January 2015
www.hamptonroadsmessenger.com
How Music is Fueling the #BlackLivesMatter Movement
“Tell • These to the Children” songs the
The Hampton Roads Messenger 5 A few years ago, singer, actor and
civil rights activist Harry Belafonte
called out two of today’s biggest musicians, Jay-Z and Beyoncé, saying that they “turned their back on social responsibility.” To Belafonte,
those a
few days after the grand jury decided not to indict Wilson for the murder.
Rapper Dizzy
Wright also released a song called “I Need Answers.”
are
the 21st century protest songs. While each of these songs were created as a response
killing
Long Beach music artist Vince Staples onstage with the rapper Common and the parents of Michael Brown. (photo: courtesy VoiceWaves)
BY DEONNA ANDERSON LONG BEACH -- I still
remember the first time I heard Lupe Fiasco’s “All Black Everything.” I was in my apartment in Davis, California where I
attended college. When I
heard the words, I was reminded of the history of Black people in America. It made me want to learn even more about my history. Everyone has a sphere of influence, and the music made me ask myself: “How am I using mine?”
Since August, when unarmed
teenager Michael Brown was killed by police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Mo., young people have rallied in the streets of Ferguson, New York, Oakland, Los Angeles and other towns across the nation and the world. In Long Beach, young people recently began organizing around the slogan #BlackLivesMatter, a campaign born in 2012 after Trayvon Martin’s killer, George Zimmerman, was acquitted for his crime.
Throughout, music has been an
undeniable part of the protests, the latest reminder that when used the right way, music can inspire social change.
“Music can be considered the
heartbeat of social movements,” says Eric Tandoc, a DJ and a community organizer
at the Filipino Center in Long Beach.
Migrant Tandoc
regularly uses art to inspire youth to take action on social and political issues.
“Not everyone is going to listen
to a speech or read a book, but people will listen to a 3-minute song,” he says.
Nationally, respected musicians such as Questlove of the hip-hop group The Roots have urged musicians to
create more protest songs, and artists are responding.
The truth of the matter is,
musicians have more influence than I do, and even more influence than they had in the 1980s or 1960s. In the age of social media, the possibility of communication
between musicians
and their fans has been brought to an all time high. If young people see their favorite musician talking about social change, they might pay more attention to what is happening and be inclined to get involved in making a positive impact.
Long Beach native Vince Staples raps, “Raidin’ homes without
In his song “Hands Up,” north a
warrant/
Shoot him first without a warning/And they expect respect and non-violence/I refuse the right to be silent.” Fellow Long Beach rapper Crooked I, recently going by Kxing Crooked, released “I Can’t Breathe” in which he raps, “So, no, I can’t buy that pellet gun/They might try to Tamir Rice you.” Tamir Rice was a 12-year old Black boy who was killed by a police officer last month in Cleveland, OH.
But lyrics about the current events
aren’t just happening locally in Long Beach. Let’s go down the list:
• Six days after Brown’s death, hip-hop artist J. Cole recorded and released “Be Free.”
lyrics,
• Lauryn Hill belted “Black
out the rage is founded on
two-thirds a person/Rapings and beatings and suffering that worsens,” on “Black Rage,” which she released a couple weeks after Brown’s death.
• The Game brought together over ten hip-hop and R&B artists including Rick Ross, 2 Chainz, Wale, Swizz Beatz, Curren$y, and TGT to produce “Don't Shoot.”
• Tink sang and rapped on
of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, they speak to an issue Black communities around the country have been dealing with for centuries. They are
reminiscent of Nina
Simone’s “Mississippi Goddam,” Marvin Gaye’s
“What’s Going On?” and Public Enemy’s “Fight
the Power.” The
themes don’t seem to have changed much since the 1960s or 1980s.
When famous musicians don’t speak out, some are critical.
two megastars and other popular artists are at fault for not using their influence to have a positive impact on their fans.
As a young person, I agree with
Belafonte: it’s a waste of influence when famous musicians don’t speak up. While it doesn’t necessarily affect whether or not I will continue listening to their music, I personally wish that they would speak at times when there needs to be some action.
Hip-hop artist Yasiin Bey,
formerly known as Mos Def, put it best in his monologue addressing the happenings in Ferguson: “I think many of us are becoming even more aware of where we are, and [there is] urgency to change this
miserable If all condition
on this Earth, [as] Malcolm X said.” (Listen to the full audio below.)
artists spoke up, I
an important the
something,”
“I think music can motivation
Tandoc
wanting said,
truly
believe that it could wake up many more young people to demand change and join causes.
role in sparking in
to
play do
while
adding, “The long term organizing is where the true power is.”
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