Songs in the key of black life : a rhythm and blues nation / Mark Anthony Neal.
| Author/creator | Neal, Mark Anthony |
| Format | Book |
| Publication Info | New York : London : Routledge, 2003. |
| Description | xvii, 214 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm |
| Subjects |
| Contents | Revolutionary mix tape -- Grown-ass women -- Diggin' the scene (with the gangsta lean) -- Habermas in the hood -- Oh my! (The sexual healing interlude) -- The e-double and the trouble man -- Bellbottoms, bluebelles, and the funky-ass white girl -- Nuyorican nostalgia -- Some otha shit -- Radio free soul -- Big pimpin' -- But it's not a rap CD -- Three the hard way. |
| Abstract | This book argues that R&B-often dismissed as just a bunch of love songs, yet the second most popular genre in terms of sales-can tell us much about the dynamic joys, apprehensions, tensions, and contradictions of contemporary black life, if we listen closely. With a voice as heartfelt and compelling as the best music, the author guides us through the work of classic and contemporary artists ranging from Marvin Gaye to Macy Gray. In the first section of the book, the author uses the music of Meshell N'degeocello, Patti Labelle, Jill Scott, Alicia Keys, and others as guideposts to the major concerns of contemporary black life-issues such as gender, feminist politics, political activism, black masculinity, celebrity, and the fluidity of racial and sexual identity. The second part of the book uses the improvisational rhythms of black music as a metaphor to examine currents in black life including the public dispute between Cornel West and Harvard President Lawrence Summers and the firing of BET's talk-show host Tavis Smiley. |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references (pages 191-200) and index. |
| ISBN | 0415965705 |
| ISBN | 0415965713 (PBK.) |
Availability
| Library | Location | Call Number | Status | Item Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Music | Music Stacks | ML3521 .N42 2003 | ✔ Available | Place Hold |