I first discovered my fascination and love for black music not because of its deep lyrical meaning, but through its entertainment value. Before the age of six, I heard only Indian music and thoroughly enjoyed Indian songs and musical forms. But then in 2006, I heard Akon’s Smack That. It was unlike anything I had heard before and this song was a portal to an entirely new world. It was the only song I heard to for quite a while and even as a child, I knew each and every line, constantly trying to rap the lyrics and match the style of Akon and Eminem, my favourite musicians at the time. I rebelled against the mentality of those who believed that rap music was not real music. While those around me called it noise, I shut out those opinions and grew to love and appreciate rap music, a subset of black music, even more. While noise refers to a loud, irritating and unpleasant sound in everyday usage, it takes on a different meaning entirely in the music world. In fact, “noise” “conveys black music’s powers of authenticity and resistance unlike anything else. In hip-hop parlance, “black noise” is that special insight from the anti-philosophy that emerges front and centre through the sound attack of rap.” I grew to love the “noise” and enjoyed music which “brought the noise”; which was music which offered something different and provided a black musical presence in America. It served as a constant source of fun and energy.
When I was eight years old, I enrolled in dance classes and was exposed to two more genres of black music, namely pop and R&B, defined completely by just one artist; Michael Jackson. I discovered Michael Jackson’s music and fell in love with both his singing ability and immaculate dance skills and thought that there could never be a more complete entertainer. His music was so groovy, and I could not help but dance every time I heard his music. He redefined pop and R&B music and was aptly named “The King of Pop.” Regardless of the colour of his skin, he was still a black artist who produced incredible black music. Jackson’s music was such a source of immediate happiness and positivity for me and love for his music deepened my love for the larger category of his music; black music. I was convinced that no ordinary musician could produce music the way he did and realised that was partly because of the way he experienced black culture and grew up in the black community. My child, regardless of how Michael Jackson’s legacy is interpreted in your time, I am sure that no one can deny what an incredible artist he was.
As I grew older and started listening to a lot more music, I found out that many popular genres of music arose from black musical expressions. Jazz, soul, R&B, hip-hop, gangsta rap and so much more were essentially pioneered by black artists. This was a revelation to me and further deepened my appreciation and respect for black music and black musicians. I found it hard to believe that these distinctive genres were all forms of one musical style. While they differed sonically, all these styles came out of similar circumstances. They all displayed essential qualities that spoke the truth of the black experience, which is one reason why we consider them to be great. What makes black music so incredibly unique is that it is so diverse that it simply cannot be characterized by any single artist, tune or rhythm. Black music is the potpourri of all people and all cultures. Its universal appeal comes from this fact and there is at least one song, genre or artist connected to black music that every person appreciates. I am sure that you will have a similar experience with black music when you discover the many forms of this broad genre. It manifests itself all over the world, from the favelas of Brazil to the streets of Compton.
My perception of black music and its meaning to me changed during the second semester of my first year in college as I took a course on the subject. I learned a lot more about it and a lot of what I am writing to you in this letter is shaped by the lectures, discussions and readings of the class. It is from this course that I truly understood the deeper meaning of black musical forms and how they originated in the first place. It was on the first day of class that I realised that black music is the perfect exemplification of the United States of America and the American dream. This shift in perspective was incredible and I started viewing all the songs I heard in my youth in a completely different light.
I gaze upon the glory of black music, and I see the face of America. There is no one American culture; it is the melting pot of the entire world. America is shaped so much by the world around it. It is probably the only country in the world which is so diverse in terms of its populace. Just like this, black music is a rich tapestry of all musical styles and all people. While it personifies America, its reach goes beyond the United States and has served as a source of inspiration to those fighting against oppression. Black music grew out of the horrible era of slavery and this music was what gave the slaves some escapism from their persecuted state. Their musical talent was the only path to a better standard of life. As an international student, I chose the United States to pursue my undergraduate studies because it represented the land of opportunity. Your grandfather always told me this and spoke about how he wished he could have gone there when he was younger and realised his own American dream. As black music was the only chance for the slaves to escape their state, America exemplifies opportunity like no other country in the world.
As I am writing this letter to you, I am listening to many of my favourite tracks, most of which come under black music. There is this energy which flows within me when I listen to these tracks which in turn makes me much better at whatever it is I am doing. I remember there was a time in my freshman year of college that I was doing mathematics problems late at night and was incredibly sleepy. But the drowsiness vanished when I heard the song All Eyez On Me, by legendary rapper Tupac Shakur. As he delivered the line, “I bet you got it twisted, you don’t know who to trust,” there was this surge of raw power I felt. The message conveyed through the lyrics of the song rejuvenated me thoroughly and I was at peak productivity. Such is the command of black music; it can inspire, invigorate and motivate. I cannot think of any other musical style which has that kind of impact on me. I hope your generation recognizes the value of these songs and artists and passes it down to the generations after you. It should always be preserved because it chronicles many historical events in spectacular fashion. Black music has the power to cause revolutions, which is, in fact, a big part of the genre; protest music.
