Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How is this not cultural appropriation?

Because the roots of country music (and rock n roll) originated in Africa and the diaspora. She's actually taking it back, good for her

Since humanity originated in Africa, all music originated in Africa, is that your argument. We have been all over the planet for centuries. Not every genre of music and art has been appropriated from Black people.

DP.

“Black Artists Helped Build Country Music—And Then It Left Them Behind”

https://time.com/5673476/ken-burns-country-music-black-artists/

that’s not really accurate historically. yes the banjo came from Africa but country music proceeded directly from European fiddle/ballad music too. that’s the thing about music - no culture actually “owns” it …

Eh, songs are perfectly fine but you’d never know they were put out by a major star.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is Jay Z’s attempt to have Beyoncé win best country album to spite T swift… good song though

that makes zero sense - even if Bey won the award, it make so sense that Jay Z or B would think this has any bit of affect on TS

Effect. Makes perfect sense. It’s directed right at swift who started out as a country artist then moved into mainstream pop and robbed Beyoncé of her glory.

NP. It doesn’t make sense. Also, Taylor and Beyoncé have been supporting each other at their respective movie openings.

TS has already won country album of the year. Bey making a country album is zero to TS — literally does not matter in any way.

Fearless beat out I am Sasha Fierce for Album of the Year the same year it also won Country Album of the Year, and songs from the album were also up for best Pop songs against Bey. Jay z’s comment about not being in the right category was directed at swift and his comments about race at the Grammys were a veiled way of saying, this country white lady keeps besting my wife. Now this is their way of saying you can win at pop? Well we can win at country. It may mean nothing to swift but it’s a blatant ploy to try to her Bey a country album award if she can’t win album of the year. Maybe even get her some country music awards too.

You make zero sense. TS has won every country and every pop award. Bey has won zero country or pop awards.

Since 1957 only 11 black artists have won album of the year. 11, in almost 70 years.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How is this not cultural appropriation?

Because the roots of country music (and rock n roll) originated in Africa and the diaspora. She's actually taking it back, good for her

that’s not really true. many roots also in white Appalachian music, with some traditional ballads & fiddle music coming from Europe, then with contributions from African Americans.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is Jay Z’s attempt to have Beyoncé win best country album to spite T swift… good song though

that makes zero sense - even if Bey won the award, it make so sense that Jay Z or B would think this has any bit of affect on TS

Effect. Makes perfect sense. It’s directed right at swift who started out as a country artist then moved into mainstream pop and robbed Beyoncé of her glory.

NP. It doesn’t make sense. Also, Taylor and Beyoncé have been supporting each other at their respective movie openings.

TS has already won country album of the year. Bey making a country album is zero to TS — literally does not matter in any way.

Fearless beat out I am Sasha Fierce for Album of the Year the same year it also won Country Album of the Year, and songs from the album were also up for best Pop songs against Bey. Jay z’s comment about not being in the right category was directed at swift and his comments about race at the Grammys were a veiled way of saying, this country white lady keeps besting my wife. Now this is their way of saying you can win at pop? Well we can win at country. It may mean nothing to swift but it’s a blatant ploy to try to her Bey a country album award if she can’t win album of the year. Maybe even get her some country music awards too.

I disagree. You truly think for Jay Z/Beyonce getting revenge on taylor swift is bigger than fighting systemic racism? Those are reasons Taylor would use because she is all about personal revenge. That is why her “getting back at the music industry” was not focused on the music industry, but only on the Scooter guy (see the imagery in her video for conformation) Personal revenge like that is not something someone who faced true racism would do, they would be focused more on changing the institution.

Sure okay and that’s why he made a rambling speech about racial discrimination at the Grammys. Because he plans to change the system. No he plans to win his wife a country award to say not just to swift but to the music industry as a whole, you passed my wife over and now we’re going after what is typically a white category. But if you don’t think this has something indirectly to do with swift, you’re wrong. Beyoncé herself may be supportive of her but her husband holds a grudge.

You are missing the bigger picture that black people have been dealing with awards discrimination for decades. IF this is your stance, at least acknowledge the discrimination that blacks have faced.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accusations_of_racial_bias_in_Grammy_Awards#:~:text=Allegations%20of%20racism%20in%20the,the%20controversial%20voting%20process%20itself.

I mean Beyoncé last lost to Adele and Styles, so why do you think this about Taylor, who herself isn’t a country artist anymore?

Maybe you are someone who thinks everything is about Taylor, and no other musicians should exist or compare. I mean Taylor herself is vendetta queen, so if you are overly immersed in her, you may start thinking like that.

If you have any links to bolster your argument, go for it, but it is far fetched to me that everyone is out to get Taylor.

DP. Blacks have faced discrimination in all facets of life for decades. Does that mean Beyonce DESERVES grammys all the time? Nope. Being Black doesn't automatically make someone good or worthy or whatever. Anymore than being white or anything else does.

Some of us think she is awful and it has nothing to do with her being black. But you'll tell us unless we like her and think everything she does is brilliant, we're racist. And it is getting old and undermines cases where we really do need to work on things.

