The Message, the apotheosis of black Hip Hop music, is the most detailed and devastating report from underclass America since Marvin Gaye took a long look around and wondered what was going on. With The Message Hip Hop heroes Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five pick up the smoldering funk banner fumbled some...
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Hip Hop changed the landscape of popular music in America and indeed the world. As a new form of expression, Hip Hop spoke initially to a generation of African Americans who were alienated from mainstream America. It is now America’s dominant form of popular music. We conclude our salute to Black Music with a...
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The unexpected death of Michael Jackson and the attendant outpouring of grief disrupted our tribute to Black History Month. We are resuming the salute with James Brown and Prince and will conclude with a salute to Hip Hop. James Brown: Reinventing American Popular Music James Brown, known as “The Godfather of Soul, is recognized...
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Michael’s dance steps were a representation of our more noble and productive aspirations
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The music of Earth Wind & Fire (EWF) continued the pathway of Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, and Gamble and Huff (the Sound of Philadelphia) of producing dance music with socially conscious lyrics. Armed with the song writing talents of Maurice White, the music of  Earth Wind & Fire spoke to the “our better selves”,...
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Curtis  Mayfield- soul, R&B, and funk singer, songwriter, and record producer- best known for his anthemic music with The Impressions and composing the soundtrack to film Super Fly. From these works and others, he was highly regarded as a pioneer of funk and of politically conscious African-American music. Using his blues and gospel-based framework...
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In the 1960s, Motown introduced America to what came to be known as The Motown Sound, a style of soul music with a distinct pop influence. Among the most important architects of The Motown Sound were the members of Motown’s in-house team of songwriters and record producers, including Motown founder Berry Gordy, William “Smokey”...
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