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Where did the Love go? In today's black pop music, love songs are harder to find
The Undefeated ^ | 2020 | Jesse Washington

Posted on 07/23/2020 1:47:27 PM PDT by CondoleezzaProtege

“God is love,” the Bible says. Black American music began with this love. We asked Him, in our African call-and-response tradition, for strength and freedom. These “Negro spirituals” begat the blues, which begat jazz, rock ’n’ roll, R&B, and rap.

Today, much of the love expressed in classic songs seems as anachronistic as cassette tapes. The Hot 100 pop charts still have plenty of songs by black artists about sex, which has always been an essential thread in the emotional tapestry of music. But compared with past decades, when popular black artists consistently gave voice to humanity’s most powerful emotion, far fewer chart-topping songs today discuss love as that alchemy of need, companionship and commitment transcending the physical.

These numbers show a coldhearted truth: The deepest forms of love are fading out of popular black music. Or as Lil Wayne said in his 2018 hit single “Uproar”:

“What the f**** though? Where the love go?”

Yes, we are quoting profanity up in this piece. Because while there has never been more vulgarity in black pop than now, there has never been less love.

“Art reflects life. I think both men and women now are having a hard time buying into love and long-lasting love,” said rhythm and blues singer and musician PJ Morton. His catalog of love songs, including “Say So,” the 2019 Grammy winner for best R&B song, resides outside the popular mainstream.

(Excerpt) Read more at theundefeated.com ...


TOPICS: Arts/Photography
KEYWORDS: music; songs
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To: CondoleezzaProtege

What’s love got to do, got to do with it? What’s love, but a second-hand emotion?


21 posted on 07/23/2020 2:19:36 PM PDT by Flag_This (China delenda est.)
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To: Fiji Hill

Thanks for posting. Indeed Michigan could be our most musical state outside of Tennessee and California.


22 posted on 07/23/2020 2:19:45 PM PDT by Buckeye McFrog (Patrick Henry would have been an anti-vaxxer)
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To: Sirius Lee
Yep.

Today, Love is just sex and sex is nothing special. If you are female you are suppose to fall over with your legs spread any time anyone (male or female) shows any sign of interest or else you are "surrendering to the patriarchy".

If you are male you are suppose to screw anything that will hold still.

In no way shape or form are you suppose to embrace the deeper or richer emotional attachments that used to be considered necessary for sex to be meaningful. It is about as elevating as taking a dump.

23 posted on 07/23/2020 2:21:44 PM PDT by Harmless Teddy Bear (And lead us not into hysteria, but deliver us from the handwashers. Amen!)
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To: Califreak

The Spinners were great! Along with Tavares, Smokey, Earth Wind and Fire!


24 posted on 07/23/2020 2:26:07 PM PDT by albie
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To: Fiji Hill

Don’t forget this one from Ed Townsend:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sqRAQl4txk


25 posted on 07/23/2020 2:27:12 PM PDT by Inyo-Mono
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To: CondoleezzaProtege

A little off topic but then maybe not...

On You Tube there is a genre of sites referred to as REACTION VIDEOS. The host (usually black) will watch (usually for the first time) music from another era. Mostly music they may never heard before or did did not know existed.

Music from the 1950s and 1960s are the main focus. It is fun to watch the reaction blacks as they listen to Elvis for the first time, or the Righteous Brother (most are surprised that the Righteous Brother were white).

Music from the 50s and 60s usually had a story of some sort. Some serious and some just for fun.

It may be a stretch but I would say there are many young blacks that are also getting tired of rap music.


26 posted on 07/23/2020 2:29:00 PM PDT by CIB-173RDABN (I am not an expert in anything, and my opinion is just that, an opinion. I may be wrong.)
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To: CondoleezzaProtege

https://genius.com/discussions/49577-Favorite-rap-songs-about-hoes

Feel free to google these great songs about hoes.

This is the BLM songs for unity between men and Hoes.


