The Birth of P-Funk: George Clinton

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Recommended: How has the music of slaves brought over from africa shaped modern american music

In ancient African civilizations music took precedence in all activities that the tribes participated in. There was a song for every celebration, every birth, and every death. As Africans were enslaved and moved to North America by Europeans, many customs and traditions followed with them. As their culture was stripped from them and European ideals were placed upon them, they kept song as their universal language and their link to the motherland. From early on, slave songs also known as “Negro Spirituals” were the first inclination of what could be considered African American music. These songs were largely influenced by the conversion of many Africans to Christianity, and generally held a religious overtone. As slavery came and went and those enslaved Africans settled and made this country their home. The music they made and celebrated evolved along with the culture.

Gospel was one of the first of many musical styles to emerge from black communities. Developed as a religious style of music, gospel was one of the first indicators that the “black church” had formed. Out of Gospel music emerged a more secular form of music called Blues. Blues spoke of some of the same hardships that negro spirituals and gospel music, but the object was not to ask for guidance from a spiritual entity. Many other musical genres were created and shaped from the experiences of Africans living in America. Everything from: Jazz to Soul to R&B all are direct contributions from the experiences o...

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