naomiwhite08

[naomiwhite08]

This is an example of a mosh pit forming. People clear out a space in a huge crowd to let loose while sharing a love for the music they are listening to.

[naomiwhite08]

Week 10 (Blog Post #5) - Blog Post Prompt: "Black Metal and Praise Breaks: Ecstasy, Rupture, and the Mosh Pit"

It’s been a long day in a hot desert, I've pushed and pried through bodies on bodies to get to the front of my favorite artist. Excitement rushes through my veins as I see them come from behind the curtains. As the show keeps a hole begins to form as people are yelling, “MOVE OUT THE WAY” and “CLEAR THE AREA” before another song starts to play. Before you know it bodies are slamming into each other like thunder clapping on skin—sweat slicked, breath ragged, the music pounding. I'm in the middle of a mosh pit at a music festival, and i'm free of my day to day struggles. People push, fall, and get picked up again in seconds. My body is being filled with bruises but the adrenaline doesn’t let me feel any of it; someone screams the lyrics in my ear, off-key and wild. In this chaotic, rhythmic violence, there’s something deeply spiritual. You feel yourself coming undone, but not in fear—in release. Your body trembles not from anxiety but from being fully, terrifyingly alive. I’m not just moving to the music—I’m being moved by it, swallowed by it. My self dissolves into the crowd, my thoughts vanish in the noise, and what’s left is pure, guttural feeling.

I'm surrounded by people I wouldn't normally meet, including mechanics, cashiers, students, and possibly even CEOs. According to Saidiya Hartman, the mosh pit serves as a break from their daily routines and a place for waywardness—a rejection of the refined, fruitful routes that capitalism and respectability have established. This area cries out for chaos rather than poise. We get together to express what we are unable to say at work, to sweat out our problems, and to lose control in a society that expects us to constantly be in control. The mosh pit turns into a vehicle for radical disobedience in this way. We discover an odd form of liberation in that furious dancing bliss, which is that rupture. A fact. A rhythm that serves as a reminder that we are still living.

[naomiwhite08]

Week 9 Discussion Forum :The Role of Drugs in Class Identity and Cultural Expression

I think that usually things always seem worse in society when it is associated with black people. That is for the sole reason that people think that we are less than, more destructive, less responsible. But why is that when a white person does drugs people say that they are having fun and that it's not a big deal. Although if a black person is doing it then they have gone down the wrong path and have thrown their whole life away. 

When drugs are expressed through music they make they are always talking about the same things no matter their race. How it’s an escape from the real world or it makes them feel better about the things that are going on in their lives. We all know that you shouldn't do drugs so I think that it should be an equal frowning upon. Not a different thing because of the color of someone's skin. 

[naomiwhite08]

Week 9 Discussion Forum: The Shift Toward Commercialization: The Capitalist Co-opting of Rap

I feel like rap hasn't betrayed its origins because people focus more on the materialistic things since back in the day this was the goal for rappers. They put in the work to make their money and this is their way of showing it. However I do think they betrayed the origins of it because of they way they talk about things. For example many people think that all rappers talk about is sex, drugs, and money and that would be why people would believe that rap has betrayed its origins. This shift does reflect a distorted version of Black success that is more of the "stereotypical" black rapper. Instead rappers can still talk about materialistic things but still explain the way that they got there. So this way they aren't influencing people to get lost in the other distractions, but they are working to be able to achieve their goals, and on the way they can reward themselves. 

[naomiwhite08]

These are some of the rappers in the 90's that have made rap music what it is today.

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Week 8 Assignment -- [Blog Post #4 ]

I think that a city that has had a huge impact on rap and on the development of music in general would be New York City. When I think of rap music in New York City I think of the East coast West coast battle and how that was such a huge thing then. Some of the best artists of all time were apart of it and they truly set the bar for music during that time because that was something that has never happened before. A big name that comes to mind when I think of artists from New York is 50 Cent. This leads into the first song that I chose which is "Hate it or Love it" by: 50 Cent and other artists.

This is a very know song I would say and is a good representation of what music is like in New York. In the song he talks about how he is an "underdog" and how he comes out on top of all other artists because he puts in the work to do so. Theres a lot of social struggles that goes on in this city like police brutality and overall inequality, and this is what 50 Cent mentions in his song. These are the odds that he, and all African Americans go through because of the color of our skin. This is was pushes us to work so hard since it feels like we have so much against us always. The next song I am choosing it "Fight the Power" by Public Enemy. He happens to also be from New York and I believe has many similarities compared to 50 Cent. They both mention overcoming struggles, although this song is older than 50 cents and is more about our people coming together and "fighting the power". I interpreted this as the government, or societies idea of black people. This son is especially about empowerment because its saying that we are stronger together than we are apart. 

