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Public Enemy, a revolutionary hip-hop group, released the song “Fight the Power” in 1989 as a powerful critique of institutional racism and police brutality. The song served as a call to action, urging young people to recognize the urgency of fighting for change.

Its message was fueled by widespread outrage over racial injustice, particularly the Howard Beach Hate Crime on December 20, 1986. In this tragic event, three Black men were attacked by a group of white teenagers shouting racial slurs. One victim lost his life, while the two survivors were denied medical assistance and treated as perpetrators by Queens police, deepening distrust in law enforcement.

Sources:

https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/public-enemy-fight-the-power-song-feature/

https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/howard-beach-incident-1986/

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Public Enemy - Fight The Power (Official Music Video)

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Segregation under Jim Crow Laws In Music Venues

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Segregation under Jim Crow Laws In Music Venues

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In the 1950s, Jim Crow laws began to be enforced more strictly, and live music venues were forced to comply. Many would be designated as white-only or black-only, but others would simply divide the seating in some way, whether that be with a rope down the middle of the room, or by separating white- and black- people between the floor seats and balcony seats.

Police would ensure that this segregation was enforced, not just in the case of black people entering white venues or white-specific areas, but also the other way around, ensuring white people weren't associating with black people in black-only venues.

The Rope: The Forgotten History of Segregated Rock & Roll Concerts, Rolling Stone Magazine: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/the-rope-the-forgotten-history-of-segregated-rock-roll-concerts-126235/

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Artist Discrimination under Jim Crow Laws

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Artist Discrimination under Jim Crow Laws

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Black artists would often be told "they were to make eye contact with only the black fans" or else they'd be arrested by police within the venues. Audiences and venue staff would also sometimes be surprised at the race of an artist, and be surprised, disappointed, or outright angry upon learning an artist is black. The Coasters were subject to this, when they arrived at a show in Utah and were met by a promoter expecting a white band - they were chased off the premises and didn't end up performing.

source:

The Rope: The Forgotten History of Segregated Rock & Roll Concerts, Rolling Stone Magazine: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/the-rope-the-forgotten-history-of-segregated-rock-roll-concerts-126235/

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Today, artists are still discriminated against for the colour of their skin, albeit not for the same reasons as in the 50s. UK Drill artists have been subject to Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs) that demand artists inform the police when they plan to do a live performance. Not doing so is a criminal offense and can result in them being shut down.

Police are able to exert undue force on some UK Drill groups because of their designation as gangs or being subject to CBOs - like in the image above, where the drill artist Balistic filming a music video was interrupted by "three armed police officers, ...clutching their machine guns and shouting at [him] and his entourage of teenage boys" (Fatsis 2019, p. 1303-1304).

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One well known example of artists using their music for protest is that of Nina Simone, who switched record labels from the American-owned Colpix Records to the Dutch-owned Philips Records. Her first release with Philips was also her first civil-rights albums, wherein many of the songs touched on topical issues of the time including racial inequity and Jim Crow Laws.

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Old Jim Crow (Live At Carnegie Hall, New York, 1964)

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N.W.A.’s debut album Straight Outta Compton (1988) is a groundbreaking protest against police brutality and racial injustice. One of the album’s most controversial tracks, "F*** tha Police," became a song of resistance, directly calling out racial profiling and police misconduct. The song’s bold critique led to widespread backlash, including a warning letter from the FBI for allegedly inciting violence against law enforcers and a ban from publicly broadcast radio stations. Despite censorship, the track resonated across the nation, inspiring marginalized communities to challenge law enforcement abuses.

Sources:

https://ncac.org/news/blog/straight-outta-comptons-censorship-lesson

https://pmamagazine.org/comptons-finest-n-w-a-s-explosive-debut-and-its-impact-on-music-and-society/

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James Van Der Zee (1886–1983) used photography to redefine Black identity, capturing the pride and elegance of middle-class African American families. During the Harlem Renaissance, Harlem thrived as a cultural hub of Black-owned newspapers, music labels, and nightclubs. Van Der Zee’s portraits reflected this period, showcasing ambition, fashion style, and creativity.

