[Michael20722]

The way I see it, Rap, Hip-Hop and R&B have been viewed as traditionally 'black' styles of music, but Heavy Metal, for example, has been seen as a traditionally 'white' style of music. Why is it that there are many white people who like Rap/Hip-Hop/R&B, but seemingly fewer black people who like Heavy Metal?

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Name : Michael20722, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 20, City : Sydney, State : NA Country : Australia, Occupation : student, Education level : 2 Years of College, 

[Dan31658]

I'm Latino and not black, but I can answer your question because I'm a lifelong metalhead and have inroads into the local punk and hardcore scenes. It's a funny question because Jimi Hendrix is the godfather of heavy metal. A New York Times reviewer saw one of his shows and said 'it sounded like pieces of heavy metal falling from the sky.' That's pretty much how the term was coined. Essentially, the first metal was derived of blues chords. Hendrix, Led Zepplin and Black Sabbath are considered the 3 progenators of the genre. As for today, there are plenty of black people in the scene. I remember at underground shows in L.A. all kinds of black guys would come in from South Central because they loved to mosh and go crazy to the music. And there are also a lot of black people in the punk and hardcore scenes. Here in L.A. and other such centers, there is a lot of spilling over and people check out other scenes. There are even metal and hip hop acts collaborating, such as Anthrax and Public Enemy, or more recently System of a Down and Wu Tang or Sickofitall and Goodie Mob. However, in a small town or city or in suburbia where racial lines are highly defined or black people are very non-visible, the division seems quite more apparent. And by the way, Latinos have been into punk and metal for as long as the genres have been around. Contrary to popular belief, most of us cannot stand Ricky Martin and Enrique Iglesias.

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Name : Dan31658, Gender : M, Race : Hispanic/Latino (may be any race), Religion : Pentecostal, Age : 22, City : L.A., State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[Jennifer]

I don't doubt that what you say is true. I'm responding because it struck me that yet again, the racist types ruin things for others. Specificly, because racist skinheads are the most visible, and possibly the largest group in the subculture, the uninitiated think that all skinheads are racist. In fact, the subculture has its roots in both Jamaica and London, and it wasn't about race back then. It was about being working-class. There are a great number of skins who are not only non-racist, but some who are virulently anti-racist. They're kicking ass in a lot of cases, yes. Nazi ass. Given the nature of Rage Against the Machine's music, The ones seen at the concert were likely this variety. Can't say about the other bands, though.

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Name : Jennifer, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Christian, Age : 31, City : St. Paul, State : MN Country : United States, Occupation : Non-Profit, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[ACC24040]

Because I grew up on metal, I had to answer this. Metal bands that had black members included Thin Lizzy, the Plasmatics, Living Color, Body Count, King's X, Suicidal Tendencies and even Guns and Roses (Slash is black) with their famous anti-black song, 'One in a Million.' There are plenty of black fans of metal. But because there are about six or seven times as many whites as there are blacks in the United States, it's much easier to notice the greater numbers of white kids into rap than black kids into metal. But if you look at the metal scene in places with a large black population, like Detroit, you'd quickly see how many black metal fans are out there. There was a huge problem with racism in the metal scene when I grew up, though. Some bands like Slayer, Marilyn Manson and, ironically enough, Kiss (who are all Jewish) flirt with Nazi imagery or beliefs. Sometimes there were dumb metal fans who'd say moronic things like 'F*** that n****r music, I like rock,' forgetting that rock came from black music, the blues. So there were good reasons for black fans of metal to feel out of place or even threatened at shows, and some stayed home rather than deal with that BS.

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Name : ACC24040, Gender : M, Race : Mexican and American Indian, Age : 35, City : W. Lafayette, State : IN Country : United States, 

[David25910]

I am no expert on this matter, but my friend who is a fan of hip-hop, gangsta rap and heavy metal players such as Pantera has told me that many fans of heavy metal have a skinhead or punk rock history, which is counter-intuitive to African Americans. If you ever watch a Rage Against the Machine concert, for example (especially the one in Holland), you will find that there is a heavy and noticeable concentration of skinhead types in the audience. My friend also knows a black person who was attacked during such a concert.

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[Peter]

Here's one right here. I think most blacks don't like heavy metal for fear of condemnation from their black peers. Also, most of us aren't raised around heavy metal; we're raised around rap, R&B and other forms of black music. I was raised in a mostly white neighborhood, so that may be why I'm open to all kinds of music. Anything but country. My favorites are rap and alternative, but I'm more into '80s metal.

