How Music Proves Black is King: Beyoncé, AfroBeats & “Verzuz” Battles — Writing On The Ball
“African Booty Scratcher” was a popular 90’s phrase to describe people with direct connects to the Motherland. Fast forward, Ancestry DNA kits are purchased at a rate rivaling retro Air Jordan’s. The desire of many to dig into their rectal roots has become infectious. As a 1st generation Nigerian-American, I’m here for citizens of the culture aspiring to connect with their ancestral roots! The sobering reality that slavery isn’t the inception of black history has been made clear. Therefore, cultural connections have become critical as social and racial injustice continues. Even Black Panther had people getting passports to go vacay in Wakanda.
In case you missed it, check out Part I and Part II of our “Quarantanglement” series. In this third installment, curators of the culture should be saluted.
In America, humming hymns and negro spirituals during slavery unified black people, galvanizing them during dark times.
The 2020 evolution of music has morphed Beyoncé’s “Black is King” and Timbaland and Swizz Beatz’s “Verzuz” Battles into cultural phenomenons while emphasizing three important themes during Quarantanglement season.
What makes music unique is its ubiquitous nature. You can’t box the art into one avenue. By recalibrating Coachella standards, synthesizing virtual albums, and co-signing AfroBeats, Beyoncé has revolutionized the industry. She’s shown that the art of music evolves faster than Apple iOS updates. Timbaland and Swizz took the approach of partnering with iTunes to produce concert-style content thru their joint musical platform.
Verzuz battles are when two artists go song-for-song for 20 rounds. Outside of rap, R&B (John Legend vs. Alicia Keys), Neo Soul (Jill Scott vs. Erykah Badu), Reggae (Bounty Killer vs. Beenie Man), and Gospel music (Fred Hammond vs. Kirk Franklin) all had runs thru the Verzuz rolodex. Music’s ability to speak to our deepest human emotions is what makes it powerful. When artists harness that energy, they should leverage the music to monetize off of their work.
Diversity builds the economy. Music’s Swiss Army knife ability creates multiple revenue streams to generate income from.
According to Forbes, R&B and hip-hop are music’s most consumed genres amassing well over $60 Billion in annual revenue. 2030 predictions believe the genres will rake in over $130 Billion.
$130 BILLION. How many Brinks Trucks will the culture need in order to come collect?!
Unfortunately, not every musician is making money from the fruit of their labor because record labels can be culture vultures. Yet, with a net worth of $500 Million, Beyoncé owns all of her masters and gets equity in every endeavor she participates in. This is a big deal because many musicians are still battling to own their music. Even though artists aren’t paid directly, Verzuz Battles at least provides a monetization outlet via brand marketing. The best part? The viewing public only needs an Instagram or Apple account to tune in, leading to the most important part.
In the midst of COVID-19’s global crusade, the opportunity to be alive is the biggest blessing we could ask for. In Part II, we talked about Beyoncé’s benevolence in building up relief opportunities. Her most recent artwork assisted in bridging the opportunity gap between American and African black music.
In an atmosphere full of racism, creating doubt within black people’s capabilities is prevalent but can be mitigated. Per NPR, “Beyoncé Knowles’ Black Is King — a visual companion to the 2019 album The Lion King: The Gift — is a breath of fresh air. In it she shows that Black is beautiful. Black is glorious.” Yonce’s album was heavily influenced by Afrobeats, featuring the genre’s biggest giants such as WizKid, BurnaBoy and others.
Afrobeats now has an opportunity to grow its U.S. fanbase with Bey continuing to shine her spotlight on its unique sound. Concurrently, Timb and Swizz have given multiple artists the opportunity to shine their catalogues during the Verzuz concerts. Take a look at these statistics from the highest ranking battle of all-time:
Beyond the music, It warms my heart to see black folks embracing their African roots, Afrobeats growing and the culture awarding entertainers their roses while they’re still here. Celebrating artists by highlighting black music’s impact on diversity, economy and opportunity is integral. If we don’t, then who will? Other celebrities are also enjoying the affairs from the comfort of their own homes or NBA bubbles. The art of music has always connected us. The same way the art of athletics does.
In Part IV of our “Quarantanglement” series, we review the impact of sports during this unprecedented time. Coming soon, just wait on it.
Originally published at https://www.writingontheball.com on August 10, 2020.