Finally, the last song that I am choosing is not on any playlist or recommended for us but I still had to find a song by them because I think they are such a big part of music from New York. It is "Big Poppa" by Notorious B.I.G. I thought this would be a perfect because he was so well known in New York. Specifically during the battle that I was talking about earlier between the East and West coast. This song was about B.I.G rolling around town just loving life. I think that is something that needs to happen more in music, like we love to hear about how far you've come. But its also good to just have some chill music sometimes so I think he had a good balance to his songs. A key term that goes along with this is Sartre's Being and Nothingness. It ties in with these artists by demonstrating how 50 Cent's struggle reflects the conscious self seeking meaning through struggle. Notorious B.I.G.'s "Big Poppa" is a respite from the hollowness of existence, celebrating the authentic moments that are achieved in spite of hardship. Together, these songs demonstrate how rap reflects the soul's search for meaning and identity in a complex world.

[naomiwhite08]

Week 7 (Discussion Prompt) Is the soul without color?

I think that having “soul” in soul music means that you are speaking your truth about any and everything that is on your mind. I feel like the movie “Summer of Soul” was a beautiful way to show that. So many different artists from different backgrounds coming together to show their talent is such an amazing thing to be a part of. I was glad that they were able to record it and turn it into a movie so that this could be shared for years and years to come. The movie is about a music festival that happened in 1969 called the Harlem Cultural Festival. 

I do believe that souls can exist outside of race, however that doesn’t mean that it will be the same. Everyone has different upbringings and different struggles when they are different races. So yes any and every race can have their own type of soul music. Although it might not be as powerful, due to the fact that there has been oppression against black people, and all people of color for so long. So if a white person were to go do the same thing, it wouldn’t be the same.

[naomiwhite08]

This was a photo from Whitney Houston during her powerful performance of the Star Spangled Banner

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Week 6: Blog Post #3 -- Soul Studies Prompt

For my blog post this week it was honestly a little difficult for me to pick which one I wanted to talk about. After listening to all three of the performances I settled on Whitney Houston's I chose her because I thought that out of all the performances hers was the most "patriotic". Although I think that since she is a beautiful singer, such a big artist, and representation of black culture is what made it so powerful. The first thing that I think makes it different from the other two performances is that it's simple. She didn't change the song at all she just sang it and gave her own little twist her and there and it personally gave me chills. I think that it was an amazing way to just show off African American talents and especially during that time.

Whitey Houston's singing of the "Star Spangled Banner" (1991) took place during The Gulf War and when it had recently entered a crucial stage. I think this was a time where we wanted to show togetherness as a country. Even though we have our difference when we are in a war that is a truly terrifying thing. So for Houston to be the one to sing that song to represent that that is a truly beautiful thing. Existentialism is a thing where you make a meaning through something by just existing. I believe that we have created meaning through showing unity as a country throughout everything that happens with our country.  I think something that plays into the Phenomenology aspect of it is the fact that Houston actually pre-recorded it. Since this was the case she could make sure that it was perfect so this performance. From a Buddhist lens, the idea of impermanence reminds us that the fear, division, and violence surrounding the Gulf War was only temporary but during that time we didn't know that. So this was a way for us to try to show in our daily lives that we are supposed to be one.

[naomiwhite08]

Week 5 (Discussion Forum) -- Cosmic Utopia vs. Earthly Struggles

I think that the whole point of “Space is the Place” Is for it to kind of be an escape for the marginalized communities that deal with struggles ona day to day place. The idea was to have a place that was never built on systemic rules to keep black people or any people of color at the bottom. This was different from what Elon Musk had planned because he was just looking for another territory to claim, and more power to have. Musk is all about money and wanting to have control over things and society. So if we were to go down his route for what he had planned for space it’ll end up being a tourist area or just another thing for him to profit off of. That's why Sun Ra is so special because he actually wants to make a difference and do something to help people with his idea of space.

