Black artists have played a prominent role in punk rock from its beginnings to today
![Black origins of Punk](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_540,h_540/https://www.wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Black-Origins-Punk_Slide-1.jpg)
June is Black Music Appreciation month. This month we’ll be celebrating the musical contributions of Black artists, including those from Jacksonville. And, with the help of our friends at FairPlay, we’re offering readers a deeper look into the Black origins of various popular music genres, from country to shoegaze, punk, reggaeton and more.
From proto-punk pioneers Death to seminal feminist frontwoman Poly Styrene to Dean Pleasants’ influence on the SoCal hardcore scene, Black artists have played a prominent role in punk rock from its beginnings to today.
The British band X-Ray Spex loomed large in the nascent UK underground music scene, sharing the stage with some of the most recognizable acts of the day. The band was fronted by Poly Styrene, who commanded the stage with her powerful voice and biting lyrics.
![](https://wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Black-Origins-Punk_Slide-2.jpg)
From HC to SoCal thrash to bubblegum punk and heavy metal, Black artists played prominent role in the various sub-genres that borrowed from punk.
![From HC to SoCal thrash to bubblegum punk and heavy metal, Black artists played prominent role in the various sub-genres that borrowed from punk.](https://wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Black-Origins-Punk_Slide-3.jpg)
Founded by brothers David, Dannis and Bobby Hackney, Death was well-before their time, remaining largely unknown before the 2012 documentary A Band Called Death exposed the group to a wider audience.
![Founded by brothers David, Dannis and Bobby Hackney, Death was well-before their time, remaining largely unknown before the 2012 documentary A Band Called Death exposed the group to a wider audience.](https://wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Black-Origins-Punk_Slide-4.jpg)
Emerging from the Washington, D.C. hardcore scene of the late-’70s, the all-Black group Bad Brains remains one of the most influential groups of all time.
![Emerging from the Washington, D.C. hardcore scene of the late-'70s, the all-Black group Bad Brains remains one of the most influential groups of all time.](https://wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Black-Origins-Punk_Slide-5.jpg)
![Featured image for “Song of the Day | “Empty Trainload of Sky” by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings”](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_391,h_294/https://www.wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/unnamed-50-e1721997801135.jpg)
Song of the Day | “Empty Trainload of Sky” by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings
![Featured image for “The Neighborhood Playlist | July 20”](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_540,h_449/https://www.wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/The-Neighborhood-e1704830645677.png)
The Neighborhood Playlist | July 20
![Featured image for “Jax Music Hour Playlist | July 20”](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_540,h_414/https://www.wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Jax-Music-Hour-e1704723913466.png)
Jax Music Hour Playlist | July 20
![Featured image for “UK Shoegazers Slowdive to Kick Off New Fall Tour at St. Augustine Amphitheatre”](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_675,h_420/https://www.wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/slowdive-Press-Photo.jpg)
UK Shoegazers Slowdive to Kick Off New Fall Tour at St. Augustine Amphitheatre
![Featured image for “Flipturn, St. Paul & the Broken Bones Highlight this Year’s Two-Day Florida Fest in Jacksonville Beach”](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_540,h_403/https://www.wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Untitled-2024-07-24T151804.763-e1721848818603.png)
Flipturn, St. Paul & the Broken Bones Highlight this Year’s Two-Day Florida Fest in Jacksonville Beach
![Featured image for “Song of the Day | “Coast” by Kim Deal”](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_1280,h_853/https://www.wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/unnamed-49-scaled.jpg)
Song of the Day | “Coast” by Kim Deal
![Featured image for “The Latest Collab from Dillon and Batsauce Serves Up High Quality Production with Kindred Spirit Kool Keith”](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_1280,h_1280/https://www.wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Dillon-Batsauce-2-scaled.jpeg)
The Latest Collab from Dillon and Batsauce Serves Up High Quality Production with Kindred Spirit Kool Keith
![Featured image for “Song of the Day | “Lie 95” by Bartees Strange”](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_400,h_250/https://www.wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/unnamed-5-e1721330907160.jpg)
Song of the Day | “Lie 95” by Bartees Strange
![Featured image for “Newly-Released Archive Recordings of Neil Young & Crazy Horse, ‘Early Daze’ is a Crucial Document of the Group’s Prime Era”](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_1280,h_770/https://www.wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/EarlyDaze-scaled-e1721326426509.jpg)
Newly-Released Archive Recordings of Neil Young & Crazy Horse, ‘Early Daze’ is a Crucial Document of the Group’s Prime Era
![Featured image for “Jax Music Hour Playlist | July 13”](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_540,h_414/https://www.wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Jax-Music-Hour-e1704723913466.png)
Jax Music Hour Playlist | July 13
JME Live Music Calendar
![Summertime in the City](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img/https://www.wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/STITC-Banner-fa5f93227958d7149ba502f8b5ee70b6.jpg)
![Ben Brough Art Release](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img/https://www.wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Screenshot-2024-07-23-at-11.50.54-AM-030a9320daf5c952936e71bd5dc1bbba.png)
![Matt Woods](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img/https://www.wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Screen-Shot-2024-07-25-at-1.35.52-PM-dff6e4913415fb48eb49b0689f3097a0.png)
![Faze Wave](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img/https://www.wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Screenshot-2024-07-23-at-11.44.25-AM-cc05c8dee500cf6f75933a95fd90e056.png)
![Donny Osmond](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img/https://www.wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/1180X517-MAINEVENT-DonnyOsmond-V1-4d1b878ccc-ae06d66784dc1e87c5b83519a60e6488.png)
![Statewide Emergency Tour](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img/https://www.wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SOE_1000x500_copy-3765da7353041b592b312b1429a3950c.jpg)
![Stop Light Observations](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img/https://www.wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/image-asset-a779840fd9511cc98521f24fc535f1e0.jpeg)
![The Kreepy Tikis](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img/https://www.wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/6-27-the-kreepy-tikis-d038fbfe762d342da19554ecf954bcfb.png)
![Mark Williams and Friends](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img/https://www.wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/448471784_122153899268180910_8389483604573055323_n-b1f0ee004b93db3d3ef4eb8e0d25bd42.jpg)
![rickoLus](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img/https://www.wjct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/rickoLusaccordian-0fe9d1a7470b151df5ec6cefd576fecf.jpg)