Too Much Greatness to Name but here are some ...

Sade. Billie Holiday. Solange. Mahalia Jackson. Mariah Carey. Rihanna. Missy Elliot. Marian Anderson. Beyonce. Eartha Kitt. Lauryn Hill. Josephine Baker. Nina Simone. Mary J. Blige. Diana Ross. Queen Latifah. Whitney Houston.

There are not enough colorful, magnificent, descriptive words in any language to convey the importance of Black women in music. My fingers are fumbling over my keys, trying to release the most pressing reasons as to why these women are crucial. I couldn’t choose one Black woman and I am really having a hard time not adding more. I feel like Patti LaBelle is going to find out what I’ve done and kick a heel in my face.

Sade:

Helen Folasade Adu, the lead singer of the self-entitle band Sade, is what I imagine every artist wishes they could be. Sade gifts us with music when she feels that instinctive pull to create and release. A timeless, sultry voice whose music soothes the listener with its authenticity. Sade is freedom. Sade is emotional vulnerability. Sade is strength in the most unappreciated form. Baring your soul, dissecting through the many layers of love is the type of strength that does not get the brightest light shone on it. Sade is my spirit animal. When she blesses us with her music, the industry parts, silences itself and listens to her poetry. That level of power is something that as a group they had to desire and establish. “I only make records when I feel I have something to say. I’m not interested in releasing music just for the sake of selling something. Sade is not brand.”- Sade. That is special. That is artistry. I was going to list Sade songs to listen to, but honestly just listen to them all. Watch her videos, performances, studio sessions, any footage/sound byte you find. Just sit, sway, think, dance, smile, cry, and listen. Also, draft up a prayer that the band will bless us with new music.

Billie Holiday:

Jazz. Blues. Swing. Soul. A soul galloping out of a voice. A voice laced with survival, struggle, sensuality. “Lady Day” an innovator, letting out her pain and love in a way that made people who were not proponents of change uncomfortable. An activist and an artist. She let the music escape her body the way it saw fit. She is vital to the raw depiction of being Black in America and her impact is everlasting. She could not just tell tales of love lost and then re-discovering it because of the “Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze.” The most disregarded plight of being Black in America is that we do not have the freedom to just be. That flower in her hair couldn't compete with the bloom of her aura on stage.

Solange:

A force. A visionary. I remember watching the “I Decided” video and knowing that this was someone who knew who they were. That is a special level of oneself we do not all reach. That song sounded different, the looks were intentional, and she was tipping her hat to our history. I am thoroughly and constantly inspired by Solange’s individuality. The storytelling of T.O.N.Y. To the choreography of Losing You. The fashion in that video. We are watching an artist consistently elevate themselves. I am giving you singles and that is an injustice to you, I apologize. There’s not enough time though, so revisit Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams album and the True EP. When she graced us with A Seat At The Table, we didn’t deserve it but we definitely needed it. Her performances are abstract films. If you call Solange, Beyonce’s little sister, I have to give you a “You know nothing” in my best Ygritte from Game of Thrones voice. One of her most astonishing traits is that she has carved out her own identity in the business she wanted to be a part of and blessed us with her own genius.

Mahalia Jackson:

The personification of gospel music. We should all know that the church was the engine that mobilized the Civil Rights Movement. Since humans were able to comprehend the power of the combination of sounds, music has seen people through struggles. Gospel music at its foundation is hope filled music. I would argue that no spiritual singer could conjure up the eruption of the soul the way Mahalia could. I want to say can because when you listen to her music it makes you feel like she is sitting arm in arm with you. This woman is the reason we have Dr. King’s I Have A Dream speech. She told Martin to “tell them about your dream” during that spell binding speech at the March on Washington in ’68. She was a crucial blessing, anointing grace on a graceless country.

Mariah Carey:

Five-octave vocal range. Has broken Elvis Presley and Beatles records. Made one of the greatest comebacks of any artist, with the Emancipation of Mimi album. A diva. A songwriter. She was introduced into the world under an image she was unable to control and even in a toxic situation she gave us classics. MC had the courage to break free from the unhealthy relationship she was in and show the world the versions of herself she wanted to. She didn’t hesitate to collaborate with grimier Hip Hop artists which I’m sure some people weren’t too excited about. Mariah has given us hits and anthems for over 3 decades. I cannot understand having the audacity to mock a legend when an album, movie, or performance doesn’t go well. I think we all can agree that Mariah’s confidence in the public eye is unwavering and I for one find that inspiring. Also as a biracial artist I have never known her to downplay her blackness and that is admirable because it could have been an easier road to take.

Rihanna:

Fierce. Limitless. This woman came into this vulture filled industry as a teenager and has given us 8 albums during a span of 11 years and we’ve been whining because we haven’t gotten an album in 4 years. The work ethic is sick in the most contagious way possible. She tries new aesthetics, subjects, and sounds. Her artistry and vulnerability have continued to grow, and she hasn’t allowed the industry to stifle her. You do not get bored with Rihanna because you can never tell what she’s going to deliver to us next. Fenty beauty. Fenty skin. SavageXFenty. Expanding her influence into other mediums. Empowering all facets of womanhood. Rihanna is the perfect example of how to not allow others to decide how you live. She doesn’t sugarcoat her beliefs and opinions to make the masses comfortable. She embraces and exudes her Bajan culture. To be 33 years old and have given so much is astonishing. I’m holding my breath to see how Robyn is going to shut the world down next.