Huh maybe you are right, none of it has to do with race. I guess then Beyoncé learned from Taylor that spite sells and will get her more Grammys.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No thread about this? I hadn’t realized she dropped two country songs from the new album. Had to Google her CMA performance with the Chicks from years back. I’m a lukewarm Beyoncé fan and I just cannot get into country music so not a good judge if this is any good. It certainly is brave to try another genre. Who has gone from pop/rock to country successfully? I know some have tried but successfully? Seems tough to pull off.

Are you suggesting Beyoncé is pop/rock?

DP

I mean, they play Beyonce on easy listening top 40 like 97.1 and other top 40/pop stations like 94.7 and 99.5.

Anonymous wrote:No thread about this? I hadn’t realized she dropped two country songs from the new album. Had to Google her CMA performance with the Chicks from years back. I’m a lukewarm Beyoncé fan and I just cannot get into country music so not a good judge if this is any good. It certainly is brave to try another genre. Who has gone from pop/rock to country successfully? I know some have tried but successfully? Seems tough to pull off.

Are you suggesting Beyoncé is pop/rock?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No thread about this? I hadn’t realized she dropped two country songs from the new album. Had to Google her CMA performance with the Chicks from years back. I’m a lukewarm Beyoncé fan and I just cannot get into country music so not a good judge if this is any good. It certainly is brave to try another genre. Who has gone from pop/rock to country successfully? I know some have tried but successfully? Seems tough to pull off.

Darius Rucker would like a word

DP. But I don’t think there have been any black women to do well in country. Darius Rucker is also a lot less in your face about his blackness compared to Beyonce. He has a white wife and hasn’t really commented on any racial issues like how Beyonce has nor has he had as black a fan base.

Darius is Gen X, like me. And he went to an ACC college, like me. He grew up in the south which is a bit different than the urban Texas of Beyonce's youth.

Gen X was raised to celebrate diversity and to pull yourself up by your bootstraps and carry on. College was seriously the best time of your life--before social media and cell phones--and we did mix and mingle with all races at ACC schools.

Aside from skin color, and like the pp said, Darius and Beyonce had very different life experiences and currently live very different lives. She has very much led a segregated life by choice after achieving nonsensical levels of wealth and privilege. Her urban music aligns very much with the FUBU mindset. I'm wondering if Nashville and country stations will embrace her the way they've embraced Darius who comes across as a low-key guy (not a diva by any stretch of the imagination). Pretty sure he recently divorced his (white) wife, but he hasn't really lived his life as a celebrity like Beyonce has. You rarely see him on a magazine cover or in the news/gossip pages.

In short: he has always struck me as a very likeable guy who loves music and shies away from attention beyond the run of the mill promotion of his music (and business ventures---I think he's done collabs with sports or clothing merch).

I'll see if I can find the CBS Sunday Morning interview he recently did. They addressed the fact that country music stations essentially told him they loved his music but feared the listeners were too racist to embrace a black singer. He proved them wrong. He is beloved in Nashville and by country music fans everywhere. His fans come in all colors and from all over.

I think Beyonce has more of a niche fanbase. It will be interesting to see if her typical fans embrace the country songs...or if the new fans who are drawn to her country music drive away her old fans (ie: I've seen lots of videos of white suburban moms and white gay men dancing to her new country song wearing boots and cowboy hats...will that upset her traditional fanbase?).

PS - I think Jay Z is just a jerk. His tantrum at the grammys made him seem petty and jealous...not a good look for anyone...especially a man. Can't tell if he's really that insecure or if any of it is racially motivated, but the guy really hates Taylor Swift.

FWIW, I'm not a Swiftie. I like a couple of her songs and I respect her success the same way I respect Beyonce's success, but pop music isn't my jam.

I actually have gotten into country music in the last handful of years (an interesting departure from my 80s/90s alternative rock and punk roots), but I tend to prefer artists like Darius Rucker and other male singers.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No thread about this? I hadn’t realized she dropped two country songs from the new album. Had to Google her CMA performance with the Chicks from years back. I’m a lukewarm Beyoncé fan and I just cannot get into country music so not a good judge if this is any good. It certainly is brave to try another genre. Who has gone from pop/rock to country successfully? I know some have tried but successfully? Seems tough to pull off.

Darius Rucker would like a word

DP. But I don’t think there have been any black women to do well in country. Darius Rucker is also a lot less in your face about his blackness compared to Beyonce. He has a white wife and hasn’t really commented on any racial issues like how Beyonce has nor has he had as black a fan base.

Anonymous wrote:No thread about this? I hadn’t realized she dropped two country songs from the new album. Had to Google her CMA performance with the Chicks from years back. I’m a lukewarm Beyoncé fan and I just cannot get into country music so not a good judge if this is any good. It certainly is brave to try another genre. Who has gone from pop/rock to country successfully? I know some have tried but successfully? Seems tough to pull off.

