As we kick off Black History Month, it is important to highlight some of the Bay Area's most celebrated African American musicians. Since music is a key element of the Bay Area's culture, many of these artists have contributed to evolution music that represents the bay, as well as creating major waves within the overarching music industry.
Here are some of the best African American artists both from and currently located in the Bay Area.
See also: Crash-Course On The SF Bay's Hip Hop Scene, Preeminent Artists, And Signature Hyphy Sound
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Gabriella Sarmiento Wilson, also known as H.E.R., is a critically acclaimed R&B singer and songwriter from Vallejo. Wilson is well known for her various nominations and awards from the Grammys, MTV, BET, and numerous other ceremonies. Her track ‘I Can’t Breathe’ was awarded as the song of the year award at the 63rd Grammys ceremony in 2021.
With her catalog of astounding and heartfelt tracks, Wilson has established herself as one of today’s leading voices in R&B.
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Teren Delvon Jones, also known as Del the Funky Homosapien, is an Oakland based rapper and producer. He is well known for involvement in groups such as Hieroglyphics and Deltron 3030. He is also known for his collaborations with Gorillaz on the songs ‘Rock The House’ and ‘Clint Eastwood’. In October 2022, Del performed with the Gorillaz in San Francisco on both tracks.
Outside of his collaborations, Del has released other pronounced albums and projects throughout his career. Del remains as one of Oakland’s most notable rapers to date!
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Tony! Toni! Toné! was a well-known R&B/Soul group from Oakland. They were fairly prominent between the mid 1980s through the 1990s. The group is composed of members D'wayne Wiggins, Raphael Saadiq, and Timothy Christian Riley. The group is well known for hits such as ‘Let’s Get Down’ and ‘Feels Good’.
Though the group disbanded in the 1990s, their influence is still prevalent to this day.
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Chaz Bear, also known as Toro y Moi, is a musician and graphic designer located in the Bay Area. Chaz has established himself as one of the most prominent voices coming out of the Bay Area. Last year he released his critically acclaimed album ‘Mahal’.
In January, Chaz’s ‘Anything in Return’ album reached its ten year anniversary. The record sees Chaz exploring genres of synth-pop, house, and many more.
As the celebration of this project continues, we await to see what he will deliver next to his expansive discography.
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Todd Anthony Shaw, professionally known as Too Short, is an Oakland based rapper. He is well known for promince within the West Coast Hip-Hop scene.
Shaw released his first project, 'Don't Stop Rappin'', in 1985. This debut helped in kicking off his long and noteworthy career. As Shaw progressed in his career, this led him to eventually collaborating with other West Coast Hip-Hop legends, such as Ice Cube and Snoop Dogg.
To this day, Too Short is still releasing quality tracks, and is celebrated for his prevalence within the music industry.
Our music scene truly wouldn't be the same without the pivotal impact of these talented superstars all stemming from our supportively inspiring Bay Area!
See also: SF Bay Area Black-Owned Businesses To Know And Support
Photography by: Courtesy of Steve Jennings / Contributor; Theo Wargo / Staff; Karl Walter / Staff; Randy Shropshire / Stringer- Getty Images
