Artists to recognize for Black History Month

By Camilla Bartholomew

Music Journalist

It’s Black History Month, which means this is a time for recognizing the success, struggles and resilience of the African American community. Listening to Black artists and diversifying your daily mix of music is a terrific way to begin engaging with the movement! There are many musicians to pay tribute to and I urge you to continue finding artists that are compatible with your music taste. But for now, here are a few recommendations to get you started.

Liberated/Music For the Movement Vol. 3

If you would prefer listening to an EP with a mix of artists, this is a great EP to try out. It’s a short twenty-minute listen and is a celebration of Black America. It contains rap, R&B, jazz and even spoken word poetry, encapsulating the wide range of Black artistic expression.

Marvin Gaye

“What’s Going On” is a track I keep turning back to repeatedly. It is a cry for help amidst the tumultuous time of the Vietnam War, but Gaye persuades us that the way forward is through love as opposed to violence with the lyrics “You see, war is not the answer / For only love can conquer hate.”

Billie Holiday

I can distinctly remember the first time I heard “Strange Fruit.” It was in a classroom setting and after the track played, I recall sitting in stark silence. A somberness had settled over the room, leaving us nothing to say. Through her lyricism, Holiday paints a disturbing picture of a lynching in the South. It is a song to sit with and reflect on our country’s bitter history.

Childish Gambino

“This Is America” is a song and music video that continues to shock me to my core. The way Gambino artistically expresses the contradictions of living in the United States as a Black person is not like anything I have seen before. It’s no wonder Glover won Record of the Year, Best Music Video, and Song of the Year at the 2019 Grammys. “This Is America” was the first rap song ever to win Song of the Year.

Anderson .Paak

“Lockdown” is a single Anderson .Paak released in 2020 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and Black Lives Matter movement. The song was written during a confusing time, and Anderson .Paak addresses the interplay of protests and quarantine. It is reminiscent of Gaye’s “What’s Going On” in how it’s a result of a unique time in history.

Beyoncé

Of course, the queen herself must be addressed in this article. Beyoncé is a Black female powerhouse and holds the most Grammy nominations and wins to date. “Freedom (feat. Kendrick Lamar)” is a song addressing women’s issues and institutional racism on her Lemonade album. Beyoncé continues to prove her strength as a Black artist and with her recent “Renaissance World Tour” continues to run the world.