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Notable African-American Musicians

The following list includes African-American singers, composers, rappers, pianists, and other musicians who have contributed to the world of music, including Count Basie, Akon, Natalie Cole, Missy Elliot, Duke Ellington, Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson, and more.

Bessie Smith

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  • Literary Figures

  • Actors

  • Musicians

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  • 50 Cent, rapper

  • Aaliyah, singer and actress

  • Akon, singer

  • Marian Anderson, opera singer

  • Louis Armstrong, jazz musician

  • Josephine Baker, singer and dancer

  • Count Basie, jazz musician and composer

  • Andre Benjamin (Andre 3000), rap artist

  • Chuck Berry, rock and roll musician and songwriter

  • Eubie Blake, pianist and composer

  • Mary J. Blige, singer, songwriter

  • Boyz II Men, R&B/hip-hop group

  • Brandy, singer and actress

  • Foxy Brown, rapper

  • James Brown, soul singer

  • Harry T. Burleigh, American baritone and composer

  • Busta Rhymes, rapper

  • Cab Calloway, jazz singer and band leader

  • Benny Carter, jazz saxophonist and composer

  • Betty Carter, jazz singer

  • Chamillionaire, rapper

  • Ray Charles, singer, pianist, and composer

  • Chingy, rapper

  • Chuck D, musician

  • Ciara, singer

  • George Clinton, musician

  • Natalie Cole, singer

  • Nat “King” Cole, musician and composer

  • John Coltrane, jazz saxophonist

  • Sean “Diddy” Combs, rap singer and producer

  • Coolio, rap singer

  • Miles Davis, trumpet player and composer

  • Sammy Davis Jr., entertainer

  • William L. Dawson, composer and conductor

  • Destiny’s Child, R&B group

  • Robert Nathaniel Dett, composer and pianist

  • Bo Diddley, rock-and-roll singer, guitarist, and songwriter

  • DMX, rapper

  • Snoop Dogg, rap musician

  • Antoine “Fats” Domino, singer

  • Thomas A. Dorsey, gospel music composer

  • Dr. Dre, rap singer and producer

  • Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, singer and producer

  • Duke Ellington, jazz musician and composer

  • Missy Elliott, rapper, music producer

  • Ella Fitzgerald, jazz singer

  • Aretha Franklin, soul singer

  • The Fugees, hip-hop group

  • The Game, rapper

  • Marvin Gaye, Motown singer and songwriter

  • Dizzy Gillespie, jazz musician and composer

  • Berry Gordy, Jr., record company executive

  • Guru, rapper

  • Lionel Hampton, musician, band leader

  • Herbie Hancock, jazz musician

  • William Christopher Handy, songwriter and band leader

  • Ben Harper, musician

  • Isaac Hayes, singer

  • Roland Hayes, American opera singer

  • Jimi Hendrix, rock musician, guitarist

  • Lauryn Hill, rap artist, producer

  • Billie Holiday, jazz singer

  • John Lee Hooker, blues guitarist, singer, songwriter

  • Lena Horne, singer

  • Whitney Houston, singer, actress

  • Ice Cube, rap artist, actor

  • Ice T, rap artist, actor

  • Janet Jackson, singer, dancer, actress

  • Mahalia Jackson, gospel singer

  • Michael Jackson, musician

  • Ja Rule, rapper

  • Jay-Z, rapper, music producer, business personality

  • Eve Jeffers, rapper, actor

  • Johnnie Johnson, blues and rock pianist

  • Robert Johnson, blues singer, guitarist

  • Mike Jones, rapper

  • Quincy Jones, pop-soul composer, producer

  • Scott Joplin, ragtime pianist and composer

  • B. B. King, guitarist

  • Lenny Kravitz, guitarist, singer, songwriter

  • Queen Latifah, rap musician, actress

  • Huddie “Leadbelly” Ledbetter, singer

  • Lil’ Bow Wow, rapper

  • Lil’ Fizz, rapper, actor

  • Lil’ Kim, rapper

  • Lil’ Romeo, rapper, actor

  • Ludacris, rapper

  • Wynton Marsalis, jazz trumpeter, composer

  • Master P, rap musician, filmmaker, record label executive

  • Charles Mingus, jazz musician

  • Thelonious Monk, jazz pianist, composer, and arranger

  • Ferdinand “Jelly Roll” Morton, jazz composer

  • Mos Def, rapper, actor

  • Mya, singer, songwriter

  • Nas, musician, actor

  • Nelly, rap artist

  • Aaron Neville, singer

  • Jessye Norman, opera singer

  • The Notorious B.I.G., rap artist

  • Outkast, rappers

  • Charlie “Bird” Parker, jazz saxophonist

  • Antwan Patton (Big Boi), rap artist

  • Pretty Ricky, singers

  • Leontyne Price, opera singer

  • Prince, singer and producer

  • Gertrude “Ma” Rainey, blues singer

  • Otis Redding, singer

  • Irene Reid, singer and actress

  • Max Roache, jazz musician

  • Paul Robeson, actor and singer

  • Smokey Robinson, singer and songwriter

  • Darius Rucker, pop singer

  • Tupac Shakur, rap artist and actor

  • Nina Simone, singer

  • Bessie Smith, blues singer

  • Will Smith, rap artist and actor

  • William Grant Still, composer

  • Levi Stubbs, singer

  • Howard Swanson, composer

  • Tone-Loc, rapper, actor

  • Ike Turner, R&B singer

  • Tina Turner, R&B singer

  • Luther Vandross, R&B singer

  • Sarah Vaughan, jazz singer

  • Thomas “Fats” Waller, jazz pianist and songwriter

  • Dinah Washington, blues and jazz singer

  • Muddy Waters, blues singer

  • Junior Wells, blues singer and harmonica player

  • Kanye West, music producer, rapper

  • John Lee “Sonny Boy” Williamson, blues singer and harmonica player

  • Cassandra Wilson, jazz singer

  • Howlin’ Wolf, blues singer and composer

  • Stevie Wonder, singer, composer, producer

  • Wu-Tang Clan, hip-hop band

  • Lester Young, jazz musician

 

Black History

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Biographies: Selected Rap and Hip-Hop Musicians

  • Biographies: Selected Rap and Hip-Hop Musicians

TrendingHere are the facts and trivia that people are buzzing about.

Did Birds Evolve from Dinosaurs?

The Twelve Dancing Princesses

Current Events This Week: January 2023

African Americans by the Numbers

Andersen’s Fairy Tales: Contents

The Celtic Twilight: A Teller of Tales

TrendingHere are the facts and trivia that people are buzzing about.

Did Birds Evolve from Dinosaurs?

The Twelve Dancing Princesses

Current Events This Week: January 2023

African Americans by the Numbers

Andersen’s Fairy Tales: Contents

The Celtic Twilight: A Teller of Tales

  • Did Birds Evolve from Dinosaurs?
  • The Twelve Dancing Princesses
  • Current Events This Week: January 2023
  • African Americans by the Numbers
  • Andersen’s Fairy Tales: Contents
  • The Celtic Twilight: A Teller of Tales