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CULTURE

It’s a White Thing

Black Americans made the songs, but not the myth of romantic 'authenticity.' If white tastes and obsessions distorted their music, can we ever hear each other?

By David Gates | NEWSWEEK
From the magazine issue dated Feb 18, 2008

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  • Posted By: hrob27 @ 10/14/2008 11:37:41 AM

    Comment: There has always been a fascination by whites with black America's suffering: wanting to hear the story, yet unwilling except for a few to actually change the situation. Thank God, those few whites who were willing to work with blacks to enable a lasting change were some of the nation's greatest leaders: the Kennedy brothers readily come to mind. Yet the desire to hear of the coninued suffering exists. My guess is that because they may feel a sense of guilt about their extra degree of racially based priviledge, some whites feel that if they at least hear black people make their case for equality through music, that will somehow make everything all right. Not exactly. But at the same time, there is a chance for black people to become individually famous and wealthy by allowing whites to wallow in that sense of guilt, so the phenomenon is ultimately self-perpetuating. As Too Short aptly put it: "get in where you fit in."

  • Posted By: Dunkadelic University @ 02/20/2008 3:05:01 AM

    Comment: The basketball and hip-hop culture fusion of the past 24 years that is now being called The "Dunkadelic-Era" In America, 1984-Present has had such an impact on music, fashion, and style that most kids black and white want to emulate both the players and rappers. It's all about being cool and getting noticed. When a kid personify's Allen Iverson and Tupac, who are in some-ways one in the same he saying that I do what I want to do. Just as Iverson does on the court and Tupac with his lyrics. The "Dunkadelic-Era" will be celebrating it's 25th Anniversary during the year 2009. The era has grown to historical levels in America.

  • Posted By: haryoungsr @ 02/18/2008 10:35:20 PM

    Comment: so when i finished the gate's article i started thinking about rap music . some rappers say the act is only an act and when i see my white students as well as black students thinking that the rapper's life as portrayed in the music is his real life and i know that some of it is the rappers fantasy . maybe even the rapper gets sucked into his fantasy so the white audience buys the product and they are the same as the bert williams fans of days gone by...they want their rappers to be thugs,dangerous woman beaters who do drugs and
    carry guns.

    • Posted By: shah mat @ 02/19/2008 11:54:43 AM

      Comment: Q. Why would a white audience want 'their' rappers to personify thugs,dangerous woman beaters who do drugs and carry guns? Isn't that somewhat like what the white Southerners during the post-civil war period of Americas history used to do in visually depicting the character of the newly freed (loosely speaking) African male? Interesting. I guess history does have a way of repeating itself

  • Posted By: haryoungsr @ 02/18/2008 10:34:02 PM

    Comment: so when i finished the gate's article i started thinking about rap music . some rappers say the act is only an act and when i see my white students as well as black students thinking that the rapper's life as portrayed in the music is his real life and i know that some of it is the rappers fantasy . maybe even the rapper gets sucked into his fantasy so the white audience buys the product and they are the same as the bert williams fans of days gone by...they want their rappers to be thugs,dangerous woman beaters who do drugs and
    carry guns.

  • Posted By: phiomalibumalibu @ 02/18/2008 2:38:31 PM

    Comment: Must have been a great time to witness it all. I think that the blacks in america provided some of the best music last century, from jazz to blues (see sweet-lyrics.com ) and they continue to be a powerful influence on all music of the world.

  • Posted By: weneedtostop.com @ 02/16/2008 10:28:35 AM

    Comment: Unfortunately, a lot of these artists of this original material can't even collect royalties or have rights to any legal retributions. Many people benefitted from their work , and still continue, as the wealth has been handed down through generations, and now children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren benefit, instead of family members of these artists. This is what pisses many people off.

  • Posted By: EE7011 @ 02/15/2008 4:18:30 PM

    Comment: I agree with shah mat. I think many are missing the point of the article. As listeners, we often expect something of musicians. If one were to attend a hip-hop concert and the two MC's came out on stage wearing kilts our initial reaction might be "what?" "where's the gold chains, baggy jeans, and sports jersies?" If we went to see a native of Scotland play the bag pipes and they came out wearing khakis and a sweater we might wonder "where's the kilt and plaid stockings?" If a female pop star like, Beyonce, came out wearing sweat pants and a sweat shirt the audience might think "what happened to her beautiful dresses and tight pants?" Music should be about the process/art of making music, but more often than not it becomes about an expected image to please the listeners. An audience doesn't want to believe that someone like John Lee Hooker could have a home in Manhatten. He shoud be living a life of poverty in the Delta, because he is an African-American blues musician. Right?

    • Posted By: shah mat @ 02/15/2008 7:11:53 PM

      Comment: Okay. You're close-r. But this isn't about 'image'. Can a Hasidic Jew sing reggae and beatbox? Sure. What IS at the center of this whole article, in simplistic terms, is the question of whether or not 'the music provided via BLACK musicianship (SPECIFICALLY within generally older genres) are understood in proper when being received via receptive WHITE audience' (key word 'understood'. understand?) Like when the Author THOUGHT the blues musician was saying one thing, only to finally realize that what he thought had been said was not what had been said at all. But if THAT isn't the story of the Ages.. sigh*..

