Music has the power to inspire, like literature and speech, like all forms of media. Music is a powerful tool that has been used to inspire and incite social movements as it has a massive influence on the ideas and viewpoints of others. Music has been used to foster success and expand the influence of social movements, one of these movements, the Black Panther Party utilized media, especially music to promote and propagate for their cause.
The Black Panther Party surfaced in the 1960’s in response to a variety of issues threatening and affecting the African-American community such as police brutality, poverty, and lack of education. The Black Panther Party recognized the need and want for a militant party to press for change. The Black Panther …show more content…
Lumpen, meaning uninterested in revolutionary advancement, a reference to Karl Marx, the father of socialism as The Black Panther Party proclaimed themselves a socialist organization. The Lumpen saw themselves and proclaimed themselves as representatives of The Black Panther Party, and as these representatives they were to “capture the imagination” of the people, they had strived for a certain sound and feeling in their music to do this, how they presented themselves was a crucial aspect to their music, message, and performance. The Lumpen’s goal was to educate, motivate, and inspire through the utilization of a popular medium, music. The members of The Lumpen recognized how powerful a tool music could be as some people whom The Black Panther Party were trying to reach out to could not read especially the soul form. As Michael Torrance, a member of The Lumpen stated “This quartet singing in an R&B or soul form could be a useful political tool, some folks don’t read but everyone listens to music.” The Lumpen was not the only group to utilize the power of music to campaign for social change or justice, yet they were recognized as the official band of the Black Panther Party. The Lumpen, using these set standards for themselves found themselves on numerous domestic tours throughout different communities and rallies, yet the despite The Lumpen’s fame and …show more content…
The Black Panther Party and The Lumpen are still referenced in modern music for their actions and for their approach to social change. From soul and Rhythm and Blues also known as R&B to hip-hop and rap music has been used to incite and inspire, most of this music derived from the Black Panther Party ideals. Tupac Shakur is an example of how the Black Panther Party and music have affected and inspired people, affecting their voice, even affecting their artistic vision. Tupac Shakur, son of Afeni Shakur who was a Black Panther, passed on the morals and ideals of the Black Panthers as well as the Black Liberation Army, whom Tupac’s aunt Assata Shakur was a member, which surfaced in his music. Known as an artistic advocate for the impoverished and underprivileged, Tupac was deemed one of the most influential rappers in history. Tupac had even recorded a song entitled “Panther Power” consisting of lyrics directly referencing the black panther party or their ideals. Other songs have been recorded directly referencing the party or their ideals from artists like Dead Prez to Paris. The various Black Power movements while disbanded or even sometimes forgotten or ignored live on in a powerful aspect of our lives, whether we notice it or not, all music, all our actions are affected by something, lyrics, words, sentences, thoughts are not without meaning,