Three black kids from Brooklyn form heavy metal band, get 5 album $1.8 million deal

[Hugo Drax]

Growing up black in America can be difficult.

"African American" born in the US have it difficult.

Blacks that immigrate to America from other countries seem to do fine and move up in life.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles...cated-immigrants-in-the-united-states/113200/


and

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/24/u...cks-but-which-ones.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm

 

[TwiceOver]

He was probably getting at the fact you rarely see a black person in a heavy metal band. I can only think of 2 off the top of my head.

 

[alkemyst]

He was probably getting at the fact you rarely see a black person in a heavy metal band. I can only think of 2 off the top of my head.

The thing is this is an entire band heavy metal band and there hasn't been many of those:

24-7 Spyz
A Band Called Pain
Black Death (American band)
Body Count
Fishbone
God Forbid
Living Colour
Sound Barrier
Unlocking the Truth
Wicked Wisdom
Wrust

As far as bands with black members there are quite a bit, most only listen to mainstream heavy metal though so don't know a lot:

Others (dead and alive)
Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy)
Jimi Hendrix (Jimi Hendrix Experience)
Adam Warren (Oceana)
Lajon Witherspoon (Sevendust)
Byron Davis (God Forbid)
Tommy Vext (Divine Heresy)
Terrance Hobbs and Mike Smith (Suffocation)
Benji Webbe (Skindred)
Alexis Brown (Straight Line Stitch)
Derrick Green (Sepultura)
Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine/AudioSlave)
Howard Jones (Killswitch Engage!)
H.R. (Bad Brains)
Vernon Reid (Living Colour)
Tosin Abasi (Animals As Leaders)
Rocky George and Eric Moore (Suicidal Tendencies)
Corey Glover (Living Colour)
Doug Pinnick (Kings X)
Slash (Guns and Roses, others, technically 1/2 black)
Pat Smear (Germs, Nirvana/Foo Fighters)

 

[QueBert]

Because it's the only reason they are getting any attention from anyone, and the only reason they got signed.

I'm pretty sure the fact they're Jr High students and can play like they do is the biggest part. You don't see many talented bands where the members are that age. While them being black & playing metal surely added to the hype. If they were white and this good they would have a deal and people would be talking about them too.

 

[LegendKiller]

He was probably getting at the fact you rarely see a black person in a heavy metal band. I can only think of 2 off the top of my head.

I know of Killswitch Engage, Neurotic November (sucks) and Sevendust.

 

[BUTCH1]

Because it's the only reason they are getting any attention from anyone, and the only reason they got signed.

I don't think so, sure, Sony is looking to capitalize on their uniqueness but they are cranking out the music pretty well, it's not my style but they seem pretty damm good for being that young. I have a lot more respect for them than the "autotune" pop stars that dominate a lot of today's music scene.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

The thing is this is an entire band heavy metal band and there hasn't been many of those:

24-7 Spyz
A Band Called Pain
Black Death (American band)
Body Count
Fishbone
God Forbid
Living Colour
Sound Barrier
Unlocking the Truth
Wicked Wisdom
Wrust

As far as bands with black members there are quite a bit, most only listen to mainstream heavy metal though so don't know a lot:

Others (dead and alive)
Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy)
Jimi Hendrix (Jimi Hendrix Experience)
Adam Warren (Oceana)
Lajon Witherspoon (Sevendust)
Byron Davis (God Forbid)
Tommy Vext (Divine Heresy)
Terrance Hobbs and Mike Smith (Suffocation)
Benji Webbe (Skindred)
Alexis Brown (Straight Line Stitch)
Derrick Green (Sepultura)
Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine/AudioSlave)
Howard Jones (Killswitch Engage!)
H.R. (Bad Brains)
Vernon Reid (Living Colour)
Tosin Abasi (Animals As Leaders)
Rocky George and Eric Moore (Suicidal Tendencies)
Corey Glover (Living Colour)
Doug Pinnick (Kings X)
Slash (Guns and Roses, others, technically 1/2 black)
Pat Smear (Germs, Nirvana/Foo Fighters)

Where did you copy and paste those lists from? I find it difficult to believe that you listen to Suffocation.

