Considered "The Godfather Of Hip-Hop Journalism," Music Critic Greg Tate Just Passed Away At 64
The world of hip-hop has lost a pioneer in the education of the genre. Music critic Greg Tate, who made his mark as a writer and historian of all things hip-hop, sadly passed away yesterday at the age of 64, leaving behind a stellar legacy of work which helped to inform the masses about the world of Black music culture.
Nicknamed "The Godfather Of hip-hop journalism," Greg Tate got his start in music after moving from Ohio to Harlem, and three years later he co-founded The Black Rock Coalition along with producer Konda Mason, guitarist Vernon Reid of Living Colour, and D.K. Dyson. Always a historian of Black music, Tate was known for tracing the early evolution of American pop music back to Black artists, to showcase the impact they had on the way we listen to music today.
For example, take this piece from The Fader in 2016, where he wrote,
Everything we love about modern song, noise, and dance sprang from swing and bebop roots. R&B, rock, Motown, funk, disco, hip-hop, Detroit techno, Chicago house, drum & bass, et al are all extensions of a movement-inciting continuum that started in antebellum New Orleans' Congo Square-breakbeat culture's ground zero.
Over his career, Tate, a Howard University graduate, wore many hats including those of guitarist, author, and journalist, for publications such as the aforementioned The Fader and The Village Voice. He eventually founded another music foundation called Burnt Sugar: The Archestra Chamber with a group of musical artists whose sole purpose was to celebrate Black musical culture.
In Fly As Hell: An Interview With Greg Tate, he spoke about how his writing for The Village Voice and his style changed over time:
When I was at Howard, one of my mentors told me, "Writers need institutions." So that was my institution for about 20 years. Really, any changes that happened with the writing, it was just maturity. I learned that you don't have to be as brash or volcanic or profane to say what you need to say. It becomes interesting to figure out more modulated ways to be as effective and political and polemical even. You realize, after a while, your thoughts are incendiary enough; the language doesn't have to also be on fire all the time.
Greg Tate's legacy can be seen throughout his writing on hip-hop and most importantly for his dedication to educating the world as to the vast impact Black music has had on all genres.
