# Are There Any Predominantly Black Rock/Alternative Bands? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 22, 2005, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-predominantly-black-rock-alternative-bands/300584 "2005-04-22T12:32:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-predominantly-black-rock-alternative-bands/300584/1 "2005-04-22T12:32:54Z")
Cause it looks fairly monochromatic on the national scene. I was pondering this on the drive to work this morning - while there’re white crossover hip-hop/rap artists, I couldn’t think of any black rock or alternative bands. In fact, I struggled to think of one that had a black member at all - though I ultimately recalled Dave Matthews had a black musician or two the last time I saw him on SNL. ---
**Author:** ![audiobottle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@audiobottle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audiobottle)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-predominantly-black-rock-alternative-bands/300584/2 "2005-04-22T12:39:21Z")
N.E.R.D is a somewhat rock-oriented band. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-predominantly-black-rock-alternative-bands/300584/3 "2005-04-22T12:50:16Z")
Dave Matthews band has two white members and three black members, unless they’ve switched the lineup around in recent years. Fishbone has several black members, as did the legendary hardcore punk band Bad Brains. Many ska bands have had multi-ethnic lineups, such as the Specials. There’s always Lenny Kravitz and Darius Rucker from Hootie, but neither one is very “rockin’.” ---
**Author:** ![melondeca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@melondeca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melondeca)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-predominantly-black-rock-alternative-bands/300584/4 "2005-04-22T12:53:23Z")
What…no Living Colour? _Look into my eyes, what do you see? Cult of personality._ ---
**Author:** ![JohnM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/848f3c/32.png) [@JohnM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnM)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-predominantly-black-rock-alternative-bands/300584/5 "2005-04-22T12:58:28Z")
Sonia Dada is a somewhat rock/funk band, and the current lineup is 4 black, 5 white. ---
**Author:** ![Rufus\_Xavier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@Rufus\_Xavier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rufus_Xavier)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-predominantly-black-rock-alternative-bands/300584/6 "2005-04-22T13:00:58Z")
_Robert Randolph and the Family Band_ definitely qualifies. They rock, and they have but one white person in the band. They are really good, and I would check them out if they were playing anywhere within 500 miles of me this year. Their first LP, released last year, is excellent. Here’s their website: > **[Robert Randolph](http://www.robertrandolph.net/)** > > Official website for Robert Randolph and The Family Band ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-predominantly-black-rock-alternative-bands/300584/7 "2005-04-22T13:09:19Z")
> [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#): > > Dave Matthews band has two white members and three black members, unless they’ve switched the lineup around in recent years. Unfortunately, it’s pretty much “Dave Matthews … and friends”. However… > [@](#): > > There’s always Lenny Kravitz and Darius Rucker from Hootie, but neither one is very “rockin’.” Mr. Kravitz had entirely slipped my mind. Hootie was mostly white, as I recall, and is now mostly gone from the pop culture scene, with the exception of Darius’s new career as a Burger King shill. As for the other answers - thanks! I don’t think I’d ever seen Living Color perform, so I had no idea what they looked like. ---
**Author:** ![ryanbobo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b4bc9f/32.png) [@ryanbobo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ryanbobo)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-predominantly-black-rock-alternative-bands/300584/8 "2005-04-22T13:30:24Z")
Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals. Harper, his bass player, and his aux. percussionist are black. His first drummer was white, and his keyboardist is white. I’m not sure about his current drummer. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-predominantly-black-rock-alternative-bands/300584/9 "2005-04-22T13:36:59Z")
> [@melondeca](#): > > What…no Living Colour? > > _Look into my eyes, what do you see? > Cult of personality._ Yeah, whatever happened to them? I didn’t care for there albums so much, but live they put on a hell of a show. The guitarist was amazing, and unlike too many other super-talented axe players he worked to better the song, rather than to show off.(His name was Vernon Reid, right? it’s been a while.) The rest of the band was pretty tight too. I always wondered why they seemed to suddenly disappear. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-predominantly-black-rock-alternative-bands/300584/10 "2005-04-22T13:38:40Z")
You know, I think that’s my eighth post where I’ve written “there” for “their,” or vice versa. If this keeps up I’ll have to pit myself. ---
**Author:** ![hopesperson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e95f7d/32.png) [@hopesperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hopesperson)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-predominantly-black-rock-alternative-bands/300584/11 "2005-04-22T13:56:33Z")
Thanks for reminding me of one of the hardcore bands that most influenced my misspent youth – the [Bad Brains](http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/bad_brains/bio.jhtml). Oh man, did they rock. ---
