In honor of Black History Month, here is a compilation of some of the music genres Black people have pioneered and album recommendations from DJ Razzle Dazzle from Raspberry Jams, which airs Fridays at 11 a.m. on Rebel Radio 92.1 FM.
One of the first American-made genres was the blues. With origins in African spirituals and work songs, most likely sung by Black slaves, the blues has served as the precursor to nearly every other style mentioned in this list.
I recommend the album “Completely Well” by B.B. King, the proclaimed “King of the Blues” and a Mississippi native. Released in 1969, the record features the electric blues style King was known for and arguably his most popular song, “The Thrill Is Gone.”
Stemming from blues, the jazz genre was born in New Orleans in the 1890s and became popularized in the 1920s during the “Jazz Age.” It is characterized by improvisation in instrumentation and vocals and its use of complex rhythms and melodies.
Taylor Wells, a senior mechanical engineering major at the University of Mississippi and jazz musician from Ridgeland, Miss., spoke on the impact that jazz music has had on the mosaic that is American music.
“Jazz and the blues are the foundation of American music. Hip hop, rock, soul, country, R&B and more all have inextricable roots in jazz,” Wells said. “It’s also arguably the first and most influential U.S. cultural export. Since the ’40s, jazz musicians have had a massive impact on music around the globe.”
For this genre, I recommend the collaborative project “Ella and Louis” by Ella Fitzgerald, the “Queen of Jazz,” and Louis Armstrong released in 1956. This record was the first of three albums the duo made together; the others are “Ella and Louis Again” and “Porgy and Bess.”
A genre that is now predominantly white, country music can be credited to both white and Black people. The music was heavily influenced by African-American spirituals and work songs from the South, similar to the blues.
I recommend the project “Cowboy Carter” by Beyonce. Beyonce is not typically considered a country artist, however she comes from a background heavily influenced by country, growing up in Texas and having ancestral roots in the Deep South. “Cowboy Carter” not only touches on Beyonce’s personal experiences but also includes features from other Black country artists and highlights the forgotten Black history of the genre itself.
Rhythm and blues, more commonly known as R&B, started as a marketing term to indicate African-American made records, synonymous to the term “race music.” Around the late 1970s, R&B became its own distinct style, featuring influences from hip-hop, pop and soul music with flourishing vocals.
I recommend listening to the Grammy Award-nominated compilation album “I Used to Know Her” by H.E.R. It includes the collaboration with Bryson Tiller, “Could’ve Been,” also nominated for Best R&B Song and Best R&B performance at the 62nd Grammy Awards.
Rock ‘n’ roll is usually credited to Southern, white America, with artists like Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash dominating the genre in the late 1950s to 1960s. These artists, and others like them, were inspired by the blues and gospel and often took songs from Black Southern artists or collaborated with them.
The recommended project is Jimi Hendrix’s compilation album of his greatest hits, “Experience Hendrix: The Best of Jimi Hendrix,” released posthumously in 1997. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame considers Hendrix “the greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock music,” and this record highlights that talent.
Derived from rock and roll music, pop music was initially used in reference to popular music that had mass appeal. It took rock and roll music and made it more palatable for white audiences, watering it down. Over time, the term was used to describe a genre distinguished by catchy choruses, upbeat melodies and danceable rhythms.
I recommended the album “Fountain Baby” by Amaarae. Breaking into the mainstream with her song “Angels in Tibet” going viral on TikTok and opening for Sabrina Carpenter on her “Short n’ Sweet” tour, Amaarae fuses pop with the R&B, afrobeats and dancehall genres to create something fresh and unique in modern American music.
Electronic dance music, abbreviated as EDM, is the direct descendant of other Black-created and -led genres like Disco, created alongside the Latino community, and Dub, a reggae-influenced style from Jamaica.
For this genre I recommend KAYTRANADA’s newest album, “Timeless.” With songs like Grammy-nominated “Witchy” featuring Childish Gambino and “Snap My Fingers” featuring PinkPantheress, the album covers a wide range of other genres like house, hip-hop, R&B and acid jazz.
Without a doubt the most recognizable and explicitly Black genre, hip-hop is characterized by electronic percussion, disco and funk inspired rhythms and rapping. Rap is often synonymous with hip-hop music as they both have similar origins in the Bronx, New York City in the 1970s.
Kendrick Lamar’s Grammy Award-winning “DAMN.” is the recommended album for the hip-hop/rap genres. The album explores themes of religion, sin and morality. It is widely considered one of the best rap albums of all time and is the first non-classical/jazz record to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music.
To hear all of these songs and honor Black musical pioneers, tune into Rebel Radio 92.1 to hear DJ Razzle Dazzle on Raspberry Jams at 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 28 for the Black History Month special “Black History is American History.”
