Music WI: Punk is an African-American genre?

Well the assumption of this TL, is that Death did have a profound impact. It is possiable that Death being signed would have just become a fluke in the development of Rock. However, with Death say traveling to NYC as Burton K Wheeler says, inspiring a cultural movement, before Hip Hop is really developed; thus Punk, becomes an African American genre. Now this is also back in the 70s, when the country was far more segregated; punk would have had White audience members and artists that take up the style. But as with funk, soul, and Hip hop, they will be individuals within a "Black" music; such as Black artists in Rock now, are more individual fans and artists, then being considered anctive part of there respective cultures. Take the negative attitude alot of society at large has of punks back then and now; and mix that in with feelings for African Americans. All this occuring would have a profound development on pop and youth culture in the decades to come.

While the points you make are relevant such as the racial climate and the attitude towards punks in the 70's, I just cannot see punk being a distinctly Afro-American genre because the first post even stated that other black people would watch Death play with "confusion and derision". It also seems that after listening to them, Death's appeal would reside with suburban angst rather the inner-city mentality with rap. As a result, hip-hop's development would go similar to OTL.

Don't get me wrong, I do think a band like Death would still be socially relevant if they were given the chance. I suggested the Lloyd Grant idea since Metallica had punk roots themselves but that would be a whole other potential AH timeline.
 
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