The Black-Ass Yee Haw Agenda BEEN Here
Welcome to the 38th installment of This Black-Ass Life! Inspired by Megan Thee Stallion and Lil Nas X, we wanted to explore how long this yee haw agenda has been part of our culture. There would be no country music without Black people after all.
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l. The Facts
We (Jumoke and Mitu) are both products of the American South and Midwest’s school systems and took line dancing as required parts of our athletic curriculum. We were made for this moment.
First things first, Black people created the foundation of country music AND were an integral part of rodeo and cowboy culture.
On country music.
The myth that black people and country music don’t mix is just a damn lie. The basis of country music is mountain music, which combines folksongs brought to the American South by immigrants from the British Isles in the 18th and 19th centuries, and the banjo, an instrument inspired by the African banjar, and remixed by Black Southerners in the 1690s. Add with the fiddle, an instrument that enslaved Black people mastered, and you have country music.
From its inception in pre-Civil War South to the genius of Sister Rosetta Tharpe to Charley Pride to Lil Nas X, Black people have BEEN about this yee haw music.
On cowboys and rodeo culture:
HARD FACTS: The vast majority of cowboys were Black or Mexican!
Some historians have even said that the term “cowboy” was initially exclusively used for Black people who herded cattle. As a show of disrespect to African Americans, Whites who herded cattle were called "cow hands," while Blacks were called the pejorative "cow boy." The term stuck and eventually included everybody.
The erasure of Black people from cowboy history is also confusing since historians agree that Black people in the American West accounted for up to 25 percent of workers in the range-cattle industry at the height of cowboy culture (1860s - 1880s). Again, the vast majority of cowboys were not white. They were Black, Mexican or Native American!
The same with the rodeo. Black people were there from the beginning and a Black rodeo star, Bill Pickett, actually created the most popular game at the rodeo, bulldogging/steer wrestling.
Why does it matter?
One of the most frustrating things about being Black in America is the parochial overview of Black history. Black people show up four times in American history: Crispus Attucks, slavery, civil rights, MLK, and sometimes also Jesse Jackson in 80s(??). The erasure of Black people from Americana limits our framework of Black contribution to the fabric of this country.
Only three Black musicians have EVAH been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. How does a people help create, shape and revolutionize a whole music form and then be so left out and not be truly appreciated for said music form? Racism is so illogical.
No one should have to suffer through racism for creating the art they want to create or doing what they love. It is sad that even a country superstar like Darius Rucker still has to navigate racism: "Hate mail's been a part of my life; that's just the way it is, and we still get it… there's still people who don't want me to be singing country music.”
What can my Black ass do?
Listen to Black country music! Start with this icon in the making: Priscilla Renea. Then try Jimmie Allen and Kane Brown (they’re both record-breaking artists).
Alabama Shakes = actual 🔥. Here are some of their most popular songs.
Read: My Country: The African Diaspora's Country Music Heritage.
Watch the “Low Noon” episode of 227 featuring Jackée Harry as a country diva.
The Parkers also did a fantastic country-themed episode: The Good, The Bad, and The Funny.
Watch Gang of Roses, a truly inexplicable Black cowgirl movie starring Lil Kim, Macy Gray, LisaRaye and Bobby Brown.
ll. Other Things
🤠
Not Black-ass news but we stan a true icon. Who she is is who she wants to be. Reba created one of the greatest television theme songs of all time (we’re happy to physically fight to defend this statement) and now she’s found love!
Billy Ray Cyrus turned Lil Nas X’s Old Town Road into a song one can’t deny from the country charts. Is it true country? Debatable. But many of the pop country songs occupying the country charts could have their country roots debated as well.
Even Reba defended the song’s right to be considered country!
Solange and Megan Thee Stallion had a “A Hot Girl Hootenanny In NOLA.” Meg also generously offered twerk lessons but warned “results may vary.”
Country superstar Beyoncé is coming to Netflix so secure your account access now.
Our Black-Ass song of the week (Mitu):
Is anything more beautiful than Beyoncé and the Dixie Chicks performing Daddy Lessons?
Things we are looking forward to / things we are not looking forward to:
We both look forward to watching Little on opening night and then buying several more tickets to support Queen Marsai Martin. Get your tickets here!
lll. Text from a Black-Ass Thread: An Update
Y’all this thread is getting spicy and our reader wanted to share an update on the drama!
Remember this?
Now we’re here:
Stay Black, thrive, take Meg Thee Stallion’s hot girl lessons and we’ll hit your inbox next on April 22.