That is no racist statement but...

[abyssofdreams]

how come there are (almost) no black people in metal bands?
who gives a shit, yeah, but I noticed...

I can name a few, ok, is it connected to the areas it developed in the first place? I'm just curious...

I see losta white people listening to hiphop/rap all around but you'll barely see any black person on a huge metal festival, don't you.:Smug:

 

[fatalforce]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v155/N_Nealer/BLACKDEATHphoto.jpg

 

[midget donkeys]

That picture rules.

 

[abyssofdreams]

omg

 

[Metaltastic]

Ahahahahahahaha, the guy holding the skull in the polka dot tights with the white underwear over them makes that pic.

And to answer the question at hand, having lived in NYC for 16 years and otherwise been exposed to a lot of what is typically referred to as "black culture," my feeling is that while racism may be far decreased from what it was up until the 1970s, there's still more than enough cultural stereotypes (often supported by black people, especially black comedians) identifying the black community as a single group that I think makes many black people feel they kinda have to stick together, as opposed to white people, who are far less stereotypically unified (I doubt one would ever seriously use the term "white culture"). Thus, I think a young black person (we'll assume "man" here seeing as how metal is predominately a sausage-fest) often feels culturally linked with jazz, hip-hop/R & B, and/or any other genre of music that is typically dominated by black people, because of this desire to be true to his race (which of course is nothing but exterior physical traits), while white people have no such cultural unification and as such are attracted to all sorts of different things (and since rap/hip-hop is so popular for so many psychological reasons that I won't bother ranting about here, it's no wonder the biggest consumers of rap/hip-hop in the US are white suburban schmuck kids with their flat brim hats riding with their seats ridiculously reclined in their lowered Honda Civics blasting rap at ridiculous volumes RRRGGGHHH one of the many varieties of the scum of our country...)

That being said, I took great pains to indicate that the above points are all generalizations, because I know every genre of music has fans of every race/ethnicity, and one of my good friends is black, grew up in a pretty poor black neighborhood (Peekskill, NY), but is an absolutely god-like bassist (and guitarist, which despite being his side hobby, he still does way better than me) in a tech-metal band (though right now is embracing his love of Jazz while studying at Berklee and ripping the place a new asshole with his incomprehensible talent ). Here's his bands myspace, check out the first video to see the greatest musician of my generation I've ever had the pleasure of knowing:

http://www.myspace.com/architectofentanglement

Here's his personal myspace: http://www.myspace.com/tyreekjackson

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

Funny this should come up as I just recorded a band with a black drummer (silly hardcore though).

 

[Carcass29]

Bwahahahahaha! That picture..... I just spit soda all over my screen.

 

[DestroyTheColossus]

The Faceless has a black guitarist.

 

[Glenn Fricker]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v155/N_Nealer/BLACKDEATHphoto.jpg

Hey! Black Death!
I remember seeing those guys in the lobby of Cobo Arena at a Dio concert way back in 1985.... Leather, chains, the works. I was 15 at the time & was awestruck.

 

[mintcheerios]

I don't know, maybe metal is the Nascar of music. Actually I noticed there were no black people at a Radiohead concert I went to either (not one in a packed arena). I did see some at a Dillinger Escape Plan concert and they really got into it. Best show of my life.

 

[JBroll]

No, it's not hicks watching other hicks turn left. Although I was surprised at how many redneck-looking hippie bashers were at the Ministry show...

If you want the NASCAR of music you're looking at country/western. Metal is just the genre that most relates to other music like mad scientists relate to high school teachers.

Jeff

 

[deLuther]

One of greatest examples of blacks in metal is Suffocation.
Drummer and guitarist, both are great and black.
And IMHO this band is greatest brutal death metal ever.
Also Atheist comes to mind .

 

[Kazrog]

A black friend of mine who listens to metal was telling me that all his black friends give him shit for listening to "white man's music." He also tells me he's the only black person in the entire venue when he goes to see bands like Soilwork and Dimmu Borgir live.

I think African American culture is still caught up in embodying (ironically and sadly, and to varying degrees) the silly "gangsta rap" stereotype that racist whites want to fearmonger to the world. At that point I think the biggest enemies are racism and conformity.

I've seen a lot of black hip-hop fans become metal fans though once they hear Howard Jones from Killswitch. He is so undeniably ruling regardless of whatever musical tastes people have.

