Live At The Apollo Analysis

Langston Hughes is known as one of the most influential African American poets. He has a large collection of works that still influence African American society today. Hughes contributed towards the Harlem Renaissance, which produced a surge of African American works in the 1920s. In addition, Langston Hughes is also known as one of the most inspiring African American civil rights activists and advocated for African American unity and solidarity. One of his most famous works is “Negro,” which is a poem that highlights African American identity through the personification of African American heritage. The narrator is the personified figure that connects African Americans by explaining historical allusions that contributed to African American heritage and culture. This personified narrator enhances the theme of unified heritage among African Americans in the poem “Negro” with the use of structure, historical parallels, and historical context.

Having Barry as the leader of Motown he was able to break down many barriers with racial and social issues. His music made a connection for the ears of during the time when racism was at an all time high.

Motown was a transformative sound that arrived just at the height of the civil rights movement. Such success coming from a black business and black artists forced the rest of America to reexamine their racial prejudices that they still clung to. It seemed that it’s founder, Berry Gordy, knew from the start that Motown was something special when he hung a sign that read “Hitsville USA” above the recording studio’s headquarters. The success was almost instant for most Motown artists with song after song becoming number one hits on major music charts. However, the success was not easy, as it took strenuous amounts of work to mold the artist’s looks and sounds into something that would popularize them among the white population. The artists were expected to look and act the part at all times and at all places. The hard work eventually did pay off as Motown will have forever influenced history, the civil rights movement, and the music industry by catapulting black culture into a primarily white civilization.

The Harlem Renaissance was a burst on African American’s expression of culture, arts, and writings throughout the 1920’s. It was in Harlem, New York, the movement allowed many African American poets, painters, musicians, authors and philosophers to express the beliefs in their people's culture. They wanted to be equal to white people so they showed that through their talents. Louis Armstrong was a key asset to the Harlem Renaissance due to his inspiring music and playing his instruments for African Americans people during this period.

James Brown is another person in my era who was very popular and well known for his influence on music as well the introducing of a drug into the lime light PCP. Brown was born extreme poverty but worked his way to be one of the greatest of the funk and R&B music making people give him the nick name "The Godfather of Soul." His musical style influenced many artists to come. Brown was also known for his crazy personal life, as well as role in activism for the black community in combination in his songwriting and advocating for the benefits of education to the

Elvis Presley has had more impact on American society and culture than any other person in history for the three following reasons; his large contribution to the start of the generation gap in the 1950’s, his huge impact on rock ‘n’ roll music, and finally, his music opened a door for some integration between races.

Elvis Presley once said, “I never expected to be anybody important.” Elvis was a famous actor and singer who became one of the biggest names of Rock ‘n’ Roll. He filmed and sang many movies and songs that were popular among the two conflicting races. Presley gained popularity especially with the teenage generation. From being nothing to being a huge impact on culture across the world, reaching out to both African American and American lives and changing the music industry forever, Elvis Presley is truly a great american.

As the first African-American justice of the Supreme Court, Thurgood Marshall greatly influenced future generations of black people. His ancestors faced several hardships as slaves, but he was able to accomplish a lot. Marshall was brilliant as a child, but constantly got rejected because of his race. However, these discriminatory ridicules didn’t stop him from chasing after his dreams. This gave several African-Americans the sense that they could do anything and the only thing racism could do is motivate them. The job of a Supreme Court justice requires a tremendous amount of work and motivation and being of his color didn’t make it any easier. Despite the prejudicial challenges he faced, he still accomplished his goals

Jazz is most often thought to have been started in the 1920s as this explosive movement, but that is in fact not the case. Starting in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century many African American musicians have started to explore their taste in improvising, and where better to do that than New Orleans (Anderson). Before the 1920s these jazz musicians have already been going around sharing the unique sound, but up until then, jazz had remained majorly in New Orleans. Interestingly during this period, a common jazz band would consist of a cornet, a clarinet, a trombone, and a rhythm section when at this period of time the clarinet is not commonly associated with being a jazz instrument, it moved into being the saxophone rather. A big

Jazz as an art form has a rich history as one of the first indigenous American musical styles. Born in the south, Jazz was a way for African American’s to express themselves musically in a time of suppression, and its differences from the music at the time would change music culture forever. Jazz would often discuss the plight and struggles of African American’s lives through slavery and oppression. Over the years, it has adopted many different forms and styles through creative genius of such as Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Louis Armstrong amongst other legends. Their influence and character that they introduce into jazz has transformed and modernized it over the many decades that followed. Today, artist groups such as the Leland Baker

Jimi Hendrix was the most famous American rock guitarist in my heart. He has multi talent, he can sing and play the guitar skillfully at the same time, also he is a songwriter. He was born in Seattle, Washington on November 27, 1942. Started playing guitar at age 15, when he first got his guitar from his father as a gift. He loves rock music and he also plays blues and R&B music. In 1960s, Jimi Hendrix become very well known by his techniques of his guitar play and his passionate of performance on the stage. When he is on the stage, he really put himself into the music that he plays, his excitement of music just can turn people to hype. People don’t care about his skin color, they think he is a great guitarist and singer, they just want to see him play when he is on the stage, but they never care about who is he playing with or where does he come from.

Michael Jackson was a great singer in his time and one of Americas’ prolific singers to ever grace the music scene. From the time he graced the music scene, he would go on to become a great singer that inspired other great singers during his period and in the future generation. Music has got a unique element that is so unifying and touching depending on the type of music one could be listening. In the history of the United States, black musicians from way back in the early days of singers such as James Brown, Prince, and Smokey Robinson have had an influence on the music culture. There are many genres today that can be traced from black musicians who popularized

In the 1920s and 1930s, a large movement of art and literature took place in the city of Harlem. Many African American authors express their thoughts and ideas through anyway possible. Whether it be music, art, or literature, its impact gave the African Americans a new place in society. One composer of music was very influential to all people. His name is Duke Ellington. The impact from Duke’s musical arts is very large, and that impact still stands. He is able to construct over three thousand songs, many of which pertain to freedom, identities, reunion, and last but not least, racism. Duke’s impact on bringing people together is enormous, and ends racism in all of society.

James Brown was known for many nicknames such as ‘’Soul Brother Number One’’, ‘’the Godfather of soul’’, ‘’the Hardest Working Man in Show Business,” “Mr. Dynamite” and even “the Original Disco Man.” As a child Brown picked cotton, danced for spare change, and would even shine people shoes. At the age of 16, Brown was caught and convicted for stealing, and he landed in reform school for three years. While incarcerated, Brown met Bobby Byrd, leader of gospel group that performed at his prison. While Brown tried semipro boxing and baseball, but a career-ending leg injury inspired Brown to pursue music fulltime. Brown joined Bobby Byrd in a group that sang gospel in and around Toccoa, Georgia.

The African American community has not gained full equality to this day. Even after fighting for many years this present day issue has come to light in Hip-Hop artists songs like Macklemore & Ryan Lewis song, White Privilege II. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis are respected in their line of work because they have become very popular in today 's Hip-Hop music. Hip-Hop has been the newest way of news being broadcasted. As many artists like Macklemore have become more of an activist in this day and age. This song matters because Macklemore is established and this song will inform everyone around the country, even world what’s happening. This song message affects all of us as citizens of this country surrounded by racism and inequality. The action macklemore wants us to take is to stand up and end this war against racism.