      • Posted By: shah mat @ 02/15/2008 7:17:07 PM

        Comment: 'were' understood in proper.. Not 'are', like I wrote. Sorry. I'm done here.

    • Posted By: EE7011 @ 02/15/2008 4:34:04 PM

      Comment: My comment on Hooker was referring to when he was alive, just to clarify.

  • Posted By: cathead @ 02/15/2008 3:32:59 PM

    Comment: Nice to see an article on blues in Newsweek. The blues absolutely still lives here in Mississippi. (I spent last night -- Valentine's -- at Sarah's juke joint here in Clarksdale, listening to Wesley "Junebug" Jefferson sing about his roots, etc.) See a video trailer for new Mississippi blues documenary at www.mformississippi.com. Go to the state's Blues Trail Marker website at www.msbluestrail.org.

  • Posted By: codefac @ 02/15/2008 1:42:33 PM

    Comment: I went to see a live performance of Junior Wells at Mother Blues in Chicago -- recordings only obliterate the authenticity of a live performance in a steamy nightclub.

  • Posted By: stevo009 @ 02/15/2008 3:38:54 AM

    Comment: I will say this. I am white. But. Pretty much all I listen to is black artists. They are mainly all black artists because they are typically better at making the music that I like. But I will hear someone like Paul Wall (big white rapper) and dislike it completely. The reason becuase he is not as good as the others isnt becuase he is white. It is simply himself. If he was black he still may not understand the music like the black artists I listen to. The point I'm trying to say is it is all a personal thing. It can't be broadened to all whites. There is a lot of races that can make the contact. Anyone can misinterpret there own races music. It all depends on the person.

  • Posted By: shah mat @ 02/14/2008 9:18:23 PM

    Comment: I think the majority of you are sadly missing the point. The entire abstract posits the notion that the SENSE of what and how black musicians say what they produce within musical accompaniment is often misinterpreted by what are often likely to be a completely different set of 'understandings' by a receptive white audience. Not to say that the -mis-interpretation is in and of itself wrong, because that isn't even the point of the article here. The question is 'can we ever hear each other?' Will two different languages (both culturally and perceptually speaking) ever manage to realize a point of contact? Will whites ever really be able to understand the 'black' experience? Lost in translation, i guess.

    • Posted By: stevo009 @ 02/15/2008 3:23:46 AM

      Comment: Anyone can misinterpret. A black can misinterpret black music. Whether its age, race, where they were raised...etc. It is all personal. Anyone can make the contact to anyone depending on the person.

      • Posted By: shah mat @ 02/15/2008 3:21:18 PM

        Comment: I agree with almost all of what you wrote. But my comment was really only meant to reflect the objective generalization of the AUTHOR, which I think no one really addressed. It was not meant to be a projection of my own subjective personality. The Author is clearly utilizing a sociological perspective; therefore, partial observation isn't actually going to work in analysis here. And as far as your suggestion that 'anyone can make the contact to anyone', well, then- I guess that means that 'anyone' can walk a mile in your shoes? Sure. But you'll certainly find it a difficulty walking a mile in mine. I'm not saying it's impossible. Just improbable.

  • Posted By: skibummin @ 02/14/2008 12:00:20 PM

    Comment: Altough a nice read , typical over thinking of a subject, growing up on the southside of Chicago. I like the music because of the sound and the way it makes me feel . I suspect fans of all differant genres feel the same about their favorite music. Oh yea as t monk once said when questioned by a reproter about his tatse in music . I like all music, even country music reporter asked . monk turned to his companion and said I guess he did't hear me.

    Just Enjoy

    DK

  • Posted By: Afro Goddess @ 02/13/2008 5:49:15 PM

    Comment: I've wondered the same thing about rap music. Its what we call "studio ganstas". The big difference is rappers know exactly what kind of image they slang. What they sell is just as potent as dope. They shuffle and tap dance too, but we call it "being real".

    When I've listened to my older relatives, they've said stuff about being black and poor matter of factly with no intent to awe or astound. My grandmother doesn't think her brother getting lynched is character building. It's just what happened.

    That kind of stuff is only interesting to folks who have never experienced it, won't ever experience it, and know they never will.

    • Posted By: shah mat @ 02/15/2008 4:26:26 PM

      Comment: damn gurl, you ain't heard?? Image is a front. Capitalism is everything. If 'real', as far as rap music is concerned, was what everyone was really after, they'd have made 'Tookie' Williams President of Def Jam instead of 'what's his name'. The problem with most America that subscibes to that carbon-copied bullshit which is neo-rap gangsterism is that the majority aren't (for reasons quite known) unable to differentiate and discern between the reality and the entertainment aspect of it. And as far as today's generation of 'superbangers' go, i'm sure they would much rather sell underwear than dope. Especially because the only 'potent dope' out there in the streetz got Federal Agents fingerprints all OVER that ***. Please believe.

