Hippity hop
Hip Hop! In the Bronx, New York, Hip Hop began as a movement that focused on MCing at house and block parties. Emceeing, also known now as rapping, is the rhythmic spoken delivery of words that usually rhyme. In the 1990’s, hip hop became a mainstream genre across the United States. Gangsta Rap is the […]
Four sounds
Jubilee Quartet Jubilee Quartet’s originated in the mid 1800s and derived from negro spirituals. The name jubilee quartet came from the Fisk Jubilee singers from Fisk University from 1909-1916. The songs were often religious singing. It is a quartet because there are four harmonies sung and there can be up to six people in the […]
Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Williams-singer, songwriter, producer Pharrell Williams, known to most simply as Pharrell was born in Virginia Beach, Virginia on April 5, 1973. He was born to parents Pharaoh and Carolyn Williams with two younger brothers. As Williams was growing up, he knew that he was not the average kid. He started performing at a young […]
You’re gonna love me!
Musical Theater Before the 1890s, white people portrayed African American life on broadway through blackface. It 1898, a black-written musical comedy was brought to Broadway by Will Marion Cook and Bob Cole. “Clorindy” and “The Origin of the Cake Walk” were the first all black shows. Bob Cole focused on elevating the lyrical sophistication of […]
heyo techno
Techno Techno is electronic dance music that originated in Detroit in the 1980s, and this can be attributed to the Belleville three consisting of Juan Atkins, Kevin Saunderson, and Derrick May. The three friends created electronic music in their basement. Techno music was often produced for use in DJ sets. Juan Atkins is known as […]
Boogie down!
Disco Disco was the popular music style during the 70s. It started in New York with DJ’s. This music style was very upbeat with guitar driven lines. Disco was all about peace and love, it brought all people together from different races, genders, and sexualities. Disco brought back dancing, its fast pace was partnered with […]
Let’s get Jazzy
Jazz is a music form that was developed in New Orleans in the early 20th century. New Orleans was a very diverse city and all of the intertwined cultures led to the immersion of jazz. Jazz is a blend of ragtime, blues, and many more. Improvisation is a large part of jazz with very rhythmic […]
hey, Folk!
Hey Folk! Folk music began as a way for enslaved Africans to tell their stories and share their hopes. They used instruments such as the banjo and drums. The genre often followed a call and response form where the leader would sing a line and the rest would follow by repeating that line. Since this […]
I’ve got the Blues
Blues music was created by black people in the South in the 1870’s, and it was influenced by ragtime and folk music. What makes blues music unique is that it expresses feelings, usually sadness and problems in one’s love life. Blues performers use syncopation as a technique to express their emotions. Syncopation is when there […]
A Good ol’ Ragtime
Ragtime first developed in St. Louis around the end of the 19th century (1893-1917). This genre of music was made for dancing with its lively rhythms. Scott Joplin (1867-1917) “The King of Ragtime” The most famous ragtime composer! He wrote about four dozen original pieces during his career. Two of his most popular pieces are […]
Gospel
Gospel Black gospel music came about from the roots of negro spirituals. It really made its rise in the 1930’s. These songs focused on biblical themes and was used as a way to integrate their culture with worship. The Father of Gospel Thomas A. Dorsey (1899-1993) Pioneered Gospel in Chicago. Previously was a blues and […]
Negro Spirituals- Alex Chargois
What is a Negro Spiritual? Songs that were created by black slaves in America starting around 1865 that reflected the hardships they were facing, provided hope for the future, and served as messages to each other. Examples https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfvLZjofEXAhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_vhBMWWnBEhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jusAnLIFE3k Commodification These songs were never written down or published by their actual creators, white people would hear […]
“That’s all Folk… music” Review
“That’s all Folk… music” Review This article does a great job of explaining the origin of folk music in connection with African Americans. I especially enjoy how the significance of the instruments was detailed, such as the banjo because I did not know they were the focal instrument for plantation melodies. I learned a lot […]