By shaping their own image, Black artists, writers, and activists laid the groundwork for the Civil Rights Movement. Van Der Zee’s work remains a powerful testament to representation as a form of power.

Sources:

https://www.biography.com/artists/james-van-der-zee

https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/new-african-american-identity-harlem-

renaissance#:~:text=Most%20importantly%2C%20the%20Harlem%20Renaissance,of%20the%201950s%20and%201960s

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James Brown - Say It Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud)

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James Brown - Say It Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud)

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James Brown released Say It Loud (I’m Black and I’m Proud) in August 1968, just a few months after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. King’s death had a profound impact on many people, sparking more activism and reflection within the Black community.

The song itself challenged colourism, especially the preference for lighter skin, which was often seen within the Black community. Brown wanted the song to empower people, particularly children, by letting them hear a message of pride in their Black identity. He believed that children listening to the song would grow up understanding their worth and feeling proud of who they are. It serves as a powerful statement of pride, strength, and unity for the Black community.

Sources:

https://www.wbur.org/radioboston/2018/07/24/james-brown-black-pride

https://naacp.org/find-resources/history-explained/civil-rights-leaders/martin-luther-king-jr#:~:text=No%20figure%20is%20more%20closely,Nobel%20Peace%20Prize%20in%201964

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Say It Loud - I'm Black And I'm Proud (Pts.1 & 2)

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According to Tom Taylor from Far Out Magazine, "When Simone heard of the appalling atrocities of the racially motivated murders of Emmett Till and Medgar Evers in Mississippi, as we all knew as the killing of four black children in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, she set about a soulful entreaty that probed at the problem. Simone grabbed her notebook, sat at her piano and penned the song in an outpouring of grief that took no more than 20 minutes for her to write."

Dutch label Philips Records put out the record in 1964, but the song was banned from a lot of radio stations in Alabama, Tennessee and Mississippi as well. The song was not recieved well.

Source: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-story-of-nina-simones-protest-anthem-that-was-banned-by-southern-radio/

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When black artists were allowed to perform by venues, they'd often be subject to lukewarm reception from white audiences, like you can see in this video of Frankie Lymon performing "Little Bitty Pretty One" in 1960.

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The Soundtrack to the Civil Rights Movement

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The Soundtrack to the Civil Rights Movement

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At the Berlin Jazz Festival, MLK Jr. addressed the audience saying "Jazz speaks for life. The Blues tell the story of life's difficulties - and, if you think for a moment, you realize that they take the hardest realities of life and put them into music, only to come out with some new hope or sense of triumph. This is triumphant music."

The songs of this time reflected on the struggles of black people, often in a way personal to the artist themselves, but reflect broader attitudes towards the civil rights movement - much like Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come."

Source:

Music's Voice in the American Civil Rights Movement, The Great American Songbook Foundation: https://thesongbook.org/about/news-media/the-songbook-blog-items/musics-voice-in-the-american-civil-rights-movement/

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Sam Cooke - A Change Is Gonna Come (Official Lyric Video)

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mississippi goddam

everybody knows

alabama memphis

everybody knows

knows knows about it goddam

everybody knows

minneapolis louisville

everybody knows

babylon harlem’s kent

everybody knows

how the bass walks

how the dandy shops

how the popper pops

everybody knows

no crystal stair

nor Beloved’s prayer

everybody

everybody

everybody knows

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Chicago (17th ed.)—

everybody knows;

indent your paragraphs—

everybody knows.

Proper grammar;

concise, don't stammer;

golden hammer . . .

