| -- End Ad Box ---> | | | | an effort to diversify their business interests and |
| What’s the deal with so many white music | | | | increase their profits. |
| artists singing black music? Why do white artists | | | | Rap music was (finally) being fully embraced as a |
| who sing black music get better promotion than | | | | commercially viable genre and record companies |
| black artists? Why is R&B music now | | | | moved quickly to cash in on it. The appeal of low |
| synonymous with Hip-Hop? | | | | investments, and (potentially) high returns, |
| These are some of the hot topics that often | | | | constituted a major shift in business practices at |
| come up in private conversations with my | | | | record companies, and black music artists found |
| industry associates and colleagues. I will attempt | | | | themselves jockeying for position on the |
| to shed some much needed light on these | | | | revamped priority lists of their now predominantly |
| delicate, sensitive and somewhat controversial | | | | white music executives. After all, Rap was already |
| issues. | | | | achieving magical "underground" sales. |
| To really understand the phenomenon of white | | | | All the record companies needed to do was bring |
| music artists singing R&B, you should begin with | | | | it to the surface and supply their distribution and |
| an examination of the motivation and purpose | | | | marketing resources them. Since much of the |
| behind the establishment of black music | | | | music was already recorded, they could also |
| divisions at record companies in the | | | | circumvent many of the recording costs as well. |
| 60’s. While the success of Motown as a | | | | While the music industry made an overt and |
| black owned operation has been well-documented | | | | deliberate attempt to position itself to supply |
| and highly publicized, many of the competing | | | | what appeared to be an insatiable demand for |
| record labels of that time lacked the personnel to | | | | Rap music, it lost sight of the distinction between |
| adequately exploit the abundance of musically | | | | R&B music, and Rap music. |
| talented black teens. | | | | R&B music lovers helplessly watched as orders |
| White owned record companies shrewdly | | | | came down from white music executives to |
| appointed black music executives who were more | | | | incorporate elements of Rap music into R&B |
| in tune and in touch with black music (and the | | | | songs to make them more competitive with Rap, |
| black artists that created and performed it), to | | | | since Rap music artists posed a clear and tangible |
| help interface with them. This was, after all, a | | | | threat to the record sales of R&B music artists. |
| time when race relations were strained and | | | | At the time, Mariah Carey and Color Me Badd |
| tentative. | | | | were enjoying newfound stardom that came |
| Many record companies and radio stations took | | | | (once again) as a result of white music executives |
| note of the increasing popularity of R&B music | | | | pushing a novelty agenda of white music artists |
| among white teenagers and attempted to | | | | performing R&B music. Both of the |
| preserve racial barriers by denying them access | | | | aforementioned acts were initially viewed (by |
| to it. Their denial constituted a potential economic | | | | black audiences) as alternatives to their black |
| problem since the music industry (like most | | | | competitors (Whitney Houston and Boyz II Men |
| industries) thrives on supply and demand. Their | | | | respectively), but with such strong marketing and |
| solution: provide their darling teenaged kids with a | | | | promotional campaigns, both Mariah Carey and |
| "white" alternative; someone who "sounded" black | | | | Color Me Badd were able to establish their own |
| and performed "black" music, a la Elvis Presley, | | | | identity. |
| whose popularity was soaring. It wasn’t | | | | Today, the trend continues with white music |
| uncommon for records in that era often to have | | | | executives diligently marketing and promoting the |
| two different versions - a white version and a | | | | novelty agenda of white music artists such as |
| black version - which was serviced to the | | | | Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera, Joss |
| appropriate audience. | | | | Stone, Anastacia, etc. singing R&B. Some insiders |
| In the 70’s, the push toward equality and | | | | say that the music industry continues to |
| peace gave birth to a more gregarious and unified | | | | deliberately and intentionally find alternatives to |
| music industry. Top bands like Sly & The Family | | | | black music artists to service to white audiences |
| Stone, Tower of Power, Earth Wind & Fire, and | | | | such as Britney Spears, who was presented as |
| The Commodores emerged and enjoyed success | | | | an alternative to Janet Jackson, and Nelly Furtado, |
| throughout the 70’s, but many lacked | | | | who draws similarities to Erykah Badu, you decide. |
| crossover appeal and forced black music | | | | While some will argue that it’s not a simple |
| executives to search for other viable options in | | | | matter of black versus white since some of the |
| order to save their jobs. One option was Disco - | | | | aforementioned music artists are not "white" but |
| the hot novelty genre. | | | | are of different ethnicities or even part |
| Disco was more than a new genre; it was a | | | | black, the fact is that the widely held opinion in |
| cultural release from the lingering social anxieties | | | | the black community is that if you don’t |
| and racial tensions of the 60’s and | | | | look black (possessing obvious African American |
| emerged as the dominant format because of its | | | | features), then you are not. You are something |
| mass market appeal and universal acceptance. | | | | else other than black; and "white" becomes a |
| The music industry eventually sobered up from | | | | description of an unknown racial category. |