**Author:** ![RancidYakButterTeaParty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/53a042/32.png) [@RancidYakButterTeaParty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RancidYakButterTeaParty)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-predominantly-black-rock-alternative-bands/300584/12 "2005-04-22T14:00:23Z")
> [@Larry Borgia](#): > > Yeah, whatever happened to them? I didn’t care for there albums so much, but live they put on a hell of a show. The guitarist was amazing, and unlike too many other super-talented axe players he worked to better the song, rather than to show off.(His name was Vernon Reid, right? it’s been a while.) The rest of the band was pretty tight too. I always wondered why they seemed to suddenly disappear. Burnin’ Vernon Reid was incredible on the guitar. ---
**Author:** ![UnwrittenNocturne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/6de8d8/32.png) [@UnwrittenNocturne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UnwrittenNocturne)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-predominantly-black-rock-alternative-bands/300584/13 "2005-04-22T14:04:21Z")
Ice T. had a rock/metal outfit for a while. Really pretty good as well. If I recall correctly they were called **Bodycount** ---
**Author:** ![zut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zut/32/2875_2.png) [@zut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zut)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-predominantly-black-rock-alternative-bands/300584/14 "2005-04-22T14:27:46Z")
Legendary Detroit frontman Mick Collins is black. He doesn’t exactly have the national prominence of, say, Eminem, but his late 80s underground lo-fi punk outfit [The Gories](http://www.motorcityrocks.com/gories.htm) was pretty influential. His current band, [The Dirtbombs](http://www.motorcityrocks.com/dirt.htm), has an all-star cast and is arguably the best band in the great Detroit music scene. ---
**Author:** ![Lisa-go-Blind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Lisa-go-Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa-go-Blind)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-predominantly-black-rock-alternative-bands/300584/15 "2005-04-22T14:43:23Z")
The alternative band [TV on the Radio](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=ADFEAEE4781ED84AA97320C2933945CFB575F30FDF45FB881F264B53DDB33068850262EC5DFC85D3E2A528F811D9B959ED0974B686EA49FEDE793F3D8DEBEA6138344F0502214C90B997&sql=11:li6ibk59aakc) has been getting a lot of press lately. The current lineup, as far as I know, is [four black members and one white guy](http://www.tvontheradio.com/). ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-predominantly-black-rock-alternative-bands/300584/16 "2005-04-22T15:43:47Z")
> [@Larry Borgia](#): > > Yeah, whatever happened to them? I didn’t care for there albums so much, but live they put on a hell of a show. The guitarist was amazing, and unlike too many other super-talented axe players he worked to better the song, rather than to show off.(His name was Vernon Reid, right? it’s been a while.) The rest of the band was pretty tight too. I always wondered why they seemed to suddenly disappear. Front man Corey Glover was also “Francis” in _Platoon_. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-predominantly-black-rock-alternative-bands/300584/17 "2005-04-22T17:15:33Z")
Sevendust has one black guy, so I guess that counts. In his book _Sound of the Beast: the Complete Headbanging History of Heavy Metal_, Ian Christe observes that the metal scene of the late 80s/early 90s was pretty well integrated, but as soon as hip-hop took off, metal became pretty monochromatic. ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-predominantly-black-rock-alternative-bands/300584/18 "2005-04-22T18:05:01Z")
> [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#): > > Dave Matthews band has two white members and three black members, unless they’ve switched the lineup around in recent years. > > Fishbone has several black members, as did the legendary hardcore punk band Bad Brains. Many ska bands have had multi-ethnic lineups, such as the Specials. > > There’s always Lenny Kravitz and Darius Rucker from Hootie, but neither one is very “rockin’.” Fishbone is actually all black members. Even when they’ve grought in new members it’s all black. Great band. If I remember correctly there are a few black members in The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. The horn section of No Doubt is all black (but never pictured, which i think is a shame). 1 out of 4 Dead Kennedys was black. The drummer D.H. Pilegro (sp?) ---
**Author:** ![davenportavenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f8ce5/32.png) [@davenportavenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davenportavenger)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-predominantly-black-rock-alternative-bands/300584/19 "2005-04-22T18:10:23Z")
The lead singer of Skunk Anansie (a ska-ish punk band) is a black woman. I think some other members of the band might be POCs as well but I’m not certain. ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2005, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-predominantly-black-rock-alternative-bands/300584/20 "2005-04-22T18:42:01Z")
Just thought of another band. Morcheeba, mostly black. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-predominantly-black-rock-alternative-bands/300584.md?page=2)