Cultural Appropriation

[TheRealJoeFish]

Because they haven't been. 

Except we have. Name a few prominent black people in the rock scene today… go on…I'm waiting…

I'm about as inclined as anyone to believe that a general lack of representation of a particular group in something often represents something institutional (for instance, the lack of black actors nominated for Oscars; I've gotten into more than one argument trying to explain to someone why it is, indeed, a problem). But I'm just not sure that I can accept the claim that black people have been "pushed out of" rock music without more evidence than a lack of prominent black rock musicians. I guess, first of all, what even is "rock" any more? Beyoncé, the Black Eyed Peas... I think of them in a broad rock/alternative/rap category in which I place pretty much all of the music I listen to.

I do get what you're saying. I mean... The lineup of bands a typical radio station might play - RHCP, Coldplay, Aerosmith, U2... - it's all white dudes. I just don't know enough about the workings of the music industry to explain why that is. I would have to imagine that a big part is probably access to instrumental instruction, which, as schools continue to cut music programs, becomes increasingly available only to the wealthy. Maybe I'm just squabbling over terminology, over, say, "pushed out" vs "denied entry into".

[Ravenshire]

Well yes, a little.  Sure hope he writes the next book soon.  No proper work ethic that one.

Someone let me know if he culls the billion or so story threads he's managed to spin off in that series. I might even read the next one if he can manage that. If not, fuck it.

I'm not sure even he knows where that series is going any more...

[Bob Kelso]

Because they haven't been. 

Except we have. Name a few prominent black people in the rock scene today… go on…I'm waiting…

Well keep waiting, I've done the name game before and I'm not interested. Fact is, black people haven't been "pushed out" of rock music. There are still many black artists in rock today, perhaps not as many in the limelight as there once was but is that due to some diabolical, massively-organized, race issue or a change of the times -meaning interest in the genre from both the audience and upcoming artists? 

I'm more inclined to think it's due to the latter since it involves less assumption.

[bennyboy]

First of all, name ANYONE in the rock scene today. There's no fucking rock scene, dude. It's not really a thing anymore.

Second, Hendrix > everyone else all put together/

Third, SLASH.

[paulpablo]

Because they haven't been. 

Except we have. Name a few prominent black people in the rock scene today… go on…I'm waiting…

The answer your waiting for won't prove either way if black people have been pushed out of rock music.

It's like asking to check someone's phone to show if they have any black friends or not to see if they're racist.

There's many different international rock scenes and different levels to each scene, from amateur bands to stadium rock bands.

So is it a conscious conspiracy to keep black people down in rock music that is spread internationally?  Or a subconscious collective thinking?

It can't always have been there because slash, lenny kravitz, the lead singer from HED PE made it through. Those are just the ones who I like or have been to see live off the top of my head.

I took music lessons in the city centre of where I live for a few years, no black people there were interested in rock music, none of them were pushed out, they just liked rap and hip hop instead.  A black guy started dancing wildly to slayer once when I played it over the main speakers which was funny, but other than that I didn't witness any real long term interest in rock music.

This doesn't prove anything I'm just saying maybe less black people take an interest in rock music, and from the ones who do take an interest it's difficult to become prominent in any scene.

[Thumpalumpacus]

Think about how black people have been entirely pushed out of rock music.

Were they pushed? Or did they opt out in favor of rap/hiphop?

Who did this pushing?

[Bob Kelso]

Think about how black people have been entirely pushed out of rock music.

Were they pushed? Or did they opt out in favor of rap/hiphop?

Who did this pushing?

A great right wing conspiracy no doubt.

Edit: shit, *white* wing

[Athene]

If Mary drops my baby girl tonight, I would name her Rock 'n Roll....Damn, I like this song. The CD's around here somewhere.
"Mary" is the music industry. The "lover" is marketable music/whatever sells....I think. Anyway, the last few posts brought it to mind:

[Fidel_Castronaut]

Haven't read anything beyond the OP so sorry if it has already been said.  But why is cultural appropriation anything which even raises an eyebrow.  Isn't imitation the sincerest form of flattery?

I feel like it's a double edged sword. Think about how black people have been entirely pushed out of rock music. On the other hand you great cultural exchanges like Macklemore breaking into the rap industry but respecting the roots of its source. And this is my issue I feel like people don't know the difference between exchange and bastardizing.

There is no difference. Black people do not 'own' rap anymore than white people 'own' rock music.

This line of thinking is so ridiculous it's hard to even form a coherent counter narrative. And not for lack of trying, just because the pro-narrative is so ludicrous and unfounded.

How, exactly, have black people been 'pushed out of rock music'? How do the mechanics of such a thing work and how does that process even operate? Some of my favorite Rock musicians of recent times have been black, including one of my favorite bands of the naughties: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloc_Party what about these guys? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Libertines

You've probably never come across the British/European music scene, but there are loads of black artists involved in rock and pop music. What about Laura Mvula? Fucking great musician. Or Maxim? Iconic face of the Prodigy who revolutionized happy hardcore and rave in the 90s scene for wider audiences? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxim_(musician)

Silliness.

[Bob Kelso]

You don't see a lot of black faces in 'the mainstream' though, Panda, so obviously they've been pushed out. They're only accepted as a part of the genre if they're hugely popular -and if there's enough to meet that hard to tack down diversity quota- otherwise they have been oppressed.

Oh, those small time and foreign artists don't matter. 'cos reasons.