Rethinking ‘Black Music’?

In an interview with Red Bull Music Academy, the oft-cited progenitor of “neo-soul,” D’Angelo, rebuffed the industry’s attribution of the sub-genre to his music. The singer suggested that he simply makes “black music.” This course asks students to reflect on two guiding questions: 1) What is black music? 2) What does black music do? We will use an undisciplined approach to black sonic cultures that includes material from black studies, cultural studies, and history. Each class will consist of deep listening to an album and robust discussions. Assigned readings will equip students to note the historical and contemporary conditions that shape the formation and reception of black music by critics and general audiences. Rather than trying to uncover the meanings intended by artists, students will consider what their art does relative to the social climate in which they emerge.