Photo courtesy of ASCAP
In honor of Black History Month, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers’ (ASCAP) is paying homage to a wide array of Black artists, songwriters, and composers for their incredible contributions to ASCAP, music, and the world.
The month-long campaign began February 1, and will continue to feature a webpage dedicated to spotlighting a different group of Black agents of change weekly, www.ascap.com/bhm2021.
The change-makers will be highlighted through a playlist of Black music pioneers of all musical genres, editorial pieces, social media posts that feature honorees or historical events, all for Black History Month.
ASCAP’s Senior Vice President of Membership, Nicole George-Middlteon expressed the organization’s commitment to shining light on the achievements of Black songwriters and composers.
“ASCAP is passionate about recognizing the contributions of Black songwriters and composers who have created music that has made an impact on our culture and the world. During this month especially, it is our mission to shine the spotlight on ASCAP member pioneers, innovators and icons who have changed history, shaped music as we know it and given us the songs we love so much,” said Middleton.
Week 1 featured Black pioneers in music. ASCAP launched their Black History Month webpage and their curated playlist that celebrated Black music pioneers such as Quincy Jones, Charley Pride, Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, Eubie Blake & Noble Sissle, Duke Ellington, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, and Florence Price.
The second week features Black musicians and notable Black moments in ASCAP history as part of ASCAP’s 107th birthday celebration. ASCAP will highlight civil rights activist, author, poet, and lyricist James Weldon Johnson (“Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing”) and his story. Week 2 will also highlight special moments from ASCAP’s history and also celebrate ASCAP’s 107th birthday with classic shout outs in Hip Hop tracks from artists such as Timbaland, Gucci Mane, Wale, Blackalicious, Ma$e, Ice T, Nelly and more, with AllHipHop exclusively having this list. This week’s celebration will also celebrate ASCAP’s first Rhythm & Soul Music Awards, formerly known as the Black Music Celebration.
Week 3 will celebrate and highlight iconic ASCAP members who played pivotal roles in social, political, and cultural moments that changed the world. The iconic Martin Luther King, Jr. and Bob Marley are among those that will be recognized.
Week 4 will wrap by celebrating ASCAP members that are currently creating compelling works and breaking records and barriers across music.
For ASCAP’s 107th birthday they got the itch to search their own name in the Genius search bar and found that ASCAP had a number of mentions. Check out a list of some of ASCAP’s Hip Hop shout outs below!
1.“Feel So Good” by Ma$e (1997)
“With a jet ski attached to a SE, smoke my Nestle / No mad rap – ASCAP, where my check be?”
2. “Bia’ Bia’” by Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz (2000)
Chyna Whyte verse: “All my thugs let ya wood swang, b*tches make ya ass clap / I’m takin’ all y’all ASCAP and BMI / Catch me drivin’ DUI / Look cause I don’t give a f###, n***a I’m livin’ to die.”
3. “The Star” by Wale (2008)
“We got this that, the third and that that /Producers and what not, and we on ASCAP / And we got a studio, engineers on all that / So if you swing by, we’ll throw you a couple tracks.”
4. “When Ya On” by Chamillionaire feat. Nipsey Hussle (2011)
Nipsey Hussle verse:
“That’s how we play it, we living with the fast cash / To all my haters, consider this the last laugh / I’ve been the greatest in my city, now I’m past that / It’s all money ASCAP, broke b*tches bag back.”
5. “Jump” by DaBaby feat. NBA YoungBoy (2020)
NBA YoungBoy verse:
“I make it jump like, like crack in the ’80s / Baby, these btch as n****s ain’t crazy / Broke a*s, ASCAP go straight to my baby.”
6. “Part 1” by Noname (2017)
“No sadness, we was past that, me money get the last laugh / Me ASCAP, get cash back, see Venmo, see Cash App / Weekend flight San Francisco knowing that you couldn’t match that / But everything is everything, I’ll merch that, I’ll tat that.”
7. “Ashes to Ashes” by Blackalicious (2015)
“I got talent these critics do not have / Still they write like some type of authority on rap / Really like they opinion is worthy / I’m like after you make worthy music / Then come and be that cat jack / Plummeting raps at you that’s that? / Period done then get checks from ASCAP.”
8. “Black Magic (Make It Better)” By Little Brother (2019)
“Black skin, black faces, black people make black magic / So pay me every f*ckin’ dime and add taxes / Cop a feel in a room full of brass tactics / I been about that work, boy, I been ASCAP’in / You been lyin’ ’bout yo bread, n***a you Axe Cappin’ / You really ’bout that life or you just hashtaggin’?”
9.“Hazmat Rap” by Czarface (2013)
Inspectah Deck verse:
“This is Hazmat rap, scratch that / When this is rocking see n***as droppin’ like the NASDAQ stats / Black popping like a ass that’s fat / Trapping that cash, on top of that I’m getting ASCAP stacks.”
10. “Servin’” by Gucci Mane (2012)
“Touch down in ya city where the pass at/ Where the pass at? You make a n- laugh black/Need a pass for you n-, you’ll get blast at/You just a mid-grade n- like my last pack/ I’m just a money makin’ n- you can call ASCAP.”
Visit https://www.ascap.com/21namechecks for the full list of 21 Hip Hop songs that reference ASCAP by artists.