| the lecherous activities and rampant drug abuse | | | | The new business model of the music industry |
| of the disco era in 1979, just in time to endure | | | | has created new opportunities for black |
| the worst financial year of its existence. | | | | entrepreneurs, but many of them lack the |
| With slumping record sales and a gluttony of | | | | financial resources to take advantage of them. As |
| music acts that were signed to perform disco | | | | a result they are often forced to participate in the |
| songs, the R&B music community returned to its | | | | production of Rap music, or R&B music with Rap |
| soulful roots and searched desperately for an | | | | production as they try to manufacture or supply |
| answer to rectify the problems that plagued it. | | | | product and artists that will enable them to |
| The answer wasn’t written on the wall, | | | | embark upon partnerships and joint ventures with |
| but it was found in the album "Off The Wall" by | | | | the same record companies that dissolved their |
| Michael Jackson, which helped to transition R&B | | | | black music divisions in the first place. |
| music back into a more "Pop-friendly" format; a la | | | | History and research shows that the music |
| Motown. | | | | industry has continued to systematically reduce |
| While Michael captured the heart's and imaginations | | | | the role of the black music executive. Many of |
| of white America with his unhuman dance moves, | | | | those who remain are often relegated to the now |
| there were plenty of black music pioneers | | | | dispensable role of liaison, gatekeeper and |
| upholding the funky values and virtues of black | | | | hand-holder for troubled rap acts in this new |
| music as we we marched into the techno era of | | | | Hip-Hop era. A far cry from a time when they |
| the 80’s. R&B music seemed to undergo a | | | | were once responsible for finding, developing and |
| much needed resurgence. | | | | supporting premier black music artists who |
| The R&B bands of the 70’s started to | | | | created some of the greatest music that we now |
| downsize in personnel as more emphasis was | | | | view as the soundtrack to the this |
| being placed on solo acts (a la Michael Jackson) | | | | country’s history. |
| and vocal groups. For the R&B music artist, the | | | | Those songs are still the choice of middle-aged |
| advent of technology superseded the need to be | | | | Americans who tune into oldieradio stations across |
| backed up by a band, ushering in the producer era | | | | the country that have adopted "Classic Soul" as a |
| which R&B music is heavily predicated on today. | | | | new format. Where does that leave R&B music |
| It was also at this time that many record | | | | artists of today? They are left to compete or |
| companies began merging and restructuring | | | | join forces with rap artists since they have been |
| — a move that resulted in the loss of | | | | lumped into the same "Urban" or "Hip-Hop" music |
| hundreds of jobs for black music executives who | | | | category. |
| were worked in the black music divisions. | | | | The formulaic use of R&B to inject a commercial |
| Shortly thereafter, we witnessed the birth of | | | | element into Rap music has contributed |
| blue-eyed soul as white music artists who | | | | significantly to the fusion, and confusion regarding |
| were performing R&B music begun to receive | | | | the distinction of both genres. This can be traced |
| heavy and steady financial backing by their record | | | | back to the 80’s when R&B acts such as |
| labels. Hall & Oates enjoyed unprecedented | | | | Lakeside and Confunksion had huge hits with |
| success in the early and mid-80’s a litmus | | | | songs that incorporated Rap ("Fantastic Voyage," |
| test for the acceptance of white artists | | | | "Electric Lady," and "Square Biz"), R&B music |
| performing R&B under the guise of Pop music. | | | | embarked upon a trial marriage that turned out to |
| While Hall & Oates may have raised a few | | | | be a permanent one. |
| eyebrows in the R&B music community, eyes | | | | R&B is now used to bolster the talent level |
| were opened widely when George Michael, a | | | | perception, black audience appeal, and record sales |
| former member of Pop teen group Wham!, won | | | | of white music artists in every genre. Even |
| a Grammy for the best "black" album in 1989. It | | | | Country (a genre that is guarded by a closed-knit |
| was the first time in history that a white solo | | | | circle of protective white executives), borrows |
| music artist topped the R&B charts. The R&B | | | | heavily from R&B. |
| music community was outraged as veteran black | | | | Country is a genre that is ripe for infiltration by |
| music artists Freddie Jackson and Gladys Knight | | | | conventional R&B artists, but unlike R&B music - |
| denounced the political voting practices of the | | | | which has become a community genre with no |
| Academy that renders the nominations. | | | | one race retaining the inherent rights to perform |
| While the award was well-deserved in terms of | | | | it — the likelihood of that occurring is slim |
| record sales and radio airplay, the color lines of | | | | because of the unquestioned and unchallenged |
| who qualified as a "black" music artist had been | | | | exclusion of other races. |
| redefined. When the smoke cleared, the music | | | | The significant issue in white R&B music artists |
| industry in general, and R&B music community in | | | | versus black R&B music artists can be narrowed |
| particular, would both be changed forever. | | | | down to one question: who gets the greater |
| As we stood on the doorsteps of the | | | | commitment and promotion from their record |
| 90’s, more black music executives lost | | | | companies to service a larger audience of |
| their jobs as record companies continued the | | | | consumers? |
| trend of merging, restructuring and downsizing in | | | | |