Music is a universal expression...I would hate to think that music is classified according to race or culture and that it would be taboo for one person to sing another genre of music outside of color lines. As for explicit lyrics and their relations to  race, I think that you can find examples in any type of musical genre.  I personally choose to not listen to anything I find offensive;but often wonder if it is truly because of the music or if it's because I am older and more mature than I was 12 years ago.

iambrowngirlspeak: www.iambrowngirlspeak.blogspot.com

People always talk about white/black music. There is music created by black or white people but can you really classify the music based on the race of the person who performs it? Music Lessons
 

1) Yes and no. For that assumption to be logically true, artists like Alicia Keys, Kelly Price, and Angie Stone cannot not exist. Obviously labels think it's easier to market a white girl who sings soul because the stereotype is that white women can't sing like that. Instant gimmick. Gimmicks sell.

2) Labels are pushing ALL women to be more sexual. My experience is that black hip hop and r&b female artists are pushed harder into demonstrating a more overt sexuality than soul artists.

3) All music is one big cultural appropriation. Rock 'n' roll was a mashup of two polar opposites in music: country and blues. I don't think rhythm is limited to skin type, excluding Elaine from "Seinfeld."

Dana
Mamalogues.com
In the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Pop Mama
Since Eve

I don't think it has anything to do with skin color either, years ago when Teena Marie started no one knew she was white, we had not seen a picture but we all loved her music from the start. After finally seeing her and realizing she was white did we stop buying and listening to her music, NO we embraced her just as much if not more.

Good music is good music in my opinion I for one do not look at black and white when it comes to music. I love it all, rock, pop, soul, R&B pretty much anything except Rap and or Hip Hop I can't take. I refuse to listen and or support something that disrespects woman by calling us out of our names. How do these young people feel about there mothers, come on now. How do you expect our young people to become responsible when all they know or see when it come to music is sex, women being called b******, half dress etc.

If I was growing up during this time I would not be able to deal with the mixed messages of what we see in these video and so called music that these hip hop artist are calling music, this garbage is not music in my opinion.

:)

Audio Talking Books
Weekly Tidbits

For me music is universal, there no such thing called as black or white music..

Mark Directory Network Services

Carmen, I thought your analysis was thoughtful and well-presented. It's a question that makes people people uncomfortable (as many of your ideas must), because it takes music, which most people use for entertainment and escape purposes, and brings it into a socio-political light. Most people don't want to think too hard about artists they like, because then we might be confronted with things that we don't like, and it's difficult to separate the work from it's creator, as exemplified by the "colorblind" music fan responses.

(Also, sidenote, it is disappointing to see yet another broad attack on/disregard for the genres of rap and hip hop, as if blatant sexism and misogyny don't exist in rock and pop music. Some hip-hop music is truly artful - people might learn more about this if they bothered to listen to more than what's on the radio and TV - but that might require some actual effort. Alas.)

I don't have much time for a more measured response to your ideas (which I DO believe are valid, and worth discussing), but I wanted to speak up and let you know that this is a discussion worth bringing up. Thanks.

Atena

Assumptions, Biases & Irrational Fantasies

My Life As a Radical Whore/Madonna

First off, I agree that music is universal. If we were never allowed to cross the lines based on color, would there have been a Marion Anderson, Leontyne Price or Jessye Norman (black opera singers). What about Charlie Pride (black country musician, no i'm not kidding)? Should we say that Bob James can no longer play jazz piano because he's white? All R&B soul singers are not overtly sexual like R. Kelley, who writes the majority of his songs. Remember, he also wrote Fortunate which is a beautiful love song done by Maxwell. Unfortunately, sex sells and the people getting the most air time are those who are overtly sexual.

As far as the rap/hip hop debate goes, rap is just like anything else. You have your good and your bad, just like with rock and pop. All RAP artists are NOT calling women out of their names. The rappers that do are the ones I will not listen to and never have. As for Justin Timberlake and Robin Thicke, I have both their albums. I also have country, classical, jazz and some rock. I love all music regardless of color. Anyone who thinks otherwise is simply not a true lover of music.

Josh Stone may in fact be pushed moreso because the voice coming from her mouth does not match the body. I thought she would be a large woman and while that may make her music more interesting for some people; there is no doubt that girl is simply talented.

The Lavatory Lady
www.lavatorylady.blogspot.com

I think this is something that black people have worried about for some time now. It's a shame that we have to worry about such things in this day and age. It's not fair to the artist who just wants to do what they naturally love to do, but at the same time, black people remember the days when race records existed and white versions of songs were recorded to sell more records. I think the executives could have race on the brain when they push white artists that have a soulful sound because they think they will sell more records to white people.

I hate that all of this exists. I wish we could just listen to an artist and appreciate their music without thinking about an underlying problem such as this.

Music Blog-tdbstudio.com
An indie artist's musical journey