Missy Elliot:

A curator of iconic moments. A signature sound. The garbage bag ensemble. The spit being swallowed across the room. A Missy song is distinctive. A Missy video is unforgettable. A producer who has enhanced other artists careers. A positive spirit who has not been dimmed from childhood trauma, abuse from record execs, and health issues. A nasty flow that is so versatile. She tells stories with her beats, imagery, and lyrics. There is literally not enough that can be said. Every project offers something new, with that amazing coating of quintessential Missy flavor. Watch the latest Missy video if you haven’t already and you’ll see.

Marian Anderson:

A blazer of many trails. American contralto. I remember being in elementary school and seeing her on the cover of a book. Her story consists of multiple firsts. First African American singer to perform at the White House. First African American woman to perform with New York’s Metropolitan Opera. Years before her White House performance she sung to a crowd of 75,000 at the Lincoln Memorial, solely because she wasn’t allowed inside because of the color of her skin. The perseverance. The class. Unmatched.

Beyonce:

I literally could just say her name and leave it there because there is just no explanation necessary. Queen Bee. We have watched someone tirelessly work at their craft for decades. Took the leap of going solo after being extremely successful in a group. Taking over the airwaves with each album that is dropped. Having choreography that men, women, and children a like study relentlessly. Constantly challenging herself. Giving a double album. Dropping an album with no promotion beforehand, for which I dare say she has started a trend of artists doing the same. Doing a video for each song on said album. She was already great but Lemonade, Beychella, Everything is Love, The Gift/ Black is King has elevated her allure. It is easy for someone at that level of popularity to not speak on social unrest. She doesn’t do what is easy. She has been baring herself more. The celebration of blackness on the infinite platform that her celebrity dwells on is simply beautiful.

Eartha Kitt:

There are several Eartha Kitt quotes that I want tattooed on myself. She was wise beyond words. What didn’t Eartha Kitt do? Please tell me. Actress, singer, dancer, author, activist, songwriter. The woman sang in 10 different languages. She lived and spoke with an intensity that was captivating. She possessed a signature purr and I am convinced she was too special for this world and we still got to experience her. There is no one like Eartha Kitt and there will never be anyone like Eartha Kitt. She lived with an intoxicating ferocity. Watch Eartha interviews, no hesitation in speaking the truth. This woman came from extreme poverty and dealt with several traumatic experiences and you couldn’t sense any fear from her being. Her voice extends past a song, her life was an epic tale.

Lauryn Hill:

5 Grammy’s in one night. Emcee. Songstress. From the Fugees to the Miseducation. Lauryn is neo soul. Lauryn is hip hop. She was crucial to the rawness of the formerly known Tranzlator Crew. The hunger and grittiness of a new artist can’t be depicted any clearer than watching The Fugees. When you thought she couldn’t get better, we got The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. An album so great she honestly didn’t have to put out another piece of music. Her career has been riddled with criticism and I just wish everyone would appreciate the pieces of herself she’s given us already. Also listen to Black Rage and shut up and tweet thank you to Lauryn.

Josephine Baker:

Iconic. Cabaret. American born, her comfort residing in France. Her talent carried her from the Midwest to New York and then to Europe. She contributed to combating the Hitler regime by telling the French military secrets she heard while performed for the enemy. Ms. Baker was extraordinary. When she would return to America she didn’t conform to the suffocation of segregation. She adopted 13 children from all around the world. So much love lived in her. So much boldness sat in her smile. Not enough people have seen it.

Nina Simone:

Nina is power. Nina is pain and the strength is takes to overcome it. Four Women. Mississippi Goddamn. She tells the stories of those who the world has tried to silence. There is no voice like Nina. Ms. Simone is soul, jazz, blues, classical, gospel. She is life. Her music was resistance and paintings of our existence. I know it is bordering on disrespectful that I am only giving these icons a paragraph of acknowledgment.

Mary J. Blige:

The Queen of Hip Hop and R&B. She has been a voice for people who have felt that there was no one in the industry that they could relate to. Mary spells out the layers of heartbreak. Whether it be from a partner or the suffering people inflict on themselves. The consistency is scary. Mary will always be relevant. She’s your favorite artist’s favorite artist. People joke they love when Mary is sad because she’s going to give us the best music, but Mary is special in all stages of her life. She is an artist who makes you feel like she understands what you’re going through. Mary is my friend.

Diana Ross:

Supreme. The Queen of Motown. Diana is forever. The wigs. The glamour. Her smile as she sings. The brightness of her eyes. The warmth. At 33, she played the legendary teenage role of Dorothy in the Wiz, and my mom says that people were upset at the time, but I dare someone to say something now. She led an iconic musical making it so Black people could see themselves in a different way. She is grand. Larger than life.

Queen Latifah:

An emcee through and through. She take hip hop with her everywhere she goes. From Broadway to the silver screen to tv. Her music gave her the power to depict some many different types of blackness. I remember when Queen became a Covergirl, it made me want make-up for the first time. Queen’s cadence, attire, and stature was awe-inspiring. Without Queen and Living Single there would be no Friends. Black women are always cultivating the flow of pop culture.

Whitney Houston:

The voice. She was dynamic. No one could fathom how a voice so powerful came out of her. She took a classic from Dolly and transformed it into her. Whitney singing the anthem in her tracksuit. She was America’s sweetheart and that is not any easy feat. America has never been eagerly receptive to a Black person being that influential. Ms. Houston resisted being confined to the box that being that popular can put you in. The people who praised her talent, found comedy in her downfalls. No one and nothing can strip her of her greatness.

Tina Turner. Audra McDonald. Big Mama Thornton. Janelle Monae. Aretha Franklin. Erykah Badu. Ella Fitzgerald. Ma Rainey. So many more. Black women’s influence on music is infinite. These women’s massive impact reverberates beyond their mediums of art.