(ThyBlackMan.com) Who says black people can’t conquer the music industry? And while everyone else is hooked with other genres, heavy metal singers paved their way to express themselves through music. We know a lot of black singers that became legends of music like King of Pop Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye, Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, and Beyoncé.
If you like to see music from a different perspective, here are some black heavy metal singers and musicians you shouldn’t miss out on:
Slash
Slash, or Saul Hudson in real life, is the lead guitarist of the band Guns N’ Roses. He and his band conquered the center stage in the late 80s and early 90s. However, in 1993, he left the band and co-founded Velvet Revolver which led him back into the mainstream in the 2000s. Slash has also released solo albums: Slash, Apocalyptic Love, World on Fire, and Living the Dream. He then eventually returned to Guns N’ Roses in 2016. With his experience and skill, Slash is known to be one of the greatest guitarists in rock history.
Jimi Hendrix
Born as Johnny Allen Hendrix, Jimi Hendrix started his passion for music at the age of 15. He started his career by playing gigs at Chitlin’ Circuit. With The Jimi Hendrix Experience, he earned UK top hits on songs “The Wind Cries Mary”, “Hey Joe”, and “Purple Haze”. He was recognized as the greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock music by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, at the age of 27, he died in London on September 18, 1970, due to barbiturate-related asphyxia.
Derrick Green
At the young age of 15, Derrick Green joined the band Outface after the departure of their two singers. In 1997, Mike Gitter from Roadrunner Records told Green that Sepultura’s band founder left the group and was searching for a new vocalist. With Derrick Green’s potential to be one of the best heavy metal singers, he auditioned for two weeks and fortunately got selected. He then started recording his first album, Against, with the band. Some of the tracks they sang were “Inner Self”, “Roots Bloody Roots”, and “Isolation”.
Tosin Abasi
Oluwatosin Ayoyinka Olumide Abasi in real life, Tosin is a Nigerian-American founder and lead guitarist of the metal band Animals as Leaders. Their band released a total of four albums from 2007 to 2016. Together with members Matt Garstka and Javier Reyes, and former members Chebon Littlefield, Navene Koperweis, and Matt Halpern, they recorded their debut album, Weightless, The Joy of Motion, and the Madness of Many. Music is in Abasi’s blood as mainly studied guitar by himself. Some of the people that influenced his passion for music are Steve Vai, Aphex Twin, Mike Enziger of Incubus, and Fredrik Thordendal of Meshuggah.
There are many more black people who became experts in their craft and reached success. If you’re an aspiring singer or musician, don’t let your color hinder you from pursuing your dream. Instead, take all the discrimination as motivation to prove to them your worth and your potential. Soon people will notice it and will begin to accept and admire you as you are.
Staff Writer; Ellie Carter