A Black Love Timeline- Mixtape

 Kainan Finley 

5/1/2024

ENGL2017-65125


A Black Love Timeline

For my mixtape theme, I decided on "A Black Love Timeline” based on bell hooks' framework of cultural critique and her expression of how love songs have changed and lost meaning. hooks' framework involves analyzing how popular culture and media represent and reinforce power dynamics, particularly concerning race, class, and gender. I chose four different eras based on how the meaning of love evolves in songs. For example, songs from the 1970s focus on a real love dynamic between two people and their growth together, while love songs from the 2010s center on a transactional relationship involving sex and money, not necessarily real love, and the 2020s era is about reclaiming love.


1960s-70s: Love as a Revolution and a Deep Commitment 

"My Girl" - The Temptations (1964) 

"Ain't No Way" - Aretha Franklin (1968) 

“Let's Stay Together" - Al Green (1972) 

The social movements of the 1960s and 1970s are reflected in songs about Black love, expressing themes of loyalty, community, sensitivity, and revolutionary love (Civil Rights, Black Power, Black feminism). "My Girl” fits into bell hooks' critique as it challenges the notion of toxic masculinity, where men are typically portrayed as cold and dominant. This song showcases a group of men expressing their love for their woman and their pride in having this "Girl." "Ain't No Way” aligns with her critique because Aretha begs to be loved without hiding her emotions, challenging bell hooks' criticism of Black women's tendency to be strong and emotionally self-sacrificing. “Let's Stay Together” fits because it presents a vision of love that is enduring, healing, and genuinely human in the post-Civil Rights era—something hooks believes is essential in opposition to the commodification of love. 

 

1980s-90s: Pleasure and Power through Gender Dynamics 

"Sweet Love" - Anita Baker (1986) 

"Make It Last Forever" - Keith Sweat (1987) 

“That's the Way Love Goes" - Janet Jackson (1993) 

bell hooks criticizes Black popular music from the late 1980s and early 1990s for its growing commodification of love and support of patriarchal norms. Each of these songs offers a unique perspective on how love, gender, and emotional dynamics manifest in this era. "Sweet Love” aligns with hooks' critique as Black women in the 1980s were often expected to express love delicately, giving, and gracefully, even when they weren't emotionally fulfilled, as reflected in Baker's controlled vocal delivery. Keith Sweat's and Janet Jackson's songs question hooks' critique; she often cautions against confusing sexual pleasure with genuine emotional connection, a major theme in both songs. The pleasure can mask a lack of deeper emotional accountability, both mutually and selfishly. 

 

 

 

2000s-2010s: Capitalism, Toxic Romance & Emotional Distance 

"Irreplaceable" - Beyoncé (2006) 

"Thinking Bout You" - Frank Ocean (2012) 

"You Should Be Here” - Kehlani (2015) 

bell hooks would heavily criticize the 2000s–2010s for portraying love as temporary, competitive, and frequently emotionally distant. Songs glorifying toxic relationships, betrayal, emotional inaccessibility, and transforming love into a transactional or performative act were popular during this time. However, instances of emotional candor and resistance also emerged. "Irreplaceable” by Beyoncé is an empowering song celebrating emotional detachment from a toxic partner, showcasing women's strength and empowerment rather than a new form of love. hooks would spotlight “Thinking Bout You” by Frank Ocean because it mirrors her conviction that love is about giving rather than possessing, representing love as presence even when it’s not reciprocated. In "You Should Be Here,” Kehlani demonstrates how men tend to withdraw while women often bear the emotional burden alone. This inequality is a key element of hooks' feminist critique of contemporary relationships. 


2020s-Present: Healing, Vulnerability & Reclaiming Love 

"Good Days” - SZA (2020) 

"Heartbreak Anniversary" - Giveon (2020) 

“All Mine” - Brent Faiyaz (2022) 

"On My Mama" - Victoria Monet (2023) 

These four 2020s songs represent a major shift in how Black musicians address love, encompassing vulnerability, self-affirmation, and healing. bell hooks' framework permits us to analyze how these songs reveal instances where love may still be corrupted by ego or control, or reclaim it as caring, accountability, and spiritual growth. SZA prioritizes inner peace over relational turmoil in "Good Days," concentrating on herself. This illustrates hooks' belief that genuine love is founded on self-love. In “Heartbreak Anniversary,” Giveon mourns a relationship without assigning blame or exerting control—he merely feels. hooks' plea for honesty and openness in romantic relationships aligns with this emotional presence. Conversely, Brent Faiyaz's "All Mine" would be critiqued by hooks; she would argue that this represents a desire to emotionally own someone rather than nurturing them; it lacks love. Songs like this should be included to demonstrate that healing is not yet complete, and some conventions of love still follow outdated trends. "On My Mama" fits into hooks' critiques because she believed that love must start from within. This song emphasizes spiritual and cultural connection, not just ego. In a society that frequently devalues Black women, loving oneself is a radical act. 


https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1C1halTvCd5LkAfEzam7y6?si=25e8feb199384f6b

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