response paper

Student’s Name
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DateAfrican-American Music
African-American music arguably has and is still phenomenal in the American society. Over these years the African-American music has undergone great metamorphosis this is as a result of rapid changes that are certainly inevitable in the music industry. This detailed article seeks to discuss the structure of the African-American of the present time, and what used to be earlier on between 1800 and 1900 (Shana, N.p). It also considers describing the content of African-American music, the role this form of music plays and the relevance to which African-American musicians have to the mainstream music industry in the US.
In 1700, the arrival of slaves to the Americas from West Africa brought African rhythms and song structure to America, Blues and Jazz are seen to rise as musical forms in America. The introduction of Jazz, and blues in the US in the late 1800s and the early 1900s saw its adoption by white musicians who perfected it. These perfections included the improvement musical instruments that are from flutes for example to trumpets and successful. African-American players at this time were unable to grow musically because of the existing racial segregation which had many African-Americans discriminated by their skin color and race. In the mid-1950s African-American music gains audience where musicians commercially involved themselves in music and were also able to produce label records of their own, this is a result of a reducing racial discrimination of blacks.

As time passed by, the structure of Jazz and Blues were bettered, this was evidently motivated by the rapid advancement of technology as well as a need to improve the method and way of producing music. The 1970s saw the emergence of renowned soul musicians such as Marvin Gaye and Luther Vandross. In the early 1990s, a new structure of music was created, Old-School Rap was created; this was done by a couple of artists who are still in the music industry. The content, as well as the intended message of different music structures produced by African-Americans, was significantly influenced by the societal struggles and experiences to which African-Americans witnessed during each of the time where the various music genres were done.
Jazz was majorly performed by older African-Americans; its content was limited to entertainment rather than a motivational one that would make African-Americans stand up against racism. Hip-hop and rap music is evidently the one that motivated many African-Americans to stand-up and fights against racial discrimination that is still being witnessed. Contemporary music has influenced the way we perceive specific words which are popular among many contemporary musicians. Words have been seen to resonate and sound different when used in various contexts in contemporary music.
Conceptual abilities to which musicians possess have enabled them to combine various elements of music with ease (Michael, N.P). Folklore and illusions have been lyrically incorporated and thus forming a single musical element through modification of beats, and musical ingenuity. The assigned genre of music that provides the basis for the article is the African-American musical structure; the elements of music of this kind are expressed by the rhythm as well as the mode of singing of the music. The lyrical poetry of rap music, for example, is guided by the beat and is always distinct in the way it is made up. The chorus of each of the African-American songs just like any other music structure portrays the element of repetition.
Works Cited
BIBLIOGRAPHY Michael, Quinn. The Music of Black Americans: A History 2nd Edition. New York: W. W. Norton, 1983.
Shana, Redmond L. “Indivisible: The Nation and Its Anthem in Black Musical Performance.” Black Music Research Journal (1980).