# racist question? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 16, 2000, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-question/41407 "2000-11-16T03:13:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![djf750](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ea666f/32.png) [@djf750](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/djf750)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-question/41407/1 "2000-11-16T03:13:29Z")
do black people buy beatles records? how about elvis records? ---
**Author:** ![evilbeth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/evilbeth/32/2268_2.png) [@evilbeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilbeth)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-question/41407/2 "2000-11-16T03:49:51Z")
If they want to. Point? ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-question/41407/3 "2000-11-16T03:57:39Z")
No. Black people only buy records by Puff Daddy and Jermaine Jackson. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-question/41407/4 "2000-11-16T04:15:06Z")
Everything but the white album… ---
**Author:** ![DrDoom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e19b73/32.png) [@DrDoom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDoom)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-question/41407/5 "2000-11-16T04:19:59Z")
DJF, I’m sure your question is considered politically incorrect and it will probably be locked-up. However, I have wondered about the same thing. Many years ago, I went to see the 4-Tops, Supremes, Temps, Prince (Purple Rain tour), Holmes-Ali fights, etc., and there were whites, sometimes many, in attendance. But at Springstein, Elton John, Madonna, ice hockey games, etc., never saw one black person! I could never figure this out myself? Please … this is only a factual observation … ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-question/41407/6 "2000-11-16T04:27:46Z")
**DrDoom** : It’s not the question. It’s the delivery. And since when do threads get locked because they are “politically incorrect?” Welcome to the SDMB. You’ve got a lot to learn. ---
**Author:** ![pezwookiee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9d8465/32.png) [@pezwookiee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pezwookiee)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-question/41407/7 "2000-11-16T04:30:01Z")
I feel as though I shouldn’t even respond to this question, but if it makes any difference, I saw a Beatles tribute album a couple of years ago with covers by Salt N Pepa and PM Dawn to name a couple. And uh, what about this new Beatles: Revolution show on ABC. On the commercial for it, Lenny Kravitz talks about how they’ve influenced them. Nothing personal, djf750, but this is a ridiculous post. ---
**Author:** ![Chas.E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e99b99/32.png) [@Chas.E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chas.E)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-question/41407/8 "2000-11-16T04:38:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DrDoom \* > \*\*DJF, I’m sure your question is considered politically incorrect and it will probably be locked-up. However, I have wondered about the same thing. Many years ago, I went to see the 4-Tops, Supremes, Temps, Prince (Purple Rain tour), Holmes-Ali fights, etc., and there were whites, sometimes many, in attendance. But at Springstein, Elton John, Madonna, ice hockey games, etc., never saw one black person! I could never figure this out myself? Please … this is only a factual observation … \*\* ya know, that’s interesting. I recently saw a ratings analysis of “black” TV programs vs “white” programs. Programs featuring black families were almost exclusively watched by black audiences. But shows featuring white families were watched by mixed white and black audiences. ---
**Author:** ![andygirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@andygirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andygirl)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-question/41407/9 "2000-11-16T04:43:46Z")
This is perhaps moving into debate territory, for which I apologize. I’m speaking **very broadly** here. Extremely broadly. The music industry is one driven by mass consumerism. Many people tend to listen to what their families and/or their friends listen to. YMMV. Similarly, that which is most familiar is often the default setting or preference- growing up, the only sport my parents ever watched at all was baseball, so I am a baseball fan. (Well… not particularly, but you get the point.) Back in the days of yore, there was a lot more segmentalization of entertainment. (Does that make any sense?) X listened to X music, Y listened to Y music. This tendancy can lead to… well, the only phrase that comes to mind is “cultural trends” of music listening and entertainment. Country, rap, folk, classical- name the type of person who allegedly prefers each one. Liking a particular kind of music doesn’t mean that you can’t appreciate/buy records of other genres. Do black people listen to Elvis? Of course. However, broadly speaking, there are patterns within groups, be they racial, religious, or what have you. Again, I’m speaking on extremely broad terms. Also, there’s a trend towards mainstreaming among different music genres nowadays. Your phrasing is somewhat lacking, though. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-question/41407/10 "2000-11-16T04:46:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by djf750 \* > \*\*do black people buy beatles records? how about elvis records? \*\* An older black co-worker of mine once said that the Beatles were the only white singer/group that she ever liked. Elvis, Sinatra, and the Beach Boys didn’t do a thing for her but she loved the Beatles. I don’t know if she bought their albums though. I’d be willing to bet more white people buy music by black artist then vice versa. In the 40’s and 50’s rock and roll was considered \ music by many. Yet it still gained popularity among young whites even in the south. Elvis Presley for example was a big fan of a lot of “black” music and it certainly influenced if not set the standard for his sound. Marc ---
