1940's-1960's
1970's
1980's
1990's
2000's
100
This "Godfather of Soul" performed at Civil Rights rallies in the 1960's and in riot-torn cities across the U.S. after Dr. Martin Luther King's assassination.
Who is James Brown
100
This Grammy Award winning artist and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee was very passionate about peace in the world and the biggest success of his career focused on objection to the war in Vietnam and police brutality in the United States. He was shot on April 1, 1984 at age 44
Who is Marvin Gaye
100
She came to fame in the 70s but made her solo debut in 1984. Since then she has been regarded as the Queen of Rock and Roll, and has become a beacon for women who have suffered from domestic abuse. She has become pop icon and her life has been made into a pop-culture hit autobiographical film
Who is Tina Turner
100
This group was at one time banned from most radio stations, but are still considered the break through artists of gangsta rap. Their music brought rap to a wider audience and showed the world what the hood was really like.
Who are NWA
100
This duo of Muslim rappers put conscious rap back on the map in the early 2000s and made awareness of HIV/AIDs and education of young black youth a priority. one member was a taxi driver in "Brown Sugar", while the other made the hit "Get By"
Who are Blackstar: Mos Def & Talib Kweli
200
This "Queen of Soul" grew up in his father's Detroit church singing, but would go on to lend her voice and fame to the civil rights movement by making songs like RESPECT
Who is Aretha Franklin 200
200
This pioneer of funk and modern r&b was a major voice in music during the Civil Rights Movement with his group the Impressions, and solo he was a Grammy winning politically conscious pioneer in African-American music. He created the soundtrack to the 1972 film Super Fly
Who is Curtis Mayfield
200
This group put hip hop on the map by getting their song, “Rapper’s Delight”, to be the first hip hop single as a Top 40 hit. Some of their hit songs include “Apache (Jump On It)” (known from a Fresh Prince of Bel-Air episode), “Eighth Wonder”, and “Work, Work the Body”.
Who are the Sugar Hill Gang
200
This rapper's parents were members of the Blank Panther Party. His raw music focused on violence and hardship in inner cities, racism, and social problems. He even had a part in forming a brief truce between black LA gangs in the early 90s. This "Outlaw" was shot down in 1996.
Who is Tupac Shakur
200
This artist started as a spoken word poet and has committed over a million dollars to helping urban youth pay for college with her foundation Blues Babe Foundation. She is also a strong advocate for women's self dependence. Her neo-soul stylings help when taking "A Long Walk"
Who is Jill Scott
300
This 1960s soul artist was a victim of racial prejudice, but worked with people like Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali to ensure "A Change Gone Come". He became a face of the Civil Rights Movement through his music
Who is Sam Cooke
300
This cultural icon has been a beacon of peace and Afro-centric pride to millions. His image and music brought the Rastafarian movement to the mainstream and made the world feel his message of unity, peace, and love among all people. Today you can see his face on t-shirts, hats, drinks, and even bongs, but always with the colors red, black, green and yellow.
Who is Bob Marley
300
From Hollins, Queens, NYC, this group was one of the most influential acts in the history of hip hop culture. They one of the most well-known hip hop acts in the 1980s who, along with LL Cool J, The Beastie Boys, and Public Enemy bolstered a new era of hip-hop. Also, they were the first hip-hop artists nominated for a Grammy.
Who are RUN-D.M.C.
300
This R&B singer has sold over 200 million records worldwide. She released six studio albums, one holiday album and three movie soundtrack albums, all of which have diamond, multi-platinum, platinum or gold certification. But she would pass away attempting a comeback in 2012.
Who is Whitney Houston
300
This funk-rock artist has reached super-stardom through his unique, diverse musical style. He has won the Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance four years in a row from 1999 to 2002, breaking the record for most wins in that category as well as setting the record for most consecutive wins in one category by a male.
Who is Lenny Kravitz
400
Born Eleanora Harris, this Lady Day changed jazz vocals forever and her influence on modern jazz made men and "Ladies Sing the Blues"
Who is Billie Holiday
400
This legend of R&B is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and has been regarded by many as "one of the most gifted purveyors of soul music." This soulful voice has become a cultural icon and his songs have told many a love story. To name one, you may know his hit "Tired of Being Alone".
Who is Al Green
400
This hip-hop group is known for their politically charged lyrics and criticism of the American media, with an active interest in the frustrations and concerns of the African American community. They also pioneered today's hip-hop culture, with their captive DJ and eccentric hype man, who has become a pop icon in his own right.
Who are Public Enemy
400
This artist was all about common sense and has created foundations to help impoverished children in the U.S. and around the world. all about knowledge and new things, he has, in the last decade, successfully turned to acting.
Who is Common
400
This award winning hip-hop duo made their mark on music by intertwining their individual styles into one. One side is more gangsta, while the other seems to be more eccentric. Both members have been vocal about social issues such as animal rights, presidential politics, and music in school programs.
Who is OutKast
500
This artist became a founding member of Motown Record Label and became its Vice-President. He also co-wrote many of early motown artists' greatest hits.his hit include "Tears of a Clown" and "Shop Around"
Who is Smokey Robinson
500
This singer, songwriter, bandleader, and music producer is the acreddited principal architect of P-Funk. He was the mastermind of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic during the 1970s and early 1980s, and launched a solo career in 1981. He has been cited as one of the foremost innovators of funk music, along with James Brown and Sly Stone. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997
Who is George Clinton
500
This R&B group reached its height of popularity during the 1980s. They were the progenitors of the boy band movement of the 1980s and 1990s and led the way for groups like New Kids on the Block, Boyz II Men, Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync. The group recorded mostly as a quintet. They have reunited continously throughout the years, but are icons of an era, and accredited with being the first true boy band.
Who is New Edition
500
This female group holds the record for the highest grossing tour of all time by a female band and the best selling female R&B group of all time.
Who are TLC
500
This Afrocentric female artist is the winner of four grammy awards and has been a voice of women's rights worldwide. With her guitar she has changed the world with her realness in her music, focusing on self-love, and feminine strength. Her most famous song is "Video"
Who is India.Arie