The further jazz moves away from the stark blue continuum
and the collective realities of Afro-American and American life,
the more it moves into academic concert-hall lifelessness,
which can be replicated by any middle class showing off its music lessons.
--Imamu Amiri Baraka [Leroi Jones]

For all the years of slavery and suffering my people have experienced, it just never seems to end. This country was founded on the blood and sweat of my ancestors. The indebtedness is infinite. And Black culture continues to be hijacked by a lot of non-Blacks. It should be a compliment that so many have an appreciation for or should want to imitate African-Americans. But somehow it's not, due to who's profiting and who's not, who's getting credit and who's getting gypped. You took away who we were when you brought us here and separated us from our family and our roots. We regrouped, we overcame, we became strong, in spite of it all. Hey, Mr. White Man - can we have our culture back? You took our history. Can we have something that belongs to us, whilst we're still not equals in this nation we helped build?

I've always had this thought in the back of my mind. But this current blog was inspired by the June 2003 issue of Ebony magazine. There's an article inside entitled, "Why White Stars Are Ripping Off Rap and R&B." I never liked Eminem. Even though I heard Blacks talk about how he's quite the lyrical genius. But I couldn't stand seeing a white person get props for excelling in a Black art. And it's not about prejudice. It's something more than that. I'm not sure I know how to put it into words, but maybe if you read the article, you'll understand. But only just a little. You know that phrase, "It's a Black thing - you wouldn't understand"? I believe it wholeheartedly. And I'm only "half."

I am black: I am the incarnation of a complete fusion with the world, an intuitive understanding of the earth, an abandonment of my ego in the heart of the cosmos, and no white man, no matter how intelligent he may be, can ever understand Louis Armstrong and the music of the Congo. --Frantz Fanon

Justin Timberlake? Psshh... Another annoying example. Back Street Boys and N'Sync getting airplay on both Black and white stations. But the music they sing - it's nothing new. They're singing what we've been singing for years. But it only gets the wide exposure through white artists. The article in Ebony mentioned how the record conglomerates market the artists differently based on race. They believe a white person has a better chance of upping sales, reaching a wider audience. Maybe sad, but true, but it's all still B.S. When will it end? Elvis took Rock from us. Lenny Kravitz has kind of taken it back. Even he admits to all the Black genres robbed by whites.

Oh, and back to that annoying-voiced white rapper - when I was in London, I was talking to my friend's housemate, Ralph. Ralph, who is white, is into all kinds of music and is trying to get into the business himself. He's actually working on something, which I believe he said is kind of rap, but very hardcore. Maybe a metal feel to it. Something "dark." I asked him if it was anything like Triple-6 Mafia and he kind of affirmed. I expressed to him how I felt about whites being successful and getting credit for doing Black music. He brought up some lyrics from one of Eminem's songs: "Look at my sales/Let's do the math - if I was black, I woulda sold half." Ain't that the truth.

So, the Blacks who do support these white artists in whatever capacity - be it choreographing, writing beats - they're in it as much for the money as anybody else. I think that's what they get caught up in. They're not seeing or acknowledging that Blacks who may be even more talented than these white superstars are being ignored, or not receiving the attention they deserve. It's all about the almighty dollar. Sell-outs - they're always bringin' us down. Well, you probably won't catch me buying these albums by white artists if it's a hip hop or R&B they're makin'. I'd much rather give back to the community...

Color shouldn't even matter. But the fact of the matter is: it does. And I believe this to be a unique case to the United States regarding such an issue.

The Afro-American experience is the only real culture that America has. Basically, every American tries to walk, talk, dress and behave like African Americans. --Hugh Masakela