History and Impact of African-American Slave Songs

Swing Low, Sweet Chariot; Jimmy Crack Corn; Frankie and Johnny; String of Pearls; Blue Moon; Jingle Bell Rock; and Dirty Pop: none of these songs would be here today without influence from African-American culture. Some people have a hard time listening to “black music,” meaning Jazz, Blues, Rap, and Hip-Hop but using the same logistics, you would have to put Rock, Pop, many church hymns, and much of choral literature in the same category. For …showed first 75 words of 1803 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1803 total…see the African-American influence in Rap, performed by both whites and African-Americans. In Rap, the drum beat (or heavy bass) as well as the speech-like story telling is very similar to that of its African ancestory. African-American slave songs had much influence on modern culture. Starting in New Orleans with Ragtime, a new form of music combining the brass bands of white culture and the music structure of African-American music, American music was forever changed.