Our Hats off to Musicians — It’s Music History Month
As I too often witness the overwhelming dismissal of contributions African-Americans make to the United States Gross National Product, I immediately reflect on the music industry. How many hundreds of billions of dollars, over the past 150 + years, have our musicians, singers and songwriters contributed to worldwide record and performing sales in the trillion dollar music industry? We’ve been a dominant force in the categories of Jazz, Gospel, R & B, Hip Hop and Rap, House as well as substantial inroads in Opera and Country music, too.
The Talking Drum
Rhythmic drum beats, even mild music enthusiasts recognize , are the everlasting backbone of American culture.
More than rhythmic engagement for entertainment, drumming has been used ceremonially, to meditate, to heal, and to bring people together. But the drum also has a rich history of being used as a communication tool — known as the “talking drum.” This instrument has served as a speech surrogate, sending and receiving messages over long distances.
Historically we know that the drum was, more than once, taken away from us — but our spiritual rhythms have never waned. Even in the most adverse of situations, we have manifested beats.
I am reminded of once hearing the late James Mtume explain the origins of hip hop to a mostly young audience of music enthusiasts. He gave them a history lesson of how, in the mid 1970s, music and arts programs were cut from the public school curriculum. NYC politicians, attempted to justify their actions by claiming the necessity of redirecting the limited funds to what had become a bankrupt city.
The Rhythm is Within Us
Mtume shared with them how, despite the lack of funding, young African-American and other students of color began tapping out the rhythms they ancestorally had within them. With the benefit of formal music training, the youngsters creatively and effortlessly banged out beats on trash cans, tin cans and empty plastic industrial containers. They added mouth beats which became known as “beat boxing.” And then came the stories told in off-rhymes and urban vernacular. A new genre was born from those who had music woven into their DNA.
We have continued to rise with the beat and in doing so, we have risen to the top of the Billboard charts. We repeatedly step into the spotlight as award-winning performers across genres. More than that we have made diverse audiences sway and move — helped them find their own soul.
Routes Magazine is the metaphorical Drum Circle
As the African saying goes, “You don’t beat a drum with one finger.” Nor does one publish a magazine with just one voice. So, over the month of April, Routes Magazine will celebrate music — paying tribute to a variety of genres. Each of our correspondents will share their experiences and offer a message of how we, as community, continue to be at the heart of each rhythm. In fact, Routes has a rich history of covering the musical contributions of African-Americans from our earliest issues. (Take a look at the Main Menu “Print Issues 1977 to 1995”.)
At that same presentation, years ago, I heard Mtume also advise the crowd that we needed to continue to do is grab hold of and build on our musicology. Reinvest and double down on our intuitive interest and abilities. Formalize this interest through education, practice and dedication. And in doing so, reclaim and own our roots with a mastery that then no one can, once again, take away from us.