What's it like to have your music taste questioned based on your race? To be divided by the stigma that a certain music genre poses? Well...
Everyone knows what it's like to be in the car with friends and having the radio blasting out your favorite jams. Most of the time no one has to argue about the station or playlist that is chosen. Everyone in that group of friends are in an agreement and theres usually one particular genre that is preferred amongst everyone. For me, it has never been that simple.
I've grown up to love a variety of music. From Classical to Rap, I find myself having a mix of it all on my playlists. Being of a mixed race I have very different groups of friends with very different tastes in music. In some cases the music that I'm in the mood to listen to, the friends I'm with at that time don't even like that type of music.
It's hard being the biracial friend because when I'm with my black friends, they expect me to always listen to what they consider "black music" and the same for my white friends who think I should listen to what is considered "white music". I never really understood why people contribute a race to music. Why is a certain genre of music associated with a particular race? Personally I listen to all types of music and it is all based on the content of the music itself and what I get out of it. Never based on what I "should" listen to.
I guess I'll never be black enough for my black friends or white enough for my white friends. To think that the music I listen to draws some sort of line that divides me from others or that I will automatically be pegged for a certain type of person based on what is blasting out my car radio is crazy. It is sad that living in a country that is supposed to be a "melting pot" and living in communities that say they are fighting the racial division, that people like me find themselves torn between their friends over MUSIC!
Being the biracial friend... Well, I always say it pays to be diverse.
