About Black Women In Rock

In 2011, I started this little project mainly out of self-need. I’ve been a fan of rock music since I was a teenager but didn’t see too many people like me in the bands I loved.

Whenever I encountered a black woman who performed rock music, it was a moment of joy. I started putting the women I came across in one place so I could come back and reference them later.

In 10+ years, I have added more musicians to the site than I can count. From heavy music to blues to the foundation of rock itself – we have a massive presence in rock music, and we’ve always been there.

The feedback from others has shown me that many women were just like me, many black women in particular who thought they were alone in their love for rock music. I’ve heard personally from people who’ve told me how my little project has dramatically impacted their lives.

This has grown more than I imagined when I first started it. I’m glad I could put this into the world for others to learn and enjoy. I hope this blog will serve as a primary resource on black female rockers. I created it for myself, but I gift it to the world.

Disclaimer/My Methodology: I have a broad idea of who is Black since I grew up as a Southern-based African-American. The definition of Black for me includes anyone with a Sub-Saharan African ancestor (not just African-Americans but the entire diaspora of African people) and folks who are currently Sub-Saharan African. We classify using the One-Drop rule where I am from. I acknowledge that the cultures on the African continent and across the African diaspora are different. What I’m sharing here is the physicality of being in a Black female body (cis or trans) while performing rock or rock-related music. Some folks may disagree about who I choose to feature on my blog, which is okay, but please remember that this is my blog, and I’ll post who I want at the end of the day. Thanks!

Any questions or comments can be directed to jaleesa@blackwomeninrock.info.

BLOG NOTES (all links will open in a new window)

• Check out other BWIR-related content by visiting my Linktree.
• Curated Playlists for 8tracks, Apple Music, and Spotify: #BlackWomenInRock Playlists
• This project was directly inspired by blackwomenwhorock.tumblr.com. I was a massive fan of this site. Once that site became inactive, I felt like I had a job to do! Check it out as a resource for more black women in rock.
• There is a documentary film by Sheila Jackson that uses the Black Women In Rock title called Nice & Rough: Black Women IN Rock. My blog is unrelated to her project, but I highly recommend checking her out as another resource. Her site is www.niceandrough.com, and her Facebook page can be found here.
  • (Psst: Eventually, our paths crossed, and she interviewed me for her website, which you can view here!)
• This site is also not directly affiliated with Laina Dawes — author of What Are You Doing Here? A Black Woman’s Life and Liberation in Heavy Metal — but I am a fan! Check out posts talking about Laina’s work here. (We now follow each other on Twitter, which is incredible!)