

Black Music Month: How These Artists Are Taking Up Space Outside Of Hip-Hop And R&B
June is Black Music Appreciation Month and it is a time to reflect on and celebrate the contributions made by Black musicians. While former President Jimmy Carter is credited for introducing Black Music Month in 1979, (President Biden signed a recent proclamation recognizing June as Black Music Appreciation Month) what many people may not know is that it was co-created by veteran radio and TV personality Dyana Williams, Kenny Gamble from the legendary songwriting and production duo Gamble & Huff and DJ Ed Wright.
All three were involved in the Black Music Association and launched a campaign called “Black Music is Green” which is where Black Music Month sprouted from. Dyana opened up about that monumental time for Tidal.
“The Black Music Association petitioned President Jimmy Carter to host a reception at the White House acknowledging the contributions of the Black music business,” she said. “That took place on June 7, 1979, on the South Lawn of the White House, where Gamble and I sat with President Carter and his wife, Rosalynn. Dexter Wansel was the musical director, with MFSB providing the music for Sara Jordan Powell, Billy Eckstine, Evelyn “Champagne” King, Andraé Crouch, and Chuck Berry. That was the first official Black Music Month celebration at the White House.”
Black music has come a long way since the 1970s. While Black artists have continued to be innovators in music, their accomplishments are often overlooked especially if it doesn’t fit a specific genre. However, there are Black artists who refuse to be boxed in and are using their music as a form of expression, individualism, freedom, and resistance in spaces that have historically been reserved for non-Blacks.
From country star Mickey Guyton to electric pop singer Dawn, these artists are pushing the boundaries on how Black music is represented and doing a damn good job.
Mickey Guyton
Mickey Guyton has made a name for herself as one of the few Black artists in country music and with that comes some hardships. With the country music industry being historically white, the “Lay It On Me” singer has faced racism from the genre’s fans and has even addressed it such as the time she responded to someone saying they didn’t want her kind in country music.
“Started off 2022 with a good ole batch of racism. I show you this so you guys continue the fight for equality and love and acceptance,” she wrote.
However, the mother of one hasn’t let racism and discrimination rain on her parade. Her single “Black Like Me” which came out during the wake of George Floyd’s death earned Mickey a Grammy nomination in 2020 which made her the first Black female solo artist to receive a nod for a country category. She was also the first Black country artist to perform at the prestigious award show.
Dawn Richard
Most people may be familiar with Dawn Richard from the groups Danity Kane and Dirty Money but since the singer went solo, she has been making music on her own terms. The “Frequency” artist has been making waves in the electronic music space as one of the few Black artists in the genre. In an interview with Kyle Meredith, Dawn opened up about how her skin color initially kept her in a box.
“As a solo artist when I did my albums, they kept calling me alternative R&B as a Black girl because I kept doing music that wasn’t traditionally R&B,” she said. “But because of the skin color that I had, I couldn’t get out of that genre. They put experimental R&B; they had to put that next to it. And what I found was though I didn’t care what I looked like, I wanted to do the music that I did, my color was limiting me and society was limiting me for that. So my entire trajectory has been to choose to say no. We belong here.”
She also shed light on the history of electronic and dance music and how it derived from Black culture although now it is mostly white men in that space. The New Orleans beauty has released six solo albums so far with her last project titled Second Line being a nod to her New Orleans roots.
Nova Twins
The Nova Twins are taking over the punk rock scene in the UK and eventually the world. The duo, which is composed of Amy Love and Georgia South, come from multicultural backgrounds that influence their music. Amy is half Iranian and half Nigerian, and Georgia is half Jamaican and English and they have made it their mission to change the way Black women are viewed through their music.
The “Antagonist” artists spoke with NME about speaking up in spaces where they typically aren’t celebrated. “Being black women doing punk music is political, so yes. ‘Devil’s Face’ touches on Brexit, ‘Bullet’ speaks about sexism, but ‘Athena’ is completely fictional and mythological,” Amy said. “We called it ‘Who Are The Girls?’ because we didn’t always feel heard or accepted making the type of music we do, looking the way that we do. It’s definitely challenging and there is a stigma attached to it.”
The group is gearing up to release their second studio album Supernova in June 2022.
Willow
Willow Smith’s music trajectory has been an interesting one that finally saw the 21-year-old find her voice. She released “Whip My Hair” at just nine-years-old and it became an instant hit. However, the success became too demanding for the daughter of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith which caused her to rebel and step away from music at that time. As she got older, she began following in her mother’s footsteps and found herself creating punk music. The “emo girl” singer released her pop-punk album lately I feel EVERYTHING in 2021.