[everybody knows].

give explanations

provide citations

everybody

everybody

everybody knows

geertz hall simone

everybody knows

what i’m trying to say

everybody—yes you!

knows knows knows about it

GODDAM!

the whole world—

our whole world—

my whole world

everybody

everybody

everybody

knows

‘cuz “man, if you gotta ask

you’ll never know”

–Lem

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1964 Shifted from Colpix Records (American, New york label, 1958-1963) to Philips Records (Dutch-owned Mercury Records)

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1964 Shifted from Colpix Records (American, New york label, 1958-1963) to Philips Records (Dutch-owned Mercury Records)

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First LP “In Concert” released since being signed signals Nina’s stand for freedom and justice for all

Made her a pioneer and inspirational leader in the U.S Civil Rights Movement

“Mississippi Goddam” was banned throughout the South

This continued with recordings for Philips like “Four Women” and Strange Fruit

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https://finance.yahoo.com/news/5-years-industry-tlc-had-171634141.html?guccounter=1

Despite huge success making an estimate $175M they only made 1%. IN 1995b they filed chapter 11 bankruptcy after accumulating mounds of debt which is believed to be the result of their contract with LaFace and Pebbitone.

According to a 1996 report from The Los Angeles Times, TLC’s initial contract stated the group would earn about 7% of every album sold. Conversely, that earning was impacted by reimbursing the record company’s expenses such as studio and video production, promotion and tour support, and early advances before record sales. After these expenses were paid, TLC would only make about 20 cents per album sold, having to split that among all three of them.

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Nina Simone's Mississippi Goddam paved the way for future Black artists to fearlessly write and share their own protest songs. Notable examples include Lauryn Hill, Janelle Monáe, Marvin Gaye (What's Going On), and Kendrick Lamar (Alright).

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Notice to all Citizens:

Over the past few days, there has been

a noticeable increase in Mimes

on the City’s streets.

You have likely passed by some

on your way to your office.

While Mimes look and act variably,

they may be identified by their

(1) pale complexion; and by their

(2) engagement with invisible objects

that the City recognizes as fictitious.

The City welcomes migrating Mimes

as street performance artists;

in addition to stimulating our economy,

Mimes contribute

multicultural vibrancy that

demonstrates the City’s liveliness.

You are encouraged to

keep loose change on your person

so that you may support them and

keep them on the streets.

You are cautioned, however, to

keep a safe distance

as interacting with them

can be dangerous.

Citizens’ health and safety

are paramount.

The City will mobilize to ensure

a controlled number of Mimes

on each street, and that

as expected of Mimes,

none of them make any noise

or attempt to

verbally or physically

communicate with you,

or enter your offices.

Mimes suspected of doing so

or having the threat of doing so

will be removed from the premises

and housed in safe locations

for your and other Mimes’

well-being.

Thank you for your attention.

–Lem

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After the boom of the Black DJ, white record labels and radio stations began adopting the jive-rhyming style of this DJ. Not only did this appeal to the Black communities but “the younger whites” as well. Certain radio stations were so desperate to advertise to their Black audiences, but petty enough not to hire Black announcers and DJs. In one New Orleans case, Vernon Winslow was denied an on-air position at WJMR even after a successful interview, just because he “seemed light-skinned”. The station then later called him back, but not for the job he was thinking of. They wanted Winslow to train white DJs on how to “sound Black” and use local slang. Winslow would later go on to become one of the country’s top ten DJs at the station WEZZ and WWEZ.

Brewster, Bill, and Frank Broughton. 2014. Last Night a DJ Saved My Life : The History of the Disc Jockey. New York: Grove Press.

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As early as 1923, Jack Cooper was the first Black man on radio. By 1929, he became the host of a show called “The All Negro Hour”, which aired on the very diverse Chicago station WSBC. While Cooper was the first, Al Benson is said to be the godfather, and more influential. Richard Stamz, one of the “original thirteen”, a group of the first American DJs, states that “People used to say Al had the worst voice, and he did. But people said, ‘He sounds like I do’. He sounded like the common man.” Black radio found an untapped market in entertainment by focusing heavily on advertisements, unique music that later became rhythm and blues, and appealing to the everyday person.

Brewster, Bill, and Frank Broughton. 2014. Last Night a DJ Saved My Life : The History of the Disc Jockey. New York: Grove Press.

