada, "Black Canadian" is used, and most forms I see (like job applications) in the US say "Black, not of Hispanic origin".

I am not going to get into the damage that can be done to people by telling they come from some mythical place called "Colored" or "Black"

If "Black" is tired, then why isn't "White"? My mom gets Ebony & Jet magazines in the mail and they use "Black" all the time. Mexicans and Puerto Ricans sometimes call themselves "Brown" or say "Brown pride".

.

Also, Caucasians are not 'white people' as in Italian/Jewish. They are a ethnicity from Caucasus (or Caucasia). Here is a writeup about them http://armenianhouse.org/...story.html, and here's a Youtube channel with their news: http://www.youtube.com/us...ews/videos

SoulAlive said:

Bruno Mars is half Puerto Rican and half Filipino

Exactly. Read his Rolling Stone cover story, my peeps.

laurarichardson said:

Gunsnhalen said:

Huh? which music do you mean? the artists who had their music stolen? or the producers? cause they all had HUGE hits by stealing music from Middle Eastern artists Big Pimpin for example.

Timbaland didn't even admit to the sample of that arabic song till years later. And the artists didn't get money off it.

Rnb music sells the least next to Classical it has been like that for a few years. I honestly do not think the average person would have even noticed or can now recall the songs you are discussing. I know I cannot because I cannot stand Timberland.

Hell, I don't even consider R&B "black music" anymore. For a long time now, it has been even more boring and dull than classical music and it don't get no "whiter" than that. So even though R&B is still made by black artists, I consider it "white music" these days. I can say one thing about it though, it absolutely shatters the old stereotype that all black folks have rhythm.

ADC said:

Why are some people playing dumb? This isn't about there being no black presence in music, black producers, or black artists being minimally featured on some water down pop version of an "urban" track by a white artist. This is about there being no black artists topping the Hot 100 in 2013 as a lead artist, a first in the history of Billboard...and it's serious. Hell, you barely even see black music in the top 10, let alone hitting number one. I don't think there's been a black-out at pop radio like this since the very early 80's, following the Disco backlash...but even then there was more black music and artists breaking through than there are now. And no, black music (R&B, Hip Hop, etc.) doesn't need to change. Look at the pop music that's topping the charts; it's the same ol' tried and true nonsense that's been around forever. So why is it that that can continue to work, but it's black music and artists that need to alter the way they do things? No.

This topic, IMO, needs to continue to build traction so that hopefully a fallout results that forces Billboard to alter the way they track their music. The restructuring of the music business that happened in the late 00s/early 10s has been detrimental to black artists, and it isn't fair. Something needs to be done about it.

[Edited 1/14/14 6:20am]

And I haven't seen a change in R&B either since it changed completely to the worst in the mid 1990s. It was shit hop dominating then, the 2000s came along and shit hop still dominated, and now we're in the 2010s and shit hop still dominates it.

.

And as for watering the tracks down for white people, hell, it has been watered down for them since the 1990s. In the 1980s when R&B, and even rap for that matter, was listened to by mainly a 90% black audience except for a few white cool people who ventured out into it, the black artists threw down hard. That stripped down midtempo "talking over a slow beat" shit hop was around but the majority of it was underground and wasn't even played on black radio, let alone white radio. Black radio mainly played the jams from the funk groups and as for the rap, black radio stuck with the uptempo danceable jams mainly like Soul Sonic Force, LA Dream Team, Pretty Tony and Freestyle, Twilight 22, etc. In other words, the stuff actually worthy of being played. It's when the little white boys discovered the stripped down shit hop, that it started selling more and eventually made it's way onto black radio and even took it over completely. But it didn't even take over black radio, let alone white radio, until the little white boys got into it. Before that, black radio jammed! And now that I see it has gotten a little more uptempo, it sounds influenced by trance which is what watered down, "whitened", and eventually took over house music.

.

.

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[Edited 1/15/14 19:18pm]

vainandy said:

laurarichardson said:

Rnb music sells the least next to Classical it has been like that for a few years. I honestly do not think the average person would have even noticed or can now recall the songs you are discussing. I know I cannot because I cannot stand Timberland.

Hell, I don't even consider R&B "black music" anymore. For a long time now, it has been even more boring and dull than classical music and it don't get no "whiter" than that. So even though R&B is still made by black artists, I consider it "white music" these days. I can say one thing about it though, it absolutely shatters the old stereotype that all black folks have rhythm.

