Hey, America! is the story of how black music came from the margins of American life in the early twentieth century through to the mainstream under Barack Obama's presidency and then was mobilised as a force for radical opposition to Donald Trump's presidency. Embedded in the story is the triumph of black music over the many forces that had held it back—racism, segregation, undercapitalised record labels, media discrimination and political anxiety. Opening with President Obama's tribute to Prince, the author takes us through the spat between Louis Armstrong and President Eisenhower, Eartha Kitt's encounter with Lady Bird Johnson, the Vietnam War's influence on soul, James Brown's flirtation with Nixon, the impact of Hurricane Katrina, Ice-T's 'Cop Killer' scandal, Public Enemy and the rise of hip-hop, the Washington Wives versus 'porn rock', Kanye West running for presidency and many, many others. The book concludes with the dramatic stand-off between Trump and the Black Lives Matter movement.
"'An erudite and deeply passionate dive into the complex relationship between American music and politics'"
The Observer
"'The author has done a terrific job of accentuating the social tensions and ambiguities among various racial groups which still exist in the United States and which, if anything, have been heightened since Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 45th president in 2017'"
Dundee Courier
"'Hey America! delivers another startling, detailed account melding music and politics as [Cosgrove] charts how black music has coloured the White House'"
