Crossing Racial Lines in Contemporary Music
Crossing Racial Lines in Contemporary Music
Music today is not segregated against by most people. Not only is it not segregated, it is joining. One example of that is the relationship between black rappers and white rockers. The distinct line of rock and rap is now turning into a blur.
The first point that rap and rock is not segregated against is that whites buy more rap music than blacks. That shows that whites do not discriminate against blacks in music.
The second point that rap and rock is turning into a blur is that when rap first started, mostly blacks were listening to it. An example is that the band, “Beastie Boys,” were probably the first to start mixing rap and rock together more than five years ago. Also the current rock band, “Gorillaz,” is playing on rap stations almost as much as rock stations. Recently, there have been numerous bands that have crossed the line between playing a combo of rap and rock music and that number is rising.
The third point is that rap and rock singers are now singing together. That trend probably started with the alternative white singer, “Blondie, “ who was a feature singer in a rap song more then 15 years ago. Recently, a white rock band named, “Limp Bizcuit,” joined forces with black raper, “ Method Man,” to make a hit song. Another example is that a black longtime rapper and basketball player named, “Shaquille O’Neal,” was a featured singer in a rock song.
Finally, rapper and rockers are joining each other’s music videos. Most recently, “Shaquille O’Neal,” was featured in the music video of a rock band, “311.” Also, in the rapper’s, “P. Diddy,” music video named, “Bad Boys for Life,” it featured a famous rock bass player name, “Dave Navarro.”
To sum up this essay, rap and rock music is now not as a distinct line as it was before. Now it is turning into a blur. One can only wonder where rap and rock will end up in many years from now.