The Case for Equitable Representation in Black Pop Music

The popular music distributed to, and consumed by, Black Americans is becoming increasingly toxic. Practically every modern song I listen to on the radio is negative and full of explicit content for no constructive or artistic reason. I love hip-hop and R&B, which are two of the most prominent genres in modern African American music. However, in the past two decades the lyrical content of these genres has become limited to only the most salacious and destructive topics. I do not want to take away from those who are currently benefiting from this status quo nor disparage those who feel like they are being represented. I am advocating for more equitable representation of Black culture in Black popular music.

Music marketed towards me, a 30 something year old African American male, is confined to three main genres - gospel, hip-hop, and R&B. Gospel music aside, the lyrical content of modern “Black” songs is limited. This is not an attack on modern Black popular music. It is an attack on the lack of alternative lyrical content in modern Black popular music. Other subcultures in the United States have music with less than savory lyrics, but they generally have sufficient mainstream alternatives. Conversely, the lyrical content in modern Black popular music predominantly focuses on materialism, consumerism, violence, misogyny, adultery, promiscuity, and failed relationships.

While consumers and artists play a role in determining what is popular, the major companies in the music industry are chiefly responsible. They are overly incentivizing artists who produce certain lyrical content, and prioritizing its distribution to consumers. These companies make intentional investment decisions to exclusively record, produce, distribute, and promote music which paints a very niche picture of the Black experience.

There are artists creating songs with the content that I feel is missing, and there is a market. The industry giants, however, are not equitably investing in artists who create music that reflects their reality and deviates from mainstream ideals. Electing to promote music that is popular yet sending a singular message is a profitable business decision, but it has detrimental long term cultural impacts. The gatekeepers of the industry are over feeding consumers salacious and destructive content. I get it, I enjoy this music occasionally too, but I would prefer it in moderation. It’s like junk food. Sure it’s delicious, but it’s devoid of nutrition. The music is provocative, and it “gets the people going,” but it has also become increasingly devoid of substance.

Music plays a critical role in shaping culture. Marian Wright Edelman, founder and president emerita of the Children’s Defense Fund is quoted saying, “You can’t be what you can’t see.” Black culture is being misrepresented in Black popular music, and I am concerned about what we are normalizing. To start fixing this, the industry should promote and distribute more music that does not require a parental advisory sticker. The industry should invest in the artists producing more positive lyrical content, and they should include more of those songs into the cannon of what’s considered Black popular music. I am tired of feeling like I have to listen to my parents’ music to hear uplifting black music.