Is the African-American culture responsible for America's music?

Discussion in 'Art & Culture' started by Facial, Feb 16, 2006.

?

Do you agree?

  1. Yes.

    15 vote(s)
    53.6%
  2. No.

    13 vote(s)
    46.4%
  1. Facial Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    2,225
    'Race' by most connotations of the word does not exist.

    In honor of Black History Month:
    The people of African-American ethno-cultural descent, oppressed by slavery in the 15th-19th century, oppressed by Jim Crow laws in the 19th-20th century, and oppressed by various ways today, are of particular interest to me because of their remarkable cultural feats.

    Are they not, by any means, the main source of the music we call 'American'?

    It started with ragtime (maybe cakewalk), then jazz, and around the same time blues, then rock, and then rock splintered into various forms in which a significant rhythm is preserved in synthpop, which turns into modern pop, techno, trance, house, etc., and alternative spawns metal, heavy metal, punk, etc., and synthpop spawns early rap which evolves into modern rap, and combines with pop into ones like hip-hop, etc?

    I cannot imagine a single American mainstream music genre that does not escape African-American influence.
     
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  3. android nothing human inside Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    1,104
    No.

    European folk music and European notions of harmony are the foundations of the blues.

    It's all marketing hype, AS USUAL.
     
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  5. James R Just this guy, you know? Staff Member

    Messages:
    39,397
    Most music has multiple influences. To deny the influence of African-American culture on rock and roll or jazz is just stupid.
     
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  7. android nothing human inside Registered Senior Member

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    1,104
    So you say, yet: what is the contribution there? As usual, it's marketing and not reality that determines popularity in rock music.
     
  8. Huwy Secular Humanist Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    890
    yeah, uhhh, yeah, uhhh, yeah, uhhh, yeah, uhh - word.

    Please select one or more from following topics for your "hip hop"/"rap" record:

    1. Bitches (includes ass, titties, pussy, and pimping)
    2. Crime (including violence, theft, murder, and guns - like the AK47)
    3. Alcohol, marijuana, or crack cocaine. (including dealing)
    4. "niggas"
    5. jail
    6. "fuck whitey" / "fight da man" topics - why whites are evil.
    7. "da hood" (including gangs)
    8. "East-side" vs. "West-side"
    9. being "in da club"
    10. bling-bling. (includes not leaving town when told a cat. 5 hurricane is coming - so you can loot)



    I hope people get sick of this crap soon.
     
  9. Hapsburg Hellenistic polytheist Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    5,224
    It's not wholly responsible. It has an influnce, but so does every other aspect of the times.

    Huwy- And what's wrong with those subjects?
     
  10. Huwy Secular Humanist Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    890
    firstly almost every rap features at least 1 or 2 of those subjects,
    can you find me hip hop without 1 of them in it?

    those topics all reek of a culture that condones criminality, violence, and hatred.

    besides they aren't exactly profound topics are they?
     
  11. android nothing human inside Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    1,104
    I don't care about rap; I have discovered, however, that the idea that "AMerican music = black music" is just another marketing jag. I detest those, as they're unscientific and ahistorical.

    James R is just stupid

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  12. James R Just this guy, you know? Staff Member

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    Gee, thanks, android. You're stupid, too.

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  13. android nothing human inside Registered Senior Member

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    1,104
    Uh, I'd like a credible opinion on that instead

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  14. spidergoat pubic diorama Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    54,036
    Huwy, that's mostly just gangsta rap, not hip-hop, although the themes of hip hop are usually real life on the streets of America which unfortunately includes a fair amount of crime.

    Should I mention the themes of Johnny Cash?

    I agree with James R, it's an amalgamation. Western music provided instruments and the 12 note scale, black music filled in between these with the soul of a suffering yet transcendent people.
     
  15. android nothing human inside Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    1,104
    And what were those contributions?

    Rock/blues is a marketing term, and a total farce.
     
  16. James R Just this guy, you know? Staff Member

    Messages:
    39,397
    Do you play a musical instrument, android? Do you know what a blues scale is? Do you know who invented it?
     
  17. android nothing human inside Registered Senior Member

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    1,104
    Yes, yes, yes

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  18. cole grey Hi Valued Senior Member

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    1,999
    To say that african-americans invented rock is silly - the chord structures are the same as european composers have used for many years.

    To say that african-americans have not had a profound influence on the music of today and most of the history of recorded music is stupid as well.

    The answer - african american culture is partially responsible for america's music, along with the drug culture, european folk and cultured music, technological advances such as the popularization of the electric guitar, etc...
     
  19. G. F. Schleebenhorst England != UK Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    2,213
    They're certainly responsible for the crap I currently have to watch on MTV.
     
  20. duendy Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    6,585
    no no no, idont want to listen to yur white supremacist crap thank u very much

    Anyone who canot appreciate black people's contribution to European music is muscially illiterate....you are makin an ass of yourself--(tho of course your entitled to your daft opinion)--as anyone, muscian or critic, etc., of any savvy would let yo know. in fact they'd probably simply ignore you, and laugh
     
  21. duendy Registered Senior Member

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    6,585
    actually, Rock is the baby of the Blues
     
  22. G. F. Schleebenhorst England != UK Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    2,213

    ....and what colour is your skin?
     
  23. duendy Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    6,585
    why?
     

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