This week we talked about the blending of different styles and how music can be very meaningful to displaced people. Music, especially in the beat or rhythm, can provide a sense of comfort. For example, we talked about how Camila Cabello’s song “Havana” may not be very meaningful to most people, but it might be significant to displaced Cubans here in the United States who are hearing familiar music on the radio. Many emotions are tied to music because most people grow up hearing a certain style. This was also true for many African Americans who began moving to the cities. “Hoochie coochie Man” was a song that became very popular in the African American community of Chicago. It was a familiar Southern style to many of those who had moved to the city from the South.

The blending of European and African styles of music also created new types of rhythm. There was a lot of music produced that put an emphasis on the “and” of the second downbeat, which was different from the current style. This can be heard in some tango music. Blending different styles of music can create new sounds to connect different cultures of people.