Music, Culture and Identity Formation

Berthold Auerbach, a German-Jewish poet, said that, “Music washes away from the soul the everyday dust of life.” Beethoven placed music on a higher level then philosophy, and where Erick Sermon in his song “Just Like Music” featuring the undying legend Marvin Gaye, says “music is the soul of man.”

What power does music truly hold? Does music help create culture or is it a reflection of culture? Is it a voice to a story or a journey, or does it create the journey?

It was a little over a year, I watched a documentary entitled, “Refugee All Stars.” It was about this group of individuals who identified themselves as refugees from Sierra Lionne, who had decided to form a musical group to tell their stories. What struck me was that in the midst of difficult circumstances, music was able to bring people who were currently being oppressed together, and as the music played, despite the conditions, the people sang and danced as if everything was wonderful.

I started to think about music and the power it has. In my own life, I know that when things don’t seem to be going right, I find enjoyment by listening to music and attempting to dance in the confines of my solace. Or, I’ll listen to some song, and the words seem to captivate my ears as they dance to beats, which seem to in some way to have been written just for me and my condition. Or, there are other times, when I will hear a song, and I will say, yes!, that is exactly what is going on.

Now, I am not going to go as far as some say that music makes people do things, but I do find it interesting that there have been sub-cultures formed around music. Young people who identify themselves as part of hip-hop culture, may incorporate certain elements of the clothing, dance, rap, etc., in their life. While, some young people who identify themselves with rock culture, may adapt a certain look, including piercings, hair coloring, etc. And, for some people, it is almost as if these sub-cultures form a certain community in which they find acceptance from a dominant culture in which they may either reject or feel that they don’t fit in. This is not to say that everyone who listens to hip-hop, rock, country, etc., fits a certain look or joins these groups, but to say that certain types of music have a history of being a voice for the oppressed and a vehicle for them to have their voices heard.

For example, there has been much discussion and media attention centered on rap; one of the elements of hip-hop. While some feel that modern rap has sold out to consumerism and capitalism, while still trying to reject it, many older hip-hop lovers remember a day when hip-hop; everything from rap to breaking came out as a voice for an oppressed people. They remember the day when rap music wasn’t mass produced, and now fear that it has sold out. Others still feel that the music is telling a story, and still a voice. Whatever, your stance, the reality is that different genres of music and musical expression itself is laden in historical contexts of story telling to rhythms, beats and body exists, and has a history of being an outlet for every emotion from love to anger. Therefore, it is possible that music is not a only a reflection of culture or identity, but also helps form identity. What would life be without music? Well Auerbach got this one right; life would be dull. Music adds vibrancy to life!