Music as expression

Music as expression

        Music has been a form of expression and a way of communicating for all kinds of people but I will be focusing on black expression and the meaning of music in the black community. Music in African and African American history goes back farther than the 1700’s. When the first Africans were being transported to America some came with what was known as the "banja" or "banshaw," some were also made when they got to America this instrument is now known as the banjo. These instruments were used to communicate between one another at the time and once slaveholders began to find this out about the instruments they began to ban drums on all plantations.

 African American slaves in the south began to develop lots of genres music known today as blues, country music, bluegrass, also gospel music. Music in black communities in the past was often used as a means of communicating known as negro spirituals. These songs told you the places to meet with people and how to escape from slavery. Music is also a way of expressing thoughts. It is also used to communicate a message of feelings. Music is used to help validate these thoughts and feelings. It is a platform for engagement. Music is a way to make things more real and bring it to the current time.

Today music is used for some of the same ways in the African American community. Music is used as a way of expression, of conveying a message, and of making things real. I like songs with a message. Songs from famous artist like Tupac and J Cole come to mind for me. The intro of the song “Holla if Ya Hear Me” by Tupac that begins by talking about “the system” in this country and how if you have a black family the system tears the family apart, and how if we want to see a change we will have to be the change we want to see and do it for ourselves. Also, he communicates his struggle of seeing people he knows die around him constantly. I believe songs like this are meant to cause some kind of change for the betterment of the black community. This is also a good way to show that more people are going through something like other people have the same troubles as you and you are not going through these things alone in the world.

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