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Name : Peter, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Christian, Age : 25, City : Detroit, State : MI Country : United States, Occupation : Copy editor/newspaper reporter, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[Lisa22777]

You have to remember in today's times marketing is everything, and heavy metal is no longer a top priority. Rap and hip-hop are the moneymakers, so record companies and advertising agencies have jumped on the mainstream bandwagon. I'm sure there are many metal bands out there trying to break into the business, but because of marketing and our society's distorted views, some agencies feel no one could possibly buy the idea that black men and women are actually into metal music - much like with non-stereotypical, non-white television series and movies. I could go on forever about why rap/hip-hop is so popular now, but maybe another time.

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Name : Lisa22777, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, City : Gaithersburg, State : MD Country : United States, 

[Jennifer]

If you're talking about hard rock, like Led Zeppelin, I think there are a lot of black people who like it. Let's face it: Zeppelin rules! Besides, hard rock can have some rhythm to it, and some melody, and the artists actually sing. With the harder stuff, like Black Sabbath, Dio, MotorHead, Metallica, stuff like that, I think many black people are intimidated by the scary lyrics and image of a given group, and turned off by what they think of as noise, not music, screaming, not singing, and the fact that you can't really dance to it. Others may not like it because they just haven't been exposed to it enough to learn.

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Name : Jennifer, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Christian, Age : 31, City : St. Paul, State : MN Country : United States, Occupation : Non-Profit, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[justin26855]

don't forget bad brains. as for thin lizzy, he's so cool he's black AND irish AND dude wrote jailbreak.

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Name : justin26855, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, City : CHICAGO, State : IL Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[Chris32200]

I think a lot of whites like hip hop more than their conventional Heavy Metal/Rock/Alternative groups because all the fads have passed. Nirvana and their grunge look is one example. I also think that the fusion, or whatever it's called now, of rock and rap/hip hop is more popular, and the singers of rock groups are incorporating, and doing covers of old-school hip hop songs, to pay homage to things from their past, hence the creation of Limp Bizkit. Yet, the first fusion to make rock/rap work was Run D.M.C. and Aerosmith's 'Walk This Way.' Since then, the collaborations have gone down the drain!

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Name : Chris32200, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Asian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 24, City : Los Angeles, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : Sales Associate, Education level : 4 Years of College, 

[common sense now!]

To David: Have you ever heard Rage Against the Machine? Do you understand any of their morals/beliefs? Did you know that they advocate for the freedom of Mumia Abu Jamal, a black man impisoned for supposedly killing white police officers? Did you know that they have played many benefit concerts for equality and civil rights? Obviously you don't have any idea about any of these things. So, you should probably stick to the information that you actually have facts on.

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[Sherman]

Thats a good question, personally I love pink floyd, U2, and Led zepplin. Personally I think that it has to do with the fact that most African Americans aren't exposed to that kind of music as they are growing up. We Identify with Hip Hop Because it comes directly from R&B rythms and talks primarily about the black community. Plus many african americans like a beat that they can dance too. and heavy metal really doesn't provide that kind of beat.

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[leighsa]

I have been to some hard core heavy metal concerts and have noticed that most of the population of these events are young white people. I enjoy looking at the crowd as much as I do the concert itself; you get a hint of all types of dress, hairstyles, etc. I was particularly intrigued when I went to my last Pantera concert and saw a large amount of Africain American males enjoying the show. One of the reasons this struck me as so odd was the fact that part of the light show was a whirling Confederate flag, which I found to be offensive and I am white. I talked to my boyfriend about what I had observed and he just chalked it up to the fact that the band is from Texas, and the flag is simpily part of their heiratage and is not to be offensive or derogitory to blacks.

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Name : leighsa, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 25, City : Somewhere, State : KY Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[kurt]

Heavy metal is mostly followed by people who delve into the underdog philosophy, to be different from others, kind of a needle in a haystack, or someone who's been raised around it. Rap on the other hand is everywhere, movies, tv, cars, a little more prevelant on radio stations vs the mainstream hard rock/nu-metal which doesn't always have a quick'n'catchy feel to it. Rap is more accesible and more acceptable, that's why pro-gay entertainment factions such as MTV support it, its easy to sell, and even easier sold. Kind of like this, you go to work the same road every day of the week, it's the quickest and easiest way, but there are others routes to take, but only the brave take them. btw.... Metal 4 ever. \m/

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Name : kurt, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 24, City : virginia beach, State : VA Country : United States, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, 

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