Black Hyper-Pop

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Hyper-Pop is a new rebellion. Starting in the early 2010s, demanding attention with destructive computer sounds and high pitch voices. It has easily become one of the most influential genres, and true to most art forms black creatives in this genre often go unnoticed.

SOPHIE, Charli XCX, 100 Gecs, Arca, and Grimes are white faces of Hyper-Pop they are also the most influential. While black Hyper-Pop artists are less known their music is just as, if not more influential, most listeners tend to be queer and to have queer black musicians in this white-created genre is monumental. Not only do people want to see themselves on screen they also want to hear lyrics that relate to them.

In music history genres created by black people are often the ones that exclude black people. For example, rock and roll were developed from gospel and blues music, techno/house was invented by black queer men in Detroit, Chicago, and New York, lastly, country music was appropriated by white people who heard slave spirituals and field songs. Now, these genres no longer have anything to do with black people. (Osei 2020)

Hyper-Pop takes from different genres one of which is punk, created by a black band named Death. “ Always tryin’ to be slick when they tell us the lies. They’re responsible for sending young men to die,” (Death 1974) a notable lyric owning their blackness and anger. Using different genres, experimental vocals, screaming, yelling, and synths. Black hyper-pop artists dominate with their music as it becomes a pure expression of their queerness or what makes them artists.

The black artists of hyper-pop like Cakes Da Killa, Shygirl, That Kid, Ian Isiah, and Tama Gucci. Are a few talented blacks and queer artists who are not praised highly enough for their work. These artists have given queer people of color a community through their music. And have also made underground albums that deserve to be awarded. Most of them mixing rap with deep club beats and others mixing R&B with unconventional sounds.

Black people must have artists to relate to in every genre, especially hyper-pop. Hyper-Pop extends beyond a genre and into a feeling of freedom and release, and black people deserve to be able to feel this liberation through music that is made by someone like them.

Resources:

Death. “Death (Proto-Punk Band) — Politicians In My Eyes.” Genius, Genius , 1 Jan. 1976, genius.com/Death-proto-punk-band-politicians-in-my-eyes-lyrics.

Durnil, Sara. “History of Punk: A Black Journey • (SALT) Magazine.” (SALT) Magazine, (SALT) Magazine, 5 July 2020, saltmag.online/2018/06/06/history-of-punk-a-black-journey/.

Osei, Words By Sarah, and Sarah OseiAssociate Editor. “How Black People Created All Your Favorite Music.” Highsnobiety, Highsnobiety, 4 Nov. 2020, www.highsnobiety.com/p/black-music-genres/.