Borrowed Sounds, Silenced Voices: Literary Representation of Appropriation in Black Music

Cultural appropriation is a controversial issue everywhere. It is most often simplified to questions of clothing, food, or hairstyle. It tends to be framed as a personal choice or appreciation of another culture. But this completely ignores the primary issue of power differentials. Appropriation in music is different as music is considered a ‘universal language’, yet the exploitation of the lower classes for the use of their music is an age-old issue that crosses cultural boundaries. This thesis deals with the literary aspects of cultural appropriation in Black music, where the paradox of emulation and erasure comes into play. Black American musical traditions have been and continue to be the foundation of popular culture, yet the originators of the music are unrecognized and unrewarded. Using Alice Walker's short story 1955 and case studies of Elvis Presley in rock and roll and Eminem in rap, this thesis details how appropriation is constituted not only in performance and style, but in narrative and representation as well. Through these examples this study explores how black artists are marginalized while white artists are celebrated, and their music and culture are ‘filtered’ and ‘polished’ for white audiences. This policing of cultural expression shows just how deep the problem is. This project shows that cultural appropriation of Black music is not only problematic but deeply paradoxical as well. Ultimately, the project argues that cultural appropriation in music is not just an aesthetic issue but a political one deeply tied to questions of authenticity, ownership, and the right of Black communities to define their own art.

Cultural appropriation is a controversial issue everywhere. It is most often simplified to questions of clothing, food, or hairstyle. It tends to be framed as a personal choice or appreciation of another culture. But this completely ignores the primary issue of power differentials. Appropriation in music is different as music is considered a ‘universal language’, yet the exploitation of the lower classes for the use of their music is an age-old issue that crosses cultural boundaries. This thesis deals with the literary aspects of cultural appropriation in Black music, where the paradox of emulation and erasure comes into play. Black American musical traditions have been and continue to be the foundation of popular culture, yet the originators of the music are unrecognized and unrewarded. Using Alice Walker's short story 1955 and case studies of Elvis Presley in rock and roll and Eminem in rap, this thesis details how appropriation is constituted not only in performance and style, but in narrative and representation as well. Through these examples this tudy explores how black artists are marginalized while white artists are celebrated, and their music and culture are ‘filtered’ and ‘polished’ for white audiences. This policing of cultural expression shows just how deep the problem is. This project shows that cultural appropriation of Black music is not only problematic but deeply paradoxical as well. Ultimately, the project argues that cultural appropriation in music is not just an aesthetic issue but a political one deeply tied to questions of authenticity, ownership, and the right of Black communities to define their own art.