Response to Did rock and roll unfairly rob black artists of their music, credit for their contribution, and their just due?
Indeed, no one ought to view rock and roll musicians as perpetrators who robbed the black artists of their music. Though black artists invented rock and roll, they did not market it well. It is sad to hear that some people accuse artists like Elvis of stealing the black’s music yet his intention he had good intention. Elvis and other white artists decided to help the black artists by listening to their songs and re-recording them. Their main aim was to ensure that such songs are recognized.
For a song to remain relevant and acceptable by different people from different nations, it must undergo transformation. Take for instance, a song recorded for the first time as Hip/Hop music then re-recorded in another nation as country music. Such songs will always be accepted regardless of the country. Ms Taboa notes that Old Rose Tree first began as an Irish song, then it was re-recorded in England and America with different titles before the artists converted it to a country song entitled Turkey in the Straw (Bertrand 12). The white artists just borrow the songs from the blacks and transform them so that at the end the songs remain relevant.
Another critical insight that Ms Taboa brings out is that though copyright law had already been enacted during 1970, by 1940 (a time when other people accuses the artists of stealing the black’s songs), the law had not been fully used. The truth is that one may record a song and then it goes unnoticed or unrecognized. Though the black artists did not receive the fame or money from sale of the songs, their songs became famous and recognized.
Actually, it is true that music industry is not where it is supposed to be because it does not receive the credit that it deserves. Ms Taboa argues that people normally view Elvis as the King of King and Roll and Michael Jackson as the King of Pop, even though they did not invent the genres rather they just popularized them. There could have been musical cultural enrichment if all people learn how to appreciate those who invented rock and roll. This is very true because artists are often motivated through appreciation of their inventions and creativity.
It is important to set aside issues of racism and appreciate each other’s talent. Elvis himself admitted that he is not the originator of rock and roll, and that he cannot sing like Fats Domino. Elvis is among the few who broke the race barrier and decided to popularize the genre, even though it came from black people. He appreciates the singing ability of the black singers, an action that prompted many black singers to admire him also (U.S. Copyright Office - Information Circular). Everyone will agree that he helped in popularizing the genre thereby providing a platform to a point where the blacks could sing their songs to popularity for their own.
The claim that rock and roll music is just for the blacks, is a misleading statement. Many white artists have contributed to popularity and recognition. It is only that the music originated from the blacks. It is evident that currently people from different countries, social classes and even races love rock music ranging from soft to metal. Therefore, one would be right to conclude that rock and roll did not rob black artists of their music, credit for their contribution noir their just due just as Ms Taboa’s does it.
Work cited
Bertrand, Michael T. Race, Rock, and Elvis. Urbana: University of Illinois, 2000. Print.
"U.S. Copyright Office - Information Circular." U.S. Copyright Office - Information Circular. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 May 2013. <http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ1a.html>.
