Lecture/Presentation - Structures of Music Exploitation (S.O.M.E.)
Norman Kelley presents a critical examination of how wealth has been systematically extracted from Black talent and music, drawing from his unpublished work *An Industry Beneath Their Feet: The Mismanagement and Exploitation of Black Music*. The talk traces exploitation from the antebellum era through the rise of Motown and beyond, analyzing five key case studies—including enslaved child prodigy “Blind Tom” Wiggins, the first Black-owned record label Black Swan Records, and the missed opportunities of the Black Power movement. Kelley argues that a persistent lack of an integrated economic strategy linking politics, culture, and commerce has perpetuated artistic brilliance alongside economic marginalization, and invites audiences to imagine how cultural innovation could fuel genuine economic empowerment.
When: Friday, June 19, 2026.
Showtimes: 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
Tickets: Free admission; RSVP is requested.
Speaker: Norman Kelley, editor of *R&B (Rhythm and Business): The Political Economy of Black Music* (Akashic Books, 2002) and author of *The Head Negro in Charge Syndrome* (Nation Books, 2004). Kelley has also produced the documentary *How Washington Really Works*, written novels including *Black Heat* and *The Big Mango*, contributed to *That’s the Joint: The Hip Hop Studies Reader*, appeared on NPR’s *Tavis Smiley* and C‑SPAN’s *Washington Journal*, and created the podcast series *From Black Power to Black Trauma* (2023). He was featured in the BBC/CBC documentary *Paid in Full: The Battle for Black Music*, executive produced by Idris Elba.
Overview: The presentation examines five historical moments: 1) Blind Tom Wiggins, an enslaved child music prodigy who remained in legal bondage after the Civil War; 2) Black Swan Records and the music recording industry during the era of “race records”; 3) Motown as a model of black entrepreneurship and urban economic development; 4) the failure of white policymakers and Black Power theorists to recognize Black popular music’s economic and social potential in the 1960s; 5) the Harvard Report and the NAACP’s inadequate response as white‑owned major labels devised a feasibility study to capture Black popular music. In each case, Kelley shows how the structure of exploitation within the recording industry allowed Black music and talent to be exploited with impunity, while also noting instances where African Americans failed to exploit their own folk culture as a resource.
Run time: Approximately 2 hours.
Ages: Not specified; event appears open to all.
Venue: Rhizome DC.
Note: This event is part of Rhizome DC’s ongoing programming; RSVP is encouraged. The raw text also lists a tagging of “2026, education” and includes links to Google Calendar and ICS export.