[naomiwhite08]

"Jazz is Dead" has been a quote that we have talked about in class regarding if the reason for jazz music shifting from being about the struggles that black people have went through. To now being about drugs or something that it wasn't back in the day. I personally don't think that jazz is dead.

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Week 4: Blog Post #2 -- Dead People, Dead Jazz Prompt

The saying "Jazz is Dead" was demonstrated in Henry Dumas’s “Will the Circle Be Unbroken" very well in a few different ways. In Duma's story black characters in Dumas's novel live an area of nonrelationality, cut apart from the prevailing systems that bestow authority and social recognition.  This is comparable to how jazz, a Black expression-based genre, has been commodified, stolen, and diminished by capitalist culture, making it "dead" in the mainstream.  However, jazz may be "dead" in capitalist terms, but it flourishes in alternative, resistance places, just like Dumas shows that Black existence persists—spiritually robust but socially invisible.

According to Frank Wilderson's definition of Afropessimism, this "death" is not meant to be seen as a bad thing, instead it is more of a representation of how Black existence is consistently left out of the entirety of society. Similar to Black life, jazz is in its purest form, yet its erasure from popular culture speaks to a greater truth. Black artistic work is only acceptable once its source and impact have been removed. Thus, the social mortality of jazz reflects the systemic erasure and violence that characterize Black life under capitalism. In this view, jazz is a reflection of Black life vibrant, communicative, and meaningful. Although it gets degraded when passed through the lens of capitalist and white supremacist structures. Its "death" in mainstream culture is more than just a matter of shifting musical preferences; it represents a more profound rejection of Black cultural existence, according to which Black invention is only valued when it is commercialized, divorced from its roots, and made acceptable by prevailing standards.

This shows that Afropessimism creates doubt on the idealized perspective that jazz can be simply "revived" via institutional recognition or financial success. Instead, it argues that Blackness's structural position and the way its disavowed existence is always essential is the reason behind jazz's disappearance from the mainstream. Jazz is therefore a reflection of Black ontology, an existence that is consistently denied visibility, legitimacy, and full participation in the social order; its social death is not merely symbolic.

[naomiwhite08]

Week 3 -- Review and Reflect

Title of Bog Post 1: Identity through many shades of blueby Mason Tremblay

Mason’s blog post did a great job connecting music to themes of identity and historical struggle, particularly through his use of Walter Hawkins’s “When the Battle Is Over,” a gospel song that reflects hope, perseverance, and ultimate victory through faith. This choice aligns well with the blues aesthetic, which, as described by scholars like Tricia Rose and Amiri Baraka, emphasizes the coexistence of sorrow and resilience in Black cultural expression. However, I believe his response could have been even stronger by including Hawkins’s “God Is Standing By,” a song from the course playlist that highlights God’s constant presence and guidance through hardship. This track more directly embodies the concept of relationality within the blues aesthetic and reflects Saidiya Hartman’s notion of the wayward life. Where Black survival is not just about physical endurance but about resisting erasure through spiritual and ethical presence. Additionally, the song’s message of divine closeness resonates with the existential questions posed by thinkers like Du Bois and Fanon, suggesting that even when societal recognition is denied, spiritual connection and cultural memory endure.

Title of blog post 2: When the Blues Speak Louder Than I Can. by. Aung Thwe

In Aung Thwe’s response, he references the song “Call On Me” by Frankie Beverly, which expresses a deep longing to be present for a loved one, emphasizing comfort, certainty, and unwavering support. Lyrics such as “I want to know that you're in comfort, I want to know that you're alright” reflect the emotional commitment and desire to be dependable during difficult times. Aung connects this theme personally to his relationship with his mother, positioning her as the person he wishes to be there for. This emotional connection resonates with themes found in the Blues Aesthetic, where pain is transformed into meaningful expression and survival through care. Another song that could also support his reflection is Bessie Smith’s “Need a Little Sugar in My Bowl,” which similarly explores yearning for connection and intimacy. Both songs speak to an absence or emotional gap the singers seek to fill. No matter is its through love, reassurance, or presence, and reflect the deeper blues tradition of articulating longing and the complexity of human need in the face of emotional or relational adversity.

