Lately, I've noticed that if I askPractically any Whiteboy or Whitegirl what kind of music they like, it almost always has Rap or R&B included.

What is it with this? Because from what I know, whites weren't really into Black music until a year ago or something. When I used to listen to Tupac and stuff when I was about 9, No white person I talked to really knew who Tupac even was. Now basically they all do.

I even talked to some Moron over MSN Messenger today, who says she Loves 2Pac, and then goes insulting me using racial insults that effect all Black people, including him.

To me it just really doesn't make sense. I think this all began when Rap started getting promoted a lot more by People like Eminem. I'm not sure, but that's just what I've come to discover.

Even more Whites than Blacks purchase Rap and R&B Albums, and almost all Blacks I know don't like Rock or anything like that at all.

Whites that are Racist towards Africansstill listen to music Produced by Black People themselves, I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT.

It kind of enrages me a bit too, because all this Rap and R&B they're seeing on TV these days encourages them to copy the AA style too...

Agh..

Mitchael

Nothing wrong with that. Music is part of the common culture for all of us to enjoy andhopefully help understandeach other...or at the least to propagate some message.

I white, I lovemuch of the vast variety of African rooted musics..especially the beautiful melodies played on the balafon and kora from Mali & Senegal and the lively bands from Zimbabwe


Also enjoy Zouk, Afro-Latin & Soca.

...........but regard much of Rap and R & B asunpleasant :P

However I do not understand the mentality of racists you talk about who claim to love music written by those they hate or despise ( I have never had the displeasure of meeting one.)


Anyway, many black people deeply appreciate European classical music...why not?

We recently met a black Bajanbusinesswomansettled in Botswana who stocks up with CDs of Brahms, Beethoven and other classical stuff when visitingBritain ..but has no interest in contemporary black music

I also do not understand your own attitude inapparantly resenting ordinary white young people enjoying respecting the contributions of blackmusicians to our life in Britain (I assume you are writing from the UK)

However I do not understand the mentality of racists you talk about who claim to love music written by those they despise ....fortunately I have never met one.


Drydog

(ex Wet Dog)

I live in Australia, Victoria Actually... Not that I like it. I may be visiting London this year to see my Dad, though.

When it comes to White People such as yourself listening to Rap/R&B, or whatever it may be, I don't have a problem at all because you appear to listen to it Moderately...

I only have problems with Whites listening to the music of Blacks, because I don't want Rap being promoted so much that people are getting the idea "It's OK for all races to act black, because it's cool".

Whites can listen to Rap and R&B if they want to I suppose, but I just don't like the kind of people that would Listen to it, and like it, along with the people that make it, but then when they get into a Verbal Dispute with a Black person, they use Racial insults towards them.

And if foolish whites start listening to "Gangsta Rap" excessively, they may be idiotic enough to go Emulating the lyrics they hear in the music, and causing problems. Then, the White parents will have an excuse to go complaining that Rap Music is damaging today's youth, so Rap may be restricted or banned.

I just really dislike the idea of rap being listened to by Whites more and more over the years that Whites will begin using the AA style subconsciously and it won't be a thing. I don't want wiggers being created by this.

As long as Whites listen to Rap moderately, and don't go copying the style, and more white rap artists aren't being created, I have no problem.

Listen on.

Mitchael,

Actually, when you bring up the argument about Whites and Black music, it isn't new. In the past during the days of Elvis Presley, there were many Black people who rightfully criticized him and other White singers for this, not so much that they felt that their music shouldn't be liked. A lot of what Elvis and other white singers like him stole their music. While they were gaining national attention and making megahits off of them, the Black orginators of some of their songs were getting ripped of and not getting their rightful royalities. In matter of fact, there are singers as of this day who are suing music moguls like Phil Spector for those reasons.