In an interview with NPR, Willow explained why Black artists should enter other genres and be empowered by that decision. “Black youth get taught that we belong in R&B and rap spaces, and we don't do the research,” she said. “We're not given the truth. There's no way that we would be able to follow that example, because we don't even know it exists.”
“I want to tell all the Black and brown, young girls that they can scream, they can growl, they can cut their hair, scoop it to the side, dye it. They can do whatever they want. They can make any kind of music and do it better than anyone they've seen. I want to give girls like me that confidence and that feeling of power and beauty. That's the only reason why I do anything.”
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Featured image by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for CMT
Exclusive: Gabrielle Union On Radical Transparency, Being Diagnosed With Perimenopause And Embracing What’s Next
Whenever Gabrielle Union graces the movie screen, she immediately commands attention. From her unforgettable scenes in films like Bring It On and Two Can Play That Game to her most recent film, in which she stars and produces Netflix’s The Perfect Find, there’s no denying that she is that girl.
Off-screen, she uses that power for good by sharing her trials and tribulations with other women in hopes of helping those who may be going through the same things or preventing them from experiencing them altogether. Recently, the Flawless by Gabrielle Union founder partnered with Clearblue to speak at the launch of their Menopause Stage Indicator, where she also shared her experience with being perimenopausal.
In a xoNecoleexclusive, the iconic actress opens up about embracing this season of her life, new projects, and overall being a “bad motherfucker.” Gabrielle reveals that she was 37 years old when she was diagnosed with perimenopause and is still going through it at 51 years old. Mayo Clinic says perimenopause “refers to the time during which your body makes the natural transition to menopause, marking the end of the reproductive years.”
“I haven't crossed over the next phase just yet, but I think part of it is when you hear any form of menopause, you automatically think of your mother or grandmother. It feels like an old-person thing, but for me, I was 37 and like not understanding what that really meant for me. And I don't think we focus so much on the word menopause without understanding that perimenopause is just the time before menopause,” she tells us.
Gabrielle Union
Photo by Brian Thomas
"But you can experience a lot of the same things during that period that people talk about, that they experienced during menopause. So you could get a hot flash, you could get the weight gain, the hair loss, depression, anxiety, like all of it, mental health challenges, all of that can come, you know, at any stage of the menopausal journey and like for me, I've been in perimenopause like 13, 14 years. When you know, most doctors are like, ‘Oh, but it's usually about ten years, and I'm like, ‘Uhh, I’m still going (laughs).’”
Conversations about perimenopause, fibroids, and all the things that are associated with women’s bodies have often been considered taboo and thus not discussed publicly. However, times are changing, and thanks to the Gabrielle’s and the Tia Mowry’s, more women are having an authentic discourse about women’s health. These open discussions lead to the creation of more safe spaces and support for one another.
“I want to be in community with folks. I don't ever want to feel like I'm on an island about anything. So, if I can help create community where we are lacking, I want to be a part of that,” she says. “So, it's like there's no harm in talking about it. You know what I mean? Like, I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change. I'm just getting better and stronger and more intelligent, more wise, more patient, more compassionate, more empathetic. All of that is very, very welcomed, and none of it should be scary.”
The Being Mary Jane star hasn’t been shy about her stance on therapy. If you don’t know, here’s a hint: she’s all for it, and she encourages others to try it as well. She likens therapy to dating by suggesting that you keep looking for the right therapist to match your needs. Two other essential keys to her growth are radical transparency and radical acceptance (though she admits she is still working on the latter).
"I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change."
Gabrielle Union and Kaavia Union-Wade
Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images
“I hope that a.) you recognize that you're not alone. Seek out help and know that it's okay to be honest about what the hell is happening in your life. That's the only way that you know you can get help, and that's also the only other way that people know that you are in need if there's something going on,” she says, “because we have all these big, very wild, high expectations of people, but if they don't know what they're actually dealing with, they're always going to be failing, and you will always be disappointed. So how about just tell the truth, be transparent, and let people know where you are. So they can be of service, they can be compassionate.”
Gabrielle’s transparency is what makes her so relatable, and has so many people root for her. Whether through her TV and film projects, her memoirs, or her social media, the actress has a knack for making you feel like she’s your homegirl. Scrolling through her Instagram, you see the special moments with her family, exciting new business ventures, and jaw-dropping fashion moments. Throughout her life and career, we’ve seen her evolve in a multitude of ways. From producing films to starting a haircare line to marriage and motherhood, her journey is a story of courage and triumph. And right now, in this season, she’s asking, “What’s next?”
“This is a season of discovery and change. In a billion ways,” says the NAACP Image Award winner. “The notion of like, ‘Oh, so and so changed. They got brand new.’ I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
"I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
She continues, “So I'm just trying to figure out what's next. You know what I mean? I'm jumping into what's next. I'm excited going into what's next and new. I'm just sort of embracing all of what life has to offer.”