Darius Rucker would like a word

I love Lemonade and Renaissance, but I still hate country music and will just wait for her next album...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is Jay Z’s attempt to have Beyoncé win best country album to spite T swift… good song though

that makes zero sense - even if Bey won the award, it make so sense that Jay Z or B would think this has any bit of affect on TS

Effect. Makes perfect sense. It’s directed right at swift who started out as a country artist then moved into mainstream pop and robbed Beyoncé of her glory.

NP. It doesn’t make sense. Also, Taylor and Beyoncé have been supporting each other at their respective movie openings.

TS has already won country album of the year. Bey making a country album is zero to TS — literally does not matter in any way.

Fearless beat out I am Sasha Fierce for Album of the Year the same year it also won Country Album of the Year, and songs from the album were also up for best Pop songs against Bey. Jay z’s comment about not being in the right category was directed at swift and his comments about race at the Grammys were a veiled way of saying, this country white lady keeps besting my wife. Now this is their way of saying you can win at pop? Well we can win at country. It may mean nothing to swift but it’s a blatant ploy to try to her Bey a country album award if she can’t win album of the year. Maybe even get her some country music awards too.

You make zero sense. TS has won every country and every pop award. Bey has won zero country or pop awards.

Aren't the grammys basically a popularity contest fueled by the music industry?

Hasn't Beyonce already won a bunch of grammys? I mean, she can't win every year. Don't the winners tend to either be one hit wonders who enjoyed huge popularity and then disappear OR they are more iconic and enjoy success followed by a lull as they make another album and reappear...or reinvent themselves?

Taylor is having a moment. She's young, single and childless, and able to churn out commercially successful albums. Beyonce had her moment and will reinvent herself. It's all good.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How is this not cultural appropriation?

Because the roots of country music (and rock n roll) originated in Africa and the diaspora. She's actually taking it back, good for her

Since humanity originated in Africa, all music originated in Africa, is that your argument. We have been all over the planet for centuries. Not every genre of music and art has been appropriated from Black people.

DP.

“Black Artists Helped Build Country Music—And Then It Left Them Behind”

https://time.com/5673476/ken-burns-country-music-black-artists/

Lots of artists get left behind. Because the entertainment industry has never been fair .

Sure. But color of skin should not be the reason you’re left behind or not.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is Jay Z’s attempt to have Beyoncé win best country album to spite T swift… good song though

that makes zero sense - even if Bey won the award, it make so sense that Jay Z or B would think this has any bit of affect on TS

Effect. Makes perfect sense. It’s directed right at swift who started out as a country artist then moved into mainstream pop and robbed Beyoncé of her glory.

NP. It doesn’t make sense. Also, Taylor and Beyoncé have been supporting each other at their respective movie openings.

TS has already won country album of the year. Bey making a country album is zero to TS — literally does not matter in any way.

Fearless beat out I am Sasha Fierce for Album of the Year the same year it also won Country Album of the Year, and songs from the album were also up for best Pop songs against Bey. Jay z’s comment about not being in the right category was directed at swift and his comments about race at the Grammys were a veiled way of saying, this country white lady keeps besting my wife. Now this is their way of saying you can win at pop? Well we can win at country. It may mean nothing to swift but it’s a blatant ploy to try to her Bey a country album award if she can’t win album of the year. Maybe even get her some country music awards too.

I disagree. You truly think for Jay Z/Beyonce getting revenge on taylor swift is bigger than fighting systemic racism? Those are reasons Taylor would use because she is all about personal revenge. That is why her “getting back at the music industry” was not focused on the music industry, but only on the Scooter guy (see the imagery in her video for conformation) Personal revenge like that is not something someone who faced true racism would do, they would be focused more on changing the institution.

Sure okay and that’s why he made a rambling speech about racial discrimination at the Grammys. Because he plans to change the system. No he plans to win his wife a country award to say not just to swift but to the music industry as a whole, you passed my wife over and now we’re going after what is typically a white category. But if you don’t think this has something indirectly to do with swift, you’re wrong. Beyoncé herself may be supportive of her but her husband holds a grudge.

You are missing the bigger picture that black people have been dealing with awards discrimination for decades. IF this is your stance, at least acknowledge the discrimination that blacks have faced.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accusations_of_racial_bias_in_Grammy_Awards#:~:text=Allegations%20of%20racism%20in%20the,the%20controversial%20voting%20process%20itself.

I mean Beyoncé last lost to Adele and Styles, so why do you think this about Taylor, who herself isn’t a country artist anymore?

Maybe you are someone who thinks everything is about Taylor, and no other musicians should exist or compare. I mean Taylor herself is vendetta queen, so if you are overly immersed in her, you may start thinking like that.

If you have any links to bolster your argument, go for it, but it is far fetched to me that everyone is out to get Taylor.

DP. Blacks have faced discrimination in all facets of life for decades. Does that mean Beyonce DESERVES grammys all the time? Nope. Being Black doesn't automatically make someone good or worthy or whatever. Anymore than being white or anything else does.

Some of us think she is awful and it has nothing to do with her being black. But you'll tell us unless we like her and think everything she does is brilliant, we're racist. And it is getting old and undermines cases where we really do need to work on things.