
“Growing up in Wolverhampton, Stephanie Phillips says she was initially pretty much into the same chart music as her friends.
But alongside TLC, Aaliyah and Destiny’s Child, she developed a passion for rock, indie and punk.
“It was music that meant a lot to me as someone who was very shy and needed an outlet,” she said. Yet she felt compelled to keep that passion hidden.
“There was always this idea that black people weren’t really into alternative music, or punk,” the musician, journalist and author told the BBC.
“When I first got into alternative music I felt like I was betraying my race, and had to keep my love of rock practically secret,” she writes in her new book.”
“Black recalled that a famous 1980 photograph of her alongside Debbie Harry, Poly Styrene of X-Ray Spex and other leading female artists, featured on the cover of New Music News magazine, was billed as representing “the women in rock”.
“And I suppose they needed a couple of black women in there as well,” she said.
“But it was interesting they couldn’t put one woman on the cover.”…
Even today, Phillips argues black artists were often forgotten, overlooked or deliberately excluded.
She cites Nova Twins, who took out a bank loan to record their debut album which received rave reviews but they still struggled to find a label, she said.
The issue is personal, she added, recalling the challenges of securing support for Big Joanie’s early releases.
“You do have to work harder. It can be exhausting.”…
Yes it’s vital that this immense conspiracy to suppress blek music is exposed and artistes compensated for this hideous outrage..
Or maybe it’s all in your head luv because you are a mental and your music was shit?
Nominated by : Unkle Terry