27 posted on 07/23/2020 2:34:30 PM PDT by wgmalabama
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To: CondoleezzaProtege

The Hip Hop/ Rap influence has killed most all “pop” music.
Why work to create a melody, tell a story, create harmonies and actual music played by musicians.

Now you just rip off samples, create drum “tracks”, talk a bunch of sh@t about the lowest common denominator in your life, and cuss alot.

Simple.


28 posted on 07/23/2020 2:34:39 PM PDT by TexasM1A
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To: CondoleezzaProtege

You won’t even get the original music for “I’m In The Mood For Love” in what most kareoke devices comes up with that doesn’t even come close.


29 posted on 07/23/2020 2:34:58 PM PDT by mosesdapoet (mosesdapoet aka L.J.Keslin posting here for the record hoping somebody might read and pass around)
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To: CondoleezzaProtege

Has there ever been a rap love song or are they all about killing cops and rival gangbangers?


30 posted on 07/23/2020 2:35:41 PM PDT by chuckee
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To: CondoleezzaProtege

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw2Yeeybjn8

Or

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ag4pBKYWeQ

No self respect but feel free to demand respect for half of the BLM. I guess you could say black lives matter but not the Hoes (BLMBNTH)


31 posted on 07/23/2020 2:38:46 PM PDT by wgmalabama
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To: chuckee

Don’t forget the HOEs. Cops, killing and hoes.


32 posted on 07/23/2020 2:39:59 PM PDT by wgmalabama
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To: CondoleezzaProtege

MOTOWN is now dead as Detroit is.....sad.....MOTOWN MUSIC WAS THE GREATEST!!! The BEATLES were Pathetic next to MOTOWN!


33 posted on 07/23/2020 2:53:19 PM PDT by Ann Archy (Abortion....... The HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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To: waterhill

That’s very nice, and the kind of talent I remember.


34 posted on 07/23/2020 2:56:22 PM PDT by Jamestown1630 ("A Republic, if you can keep it.")
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To: Buckeye McFrog
Indeed Michigan could be our most musical state outside of Tennessee and California.

This dance tune, which is sort of like rap, sounds like it's straight from rural Tennessee, where the story told by the singer takes place, but it's actually from the Fortune diskery way up in Detroit.

Bacon Fat--Andre Williams & the Don Juans (1957)

In 1986, an updated version was released.

Bacon Fat '86

35 posted on 07/23/2020 3:00:22 PM PDT by Fiji Hill
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To: Ann Archy

Slow.Clap.


36 posted on 07/23/2020 3:00:54 PM PDT by waterhill (I Shall Remain, in spite of __________.)
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To: CIB-173RDABN

My husband loves all kinds of music, and is a great fan of the ‘reaction’ videos. Our favorite is ‘Jamel AKA Jamal’ - he does all sorts of music (he’s wearing his ‘throwback wig’ in this one):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhzZ_ywMheg


37 posted on 07/23/2020 3:21:30 PM PDT by Jamestown1630 ("A Republic, if you can keep it.")
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To: Jamestown1630

I have subscribed to Jamel along with about 20 others.

I like the music and I love the reactions.


38 posted on 07/23/2020 3:24:08 PM PDT by CIB-173RDABN (I am not an expert in anything, and my opinion is just that, an opinion. I may be wrong.)
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To: Harmless Teddy Bear

Well said. And then, they wonder why they are so unhappy.


39 posted on 07/23/2020 3:24:19 PM PDT by Tax-chick ("You can't die of every little thing all the time." ~Itxu Diaz)
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To: CIB-173RDABN

‘India Reacts’ is fun, too.

She’s so pretty and personable, and has such a great comedic sense, she should be in movies.(She just needs to discipline herself to speak a little more slowly in her introductions):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GY0ri8a6Hm8


40 posted on 07/23/2020 3:47:44 PM PDT by Jamestown1630 ("A Republic, if you can keep it.")
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