Why do black artists always steal white muscians lyrics and riffs?

Question

Can they not think of new ones on their own. What is the reasoning behind this?

Answer 1

Well, let's see if it all balances out here. Jazz is a pure American Musical Art Form created by blacks. White musicians borrowed heavily from the genre. Big band music had it's roots in black music coming out of New Orleans. Likewise, blues was a pure American Art Form that was given birth by blacks and white musicians borrowed heavily from blues. Rock And Roll was born out of borrowed elements of black music.

The one thing white musicians can claim that was borrowed from them, believe it or not, is rap. The one and only Robert Zimmerman (you might know him as Bob Dylan) created the genre himself through his early 'talking' songs. Songs like 'Subterranean Homesick Blues' in which he doesn't really sing but fast talks through the lyrics of the poem. Listen to that song. It, and a dozen or so more by Dylan, were America's first rap songs.

(And your wording of your question, where you state 'always steal', strongly suggests that you have racist issues that you really need to deal with. There is a world of difference between 'always' and 'sometimes' and how they are used. By saying 'always' you are implying that all black musicians steal lyrics and music from whites. Are you suggesting that brilliant black composers and song writers like Quincy Jones and Stevie Wonder also steal?)

Answer 2

1.) Rappers are not the only black musicians making music today. Even if this were so, I don't think a lot of rap culls its beats from the works of white musicians. I don't listen to mainstream music so the most recent examples I can think of are members of Aerosmith working with Nelly or some country singer working with Nelly. Maybe your perception of black music is limited to people like Nelly. Additionally, the only incident of theft I can recall involving a rapper and a white artist is when Vanilla Ice, a white guy, used the beat from "Under Pressure," without compensating David Bowie for it.

2.) The history of American music completely contradicts the subjective grounds of your question. Spirituals, Gospel, Blues, Jazz, R&B, Rock, and Rap were all created by African-Americans. African slaves, working from the memory of their native instruments, invented the banjo so Bluegrass and Country music owe some of their existence to black people too.

3.) As a classically trained musician, I believe that music is our human birthright and that no type of music is off limits to any other ethnic group or class. However, it's always sad to see art cheapened and exploited. Here again, American history does not support the idea of black artists "always steal[ing]" anything from white artists. Rather, it is the other way around. Moreover, there is a very unfortunate history of white record company executives stealing royalties from black singers and songwriters. Even Atlantic records had to come to terms with twenty years of back royalties it owed the early black performers who helped create the company!

4.) Some people find sampling unimaginative and some people think that using the music of others in a new context is a creative exercise. Either way, it's not stealing if the proper compensation is given to the sampled artist.

Answer 3

to make up for all those years in the 50s and early 60s when "race music" wasn't promoted by racist record company executives, and Pat Boone stole all Fats Domino's songs and re-made them, and Elvis stole every black bluesman's stuff he ever heard in Mississippi, and so on. Stealing lyrics, riffs and styles in the name of adaptation has been going on since music began, enjoy the cross-pollination.

Answer 4

Its the other way around. Blues, Jazz, Rock n Roll, Soul, Funk, Disco, Reggae, Dub, Rap, House, Techno, all were started by black musicians an then copied by whites. Only country and folk have been white music and they remain so, I haven't seen many black people copying them.

Answer 5

For the same reason every other race and culture has stolen from each other. Of course I've always thought that there was a C missing in the spelling of rap.......It should have a special bin in music stores....C-RAP! But that's just my opinion...any music that calls women ho's and cultures- ******, needs an education! OK so now your mad...well dude if I pay $16.99 for a CD and they use the word ******...thanks for that $16.99 investment and allowing me to use the word....what does this ? have to do with art?

Answer 6

Ummm...it is usually the other way around....think Pat Boone...Elvis Presley, etc...Blacks are the reason that we have the music that we listen to today.

Answer 7

Why do white artists do the same? And what does that have to do with painting?

Answer 8

HEY LOOK AT THE FLIP SIDE A LOT OF ROCK AND ROLL CAME FROM THE BLUES. EVERY GENERATION WILL COME UP WITH DIFFERENT SOUNDS AND BEATS SO WHY NOT KEEP OLD CLASSICS ALIVE.

Answer 9

I think you got it all wrong. It's the other way around. Study your music history.

Answer 10

Carefull,,,,,
Your gonna get Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson on you.
but I kinda have wondered that, just a little. Not in a racist way, just.... ya know.