Music
From The Peopling of New York City
Music can be said to be a culture’s most important contribution to society. It is far deeper and stimulating than plain oral history and written stories. Music is the ultimate form of cultural expression throughout the world hence making it universal. We have seen this throughout time with all the diverse cultures of the world. West Africa is no stranger to this. The upbeat rhythms and melodies foster a sense of uplifting and motivation to the people. Nigeria, Ghana, and Liberia are unique in that their musical styles have influenced each other. One genre of music in one country would be strikingly similar to similar genres of music in the other countries.
As time as passed, West African music has been experiencing change and seen the emergence of new styles. Music has now become an industry bringing a steady flow of cash into the economies of the respective nations. However, there is still a distinction between new and old school. When we say old school, we refer to the traditional and folk music types. Something very important that many people never realized was that folk music was not for pure entertainment! Rather it was functional. Some examples are rituals such as weddings, funerals, and birthdays. It is also very influential on agriculture. Did you know there were restrictions on when you could play music during the growing seasons?
The most widely known and recognized form of traditional folk music is the “call-and- response choir." In a “call-and-response choir,” one person leads a chorus who "responds" to the leader with either impressive drum patterns and strumming of string instruments or singing back a melodious verse filled with emotion and power.
Nowadays, the new theme is hip-hop. Adaptation to American cultures has grown considerably all over West Africa. West Africans have, however, created their own names for their new success. They call it "High Life" or Lib HIPCO in Liberia. Check our own HIPCO on our ABOUT US page. There are a few hip-hop artists currently in America who share a connection with the African motherland, one of them being Akon. In West Africa, musicians have resisted "copying" America by incorporating traditional vibes into their music to spice it up and have a wider audience. It should also be said that Nigeria’s state-of-the-art technology in music production has made it a haven for musicians all over Africa to make a name for them. Most importantly, West Africans have been able to incorporate their national and cultural identities into their music even if it does involve adapting to an Americanized genre.
For more information on West African music visit these sites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Nigeria
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Liberia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Ghana