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Fredric is a web developer based in Chicago who hopes to one day start a foundation to support young, Black males in programming and computer science.

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don’t have n!**a ears

October 8th, 2007 • Related • Filed Under

have you seen chris rock’s ‘i think i love my wife’? there is a scene when he’s riding on the train to some new music his ‘friend’ gave him to open up his mind to musical artists outside of the typical ‘black people’ music. chris rock paraphrased the experience as one having ‘nigga ears’.

while i can’t support the use of the term, i do identify with the point. similar to our earlier efforts of ‘minus one, plus one‘, i’m curious as to what other artists our readers listen to and recommend to our community as means of exploring some new music. here is my list:

  1. zune 2john mayer (room for squares, continuum) - this dude can write! i really like his ballads and he has quite a few poignant anthems about worldly issues as well as relationship issues.
  2. fall out boy (infinity on high) - their earlier work is still fire, but their latest album is just ridiculous. the opening intro has a cameo with jay-z.
  3. blink 182 (take off your pants and jacket) - they have separated (more on that below), but i like the quirkiness of this album.
  4. +44 and angels and airwaves - these are the two spinoff bands from blink 182. both should be checked out.
  5. yellowcard (ocean avenue) - the black drummer can play! this is their earlier album (not their first), but the new album is cool too.

any others you guys recommend?

(pic of zune2 from zunegroove.com)

There Are 17 Responses So Far. »

  1. Comment by Kimberly Michelle on 8 October 2007:

    Dave Koz….and anything else on WNUA 95.5….all day

  2. Comment by DNLee on 8 October 2007:

    I love John Mayer (room for squares is in my CD rotation). Fall out Boy, Panic at the Disco are so much fun. Check out their videos they are hilarious.

    Anything from the 80’s…and I mean anything. Don’t try to play Name that tune against mean if it’s 80’s music. And thanks to the fact that my mom was a bit of black hippie/folk artist type - I love Lynard Skynard, Tom Petty, Jimmy Buffet, and Jackson Browne. And I blame my southern roots for my love of the Grand Ole Opry. Patsy Cline is one of the greatest female balladers of all time.

  3. Comment by Ash on 8 October 2007:

    Bjork. All albums. “Volta” is pretty dope right now…it made me respect Timbaland more, cuz he fit into her world, not her into his. But she is the business.

    Have a special place in my heart for Boney James. “Ride” is not an album to be missed (Trina Broussard and Dave Hollister accompany Boney James in a major way).

    And I just love great vocalists so Stevie Nicks/Fleetwood Mac, Steve Perry/Journey, Keith Urban, Martina McBride.

    Oh, and Stevie Ray Vaughn probably one of the best guitarists of our time. Check out “Riviera Paradise.”

    That’s my list.

  4. Comment by Niq on 8 October 2007:

    People really need to get up on Maroon 5, The Frey and Nickleback and early Limp Biskit is pretty cool too. Ah…forgot my Michael Buble and Diana Krall.

  5. Comment by GIB on 9 October 2007:

    Coldplay (check out the song and video for “The Scientist”), Regina Spektor (listen to the song “Fidelity”), JuniorSenior, and for just pure fun, Kylie Minogue!

  6. Comment by BronzeTrinity on 9 October 2007:

    I like Gym Class Heroes and some groups I’m not sure are around anymore like Bran Van 3000. I also like Jamiroquai. I think that there are dance and hip hop types of music that are not the same as gangsta rap but still have a great beat.

  7. Comment by ETS on 9 October 2007:

    I really didn’t get the scene. Did they mean just listening to black music period gives one n*gga ears?!

    Anyway …

    I’ve been on “white” music my whole life. Unlike these young folks when I was coming up MTV and VH1 used to ONLY play “white” music - aside from some Jackson every now and then. So I advise folks to check out some of the 80s masterpieces - which is probably why I’m really feeling Timbaland right now.

  8. Comment by monique on 9 October 2007:

    Maroon 5 is really good!!! Check it out

  9. Comment by what?! on 9 October 2007:

    that scene sucked! how they gonna say someone who listens to black music has nigga ears when most of the folks listening to black music aren’t black?!

  10. Comment by Kimberly Michelle on 9 October 2007:

    Well, let’s not forget that “black” and “nigga” are not interchangeable words. Therefore, the point of the line is that any person who listens to solely hip-hop or rap music has “nigga ears,” a.k.a. ears for only that type of music. It’s all about expanding your taste in music and has nothing to do with what race the listener is.

    …oh, and I forgot Amy Winehouse

  11. Comment by Carlus R. Henry on 9 October 2007:

    I would recommend Dave Matthews, the early years, as well as Ben Harper. Ben Harper is black, and his style of music is all over the board and cannot be confined to the R&B / Rap genre. One of the best artists out there right now is Martin Sexton. If you have not heard him play the guitar or listened to him sing, you are really missing out. His great guitar skills and his vocal range is really unique. He is my absolute favorite artist and you can check him out on youtube if you are interested in hearing him.

  12. Comment by Greg on 9 October 2007:

    I’m in the process of re-discovering B.B. King… he’s timeless.

  13. Comment by what?! on 9 October 2007:

    I understand that black and nigger aren’t interchangeable. But I don’t understand why hip hop has to be called nigger music … especially since whites listen to it more than blacks.

  14. Comment by denis miller on 16 October 2007:

    Funny that you write this, I was just playing some african tribal music for a black friend of mine, and he got pissed off said ” turn that crap off, they’re off rhythm and the music is extremly anoying” I think that is a perfect example of ni”’a ears for you. (As an african american I was deeply offended)

    But I do love me some classical music, and indonesian gong.

  15. Comment by adjei hathorn on 20 October 2007:

    I am black and I love me some fall out boy.
    I mostly listen to pop rock music. I also like panic! at the disco and gym class heroes. i really really like fall out boy. you should really check them out if you haven’t heard of them

  16. Comment by Anjuan on 13 November 2007:

    Yes, I though it was an interesting use of the term nigger. In the wake of Duane “Dog” Chapman’s infamous use of the term, I wrote a blog post about the history of nigger. You can find it at:

    http://transmyth.com/blog/2007/11/04/a-nigger-primer/

    Also, I tend to be more of an R&B guy so I guess I fit the profile . . .

  17. Comment by Crys on 7 January 2008:

    I like Bebel Gilberto. Jamiroquai!!! They are funky but different. Gym Class Heroes and Mark Ronson. Oh, QUEEN! Classic!!!

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