Last week, BBC Radio 1 DJ Clara Amfo gave an emotional speech about the Black Lives Matter movement. She said:
“Knowing how the world enjoys blackness and seeing what happened to George, we – black people – get the feeling that people want our culture but do not want us. In other words, you want my talent but you don’t want me. There is a false idea that racism and, in this case, anti-blackness is just name calling and physical violence when it is so much more insidious than that. One of my favourite thinkers is a woman called Amanda Seales, and she says this and I feel it deeply when she says, 'You cannot enjoy the rhythm and ignore the blues'. And I say that with my chest."
We live in a society that has, for hundreds of years, benefitted white people. For many black people and other ethnic minorities, it is a struggle to gain access to the same resources that their white peers have, in turn making it even harder to break into their respective industries - and the music industry is no exception.
To celebrate black artists and their art, we've curated a list of 101 black musicians that you should be listening to, old and new. Of course, this is by no means an exhaustive list. There are thousands of others out there that need your support too.
1. 6lack
Genres: alternative R&B, hip hop
2. Ady Suleiman
Genres: R&B, jazz, neo-soul, funk
3. AJ Tracey
Genres: grime, rap
Genres: dancehall, rap, pop
5. Aloe Blacc
Genres: soul, funk, R&B
6. Ama Lou
Genres: R&B, soul
7. Amun
Genres: R&B, hip hop
Genres: hip hop, funk, soul, rap
9. Ari Lennox
Genre: neo-soul, R&B
10. Arlo Parks
Genres: bedroom pop, indie folk
11. A$AP Rocky
Genres: hip hop
12. Baby Rose
Genres: R&B, soul
13. Bellah
Genres: R&B
14. Beyoncé
Genres: pop, hip hop, R&B
Genres: neo-soul, R&B, hip hop
16. Bryson Tiller
GenresL R&B, hip hop, soul
17. Bugzy Malone
Genres: grime
18. Celeste
Genres: alternative R&B, jazz, neo-soul
19. Chaka Khan
Genres: funk, pop, disco, R&B
Genres: hip hop, gospel
21. Chloe x Halle
Genres: R&B
Genres: R&B, neo-soul
23. Craig David
Genres: garage, hip hop, dance, R&B
24. Daniel Caesar
Genres: soul, R&B
25. Denai Moore
Genres: blues, folk, soul
26. Dolapo
Genres: hip hop, R&B, soul
27. Drake
Genres: hip hop, pop
28. Dream Koala
Genres: alternative, dream pop
29. Dyo
Genres: pop, R&B
30. Ella Mai
Genres: pop, R&B
31. Erykah Badu
Genres: neo-soul, hip hop
32. Frank Ocean
Genres: pop, R&B
33. Freddie Gibbs
Genres: hip hop
34. Gabrielle
Genres: pop, R&B
35. Happi
Genres: pop, dance
36. H.E.R.
Genres: R&B
37. Izzy Bizu
Genres: pop, soul, R&B
38. J. Cole
Genres: hip hop
39. Janelle Monáe
Genres: funk, pop, psychedelic soul, hip hop
40. Jay-Z
Genres: hip hop
41. Jayla Darden
Genres: R&B
42. Jaz Karis
Genres: R&B, soul
43. JID
GenresL hip hop
44. Jon Vinyl
Genres: pop, R&B
45. JONES
Genres: alternative pop, indie
46. Jordan Mackampa
Genres: pop, soul
47. Jordan Stephens
Genres: hip hop
48. Jorja Smith
Genres: pop, R&B, garage
49. Justine Skye
Genres: R&B, pop, hip hop
50. Kali Claire
Genres: R&B, soul
51. Kanye West
Genres: hip hop, experimental
52. Kendrick Lamar
Genres: hip hop, jazz rap
53. Khalid
Genres: contemporary R&B, pop, dance
54. Labrinth
Genres: R&B, pop, electronica
55. Leon Bridges
Genres: soul
56. Lianne La Havas
Genres: indie folk, soul
57. Lizzo
Genres: hip hop, funk-pop, R&B, soul
58. Loyle Carner
Genres: hip hop
59. Lylo Gold
Genres: R&B
60. Mahalia
Genres: alternative R&B, dance, pop
61. Marvin Gaye
Genres: soul, funk, pop, R&B
62. Mary J. Blige
Genres: hip hop soul, R&B
Genre: hip hop
64. Mereba
Genre: R&B, soul
65. Meron Addis
Genre: R&B, soul
66. Michael Kiwanuka
Genres: indie rock. folk rock
67. Miguel
Genres: R&B, alternative R&B
68. Missy Elliott
Genres: hip hop, R&B, dance
69. Mnelia
Genres: R&B, soul
70. Moses Sumney
Genres: folk, indie rock, electro-soul
71. Ms. Lauryn Hill
Genres: hip hop, R&B, neo-soul
72. Nao
Genres: soul, funk, electronica
73. Normani
Genres: pop, R&B
74. Not3s
Genres: hip hop, afroswing
75. OutKast
Genre: hip hop
76. Prince
Genres: pop, R&B, rock, funk
77. Raleigh Ritchie
Genres: alternative R&B, pop, trip hop
78. Rapsody
Genres: hip hop
79. RAY BLK
Genres: R&B, neo-soul
80. Rayana Jay
Genres: R&B, soul
81. RAYE
Genres: electropop, contemporary R&B
82. Ré Lxuise
Genre: R&B, soul
83. Rejjie Snow
Genres: hip hop, soul, grime, R&B
84. Richard Fairlie
Genres: hip hop, pop
85. Rihanna
Genres: R&B, pop, hip hop, dance
86. Run-D.M.C.
Genres: hip hop, rap rock
87. Ruth B.
Genres: pop
88. Sampha
Genres: R&B, soul
89. Santigold
Genres: indie pop
90. Shaé Universe
Genres: R&B, soul
91. Solange
Genres: contemporary R&B, hip hop, pop, funk
92. Soulé
Genres: R&B, dance
93. Stormzy
Genres: grime, hip hop
94. Summer Walker
Genres: alternative R&B
95. Syd
Genres: hip hop soul, alternative R&B, trip hop
96. SZA
Genres: alternative R&B, neo-soul, hip hop, synth-pop
97. Tayla Parx
Genres: R&B, pop, hip hop, soul
98. Teyana Taylor
Genres: R&B, hip hop, pop
99. The Emotions
Genres: soul, disco, pop, gospel
100. TLC
Genres: R&B, pop, hip hop, funk
101. Ziggy Marley
Genres: reggae
Please consider helping the Black Lives Matter movement in any way you can.
For petitions to sign, click here.
For places to donate, click here.
For those wanting to attend protests, click here.
For other helpful resources, click here.