Getting Funky with Zapp & Rogers
Zapp also known as Zapp & Roger was a funk band that emerged from Dayton, Ohio in 1977. They trademarked what is known as the the talk-box effect. This allowed for artists to modify the instrument’s sound by changing the shape of the mouth, the instrument’s output into a microphone. They gained popularity after working […]
Point-Counterpoint: Old School vs.New School Rap
Homecoming Hip Hop Concert
Homecoming Hip Hop Concert 2018 I attended the homecoming hip hop concert on Wednesday, October 24th in the Forbes Arena. The lineup included Young Nudy, Waka Flacka Flame, Travis Porter, and YFN Lucci with Playboi Carti and YG as the headliner. The concert lasted for 5 hours which made this the longest concert I have […]
In Response to Dyson Interview
White Mediocrity Wins Again In response to the Breakfast Club’s interview with Michael Eric Dyson, I agree with every single thing he said. He touched on sensitive topics such as white mediocrity and misogyny in the music industry. He talked about the time when Beyonce lost the album of the year award to Adele. We […]
Funk– A Black Thing
Characteristics & Origin Funk can carry different means for different people. Some might describe this genre as a “form of expression…a good feeling…life…love”. It originated in the 1960s but became extremely popular in the 1970s. It is characterized as having borrowed elements from many genres including R&B styled horn arrangements, jazz-orientated solos, rock-oriented solos and […]
Hip Hop– Tupac Shakur Thug Life
Tupac Shakur Tupac Amaru Shakur (most known as 2pac) was born Lesane Parish Crooks (original name) on June 16th, 1971 in Harlem. Both of his parents Afeni Shakur and Billy Garland, were active members of the Black Panther Party in New York. The family moved to Baltimore, Maryland in 1986 and this is when 2pac […]
Musical Theater: Ain’t Misbehavin’
Ain’t Misbehavin’ The three-time Tony award winning musical theater, Ain’t Misbehavin’, opened in the Manhattan Theatre Club’s East 73rd Street cabaret in 1978. This musical pays tribute to the black musicians of the 1920s and 1930s who were apart of the Harlem Renaissance. This era was best known for its growing creativity, cultural awareness, and ethnic […]
Fusion Jazz
ORIGIN & CHARACTERISTICS Instrumentation used in subgenre: Electric guitars, amplifiers, and keyboards Are less likely to use piano, double bass and drums The fusion of traditional jazz with the combination of the brass and woodwind instruments It is a jazz style that incorporated rhythms, harmonies and melodic motives from popular forms of music Is mostly […]
Quincy Jones Movie
The Legendary Quincy Jones To know where you came from makes it easier for you to get where you are going Quincy Jones Tweet The Quincy Jones documentary opens up with this quote. He starts off by describing some of the struggles he had to endure in his childhood. He was born in 1933 on […]
Timeline for Music 2000-2018
My Favorite Songs Year Name of Song Artist Genre Reason 2000 Bag Lady Erykah Badu Neo-Soul I still sing this song even today. It is very relatable. 2001 Ms. Jackson Outkast Alternative Hip-Hop Classic 2002 Dilemma Nelly ft. Kelly Rowland Hip Hop/R&B One of the hottest songs in this year 2003 Crazy in Love Beyonce […]
Black Composers Adding Style to Classical Music
Origin & Characteristics There was a small presence of Black composers originated prior to Emancipation. These early pioneers wrote short compositions based upon European American models (e.g., ballads, anthems), and social dance music (e.g., waltzes, polkas). Their music featured straightforward tuneful melodies with simple diatonic harmonies. It was not until the 20th century when African […]
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor – (Tayla Bibb and Tiana Worrell)
Bio Born on August 15 1875 in London, England and died September 1, 1912 Classical composer and musician He gained his influence to compose from the poet Paul Lawrence and Fisk Jubilee Performance By 1896, He earned his reputation as a composer and got his big break with his “Ballade in A minor” He was […]
The Soul of Blues
Origin Blues originating around the 1890’s was seen as an African American genre of music. Blues gained its popularity in the black community specifically in the Midwest and south in rural areas. Songs of blues were expressed with heavy emotions and often told in a story telling style. They would also often depict elements of […]
Let’s Get to Ragging
Origin & Characteristics The genre Ragtime was during the period of 1890 through 1918. The genre of ragtime was defined as having elements of African and European elements with the combination of the piano. The term rag that created the name for ragtime came from the syncopated melodies created from the music. Ragtime was created […]
From Sacred to Secular Music: Jubilee Quartets
Origin and Characteristics The Jubilee Quartet was a new genre of music following negro spirituals and folk music in the years from 1880 to 1969. There were three different periods of quartets; Jubilee quartet, transitional and gospel. Quartets consisted four to six people of a bass, tenor, alto and narrator. Most quartets performed in suits […]
The Pioneer of Storytelling through Music: Negro Spirituals
The Pioneer of Storytelling through Music: Negro Spirituals Origin A negro spiritual is a type of folksong that has a heavy Christian influence. These spirituals were created by the enslaved Africans when they were brought to the Southern states of America. The time period which these spirituals were heavily sung was in the last few […]
Introduction—Tayla Bibb
I’m Tayla Bibb, a junior Biology major at Spelman College from Birmingham, Alabama. I aspire to be an OB/GYN who serves in the underserved communities. As a Biology major it is tough squeezing in classes or things you enjoy so I am extremely excited to take this course. In my free time, I enjoy traveling and […]