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” This Martin Luther King Jr. quote emulates what black musicians were trying to bring out through their music. Even 100 years after the abolition of slavery, the black community was being discriminated against. Protest music has formed the foundation of a lot of black music. The characteristics of a protest song are as follows; the message and antagonist should be clear; the stance should be evident and there should be a call to action. Early protest music had all this present in it. Protest music is about showing the world what you care about and why that has to be changed. It is a way of showing your frustration and anger with the current status quo. Once more, this fearless protest is inherently American as protest is just an exercise of free speech. No other country in the world has as much civil liberties and personal freedoms as the United States and all the daring artists could make their voice heard without fear of legal and criminal persecution. Protest songs by prominent black musicians gave a voice to disenfranchised people and brought prominent issues to the forefront. It was a form perfected by black musicians as black musical expressions were inherently subversive. Black music helped distinguish the slaves from the whites as it was something they possessed which could not be snatched away, even if the slaveowner bought the slave. Their form of music transcended their persecuted state and became a representation of how their masters could not own them entirely; it was a form of protest right from its origin.7
Whether it was Gil Scott Heron’s The Revolution Will Not Be Televised or N.W.A.’s Fuck Tha Police, protest music has highlighted an important issue to the black community which was ignored by the establishment. Like all black music, protest music comes in all different styles and tunes, from James Brown’s funky Say It Loud, I’m Black & I’m Proud to Public Enemy’s hip hop record, Fight The Power. These artists make use of the style they are most comfortable with to express their anger and frustration. Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s “The Message” is another such song. I first heard it in a game I played and was immediately drawn to it. I just could not get the tune out of my head and looked it up and played it 24/7. Like my first experiences with black music, I heard this song solely for its upbeat lyrics and sonic splendour, completely unaware of the deeper message within the song. It was only later that I realised how it was different from other hip hop songs as it provided social commentary rather than the self-congratulatory boasting or party chants of earlier hip hop. The song’s lyrics describe the stress of inner city poverty. Even though the song was released in 1982, the issues still are relevant today. That is the beauty of hip hop music; it grabs one’s attention through its upbeat tunes and funky lyrics and keeps that interest by either giving an entirely new perspective towards a social issue or by telling a story moulded by their lives.
Another huge part of modern black music and hip hop is sampling – the use of elements from other performers’ recordings, for example, funk records, to make hip-hop beats. The complex and often interracial creations and transactions have helped many prominent music songs arise from sampling. The art of sampling, especially for artists who care deeply about hip-hop's history and aesthetics, is akin to a firstborn child – one that artists have loved dearly, nurtured, and watched grow over the last quarter century. This enhances the view of black music being a representation of America as sampling combines lyrical mastery of a particular artist and an infectious beat/ tune. Similar to this, the United States is such a significant nation today because it provides the platform for all people to come together and change the world. Sampling can also another dimension of meaning to a song. This is best seen in Public Enemy’s 1991 album It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back, described by Christopher Weingarten as “the greatest anti-government record ever made.” Their sampling technique and matchless production style resulted in an album which can never be replicated. Samples also have the ability to make history. The Amen Break, a four-bar drum solo is the most sampled loop in music history. Recorded in 1969, the six second sample originates from the song “Amen, Brother” by The Winstons, a funk and soul group from Washington, D.C. For many years, the solo was buried deep in musical archives—that is until hip-hop pioneer, Breakbeat Lou, featured it on his compilation, “The Ultimate Breaks and Beats.” Once producers caught wind of the solo, it took off, going on to change music forever. The Amen Break’s mere presence changes the way a song is perceived.Many African American people’s first interaction with black music is through church. There is a divine connection to black music in the form of gospel music, which makes it so much more meaningful. The enthusiasm and passion which comes from a gospel choir is unmatchable. Uncle Sandeep and I have always been captivated by its liveliness and it is a shared vision of ours to attend a service with a gospel choir once together. It is yet another form of music which comes under the broad category of black music. Even (White/Latino) churches in Brazil, a nation 7000 kilometres away from the U.S., played gospel music. In Brazil, black music was momentous as it changed the socio-political landscape of the city in the 1970s. At the time, Rio de Janeiro became “black”, something that was facilitated by soul music’s rising popularity. The right-wing dictatorial government was scared of soul music’s growing popularity as they believed it disrupted the social structure prevalent at the time. The emergence of soul music challenged the traditional view of Brazilian society. The transition from “negro” to “Black” was troubling to many and it contradicted the view of those who believed that Brazilian society was deeply integrated and harmonious. This change in view came from soul music.
Black music is like a fluid; its shape is always changing. It means a great deal to me and will always be a big part of the music I love and enjoy and I hope that your generation finds new ways to define black music, shaped by your own experiences and influences. I believe that art and music are so important to us as they remain in the world even after we are no longer in it. Black musicians who have long passed away still find their way into the hearts of listeners today and their music still has meaning in today’s world. I hope that you are as passionate as I am about it and carry forward the rich legacy of black music.