Black Lives Matter Movement Essay

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Exposing Racial Problems in Society Through Music and Movements The term “soul” can mean maybe things… It can mean the spiritual part of a human that is perceived to still be living after the individual is deceased. In this application of our learning and analyzing, soul mostly refers to the style of music. “Soul is a form of urban Black popular music, derived from rhythm and blues of the 1950s, that crystalized in the late 1960s and peaked in the mid-1970s.” (Maultsby 271) Soul music came about in 1950s and 1960s in the United States and was characterized by it R&B influences along with its gospel style and emphasis on rhythm and groove. “The pioneers of soul - Ray Charles, James Brown, and Same Cooke – share common musical roots in Black …show more content…

The movement stands for recognizing that Black lives are valuable and deserve recognition and dignity. “The Black Lives Matter movement continues the practice of using music as personal and group expressions to organize and peacefully protest racial injustices, including sanctioned police and civilian brutality against black bodies.” (Maultsby Foreword xi) The Black Lives Matter movement start in 2013 after the killing of Trayvon Martin in Florida. Shortly after in 2015, Kendrick Lamar released a song named “Alright”. This song focused on the idea of how everyone is going to be alright and make it through the tough times. This song is directly connected with BLM as, “At protest rallies and marches, the ‘We gon’ be alright!’ chant is performed in the style and cadence and African American English vernacular delivered by Lamar’s original recording.” (Orejuenla 1) Another song that expresses ideas from the BLM movement is “Be Free” by J. Cole. This song serves as a powerful statement and stands along with BLM to bring justice to African Americans and is a call for social change. Overall, these songs are a way to spread the word and movement to many around the country while also creating a catchy song that people will listen to many