By: Lisa Kocay
June marks Black Music Month, but this year’s celebration of the appreciation month came during a distinct time as our country is currently fighting to end police brutality in the wake of the wrongful deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and countless others. We hope Black Music Month can be used to uplift and empower artists, as well as showcase the historical impact Black artists have had on numerous genres of music, such as dance music. We wouldn’t have the music we have today without Frankie Knuckles, also known as the “Godfather of House Music,” Larry Levan, Todd Terry, Ron Hardy, Steve “Silk” Hurley, Phuture, Marshall Jefferson, Chip E, Larry Heard, Farley “Jackmaster” Funk and many others. These artists helped pave the way for dance music, and we owe what we have today to them.
DJ and producer Kyle Kinch notes that much of his inspiration today stems from the work of Knuckles and Terry, and Kinch has even released music on Jefferson’s renowned Freakin909 label. Kinch, who is well-known for his groovy sound that’s influenced by jazz and disco, has also been featured on Gorgon City's REALM Records, SubSoul’s Circles imprint and Rawsome Recordings. In addition, he’s performed at major events such as Coachella, elrow and Sunset Music Festival. Kinch took the time to share with Forbes what Black Music Month means to him, his favorite releases by Black artists that came out this month and more on why Black Music Month is close to his heart.
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