In honor of Black Historical past Month, Atwood Journal has invited artists to take part in a sequence of essays reflecting on id, music, tradition, inclusion, and extra.
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At present, Down North frontman and Black & Loud Fest co-founder Anthony Briscoe shares some hard-earned perspective in his essay, ‘The ‘So What’ Mentality: Reclaiming Black Artwork & Possession,’ as part of Atwood Journal’s Black Historical past Month sequence!
Down North frontman and Black & Loud Fest co-founder Anthony Briscoe shares some hard-earned perspective in his essay The “So What” Mentality: Reclaiming Black Artwork & Possession.
The music that Down North has laid to tape so far is driving, crisply executed, and tight as all get out. It’s funky – however it will be improper to name it funk. Sturdy pop melodicism anchors searing punk power. Brash technical virtuosity nods to Different rock. Funky gospel steel, perhaps? No matter what you name it, the dangerous’s music exudes its creators fierce focus and dedication. It’s highly effective, defiantly celebratory, and downright charming. No Retreat, No Return, No Give up certainly.
Comprised of frontman Anthony Briscoe, bassist Brandon Storms, guitarist Nick Quiller, and drummer Conrad Actual (who additionally performs with icons Digable Planets), Down North are a singular voice within the music house: Trailblazing creatives that decide and select just-right bits and flavors drawn from the entire of contemporary Western music, like painters with limitless palates. The band’s sophomore album No Restraint Quantity 2 offers with the timeless topic of affection, and is out now on all platforms.
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Reclaiming Black Artwork & Possession
by Anthony Briscoe
As a Black artist, I’ve been reflecting on a rising pattern within the music business – one which I can’t ignore.
We create the tradition, we set the tendencies, however too usually, we don’t personal what we construct.
Again within the day, my grandfather’s era had what they referred to as a “so what” mentality. Yeah, the system was unfair. Yeah, racism made it more durable for us to advance. However so what? In case you needed one thing badly sufficient, you discovered methods to get it. It wasn’t about ignoring injustice—it was about outworking it, outthinking it, and profitable regardless of it.
However right now? I really feel like we’ve misplaced a few of that combat. We concentrate on limitations greater than options. We anticipate another person to open doorways as a substitute of constructing our personal. And in an business the place Black creativity fuels billion-dollar platforms, we nonetheless don’t personal sufficient of our work, our affect, or our future.
We Constructed Social Media – And Barely Profit from It.
Each main social media platform blew up due to Black creativity. Give it some thought.
- TikTok? No person was paying consideration till Black artists made it pop. Lil Nas X went viral, and all of the sudden each artist needed to leap on.
- Instagram? Blew up partly due to hip-hop tradition and dance challenges.
- MySpace? Music pages, particularly hip-hop and R&B, stored it alive.
- Even Fb and Twitter? Black tradition fuels engagement, whether or not it’s memes, viral moments, or the complete idea of “Black Twitter.”
We make these platforms useful. But, as a substitute of constructing our personal, we preserve giving our creativity away without spending a dime.
That’s why I’ve been watching Fanbase, a Black-owned social media platform created by Isaac Hayes III. It’s designed to compensate artists higher. So why aren’t extra Black creatives utilizing it? Why can we preserve making different folks wealthy whereas preventing for scraps?
The Music Trade Is a Hustle – However Who’s Actually Profitable?
The music business has at all times had middlemen profiting off Black expertise. Contracts? MOB contracts. A number of the worst offers possible.
- Within the U.S., when a tune is performed on the radio, solely the publishers receives a commission—not the artist.
- That’s why artists like Beyoncé combat for publishing rights. Folks criticize her for demanding a lower even when she didn’t write the tune, however are you able to blame her? The system is designed to chop artists out of their very own success.
- Each decade, the business finds a brand new method to exploit us—whether or not it’s 360 offers, unfair streaming payouts, or AI recreating our voices with out compensation.
And but, we preserve signing away possession. We preserve trusting labels, platforms, and firms that don’t prioritize us. At what level can we cease ready for a seat on the desk and begin constructing the home?
Make the Artwork, However Make It Transfer.
One factor my grandfather’s era understood: expertise isn’t sufficient—it’s a must to be simple.
If you wish to be heard, your music must hit first. Messages are vital, but when the music isn’t nice, folks gained’t care.
Take a look at Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On.” It’s a protest tune, however initially, it’s an important tune. The melody, the manufacturing, the groove—all of it makes you are feeling one thing.
Identical with Rage Towards the Machine. They’d a message, however the music slapped. They weren’t simply saying one thing—they had been saying one thing over beats that made you progress.
That’s the method. If the music doesn’t join, the message gained’t both.
Possession Over Entry.
James Brown as soon as stated, “I don’t need no one to present me nothing – simply open the door, and I’ll get it myself.”
However right now, why are we nonetheless ready for doorways to be opened after we can personal the entire rattling constructing?
We have to cease specializing in DEI initiatives and begin being the executives, the buyers, the shot-callers. After slavery and thru Jim Crow, Black folks turned unbiased contractors as a result of they needed to. We had Black medical doctors, attorneys, and full communities that thrived with out exterior approval.
That’s why I co-founded the Black & Loud Pageant. I used to be uninterested in seeing Black musicians caught within the background. If white artists needed soulful backing vocals or one of the best musicians, they referred to as us—however they not often put us entrance and heart.
Afropunk was a blueprint, however we additionally took inspiration from Warped Tour – a competition that showcased new artists throughout completely different genres. As a result of right here’s the reality: Black folks created most American music.
From nation to rock to hip-hop to heavy steel, all of it traces again to us. And we don’t want permission to reclaim it.
If Your Concept Doesn’t Assist Others, It’s Too Small.
A very powerful level: Your success ought to elevate others up.
Proper now, we’re residing in an period of self-indulgence. Everybody is targeted on their very own model, their very own bag, their very own success. But when your thought can’t assist no less than 10 folks, it’s not sufficiently big.
- We as soon as had Black Wall Avenue, the place our cash circulated ten instances earlier than leaving the neighborhood.
- Now, Black {dollars} depart our fingers nearly instantly.
- Church buildings are full, however what number of pastors are educating monetary literacy?
- We push children towards school however don’t educate them entrepreneurship, investing, or enterprise lending.
We preserve taking part in by the system’s guidelines as a substitute of studying how the wealthy construct generational wealth.
The “So What” Mindset Must Return.
Sure, there are obstacles. So what?
If we don’t take management – of our music, our platforms, our industries—we’re gonna be left behind. And at that time, we gained’t be capable of blame anyone however ourselves.
So the query is: Are we able to take possession? Or are we simply going to maintain making different folks wealthy? – Anthony Briscoe
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