Black History Month: Celebrating Afro Punk

February is Black History Month and we at Cigar Jukebox will have a different feature per week on African-American’s contribution of music history. Today we are looking at African-American bands and artists in punk music, widely called “Afro Punk.” Punk and straight edge music is a largely white male dominated genre, so African-American artists are largely overlooked. Much like other punk music, Afro Punk has a sharp social edge and thematically focuses on racism within society, the impact of slavery on African-Americans and police brutality. Here are some African-American punk acts that you need to listen to.

Death: You’re A Prisoner

Let’s go all the way back to the OGs. Death was a band that took on the 1970s and are seen as punk pioneers. Singing about social issues, racism, identity and life in the city, Death brought high octane rock to the forefront. Later bands will take their guitar lines and percussion up to 11 and really crank out some punk, but that doesn’t lessen what visionaries they were. Death will always be a band ahead of its time and paved the way for punk in the 80s.

Bad Brains: Banned in DC

Bad Brains took Death’s early punk sound and turned it up to 11 in the early 80s. Part of the golden age of punk in America, Bad Brains were and iconic DC band that took no prisoners and called out the racists policies of those in government. Part classic 80s thrash punk and part psychedelic guitar rock, Bad Brains pushed the genre and showed what punk could be. Their latest EP was in 2019, showing that the band is still bringing punk to the masses.

The 1865: Buckshot

Singing about revolution, the impacts of slavery on society and white supremacist government structures, the 1865 takes punk back to the 70s era revolution protest music. Their name itself is a nod to the year of the 13th amendment, which abolished slavery. This New York City band is full of high energy, crunch and smooth vocals from front woman Honeychild Coleman. They have traditional punk notes, but modern vocals, which works really well. Much like Bad Brains, the 1865 are pushing punk to new frontiers.

Living Colour: Cult of Personality

I know…I know….I hear you saying “They’re not punk!” Well, in my book anyone that starts a lead single with a speech from Malcolm X and sings about why you shouldn’t trust people in power is punk to me. Part metal, part pop and part punk, Living Colour jumped on the music scene in the late 80s with guitar heavy music about identity and questioning those in power. They would never again hit the height of this track, but its core message of how people should question blindly following one person in power still resonates today.

Fishbone: Party at Ground Zero

This massive collection of artists was pure chaotic id when they hit the stage. Coming out of the ska renaissance in the late 80s and 90s, Fishbone blended that old 2 Tone sound with punk licks. This formula made for some high energy music that could move from singing about hitting the party to lyrics about how racists need to be punched in the face. Never really getting the recognition they deserved, Fishbone tore the late 80s and 90s apart. They are still putting out music today and still as chaotic.

Body Count: Body Count

Ice-T’s punk project had one of the biggest crossovers of any punk band, but also one of the most controversial with the track Cop Killer. Singing about white supremacist police, murders of young African-Americans, police brutality and poverty Body Count was not pulling punches. They forced people to face the social ills at a time where the news was largely overlooking crime and brutality perpetrated against African-Americans. Body Count will always have a big role in music history.

The Paradox: Do Me Like That

I wanted to end with a modern band. Atlanta based pop/skate punk band The Paradox is making waves in 2025 and 2026. This Green Day style band is firmly in the pop punk lane with tight arrangements and glitzy vocals. Focusing on mainly coming of age stories in their tracks this band has huge crossover potential. This is definitely a band to look out for in the next few years.