 

[FalseMessiah Mike]

I can't believe that no one yet has mentioned God Forbid.
4/5ths of that band is black, only the bassist is white.
They are my favourite band; I can't wait for their new DVD and album.

I don't think it completely down to the colour of your skin and your social background. I think it is more to do with the fact that while metal is popular; it is still listened to by a minority of people. The majority of people listen to more mainstream music.

 

[Limak]

Metal beign the NASCAR of music? As to black people and metal it's just like meta said with conforming, unity and ,,black culture,,.
But honestly i think it shoudn't matter, what's most bothering to me that great metal band that records ALOT of CD's and tour around the world can't earn even half of money and acknowledgement average black raper is getting after promoting his one(and very often the only) CD.
But on the other hand the ,,gangsta rap,, stereotype really fits black people and i find it alright when they do it. What's hilarious over there is white people that want to do that, or techno-clubbing clones with same haircuts all over the world(the ,,standing hairs made with gel - well you know what i mean). I've never seen black man who would do as stupid things as those techno clones.
Not to bash music or anything, rap is ok, techno is ok. What I hate is that techno guys are the main bashers of every other music(especially metal) and that black and white rapers steal all the chicks and cash from other genres in the industry Which is not a good thing.

 

[-J-]

ice T, katon depena, mike smith of suffocation, the hard corps (the singer of which went on to form stone deep with guy from scatterbrain), rocky george, dudes in god forbid, DJ in mordred. aside from maybe a few others....that's about it.

 

[Kenny Lee]

HAha... what a thread I'm Black, Lakota Indian, French and Mexican! WHAT A GAWDDAMN MIX HEY? If I get pulled over though by the cops, I'm just anotha' brotha' .....I've been listening to nothing but METAL my whole life
Lived in alot of places. Funniest thing was when we lived in a pretty much Black neighborhood (The HOOD)!! Cops didn't come thru much, couldn't get a pizza delivery. Pretty much a fucked up side of town. Anyways, we used to practice in my basement. At the time we were doing Slayer / Metallica / Death covers. It was so funny. We NEVER got fucked with there. (I did have six Pit Bulls! ) Many of my Black Buds would say we were playing 'ACID ROCK'!!! Haahaha.. they never called it death metal or heavy metal. It was always acid rock. Haha.. My Buds tease me still...."Kenny plays that goddamn acid rock". I've never really got fucked with about my music preferences, I'll listen to pretty much anything... DiMeola, Cobham, Local H, The Cranberries, Snoop, Lil' Jon, Zimmerman, Tyler Bates..... anything... BUT COUNTRY !!!! But, yes there's not very many Blacks in the Death Metal scene. But some of my Buds who are in the Death Metal scene.... absolutely KILL!!!!! Mike Smith, Aantar Lee Coates, Terrance, Rocky, Mendel!! Sometimes I laugh when I go to a show....... and the door Guy stamps my hand!!!! Like they will not recognize me if I go outside and come back in!!!

KEEP THE BLAST ALIVE!!​

 

[ahjteam]

how come there are (almost) no black people in metal bands?

Killswitch Engage, Korn, Living Colour, Bad Brains, God Forbid, Suffocation, Skindred, POD? They all have black members. Almost said Metallica too, but I think Trujillos parents are Mexican, but he ain't white thats for sure.

I see losta white people listening to hiphop/rap all around but you'll barely see any black person on a huge metal festival, don't you.:Smug:

Again, don't want to say it, but primitive (read: shitty music what is easier to listen to, like pop and hiphop and rap) catches larger audience, heavy metal is in general minority target of the audience, except maybe in Sweden and Finland

 

[iekobrid]

I can't believe that no one yet has mentioned God Forbid.
4/5ths of that band is black, only the bassist is white.

I met them a few years ago when they came around opening for Arch Enemy, and almost made a joke that they should change the name of the tour to "Bands of Brothers" (Doc & Dallas Coyle + Mike & Chris Amott, get it? get it? hyuk!). Ended up deciding against it for fear they might think it was a black joke (instead of just a crap joke).

 

[Genius Gone Insane]

I think the better question to ask may be "why do so many white folks listen to metal?"

I'm sure of all racial groups, caucasians have the highest percentage of metalheads. For sure in my area.