Random Thought:

I wish I wish I wish that the discourse around originality would leave contemporary Black music. Being the originator of music did become a problem until white folks started steeling our music, copyrighting it as their own, and making bank of our culture. Not to say no one ever wrote a song. But the influences from artist to artist, musical product to musical product was visible and laudible. 

To have the dexterity to take ‘someone else’s’ song and make it your own or do a new interpretation of it then that showed your skill and the value of the piece that came before yours. If it was worth re-interpreting then it was good music.

Which is why if you want to talk about how Madonna, Lady Gaga, Eminem, Justin Timberlake or Robin Thick (or any not-Black person who performs in a Black musical idiom) is potentially getting rich or popular off of being able to steal Black sound then I am right there with you. But when you tell me Nicki Minaj is a new Lil Kim or Beyonce stole all her moves from Tina Turner—- I’m just going to role my eyes. That’s how Black music works. I think Black folks need to be better about acknowledging (and since financial markets are now an extensive part of our cultural production, fairly compensating)  the sources of their work (though I would argue Nicki did before she got really famous and Beyonce continues to do.)

I’m less concerned with ‘copying’ between Black artists. Or at least I’m not concerned with originality being the measure of authenticity of Black music. If you can’t see James Brown and George Clinton’s influence all over Prince’s work you’re mixing out on this whole other flavor level in the work. That’s the way our cultural roots live on through ages. It sounds beautiful to me.

/Black music theory&history rant

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  1. withrevolutionarycries posted this