Look out for Gabrielle in the upcoming indie film Riff Raff, which is a crime comedy starring her and Jennifer Coolidge, and she will also produce The Idea of You, which stars Anne Hathaway.
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Feature image by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images
Keke Palmer, Cassie, & The Unspoken Violence Of Domestic Abuse Black Women Experience
Keke Palmer and Casandra “Cassie” Ventura are two of the most recent prominent Black women who have spoken out about their current and past abuse by intimate partners. These conversations seem to be happening more frequently today, but the truth is domestic violence and sexual abuse of Black women within the Black community is not new.
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), 45.1 percent of Black women will experience physical violence, sexual violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime, in contrast to 30.2 percent of their white counterparts who experience similar abuse. Additionally, the Black Women’s Health Project also found Black women are three times more likely to be killed by a partner than white women.
As a result of these findings, it determined that domestic violence is the number one health issue facing Black women today.
Despite these stark statistics the prevalent misogynoir Black women face within their community further reinforce the stigma, victim-blaming, and culture of silence that prevent Black women from seeking help when experiencing abuse. Both Palmer and Ventura are examples of how Black women suffer in silence for years at the hands of an abusive partner. In Palmer’s court filings, she alleged Darius Jackson, her son’s father, abused her in multiple instances over two years. Yet, not until recently did she seek help from the courts to obtain a restraining order and sole custody of her son.
Likewise, Ventura’s lawsuit highlighted over a decade’s worth of alleged domestic violence, sexual abuse, and sex trafficking. Though Ventura and Sean Combs’ relationship ended in 2018, she shared the importance of speaking out now instead of remaining silent. “After years in silence and darkness, I am finally ready to tell my story, and to speak up on behalf of myself and for the benefit of other women who face violence and abuse in their relationships,” she shared in a statement.
Though many prominent Black women such as Rihanna, Tina Turner, Kelly Rowland, and Megan Thee Stallion have spoken out about their experiences with domestic violence, there is still a great stigma regarding the issue in the Black community.
This stigma and lack of protection for Black women manifests through people questioning the validity of Black women’s claims, which we saw on full display in the case against Tory Lanez on behalf of Megan.
We still see it in the way people make tasteless jokes about the late Tina Turner’s abuse from Ike Turner; and even in how people questioned “what Rihanna did” to Chris Brown for him to hurt her in such a way. Actions and behaviors such as these lead to the staggering reality that 91 percent of Black women are killed by someone they knew according to a study conducted by the University of Illinois Chicago.
This study also highlighted the fact that the leading cause of death for Black women between the ages of 15 and 45 is murder by an intimate partner.
As someone who has experienced physical violence in an intimate relationship, I can attest to the anxiety and doubt I felt in sharing my truth with others. Even though there was physical proof to corroborate my claims, all I could think of were the words my mother said when the news of Rihanna and Chris Brown came out, “She did something to that boy for him to do that to her.”
I share this story because even though the celebrities we see going through these experiences may never hear the conversations we have behind closed doors, there are women in our lives who are experiencing the same things and won’t speak up because of what we say.
I still remember the feeling of self-blame in my relationship with physical proof of abuse appearing on my body and the mindset that if I were only somehow a better partner and more “submissive” in my relationship these things wouldn’t continue to happen.
However, what I and all other abuse survivors know is that there is nothing you can do to appease your abuser, and the only true way to end the abuse is to leave the relationship in the safest manner possible.
Yet, what many abuse survivors also know is leaving is one of the most difficult challenges in an abusive relationship. On average it takes victims of abuse seven attempts to leave their abuser and stay separated for good according to RESPOND Inc., New England’s first domestic violence agency. Though physical and sexual abuse are often discussed the most in conversations of domestic violence and abuse we need to acknowledge that it often begins with mental and emotional gaslighting and manipulation.
According to the (NCADV) 53.8 percent of Black women will experience psychological aggression by a partner in their lifetimes. In Kelly Rowland’s 2013 song "Dirty Laundry," she showcases how psychological abuse appears in relationships with lyrics, “he said, ‘Don't nobody love you but me Not your mama, not your daddy and especially not Bey.’”
As Black women continue to speak out about their violence and challenge their abusers, it is also important for the Black community to create a safe space for them to do so. If a friend or family member confides in you about experiencing abuse be supportive and listen, avoid casting blame on them, and most importantly ask them what they want to do in terms of the next steps or leaving the relationship.
Lastly, if you or someone you know is experiencing intimate partner abuse and wants help reach out to National Domestic Violence Hotline 1.800.799.SAFE (7233) for support and resources.
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Featured image via Getty Images