Where have all the Hendrixes, Lenny Kravitz's, and all the other black rockstars/bands gone? In the early years, there were many black rock bands but nowadays it seems rock is only heard by 'spoilt rich white boys' who live in the suburb (no offence, of course). It seems mainstream African American music is restricted to rap/hip-hop/soul.etc, while there are many white, hip-hop groups.etc. Isn't it all a little odd?

Where have all the Hendrixes, Lenny Kravitz's, and all the other black rockstars/bands gone? In the early years, there were many black rock bands but nowadays it seems rock is only heard by 'spoilt rich white boys' who live in the suburb (no offence, of course). It seems mainstream African American music is restricted to rap/hip-hop/soul.etc, while there are many white, hip-hop groups.etc. Isn't it all a little odd?


Well, the black rock bands of the past, believe it or not, are still out there, even if not the originals... i mentioned in another thread that there are now 6 different groups performing under the name "The Platters", and playing Platters classic hits.  They still tour, and they still sell out.  (I saw one of these groups in Vegas last year).  Same goes for The Drifters.. the members, it seems, have split up and started "Drifters" of their own...  However, they tend to appeal to older audiences and therefore are not in mainstream media...  I think the older generations of black musicians are against rap... if you look at the talent and lifestyles they lived, you could understand why...  and the younger generations, of course, will lean toward rap.

The old rock n roll groups are still out there, though, and doing just fine.. they're just kind of hidden..

You just haven't been looking in the right areas. Albeit few, there are African-American members of rock bands like P.O.D., Sevendust, Hootie and the Blowfish, Dave Matthews Band, Macy Gray, and others. I do wish Living Colour would reform. I thought they were the best of the all black rock bands.

The Platters and Drifters are doo-wop bands, not rock. Doo-wop would be an earlier form of R&B and this brings up the question, "why are there so few great white hopes in R&B nowadays?". There are so many few black rockers these days because rock music in general has been on the decline, (I don't mean in quality, but in record sales), and the main focus of rock music was originally towards white southerners and of course, I could get into a long discourse about the civil rights movements, but as everyone knows, many avenues of opportunity weren't open to black people and even thpse that wanted to have rock groups, most were forced to disband due to threats... A new black rocker would probably sell out just like a certain white rapper has already, (Darius Rucker's "Tender Crisp Bacon Cheddar Ranch" commercial is still in heavy rotation, come on now), so it's perhaps for the best that we don't have any mainstream black rockers. :o

I do wish Living Colour would reform. I thought they were the best of the all black rock bands.


I'll second that emotion

seriousily, their first two albums are excellent.  The third, um, not quite so. The first two though, excellent hard rock, better than most of the rock even around in the late 80s.  Personality issues coupled with a poor third album though helped sink that band for good.  I know the lead singer has had a few other projects I've heard him talk about on the radio.  He sounded pretty pesimistic about any type of reunion thing.

Hey!  I wonder if we could get vh-1's "Bands Reunited" (or whatever it was called) to do them?  I would DEFINITELY watch that episode ;)


I don't know if you've ever seen the reunions they have on public television...  They are AWESOME.  It's like a two or three hour show (granted, you have to listen to them asking for pledges every 15 mins or so but it's worth it) and features reunions of many groups all in one show.

There's a doo-wop one, a disco one, and I'm hoping next will be an 80's one.  I love watching those.


The Platters and Drifters are doo-wop bands, not rock.

I know everyone has their own classifications of music, but I tend to disagree with the general consensus that The Platters are doo-wop.

The thing that defines doo-wop, in my opinion, is this:

"Duke, duke, duke, duke of earl, duke duke duke of earl, duke duke... "
(Duke of Earl)

"Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-dang-a-dang-dang-dip-de-dip..blue moon!"
(Blue Moon)

"Shooby-dooby-doo-wah-wah"
(Lonely Teardrops)

I'm not saying every song has to have this feature to be considered a doo-wop song, but if I think of this style of music and then compare it to the style of the Platters, I find them very different.

the main focus of rock music was originally towards white southerners and of course, I could get into a long discourse about the civil rights movements, but as everyone knows, many avenues of opportunity weren't open to black people and even those that wanted to have rock groups,


My sister worked in radio for many years and the one thing that is definite is that the music industry can be very racist.  If you were/are black you had to be R&B, soul, and now rap, to get any airtime.  Hendrix had to go to England and be praised over there to make it here, and even then they slotted him as an opener to
the Monkees.  ???

and unfortunately, that still holds true today, and most "black" songs will never make it to the pop stations, (Usher and Alicia Keys are two notable exceptions), oh, and of course 50 cent, he has one of the worst flows that I've ever heard, yet he's saturating the entire market, he's on Z100, Hot 97, even KTU 103.5, (Hate it or love it is a "Dance club" mix, candy shop would be a good dance song, just ignore the horrible rapping and vocal backup by Olivia...) The Platters were one of the first mainstream doo-wop bands and I saw them recently on a public access special, (the audiences are filled with people from that time era ranging from their 40s and beyond, even the 90 year olds were dancing...) This turned into a 50 diss, but hey, if everyone's still wasting their money on "The Massacre", then something's not right...