June is the OFFICIAL celebration of black music.  Black Music Month was originally founded by music moguls Kenny Gamble and Ed Wright in 1978, and with the help of President Jimmy Carter on June 7, 1979, the month of June was officially declared Black Music Month. The influence that black artists and black music have […]

Houston rap has a history of classic songs without videos.

Ward 5 Councilman Kenyan McDuffie introduced the Go-Go Official Music of the District of Columbia Designation Act of 2019 on Tuesday. Yes, you read that correctly. McDuffie wants to make Go-Go the official music of the District. “To me and so many other Washingtonians, go-go has become so much more than just a musical genre,” […]

From Frank Ocean, to Janelle Monáe, to those you might least expect.

Like its hip-hop counterpart, Dancehall is evolving. Trap beats are replacing traditional dubbing but, the raw and unfiltered lyricism continues to keep our attention. See Also: Black Music Month: Afrobeats Bangers For Black Music Month, we’re introducing you to a new class of dancehall artists that include Shenseea, Koffee and Rygin King. Press play below. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUFrhJhf1zbSieTFw2liQpx_0Q8-OfDy3

Here's a look at eight pioneers of Black music firsts...

Since Hip-Hop’s inception, the genre has always blended with it’s older cousin R&B. Now more than ever the two forms of music has mixed so much that the Grammy’s have devoted a whole category, Rap/Sung Category, rapping, and singing. Artists such as Beyonce and Jay-Z to Mary J. Blige and Method Man have delivered some […]

Dancehall music may have evolved in Jamaica in the late 1970s, but it didn’t hit stateside until the 1980s. By the 1990s, dancehall became increasingly popular, with artists constantly linking up with American artists to create some of the classic records we spill spin today. But, it’s important to understand the genre’s roots. Class is […]

The world is marching to the rhythm of West Africa. Afrobeats have gone global and artists are clamoring to capitalize off of the infectious sound. Afrobeats, not to be confused with Afrobeat, created by Fela Kuti, gets its upbeat and energetic melodies from a hybrid of West African music and American jazz and funk. Wizkid, Davido […]

June is Black Music Month, a celebration of African-American musicians, creators, innovators and influencers. For 2018, the Urban One family is highlighting 25 of the most influential musicians of all-time that have contributed to black spaces far and wide, ranging from inspirational, to hip-hop and R&B. Artist: 2Pac Genre: Hip-Hop Quick Highlights: No list about […]

June is Black Music Month, a celebration of African-American musicians, creators, innovators and influencers. For 2018, the Urban One family is highlighting 25 of the most influential musicians of all-time that have contributed to black spaces far and wide, ranging from inspirational, to hip-hop and R&B. Artist: The Notorious B.I.G. Genre: Hip-Hop Quick Highlights: Life […]