[img:$uid]http://www.citypress.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Robin-Thicke-2.jpg[/img:$uid]

Just saying!

TonyVanDam said:

vainandy said:

Hell, I don't even consider R&B "black music" anymore. For a long time now, it has been even more boring and dull than classical music and it don't get no "whiter" than that. So even though R&B is still made by black artists, I consider it "white music" these days. I can say one thing about it though, it absolutely shatters the old stereotype that all black folks have rhythm.

[img:$uid]http://www.citypress.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Robin-Thicke-2.jpg[/img:$uid]

Just saying!

Actually, his song "Ain't No Hat 4 That".....Daft Punk's "Lose Yourself To Dance" and "Get Lucky"....and Bruno Mars' "Treasure".....are the best songs I've heard in the mainstream in ages.

vainandy said:

TonyVanDam said:

[img:$uid]http://www.citypress.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Robin-Thicke-2.jpg[/img:$uid]

Just saying!

Actually, his song "Ain't No Hat 4 That".....Daft Punk's "Lose Yourself To Dance" and "Get Lucky"....and Bruno Mars' "Treasure".....are the best songs I've heard in the mainstream in ages.

Somewhat off-topic, all of Daft Punk's career albums are worth buying, especially their second album, Discovery. Their brand of (French) house, disco, & funk are excellent.

I've been said on here whites have taken over rnb...No surprise here.....

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

I've been said on here whites have taken over rnb...No surprise here.....

2 White artists have been on the r&b chart last year. And they're taking over? when the rest are black? your kidding right?

And their music happened to be ALSO produced by black men? and whites are taking over r&B??

How many other white artists besides Robin Thicke & Timberlake have even been on the r&b charts?

[Edited 1/16/14 10:16am]

Gunsnhalen said:

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

I've been said on here whites have taken over rnb...No surprise here.....

2 White artists have been on the r&b chart last year. And they're taking over? when the rest are black? your kidding right?

And their music happened to be ALSO produced by black men? and whites are taking over r&B??

How many other white artists besides Robin Thicke & Timberlake have even been on the r&b charts?

[Edited 1/16/14 10:16am]

Doesn't matter! They were numero uno. That is what this threads topic is about. Take a relaxer & chill..

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

Gunsnhalen said:

2 White artists have been on the r&b chart last year. And they're taking over? when the rest are black? your kidding right?

And their music happened to be ALSO produced by black men? and whites are taking over r&B??

How many other white artists besides Robin Thicke & Timberlake have even been on the r&b charts?

[Edited 1/16/14 10:16am]

Doesn't matter! They were numero uno. That is what this threads topic is about. Take a relaxer & chill..

Because 2 white artists were number 1 they are taking over r&B? even though r&b chart has been dominated by black artists the entire decade? and last decade? and what's so wrong if a white, Asian, or Middle Eastern person went to number 1 on r&B? will you be all pressed and say they're taking over cause of one song?

And, once again the 2 white artisrs, where produced by black artists. Hardly taking over.

Gunsnhalen said:

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

Doesn't matter! They were numero uno. That is what this threads topic is about. Take a relaxer & chill..

Because 2 white artists were number 1 they are taking over r&B? even though r&b chart has been dominated by black artists the entire decade? and last decade? and what's so wrong if a white, Asian, or Middle Eastern person went to number 1 on r&B? will you be all pressed and say they're taking over cause of one song?

And, once again the 2 white artisrs, where produced by black artists. Hardly taking over.

Nothing is wrong with it! I love all races. Blacks took over the pop charts before! Big deal! Muziq is suppose to be universal. I'm actually happy for Justin & Robin, I like them both! It reminds me of the late great Teena mARIE when she dominated the rnb charts.

Yes they are produced by black artist!!!! By the way Pharrell is half Filipino..

I don't hate! I appreciate!!! It is room for everyone to have.........................

[img:$uid]http://pic80.picturetrail.com:80/VOL2084/9118410/23995995/405423626.jpg[/img:$uid]

[Edited 1/16/14 10:55am]

I don't care about race, as long as the music is good I can rock with it. But as a black person it would be nice to see more people of color dominate the charts, with that said I sadly have to say the black artists and entertainers in general of this generation are straight trash. (mainstream wise) Hopefully this year that will change, but I prefer to listen to the black talent of the 70s, 80s and 90s these days. And some of the mainstream white artists suck as well, Macklemore is just not good to me.

