Black music

Black music is not a specific genre but rather reflects a grouping in terms of a loose definition which encompasses music produced or inspired by black people, including African music traditions and African popular music as well as the music genres of the African diaspora, including Afro-Caribbean music and African American music. These genres include negro spiritual, gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, rock and roll, soul, funk, ska, reggae, dub reggae, house, detroit techno and hip hop.

Black music in Britain received its first serious journalistic coverage in Black Music magazine (1973 - 1984).

Background

Music is a monumental part of all culture's because it has the power to unify people, and cross borders. Just one song can have the power to bring millions of people from all different backgrounds together. It is a matter of taste and opinions, not intellectual arguments. Many genres of music originate from communities have visible roots in Africa. It was a way that the early slaves could express themselves and communicate when they were being forcibly relocated and when there were restrictions on what cultural activities they could pursue. In a time where their world was being turned upside down, music served as an escape and form of communication/expression for early black communities. The ability of music to act as a binding factor provides all culture's with a strong sense of connectivity. Loosely termed black music with no specificity with regards to genre as a definition in the United States started with its roots embodied in slave spirituals and gospel music.

The term for many coming from places of 'black' origin can be perceived in a derogatory manner by cultures who see the term as a blurring of lines which ignores the true roots of certain peoples and their specific traditions to refer to musical genres with strong African-American influence, such as hip hop music, in short the term is very limited in scope and is not adopted by academic institutions as a true category.