Jimi Hendrix Accomplishments

Hey young world, today we are gonna focus on the top five most iconic legends of the twentieth and twenty-first century. Lets start with the king of pop himself, Michael Jackson. “Hee Hee!” Michael had his own sound that was introduced to the world in the 1970’s. With his electric voice, big Afro, and undeniably smooth dance moves he became a star. At the time no one could move like Michael Jackson, but everyone wanted to. From the crotch grabbing to the moonwalk, his dance moves launched him into stardom. First off his album, “thriller” is still, since 1982, the number one selling album in the world. It sold 20 million copies internationally. Now I know what you’re thinking, “okay he sold a lot off music so what?” Well have you heard his music?

It transcends souls. I’ll give you an example, “Man in the Mirror,” this song changes lives with his inspirational lyrics. He’s explaining the story of a man seeing the world from a different perspective, and trying to bring about change in world. He combined different genres of music, rhythms and beats to create magic. If you’ve ever heard the song you’d understand. He’s influenced majority of the artist that you listened to today such as: Beyoncé, Chris Brown, Jason Derulo, Bruno Mars, Celine Dion, Wyclef Jean and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Still five years after his death he’s still one of the most popular singers in the world.
Secondly, let’s talk about Chuck Berry. “Who’s that?” You ask. Well let me educate you. Chuck Berry is one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. He refined and developed R&B into the major elements that makes rock and roll distinctive. He influenced young rock bands that you know of such as the Beatles, Rolling Stones, and the Yardbirds. He created a sound that was never before heard. For example, in the song “Maybellene,” the blues, country music, and R&B came together in a fresh, new, and exciting way.
Now Chuck Berry was an African American man in the 50’s, so racism and segregation were very prevalent at the time, but he pushed the limits and widened the appeal by having integrated concerts. Sadly, during 1958 authorities saw such establishments as a threat and Berry shut it down. But they couldn’t stop the music that was desegregating radio stations across the world. Now if you ask me that’s something powerful; being able to bring whites and people of color together with music during this time is incredible. This isn’t all he did though, he helped define the modern teenager. The era where they were no longer under the influence of war or hardship. His lyrics and/or overall message were relatable to the teenager of those times, and remained that way decades later. With that being said surely you can understand why he is in the top five.
Next up is…….drum roll please……James Marshall Hendrix, also known as, Jimi Hendrix.

I get it, he’s way before your time, but it’s important to know who he is for the sake of music history. Unlike others Jimi was a self taught guitarist, but is acknowledged today as a musical intellectual. Although his career only spanned four years, he is still widely considered one of the most influential electric guitarist in the history of popular music, and one of the most celebrated of the 20th century. The rock and roll hall of fame proclaims him as “arguably the greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock music.” Just by that one statement you can tell he is a legend. He is recognized for his precision and speed while playing, and being able to play, sing, and dance simultaneously. Jimi Hendrix impact on rock music took the genre to a whole new level by improving the styles that were used to play a guitar, and being a one man show. He did it all, Jimi would sing, play, and lead at the same time. He consolidated cost and time by learning to do it on his own, and by doing so he set a precedent. The innovation and energy he put in his performances enhanced the music

industry.
Some say that rap/hip-hop is the most important genre since the 1960’s.

Although that is still out for debate, we can definitely agree that it’s influence on American culture is undeniable. During the 1990’s one specific group emerged as superior of this shift, A Tribe Called Quest. The group appeared in 1985, and was comprised of Q-tip, MC Phife Dawg, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, and Jarobi White. They developed the “Native Tongue Posse, a collective of conscious, alternative rappers.” The group was made up of multiple New York rappers who were known for there good hearted and positive lyrics that told stories of the streets they were raised on. Their music varied, from sex, race, social justice to spirituality and social status. They broke a barrier and went outside the societal norms, which created a shift from predominantly gangster rap culture to one focused on self-expression and social awareness. They left an impression on rap that inspired fans and future rap artist. A Tribe Called Quest showed people there was more to rap than the stereotypes and common misconceptions, and by doing so created a domino affect of

influence.
Last up in our top five is Bob Marley. Nearly 37 years after his death he continues to be respected and admired throughout the nation. You can find his image almost anywhere, on T-shirt’s, hats, bags, socks, and even coffee mugs. His album “Legend” has sold 27.9 million copies and still sells 250k copies a year. When you think Bob Marley you think of Jamaica, Rastafarian, or Reggae, yet the reality that is usually associated with him is not how he grew up. Jamaica had experienced over 200 years of slavery and colonization, and this would impact him greatly seeing how his father was white and his mother was black. To genuinely feel his music you must know the experiences that shaped the individual and the music. Bob Marley managed to popularize reggae, a music that once sounded strange to many ears, and tell the truths of his homeland, Jamaica, for a mass audience. He sang about racism, social injustice, violence, hatred and how that comes to easy for us. He knew the stories he were telling, since they were in fact his memories. Bob grew up in poverty, yet still found inspiration for music around him. His music is heavily influenced by the Rastafarian movement, a Jamaican born movement that beliefs drew from the Old Testament, Marcus Garvey, a Jamaican nationalist, and African heritage and culture. Marley was deep in politics and his influence was seen as a threat which led to a assassination attempt in 1976. Two days before a concert in Kingston he was struck in the bicep and sternum, another hit his wife in the head, and his manager shot five times. Fortunately, Marley and his wife survived, sadly his manager didn’t make it. Despite the assassination he still played that concert, but the day after he fled to London. Imagine your influence being so strong and music so powerful that someone is willing to take your life. Bob Marley played a One Love Peace concert in the middle of a civil war in Jamaica and got the leaders from both sides to embrace on stage. If that isn’t powerful, what is? He will forever and always be one of the most powerful and influential artist of the 20th and 21st century.
To conclude, hopefully this chapter has brought upon new knowledge and/or clarification of previous knowledge. From pop to rock and roll to rap then reggae, these top five individuals changed the world of music to what it is today. The artist played on the radio to what you play on your phone were most likely influenced by one of those artist. If music can stop a civil war think of what else can be done. It creates feelings and emotions that journeys with us throughout the day, and it connects people of all backgrounds, races, languages, and ethnicities. Music will forever and always be that light in the darkness.