Over the years, various aspects have been used to trace the history of a society. Some of these aspects include music, culture, clothing, and food. People perceive these aspects differently depending on their origin and the issues they embrace. The white and the black have been using music as an educational tool to pass their culture from one generation to the other. Both societies have been embracing culture and music to a greater extent. In addition, various cultural events are best commemorated using music in both societies.
History of Black Music
Music was one of the most sacred things in society. In other words, the black adored all forms of music as they were used to commemorate certain cultural days and mark different spiritual and religious rituals. Music and culture are some of the aspects that were viewed as sacred, as certain songs were used to appease and invite some spirits in various rituals. In addition, some songs were only sung on special occasions. For instance, during the war, warriors composed different songs that helped them gain the courage to face their enemies. Some songs were used while working to encourage the workers. Rituals such as circumcisions also provided platforms where the black used to compose songs to encourage the initiates. Most of these songs would appease some spirits and ignite some form of actions that related to the specific rituals.
The emergence of Sacred Music
Sacred music among the African American societies was used on various spiritual occasions. The earliest forms of this music were based on Christian hymns and psalms that merged with the latest African styles. Most of these songs were spiritual and imparted some Christian values in society. Some songs borrowed knowledge from various spiritual books to condemn some vices in society. These vices included the slave trade that was later abolished as people gained more spiritual knowledge. Most of these songs functioned as the central basis of the Christian culture. Most gospel music originated from the black church, and this has globally been recognized as a significant genre in the music industry. Nowadays, some of this music is marketed commercially as people have been investing heavily in this industry.
Traditional Folk Songs
The American African folk songs linked back to the African cultural traditions that were highly regarded. Most of these songs stemmed from field hollers, game songs, work chants, and other social commentaries. Various protestants across the streets used other popular folk songs. These forms of songs spread well in the 60s. This form of music has maintained its influence as it is found within the hip-hop genre today. Most of these songs were originally sung by gangsters as they invade a city or a village. They were believed to appease some war spirits and ignite some sense of courage. However, most of these songs have changed their roles as nowadays artists utilise various genres to address specific issues affecting society. In other words, there are hip-hop songs that have some spiritual messages based on religious rituals. However, most of them are erotic and suit the younger generation.
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