I do agree. Some White kids did like rap before Eninem came out, but the critics always found some kind of problem when Black rappers were doing most of the rapping in the days. Now, that Eninem is out, he has got nothing but praise and glory from media and other music critics. That is what some Black rapper complain about. They rap the same raps and they got dissed for what they rapped, but yet Eninem does the same thing and he is praised , in matter of factly they compared him to Bob Dylan and you know the many accolades he has gotten from past to present.Honestly, I'm not deeply in to rap( hip-hop). If I was a rapper and a white person admired what I was doing I wouldn't mind, but if the critics is going to praise one person for what you did, then they need to do every other rapper the same way regardless of their race.

Has no one noticed, whites don'y actually originate anything musicaly, artistically or culturally. The greatest innovators in every era have always been black people.

Every major shift in popular culture has been from black creativity. A good example is trainers, the current multibillion £ trend was started by urban youth from Jamaica in New York and London. The youth were wearing (addidas)tennis shoes and track suits on the street when other people only wore sports wear while actually engged in sport. Check some early photos of Bob Marley to see the look. Soon this rebel look was deemed cool by everybody.

Soon there was a feeding frenzy by all the major sport shoe manufacterers to churn out trainers by the truckload.

Not to get caught out, most major fashion houses and brand producers have style observers who go into black areas to see what blacks are wearing today so they can commercialise it tomorow.

Fred Asataire, Ginger Rogers, Elvis, Eminem, Rolling Stones,
Rocky,Eric Clapton, etc are all pale (literally) imitations of black essence, style, culture and virtuosity.

When was the last time a white person flattered you - well
since imitation is the highest form of flattery - whites have been flattering blacks for the longest time and will no doubt continue to do so.

@Mitchael

I hear what you are saying, there are a lot of white people who listen to Black music, however deep down they still hold prejudices about black people as a whole. There is a thread on the under 18's Forum addressing the issue its'White People trying to beg black'.

I wrote a piece in response to an articleI read in the Metro newspaper(last year)claiming Eminem to be the best rapper( a bit lenghty, but once I started couldn't stop). It basically sums it all up. I have pasted a copy underneath. (I alsoposted it on a thread also some time ago)

Dear Metro

I am writing in response to one of the questions presented to rapper Coolio in your article dated 12th June which was; "They say the best rapper is White and the best golfer is Black…what do you make of Eminem" In my opinion, Tiger Woods could rightfully be seen as the best golfer, because he has won consecutive games based on his own mastered skills and abilities to defeat his opponents through the rules of the game. However, although some may argue Eminem is a talented lyricist and a genuine rapper, I do not feel that he should rightfully be considered the ‘ best rapper’, as he has only been given such a title based on the fact that he is White and the number of his record sales, and not because he is the master of the art of Rap music.

Until Eminem was introduced to the Rap scene by fellow Black Rap Artist and Producer Dr. Dre, the majority of White/European people were unable to identify/understand Rap music and considered the music to be inferior because it was the only form of black music that a white artist had not been able to tap into. Although a very lame attempt to emulate Rap was made by the fake, manufactured, wanna be ‘White rapper’ Vanilla Ice, his success was short lived and ended after his first album. However now that White artist Eminiem is performing Rap music, White people are able to identify with it and it has now become an acceptable form of popular mainstream music. This attitude is far from new, Rock and Roll music was considered inferior ‘rebel music’ by White people, and banned from most radio stations in the U.S.A during the 1950’s simply because they could not identify with it. However when Elvis Presley took on the music, he was hailed the ‘King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’ and eventually given air play on all the radio stations. Over the years White performers/artists have been able to tap into all types of music of Black origins e.g. Jazz, Rock ‘n’ Roll (where Rock music derives from), Soul, Rhythm & Blues and Reggae which has formed the roots of pop music, and has been tailored and marketed to appeal to the White public.

Although I am not opposed to artists integrating their music, as it shows respect and appreciation towards each other’s cultures and styles, I do object when white artists are continuously given credit over their black contemporaries for performing music of Black origins. I find it unjust that at every music award ceremony Eminem is presented with numerous awards under various Rap categories (as if he is the only rap artist who exists), when more credible Black Rappers e.g. Ice Cube, LL Cool J, Busta Rhymes etc who pioneered the art of rap music and were established years before Eminem, have not been given the recognition for their work. I would also like to add the very people who make up the panel/public to vote to decide who receives these awards are predominately White, and have no concept of the art of Rap music and are not in the position to make judgment for such awards.

