Music Has No Race

Genre: a category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, characterized by similarities in form, style, or subject matter.

Music is power. Everyone listens, sings along and dances to music even if it is in their heads. With all the troubles in the world, we can at least agree that music is what holds a lot of us together. Music is our safe space from reality’s troubles. What music is NOT is a definition of our skin tones.

There is rock, blues, country, rap, reggae, even musical theater. Everyone is different, meaning everyone’s music taste is different. 

Oreo: (derogatory) a black person who adopts the characteristic mentality and behavior of white middle-class society. (source: Merriam-Webster)

As someone who is African American, I am not new to the phrase. Over the course of my life, I have been called an Oreo multiple times, but I never understand it. 

Growing up for me and for a lot of other people, music is the only place where I felt there was no judgment as to who I was becoming. When we are in a world where everyone is judging you and your music taste, it becomes a problem. Many people aren’t who they are without music, so when they are judged because of what they like, it causes them to feel out of place. 

Genres like alternative rock, classical, country, and sometimes pop are oftentimes considered to be white people music. Why? 

Everyone is different, and the stigma that black people listening to rock is matched with them not being “black enough” or “acting white” needs to end. 

Today we have artists like Tyler the Creator, Brittany Howard, Thundercat and many others that break the belief of what a person of color should be listening to. Although things have gotten better over the years, it does not necessarily mean that the judgment has officially ended.

Music should not be defined by the complexion of the artist or its audience. Music should be defined by its lyrics. 

 

• music
• pop culture