18 years of America's Racial Climate
Racial Influence Seen in Music
Music since forever has been a form of expression and creativity. In America, it has been to express a willingness for freedom, struggle, happiness, sadness, and many other human emotions and wishes. Currently and recently in the past decade, music has resonated with many people in America (and around the world) by mixing and using genres. Some examples of music that show this from popular minorities include but not limited to - Miguel, J. Cole, and YG. Others like Nicki Minaj and Beyonce are also some influential artists in the American music industry.
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J. Cole is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He was born on a military base in Germany but grew up in Fayetteville, North Carolina. He grew after his debut mix-tape gained notoriety in 2007.
Miguel is a singer and songwriter that was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. He began his career at thirteen, and after signing with Jive Records in 2007, he released his debut album "All I Want Is You" in November of 2010.
Keenon Daequan Ray Jackson, also known by his stage name as YG, is an artist and actor from Compton, California. In 2009, he released his debut single, "Toot It and Boot It" ft. Ty Dolla Sign. It peaked to 67 out of 100 on the Billboard Top 100.
Donald Glover, also known as Childish Gambino, is an American songwriter, singer, actor, comedian, DJ, rapper, and director. His DJ name is mcDJ. One of the recent and popular songs that he has come out with is a song titled, "This is America". It explores themes of racial inequality that African Americans face in America.
Joyner Lucas is an American rapper, songwriter, poet, and singer from Worchester, Massachusetts. He is currently signed with Atlantic Records. His song "Ross Capicchioni in 2015 gave his widespread fame and exposure to the public. In 2017, he realized a new mixtape, making it his fourth mixtape. This song "I'm Not Racist" pertains to today's culture as well with race, such as the Trump Rally's, the emboldening of racist attitudes, and events like the Unite The Right rally.
Kendrick Lamar is a record producer, songwriter, and a singer. He was born in Compton California. Notably, has been branded the "King of Hip Hop", successfully making skilled hits and albums through the years. Much of his works have influenced future artists after him, paving way with their own style. The song "Alright" shows and alludes to much of police and relations with the black community.
Beyonce is a singer, songwriter, produce, and actress. She was born and raised in Houston, Texas. During her childhood and beyond, she did many competitions in dance and singing. She is famously and widely known in American households and around the world as a successful and influential black artist. Her song "Formation" has imagery of black struggle in America such as the kid dancing across from "riot police".
Logic is a singer and songwriter that was born in Maryland to an African American mother and a Caucasian father. He grew up roughly with bad influences, due to both parents having some type of addiction, and with siblings making and distributing crack cocaine. He was expelled from high school in the 10th grade and didn't make much of a debut until his recording contract in 2012-2013. This song "America" is about the injustices that minorities face in America, such as the appropriated land from Native Americans and drugs and the impact it gives to African Americans and Hispanics. It also mentions things such as the Flint water crisis, Trump supporters, rich people, murder by firearm, and political corruption.
Shawn Corey Carter, widely known as Jay-Z, is a rapper, entrepreneur, songwriter, and record producer. He is one of the best selling and well known artists in America and this song "The Story of O.J." shows how much of his creative artistic talent goes into his work. This music video shows a lot of racial imagery from the past: black cartoon caricatures, burning crosses, KKK, lynchings and more modern things such as the ongoing drug epidemic in black communities, poverty, lack of education, black youth, and family values.
R&B artist Elijah Blake, an up and coming artist, created a song pertaining to how America holds a "chain" to African Americans. As the video progresses, Blake's physical appearance begins to change into what a slave's body looked like. In this song, the "chain" that Blake refers to is the racism that African Americans continue to endure today.