Mixtapemotions

No Scrubs on This List: Black History Month Playlist

I want to celebrate Black History Month this year, especially when words like diversity, equity, and inclusion are under attack from America’s highest office. As I talked about in my blog posts this year, I’ve taken things like Black History Month for granted. Some scoff and think that America has diversified and no longer needs to celebrate its diversity, that choosing to be colorblind is the way forward in the twenty-first century. These mostly white folks who say this are missing a point as they quickly buy their plane tickets to vacation in the motherland of Europe: even if we’re over racism (we’re not), shouldn’t everyone have the opportunity to learn about their heritage? Shouldn’t everyone be able to discuss freely their past and their unique take on life? And especially important, shouldn’t we learn about the mistakes in the past as humans seem hellbent to try to forget their shameful past until they think everyone has forgotten and then try to repeat it?

Black History Month became nationally celebrated during the bicentennial, 1976. Republican President Gerald Ford declared: “Black History is American history.” Of course, a white Republican president cannot take credit for starting Black History Month. President Ford may have encouraged all Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor” the accomplishments and contributions of Black Americans, celebrating Black History in the United States dates back to 1926 as “Negro History Week” founded by historian Carter G. Woodson. African American educators introduced the history week into first segregated and then desegregated schools. In 1970, the week coinciding with Abraham Lincoln’s February 12th birthday and Frederick Douglass’s February 14th birthdays became Black History Month. 

Having blogged about music for five years, Black History Month is always a little tricky. I used to think that celebrating artists based on their race or during the observed months reduced them to a stereotype. But I’ve also realized that music has been curated in a segregated way called genre. Sadly, many musical genres, including the ones that I write about, were started by African Americans. We wouldn’t have blaring, fuzzy guitars if it weren’t for the Black pre-rockstars in the ‘50s before the British invasion and Elvis Presley’s cultural theft. Another reason I’ve avoided celebrating Black History Month in the past as a blogger is that I was always afraid of saying something wrong and offending my readers. It turns out, saying nothing is actually a lot more offensive, and as for getting things wrong, it’s going to happen. I beg my readers to point it out, I’ll acknowledge it, and we’ll try to move forward. 

For this year’s Black History Month Playlist, I looked back at songs and artists I’ve blogged about or songs that a blog post reminded me of. The songs are old and new, but I don’t go back before the fifties. The artists featured range from the age of Doo-Wop to Hip-Hop and beyond. It’s a playlist I plan to listen to and maybe learn something interesting about the artists within. I hope that I can spend the rest of this month learning about these artists and have a better blog and more stories to share from music that isn’t in my regular rotation. After all, diversity is the spice of life.

Here’s this year’s Black History Month playlist:

1. “No Scrubs” by TLC
2. “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar
3. “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson
4. “Smooth Operator” by Sade 
5. “Therapy” by Mary J. Blige
6. “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Diana Ross (Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell cover)
7. “Killing Me Softly with His Song” by The Fugees (Lori Lieberman cover) 
8. “All Night Long”  by  Lionel Richie 
9. “We Belong Together” by Mariah Carey
10. “Bleeding Love” by Leona Lewis
11. “The Wizard and I” by Cynthia Erivo & Michelle Yeoh 
12. “Lucky” by Halsey
13. “The Boy Is Mine” by Brandy and Monica
14. “Then He Kissed Me” by The Crystals
15. “Hotline Bling” by Drake
16. “Cynical” by Propaganda ft. Aaron Marsh & Sho Baraka
17. “Take My Breath” by The Weeknd
18. “II Most Wanted” by Beyoncé ft. Miley Cyrus
19. “River” by Out of Eden
20. “A Bar Song” (Tipsy) by Shaboozey
21. “California Love” by 2Pac ft. Roger & Dr. Dre
22. “Saturn” by SZA
23. “L-O-V-E” by Nat King Cole 
24. “Fast Car” by Tracy Chapman
25. “I Only Have Eyes for You” by The Flamingos
26. “Somebody’s Watching Me” by Rockwell ft. Michael Jackson
27. “Super Bass” by Nicki Nicki Minaj
28. “Paint the Town Red” by Doja Cat

Listen on AppleMusic.