#IMBHM: 5 More Black Artists Who Stood Against Oppression
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With Black History Month coming to an end, we are reflecting on artists who have stood up against oppression. We previously looked at some of those names in this piece, but there are plenty more to talk about. Whether standing up for the Black community, women, the working class, or Palestinians, these artists have used their platforms to speak up for change. Without further ado, let us look at who these artists are and what they stood for…
Bob Vylan (Bobby & Bobbie)
Blending rap and rock together, this duo makes loud and direct music to call out those who oppress them and others. They garnered much attention due to their vocal support of Palestine, but they speak up on bigotry and inequality in society, as well. Truly sticking to the punk mentality, they are not afraid to speak their minds, which has gotten them into trouble. However, their music and stances show a care for society and those in need.
They have been particularly prominent in their messaging on the difficulties of being a Black man in Europe. This includes highlighting police brutality and how racism affects mental health, poverty, and fears for future generations. Someone who was on the previous list, Akala, is also seen as an influence.
The first tune of theirs I heard, ‘He’s A Man‘, take aim at toxic masculinity, racism. and sexism. Meanwhile, ‘Health Is Wealth‘ with it’s more reggae-inspired sound, focuses on the state’s oppression of the working classes through unhealthy food and drinking water. And then of course there is, ‘I Heard You Want Your Country Back‘. It provides heavy riffs and blunt callouts to the ‘gammons’.
Truly an important duo that shows what it means to be a proper punk!
Buy their music here.
Public Enemy
One of the most prominent political groups in hip-hop, Public Enemy certainly used their words to speak up. The name came from the U.S. Constitution once seeing Black people as 3/5 of a human. Chuck D described that in Rolling Stone as an example of “…we must be the enemy.”. The man in the crosshairs logo was described by D in the same interview as a symbol of the Black man’s position in America in 1986.
Their most direct album was ‘Fear Of A Black Planet‘. This included one of their most prominent singles, ‘Fight The Power‘. The song was written at the request of Spike Lee, who also directed the video, which depicts a political rally. It would also be used in Lee’s film, ‘Do The Right Thing‘, where the story explores racial tensions in Brooklyn. Other prominent songs include ‘911 Is A Joke‘, which points out emergency services taking longer to respond to Black communities than White communities. There is also ‘Bring The Noise‘ from ‘It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back‘, which references people trying to shut them down for their Black power stance.
The group would go on to inspire the likes of A Tribe Called Quest, Queen Latifah, and Gang Starr. They also inspired the general populace. An image by Roderick Terry showed people carrying a flag with the group’s logo at the Million Man March in 1995. Chuck personally has continued to use his platform to speak up for the Black community. The rapper also speaks out against the oppression of the Palestinian people and Western abuse of African resources.
Even today, the group continues to oppose oppression in their lyrics and actions.
Buy their music here.
Neneh Cherry
This Swedish artist has been influenced by politics since she moved to the U.K. during the punk era of the late 70s. With her father, Ahmadu Jah, and step-father, Don Cherry, having political themes in their music, her politics were shaped from young. The punk movement she moved into, and being involved in bands like The Slits and The Cherries, would further influence her viewpoint.
Neneh would begin her solo career by featuring on Raw Sex, Pure Energy’s ‘Stop The War‘ in 1982. Her early solo work, such as ‘The Next Generation‘, would reflect on closing down schools for the working classes. The singer’s most political record would come in 2018 with ‘Broken Politics‘. In particular, ‘Kong‘ reflected on the violence overseas that needs to be recognised. She is also a key speaker on reproductive rights for women.
Cherry’s actions also speak to opposing oppression by volunteering at a refugee kitchen in the Calais Migrant Camp and supporting the Black Trans Project. As recently as 2025, she performed at the Together For Palestine concert, which raised over £1.5 million. Her daughter, Mabel, was also present at that concert. Clearly, standing up to oppression has been passed to the next generation.
Buy her music here.
Kano
East Ham artist Kano has always been a respected lyricist, with political themes from early on. His feature on The Mitchell Brothers’ ‘Routine Check‘ speaks to the racial profiling of Black people in stop-and-searches. But it was his later albums, particularly ‘Hoodies All Summer‘, that spoke more directly about the oppression he saw in society. ‘Trouble‘ reflects on politicians not investing in the communities he grew up in, forcing people into crime. Meanwhile, ‘SYM‘ reflects on the continued oppression and racism towards the Black community.
He has also been active in interviews when talking about racism and poverty, as in his music. Kano has also spoken out against the censorship of drill music and how it doesn’t solve the issues discussed. Clearly, this artist expresses their beliefs in person and in the music.
Billie Holiday
An artist who suffered pain and oppression, but also spoke about it, Billie Holiday’s music wasn’t the only memorable thing about her. She was born to a mother who was kicked out of the family home for becoming pregnant out of wedlock. She even commented on the racism she experienced performing in the segregated South.
Racism would be a key theme of her music, most notably on the track, ‘Strange Fruit‘. The track references the lynchings that took place during the Jim Crow era. Holiday stated the song reminded her of the denial of medical treatment to her father due to racial prejudice, which resulted in his death. This would result in the singer being harassed by the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, which would lead to many difficulties in performing and life in general.
Holiday’s life would end tragically, but her legacy lives on through her music. The singer inspired many with the song and defiance in continuing to perform it, being named ‘The Godmother of the Civil Rights Movement’.
Read more Black History Month pieces here.
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