[ Golden Gater Online - February 4, 1997 ]
Maria Pikoula
Staff writer
When the godfather of soul, James Brown, first belted out his anthem "I'm Black and Proud," chances are he never imagined the song would be included in a university syllabus thirty years later.
However, Brown's music and message makes a rhythmic debut in the halls of academia this spring as the cornerstone of SF State Ethnic Studies lecturer Frederick Vincent's history of funk class.
Vincent, who moonlights as a DJ at KPFA FM on Friday nights, wrote the book on the history of Funk, literally. He authored the required reading for the course, "The History of Funk: The Music, The People and The Rhythm of The One."
"The younger generation needs to learn that hip-hop and rap (music) didn't just happen," Vincent said. "They aren't something new."
To prove it Vincent plays Brown's music in class and lets the students hear the similarities.
"It's a good opportunity to learn the true history and the roots behind the music today and find out where it will go in the future," said Jeff Towey, a liberal studies major.
According to Vincent, soul and funk music gave voice to the civil rights and black power movements as musicians like Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder produced songs of protest that expressed the struggle and dissatisfaction of the black community in the '60s and '70s.
From George Clinton, to Sly and the Family Stone, to Patti LaBelle's "Lady Marmalade," the 55 students enrolled in the class will launch into the past and explore the roots of today's hip-hop and rap sound.
For pre-law student Natasha Ralsten, the class points out the importance of music to black culture.
"Black people survive through music," Ralsten said. "Their life, language and culture is music."
According to Vincent the changes in black music parallel the social changes in American culture. He said it all started with rhythm and blues that reflect survival and tolerance.
With the rise of the civil rights movement in the '60s, Vincent said the message in the music became one of resistance and political activism. However, the message wasn't always so obvious.
"You could have Marvin Gaye singing strong radical songs," Vincent said. "If you flipped over the same record you could have romantic love songs."
For Vincent the class can serve to pass down the oral traditions of black culture that he said have been mostly lost in the past two generations.
"The tradition, legacy and function of black music is an integral part of black people everywhere," Vincent said. "It plays an important role besides entertainment."
Bridging the gap between "old school" soul music and today's rap, Vincent said "the younger generation needs to connect to spiritual grandparents and continue to pursue something they believe in."
[ Golden Gater - February 4, 1997 ]