[naomiwhite08]

This is Ray Charles and B.B. King performing "Sinner's Prayer"

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Week 2: Blog Post #1 -- Syncopation and the Downbeat

Relating to Blue's and Gospel Music: 

Blues and gospel music deeply connect to my life and my struggles. As a young Black woman and a Christian, gospel music gives me hope and reminds me that my faith can carry me through difficult times. Blues, on the other hand, speaks to the pain and challenges I face, especially dealing with racism from a young age. Being treated differently, overlooked, or underestimated because of my race and gender is a painful reality I have to navigate daily. Sexism also shapes the opportunities I am given — I often have to work twice as hard to be seen and respected. Listening to blues and gospel music helps me find strength, express emotions that are hard to put into words, and stay grounded in both my identity and my resilience.

 

"Is it because I'm black?" by Syl Johnson (Mass Incarceration of African American)

"Is It Because I'm Black?" by Syl Johnson, which was released in 1969 during the civil rights era, voices the frustration, sadness, and confusion of being treated unfairly simply because of the color of one’s skin. The mass incarceration of African Americans is a painful continuation of the systemic racism that Johnson sings about in that song. That same sense of injustice is seen today in how Black Americans are disproportionately policed, arrested, and given harsher prison sentences compared to their white counterparts. Johnson’s lyrics capture the emotional weight of living in a society where your potential and humanity are constantly questioned.  His song remains relevant because the obstacles he sung about are still very much present in the criminal justice system today.

 

“Need a little sugar in my bowl” by Bessie Smith (Gender Pay Gap)

The song "Need a Little Sugar in My Bowl" by Bessie Smith talks about a longing for affection and fulfillment, but it can also be seen as a metaphor for the economic struggles that women, especially Black women, have historically faced; and still face today with the gender pay gap. Many women are left struggling for the financial "sugar" in the same way as Bessie displays a need for something she is lacking. It would stand for equitable compensation and opportunities, which society still refuses to provide. Women frequently earn less than males for doing the same amount of labor, and the pay disparity is much more pronounced for Black women. Her song, which is both strong and vulnerable, serves as a reminder that demanding what we are entitled to is not only a personal but also a political issue.

"Sinner's Prayer" by Ray Charles, B.B. King (Refugee Mental Health Crisis)

The final topic I want to bring up is refugee mental health crisis, even though this doesn’t directly affect my life, but I believe it is an incredibly important issue that deserves more attention. Refugees run from persecution, violence, and war, only to encounter similar problems in their host nations in the form of prejudice, isolation, and unresolved trauma. The emotional burden they bear makes me think of Ray Charles and B.B. King's "Sinner's Prayer," whose words express an abject sense of supplication, exhaustion, and pleading for mercy. In the same way that the song calls for forgiveness and relief, refugees frequently scream for compassion, understanding, and healing from the invisible wounds they carry.  Although their experience differs from mine, I am aware that everyone needs respect, encouragement, and hope when they are at their most vulnerable.

I find reflections of my own problems as well as those of many others who face injustice, hardship, and discrimination in both gospel and blues music.  These songs offer optimism, resiliency, and the will to keep fighting for better while also giving voice to the anguish of racism, misogyny, and emotional distress. Despite the challenges, the music serves as a reminder that we are not alone in our hardships.  that we might find the strength to persevere and demand change by faith, expression, and unity.  Music turns becomes a source of strength and a cry for justice rather than merely reflecting life's struggles.

[naomiwhite08]

Blues Journal

1: I think my top three struggles right now would be first getting back into school and trying to figure everything out for my classes. I think the next thing i've been struggling with would be figuring out where to work, i've been recently deciding between 2 jobs and haven't been able to choose which one I want to stick with. Finally my last struggle would be balancing everything with school, work and volleyball.

2: The three songs I chose to use were, "Born Under a Bad Sign", "I'd Rather Go Blind", and "When the welfare turns its back on you".

3: Firstly I chose "Born Under a Bad Sign" because I felt like it related to my issue regarding  picking which job I wanted to work at. There was a line when King says, "Hard luck and trouble" he is saying this talking about his life and how he grew up. However I would be using it in a way to say that I have experienced that same thing with finding a job, and now that I have options to chose it's tough for me to make a decision. Second the song "School Day" I would relate to just coming back to school and having to adjust to my new schedule. In the song Chuck Berry talks about getting up and going to school so I think it works well. Finally, I think the song, "Ball N' Chain" can relate to the last issue of managing my issues and trying to accomplish all my goals that I set for myself. I took the song as being something that you cant get rid of almost which was the girls love that she had. So I'm relating my goals to that because i"m in a way "stuck with it" but I know that I will feel accomplished after I completed them.