General Music Chat

I was watching TV and Eminem came on and as I was watching I started wondering if he's the only white star rapper ever? I don't follow rap, not into it really, but I've seen numerous rap artists on Letterman and Leno and on various TV shows and I honestly can't remember another white rap star. And then I started thinking that I don't recall a black star country artist other than Charlie Pride. I know Hootie recently had some success on the Country charts, but other than that I don't recall any black Country performers. Ray Charles may have had a few crossover songs appear on the Country Billboard charts. For that matter has there ever been a black female Country star? Has there ever been a black group, male or female, that ever had a single on the Country charts? Has there ever been a white female rap star? I don't like to get into race as an issue in music but there's obviously issues of both race and sexism in the music industry. Kind of sad really...

I was watching TV and Eminem came on and as I was watching I started wondering if he's the only white star rapper ever? I don't follow rap, not into it really, but I've seen numerous rap artists on Letterman and Leno and on various TV shows and I honestly can't remember another white rap star. And then I started thinking that I don't recall a black star country artist other than Charlie Pride. I know Hootie recently had some success on the Country charts, but other than that I don't recall any black Country performers. Ray Charles may have had a few crossover songs appear on the Country Billboard charts. For that matter has there ever been a black female Country star? Has there ever been a black group, male or female, that ever had a single on the Country charts? Has there ever been a white female rap star? I don't like to get into race as an issue in music but there's obviously issues of both race and sexism in the music industry. Kind of sad really...

White Female Rappers = Deborah Harry, Sarai, Princess Superstar
White Male Rappers = Vanilla Ice, Beastie Boys, Snow
Black Country Artists = Uh, I got nuthin'. Funny how a musical style associated with Dixie isn't embraced by blacks, huh?
But, there's Black Punk & Metal, Female Punk & Metal

Cowboy Roy, Charlie Pride, Ray Charles (yes, you read that right).

I guess I should have read the whole post...sorry.

Cowboy Troy is a black country... um... star. Well, he won Nashville Star, I think.

We've been talking for decades about erasing racial and sex barriers but for the most part the barriers still exist in the music business...

The barriers are created by the audience (fans) not the business. If there was suddenly a demand for black country singers there would be an ample supply.

BTW, Tina Weymouth (Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club) is a white female rapper, although in a snarky New York style. Go find "Wordy Rappinghood" (1981) in the Tube.

The barriers are created by the audience (fans) not the business. If there was suddenly a demand for black country singers there would be an ample supply.

BTW, Tina Weymouth (Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club) is a white female rapper, although in a snarky New York style. Go find "Wordy Rappinghood" (1981) in the Tube.

The question is why isn't there a demand for black country singers? I disagree that the business does not create the barrier. What is right now THE most important factor in making it in a mainstream music genre? Is it the music, the caliber of one's voice, or is it the IMAGE of the artist? How many fat, ugly women do you see making it big in any mainstream genre today? If somebody has an incredible voice and writes incredible tunes and they are downright ugly or the wrong color, then the BUSINESS decides who makes it and who doesn't make it. Music isn't music any more. It's first and foremost about having a SALEABLE image and that is controlled by those who have the power to control it. We are continually being bombarded by "new faces" because the BUSINESS is banking on those "new faces" driving sales. I think the majority of fans out there are sophisticated enough to buy music that is redeeming regardless of the "new faces." The business creates the barriers, not the fans, IMO. If the BUSINESS was truly "sex blind, ugly blind, and color blind" we'd have a helluva lot more variety of people in every genre of music.

I was watching TV and Eminem came on and as I was watching I started wondering if he's the only white star rapper ever? I don't follow rap, not into it really, but I've seen numerous rap artists on Letterman and Leno and on various TV shows and I honestly can't remember another white rap star. And then I started thinking that I don't recall a black star country artist other than Charlie Pride. I know Hootie recently had some success on the Country charts, but other than that I don't recall any black Country performers. Ray Charles may have had a few crossover songs appear on the Country Billboard charts. For that matter has there ever been a black female Country star? Has there ever been a black group, male or female, that ever had a single on the Country charts? Has there ever been a white female rap star? I don't like to get into race as an issue in music but there's obviously issues of both race and sexism in the music industry. Kind of sad really...

There was a Black country singer on Mike Huckabee's show. I don't remember his name but he was quite good.

THis ain't him I don't think but he is a black country singer...At least he has the look

http://new.music.yahoo.com/cowboy-troy/ ... --44171397

White rappers:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_in_hip_hop

THere is probably a considerable amount of talent in non-traditional musical genres, afterall how many blacks are in classical music? Thousands. I am planning to take a few jazz lessons from a very talented jazz player and teacher who is Japanese.