 

[motsm]

I'm pretty sure the fact they're Jr High students and can play like they do is the biggest part. You don't see many talented bands where the members are that age. While them being black & playing metal surely added to the hype. If they were white and this good they would have a deal and people would be talking about them too.

Them being young plays a role, sure. Them not having any vocals also keeps them from scaring away all those not exposed to metal. I still think them looking like typical black kids is the biggest factor though, but I'm not going to argue the point, just my observation

I will add that I seriously don't understand the draw of being young when it comes to the arts. I can't stand the phrase "They are so talented for their age", if you have to put the asterisk on it, then you're basically telling everyone that they stink, they just stink less then pathetic competition.

Rant aside, good for them, as long as these silly biases exist they might as well take advantage of them.

 

[alkemyst]

Where did you copy and paste those lists from? I find it difficult to believe that you listen to Suffocation.

I love metal. I looked up the bands I knew and found others (like Wrust and Oceana).

These are the bands that I cannot say I have heard:
24-7 Spyz
A Band Called Pain
Black Death (American band)
Fishbone
God Forbid
Sound Barrier
Unlocking the Truth
Wrust
Oceana
God Forbid
Divine Heresy

 

[db]

They started off one of my days at Coachella this year as the opening act on the Main Stage. The audience wasn't big (b/c it was still early) but we were all surprised by how well these guys played. By the time it was over they were crowd surfing and everybody (crowd and band) had a blast!

 

[LegendKiller]

I love metal. I looked up the bands I knew and found others (like Wrust and Oceana).

These are the bands that I cannot say I have heard:
24-7 Spyz
A Band Called Pain
Black Death (American band)
Fishbone
God Forbid
Sound Barrier
Unlocking the Truth
Wrust
Oceana
God Forbid
Divine Heresy

Yeah, that's it, you just love metal. A simple google search of a portion of your list shows that you are pulling them off of a Yahoo answer. For some reason I can't paste the link but I did a search for

"Byron Davis (God Forbid) Tommy Vext (Divine Heresy)"

Suffocation is also on that list on Yahoo.


Nice try though.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

I like how he points out the most obvious case of Slash being half-black/half-white, which he probably came up with on his own, but neglects to mention Lynott who should be just as obvious to anyone that listens to Thin Lizzy. But I'm sure he met a black heavy metal guy at an airport once and that gives him complete authority in this area.

 

[alkemyst]

Yeah, that's it, you just love metal. A simple google search of a portion of your list shows that you are pulling them off of a Yahoo answer. For some reason I can't paste the link but I did a search for

"Byron Davis (God Forbid) Tommy Vext (Divine Heresy)"

Suffocation is also on that list on Yahoo.


Nice try though.

I said I did look things up from what I have listened to and then found others.

I am also friends in real life with three of the guys from L.U.N.G.S. / Collapsing L.U.N.G.S (no black guys in the band but awesome).

Sevendust is one of my favorite bands.

So go fuck yourself, Sherlock Holmes.

 

[LegendKiller]

I said I did look things up from what I have listened to and then found others.

I am also friends in real life with three of the guys from L.U.N.G.S. / Collapsing L.U.N.G.S (no black guys in the band but awesome).

Sevendust is one of my favorite bands.

So go fuck yourself, Sherlock Holmes.

lol - sure - you could have just admitted you found suffocation on a list, but nope, "I love metal". You just googled "black heavy metal" or something like that. Again, nice try.

I like the sherlock holmes comment though, coming from a doxer that's really harsh.

 

[alkemyst]

I like how he points out the most obvious case of Slash being half-black/half-white, which he probably came up with on his own, but neglects to mention Lynott who should be just as obvious to anyone that listens to Thin Lizzy. But I'm sure he met a black heavy metal guy at an airport once and that gives him complete authority in this area.

I didn't know Lynott was only half black, he looks like a regular black guy. Slash looks white.

I hung out with the guys from 2 Live Crew one night at one of their homes in Miami at a house party. Vanilla Ice lives right by my parents (so does Bruce Springstein)

I also hung out with Brett Ratner when he was at his brother's house in Wellington, Florida. I know a few ambassadors as well and a couple billionaires. Whoop-de-doo.

You guys really underestimate who I know, what I know and what my life is. I made some bad decisions/got involved in some bad things so I just don't have the income/assets I should now.

