In recognition of Black History Month, Atwood Magazine has invited artists to contribute a series of essays about topics such as identity, music, culture, and inclusion.
Today, singer, songwriter, and producer BL SUEDE presents his essay, ‘Afro House, Neoliberalism, and the Backlash Against Blackness,’ as part of Atwood Magazine’s Black History Month feature! Brandon Lucas, known as BL Suede, is a dynamic music producer, singer-songwriter, and DJ who merges R&B, Funk, Jazz, and Gospel to create Afro-house and soul-electronic sounds. Motivated by the oscillation and civil unrest during the pandemic, he embarked on a solo project, gaining critical recognition from Billboard, Forbes, Grammy.com, and Spin. The year 2024 marked a significant breakthrough for him with the release of his ‘Glam Life’ EP in collaboration with Late Delivery, launched this month under Tuskegee Music, established by The Martinez Brothers and Seth Troxler. The ‘Glam Life‘ EP serves as a multifaceted tribute to a legendary period in Black music culture, with BL SUEDE's expressive vocals and Late Delivery’s vibrant instrumentation, alongside Kenny Glasgow’s minimalist elegance and Afriqua’s genre-defying ingenuity, showcasing varied artistic viewpoints. He is also engaged in an ongoing project titled ‘House of West,’ which is a collaboration with renowned philosopher Dr. Cornel West, emphasizing the role of dance music within the Black musical tradition.
by BL Suede
Upon entering Silo Brooklyn, you're greeted by a powerful mix of deep bass, intricate rhythms, and rolling percussion. It transcends mere music; it’s a heartbeat, a collective rhythm that gathers everyone beneath a dazzling light show in the cozy venue. Afro House is not only a genre but a movement, a refuge, and a celebration of Black joy and cultural unity that embraces you.
The dance floor extends back towards the bar, filled with bodies moving in sync to the driving bass and resonant percussion. The DJ, set up in a Boiler Room-style configuration, isn’t merely playing tracks – he's curating an experience, responding to the crowd with as much engagement as they grant him. To his right, raised platforms amplify the energy, while behind him, a raised stage spins its own celebration. Dark-skinned women dance energetically, men wave their shirts in rhythm with the beats, whistles sound, and fans create sounds at just the right times. The atmosphere is electrifying – akin to a church, a festivity, a spiritual revival. It's exhilarating.
This event, Descendants, is a series that showcases Afro and culturally inspired electronic music. It captures the origins of house music, where primarily queer Black and brown men crafted spaces for dance, sweat, and spiritual rejuvenation. Yet, as Afro House's global popularity surges, a crucial query arises: Is its evolution an instance of cultural appropriation as the genre transforms through non-Black DJs and artists catering to mainstream crowds? Or is there a more profound, systemic force at work?
Cultural appropriation – taking aspects from a marginalized culture without comprehending or honoring their essence – has recurred throughout music history, from rock to hip-hop, where Black innovators witness their creations repackaged for wider, often white, audiences. However, while cultural appropriation may influence the evolution of Afro House, neoliberalism may play a more significant role, valuing profit and individual gain over cultural authenticity. The term “woke,” which emerged in Black communities as a call for awareness of systemic injustices, has similarly transformed. As Erykah Badu articulated, “woke” signifies alignment with nature and awareness of surroundings. Nonetheless, well-meaning white liberals have broadened the term beyond its focus on racial justice, rendering it susceptible to backlash. This overextension by white liberals, who often champion cancel culture and expanded the meaning of “woke” into an all-encompassing ideology, has enabled right-wing media and politicians to misrepresent, dismiss, and weaponize it, stripping it of its significance and using it as a general attack on anything viewed as progressive or pro-Black.
In today’s America under Trump, “woke” has transcended racial awareness – it has evolved into a cultural flashpoint. Might Afro House be heading down a similar path? As mainstream interest rises, is it undergoing modifications that could lead to its eventual devaluation and disregard? While cultural appropriation plays a role, the unrelenting drive of neoliberalism for profit and marketability may be the real engine driving the genre's transformation and resultant backlash.
How Neoliberalism Is Influencing Dance Music
It may seem exaggerated, but current dance music culture reflects neoliberalism in various ways: DJs are heralded as superstars, immense LED screens overshadow their artistry, and industry elites occupy VIP areas, detached from the dance floor. Many promoters have even expanded backstage spaces to upsell premium access, exploiting consumerism while
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Singer, songwriter, and producer BL SUEDE presents his essay titled 'Afro House, Neoliberalism, and the Backlash Against Blackness' in conjunction with Atwood Magazine's Black History Month series!