When Michael Jackson died nearly seven years ago, the world stood still. Men and women from all around the globe cried in disbelief as the 50-year-old man who crept into the hearts of people worldwide as an 11-year old little boy from Gary, Indiana passed on. For months, all that was played on radios were tunes from the seemingly immortal Michael Jackson. When Whitney Houston died her tragic death in 2012, the reactions were similar. Now, in 2016, just a few days ago, the world has lost another music icon, one of the most innovative and creative musicians to ever step foot on the earth, Prince Rogers Nelson.
What makes this death so devastating, so heartbreaking, is not just his musical abilities, it was Prince’s refusal to live by the norm. He broke every stereotype, every gender role. Prince, in his mascara and frilled blouses, shattered every bit of very fragile Black masculinity that still exists today. He moved to his own beat, danced to his own tune, which is why he was so influential. Paired with his musical ingenuity and amazing performances, Prince was a force to be reckoned with, a perpetrator of a continuing line of Black Excellence.
When great musical talents such as Prince, Michael Jackson, Whitney or the like die, the media is quick to say “they transcended race, they weren’t just a Black artist.” But that’s the thing. They were. The roots of their music stemmed from a tradition of black excellence — Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Chuck Berry, James Brown, and so many more — and to erase their blackness is to erase the cultivation of their craft, the very essence of their music. This blackness stems from the soul of Black folks who were broken, tortured, and hurting, yet still found a way to create something beautiful. It stems from hanging bodies and whipped backs. This blackness has always been at the forefront of musical ingenuity and has continued to be stolen from and profited off. Artists such as Elvis Presley attempted to suck the soul out of Black musicians and create an off brand copy of it and a tradition of Black excellence being stolen by white mediocrity is still being continued to this day. So, whenever some ignorant individual opens their mouth to say “they were not just a Black artist,” it makes me ask what is the problem with being a Black artist? It’s as if their blackness is some cruel disease that automatically discredits their talent (this is ironic because it is often times this blackness that cultivates their talent).
In addition to this warped irony, the media tends to overlook the pro-Black stances these artists have and their critique on social issues. Michael Jackson, despite popular belief, was vocal about his blackness. With singles such as “They Don’t Care About Us,” or an all black cast of ancient Egyptians in “Remember the Time,” Michael constantly reminded the world of his blackness. He even went so far as to, in a speech in 2002, claim that he was targeted by the media because of his blackness and that Elvis only got as far as he did because of Black people.
Prince, similarly, stood up for black issues, contrary to popular belief. In 2015, in the midst of the Freddie Gray riots in Baltimore, Maryland where a young man was unjustly killed by the Baltimore City Police, Prince released a song entitled “Baltimore,” as a tribute to Freddie Gray and other individuals who died due to police brutality and violence. “If there ain’t no justice, then there ain’t no peace,” he belted in the song. He also held a “Rally 4 Peace” in Baltimore, inviting everyone to wear the color gray. Prince, at age 56, danced around the stage, commanding it with precision, grace, and timeless skill. He also, when accepting an award, proclaimed “like books and black lives, albums still matter.” To negate these artists’ blackness is to completely negate who they were and what they stood for. It is to negate their art, this art that “transcends race” yet stems from decades of black struggle and black excellence.
One may say: “Well, their music does transcend race.” And it does. Because everyone loves excellence. No one race is entitled to enjoying excellence. It just so happens, however, that when a black artist is the standard for excellence, when a black artist is the reason for such eternal greatness, their heritage is stripped from them. To discredit their blackness is to discredit them. So, while mourning the life of Prince or any other Black artist, don’t say they “were not just a black artist.” Because they were. They were a Black artist and this tradition of black excellence is what shaped their craft is what shaped them altogether. The term “Black genius” is not some oxymoron. “Black legend” or “Black artist” don’t cancel each other out. In fact, it is this blackness that births this artistry.
