black history month: the sound of history
TRANSCRIPT
“ W H I L E T H E I N F L U E N C E A N D A R T I S T I C W O R K S
O F A F R I C A N - A M E R I C A N S H A V E S H A P E D T H E
V A S T M U S I C A L L A N D S C A P E E N J O Y E D T O D A Y ,
M U S I C F O R M O S T A F R I C A N - A M E R I C A N S
C O N T I N U E S T O H A V E A P O W E R F U L S O C I A L
S I G N I F I C A N C E . ”
N I E L S E NListen Up: African American consumers and Music
“ W E S I N G , O U R M U S I C I S
T H E C U T S T H A T W E
B L E E D T H R O U G H . ”
C O M M O N & J O H N L E G E N D”Glory”
Spinning The Sound of History
E L L A F I T Z G E R A L D First Black woman to win a Grammy Award
1958 1971 1980 19871964
S A M C O O K E “A Change Is Gonna Come”Inspires social change
A R E T H A F R A N K L I N
“RESPECT”The anthem for women and humanity
1967
M A R V I N G A Y E“What’s Going On”Becomes a landmark of social commentary
F I G H T T H E P O W E RRap mobilizes a new Black youth culture in American
M I C H A E LJ A C K S O N“Thriller” breaks down MTV’s racial barriers
1993
Q U E E NL A T I F A H
U.N.I.T.YOpening doors for women in Rap
W I L L S M I T H & D J J A Z Z Y J E F F
“Parents Just Don’t Understand” wins first Rap Grammy Award
1989
W H I T N E Y H O U S T O NBrings "Star-Spangled Banner” to life at Super Bowl XXV
1991 1999
L A U R Y N H I L LSweeps Grammy Awards
2009
J A Y ZBeats Record for Most No. 1 Albums on Billboard 200 Charts
2014
B E Y O N C EEarns Title of Most Grammy-Nominated Female Artist
B I G S E A NFirst rapper to perform at the White House
2015
C O M M O N & J O H N L E G E N DWin Oscar for Best Original Song “Glory”
Sam CookeMusic played a crucial role on the American Civil
Rights Movement. From mobilizing millions, to
pacifying crowds, Black artists used music instead of
a picket line to inspire social change. Sam Cooke’s
“A Change is Gonna Come” evoked the emotions
that defined The Civil Rights Movement and
continues to mark important changes and milestones
in Black history.
A G E N T S O F C H A N G E
A G E N T S O F C H A N G E
Aretha FranklinAretha Franklin had a string of hits, including her claim to
fame "Respect", which became an anthem for women and
humanity during the Civil Rights Movement. By 1967, the
Civil Rights movement had cast a light on human rights issues,
opening up a dialogue on women’s rights.
M U S I C A C T I V I S T S
Nina SimoneNina Simone became known as the voice of the civil rights
movement with songs like "To Be Young, Gifted and Black"
and "Mississippi Goddam". She sacrificed her career for her
activism. Venues were hesitant to book her in fear she would
speak up, and radio stations refused to play her music. Still,
she remained fearless in her constant fight for equality.
“What’s Going On?” catapulted Marvin Gaye into a political
icon of the 1970s. The song’s socially charged lyrics
synthesized the frustration with the Vietnam War and the
empowerment of Black Americans as they continued to fight for
equality. Today, “What’s Going On?” is considered a landmark
of social commentary and a template for modern protest music.
Marvin GayeM U S I C A C T I V I S T S
A talented music activist and a peacemaker, Bob Marley’s
songs of love, peace and protest inspired millions in the 1970s,
and are as powerful and timely as when originally created.
“Redemption Song”, “Get Up, Stand Up”, “War”, and many
others inspired millions, a reflection of this reggae pioneer’s
most powerful weapons - his words and his guitar.
Bob MarleyM U S I C A C T I V I S T S
M U S I C A C T I V I S T S
Public EnemyPublic Enemy turned 1980s rap from an escapist genre, to one
of political rhetoric. The group’s anthem, “Fight the Power”
mobilized a new generation of Black youth with a civil rights
movement far removed from the “I Have A Dream” ideology of
the 1960s.
Ella Fitzgerald Ella Fitzgerald, along with her bandmate, Count Basie
became the first African-American singers to win
Grammy Awards at the first annual ceremony, one for
Best Jazz Performance for “Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke
Ellington Songbook” and Best Female Pop Vocal
Performance for “Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin
Songbook.” For her phenomenal one of a kind voice and
contributions to jazz, Fitzgerald received a total of 14
Grammys over the course of her career. She even won the
Lifetime Achievement Award in 1967.
P I O N E E R S
P I O N E E R S
Queen LatifahQueen Latifah has been considered the First Lady and Queen
of hip-hop ever since she burst onto the hip-hop scene
demanding respect as an artist, a rapper and a woman. In 1995,
she became the first woman to win the Grammy Award for
Best Rap Solo Performance for “U.N.I.T.Y.”, a track that turned
a critical eye back on her own community. Because of her,
female artists don’t demand to be seen, heard and respected,
they simply expect it.
P I O N E E R S
Michael JacksonMichael Jackson’s genre-smashing hit and iconic video “Billie
Jean” broke down MTV’s racial barriers and hard stance
towards its “Rock” format. The network unwittingly set up the
King of Pop to change music videos forever with the 14-minute
epic "Thriller." Soon, America couldn't get enough of seeing
Black artists beamed into the comfort of their homes.
