The N-word in music : an American history / Todd M. Mealy.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Mealy, Todd M., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Popular music--Social aspects--United States--History.

Popular music.

Music and language--United States--History.

Music and language.

Music and race--United States--History.

Music and race.

Slurs--United States--History.

Slurs.

African Americans in popular culture.

African American comedians.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (268 pages)

Place of Publication:

Jefferson, North Carolina : McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers, 2022.

Summary:

"The minstrelsy play, song, and dance "Jump, Jim Crow" did more than enable blackface performers to spread racist stereotypes about Black Americans. This widespread antebellum-era cultural phenomenon was instrumental in normalizing the N-word across several aspects of American life. Material culture, sporting culture, consumer products, house-pets, carnival games and even geographic landmarks obtained the racial slur as a formal and informal appellation. Music, it is argued, was the catalyst for normalizing and disseminating those two ugly syllables throughout society, well beyond the environs of plantation and urban slavery. This weighty and engaging look at the English language's most explosive slur, described by scholars as the "atomic bomb" of bigoted words, traces the N-word's journey through various music genres and across generations. The author uses private letters, newspaper accounts, exclusive interviews and, most importantly, music lyrics from artists in the fields of minstrelsy, folk, country, ragtime, blues, jazz, rock 'n' roll and hip hop. The result is a reflective account of how the music industry has channeled linguistic and cultural movements across eras, resulting in changes to the slur's meaning and spelling"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

The N-Word's Musical Contours

Out of Music : The N-Word's Material, Environmental, and Social Contours

John Lennon's N-Word Moment

Interlude. Diverse Opinions

Philosorock : John Lennon, Bob Dylan, and Other White Musicians Who Sing the N-Word

Black Demystification, White Bewilderment : Transformation and Numbing in Black Comedy and Black Music

Muhammad Ali, Rap, and That Word

A Hip-Hop Icon

A Sensible Rule : A Case Study

Inviting Destruction Beyond the Music

Conclusion. Welcome to the Conversation, Country Music.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 243-249) and index.

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

Other Format:

Print version: Mealy, Todd M. The N-Word in Music

ISBN:

9781476646497