| African American culture can be regarded | | | | far back as the slavery days when |
| as both part of, and distinct from | | | | African Americans also used song |
| American culture. From the days of the | | | | composition as a vehicle of social |
| slave trade, Africans and African | | | | relief. They would compose songs in |
| Americans have contributed by means of | | | | their native languages that described |
| literature, art, agricultural skills, | | | | their emotions regarding the situation |
| foods, music, and language to American | | | | they were subjected to, their slave |
| culture. Even before the abolition of | | | | masters and the evolution of their |
| slavery, African Americans were known | | | | lives. |
| for their cultural ingenuity. Although | | | | If one has the means to study these |
| in many cases they were literally forced | | | | musical genres which define African |
| to adopt and mimic the traditions of | | | | American culture today, it will become |
| their slave masters, African American | | | | quite evident that these songs serve as |
| slaves would still clandestinely | | | | a reminder that the past and the present |
| practice their beliefs. Today, perhaps | | | | are clearly linked when it comes to |
| the most definitive form of African | | | | understanding the meanings of African |
| American culture can be seen through | | | | American music. The emphasis on language |
| their expression of the musical art | | | | clearly illustrates how African-American |
| form. | | | | communities have defined themselves and |
| The forms of music that best typify | | | | their relations to the dominant white |
| African American culture are those of | | | | culture in America. In fact many of the |
| Hip Hop, Rap, Blues, R&B and Gospel. | | | | lyrics in African American music seek to |
| Many people shrug off these forms of | | | | investigate the relationships the white |
| music as noisy garbage; however, they | | | | community has shared with African |
| are in truth an expression of political, | | | | Americans for several generations until |
| social or class discrimination of some | | | | today. |
| form. This form of expression dates as | | | | |