A Look at the History and Future of African Americans in Rock Music

Black clothes, black hair, black fingernails: the pure aesthetic marks of punk rockers and metalheads the world over. Black is the color most commonly associated with those who rock out to the thrashing guitars, thumping bass lines and driving drumbeats that make up modern rock 'n' roll, while the word "dark" could be used to describe many of the lyrics, themes and sounds in current rock music, not to mention fashions. But skin? All over America, it seems that African Americans are in the beginning stages of taking back what was once exclusively theirs.

It is no big secret that rock 'n' roll music was first born from the minds and the souls of black artists like Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, and Little Richard. It wasn't until the drapes, or greasers, began emerging from white suburbia in the early 1950's that rock and roll starting taking the place of Top 40 hit parade on the record players of white youth. In fact, rock was first referred to as 'race music' until Cleveland radio DJ Alan 'Moondog' Freed first coined the term 'rock and roll' to describe the sounds of Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, and Bill Haley and the Comets. Soon, whites starting spending time in black dance halls and record hops, mixing social interactions between races. It could even be argued that rock music played a big, if not the biggest, part in breaking down racial barriers in the 50s and 60s. Since then, white America has been bogarting rock and roll culture.

It's hard to say when rock became a 'white' genre - some say the day of Jimi Hendrix's death, while others would argue that it was the premiere of the Sugarhill Gang and "Rappers Delight" - but despite the cultural shift, there are several African-Americans getting back in touch with their rock and roll roots. From recording to touring to just rocking out at shows, black America is finding their way back into rock, punk, and metal music. Several current bands, such as Yellowcard, Bloc Party, Killswitch Engage, and Cleveland's own This Moment In Black History, feature black members and there is a growing number of black fans turning up at shows at some of America's busiest rock venues. Even with this insurgence of black rockers, the genre remains primarily run by white musicians and fans.

So why aren't there more black fans of rock music? That is the question perplexing everyone. Ignorance and close-mindedness are easy ways to try to explain it, but there is perhaps a more sociological explanation. Suggested by Nelson George, author of "Buppies, B-Boys, Baps, & Bohos: Notes on Post-Soul Culture," because of stereotypes about blacks being poor and coming from bad neighborhoods, many do not want to be seen in the often dirty and grungy attire of rock and roll. Ripped jeans, worn out t-shirts and dirty Chuck Taylors are stock items in a typical rocker's wardrobe, and many African-Americans fear that would give the wrong impression. "There is a psychological subtext to that, about being in a culture where you are not valued and so you have to value yourself," says George in his latest book.

Another possible explanation for the lack of blacks in rock could be simply the need for their own form of music. Because rock and roll started as a predominantly black genre that was later taken over by white culture, African-Americans started looking for a new form of music that could belong solely to them around the late 1970s, and they found that in rap and hip-hop. Kurtis Blow, Grandmaster Flash, and the Sugarhill Gang laid the tracks for a musical revolution that spoke to black American youth and gave them a musical outlet to which they could feel exclusive. Of course, white America has come to move in on rap and hip-hop music, but the genre maintains a primarily black base.

While the rock and roll world is still largely seen as a white community, its growing black presence is not going unnoticed. In 2003, director James Spooner created "Afropunk," a documentary on black Americans within the punk scene, giving their insights into the music, as well as race and identity issues and the adversities they face being an "outsider" within their own communities. "Afropunk" has managed to bring together black rock fans through the film and through Afropunk.com, where there are currently over four thousand registered members who use the message boards to discuss music, compare social acceptance in different regions, and become part of a larger movement that can help them feel more like they belong.

Regardless of how it is seen by the public, in the minds of black rockers, music is just music. Talent is what makes a musician good, regardless of the genre and regardless of race. In fact, black rockers may be the most socially and culturally advanced Americans today. They refuse to bow down to the racial boundaries possessed by modern music and break down the barriers built by prejudice and stereotypes. Just like the whites who revolutionized rock music in the 1950s and 60s, they see music as a colorless entity meant for everyone to enjoy.

No matter how the public perceives rock music, blacks are having a noticeable impact, but not all of it has been quite so recent. The Black Rock Coalition was founded back in 1985 "in reaction to the constrictions that the commercial music industry places on Black artists. A collective of artists, writers, producers, publicists, activists and music fans assembled to maximize exposure and provide resources for Black artists who defy convention." For the past 22 years, the BRC has sponsored several concerts and CD compilations to support the future of black rockers.

And that future seems to be looking up. Not only is there an ever-increasing number of black rock fans and musicians, but even other genres are catching on to the trend. Rap artists are starting to collaborate with and sample from rock musicians, while several hip-hop artists are taking interests in rock and roll accoutrements, from wearing studded belts to sporting 'frohawks'. So though it may take paying a bit of attention to realize, rock and roll is slowly but surely fading back to black.