The music industry failed to acknowledge Rap music as an
important genre until 1989 when Will Smith and DJ Jazzy
Jeff were nominated for Best Rap Performance for their hit
“Parents Just Don’t Understand.” The ceremony was not
without controversy as the duo led a boycott in protest of the
awards presentation not being televised.
Will Smith& DJ Jazzy
P I O N E E R S
Lauryn Hill led the “Girl Power” era of hip hop after
sweeping the Grammy Awards in 1999. She was
nominated for 10 awards, and took home a whopping
five awards for songs on her album The Miseducation
of Lauryn Hill. Her victory marked one of the more
notable acknowledgments in hip-hop culture from the
National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.
H I T M A K E R S
Lauryn Hill
H I T M A K E R S
Jay Z made history in 2009 after his album “The Blueprint
3” earned him his eleventh No. 1 album on the Billboard
200 charts. “The Blueprint 3” broke the King of Rock
Elvis’ previous record of ten No. 1 albums. His July 2013
effort “Magna Carta Holy Grail” landed him his 13th No. 1
album and made him the only artist in U.S. history with
the most No. 1 records after the legendary Beatles.
Jay Z
H I T M A K E R S
BeyoncéWith a total of 62 nominations and 20 Grammy Awards,
Beyoncé is the most nominated woman and the second most-
awarded woman in Grammy history. She is a true renaissance
woman: a musician, a business mogul, a modern day feminist
and a mother impacting all of her dedicated fans and influencing
all areas of pop culture.
B R E A K I N G T H E S I L E N C E
John LegendArtists today continue to address the long-standing racial tensions
in America. Common and John Legend highlight racism,
discrimination and segregation in their Golden Globe Award-
winning song “Glory” from the soundtrack to the movie Selma.
Their performance at the 87th Annual Academy Awards and their
Oscar win for Best Original Song made it one of the most talked
about records of the year.
& Common
B R E A K I N G T H E S I L E N C E
J ColeJ Cole is an active voice in the community, continuously rising
above his comfort zone to address the many social issues we are
facing today. Songs like “Be Free” address his discontent with
the social injustices in America. Leveraging his fame, he
continues to be true to himself while simultaneously winning
the system.
B R E A K I N G T H E S I L E N C E
Kendrick LamarKendrick Lamar is the voice of an underserved generation
with powerful lyrics that address the political, economic and
most importantly, social issues plaguing our country. Known as
“the next great activist”, he continues to give back to low and
middle class citizens worldwide as well as in his hometown,
Compton.
B R E A K I N G T H E S I L E N C E
SolangeSolange’s third album, A Seat at the Table, is a true
representation of her artistic surge and growth as a musician.
Civil Rights hymnals from her own point of view document the
struggle of Black women through history. The album hit the top
spot on the Billboard 200 chart shortly after its release. Her
music songs are quickly becoming anthems for women of color.
E M E R G I N G
AbraAbra is a singer, songwriter and producer from Atlanta. She
exemplifies what it can look like to be a carefree Black girl in
2016 by dressing and expressing herself in her own
unapologetic way. Her raw songwriting is honest and relatable,
showcasing a range seen in artists in the “alt” corners of the
internet.
E M E R G I N G
H.E.RPeople love a good mystery, so when RCA released an album
and a press release for an artists with an unknown persona, word
spread like wildfire. H.E.R., an acronym for Having Everything
Revealed, will reveal her identity at some point. In the
meantime, the R&B artist will continue to enjoy her anonymity
while working on her second album.
E M E R G I N G
NonameNoname is an American poet and hip hop recording artist. In
2013 she appeared on Chance the Rapper's second mixtape,
Acid Rap, contributing a verse to the track "Lost". Since then,
she has gained wider recognition and acclaim and recently
released her debut mixtape titled ”Telephone”. Her music
speaks of Black women's pain and also highlights the struggles
of growing up in Chicago.
T H A N K Y O U
SOURCES:The Huffington Post, “Music and Movements: The Tradition Continues”
Culture Change, “Musical Message: Singing Our Way to the Next Culture Change”
Music.Mic, “31 Years After His Death, Marvin Gaye Is More Important Than Ever
Vulture, “Common and John Legend Give a Powerful Speech and Performance, Move Audience to Tears”
Teachrock.org, “How did Aretha Franklin represent a new female voice in 1960s popular music?”
The Drop FM, “Ella Fitzgerald Is First African-American to Win Grammy Award – Black History Month”
Soul Train, “Queen Latifah: A Role Model for Women in Hip-Hop”
The Progressive, “Nina Simone remains a powerful inspiration for black women”
The New Yorker, “Anthem of Freedom: How Whitney Houston Remade ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’”
MTV News, “Best of ‘99: Lauryn Hill’s Grammy Wins Signal New Era for Hip-Hop”
BBC Culture, “Why Beyonce speaks for a generation”
Complex, “Public Enemy Releases “Fight The Power” As a Single
The Telegraph, “Michael Jackson’s Thriller: pioneering album that broke down racial barriers in music industry”
Complex, “The 40 Biggest Hip-Hop Moments in Pop Culture History”
Billboard, ”29 Black Music Milestones: Jay-Z Surpasses Elvis for Most No. 1 Albums”
XXL Magazine, “Big Sean Is The First Rapper To Actually Rap At The White House”
Fader, “Meet Abra, The Bedroom R&B Singer Who’s Not Afraid to Celebrate Herself”
Los Angeles Times, “So who is she? Mysterious R&B singer H.E.R. wants the focus to stay on the music—and the mystery”
Wikipedia, Noname (rapper)