**Author:** ![Beruang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/77aa72/32.png) [@Beruang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beruang)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-question/41407/11 "2000-11-16T05:07:42Z")
This is going back 15, 20 years, but I used to go to Beatles fan conventions, and it was almost exclusively a white crowd A few faces of color, but very, very few. Then I go to college, break out of my lily-white upbringing and actually meet (gasp!) people of different backgrounds. And I’ve met an awful lot of people, of all the most popular hues, who readily admit to liking and admiring the Beatles, and even cop to owning some or most of their records. But rarely if ever are they as obsessed about music as a lot of white music fans tend to be. Culture is part of it, to be sure. I wonder what role economics plays. Buying lots of records, bootlegs, and other paraphenalia, going to concerts and conventions – I know _I_ drop a shit load of money I wish I had now. But I was a priviliged white kid. Not everyone had Mommy and Daddy underwriting their habits. ---
**Author:** ![Dignan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@Dignan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dignan)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-question/41407/12 "2000-11-16T06:10:12Z")
> [@](#): > > Everything but the white album… Isn’t Spinal Tap’s Black Album a real big seller? You know, the one that was originally supposed to be “Smell the Glove” ---
**Author:** ![Smitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Smitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smitty)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-question/41407/13 "2000-11-16T14:54:07Z")
As a purely anecdotal instance, my wife, who is black, doesn’t like the Beatles, but loves Elvis. She even likes to watch those god-awful movies! She also like Tom Jones, but we’re getting her some help. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![poohpah\_chalupa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/91b2a8/32.png) [@poohpah\_chalupa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/poohpah_chalupa)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-question/41407/14 "2000-11-16T15:05:20Z")
:rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Needs2know](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5e925/32.png) [@Needs2know](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Needs2know)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-question/41407/15 "2000-11-16T15:59:55Z")
A friend that I’ve been working with has a husband that loves Rock N Roll. They’re baby boomer black folks. The guy loves Van Halen, ZZ Top, etc. etc. He’s got lymphatic cancer right now so let’s cross our fingers that the chemo works. Hang in there Curly! Have you ever heard of Lenny Kravitz? Whatever happened to that black rock group back in the 80’s? Had a couple of hits, I loved them. Oh and didn’t Ice Tee have a rock band a few years ago? Needs2know ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-question/41407/16 "2000-11-16T16:07:01Z")
The person wants to know if african americans buy Beatles records & the answer is ‘yes’. Just imagine, you can buy records still? Yes, even deaf people buy music. Do black deaf people buy music? yes. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-question/41407/17 "2000-11-16T16:33:40Z")
If I remember correctly, buying Beatles or Elvis albums is automatic grounds for getting your membership revoked. The last time I read the newsletter, I found the only music by a White artist we’re allowed to buy is Eminem because he was discovered by Dre. What a dumb question… Juanita ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-question/41407/18 "2000-11-16T17:06:02Z")
This **a** verage **w** hite **b** oy’s first album was the Jackson Five’s “Dancing Machine”. Next was The Commodores’ “Greatest Hits”. This was, of course, the universe balancing itself after some black person bought an Osmonds and a Rush album. :D:D ---
**Author:** ![kenny\_canoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bcef8e/32.png) [@kenny\_canoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenny_canoe)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-question/41407/19 "2000-11-16T17:33:05Z")
I believe that the beatles main influences were black blues singers (rolling stones too for that matter). Rock and roll was for the most part inspired by black musicians. Is it so hard to believe black people wouldn’t buy beatles music? ---
**Author:** ![retsin2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@retsin2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/retsin2000)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-question/41407/20 "2000-11-16T17:53:52Z")
If the question djf750 is trying to get an answer to is “Are these questions racist?” I would say that Green Bean is on the right track and it depends on the delivery. I think it is racist to assume anything about a specific person because of the color of their skin. The way the questions in question are phrased they seem somewhat racist to me. If they were phrased “Are the Beatles as popular among African-Americans as they are among Americans of European decent?”, I wouldn’t find that question racist at all. You could even ask “What is the percentage of black folks that buy Beatles albums?” If djf750 really wants answers to the questions about Beatles and Elvis records I agree that those are some pretty lame questions. Regardless I’d say this belongs in IMHO or GD. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-question/41407.md?page=2)