Hello,

This is Huggins293. I need to ask a question? Why is Michael Jackson's "Beat It" considered "funk rock" while all of the Red HOt chilli Peppers' songs are considered modern rock. There is far more funk in the Red Hot chili Pepper's song "The Higher Ground" than Jackson's song "Beat It." Yet the former is considerd modern rock. "Beat it" is guitar rock and should still be played on classic rock stations. The fact that he is brotha should not matter.

My second question

1. Why do many black folks pretend "Beat it" is not a version of guitar rock while claiming songs like Journey's "Separate Ways" is modern rock.

I know white folks do it as well but many black people act like they are immune of this musical racism. I truly believe that the disproportionate lack of blacks in modern rock is due to cultural bias far more than it is due to musical taste. Don't get me wrong, it is possible for blacks to dislike modern rock without being musically racist. Many whites as well dislike modern rock. But there is a disturbing notion within the black community that classic rock is for whites when in fact most classic rock is done by whites as an interpretation of black music(i.e. blues).

Even if modern rock was entirely created by whites, why should we be discouraged in participating in it! A white person probably invented golf. Does that mean we should not participate? Why should we care? We eat pizza, but we don't care that its recipe was created by Italians! Many legal corporations were created by whites, should we refrain from working for them?

So in saying this rant, I have decided that for the rest of my life, I will be committed in expanding urban youth to more music than just modern R&B and HIP-HOP.

Huggins293

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Huggins293,

I've never really thought it was that big of an issue. Generally, the populace has the control over defining what genre a song fits (well, actually, that's not true at all, but they can redefine it after critics and hipsters define it).

On the second point, I don't push black people away from listening to what I do... I've never really seen anyone do that. I think it's more about our current state of mind- black people participate in the "hip-hop" culture (I hate the term hip-hop), white people are part of the... some other culture (I guess white culture haha)- and few want to get out of this mold. It's pretty weird seeing the black metal kids (read: "african american" metal kids, not the genre black metal) and it's weird (although commonplace) to see white suburban kids trying to act like their from the projects.

I guess it's all about trying to stick to what's expected, stay in the box. But, for some reason, nu-metal has managed to help some break out of that mold.

yes, Beat It is rock and good stuff, too. Have you listened to any Average White Band? Check out their first two or three albums. They were an ass kicking Scottish R&B and funk band. They sounded like a black funk band but they were around three or so years before they got a black band member.
Whatever category folks place music, I could care not. Wht matters is that I like it or dislike it.

i would call it modern R&B but that is me

R&B

A guitar riff, no matter how cool, does not make a song rock and roll. The fact is that all of the production EXCEPT the guitars on the WHOLE album is electronic. I think immediately of the sick heavy riff in Bun B's Get Throwed...still hip-hop.

"Beat It" is pop. It's sorta rock too. Wouldn't say R&B so much. Just doesn't seem to fit that mold. But really, most of Jackson's stuff kinda transcends genre.

I loved that song. It's also on "Guitar Hero: World Tour" too!

Just BEAT it! BEAT IT! BEAT IT!