  • Posted By: EE7011 @ 02/13/2008 12:32:21 PM

    Comment: DOGON makes an excellent point! I absolutely love Malian music and I have a Putumayo World Music CD called Mali to Memphis that showcases the similarities between the two countries in regards to blues music. I don't deny the point Mr. Gates was trying to make, because I believe we saw this same message in the musical "Dream Girls" in regards to Eddie Murphy's character whose name escapes me at this time.

  • Posted By: Adibesee @ 02/12/2008 12:01:33 PM

    Comment: ei12877's comment is correct. While their audience may not been who they originally envisioned, art should and can transcend the barriers our society erects. But Cooperlay while current white America should not have guilt over past generations transgressions, it's absurd to not attempt to understand the mistakes of by gone era. Oh, the comment about the gin is just absurd. You think it David might have used the gin as an icebreaker, as he was approaching someone he didn't know in the hopes of interviewing him. Kind of like a reporter bringing me a cigar, so we could smoke and talk. Hello? Anyone home, Cooperlay??

  • Posted By: Copperlay @ 02/11/2008 11:02:08 PM

    Comment: I sure get tired of hearing, watching, and reading about white guilt concerning events that happened way before any of us were born. Hey David, did it EVER occur to you that he was using you to get the gin that his wife wouldn't let him have? Hello??? Anyone home????

  • Posted By: DOGON @ 02/11/2008 5:23:42 PM

    Comment: Music is for appreciating, not over-analyzing. Shut up and listen. The best American blues musicians and writers have an extraordinary affinity with African performers from the traditional (Ali Farka Toure and Habib Koite) to the more modern (Amadou & Mariam, le Couple Aveugle), just to name a few greats from Mali. The academics and over-thinkers should stick to literary criticism or fiction.

    Blues is a feeling. You get it or you don't.

  • Posted By: e126877 @ 02/11/2008 12:37:06 PM

    Comment: The blues players of yesteryear may have rankled at the audience they eventually reached, but that wasn't up to them. It was up to the audience who sought them out for their own reasons, whether noble or not.

    Rating whether an audience has the right to appreciate art in their own way is pointless and elitist. Art doesn???t belong to the artist. It belongs to everyone.

  • Posted By: joenickp @ 02/11/2008 10:12:26 AM

    Comment: I enjoyed Gates' take. Another perspective of the white-black dynamic in music can be gleaned frrom the oral histories of several white rock and rollers of a certain age, whose lives were changed by the black bluesman Jimmy Reed in a way that politicians could achieve. http://www.joenickp.com/music/jimmyreed.html
    And Honestjoe: did you know that Mance was playing a Fender Telecaster when Chris Strachwitz of Arhoolie Reocrds "discovered" him? Strachwitz put an acoustic guitar in his hands because that's what folk musicians were supposed to play.

  • Posted By: joenickp @ 02/11/2008 10:11:40 AM

    Comment: I enjoyed Gates' take. Another perspective of the white-black dynamic in music can be gleaned frrom the oral histories of several white rock and rollers of a certain age, whose lives were changed by the black bluesman Jimmy Reed in a way that politicians could achieve. http://www.joenickp.com/music/jimmyreed.html
    And Honestjoe: did you know that Mance was playing a Fender Telecaster when Chris Strachwitz of Arhoolie Reocrds "discovered" him? Strachwitz put an acoustic guitar in his hands because that's what folk musicians were supposed to play.

  • Posted By: joenickp @ 02/11/2008 10:05:47 AM

    Comment: David hits a good note on this. Another take is the one gleaned from a generation of white boy rock and rollers who were influenced by the black blues man Jimmy Reed. Their oral histories are here: http://www.joenickp.com/music/jimmyreed.html ps to Honest Joe: did you know Mance Lipscomb played a Fender Telecaster when Chris Strachwitz of Arhoolie Records "discovered" him? Strachwitz put an acoustic in Mance's hands because that's what folk musicians were supposed to play/

  • Posted By: byronv @ 02/10/2008 4:32:20 PM

    Comment:
    Nice piece. It's good to question our view of others. Until you live it, you really don't know.
    All we can do is interpret it from our preconceived distorted colored perceptions.

  • Posted By: Honestjoe @ 02/10/2008 2:27:55 PM

    Comment: A wonderful piece of writing that makes me want to read those books. I once spent an afternoon with Mance Lipscomb, and I've often wondered what he really thought of all the white kids who flocked around him after a lifetime of enduring racism and sharecropping, which he called just another form of slavery.

  • Posted By: net5000 @ 02/10/2008 12:40:32 PM

    Comment: Blues is the language of a state of mind. Poverty, oppression, unheard protests for equal participation... Hear it today among black or white but mostly poor anywhere life is cheap and society would rather the poor just die. .

 
 
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