Black Music Month Archives - Rolling Out

Andre Harrell was one of the most influential music engineers of our time. The late music executive, who started the record label, Uptown Records, had a major role in developing the careers of Heavy D & The Boyz, Mary J. Blige, Teddy Riley, Notorious B.I.G., Sean “Diddy” Combs and more. One of the artists whose…

En Vogue is recognized as one of the top five highest-selling American female music groups in history. With hit songs like “Free Your Mind,” and “Never Gonna Get It,” the group has sold over 20 million albums. Following the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the group’s first album, Born to Sing, En Vogue’s Terry…

Since “Insecure” first premiered in 2016, Sunday nights at 10 p.m. have become the perfect way to end our weekends the right way. The show, created by Issa Rae, follows her character, Issa, as she navigates life, love and all the twists and turns of adulthood in Los Angeles. Sunday night, June 14, 2020, marked…

Anthony Hamilton represents rhythm and blues from a place of authenticity. His smooth baritone immediately conjures mental images of soul food dinners on Sundays, mothers and fathers slow-dancing in the living room after putting little ones to bed, and even some of the Black protesters raising their fists in solidarity. If music is truly a…

Dallas Austin is a Grammy Award-winning music producer, film producer and founder of Rowdy Records. Born in Columbus, Georgia, Austin began playing guitar and keyboards at the age of 7. He developed his craft over the years and has produced more than 60 hit singles that debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 list, with more…

Gina Miller who is currently the vice president and general manager of urban inspirational music at Entertainment One has impacted the music industry by continuing to align the numbers with talent in gospel music. Generating 42.5 million and 39.6 million streams respectively for gospel artists John P. Kee and Jonathan McReynolds, shows Miller’s 15-year journey…

Keesha Boyd is the executive director of multicultural consumer services for Comcast. June is Black Music Month, and Boyd and her team have created a space to honor the legacy of Black music through Comcast’s platform and have helped to launch the careers of new artists. Rolling out spoke with Boyd about these initiatives recently.…

If he could tell his younger self anything, R&B mainstay Tank would advise against being overly sensitive about his art. The business side of the industry, he concedes, doesn’t care about creativity. It’s a process that governs productivity based on earning potential. “They don’t have an understanding of how the creative feel and how connected…

Given the success he’s realized as an actor, it’s difficult to imagine Jacob Latimore doing anything else — until he begins to hum, that is. His silk-laden voice quickly reminds you that he was once on course to make his mark as a singer. If not for the world of cinema, international superstardom as an…

As a self-confessed free spirit to whom authenticity is paramount in her way of living, Bre-Z isn’t terribly keen about celebrity. Provided that the gripping performances she’s turned in as a regular on the heralded nighttime television show “Empire,” fame is however, her reality. Be that as it may, it doesn’t impact her day-to-day. Not…

Joey Price is from the West Side of Chicago. He does not follow mainstream trends of the mainstream. As an artist, he likens his skill to that of Common and Lupe Fiasco. We spoke to Price recently in honor of Black Music Month and asked him a few questions. What does Black music mean to…

Ashley DuBose’s singing has captivated millions of fans in the Twin Cities and worldwide. She gained even more fans after her show-stopping appearance on NBC’s “The Voice.” “My music comes from my life experiences,” DuBose says about her songwriting. As we continue to highlight some of the Twin Cities’ phenomenal musical talents, we caught up…

Music industry executive Dyana Williams has made social activism in music a part of her life and career. She spoke with rolling out about activism in music. What role should social activism play with an artist? Is it too much to ask that an artist be socially responsible and culturally aware No, it’s not a lot…

Dyana Williams is a Black woman power player who has had a powerful impact and incredible career in the music industry. Williams has been a radio and music industry professional, journalist, community activist, and documentarian. She’s also the co-founder of the International Association of African American Music Foundation, a Pennsylvania-based, non-profit advocacy organization. She is…

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As opposed to examining modern-day critiques centered on commercialization versus creativity, the purpose of this article is to highlight the vast and undeniable benefits of music. Whether stimulated by lyrical content or mesmerizing beats, music moves and empowers us in many ways. It has been shown to increase attention span and memory. It spreads awareness…

With Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes getting so much deserved recognition, and since June is Black Music Month, it’s as good a time as any to remind music fans that Black women have long been a part of rock ‘n’ roll’s storied history.

Thirty years ago Prince released what has arguably become his quintessential LP, the immaculate soundtrack album, Purple Rain. Dropped in the summer of 1984, The Purple One’s sixth album was the blockbuster that catapulted him to the forefront of pop music and culture. Purple Rain isn’t his boldest classic album (Dirty Mind), nor is his…

In a matter of hours, OutKast sold out three concerts that will be held at Atlanta’s Centennial Olympic Park in September. The shows will likely serve as the finale for the group’s reunion tour that began at Coachella in April. But the high demand for OutKast’s Atlanta shows extends beyond the duo’s success. OutKast laid…

One name that you are likely to never hear mentioned alongside the Dr. Dres and DJ Premiers is a man who was as prolific and as significant as all of those legendary beatmakers. That man is the Green-Eyed Bandit, better known as Erick Sermon.

Sly developed funk into the sound we know best today and the Family Stone were unofficially the first, real funk band–paving the way for Parliament, the Commodores, the 70s incarnation of the Isley Brothers and Earth, Wind & Fire.