Black History Month: The Sound of History

Black History MonthT H E S O U N D O F H I S T O R Y

“ 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

O F P A N D O R A ’ S B L A C K L I S T E N E R S

S A Y M U S I C I S C O R E T O C U L T U R E75%

“ 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”

A G E N T S O F C H A N G E

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.



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


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.

P I O N E E R S

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

H I T M A K 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


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.


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.


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

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)

W H EN P AN DOR A P L A Y S , YOU R ME S S AGE W OR K S

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Black History Month: The Sound of History

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Transcript of Black History Month: The Sound of History