Carl Bean
Carl Bean is most famous for his gay liberation song, “I Was Born This Way” in 1975. His claim to fame is not only his liberation song, but his church. Bean started the Unity Fellowship Church Movement, which was a faith denomination that welcomed people of all sexualities, including gay people, lesbians, and bisexual African-Americans. […]
Masks and Invisibility
During the social climate when techno was becoming prevalent in people’s lives and especially their social lives, racism and discrimination was still an issue for minorities, especially those responsible for creating the musical content. By concealing their identities, techno artists held the power in how their brand was sold and portrayed to the outside world. […]
Donna Summer
Donna Summer is considered the Queen of Disco, mainly from her career success during the disco era of the 1970s. She was able to maneuver the R&B, pop, and disco charts with her unique sound. Her interest in music and performing began at a young age. Like lots of other famous performers, Summer got her […]
What Difference Does it Make?
It is important that music has meaning for people. Throughout the history of African-American music, music has been the vice for enslaved black people, newly freed black people, and persecuted black people to creatively express their feelings and effectively communicate it to others. While the Black music of today definitely invokes fun, it lacks the […]
Cool Jazz
Music has no color; It’s a raceless art. I don’t care if a musician is green as long as he’s talented. Miles Davis During the 1950s, jazz began to lean towards the aesthetic that less is more. Cool jazz is a subgenre of jazz that emphasized lyrical melodic styles, softer tonal colors, and invoked relaxation. Contrary […]
