Sound of the Afrofantastic

Since I’m teaching about Afrofuturism right now, I’m always thinking about the process of providing some clarity to an inherently complex field of knowledge. It is less one single path and more a collection of practices woven together by the intersection of speculation and liberation. In the case of sound, we make numerous references to sound throughout the course. To be sure, there is a dedicated section examining sound and Afrofuturism, but from the beginning of the course, writers reference sound as an example of Afrofuturism. There is great complexity in this process. On the one hand, speaking, i.e., oratory, is sound, and therefore the fixation on machine-made music that defines early description of Afrofuturism is missing an important element. This becomes especially important as we trace the historical dimension of Afrofuturism. Negro spirituals are easy for students to understand. Frederick Douglass speaking in public to inspire freedom is harder to understand.

Regardless, I think any serious consideration of sound and Afrofuturism can wrestle with that complexity. I’m making changes in this course this year, bringing in new material and providing more context and examples for students to chew on. The playlist below is the soundscape of the course. It covers a lot of ground, so give it a listen.