Black History Month: Underrated African-American Bands and Artists you Must Hear

For our final entry for Black History Month, I thought we would take a closer look at some underrated African-American artists who deserve more of a listen. With all the posts and all the podcasts, there are still bands and artists who slip through the cracks. Black History Month gives us the opportunity to really narrow our focus and highlight bands that we may have missed. The bands and artists on this list are from a variety of genres and all fit into the underrated umbrella. You may think some bands on this list are rated just fine, but I will explain why they are on here. So, let’s get going.

The Supremes: Reflections

Ok. I hear you saying that the band can’t be underrated because they’re in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The reason I have them on this list is that I don’t think people recognise how they ushered in the “girl band” structure that will dominate R&B in the 90s and early 2000s. Also, people think of their early bubble gum Motown and not how they evolved to remain important in the late 60s. Reflections is a great example of how the band remained relevant and evolved throughout the years.

J Dilla: So Far to Go

Unfortunately, J Dilla died before he could get the music wide acclaim he deserved. His sampling and layered mixes gave hip hop a texture and wall of sound still inspiring artists today. His samples, beats and song structure were far ahead of their time and showed a musical ear that is unparalleled by MCs today. Listening to his breakout record Donuts will blow your mind and show you what a genius he was.

Erykah Badu: Don’t Cha Know

Erykah Badu is part of the neo soul movement kicked off by D’Angelo. Her cosmic soul and funk is a bit mothership…a bit flower child…and a bit hip hop. Badu has endured over time and her music transcends genre. She has played Lilith Fair, she has played hip hop festivals and she’s played with modern jazz masters. She is amazing and her entire discography deserves a listen.

Odetta: Got my Mind on Freedom

When people think of the folk revival and Newport Folk Festival the usual names come up…Dylan, Baez, Pete Seeger and maybe Joni Mitchell. However, Odetta is largely overlooked. Coming up at the same time to Dylan, Odetta brought civil rights into the folk movement and highlighted the relationship between blues and folk. Her songs about struggle inspired both Baez and Dylan to become more involved in civil rights.

Charley Pride: Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’

Charley broke through country music in the 60s and 70s. At that time…and really up until the 2000s…country music was largely a white dominated genre surrounded by racist tropes. Charley was able to come from negro league baseball to a prolific country artist. His impact to country music is often overlooked, but his career spanned over 40 years and he is a member of the country music hall of fame.

Gangsta Boo: FTCU

Unfortunately, Gangsta Boo is an artist who was not appropriately revered until her tragic passing. I have talked about her influence on the podcast, but it cannot be overstated. Her delivery, aggressive bars and power paved the way for modern hip hop artists like Cardi B, GloRilla, Sexxy Red and others. In a male dominated genre, Gangsta Boo held her own in Three 6 Mafia and ultimately took all the men down when she went solo. Without Gangsta Boo, modern hip hop would be completely different.

Bootsy Collins: Bootzilla

Everyone knows about Parliament and Funkadelic, but I think few give Bootsy Collins the respect he deserves. Bootsy elevated bass to an art and really pushed the mothership style funk to the limit. His showmanship and flashy outfits were only matched by his other worldly bass lines. Moreover, very few people remember his solo career and how he continued to wave the flag for mothership funk. He is still making music today and still king of the bass.

De la Soul: (3 is) The Magic Number

At the time of Tribe Called Quest and gangsta rap on the West Coast, De la Soul snuck in with a jazz infused hipster rap. Much like Digable Planets, De la Soul paired jazz beats with clever wordplay and an East Coast swag. Trugoy’s unfortunate passing came at a time of the band’s resurgence and respect. Even though he did not get to experience the band’s true resurgence, he did see the band get a second wind on his last two records. They showed the diversity of hip hop as a genre and stayed true to themselves.

T Bone Walker: T Bone Blues

When I say…blues musicians…you will probably say B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, Johnny Lee Hooker and maybe Taj Mahal. Most people will overlook T Bone Walker. Truely a force on the guitar, most of T Bone’s work was between 1929-1960. Extremely prolific and really one of the founding members of the blues movement in America.

Bone Thugs-n-Harmony: Thuggish Ruggish Bone

Part hip hop, part R&B and some of the fastest bars we ever heard, this Ohio based band took the nation by storm. it was a form of hip hop no one heard before and their unique delivery became their calling card. Teenagers today still listen to Bone Thugs and love them as much as they did in the 90s. They had a rapid rise, but faded after a couple records. Even though they still make music today, those first two records are special.

Tracy Chapman: Fast Car

Similar to Bone Thugs, Chapman was from Ohio and came onthe scene hard, but faded after a few records. Even though she made great music into the 2000s, she is most know for her debut record Tracy Chapman, which is one of the best debut records of all time. Her singer songwriter folk was a throwback, but spoke to the heartache and struggles of the working class in America. Similar to Bruce Springsteen, Odetta and Joni Mitchell, Chapman was able to elevate everyday stories and make them personal. Due to the Grammy’s and Luke Combs cover, people have remembered how amazing Chapman is and I hope she puts out some new music.

Curtis Mayfield: Pusherman

A major force in soul music, Mayfield sung about issues of race, class and the struggle of everyday life. He was also part of one of the most famous soundtracks with Superfly. An often overlooked artist, Curtis Mayfield has made a huge mark in both music and culture.

Kool and the Gang: Get Down on It

I put Kool and the Gang on this list because people generally think of the pop side of Kool and the Gang, but there is a whole discography of jazz and funk that goes overlooked. I think people need to look past the pop hits and really dig into the back catalog full of jazz, funk and disco….it’s worth your time.

Tina Turner: What’s Love Got to do With it

You might be saying…a pop icon…an actor…musicals in her name…how can she be underrated? Well, it seems like very 10 years people remember how amazing Tina Turner was and then forget. She had power, grace and sex appeal. She was a force and made amazing music for decades. Surviving Ike’s DV with strength and grace, she went on to make an iconic solo career and left Ike in the dust…which is where he belongs because he was a terrible person…but it is all about Tina. Amazing duets, memorable festival performances and pop dominance makes Tine Turner an artist that needs to be revisited as much as possible.

Kamasi Washington: Change of the Guard

Much like Robert Glasper, Kamasi Washington is changing the face of modern jazz. Effortlessly moving from featuring on hip hop tracks to playing expansive cosmic acid, Washington is pushing the genre forward and is a major figure in jazz. He is very prolific and is either putting out his own record or featuring on a single. Constantly experimenting, I’m very excited to see where he goes in the future.