Although Eminem was initially produced by fellow Black Rap artist Dr. Dre (who obviously felt he had marketable talent from which he would profit from), he did not sign Eminem to his record label because he felt that he had exceptional talent over any of his black contemporaries, but as a means to bring to light a true representation of the American Social system. By this I mean, White people are commonly portrayed through the media in positive images e.g. ‘Up right’, ‘successful’ and ‘Middle Class’ however Black and other ethnic minority people are frequently depicted as ‘poor’, ‘deviant’, ‘unsuccessful’, ‘second class' citizens (reinforced sterotypes). Through his music Eminem expresses his experiences and influences coming from a socially disadvantaged background, and stands as an example that White people are also born to circumstances alike, of which is rarely represented in the system. I would like to add not all Black people come from socially deprived backgrounds, there are many Black people who are born into socially advantaged backgrounds, and irrespective of this go on to achieve successful, fulfilling lives. There have also been many Black people, both past and present who have contributed and been influential in the shaping of history and society, however much of this has been sidelined and hidden and Black history has been limited and documented mainly in relation to slavery and political challenge. As much as these areas will always be up held with pride as evidence of the suffering, endurance, and struggles of a race for civil liberty/rights, it need also be acknowledge that there is much more to Black culture and history, which is enriched in many areas including; the successful achievements of positive Black people.

Unfortunately, what it all boils down to are examples of racism, which has been embedded in White Westernised society for centuries and today is still evident and reflected in the superiority attitude of the White ruling class, i.e. the need to always be ‘the best’, ‘on top’, ‘in control’ of other races in all aspects . In order to enforce this, images of White people in such positions of ‘power’ or ' of higher standards/achievements' have been promoted through various means e.g. Media and the curiculum of the Education schooling system (institutionlised racism). It is about time that those who govern these bodies/institutes within society, let go of their insecurities,operate a just fair system, and give respect, recognition and credit to people of other races.

stupid white people-by michael moore

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White people buy the music to look cool.

They don't actually know what the hell rappers actually talk about, except for the gangster ones that don't actually say anything significant in there raps. Because they don't care enough about the black stuggle. Lyrics that talk about black issues would never be important to a white person.

You guys should know that many white people don't like to hear the word black music or accept that certain types of music are black originated. It's more than just Hip Hop and R 'n' B (I know you guys know this) but even in the early to mid 20th Century a whitejazz writer (i can't remember his name but he was written about in a U.S.A history book i read) claimed that jazz had nothing to do with blacks and named no black musicians. It is clear that jazz is at least partly a black originated music. If you do not believe that, then it is very highly influenced by blacks. Courtney Pine, a British jazz saxophonist, said in the freeMetro newspaper said the people called it 'urban music' because they (i think he meant the media) didn't want to call it 'black music' anymore.

Interestingly,the Hip Hop culture worldwide is carried on through white people. I don't mind this at all, as long as people know it's roots. In Europe,most DJs, rappers, breakdancers and graffiti artists are white. You only have to look at the World B Boy Championships on Trouble TV onDidgital TV (if you live in the U.K). There still is a significant blak presence of course but now there are loads of white people. Even in Britain, when i go to Kung Fu, a hip hop club, most people are white.One of my friends (whois white)said he hated the way(or found it annnoying when)all thepeopletried to act black. They probably did it suconciously. I don't think they genuinely wanted to BE black.

Does anyone know why over the last century, and maybe beyond,black people have influenced music SOOOO much in the Western World and even further?

You're right Blaze but I gotta tell ya.....I just watched a Documentary about "The Swinging 1960's" which I lived thru' and remember well and there was no Black influence in British Society whatsoever then.......some ppl admired Soul & Motown others liked Jazz & R&B....but they were only on the periphery and regarded as American Music.