I Am That One Black Kid
I spotted this cartoon over at Racialicious. It was drawn by Keith Knight of the K Chronicles, and I immediately identified with it, especially with the third panel, and the one immediately under it. Except where I come from, it’s not just about not being into hip hop. It’s also about not being into soca, reggae, and dancehall. And if you’re not totally immersed in those genres, you might be considered an “oreo.” Yes, that word has been used to describe me in years past. And I love the cookies, but I hate the insinuation.
Listening to alternative forms of music besides the genre you were bred to love, doesn’t make you any less or more anything. (neither does speaking properly, wearing funky outfits, or being studious).
I’ve always had diverse musical influences. I grew up listening to classic country because of my dad — Willie Nelson was on regular rotation in my house when I was a three year old. When I was little, like nine or ten, I’d sneak downstairs after bedtime to watch Headbanger’s Ball on MTV. (This is pre-cable. For my Trinis, this was back in the days when TTT channel 13 and 14 would switch over to MTV late at night. Anyone remember that?)
In high school, besides listening to the expected calypso, reggae, and hip hop; I was also a total grungehead (complete with a Soundgarden calendar in my bedroom), who wept when Kurt Cobain died, and was totally obsessed with jazz age crooners, Sixties psychedelia, Stevie Wonder, Simon and Garfunkel and The Beatles. Musically speaking, I did not fit in with most of my peer group, and I’m quite sure lots of my classmates thought I was pretty weird. But you know what? I’m old enough now to realize that being “weird” has a way of working itself out. Being weird is cool, and it’s ok, and maybe, just maybe, the people who make you feel weird about being weird are in fact the weirdos. So think about that for a second and let your freak flag fly, high school weirdos! One day, you will rule the world.
The diversity of my musical taste continues to pay off in mysterious ways. In fact, one day you might just see your girl appear one one of those musical trivia shows like The World Series of Pop Culture. I think I’m that good. Just last week, I helped my brother answer a random Eighties trivia question when he called me up, all tipsy at his favorite bar. (The question was, who sang “Sunglasses at Night?” Click here for the right answer).
Once, in college a perpetual super senior kind-of acquainta-friend who had a crush on a major rap star with a taste for eccentric fashion, was going to meet up with him at a hotel on South Beach. She wanted to impress him, so she paid me money to make her the perfect mix CD to impress said rapper with. Through helping her pick songs, I realized that a.) she had never heard of Simon and Garfunkle. Or Paul Simon, even. And FYI, Paul Simon is amazing. Click here for a beautiful live version of Under African Skies with Miriam Makeba. And b.) She thought Billie Holiday was a man. This was no green teenager, homegirl was at least twenty five at the time. And she’d never heard a Billie Holiday song in her life. I played Good Morning Heartache for her, and she recognized it from Old Dirty Bastard’s cover version. (which for the record, I also enjoy). But still, damn. It’s BILLIE. You gotta feel her.
Making the CD with her made me sad. There are some people who just don’t really love music, they don’t feel it inside of them when they hear a special song. They’d rather watch TV than listen to a CD, they’d prefer to go to a movie rather than a concert. I never could understand that. I’ve always been totally musically obsessed, I need it like oxygen, and I’m always listening out for something fresh and new and alive, that makes me want to rattle my speakers. 7 times out of 10 it might be, but if it isn’t a reggae, hip hop, or R&B song, that’s cool too. I think having an open and widespread musical knowledge goes hand in hand with generally being a well-rounded person. So if you don’t listen to much besides the quote-unquote urban genres, explore our shared musical history and listen to some jazz, or feel the blues. Or try something new with me today. We’re gonna go a little out there, but trust me, it’ll be cool.
One of my new favorite speaker-rattlers is by the White Stripes. I think Jack White is a genius. (and yes, I’m aware that he’s dissed hip hop. For the record, I don’t think that makes him a racist. He’s a big fan of Son House, and I don’t think anyone who loves the blues as much as he does could then be racist. Just my opinion.)
