{"product_id":"songs-in-the-key-of-black-life-a-rhythm-and-blues-nation-paperback","title":"Songs in the Key of Black Life: A Rhythm and Blues Nation - Paperback","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eMark Anthony Neal\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn Songs in the Key of Black Life, acclaimed cultural critic Mark Anthony Neal turns his attention to Rhythm and Blues. He argues that R\u0026amp;B-often dismissed as just a bunch of love songs, yet the second most popular genre in terms of sales-can tell us much about the dynamic joys, apprehensions, tensions, and contradictions of contemporary black life, if we listen closely. With a voice as heartfelt and compelling as the best music, Neal guides us through the work of classic and contemporary artists ranging from Marvin Gaye to Macy Gray. In the first section of the book, Rhythm, he uses the music of Meshell N'degeocello, Patti Labelle, Jill Scott, Alicia Keys, and others as guideposts to the major concerns of contemporary black life-issues such as gender, feminist politics, political activism, black masculinity, celebrity, and the fluidity of racial and sexual identity. The second part of the book, Blues, uses the improvisational rhythms of black music as a metaphor to examine currents in black life including the public dispute between Cornel West and Harvard President Lawrence Summers and the firing of BET's talk-show host Tavis Smiley. Songs in the Key of Black Life is a remarkable contribution to the study of black popular music, and valuable reading for anyone interested in how race is lived in America.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMark Anthony Neal\u003c\/strong\u003e is Associate Professor of Black Popular Culture in the Program in African and African-American Studies at Duke University. Neal is the author of \u003cem\u003eWhat\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003ethe Music Said\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eSoul Babies\u003c\/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003eSongs in the Key of\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003eBlack Life\u003c\/em\u003e, all published by Routledge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 214\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.57 x 9.16 x 5.94 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIllustrated:\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e October 11, 2010\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"Books by splitShops","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52616358723866,"sku":"9780415965712","price":89.08,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1005\/5604\/6618\/files\/PZLC3sl5kZ9780415965712.webp?v=1785456695","url":"https:\/\/j-s-five-and-dime.myshopify.com\/products\/songs-in-the-key-of-black-life-a-rhythm-and-blues-nation-paperback","provider":"J \u0026 S Five and Dime","version":"1.0","type":"link"}