AFRAM Blog Post #1

Gary Tran

AFRAM 337

Blog Post #1

The two readings that I have read that have both share a strong connection with each other is Maureen Mahon’s “Rock” and Maureen Mahon’s “Big Mama Thorton’s Voice”. They talk about the struggle of black artists trying to express themselves in the white artist dominated music scene. According to Maureen Mahon’s “Rock” article “Prevalent now is the notion that a White man is the proper embodiment of a rock musician, and indeed, those who are not white and male have a difficult time winning acceptance as rock performers, especially at the industry level. (Mahon, Rock page 2) This explains how black female artists were not getting the recognition and credit they deserved for creating rock music. Women of color, specifically Black women go against the social norms of what the society wants musicians to portrayed as, a White person. Willie Mae “Big Mama Thorton” who’s black got overshadowed by Elvis Presley who was white and sounded “black”. According to Maureen Mahon’s “Big Mama Thorton’s Voice” article “I’ve been singing way before Elvis Presley was born, and he jumps up and becomes a millionaire before me . . . off of something that I made popular. They gave him the right . . . [N]ow, why do they do that? He makes a million and all this jive because his face is different from mine.” (Mahon, Listening for Thorton’s Voice page 9) This proves how society is biased with gender and race, paying more attention to whites more than blacks and males more than females. Willie Mae does not receive the same success as Elvis Presley.

DJ Selections:

Janelle Monáe - Tightrope

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwnefUaKCbc

This song is about how Janelle Monáe expresses herself as an artist. Even if she doesn’t become mainstream or get well known she stays true to her self, trying to self-define what a queer black woman looks and sounds like.

Queen Latifah “U.N.I.T.Y."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8cHxydDb7o

This song speaks out about female empowerment because women get disrespected in society. When women are as strong as men when it comes to physical and mental strength. Male and female should be looked at as equals and not degrading in any way. This is more focused on gender than it is color, but reading these readings made me think of this song.