Music has always been integral to the Black Lives Matter movement in
the United States, with songs such as Kendrick Lamar’s "Alright,"
J. Cole’s "Be Free," D’Angelo and the Vanguard's "The
Charade," The Game’s "Don’t Shoot," Janelle
Monae’s "Hell You Talmbout," Usher’s "Chains,"
and many others serving as unofficial anthems and soundtracks for
members and allies of the movement. In this collection of critical
studies, contributors draw from ethnographic research and personal
encounters to illustrate how scholarly research of, approaches to,
and teaching about the role of music in the Black Lives Matter
movement can contribute to public awareness of the social, economic,
political, scientific, and other forms of injustices in our society.
Each chapter in Black Lives Matter and Music focuses on a
particular case study, with the goal to inspire and facilitate
productive dialogues among scholars, students, and the communities we
study. From nuanced snapshots of how African American musical genres
have flourished in different cities and the role of these genres in
local activism, to explorations of musical pedagogy on the American
college campus, readers will be challenged to think of how activism
and social justice work might appear in American higher education and
in academic research. Black Lives Matter and Music provokes us
to examine how we teach, how we conduct research, and ultimately, how
we should think about the ways that black struggle, liberation, and
identity have evolved in the United States and around the world.