I’m working on a music question and need guidance to help me study.

As we’ve learned, cultural appropriation runs rampant throughout the history of rock, beginning in the mid-50s, with white artists’ covering black artists’ songs and extending right up until today. The question is…is it a good thing, a bad thing, or a little bit of both?

Your assignment for this discussion thread is to pick an example of cultural appropriation somewhere in the history of rock…it can be a Pat Boone cover of a Little Richard song, or the integration of traditional African vocal influences on Paul Simon’s Graceland album, or white doo-wop groups covering black groups. There are many examples to chose from. Then, I want you to give me your opinion as to whether or not you think your example of cultural appropriation is a good thing, a bad thing, or something in between. Please make sure you attach a link to the song you’re discussing at the bottom of your primary post.

To give you a little bit more to consider…read this short article by Penn State professor Richard Aquila on this subject, for a very interesting perspective. It’s not as black and white as you think (pun totally intended : ).

https://news.psu.edu/story/447901/2017/02/02/research/conflict-and-conformity-culture-and-technology-ruled-rocks-early