#IMBHM: Celebrating the Sensational Black Voices of the Music Industry

To celebrate Black History Month, we took a look at some of the most inspirational people behind the scenes of the music industry. From Producers to Directors, these artists not only showcase the talent of others, but they are at the forefront of advocating for powerful stories.

Sylvia Robinson

Sylvia Robinson was a driving force for the creation of many R&B classics. Whilst widely known as the ‘Mother of Hip-Hop‘, she was an incredible producer as well as an artist herself. Recognisably, Sylvia’s voice is the iconic ‘lover boy’ call we know and love from Dirty Dancing. The song featured is of the duo Mickey & Sylvia whom she was part of from 1954-1965. In regard to her highly regarded title, this came from her co-founding Sugar Hill Records. She was at the forefront of assembling The Sugarhill Gang and producing ‘Rapper’s Delight’ in 1979.

Absolutely, she was instrumental in the way rap became a respected musical style. Likewise, she produced Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five’s ‘The Message’. This would be chosen by Rolling Stone as one of the ‘50 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time‘, ultimately coming in at Number 1. Since her death in 2011, Sylvia Robinson was posthumously inducted into the ‘Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’. Notably, she was the first woman to win the Ahmet Ertegun Award independently, for all of her astounding efforts and influence.

Ethiopia Habtemariam

Ethiopia Habtemariam worked her way up as a music executive. She began her journey in the industry at the age of 14, when she interned at LaFace Records. Later on, she progressed to working with Universal Music Publishing Group and was later named the Senior Vice President of Motown Records in 2011. During her time, she has been witness to some of the biggest musical revolutions. Undoubtedly, she is an advocate for artists and an inspiration to those who wish to follow in her footsteps. Ethiopia wrote a letter to Sylvia Rhone when she was only 16 years old. No doubt she had found inspiration in a black woman in a place of power, something she would go on to do.

Quincy Jones

Quincy Jones is a household name. Although he might not seem like someone ‘behind the scenes’, he is a gigantic part of the success of many other artists. Some of his most recognisable work resides in his collaboration with Michael Jackson. He produced ‘Off the Wall ’, ‘Thriller‘, and ‘Bad‘, which are held up as some of the best albums in musical history. Additionally, as a young man, he learnt how to play the trumpet and developed himself as an arranger. This led to him playing the trumpet in the live band that accompanied Elvis during his early television performances. Even so, Jones didn’t stop at working with some of the biggest pop icons; he also produced music for a lot of very successful musicals. Namely, ‘The Wiz’ and the magnificent ‘The Colour Purple‘ (1985).

Sylvia Rhone

Sylvia Rhone has been called ‘the most powerful woman in the music industry’. Rhone was made president of Epic Records after getting her start as a secretary at Buddah Records. Alongside many others on this list, she worked hard to get to the top of her game. Rhone used to attend shows at the Apollo Theatre, where she discovered R&B, skyrocketing her love for the genre. During her career, she has played an important part in the careers of so many talented artists, including Metallica, Busta Rhymes, and Missy Elliot. Alongside her many successful discoveries, her achievements include being the first African American woman to become CEO of a major record label. She is also the only black woman to become both chairwoman and CEO when she was with Elektra Entertainment Group.

Spike Lee

Spike Lee is one of the most respected directors in history. Admittedly known primarily for his social commentaries through his superb body of work, he lent his directorial talents to many musicians for their music videos. One of these was Public Enemy’s ‘Fight The Power’. As always, Lee showcases the importance of amplifying black voices, with a track about civil rights. Public Enemy were Spike Lee’s first choice to create a track to accompany his 1989 film, ‘Do the Right Thing‘. As a young director, he also directed Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five’s ‘White Lines (Don’t Do It)’ in 1983 and the controversial ‘They Don’t Care About Us’ video for Michael Jackson in 1996. He continues to tell these important stories through a real lens.

Each of these sensational individuals changed the music world with their passion and dedication to their craft. Confessedly, the people ‘behind the scenes’ do not always get the recognition they deserve. However, without them, music wouldn’t be the same.

Read more Black History Month pieces here.

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