In conjunction with Verizon, EBONY is journeying through our rich archives in honor of Black History Month to highlight the cultural contributions of African Americans in this country. The second video in this enlightening archival series explores the impact and historical value Black music has had upon our community.
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PeopleTranscript
00:00That's life, to want to grow and become more.
00:03Like you plant a seed and it grows into something beautiful.
00:06And it never dies, really.
00:08I think people should be that way.
00:19It's about the whole thing.
00:22It's about the whole evolution of where we were and where we are.
00:30I was taught discipline. I was taught to live with people.
00:34Even though born in a segregated society, I still had friends on both sides, I felt.
00:40I still feel that way.
00:42I felt that the togetherness that we had then kind of fixed me for the world.
00:48The only thing I didn't have was that education that I should have had.
00:53But all together, I think it made me, it molded me into a pretty good guy.
00:59And I wouldn't change that.
01:02There's really no difference between take this job and shove it and no baby don't leave me.
01:07I mean, it's really the same story.
01:10R&B music is basic life 101.
01:13And country music is basic life 101.
01:16It's just one that has a bluesy background and one that has more of a steel guitar country,
01:21Appalachia kind of sound.
01:24But it's the same story.
01:26They both tell great stories.
01:28This is the problem. The music needs to be a fusion.
01:31Reggae needs a fusion with dancehall.
01:34Dancehall needs a fusion with A-pop.
01:36A-pop needs a fusion with pop music.
01:39Everybody needs to come together.
01:41Legacy is when you start something, create something,
01:44and it becomes a thing that many can follow, learn from,
01:49because it stood the test of time and it had an impact in the world.
01:54Like my album, King's Disease II, that I released this year.
01:58That right there is legacy.