I play a professional for my day job, but when the job is over I am drinking, fucking and usually listening to music somewhere out and about. I listen to all types of music. One of my best friends was a black drummer in In House which toured with a Lillith Fair and almost "made it"

 

[alkemyst]

lol - sure - you could have just admitted you found suffocation on a list, but nope, "I love metal". You just googled "black heavy metal" or something like that. Again, nice try.

I have listened to Suffocation.

I have also listened to Black Flag, Bad Brains, Circle Jerks, Overkill.

I just remembered another classmate of mine (a female) was in Testament and now Derketa.

She is the bassist.

 

[alkemyst]

lol - sure - you could have just admitted you found suffocation on a list, but nope, "I love metal". You just googled "black heavy metal" or something like that. Again, nice try.

I like the sherlock holmes comment though, coming from a doxer that's really harsh.

What does doxing have to do with this?

I don't think you know what that word means.

I also love electronica like Yaz/Erasure, Depeche Mode, etc.

Lords of Acid are great as well.

I have listened to and played a lot of music fucktard.

 

[alkemyst]

Yeah you guise are mad. I am getting back to my night.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

I didn't know Lynott was only half black, he looks like a regular black guy. Slash looks white.

I hung out with the guys from 2 Live Crew one night at one of their homes in Miami at a house party. Vanilla Ice lives right by my parents (so does Bruce Springstein)

I also hung out with Brett Ratner when he was at his brother's house in Wellington, Florida. I know a few ambassadors as well and a couple billionaires. Whoop-de-doo.

You guys really underestimate who I know, what I know and what my life is. I made some bad decisions/got involved in some bad things so I just don't have the income/assets I should now.

I play a professional for my day job, but when the job is over I am drinking, fucking and usually listening to music somewhere out and about. I listen to all types of music. One of my best friends was a black drummer in In House which toured with a Lillith Fair and almost "made it"

lol, Blink 182 came from my home town and lived right near by but that doesn't mean I knew any of them. Having your parents live near someone famous does not mean that you know them. Talking to someone famous once does not mean that you know them. Buying coke from the same dealer that supported Brittany Spears does not mean that you know her. Listening to music does not make you special.

I have listened to Suffocation.

I have also listened to Black Flag, Bad Brains, Circle Jerks, Overkill.

I just remembered another classmate of mine (a female) was in Testament and now Derketa.

She is the bassist.

Pretty sure Testament never had any female members unless she filled in on a local show by chance one day (and lol @ the insinuation that knowing a classmate that is a member of some random metal band somehow makes you knowledgeable or any kind of authority). Don't stop posing brotha.

 

[1sikbITCH]

why is race important?

Trollin trollin trollin

 

[mammador]

yep....blacks can't do rock music, because they get exempted under Jim Crow...

er...in 2014, even though whites largely invented rock music, does it matter if there are black rock musicians? Or even white rappers? I am black and Zeppelin still rock.....

The USA is too focused on race....it can't be helped, but then fuck race...

 

[SsupernovaE]

but when the job is over I am drinking, fucking and usually listening to music somewhere out and about.

...wait. I thought you had a family now.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

...wait. I thought you had a family now.

It's a one-sided open relationship.

 

[alkemyst]

lol, Blink 182 came from my home town and lived right near by but that doesn't mean I knew any of them. Having your parents live near someone famous does not mean that you know them. Talking to someone famous once does not mean that you know them. Buying coke from the same dealer that supported Brittany Spears does not mean that you know her. Listening to music does not make you special.



Pretty sure Testament never had any female members unless she filled in on a local show by chance one day (and lol @ the insinuation that knowing a classmate that is a member of some random metal band somehow makes you knowledgeable or any kind of authority). Don't stop posing brotha.

You can look her up, http://www.metal-archives.com/artists/Robin_Mazen/33073

I have hung out with these people and been to their homes even. Doesn't make me as successful or as wealthy or as famous as them. I am just sharing stories.

You need to get laid.

 

[alkemyst]

...wait. I thought you had a family now.

I do bro. They are good to go it's summer time. They have minimum reading/studying things now to do. Even I am studying now for my test tomorrow to re-cert.

During the school year more time is spent with them.

These are older children, not babies.