Nu-metal upstart Cinnamon Babe, the solo project from Stormi Maya, has set TikTok ablaze with a clip from the music video for her new single, "Rock 'N' Roll Is Black," where she declares, "I'm taking my culture back" and points to rock's origins in Black culture.
In a press release, the Cinnamon Babe leader explains, I made the song "Rock 'N' Roll Is Black' in response to all the people who seem to have forgotten the founders of this genre of music — African Americans such as Ike Turner, Bo Diddley, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Little Richard and Chuck Berry. And before you say, 'Okay, Black people may have made rock 'n' roll, but metal is white blah blah... I credit the invention of metal to Jimi Hendrix and blues."
In a remarkable display of gross ignorance and hate, comments flooded in doubting the significance of Black peoples' contributions to the genre, proving that a great deal of the rock and metal community is not at all as open-minded, accepting or knowledgeable as it often claims to be.
Even so, a few comments were supportive and uplifting and Maya offers up her thoughts on it all exclusively with Loudwire.
"The first thing I posted prior to the music video clip was a TikTok video that said, 'I was afraid to join rock and metal because I didn’t think I’d be accepted,'" she tells us.
Maya continues, "Then in the TikTok video I said, 'Despite facing some racism and hate, I still make the music I love.' This angered thousands of people – most of the comments are filled with people claiming how metal and rock has absolutely no racism within it and how there’s no way I’d ever change discrimination or racism trying to be a Black woman in metal and rock music. A lot of the comments were saying, 'I’ve never heard or seen racism in the metal community ever.'"
At press time, the TikTok clip featuring a portion of the "Rock 'N' Roll Is Black" music video (seen below) has racked up nearly 900,000 views and has drawn a wide range of criticism and support.
"When I posted a clip from my music video 'Rock 'N' Roll Is Black' it went crazy on TikTok. The music video had over half a million views in one day. It topped 800,000 views on the second day with over 10,000 comments in total. I wrote the caption that rock is Black music and it was made by Black artists," says Maya.
"This statement and the song's lyrics caused a frenzy. Thousands of people claimed that the statement of Black people making rock music was false and that the creation of rock 'n' roll came from artists such as Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley. Others stated that it didn’t matter who started it because white people did it better. And the majority of comments were angry at the statements in the song saying the rock 'n' roll was black and saying the line, 'I am taking my culture back.'"
Here are some of the comments rooted in ignorance, denial and contempt:
- @theleedavis：Oh yeah cause people hated Killswitch Engage, Sevendust, Sepultura and Oceano. Metal is arguably the most inclusive genre
- @bigredmachine5099: Yo ain’t no racism or hate in the rock gang. Stop making shit up.
- @matthewscottthomp：Honestly you’re way more likely to be discriminated against for being female than not being white. Dudes are weirdly against female vocalists
- @firemouth86: bro you can't be serious. metal heads don't care what color you are. that shit is all in your liberal head
- @drew76222: Lmao ever heard of Jimi Hendrix? Stop playing a victim
- @megatron.macek：So does that mean the Spanish who invented the guitar in Spain can take it back too? Just wondering”
- @bsmith420：Not to mention for MY personal opinion, the whole thing is set up like “look at me taking my culture back” when it was never “took”. It’s all silly
- @chopchopthispp：Lol taking it back lol no one said y’all couldn’t make rock y’all just decided not to lmaoo
Fortunately, some people came to Maya's defense, as seen below:
- @tattoodus：@Stormi Maya Unfortunately racism does exist within the metal community, we need more POC to take the stage. Thank you for your bravery and passion! ❤️
- @black.hole.of.sunshine：just because there have been popular black artists like killswitch and sevendust in rock/metal doesnt prove the genre is inclusive to POC.😡
- @knicole35：As a metal fan, I'd kill to see more BIPOC women fronting!
- @tiffiestarchild：I adore everything about this
- @ooowitchy_luvooo：I believe all she's trying to say is she's tired of the stigma that people of color can't be metalheads or seeing metal or Rock!!! tired of the stigma
- @chelsieee：Y’all are giving rage against the machine but better. I love your vocal style
Acknowledging the positive comments, Maya offers, "We have a lot of support and tons and tons of people who have been supportive no matter what race they are. There are tons of white/non-Black people who fully support the song. They love its message and totally want to rock out to it. This song is not a racial divide or an attempt to segregate — this song is just giving credit to the culture that created the genre and empowering the people of said culture who sometimes feel left out and alienated in a space that overwhelmingly doesn’t look like them."
"Making a statement that ‘rock ‘n’ roll is black’ was not a way to kick anyone else out of the genre," she clarifies, "It was a way to address that as Black people we belong here, too. A lot of people misunderstood the song and thought that taking our culture back means that no one else but Black people can make the music, and that is not what it means. What it means is that we are going to acknowledge the roots of this genre and we are going to acknowledge it is Back culture as well."
"Singing 'rock ‘n’ roll is black' simply means that it was invented by Black pioneers; it does not mean that everyone isn’t welcome. The problem is that most people can’t name a lot of Black artists in this genre, and that’s because there aren’t enough voices and platforms in the culture that are advancing POC to be the face of heavy music," Maya concludes in regards to the song's response.
Read the lyrics to "Rock 'N' Roll Is Black" directly below and watch the music video further down the page. And if you can't see that rock music irrefutably has origins in Black culture, you have two options: get bent or learn and grow from this.
Cinnamon Babe, "Rock 'N' Roll Is Black" Lyrics
I’m taking my culture back
I’m taking my culture back
I’m taking my culture back
I’m taking my culture back
Cause rock and roll is black
I’m taking my culture back
I’m taking my culture back
I’m taking my culture back
I’m taking my culture back
Cause rock and roll is black
Hendricks flooding my blood stream
Rebel of this world, hear my screams
Ready to push the minority dream
The people who died to have me seen
They hate to have my words so political
Want me in my place to be traditional
Your image of me is based in fictional
I’m this deep Individual ready to speak
When I dress how I want, they call me a freak
When I talk how I want, they call me a geek
Y’all niggas don’t like me, because you are weak
I’m not a doll or your little toy
I’m crazy ass beast that scares off the boys
Get off my page if you’re not ready for noise
Entity sent , designed to destroy
I’m here to corrupt not here to enjoy
I’m taking my culture back x4
Cause rock and roll is black
Your perspective is not based on reality
History’s been erased in casualties
Books given scratched in white out
Now little brown boys got self doubt
Only care about beauty and clout
Now I’m careful what comes out my mouth
My purpose is bigger , my weapon is loaded
I can’t just sit back and watch how y’all voted
Color consumed defeats the unity
Burn the hate inside this community
Can’t fight back, we are fighting inside
Can’t protect within the divide
Rep for the culture despite the flaws
His life is lost ,you bring up the law,
Wanna bring up the past undercover hate
And fake prayer hands to get in the gate
I’m taking my culture back x4
cause rock and roll is black
You thought the voice of the oppressed was yours?
You thought you were the voice of the oppressed?
You thought you were the unheard?
You thought you were the oppressed ?
You thought you were the unheard ?
Tell me I don’t belong .
This shits for me.
Started by me
Created by me
In case you didn’t hear, let me tell you the fuck again.
Rock n roll is black x 4
Taking my motherfucking culture back.
Don’t you ever tell me I don’t belong.
That it ain’t for me.
Don’t you ever tell me I’m in the wrong place.
i made this fucking place.
I’m taking my culture back x4
cause rock n roll is black
Cinnamon Babe, "Rock 'N' Roll Is Black" Music Video
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