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Nina Simone: “I’ll Tell You What Freedom Is to Me. No Fear.” — LeadArt Magazine

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The greatest jazz singer in the world, Nina Simone, fought hard in the ’60s against what she denounced as a well-known injustice, racism. In interviews, she talked about her fight for freedom from the oppression she experienced as a black woman, from being unjustly denied a scholarship because she w

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"Techno is an ambitious style. It wants to free itself from the baggage of all the world's previous music and take a few brave steps into the future. Where other forms are copying, emulating, recycling—returning to favorite themes and trusted basslines—techno hipes for pure creation. It rejects representation for abstraction, and tries to achieve something bolder. High ideals. In a city wiped out by the loss of faith in progress, techno tried to construct a new belief in the future. Its basic notion is this: if house is just disco played by microchips, what kind of noise would these machines make on their own?"

(332)

Brewster, Bill, and Frank Broughton. 2014. Last Night a DJ Saved My Life : The History of the Disc Jockey. New York: Grove Press.

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Even

If you take my money

I’ll keep on singing’

If you cut my tongue off

I’ll keep on hummin’

If you crush my voicebox

I’ll keep on breathin’

And

Whatever more you try

However tired am I

’Till my very last breath

I’ll keep on fightin’

’Cuz

My fight ain’t for you

My breath ain’t for you

My hum ain’t for you

My song ain’t for you

My money ain’t for you

So

If I pull out a gun

—And I sure damn did!

You best believe

That bullet’s for you

–Lem

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Once upon a time, Detroit was a bustling and thriving place to be, thanks to Henry Ford's automotive facilities. But once things started to industrialize and people started to get replaced by machines, this utopia quickly crumbled. The pioneers of techno, known as "The Belleville Three" (Juan Atkins, Derrick May, and Kevin Saunderson), started experimenting with European electronic music, combining it with reggae and African grooves. All three boys grew up in a middle-class neighborhood, experiencing racism from both ends of their community, something they would later use as fuel to help unify communities. Core themes of a bigger and brighter Black future are coupled with futuristic bleeps and bloops of electronic instruments, all while a robotic voice serenades you and transports you to a far-off time.

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"The links to Afrofuturism were even more explicitly explored when Jeff Mills and Robert Hood left the group to pursue solo careers; Mills’ embraced sci-fi imagery and concepts and, later in his career, experimented further through his collaborations with legendary Afrobeat drummer Tony Allen. Robert Hood’s deceptively simple loopy, minimal techno embodies the groove-laden spirit of funk with the various layers creating one wider groove, while his Floorplan project draws from gospel, disco and other soulful sounds. Mills and Hood were establishing their solo careers around ’88 – ’89, a period which saw acid house sparking the Second Summer of Love in the UK and caused the dance music industry to reach new, dizzying heights."

https://www.untitled909.com/the-history-of-afrofuturism-within-electronic-music/

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The history of Afrofuturism within electronic music

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Though the upper echelons of the contemporary electronic music industry are predominantly populated by white artists, its origins of young Black men in [...]

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15 minute set that takes you through the history of techno.

SETLIST:

Clear - Cybotron

The Bells - Jeff Mills

Strings of Life - Derrick May

Hale Bopp - Der Dritte Raum

Jaguar - DJ Rolando

Easy Lee - Ricardo Villalobos

Subzero - Ben Klock

Techno Disco Tool - Mella Dee

Push Up - Creeds - (Partyraiser & F. Noize Remix)

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I hope you hear inside my voice of sorrow/

And that it motivates you to make a better tomorrow/

This place is cruel, nowhere could be much colder/

If we don’t change the world will soon be over

Stevie Wonder’s Living for the City is a protest against racism, poverty, and injustice. It tells the story of a Black family working hard just to survive, only for their son to be unfairly jailed when he tries to build a better life in the city. The song emphasizes the need to break systemic racism that keeps Black people struggling and challenges people to fight for real change.

Source:

https://nysmusic.com/2021/11/24/new-york-series-stevie-wonder-living-for-the-city/

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Nina Simone - “Mississippi Goddam!” The Story Behind the Anthem

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Here is an audio guide to our zine! Give it a listen. 

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Here is an audio guide to our zine! Give it a listen. 

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Tune into songs, poems, stories. Click the link above.