I love the White Stripes’ style, the simple urgency of their sound, their inspired covers of ancient blues and country classics, and the fact that they basically wear the colors of the Trinidadian flag as their uniform. I’ve been a fan since White Blood Cells and I’m seriously looking forward to copping their new album. If the title track’s any indication, it’s going to be awesome.
They take a strong political stance in “Icky Thump”, and I can’t help but applaud it. “White Americans, what? Nothing better to do? Why don’t you kick yourself out, you’re an immigrant too! Who’s using who? What should we do? Well you can’t be a pimp and a prostitute, too.” Oooh, Lou Dobbs ain’t gonna like that one bit. But I love when a band expresses a view on issues. I’m feeling the thump. Hope you do too.
This goes out to that one black kid, or that one outsider who doesn’t feel like they fit into what they’re expected to fit into. Be who you are and don’t let external pressure change you. There are more of us than you may think!
Happy Friday, everyone!
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*sigh* I feel like I have found my real people! Group hug!
Seriously, I was that one Black kid… listening to ZZ Top, Aerosmith, Zepplin, The Doors, Fleetwood Mac, Janis Joplin, but then switching it up and jammin’ to some Stevie, Lutha, Aretha, Marvin, Prince, MJ, JJ… all the greats. Duran Duran was my fave group of the 80′s and Bon Jovi still makes me smile when I hear the opening strains of “Wanted Dead or Alive”. Metallica is always on heavy rotation in my iPod and “The Unforgiven” is the story of my life. “Fancy” by Reba McIntyre is one of the best songs ever, and The Judds will live on forever in “The Good Old Days”.
I love music… life to me is a song, but the melody changes with each beat of a heart. So many songs from so many genre’s have defined moments in my life, that I would be remiss to say that there is any one genre that I don’t listen to (well, I don’t like death metal, but meh). Music is so much more than words over a melody or a hook… music is alive
I read that same comic strip on Racialicious also. I was that one black kid. I went to a school in a small Louisiana town that was split down the middle race wise. I was seen as weird by my black counterparts because I was not into the same things they were. I remember really being into Weezer, Green Day, and Oasis. My first big Hollywood crush was Ewan McGregor after I saw him in Trainspotting and Velvet Goldmine. I was always seen as weird since junior high. It has changed some but I still get treated like I am not a “real” black women because of some of the choices I make.
Wow! What a timely post. It’s 2pm EST and I’m still high after completing my regular morning run today to my newest classic rock mix. (I swear – running to The Eagles “Hotel California” or Aerosmith’s “Dream On” feels a lot like flying!)I am a lover of everything from old school country music (Alabama, The Oak Ridge Boys) to Motown-era R&B to pop. Variety really broadens one’s horizons. When I think about young kids these days and some of the crap they are led to believe is music, I actually pity them. They don’t know how deprived they are.
I have totally been there sista…I also have and ear for all types of music. Recently at a work function we were asked to tell the type of music or artist that we liked the most (seemingly to expose that white like “white music” and black people like “black music”). When it was my turn I truly could not pick just one. I said that I liked all kinds of music. When the instructor threw out the country music card, he was sure that I would say “every thing but country”. I think I shocked him, and based on the eye rolls of the black females in the room (who have taken to ostracizing me)…I threw him for a loop. I like good music and if it is telling a story that is true and saying something with value and meaning, then I can vibe to it. Thanks for the great blog…Keep it up.
All I can say is, “Me too!”
so glad to hear about others that grew up just like me. it was definitely a learning experience when i lived in all-white rural tennessee and whites tellin me my hair wasn’t hair, but actually fur, or tellin racist jokes about my skin color bein a mistake. then, i finally move to predominantly-black new orleans and have to deal with black kids callin me “white” cuz i played soccer, spoke correct english, and listened to pearl jam. (apparently, growing up on prince, anita baker, jeffrey osborne, and al green, etc. wasn’t black enough). i’m proud of who i am now, but i definitely don’t miss bein the butt of every ignorant person’s jokes. why do black people make it so much harder on each other?
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