PANEL | Electronic Music is Black Music — Reclaiming and Tracing Electronic Music’s Roots, Present, and Future

This one-hour panel discussion will reframe electronic music as Black music, distinctive from its cultural assimilation within predominantly white, European music contexts and discourse, re-contextualizing and emphasizing accurate narratives of electronic music from a Black lens. This is a transformative conversation and exploration of the dynamic intersection of electronic music, Black culture and counterculture, tracing its rich history, examining its vibrant contemporary and current landscape, and envisioning its evolving role in shaping the future trajectories of electronic music.

In this enlightening panel, musicians, scholars, industry executives and cultural critics converge to delve into the rich tapestry of electronic music, highlighting its often-overlooked roots in Black culture.

From its origins in the innovative sounds of African-American artists who pioneered electronic music and its sub-genres — Kelli “K-Hand” Hand, Stacey “Hotwaxx” Hale, DJ Minx (Women on Wax), Crystal Waters, Robin S, CeCe Peniston, Janet Jackson, Frankie Knuckles, The Belleville Three, Robert Hood, RP Boo, Underground Resistance, and Jeff Mills, amongst many others — to electronic music’s explosive evolution into a global phenomenon.

With the birth of house and techno to the global rise of afro-futurism, this discussion will uncover the diverse array of influences, pioneers, and challenges that continue to shape the ever-changing landscape of electronic music as its reclaims its rightful place as Black music and restore the lost histories of Black women and gender nonconforming folks contribution to electronic music.

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During the event, no interpreter for the Deaf will be present.

All activities held in the Salle Ludger-Duvernay will be simultaneously transcribed and translated in either French or English using an application powered by artificial intelligence. Those wishing to use this accessibility feature will find QR codes on site, which they can scan in order to connect to the live transcription. They may also click the “Transcriptions” button in the MUTEK Forum App homepage. This is a beta service, we cannot guarantee 100% accuracy.