[Edited 1/16/14 12:42pm]

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

Gunsnhalen said:

Because 2 white artists were number 1 they are taking over r&B? even though r&b chart has been dominated by black artists the entire decade? and last decade? and what's so wrong if a white, Asian, or Middle Eastern person went to number 1 on r&B? will you be all pressed and say they're taking over cause of one song?

And, once again the 2 white artisrs, where produced by black artists. Hardly taking over.

Nothing is wrong with it! I love all races. Blacks took over the pop charts before! Big deal! Muziq is suppose to be universal. I'm actually happy for Justin & Robin, I like them both! It reminds me of the late great Teena mARIE when she dominated the rnb charts.

Yes they are produced by black artist!!!! By the way Pharrell is half Filipino..

I don't hate! I appreciate!!! It is room for everyone to have.........................

[img:$uid]http://pic80.picturetrail.com:80/VOL2084/9118410/23995995/405423626.jpg[/img:$uid]

[Edited 1/16/14 10:55am]

For once i can agree upon what you say... i mean it though.

This thread needs some hard truth.

Let's drop the PC pretense for a second. R&B and hip-hop are AND ALWAYS WERE predominantly BLACK genres. Not Asian, Indian, hispanic or any other culture. but BLACK AMERICAN. If you say otherwise, YOU ARE LYING AND YOU KNOW IT. A lot of black artists (Rihanna, Bey, Drake, etc.) have been assimilated into the genre of pop but that weak ass bullshit they do ain't real R&B but rather a hybrid or bastardization of it. Just like back in the day, the people promoting this mess ain't going to the spots where R&B is played and listening to what the real R&B heads are listening to. They dare not take their asses to hip-hop clubs because they are scared, so they don't know what's really "hot in the streets", either. The difference this time around is that they fully understand the old addage "Let's just not and say we did." Corporations understand that they control the media, so its easy to leave whatever impression they want amongst those not in the know.

If you ain't a real R&B head, you didn't realize how "Fine China" revitalized R&B last year. You didn't hit the floor to "Own It" (Not Drake, but Mack Wilds), B. Smyth's "Leggo" or R. Kell's "Feeling Single". If you ain't up on what's hot in hip-hop, you didn't know how one verse spit by Kendrick Lamar as a guest on BIg Sean's song shook up the entire hip-hop world. I guess Janelle Monae didn't kill it last year? Yeah, right. Do you know August Alsina (I Luv It), or K. Michelle(V.S.O.P)? Do you know I guess Ciara's "Body Party" didn't happen? Marsha Ambrosius didn't start the year out last year with "Alone Together" and end it with "Cold War?" Raheem Devaughn got "Ridiculous" last year and Alicia and Maxwell dropped a sexy joint called "Fire We Make." Do I even need to mention Miguel? I probably do. Did Rich Homie Quan make you feel "Some Type Of Way"? Who? Was 2 Chainz fresh as hell with them "Feds Watching?" Rap was moving on the low while pop rappers prevailed in the media.

I could go on, easily. Robert Glasper & Jill Scott - "Calls". REAL R&B. India Arie - "Cocoa Butter" - REAL R&B. Last year was not devoid of R&B. All genres have spikes and lulls. Rock has taken a serious backburner to pop and hipster alt junk passing itself off as rock for lack of a better categorization the past couple of years. That does not mean that nothing is going on. Corporations control the media and control the impressions and persuasions of the general masses. So, if you missed Alice Smith's "Be Easy" or Ledisi's "I Blame You" or then maybe you're not the R&B enthusiast that you think you are. Maybe you are not on the cutting edge of what's going on.
So, while mainstreamers were sitting around listening to Suit and Tie, Blurred Lines and Thrift Shop and Ceiling Can't Hold Us acting like that was the only R&B and hip-hop that came out last year, like Rico Love said, "They Don't Know."

[Edited 1/17/14 10:00am]

BlaqueKnight said:

I could go on, easily. Robert Glasper & Jill Scott - "Calls". REAL R&B.

[Edited 1/17/14 10:00am]

LOOOOOOOOOVE THAT SONG.