How many fat, ugly women do you see making it big in any mainstream genre today?

Again, Bob, this bias is the result of the audience's desires. True, thin, young, beautiful people have a better chance because the visual aspects of music are as important as the music now. But it's because this is what the mainstream audiences want and expect. For example, the band Romeo Void should have been a much bigger band, but it's only because the record execs found the singer's portly dimensions unmarketable. Go find the video "Never Say Never" and listen to her incredible voice and delivery.

Darius Rucker (?) that guy from Hootie & The Blowfish, does country now, & he has quite a following.

Fred Dirsch (?) did some rappy stuff.

I actually think that the industry isn't holding anyone back, as far as the racial aspect goes. In part, I believe that it's more of a subcultural thing. Blacks don't gravitate to country, cuz most blacks don't prefer it. Same goes for whites in rap, but to a much lesser degree. Lots of white kids listen to it, & I'd bet that there are far more white rapperists than there are black country artists. Like goes with like in the entertainment world. Ppl prefer to attract their own kind, in many many ways.

Imho, the black culture has been at the forefront of most musical advances in this country, & the whites follow. It happened in blues, jazz, r & r, & now, rap. Country music has never really been at the forefront of any real musical advances. In fact, it has tried its very best to "hold to the old ways," but, as we all have noticed, even country succumbed to the lure of the blues, r & r, & even rap & jazz. The older country styles of guitar picking have been dropped, which were FAR more advanced than the modern approach, & I think it's a damned shame.

As far as the "pretty-looks making it over those with plainer attributes," well, televised showing of those artists have ruined the music biz, in that respect. Ppl, as a rule, want to emulate the pretty ppl over the plain. A gorgeous average singer will be flocked to over a plain better singer every time, because we, as human animals, gravitate to the pretty. I doubt that it has that much to do with our being a "shallow culture," or anything. It's human nature, mpre than anything else.

"Cats have been known to piss on or near fire hydrants for years, sad when they just wanna stay in the box" KradleKap

Bob the problem is you’re forcing a round peg into a square hole. Country music is strongly associated with conservative America, you might as well be asking why aren’t there more black republicans? The business doesn’t need a barrier, because it’s not even relevant. Why aren’t there more blacks musicians in Polka music? Why isn’t their more black musicians in Celtic folk music? For that matter, why isn’t there more poor musicians in classical music?

If it’s promoted enough it sells, blame the consumer. If image wasn’t necessary for the public to buy it, I don’t believe for a second that they wouldn’t take all that money they spend towards promotion and just pocket it instead. So all things being equal, it’s the public who demands the eye candy and fluff.

The biggest problem any musician now is there are literally billions of songs available at the click of a mouse. Still not enough variety? Anyone can make a recording and distribute it within a few minutes over the internet. When I was growing up the only way to become a musical artists was through a major label, recording studio and radio play. The industry that you are speaking of is making antiques. I haven’t heard or saw anything mainstream in a couple of days. I get my music and news off the internet and I have hundreds of available outlets to get it from.

The first rap song was sung by a white woman.

The problem with the media is they are so so far behind the people. And the reason they're so far behind the people is because of the people. It's a double-edged sword. They need to make money, and I understand that. I was on a mostly African-American board talking about the lack of support for black artists doing rock and I caught so much flack that I had to leave. Then sometimes white consumers think that because you're of color that you're going to be singing about issues that they can't relate to, so they don't give you the time of day either.

There are many white artists out there doing rap, I've run into them from time to time, but unless they have something spectacular to bring to the table, the industry isn't going to pay any attention to them. Many of them were just ho-hum rappers, which isn't a racist statement on my part, because I find a lot of people regardless of their race, black too, that are ho-hum rappers. I'm really over rap and I don't care for a lot of it because no one's talking about anything worth hearing about.

I listen to mostly non-mainstream artists and when I play them, people beg to know who they are and why aren't they out there. I've always been a step way ahead of the mainstream.

For instance, I was into Middle Eastern Rai music back in the early 90s and I was listening to Khaled before his music was featured in the movie, "The Fifth Element." When I played his CD at a party once, I had a bunch of people come up to me after begging to know who it was because his song wasn't included on the soundtrack for the movie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEGDMP0BP8g

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIW8Ioi- ... re=related

I dig Matisyahu, he's a Jewish Rapper - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ooox5aUHBdE

I no longer care what the mainstream is doing anymore. They're grappling at straws right now trying to find a way to keep their standard of life, but are losing.

Just search the net, there are some incredible artists out there, and these people have a following.

Chaeya