His sound was on the Hot 100 alongside two Jermaine Dupri productions in 2005. Dupri learned 21 years later who gave Techno its name.
I’d just published my piece about Peven Everett when I learned Techno creator Juan Atkins had left the planet.
I shared a few words on social media and figured others would have plenty more to say.
And then came Hip Hop producer Jermaine Dupri’s post.
“Ima Hip Hop 🥷 so excuse my ignorance, but I’m today years old, finding out that the phrase techno music was created by a black man, from Detroit, name Juan Atkins,The global electronic music industry— is valued at $15.1 billion and I feel like his story should be louder, I hate that I’m just learning this and he passed away 🤦🏾♂️ #Rip”
On the Billboard Hot 100 chart dated September 10, 2005, Missy Elliott’s “Lose Control” was at No. 4. She built it around a sample of “Clear”, a record Atkins made with Rik Davis as Cybotron. Both have songwriting credits on the hit.
Mariah Carey held the top two spots with “We Belong Together” and “Shake It Off”. Dupri co-produced both.
Atkins’ name was right there on the same page.
You could know “Lose Control” by heart and still have no idea where that sound came from. That’s what I was getting at with Peven Everett.
Who gets to teach the public, including younger people, where music comes from?
You can’t put faith in mainstream outlets to share a true narrative with you.
For example, look at Rolling Stone co-founder Jann Wenner’s book, The Masters: Conversations with Dylan, Lennon, Jagger, Townshend, Garcia, Bono, and Springsteen.
Not a single Black person or woman met Wenner’s criteria for entry among the “masters” of a genre invented by Black people.
And Joni Mitchell’s effin’ brilliant.
Wenner’s reasoning for the white-out?
“Of Black artists—you know, Stevie Wonder, genius, right? I suppose when you use a word as broad as ‘masters,’ the fault is using that word. Maybe Marvin Gaye, or Curtis Mayfield? I mean, they just didn’t articulate at that level.”
Wenner turned a question about whom he chose to include into a hot take about how well Black artists could explain the music they helped make.
Wenner’s case isn’t an isolated one. Like I mentioned in my Everett piece, I suspect people like Wenner and the platforms they own are reasons for why Black artists are under-regarded and underpaid.
Years from now, don’t be surprised if Rap gets remembered as white music, the Sugarhill Gang becomes a random blip on the Hip Hop timeline, and Wu-Tang Clan becomes just another good group.
It’s happened before.
I keep getting lessons about the importance of using my voice to share truth — no matter how obvious it may seem.
I should start acting like I know …
song currently stuck in my head: “kwame (live at montreux; july 5, 1973)” – donald byrd
