Something for Thursday

In the 1940s and 50s, there were quite a few Black singing quartets recording music. Many early Black solo artists got their start in groups like this (Sam Cooke being a prime example), but I’ve just learned something very interesting about these groups and their role in Black music history. One of these groups was called The Jubalaires, and apparently their style relied less on gorgeous harmonies and vocal work and more on rhythm and a singing style that was at times a blend of singing and speaking.

In other words, The Jubalaires were a very real precursor to what we know today as rap. And this song, “Noah”, has been called the very first recorded rap song. I don’t have the historical chops to assess that claim, but how fascinating! It’s a really neat listen, I must admit, as someone who knows very, very little about rap.

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