Tuesday 13 September 2016

Notes on Music Genre Research: Rhythm and Blues

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Commonly known as RnB this genre has two origins from American history: the black slave community where the large Christian body of Afro American slaves would bonds together over prayer and prayer like songs. The common 'call and response' that's so prominent in Protestant America is something RnB uses in it's style. The second origin is from the black workers of Chain gangs. To avoid punishment for protesting they would sing songs of protest in Black Afro American English aka Abonics. These two origins of black labours singing songs of protest to regular society.
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The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings targeted mainly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a heavy, insistent beat" was becoming more popular. In the commercial rhythm and blues music typical of the 1950's through the 1970's, the bands usually consisted of piano, one or two guitars, bass, drums, saxophone, and sometimes background vocalists. R&B lyrical themes often encapsulate the African-American experience of pain and the quest for freedom and joy. Lyrics focus heavily on the themes of triumphs and failures in terms of relationships, freedom, economics, aspirations, and sex.
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Mese en Scene
- low light
- black performers
- guitars and drums
- Conspicous Consumption (excessive showing of wealth and power)
- Status driven
- "Bling Culture"


Stars
- Beyonce
- Kanye
- Jay Z
- Puff Daddy

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