African Music As A Part Of Social And Cultural Context

Today’s music is mostly profane, such as pop and rap. African music is the one thing that hasn’t changed. African music still has great popularity today, despite being true to its roots. This essay will discuss how America’s modern-day music has had an impact on African culture.

African music, also known as African American musical today, is better known than African music. The transatlantic slave ship brought many kinds of African music to America. Afrobeat, which was founded in 1960 by Felakuti, was responsible for introducing a polyrhythmic sound. There were many ethnic groups representing different African cultures that travelled to America in the early days of Africans arriving. Some Africans brought their own instruments, while others bought a new instrument. A good example of this is “Banja”, which is now known as the banjo. It was one the first African instruments to be imported to America. “In 1830s, the Great Awakening triggered a rise of Christian fundamentalism, particularly among African Americans.” This was the beginning of mainstream African American musical genres. These were the first times that African Americans began to sing Christian and spiritual songs. Many of these songs were code to allow them to escape slavery. The colonies were banning many African Americans’ musics by 1800. Their voice was, however, the most important instrument they had access to. This was something that colonizers failed to realize. Michael Fitch states that African Americans use the banjo, guitar, and violin as their main instruments. Mouth Bow is an additional instrument that they use, as it was most commonly used during their time as slaves. Diddley bow is a single-string instrument. It also influenced the blues sound. They are not the same as African American music, or Sub-Saharan African instruments. “Membranophone” is the traditional African instrument. It vibrates a stretched membrane to produce sound. Gankogui, an African bell made from forged iron, is a percussion instrument. The two sounds it makes are gang or gong when it’s pressed against a wooden stick. African music and African American musical styles have many similarities. They are both known for their percussion drums. What is it that makes African music unique? “Uniqueness in African music comes from the simplicity of its melodies, which are repetitive and are not long. However, this makes the beat very exciting. It is simple for Africans today to claim the authenticity and variety of western music genres. This is because they know that many of their ancestors were slaves in the transatlantic slave trade. Many musical characteristics are common in Africa. A polyrhythm, which is a combination of more than one rhythm at once, is an example. Africans are also famous for their musical dancing. They use both African music and combines them in their ritual ceremonies. These musical characteristics are African origins. They can claim authenticity. Music is a tradition that everyone does. Even though certain people are better than others at singing and clapping, everyone is encouraged. Musical performances include dancing and singing in Africa. These performances are part of Africa’s tradition. In Mali, for example, thousands of people attend a three-day musical festival.

So, African music is often found in situations where the primary goal of people is not to be artistic. Music is more for ceremonies (lifecycle rituals, festivals), subsistence, childcare and domestic chores, as well as play (games or parties). Music makes an event more successful by helping to focus attention, communicate information, encourage social solidarity, and transform consciousness. This shows how music is embedded in African society. It is used in a way that is connected to the daily life of Africans, and not just as a background music like Western societies.

Author

  • tenleylancaster

    Tenley Lancaster is a 34-year-old educational blogger and student. She enjoys writing about topics related to education, including but not limited to student motivation, learning styles, and effective study techniques. Tenley has also written for various websites and magazines, and is currently working on her first book. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, reading, and traveling.