Black artists music wouldn't be the same without

Black artists music wouldn't be the same without

There is no American music without Black roots. From country-western, which draws upon banjo music from Africa , to rock 'n' roll—first electrified by a Black woman in 1938—every major American genre traces its lineage to Black innovation and creativity. American music, at its core, is inseparable from a history defined by reinvention and resilience.

Every artist reshapes their medium by participating in it, but some redefine it entirely. Throughout American history, Black musicians have pioneered sounds that changed the course of popular music, like Fela Kuti's Afrobeat—which continues to inspire contemporary stars such as Burna Boy and Wizkid, as well as genre-bending groups like Ezra Collective and Kokoroko. Sister Rosetta Tharpe's ea